20 facts about plants - our friends and neighbors on the planet (Did you know that a cucumber is not a vegetable, a peanut is not a nut?)

The fact that nature is the best artist has long been known to everyone. But in addition to stunningly beautiful and unusual plants and animals, she also created a lot of natural phenomena, the sight of which is simply breathtaking. Moreover, some of them can be observed only in a certain place or, for example, once a year.

The Eye of the Sahara, the Forest of Knives and other wonders of mother nature.

And since most of us, with all our desire, cannot visit all corners of the planet and see everything with our own eyes, we at 1Gai.ru have prepared a selection of the most amazing natural phenomena on Earth. We emphasize once again: a person has nothing to do with all these miracles (that is, they did not arise as a result of human activity), therefore they are called natural.

1. Light poles, Canada

This incredible phenomenon occurs when ice crystals are suspended in the air due to extreme cold. They then react with every light source around and create this stunning look.

2. Lenticular clouds

Lenticular clouds are amazing everywhere, but especially when they hang over the Mayon volcano crater in the Philippines!

It is said that lenticular (lenticular) clouds are mistaken for UFOs because many of them are in the shape of a "flying saucer". They don't usually form over low or flat terrain, so many people may have never seen them before and don't know they might exist.

3. Striped icebergs, Antarctica

When you think of Antarctica, white icebergs usually come to mind; probably the last thing you'd expect are colorful icebergs with blue, green, yellow and even brown stripes - and yet, that's exactly what you can see in some parts of Antarctica.

Different colors can form under different conditions, but generally speaking, they appear because certain layers of ice form under specific conditions.

For example, blue streaks are most common and appear when cracks fill with water and freeze so quickly that no bubbles form. Conditions change and part of the ice is deposited "normally" while other times it is deposited without bubbles, creating alternation.

The green appears because the freezing water is extremely rich in algae, hence the color. The brown, yellow and even black streaks are caused by sediment collected along the way as the ice sheet slid down the slope.

However, regardless of color, ice is deposited in different ways. Sometimes there is one color and one stripe, sometimes there are several color stripes.

4. Moonlight rainbow, Hawaii

Commonly known as lunar rainbows, they differ from regular rainbows in that they are created by the rays of the moon rather than the sun.

Aside from the difference in light source, their formation is the same as that of solar rainbows: they are caused by the refraction of light in many drops of water, such as a rainstorm or a waterfall, and are always located in the opposite part of the sky from the Moon relative to the observer.

Lunar rainbows are much fainter than solar rainbows due to less light reflected from the Moon's surface. Since the light is usually too weak to excite the cone color receptors in human eyes, it is difficult for the human eye to distinguish colors in the lunar rainbow. As a result, the lunar rainbow often appears white. However, its colors appear in long exposure photographs.

5. Rainbow Eucalyptus

When you look at them, it seems that they are painted with an artist's brush. Probably the only reason these trees exist is to be living works of art!

The rainbow eucalyptus is an evergreen tree with lance-shaped, silver-green leaves and clusters of tiny white flowers. Usually reaches a height of 60-75 m and has a trunk up to 2.4 m in diameter. The most stunning feature is the trunk, which grows iridescent bark in shades of green, blue, orange, red and purple. As it grows, the bark flakes off in strips, revealing new colors and patterns, and its beauty is constantly changing.

6. Bismuth crystals

Bismuth has a low melting point - 271°C. When it hardens, it expands to form crystals. Artificially grown bismuth crystals form the structure of a spiral staircase. This shape is due to the faster growth rate at the edges compared to the interior. Bismuth metal is a white-silver metal with a reddish-pinkish tint.

However, when oxidized, bismuth crystals acquire a bewitching iridescent color. The colors of the rainbow are due to the different thicknesses of the oxide layer formed on the surface of the crystal, causing light waves of different wavelengths to interfere with each other.

7. Lunar halo

The moon's halo, or lunar halo, is an optical illusion that causes the moon to be surrounded by a large, bright ring. This striking and often beautiful halo around the Moon is caused by the refraction of moonlight by ice crystals in the upper atmosphere.

Essentially, these suspended or falling pieces of ice mean that the atmosphere turns into a giant lens, causing arcs and halos to appear around the moon or sun, depending on whether the effect occurs at night or during the day, respectively.

The effect is so striking that it has given rise to much folklore and superstition, and has been used, not entirely unsuccessfully, to predict the onset of bad weather.

It looks like a huge eye, doesn't it?

8. Glowworm Caves, New Zealand

Most of these caves are found in Australia and New Zealand, although there is also a similar cave in Alabama. The most famous are the Waitomo Caves in New Zealand, formed over 30 million years ago.

