Eiffel Tower

Eiffel Tower

From its base looking up,the Eiffel Tower like an upright pen attempting to write in the sky.Located on the Champs de Mars in Paris,this global cultural icon of France is one of the most recognised structures in the world.It was named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel,whose company designed and built the tower in time for the centenary celebration of the French Revolution in 1889.The Eiffel Tower was built as the entrance arch to the Worlds Fair,and it was one of a number of designs entered as part of the competition.

The massive iron structure took more than two years to complete.Each one of the 18,038 iron pieces was designed separately to give it the exact shape necessary.All of its pieces were prefabricated and fit together.No drilling or shaping was done on site.If any of the parts did not fit,it was sent back to the factory for alteration.

The tower has three levels for visitors.The first and second levels can be reached by either stairs or a lift,whereas the third level can only be reached by lift.Over 300 steps separate each level.Both the first and second levels have restaurants.

The tower is approximately the height of an 81-storey building (320 meters).At the time of construction,it was the  tallest structure in Paris,and it held the title of 'the tallest man-made structure in the world' for 41 years.

It is the most-visited paid monument in the world.Millions of people ascend it every year.But the amazing beauty of the tower is revealed only at night.The searchlights on top of the tower make it a beacon against the Parisian night sky.The tower also sparkles with the aid of 20,000 flash bulbs.

As a global landmark,the Eiffel Tower has been featured in films,video games and television shows.

Think Again

"Think  Again"

There are many things in this world,

We claim it to be ours,

Some of that is not true,

Some are just lies to get through.

We better live with nothing,

Rather strunggling taking,

If we just look delivering an empty gaze,

We will always be stabbed from behind.

Fortune is nothing in our life,

It's about how we enjoy the journey,

If we own a mountain of gold,

It does not mean much at all,

Because it would never show any sign of a smile.

Forever and ever,

We search for money within our desire,

Never do we realise we have became liars,

Because once we promised to be obedient to our Creator.

We feel proud of our money and power,

Do we know He has more power?

To take back what we are fond of,

Until our conscience revives from a disaster,

Is that what we really want?

Think again......

Meat-eating Plants

Meat-eating Plants

The Venus Flytrap is a carnivorous plant that feeds on insects.Like other plants,the Venus Flytrap gets its nutrients from gases found in the air and nutrients from the soil,but it gets the most nutrients by consuming insects.Though there are many carnivorous plants all over the world,the Venus Flytrap is only found in South and North Carolina.And due to its carnivorous nature,this plants has been an object of fascination for years.This Venus Flytraps of today are an endangered plant species and are mostly grown in greenhouse.

This plant has short,rough hairs on either side of its snapping "jaws"known as trigger hairs or sensitive hairs.These hairs serve as an alarm system for the Venus Flytrap.When the hairs on the plant are bent,the plant shuts its jaws in the time span of less than a second.The jaws are not shut tight at the first initial snapping.This is so that small insects can escape because the Venus Flytrap does not consider very small insects sufficient nutrition.The interesting     fact about the Venus Flytrap is that if what is trapped inside its jaws is not food but small stones,nuts or something else,it will actually "spit out" the item after twelve hours.

The cilia,which are finger-like projection found around the jaws of the Venus Flytrap,is used to keep the larger insects inside,preventing them from escaping.Its shut jaws keep out the bacteria and keep the digestive fluids inside.

The Venus Flytrap uses digestive juices not unlike the acidic secretions in our stomach to consume the insect.The secretion is strong enough to dissolve the soft inner parts of the insect but it is not enough to break down the exoskeleton(the tough outer layer of the insect).Once the Venus Flytrap has completely digested the inner parts of the insect,it will open its jaws and throw out the leftover parts of the insects' body.The leftover either get blown away by the wind or are washed away by the rain.The time it takes for the jaws to reopen and throw away the leftover exoskeleton depends on the temperature ,the size of the insect,the age of the trap as well as the number of times it has gone through this process.

People still wonder how the Venus Flytrap shuts its jaws so quickly.Scientists have theorised that it is caused by a fluid pressure that is activated by an electrical current.

The Venus Flytrap is relatively easy to grow as you only need wet roots,high humidity,full sunlight,and poor,acidic soil.If you were to purchase it for growth,it will come in the shape of a bulb.You need to plant the bulb root side down so that the plant can grow properly.The plant can grow even better if you continuously plant it in new soil every few years.