The coconut tree (Cocos nucifera) is a member of the palm tree family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus Cocos. The term “coconut” (or the archaic “cocoanut”) can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which botanically is a drupe, not a nut. The name comes from the old Portuguese word coco, meaning “head” or “skull”, after the three indentations on the coconut shell that resemble facial features. They are ubiquitous in coastal tropical regions and are a cultural icon of the tropics.
It is one of the most useful trees in the world and is often referred to as the “tree of life”. It provides food, fuel, cosmetics, folk medicine and building materials, among many other uses. The inner flesh of the mature seed, as well as the coconut milk extracted from it, form a regular part of the diets of many people in the tropics and subtropics. Coconuts are distinct from other fruits because their endosperm contains a large quantity of clear liquid, called coconut water or coconut juice. Mature, ripe coconuts can be used as edible seeds, or processed for oil and plant milk from the flesh, charcoal from the hard shell, and coir from the fibrous husk. Dried coconut flesh is called copra, and the oil and milk derived from it are commonly used in cooking – frying in particular – as well as in soaps and cosmetics. Sweet coconut sap can be made into drinks or fermented into palm wine or coconut vinegar. The hard shells, fibrous husks and long pinnate leaves can be used as material to make a variety of products for furnishing and decoration.
The coconut has cultural and religious significance in certain societies, particularly in the Western Pacific Austronesian cultures where it features in the mythologies, songs, and oral traditions. It also had ceremonial importance in pre-colonial animistic religions. It has also acquired religious significance in South Asian cultures, where it is used in Hindu rituals. It forms the basis of wedding and worship rituals in Hinduism. It also plays a central role in the Coconut Religion of Vietnam. The falling nature of their mature fruit has led to preoccupation with death by coconut.
Coconuts were first domesticated by the Austronesian peoples in Island Southeast Asia and were spread during the Neolithic via their seaborne migrations as far east as the Pacific Islands, and as far west as Madagascar and the Comoros. They played a critical role in the long sea voyages of Austronesians by providing a portable source of food and water, as well as providing building materials for Austronesian outrigger boats. Coconuts were also later spread in historic times along the coasts of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans by South Asian, Arab, and European sailors. Coconut populations today can still be divided into two based on these separate introductions – the Pacific coconuts and Indo-Atlantic coconuts, respectively. Coconuts were introduced by Europeans to the Americas only during the colonial era in the Columbian exchange, but there is evidence of a possible pre-Columbian introduction of Pacific coconuts to Panama by Austronesian sailors. The evolutionary origin of the coconut is under dispute, with theories stating that it may have evolved in Asia, South America, or on Pacific islands. Trees grow up to 30 m (100 ft) tall and can yield up to 75 fruits per year, though fewer than 30 is more typical. Plants are intolerant of cold weather and prefer copious precipitation, as well as full sunlight. Many insect pests and diseases affect the species and are a nuisance for commercial production. About 75% of the world’s supply of coconuts is produced by Indonesia, the Philippines, and India combined.
Username: Bongsong Published on 2024-10-07 03:06:44 ID NUMBER: 122412
Ice in early spring on Lake Massabesic in Manchester.
This year, “ice in” on Lake Winnipesaukee wasn’t declared until Feb. 9, the latest date on record. And "ice out" was the earliest ever, March 17. That’s less than six weeks frozen.
Right from the start of pregnancy, your gynecologist will recommend several blood tests with the objective of ascertaining you and your fetus’s health. The tests are a vital part of your pregnancy journey, as it allows your doctor to come up with a personalized pregnancy care plan. Also, problems or complications can be diagnosed early on with their help so that you and your baby get the right treatment on time. Here is a list of the most important blood tests offered during pregnancy, why they are required and when they should be done.
People can’t live a day without using Google search. The frustrating thing is, even though there are millions of people who actively use Google search but most of them don’t know how to use it effectively.
More or Most Important vs. Importantly - Grammar Stammer22
There seems to be some confusion around whether one should say "More importantly" or "More important". I hope this post helps clear things up.
As much as I love "top ten" lists, and enjoy creating them; I realize that virtually no one is likely to totally agree with my choices, nor the order in which I have listed them. My choices are unavoidably subjective to some degree, but I like to think they are also both knowledgeable and reflective of at least a modicum of good taste. In listing the ten most beautiful buildings in the world, I have screened out those structures which, though once quite beautiful (such as the Parthenon in Athens), but which now lie in ruins. I've also not considered architectural/engineering structures, build entirely for show (such as the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty, or St. Louis' Gateway Arch. Beyond that, I've also not considered buildings that, while they may be architecturally daring, perhaps even pointing the way toward the future in architecture, are at this point problematical, and in some cases even downright ugly (here I'm not going to cite examples). The buildings I've selected, without exception, serve a purpose. They were built to house human activities. Only two are more than a hundred years old. If that shows a bias for the contemporary over the classical, then so be it. The same applies to the fact that two of my choices are works by the same architect. I've already written about several of the buildings listed so I've created links to them so as not to be redundant. I'm hoping some of my choices may be surprising, thus bringing to light some very beautiful creations which thus far may have slipped beneath the architectural radar (so to speak). By the same token, I've no doubt left out some excellent possibilities with which the reader may take issue. If so, by all means make your feelings known in the comments section at the bottom.
