ejaasaari/simplewiki-2025-04-01 huggingface dataset:
Spiny lobsters, also known as rock lobsters are a family (Palinuridae) of about 45 species of crustaceans, in the Decapoda Reptantia. Spiny lobsters are also called "crayfish", "sea crayfish" or "crawfish". Although they superficially resemble true lobsters in terms of overall shape, and that they also have a hard carapace and exoskeleton, the two groups are not closely related. Spiny lobsters can be easily distinguished from true lobsters by their very long, thick, spiny antennae, and by their complete lack of claws ("chelae"); true lobsters have much smaller antennae and claws on the first three pairs of legs, with the first being particularly enlarged. Like true lobsters, however, spiny lobsters are edible and are an economically significant food source; they are the biggest food export of the Bahamas . Spiny lobsters are found in almost all warm seas, including the Caribbean and the Mediterranean Sea, but are particularly common in Australasia, where they are referred to commonly as crayfish or sea crayfish ("Jasus novaehollandiae" and "Jasus edwardsii"), and South Africa ("Jasus lalandii"). A new species, "Palinurus barbarae" was described in 2006. The largest spiny lobster on record was over 1 m (3 ft) long and weighed over 11.8 kg (26 lb). Spiny lobsters tend to live in crevices of rocks and coral reefs, only occasionally venturing out at night to seek snails, clams, crabs, sea urchins or carrion to eat. Sometimes, they migrate "en masse", in long files of lobsters across the sea floor. Potential predators may be deterred from eating spiny lobsters by a loud screech made by the antennae of the spiny lobsters rubbing against a smooth part of the exoskeleton . Spiny lobsters usually exhibit social habit by being together. However recent studies indicate that healthy lobsters move away from infected ones and leaving the
Bromeliads are a family of tropical plants which includes the pineapple and several colourful houseplants. They are nearly all from Latin America and the Caribbean islands, except for Spanish moss from the southern United States, and a single kind from Africa. Well-known kinds of bromeliad. Pineapples (Latin name: "Ananas"). See Pineapple. Air plants (Latin name: "Tillandsia") are very curious because they do not need any roots to stay alive. Instead they soak up moisture from the air around them through tiny, silvery scales on their leaves. They have so many of these scales that the whole plant can look grey. In the wild they grow on tree banches in rainy and misty areas. In the Caribbean there is a kind that grows on telephone wires! Urn plants (Latin name: "Aechmea") are easy to keep. They grow to about 60 cm across, but because the stiff, green-and-grey leaves have spiny edges, they need to be out of the way. Urn plants got their name because they have a hole in the middle made by the ring-shaped arrangement of their leaves. This central urn fills up with rainwater in the wild and is often home to insects and frogs. Its flowers are held high on a single stem, and protected by a globe of small, pink leaves which lasts for several months. Vriesias (Latin names: "Vriesia" and "Guzmania") are like urn plants, but they have no spines and their leaves are softer. They are often sold in flower shops (and sometimes in supermarkets) and are very easy to look after. Their flowers grow on a single stem, protected by flattened, colourful leaves. It is better not to fill the central space with water, as these soft-leaved plants might rot. instead their soil should be watered. Spanish moss. Spanish moss (Latin name: "Tillandsia usneoides") is a grey plant found hanging from trees in the swamps of the southern United States, especially in Louisiana but as far east as coastal Virginia. To the south it spreads as far as Chile and Argentina. It gained its current name from
