Happy Anniversary X-Ray

Google's celebration of the 150th anniversary of the discovery of X-rays.

I recall reading in a book recently that X-ray's were once used as a healing measure in many ailments. Sickly constitution, let's x-ray; aching bones (arthritis), let's x-ray; melancholy, let's x-ray; got the idea? If anything was wrong with a person that could not be solved using known medical procedures it was common practice to use a patient as a "guinea pig" throwing them in front of this great new toy, the X-ray machine.

Did you know...

1. The risks of cell damage which may trigger cancers rises with repeated exposure to X-Ray and is cumulative.
2. It is thought that X rays can both cause and treat cancer.
3. Early (historical) exposures to radiation resulted in the loss of limbs and even lives.

Cyclamen

Seahorse

Starfish

Sword Swallower

Eucalyptus

I find it fascinating what things look like from the inside...

Now, what was that book...? The story was of a child who was abandoned on a mid-QLD dock and informally adopted by the Dock Master and his wife. The Dock Master told the "daughter" the truth of how she came to live with them when she turned 21 and with the suitcase she arrived in Australia with she tries to discover who she really is. Years later her grand daughter receives the suitcase in her estate and follows the clues to find out who her Grandmother really was, the grand daughter is fortunate to have come across some people her Grandmother had never met and successfully discovers the truth of her identity. (Of course, there's more to the story than that very brief outline, I just wish I could remember the name of the book so I could recommend it as it really was a wonderful story!)


This list was inspired by Google.

Kindest Wishes,
AJ

Things I know because I'm a girl... #1

'Though I hate the commercialisation of most things and in particular "feminine hygiene products" there's one thing I LOVE enough to almost forgive it... trivia!

Thanks to the "Odd Spots" on the adhesive covering strips I have learnt:

1. On a clear, dark night a human can see a candle burning 50km away.
2. As much as 50L of maple sap is used to make 1L of maple syrup.
3. When glass breaks, the cracks move faster than 5000km/hr.
4. The Guinness Book of Records holds the record for being the book most stolen from public libraries.
5. On average a 4 year old child asks 437 questions a day.
6. The bullfrog is the only animal that never sleeps.
7. Every year the Moon moves a further 3.82cm from the Earth.
8. If you attempted to count the stars in a galaxy at a rate of one every second it would take around 3000 years to count them all.
9. Just 20seconds worth of fuel remained when Apollo 11's lunar module landed on the Moon.
10. The favourite horse wins fewer than 30% of all races.

I read something in a local history segment in our local paper about an inn here at the edge of the river at which a lantern would be lit if the path up the face of the mountains was safe from bush rangers and an inn at the ridge of the mountains which had a reciprocal arrangement. I remember when I read it thinking it was interesting and clearly the lanterns would have been able to be seen but I couldn't imagine how; in our modern age where most streets are lit every 50m or so it seems hard to see 100m away when we turn a dark corner. However, I then remembered how much easier it seems to see things in the dark when you're out camping, away from the artificial light and how many more stars you can see in the sky.

I knew from being a Mama that 4 year olds ask a LOT of questions but I never would've guessed four-hundred-and-thirty-seven! Wow! That is a whole truck load of questions!


This list was inspired by Libra ;)


Kindest Wishes,
AJ