The only confirmed register of a Megamouth shark predator is an event of when sperm whales where seen attacking a Megamouth shark. This occurred in Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia (30th August 1998) near midday, while some researchers were observing the whales. The base of the dorsal fin and the gills of the shark showed signs of the whales' attack.
Although there have only been a few sightings of the megamouth shark, it is believed that this species of shark likes to live in the open ocean. The sixth specimen found was tagged and followed for two days, allowing insight into its habitat preference and behaviour. It stayed at a depth of 15 metres during the night, then dove to 150 metres at dawn and returned to shallow waters at dusk. So the megamouth is presumed to be a vertical migrator on a 24 hour cycle, spending the daytime in deep waters and ascending to midwater depths at night. This vertical migration may be a response to the movements of the small animals on which it feeds. The krill that make up part of the megamouth's diet also migrate from deep waters to the surface.
The megamouth shark is one of the three giant filter-feeding sharks in the sea. The other two are the basking shark and the whale shark.
The exact details of the feeding behaviour of the megamouth shark is unknown, due to the few observations on a live, feeding specimen. The megamouth has a huge mouth that extends behind the eyes. Scientists believe that this shark swims slowly through groups of krill and other small prey with its mouth open, and sucks them in. Then it closes its mouth, and this action decreases the pharyngeal volume and makes it possible for the shark to get rid of any water through the gill openings.
All the specimens of the megamouth shark which have been studied have had krill in their stomach, indicating a filter-feeding habit. The stomach of the first megamouth captured had only one type of krill, "Thysanopoda pectinata". The second megamouth's stomach had krill, copepods, and the jellyfish, "Atolla vanhoeffeni".
Toothpaste
Toothpaste is a part liquid paste, applied to the bristles of a toothbrush in order to aid oneself with the act of toothbrushing.
This substance has several purposes, such as removing plaque from one's teeth, whitening one's teeth and freshening one's breath.
Several toothpaste brands specialize in caring for teeth sensitive to certain conditions (for example heat, cold) or flavours (such as sweetness). The majority of these products work by strengthening the tooth enamel, thus easing discomfort and providing the teeth with a protective outer layer.
Traditionally, toothpaste has a minty flavour, as this is said to allow a sense of freshness in the mouth. However, fruit and flavours have been popular in the past. Fruit toothpastes, however, are discouraged by dentists due to their acidic and tooth-eroding properties.
Swallowing big amounts of toothpaste can make humans very sick and is poisonous. Due to this, the FDA started making toothpaste companies to put a notice about swallowing from 1997 to present.
Karl Goldmark
Karl Goldmark (born Keszthely, Hungary, 18 May 1830; died Vienna 2 January 1915) was a Hungarian composer. His music was largely forgotten for a long time after his death, but is now starting to be played much more.
Goldmark came from a large Jewish family. He was one of 20 children. His father was a chazan to the Jewish congregation at Keszthely. He learned to play the violin and was sent to Vienna to study music. After the Revolution of 1848 the Conservatory had to close down and so he had to teach himself how to compose. He earned money by playing the violin in theatre orchestras and by teaching music. For a short time one of his pupils was Jean Sibelius.
Wagner's music was an influence on his compositional style. However, he could not form a proper friendship with Wagner because of Wagner's antisemitism.
Goldmark composed six operas, including "Die Königin von Saba" ("The Queen of Sheba"). It was very popular during his lifetime and continued to be performed by the Vienna State Opera until 1938. His Violin Concerto No. 1 was also very popular indeed, then it lay forgotten for many years. It is very Romantic and sounds very Hungarian.
Other works include a symphony called "Ländliche Hochzeit" (Rustic Wedding) and several other orchestral works, some chamber music and choral music.
Vulpecula
Vulpecula is a northern constellation (group of stars). People say that it looks like a fox. It is not very bright. None of the stars in Vulpecula are brighter than the 4th magnitude in Vulpecula. It is in the middle of the Summer Triangle, three stars that make the shape of a triangle in the sky.
Ferruccio Busoni
Ferruccio Busoni (1 April 1866 - 27 July 1924) was an Italian composer, pianist, teacher and conductor.
Ferruccio Busoni was born in Empoli in Tuscany in Italy. His parents were both musicians. His father played the clarinet and his mother played the piano. They were often touring when Ferruccio was young. He spent most of his childhood in Trieste.
Busoni was a child prodigy. He first played the piano in public at the age of seven. Two years later he played some of his own compositions in Vienna. The composer Franz Liszt heard him. He also met Liszt, Johannes Brahms and Anton Rubinstein.
For a short time he studied in Graz, then in Leipzig. He taught in several places including Helsinki, where he met Jean Sibelius as well as a young lady was to be his wife. In 1890 he won the Anton Rubinstein Competition with his Concert Piece for Piano and Orchestra. He taught in Moscow in 1890, and in the United States from 1891 to 1894 where he also toured as a virtuoso pianist.
In 1894 he went to Berlin where he stayed. He performed as a pianist and conductor and taught many gifted pianists.
He wrote a book called "Sketch of a New Aesthetic of Music". He did not agree with the strict rules that were used by most teachers for teaching composition. He thought that music was "born to be free". His thinking influenced his composition pupils who included Percy Grainger, Kurt Weill and Edgard Varèse.
During World War I, Busoni lived first in Bologna, where he was director of the conservatory, and later in Zürich. He refused to perform in any countries that were involved in the war. He returned to Berlin in 1920 where he gave master classes in composition.
Busoni died in Berlin from a kidney disease.
Busoni's music is based on the Romantic style, but it also starts to sound quite modern. He uses a lot of complicated counterpoint. Sometimes it is quite atonal. A lot of it is based on music of the past. He made many transcriptions, including piano transcriptions of several works by Johann Sebastian Bach.
Busoni was a virtuoso pianist, and his works for piano are difficult to perform. His "Piano Concerto" is extremely hard to play as well as being extremely long (about 70 minutes). The British pianist John Ogdon, who played it, called it "the longest and grandest piano concerto of all".
Some of his best known works include his suite for orchestra "Turandot" which he made into an opera, and his opera "Doktor Faust" which he had not finished when he died. It was finished by his student Philipp Jarnach, but in the 1980s Anthony Beaumont made a better version of it.
Busoni made a number of piano rolls, and a small number of these have been re-recorded onto CD. People who knew him disagree about whether these piano roll recordings show his playing at his best.
Organ system
In biology, an organ system is a group of organs that work together to perform one or more functions. Each does a particular job in the body, and is made up of certain tissues.
These specific systems are widely studied in anatomy. They are present in many types of animals.
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