Eucalyptus is a genus of trees. Eucalypt is also the common name for seven similar plants from the tribe Eucalypteae, all from Australasia. They are "Eucalyptus", "Corymbia", "Angophora", "Stockwellia", "Allosyncarpia", "Eucalyptopsis" and "Arillastrum". There are over 699 species of eucalyptus, and almost all of them are in Australia. Eucalyptus can be found in almost all parts of the Australia, and they are adapted to many different habitats. Their distribution has an implication: they must have evolved after Australia lost contact with the rest of Gondwana. Apart from the island of New Guinea, which is historically connected to Australia, and the Philippines, and a couple of small islands, the eucalypts are not naturally found in any other countries. Many species are known as gum trees because they put out lots of sap from any break in the bark. Eucalypts have many local names, like 'gum trees', 'mallee', 'box', 'ironbark', 'stringybark' and 'ash'. Description. Flowers and leaves. Eucalypts have special flowers and fruits that no other trees have. When it flowers a bud cap made of petals grows around the flower until it is ready to open. Then the bud cap falls off to reveal a flower with no petals. The woody fruits are called gumnuts. They are roughly cone-shaped and open at one end to release the seeds. Nearly all eucalypts are evergreen but some tropical species lose their leaves at the end of the dry season. The leaves are covered with oil glands. These oils are often used to treat coughs and colds. Many eucalypts change the shape of their leaves as they get older. Young eucalypts have round leaves. When one to a few years old, the leaves of most kinds become longer and spearhead or sickle-shaped. A few species keep the round leaf shape all their lives. Most species do not flower until the adult leaves starts to appear
Cell theory is the historic scientific theory, now accepted by everyone, that living organisms are made up of cells. Cells are the basic unit of structure in all organisms and the basic unit of reproduction.  History. With many improvements made to microscopes over time, magnification technology advanced enough to discover cells in the 17th century. This discovery was made by Robert Hooke and began cell biology, the scientific study of cells. Cell theory was eventually made in 1838. This is usually credited to Matthias Schleiden and Theodor Schwann.
Oxfordshire (short Oxon, from the Latinised form "Oxonia") is a county in the South East of England, bordering on Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire. It is divided into five local government districts: Oxford, Cherwell, Vale of the White Horse (after the "Uffington White Horse"), "West Oxfordshire" and "South Oxfordshire". The county has a major tourism industry. The area is known for the concentration of motorsport companies and facilities. Oxford University Press has headed a concentration of print and publishing firms; the university is also linked to the concentration of local biotechnology companies. The main centre of population is the city of Oxford. Other significant settlements are Bicester, Banbury, and Chipping Norton to the north of Oxford; Witney to the west; Thame and Chinnor to the east; and Abingdon, Wantage, Didcot and Henley-on-Thames to the south. Future population growth in the county is hoped to be concentrated around Banbury, Bicester, Didcot and Witney, near the South Midlands growth area. The highest point of the county is Whitehorse Hill, in the Vale of White Horse, reaching 856 feet (261m). History. The county of Oxfordshire was formed in the early years of the 10th century. Historically the area has always had some importance, it has been good agricultural land resting between the main southern cities and Oxford (whose name came from Anglo-Saxon "Oxenaford" = "ford for oxen"). The area was part of the Cotswolds wool trade from the 13th century. The Great Western Railway reached Didcot in 1839. Morris Motors was founded in Oxford in 1912 and MG in Abingdon in 1929. The importance of agriculture as an employer has gone down in the 20th century; today less than one percent of the county's population are involved. The Vale of the White Horse and parts of South Oxfordshire south of the River Thames were historically part of Berkshire, but were added to the administrative county in 1974.