9. Northern Lights

While the northern lights may seem like pure magic, they actually appear when electrically charged particles from the sun react with atoms in the upper atmosphere. Expect to see it on a frosty night!

And now a little more about the nature of the occurrence of this phenomenon. At any moment, the sun is ejecting charged particles from its corona or upper atmosphere, creating what is called the solar wind. When this wind collides with the Earth's ionosphere or the upper atmosphere, the aurora is born. In the Northern Hemisphere, this phenomenon is called the Northern Lights, and in the Southern Hemisphere, the Southern Lights.

These particles are deflected towards the Earth's poles by our planet's magnetic field and interact with our atmosphere, releasing energy and causing the atmosphere to fluoresce.

The bright colors of the northern lights are due to the chemical composition of the Earth's atmosphere.

10. Sky Mirror, Bolivia

This is the Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt flat in the world. The views there are quite surreal! The Salar de Uyuni is often referred to as the "Mirror of the Sky". It is so vast and bright white that American astronaut Neil Armstrong is said to have mistaken it for a huge glacier visible from space.

Total area 10,582 sq. km makes it the largest salt marsh in the world. In certain seasons, a thin layer of water turns the plains into a dazzling reflection of the sky. In addition, it also contains 50-70% of the world's known lithium reserves.

If you ever want to visit there, be prepared for altitude sickness as the Sky Mirror is over 3,600 meters above sea level. And if you plan to stay for a while, you need a lot of warm clothes and a sleeping bag, because at night the temperature drops sharply.

11. Dirty Thunderstorms of Sakurajima, Japan

A dirty thunderstorm is a rare and fearsome phenomenon caused by powerful volcanic eruptions. Lightning bolts shoot out from an erupting volcano in a dirty thunderstorm, making this one of the most terrifying yet breathtaking sights. More than 200 cases of volcanic lightning have been recorded over the past two centuries, but scientists still do not fully understand the dynamics of this unique phenomenon.

In recent years, volcanic activity has been reported over many volcanoes around the world, such as Mount Augustine in Alaska, Eyjafjallajokull in Iceland, and Taal in the Philippines. However, in the ash plume of Japan's Sakurajima volcano - one of the most active volcanoes in the world - volcanic lightning occurs more often than on any other volcano.

12. Desert roses

Despite its name, the desert rose is not a rose, but a rose-like gypsum mineral formation. They can be observed in arid sandy areas that are periodically flooded. They combine sand, salt and gypsum crystals.

These crystals form when water evaporates, and they are often prism-shaped that grow up to one meter. Crystals are affected by erosion, salt, sand, and other elements in the desert, giving them their petal shape. Larger crystals tend to contain more salt.

Desert roses often appear in clusters, making them look like a bouquet of flowers.

13. Fiery rainbow round-horizontal shape

When sunlight or moonlight is refracted by air ice crystals, icy halos are formed that mimic fiery rainbows.

14. Frozen ice bubbles, Canada

Methane bubbles form in bodies of water when dead organic matter (plants and animals) enters the water and sinks to the bottom, and bacteria living there feed on them. When they dissolve, methane gas is released, which rises to the surface in the form of bubbles, but turns into floating white bubbles when it comes into contact with frozen water and ice crystals.

The methane bubbles completely burst in the summer when they reach the surface, and the methane is released into the atmosphere, but in the winter, when the lake freezes, the ice traps the bubbles as they approach the surface.

Methane is produced in thousands of lakes across the Arctic, and as impressive as it sounds, it is fraught with future environmental problems as global temperatures rise and permafrost melts, allowing the material to thaw even further. This increases the release of methane into the Earth's atmosphere, which is of concern to climate scientists.

The fact is that methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, and it is about 25 times more efficient at capturing heat than carbon dioxide. Therefore, increasing its content will lead to higher levels of global warming.

15. Lake Hillier, Australia

We know from geography lessons that bodies of water are marked in blue on the map. But nature loves to be weird, as is the case with Lake Hillier in Western Australia.

With only 600 meters in length, it will not impress you either with its size or with the variety of fish that inhabit it. But it will amaze with its pink color. The reason for its unique color is still a topic that is not fully understood by scientists, although most suspect that this is due to the presence of Dunaliella salina microalgae.

The pink color of the lake is less pronounced when viewed from the surface, but very noticeable from above. However, unlike other pink lakes around the world, its water is still bright pink even when in a glass!

16. Marble Caves, Chile

These incredible caves took about 6,000 years to form and it was the waves that gave them these breathtaking shapes.

They are entirely of marble and are believed to have been "built" by the waters of the lake. One of the most amazing features of the marble caves is their ability to change color with the seasons. These color changes also depend on how high or low the water is because the colors of the marble are reflected off the water.

