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The Worlds Worst Smelling Flowers

January 25th 2012 20:10

The Worlds Worst Smelling Flowers
There are a million and one types of flowers in the world and its not surprising that some of them dont smell so sweet. Take the carrion flowers for example. They excrete a smell of rotting flesh that attracts scavenging insects, which is why you dont find them down your local flower shop. So this article is going to explore 3 of the worst smelling plants in the world today and even if you cant smell their pungent pong I am sure you will be equally surprised by their strange looks. Brace yourself before you read this article it may help if you dowse yourself in perfume from Forget-Flowers (choose from Chanel perfume, Ghost perfume, Gucci perfume, Nina Ricci perfume, Jean Paul Gaultier perfume, Britney Spears perfume, Marc Jacobs perfume and more)

The Corpse Flower
The most remarkable of all the fetid flowers is the corpse flower (Amorphophallus titanum). It grows in the equatorial tropical rainforests of Sumatran in Indonesia where no one can hear you scream.
The first time this plant was scientifically described was in 1878 by Italian botanist Odoardo Beccari. It was then cultivated in the Royal Botanic Garden at Kew in London in 1889 and there have been have 100 cultivated blooming since then.
It was first bloomed in the United stated in 1937 and became the official flower for the Bronx (because it was also a giant putrid smelling monstrosity?) only to be replaced by the day lily in 2000.
The flower itself is huge. The leaf structure can reach up to 20 ft and 16 ft wide and can weigh up to 200lb and to me it looks like one of the mobile carnivorous plants from Day of the Triffids.

The Rafflesia arnoldii
The Rafflesia arnoldii is another corpse flower which belongs to the same family. This time the flower is much smaller and looks more like an actual flower rather than a 6ft monster but maintaining the colour and texture of rotting flesh.

The arnoldii is hard to find and only grows in the ever decreasing Borneo and Sumatra jungles. This is because it takes many months for the plant to reach sexual maturity and will then only flower for a few days. It must be in close proximity to another arnoldii in order for it to be pollinated by insects.

The plant is thought to be near extinction. People who have arnoldiis growing on their property are encouraged to keep them and charge people to see them. Although persuading people to keep a rotting corpse on their land is hardly appealing.
Stinking gladwyn
I didnt think it was appropriate to just label Rafflesia plants as even though they stink, if they are doing it in the middle of the densest jungle and the insects like it then fine. The Stinking Gladwyn however is smelling away right on my doorstep. It has been labels as stinking because some people find its smell unpleasant if you crush it. I suspect this odour is more prominent to insects, but the smell has been described as beefy.
So that concludes my look at the worlds smelliest plants and even though we cant stand them smell of them at least the insects can and in my mind that keeps the pair of them off in the depths of the Borneo jungles.

For more of these putrid plants check out this page;
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A map of the worlds sub-sea cables