Minnie Mouse is an American cartoon character. She is Mickey Mouse's significant other. They were both created by Walt Disney. Her birthday is on 18th November 1928. She only first appeared in 1928, in “Plane Crazy”. She is also known as Princess Minnie and Maestro Minnie. Minnie's favorite foods are cheese, chocolate and cake. She loves listening to jazz music, cooking, baking, shopping and makeup. She was voiced by Walt Disney from 1928 to 1929, then by Marcelite Garner, and then voiced by Russi Taylor. Family. Minnie Mouse’s parents are unknown, but Marcus Mouse may be her father’s name. His name was first used in the comic strip story “Mr. Slicker and the Egg Robbers” (published 22 September — 26 December, 1930). The same story featured photographs of Minnie's uncle Milton Mouse with his family and her grandparents Marvel Mouse and Matilda Mouse. She also has an uncle named Mortimer Mouse and twin nieces, Millie and Melody Mouse. Pets. Minnie Mouse has two pets, a dog and a cat. The dog is called Fifi. Fifi has 5 puppies with Mickey’s dog, Pluto. Pluto was Mickey’s first dog; he was called Rover at that time. She also has a cat called Figaro. This is the same cat which appears in the Disney movie Pinocchio. It has been recently discovered that she has adopted two new pets, a lizard and a snake, their names are Lolly and Pop, respectively. This is due to her sudden fascination with reptiles. Marriage to Mickey. Walt Disney said in a interview in 1933 that in private Mickey and Minnie are married. He also said that many people asked him about this. Depending on the movie, Minnie and Mickey are married or sometimes not married. They also, at least in public, have no children yet. Gossip about Minnie's name. From 19th January 1942 to 2nd May 1942 there was a comic magazine called “The Gleam”. In this magazine once it said that Minnie’s real name
The order Notostraca has just two living genera in it. "Triops" and "Lepidura". The two genera are considered 'living fossils', as they have not changed in outward form since the Triassic. Notostracans, or tadpole shrimps, are omnivores living on the bottom of temporary pools and shallow lakes. They live in pools of water on every continent except Antarctica. They grow very quickly, and can reach adulthood in a week. "Triops" only live for a short time; a record-breaking female only lived to be 100 "days". When their pools dry up,adult tadpole shrimp die. Their eggs, however, stop developing for a time. When they are in water again, they come to life, and new "Triops" are hatched. This is because of a state known as diapause, where eggs can lie dormant for up to twenty years before hatching again. Evolution and fossil record. The fossil record of Notostraca is extensive. They occur in a wide range of geological deposits, reaching back to the Carboniferous. The lack of major morphological change since 250 million years ago has led to Notostraca being described as living fossils. The Notostraca abandoned filter feeding in open water, and took up a benthic lifestyle in muddy waters, taking up food from particles of sediment and preying on small animals. Notostracans keep the ancient condition of having two separate compound eyes. These touch but do not become united, as does happens in other groups of Branchiopods.
Porphyria is the name for a group of certain medical conditions or diseases. They have been known since the days of Hippocrates. Another name for porphyria is the madness of King George disease.  They are seen by either attacks of severe pain (acute porphyrias) or light sensitive skin problems (cutaneous porphyrias), never with cutaneous (skin) light sensitivity in acute.  Porphyrias are a group of uncommon disorders that are caused when there are problems with the production of chemicals called porphyrins in the body. Porphyrins are the chemical building blocks of haem, which form haemoglobin, the component of red blood cells that allows oxygen to be carried around the body. An increase in the amount of a specific porphyrin or a porphyrin precursor results in symptoms of porphyrias. Porphyrias are often separated into those that cause acute attacks and those that cause skin damage, although some disorders can have both types of symptoms.  The disease is most common in European countries.  Cause. The condition is usually caused by a genetic deficiency, but is can happen (in about 28% of cases) without family history (called de novo mutations). Chemicals which affect metabolism may also cause it. Arsenic is one example. It can be triggered by various drugs or by some environmental conditions.  Symptoms. The disease causes skin problems, or some diseases of the nervous system, or both. Severe pain is often present. Medications are available that can at least treat the symptoms. It is most common in people between the ages of 18 to 40 years old.  Acute. Acute attacks are "Acute Intermittent Porphyria" (AIP), "Hereditary Coproporphyria" (HCP), "Variegate Porphyria" (VP) and "ALA dehydratase deficiency porphyria" (ADP).  These tend to cause attacks in adults and the main symptoms can include: HCP and VP can also cause cutaneous symptoms. Cutaneous porphyrias. These are "Porphyria Cutanea Tarda" (PCT), "Cong
Diatoms are a type of algae (tiny plant-like living things often found in water). Most are single cells, but some form chains or simple colonies. They usually live in the ocean, but are also found in some soils and waterways.  Characteristics. Cell walls. Diatom cells have unique cell walls made of silica (SiO2). These walls (called "frustules") take many forms, some quite beautiful and ornate.  The name "diatom" comes from the ancient Greek word "diátomos", which means 'cut through.' Diatom cell walls are usually split (or 'cut through') into two sides.  Function. Living diatoms comprise about 20 to 50 percent of the oxygen produced annually. They take in over 6.7 billion metric tons of silicon each year from the waters in which they live. Similar organisms. Diatoms and coccoliths are the two great groups of single-celled organisms in the sea. They do not grow in the same places, because diatoms are silica and coccoliths are made of calcium carbonate. T.H. Huxley first discovered this on his voyage on "HMS Rattlesnake" in 18461850. Evolution. Archeologists have found diatom fossils from as far back as the Lower Jurassic period, around 185 million years ago. However, molecular clock evidence suggests that they developed even earlier.  Scientists have analyzed the entire genomes of two diatom species. The analysis revealed both species had hundreds of genes that came from bacteria. Diatoms probably evolved some of their structure from red algae. Uses. Diatoms have some practical uses. Scientists can study it to determine water quality, monitor environmental conditions like pollution, and understand what past environments were like. Diatom communities are also of interest to nanotechnology.