A breathtaking stalwart of the Milan skyline, the Duomo’s history spans more than six centuries of worship. The cathedral’s construction began back in 1386 at the peak of Gothic design, but was not truly completed until the mid-20th century. Over the decades, a succession of Italy's greatest architects, engineers and artists worked on the magnificent structure. Even Leonardo Da Vinci sketched some designs for a proposed domed tower, though they never made it off his drawing board.
It’s not the tallest building in New York City, nor is it the most famous, but the Flatiron building in Manhattan is definitely among the city's most striking. A triangular, 22-storey office block that looks almost two-dimensional when viewed from the side, the building was constructed in the Beaux-Arts style and measures just six feet (2m) across at its narrower end.
Dedicated to his late wife, Shah Jahan’s Taj Mahal is beautiful not only for its mesmerising marble facade. Their love story is one of bittersweet tragedy: Mumtaz Mahal ('the Jewel of the Palace') died while giving birth to their 14th child, so the emperor vowed never to marry again and promised he would build her the finest mausoleum ever seen.
Designed by famous Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry, the Guggenheim Bilbao is an artwork in its own right. The sculpture-like structure boasts titanium-clad curves designed to catch the light in different ways as the day progresses, and has been continually hailed as one of the greatest buildings of our time.
Often dubbed 'the world's only seven-star hotel' (erroneously, as official rankings stop at five), the Burj Al Arab is one of Dubai’s most iconic structures, and goes a long way to earning its nickname. Resembling a billowing ship's sail, it stands proudly just off the Dubai shoreline and is best seen from Jumeirah Beach at sunset, when the skies turn all shades of pink and orange.
Beauty is, famously, in the eye of the beholder, but few would deny that these stunning architectural marvels rank among the world's most attractive structures. From opulent palaces and soaring modern skyscrapers to fairy-tale castles, it's no surprise that these spectacular buildings draw thousands of tourists every year.
One of the world’s most precariously placed monasteries, Paro Taktsang (better known as the Tiger’s Nest) perches tentatively on a cliffside in the upper Paro valley in Bhutan. The elegant structure is built around a cave in the cliff face that is said to have been used by Guru Padmasambhava for meditation in the 8th century. Legend has it that he flew to the cave on the back of a female tiger.
Still under construction – it's finally slated for completion in 2026 – Gaudi’s most celebrated work nevertheless draws millions of visitors to experience its grandeur every year. The elaborate building’s most impressive part is its dramatic Nativity facade, which was created under the personal supervision of Gaudi himself and boasts thousands of intricate carvings related to the birth of Christ.
Office of Coast Survey products and services have an inherently international dimension. Beginning with an Act signed in 1807 by President Thomas Jefferson, Coast Survey became the nation's chartmaker in 1832. More than 200 years later, the U.S. depends upon maritime trade and economic activity associated with the use of coastal waters and resources. This trade supports the 1.3 billion metric tons of cargo valued at $1.8 trillion coming in and out of U.S. ports every year. The Coast Survey International Program and Plan builds upon Coast Survey's core strengths, capacities, and directions as a global leader in hydrography.
Reefs in the Indo-Pacific region, like this reef in Australia, have greater coral species diversity than their counterparts in the Atlantic/Caribbean. Photo credit: Dave Burdick
Conserving the nation's coral reefs cannot be accomplished by domestic efforts alone. Our coral reefs are ecologically connected to those abroad. Additionally, the most significant threats they face—climate change and ocean acidification—are global in nature.
Effectively conserving coral reefs and the services they provide depends upon sound ecosystem-based management practices and good governance—from local communities to multinational regions. Together with our partners, we work in more than 40 countries and multilateral regions globally, with particular focus in the Coral Triangle, Micronesia, the South Pacific, and the wider Caribbean
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other members of the Biden Cabinet are fond of proclaiming the “rules-based international order” (RBIO) or “rules-based order” every chance they get: in press conferences, on interviews, in articles, at international fora, for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and cocktails. Along with the terms “human rights” and “democracy,” the RBIO is routinely used to claim a moral high ground against countries that they accuse of not following this RBIO, and wielded as a cudgel to attack, criticize, accuse, and delegitimate countries in their crosshairs as rogue outliers to an international order.