December 5th 2011 22:38

It is easy to take our ability of communication for granted. In fact very few of us know that this is result of the vast amounts of man-power, effort and money used to construct the worlds sub-sea cables which lay hundreds of feet below us on the ocean seabed. Connecting together all the continents with the exception of Antarctica, these cables allow us to call friends and relatives overseas as well as use the internet among other things.
The first submarine communication cables carried telegraph signals before they began carrying data communications. In August 1850 the first subsea cable was laid across the English Channel and was made of copper wire coated in natural gutta-percha. The first message to be sent by subsea cable was from the Queen to the US President in 1858.However, many of these early cables were damaged by the application of excess voltage before cables were laid permanently after 1866.
Since the 1980s, each cable has used optical fibre technology to pass faster broadband signals. These cables are typically 69 millimetres in diameter and tend to be a lighter weight in deeper waters. The wire is typically insulated by a number of protective layers including copper, polycarbonate, petroleum jelly and steel wires inside a polyethylene casing.
There are over 1000 cables both domestically and internationally distributed throughout the world and these will vary in size depending on the depth they are placed. Some are buried so that they dont get caught up in trawler nets or damaged by anchors. Cables can also be damaged by large sea animals such as sharks as fish bites have often been found, however cables are quite vulnerable to harsh weather conditions and earthquakes.
The largest of the underwater cables is the FLAG ((Fiberoptic Link Around the Globe) cable which stretches 28,000 kilometres and links the United Kingdom to Japan via the Middle East. There are also several cables linking Europe to the US and Canada, the US to Asia and cables that interlink the islands such as the Philippines and the Caribbean. Cables surrounding Asia have been hijacked by pirates on one occasion with the T-V-H cable linking Thailand to Hong Kong and Vietnam being cut and used for scrap. Several cables were also damaged by the Japanese Tohuku tsunami in April 2011.
Subsea cables are extremely reliable and account for a high percentage of communication link ups by comparison to those of a satellite and count for 99% of the worlds communication methods due to their speed. For example; the maximum transmission bit rate of the first sea cables was 45 megabits per second.
However there are issues with subsea cables. Although they pose minimal environmental threat, they have been intercepted during wartime as the USA tapped into several USSR cables during the Cold War.
Although some cables are rendered out of use whilst those which are working require regular monitoring and repairs they play a pivotal role in the way we communicate.
For More Information on Sub Sea Cables visit out Fraser Hydralic Power Limited or check out the full map at www.cablemap.info/
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Can Anyone Live Off The Grid?

November 9th 2011 00:02

When you talk about alternative energy and living off the grid, a lot of people feel instantly that they will have to give up most of their modern amenities to live in such a fashion. Many more think this is an endeavor solely for granola loving hippies, whose modest ways coincide with fewer technologies, TVs, ACs, etc. The truth is, living off the grid is a possibility open to anyone. Granted, you may have a larger investment if you are powering three chest freezers and all high-energy appliances, but this would simply mean you need a larger system.

The increased demand for renewable energy technology has led to the development of more efficient and easy to use components to make living off the grid a reasonable option for anyone willing to be mindful of their energy consumption.

Using renewable energy sources to produce electricity is a fairly simple process. You need a power source-sun, wind or water-from which you will harness a low voltage direct current that is then converted, using an inverter, into usable house current (AC). Excess current generated by your system is stored in battery banks where it can be retrieved during more high demand times or times when the direct energy source is unavailable.

Living off the grid with renewable power resources is almost completely automated as well. Except for the maintenance of your batteries, there is almost no special attention needed, other than monitoring your energy use to make sure you do not exceed your supply with your demand. The key to success in living off the grid is making sure you size your system to meet the demand of your energy needs.

Living off the grid can be an exhilarating experience. The feeling of energy freedom is like no other and you can be proud of your efforts to combat global warming and best of all, you may never have to worry about a power outage again. It is important to conduct your research and determine which alternative energy sources will work best for you in your geographical area, but it is definitely worthwhile to learn how to live off the grid and feel the rush of freedom being off the grid can give.

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Its Easy to Learn How to Make Solar Panels

September 18th 2011 21:20

Plenty of people have been looking into installing solar panels in an effort to combat rising energy costs. When most of these people see the prices of the professionally installed panels they realize it may not be a luxury they can afford. There is an easier, more cost efficient way to harness power from the sun and that is to learn to <a Really Long Link solar panels< /a> for your self.

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Declare Independence and Build Solar Panels

September 15th 2011 13:11

Say goodbye to electric bills and hello to renewable energies. Solar power is one of the best and most reliable renewable energy sources available. The problem most novice environmental warriors find is that the cost of professionally installed solar power systems is way beyond their budget and it could take well over 10 years to see a return on their investment. Never fear, there are alternatives. The most cost-effective way to take advantage of the power of the sun is to build solar panels on your own.

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Climate Red - News and Views on Climate Change Issues.

The Worlds Worst Smelling Flowers

A map of the worlds sub-sea cables

Can Anyone Live Off The Grid?

Its Easy to Learn How to Make Solar Panels

Declare Independence and Build Solar Panels