Decapitation or beheading is the act of cutting off the head from the rest of the body of a living thing. "Beheading" usually means that the removal of the head is deliberate. It is generally done during an execution with an axe, sword, or guillotine. If the removal of the head is an accident or unintentional, it is called "decapitation". It can happen because of an auto accident, explosion, factory accident, a mistake during a hanging or some other violent accident. Decapitation is always fatal, that is, the result is always death. This is because it causes all other organs to stop receiving nervous signals from the brain that are needed to function, while the supply of blood, and therefore oxygen, to the brain itself is also cut off. Decapitation can also describe the removal of a head from a body that is already dead. In these situations, the head is usually a trophy or a public display of warning. Beheading was the usual means of death penalty in Scandinavian countries in the past. Noblemen were beheaded with a sword, commoners with an axe. The last execution by beheading in Finland occurred in 1822, when a farmhand Tahvo Putkonen was beheaded for murder. The last beheading in Sweden occurred in 1910, when Johan Andersson-Ander was guillotined for murder. Also Germany, France and Belgium favoured beheading in the past. In those countries was carried out by guillotine. Last beheading in Europe occurred 1977, when a Tunisian murderer Hamida Djandoubi was guillotined in France.  Some countries, especially Arab countries or former French colonies, still use beheading as the means of execution. In Saudi Arabia, the convicts are beheaded with a sword. The executioner who performs beheadings is called a headsman. History. The kingdom of Saudi Arabia has had centuries of public beheadings, but in 2013 is considering firing squads as an alternative means of execution.
Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleev (born 8 February (O.S. 27 January) 1834 near Tobolsk – 2 February (O.S. 20 January 20) 1907 in Saint Petersburg) was a Russian chemist who created the periodic table of elements. Many of the predictions made in his periodic table (such as the properties of elements undiscovered at the time) were later proved correct by experiments. Chemical element 101 was named Mendelevium in his honor. Life. Mendeleev was born in the village of Verkhnie Aremzyani, near Tobolsk in Siberia,to Ivan Pavlovich Mendeleev and Maria Dmitrievna Mendeleeva (née Kornilieva). His grandfather was Pavel Maximovich Sokolov, a priest of Russian Orthodox Church from the Tver region. Ivan, with his brothers and sisters, got new family names while attending theological seminary. Later in life, he invented the periodic table of elements in the year 1861, Mendeleev is thought to be the youngest of 14 siblings, but the exact number differs between sources. At the age of 13, after the death of his father and the destruction of his mother's factory by fire, Mendeleev attended the Gymnasium in Tobolsk. In 1849, the now poor Mendeleev family went to Saint Petersburg, where he entered the Main Pedagogical Institute in 1850. After graduation, tuberculosis caused him to move to the Crimean Peninsula on the northern coast of the Black Sea in 1855. While there he became a science master of the Simferopol gymnasium №1. He returned with fully restored health to Saint Petersburg in 1857. Periodic Table. Others in the 1860s suggested that elements group together. For example, John Newlands, published his Law of Octaves in 1865. The lack of spaces for undiscovered elements and the placing of two elements in one box were criticized and his ideas were not accepted. Another was Lothar Meyer, who published a work in 1864, describing 28 elements. Neither attempted to
