Life of a Trainee Paramedic

These are 2 great clips……

When I see this video, I know then that’s it really is Christmas time.  My housemate’s think that I’m sad for listening to it, but I thought I would share it with you…..

TP

We found this while we were on a break at Uni, and I think it’s the funniest of the lot.

You can find the other’s here!

TP

This is the section for you to put what you think the answers are.  If you do not want to know what they before you’ve worked them out yourself, then DO NOT look in the comments section.

I was given these two riddles to try and solve yesterday, but considering that I am absolutely rubbish at riddles, it wasnt suprising that I couldn’t find the answers.  When I was told the answers, it seemed so simple, but that is never the case is it when your trying to think of how to do them.  I thought that I would put them up here to see if anyone can answer them.

Riddle 1

You have 8 snooker balls, all the same colour, and all the same weight except 1 which is heavier than the others. You are given an old set of scales to use (the ones that tip from side to side) and you are allowed to use them 2 times to find out which is the heaviest ball.  What do you do to find out?

Riddle 2

There are 3 lights in a room, and 3 switches to go with them.  You are standing outside the door and cannot see into the room, however you are allowed to turn the light switches on and off as much as you like, but you are only allowed to enter the room once, and once only.  How do you find out which switch is to which light?

Apparently, my mind isn’t good for working out these types of things, or thats what I’d like to think at least.

Enjoy!

TP

Now I know some of you may have already seen this, but I have pillaged it from Random Acts of Reality, and I thought that I would share it with you all. 

I promise you will play it several times!

PANDA

TP

This is a post about an article that I read in Biologist, which is a journal that I decided to subscribe to so that I can at least keep at little part of me in the Biology world.  There was an article in there about leaves and the autumn revolution.  It is a lot more interesting that it sounds, I assure you!

The author, a Mr Brian J Ford, is searching for a theory of why do plants lose their leaves.  It generally happens in autumn and the answer is less obvious than you might think.  I think what most of us thought that the plants were shedding their leaves in preparation for the winter or that they run short of water or nutrients and their leaves are shed as a consequence.  It doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the anatomical make up of the leaf, as plants with leaves that have a ‘hard exterior’ shall we say, are still shed.  Also plants that live in water, and as such have a constant source also shed their leaves!

Biologists use the acronym MRS GREN when determining a living organism.

M – Movement

R – Respiration

S – Sensitivity

G – Growth

R – Reproduction

E – Excretion

N – Nutrition

What was puzzling the author was that plants fit all of these categories except E – Excretion.  He could find no discernable reason where plants did excrete substances except through the leaves.  It turns out that prior to the leaves being shed, metabolic activity actually increases and the leaves are not simply dying.  It appears that levels of potentially harmful components increase in the leaves, including heavy metals.  This indicates that they are there to be clearly excreted and not stored.  Imagine having a number 2 only once a year. Ouch!!!  It also fits with the fact that some of these lost nutrients are then used by other plants to grow.  Just like there are nutrients in animals excrement that enrich the soil.  I wont go on about the other reasons for this theory, needless to say I’ve been convinced.  So now when you see trees and other plants shedding their leaves, you’ll know why!

When I was thinking about it, it occurred to be that why don’t leaves drop off in the summer?  With there clearly being a lack of water this year, they should have gone ages ago, and not been in full bloom.

I hope this was an interesting post.  I would appreciate comments as to whether this type of post, courtesy of Biologist, would be welcomed in the future.

TP