The wakizashi is a traditional Japanese sword. It is shorter than the katana, which was well known in the beginning of the 17th century as a "kodachi" sword. The two swords were always carried together: the wakizashi finished off the work of the katana sword. Such a sword could be from 30cm to 60cm (12 to 24 inches) long. A small version was called a "ko-wakizashi", a longer one was called an "o-wakizashi". The wakizashi has a handle made of stingray skin and the blade is made from the finest metal and stone. Overview. A wakizashi had a slightly curved blade with a square-shaped hilt (handle). The hilt and the scabbard (the case in which the sword is kept) of a wakizashi was richly decorated with traditional motifs. A wakizashi was more decorated than a katana because it was not used as much as a katana, but still carried everywhere. Another distinctive feature is the scabbard (called a "saya"). The sayas were made to be like the katana but they could have extra pockets for smaller knives, a hair arranger, etc.  The katana and the wakizashi together are called a daishō, which is translated as "large and small". The first part of the word ("dai") means "big" and stands for the katana sword; the second ("sho") stands for wakizashi. Wakizashi was more decorated than a katana and it was thinner, this is why it was designed to cut through softer targets. So it was a sword to make dangerous cuts in weak points of the human body. The use of a daishō on the battlefield gave its user a big advantage. With the two swords the samurai could keep the enemies within a radius of action ranging from 2 to 7 feet (1 to 3 1/2 meters). Miyamoto Musashi, a famous Japanese samurai, was especially skilful at using the daishō. Customs and traditions. A
Albert Camus (7 November 1913 – 4 January 1960) was a French philosopher and writer. Camus wrote novels and plays. Camus was born in Algeria, a country in North Africa. He had French parents. Camus was an existentialist philosopher. Existentialism is a philosophy that is very different from other ways of thinking. Camus won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1957. He was the second-youngest recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature, after Rudyard Kipling, and the first African-born writer to receive the award. He is the shortest-lived of any Nobel literature laureate to date, having died in an automobile accident just over two years after receiving the award. His life. Early years. Albert Camus was born in Algeria to a poor working-class family. His mother was Spanish and his father was French. His father died in battle and he was left to live with his grandmother. When he was 17 he was diagnosed with tuberculosis, which was very impactful on him at that point in his life. It limited him greatly in his athletics as well as in his career opportunities, due to the fact that tuberculosis is quite contagious. For this reason he claimed that his disease “set him free” because he would have done something else with his life had he seen the opportunity. He went to the University of Algiers, where he graduated with a degree in 1935. In the 1930s, Camus became interested in politics. In 1935, Camus joined the French Communist Party, a political group. In the late 1930s, Camus was a writer for the socialist newspaper, the "Alger-Republicain". 1940s. In 1941, Camus wrote his first novel, which was called "The Stranger". During World War II, Camus joined the French Resistance to fight against the Nazi army. After World War II, Camus became friends with another writer named Jean-Paul Sartre. Camus and Sartre often talked about philosophy and politics in "cafés" (or shops that serve food, but the menu is smaller than in a restaurant) 1950s
The spine is a column of vertebrae in the back part of the torso (upper body). It is also called the backbone or vertebral column. There is a spinal canal that runs through the length of the spine. Inside this canal is the spinal cord. Animals that have a spine are called vertebrates, and animals that do not have one are called invertebrates. Humans have a spine, so we are vertebrates. Many vertebrates, including mammals, have intervertebral discs separating the vertebrae. Regions. The vertebral column has five "regions". These regions from top to bottom are: Spinal canal. The spinal column has an opening called spinal canal and this opening is used for nerves. The part of the central nervous system in the spinal column is called spinal cord.
The Pyrenees (; , ; ; ; ) are a range of mountains in southwest Europe that form a natural border between France and Spain. They separate the "Iberian Peninsula" from France, and extend for about 430 km (267 mi) from the Atlantic Ocean (Bay of Biscay) to the Mediterranean Sea (Cap de Creus).