Visitors who visit in the spring will notice softer or darker blues compared to when the glaciers melt, with colors ranging from cobalt blue to white and pink. Chilean travel experts advise that the best time to visit the marble caves is from November to February, because the melting ice gives the pristine water an enchanting turquoise color.

17. Relief Danxia, China

Minerals are magical, as are their colors. Just look at this place!

These mountains are formed by red sandstones and conglomerates, mainly from the Cretaceous period. In simple words, a layer of several multi-colored sandstones and minerals remained compressed for more than 24 million years and turned into these mountains.

Due to its uniqueness, the Danxia Relief has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2010.

18. Sand Waves, Arizona

The "waves" are intersecting patches of sandstone turned into rocks that used to be dunes in Arizona. Their age exceeds 190 million years. The dunes grow vertically and horizontally; over time, moderate erosion caused by wind and rain gives them an undulating appearance.

Many describe dune walking as a very strange experience, surreal and dizzying, or, in some cases, described as a drug-induced walking dream. Even though the stones have hardened, they are still susceptible to damage. Only 20 visitors a day can walk through the gorge; permits are required for this. They are issued through online lotteries and personal lotteries.

19. Great Blue Hole, Belize

This giant sinkhole off the coast of Belize formed during the last ice age when sea levels were much lower. The hole is circular, 318 m across and 124 m deep.

Its area is 70,650 square meters. In 2012, the Discovery Channel ranked the Great Blue Hole number one on their list of "The 10 Most Amazing Places on Earth". Not surprisingly, the hole attracts scuba divers from all over the world.

20. Blue Volcano, Indonesia

Although it seems completely otherworldly, the Kawah Ijen volcano is absolutely real! It acquires this color due to the large amount of sulfur dioxide - it shimmers blue when in contact with air at temperatures above 360 ° C.

In fact, this blue glow, uncharacteristic of a volcano, is not the lava itself.

Lava — molten rock that comes out of the ground at ultra-high temperatures — is not much different in color from the lava of other volcanoes, which differ slightly in their mineral composition, but are bright red or orange in their molten state. But in Kawah-Ijen, together with lava at high pressures and temperatures (sometimes exceeding 600 ° C), an extremely large amount of sulfur dioxide is released.

Under the influence of oxygen present in the air and ignited lava, sulfur burns easily, and its flame turns bright blue. There is so much sulfur there that at times it runs down the rock when it burns, giving the impression that blue lava is flowing down the side of the mountain. But because the blue is only the flame, and not itself, it is a cluster of about 40,000 interconnected basalt columns, formed as a result of the eruption of an ancient volcanic fissure. The tops of the columns form steps that lead from the foot of the cliff and disappear under the water.

21. Road of the Giants, Ireland

Most columns are hexagonal, although some have four, five, seven, or eight sides. The highest of them are about 12 meters high, and the thickness of the solidified lava in the rocks in some places is 28 meters.

It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Northern Ireland.

22. Cenote Angelita, underwater river, Mexico

Cenote Angelita (water-filled cave) is located on the Mexican Yucatan Peninsula. When fresh surface water meets open saline groundwater, an underwater river is formed. Different density levels in the two bodies of water cause them to stratify. The result is a breathtaking fusion of the two habitats.

Visiting this cave is not an easy task. The first 20 meters it is filled with clear water, and then it becomes more and more muddy. Diving into the cave takes place up to 55 meters below the surface, so it is considered suitable only for very experienced divers.

23. Vymeobrazny clouds

This magical cloud structure is an amazing sight that can usually be seen after a tornado.

Vymeobraznye clouds (they are also called mammatus, which means "chest cloud" because of the sacs hanging under the base of the cloud) have a specific cellular shape.

Cells are usually about half a kilometer in size, most often sharply defined, but sometimes with blurred edges. Their color is usually gray-blue, like the main cloud, but due to direct sunlight, they may appear golden or reddish.

24. Socotra Dragon Tree, Yemen

They must remember dinosaurs! This evergreen species is so named for its dark red resin, known as "dragon's blood".

The leaves of the dragon tree are found only at the ends of the youngest branches; all leaves are shed every 3 or 4 years before new ones appear at the same time. Its fruits are small, fleshy berries containing 1 to 4 seeds. As they develop, they change color from green to black, and when ripe they turn orange.

25. Waterfall of eternal fire

This is not entirely natural: a small waterfall in upstate New York, near the Canadian border, is fraught with a significant surprise - a fiery stream 0.2 meters high.

Behind the waterfall, there was a natural gas leak that fuels the flames. Although tourists relight it if they notice it has gone out, it is protected enough by the falls to remain constantly lit.

There are many types of sharks in the world, although the word "shark" most of us think of a huge killer fish from some Hollywood horror movie, terrifying the coastal waters. In fact, not all types of sharks are dangerous to humans, and even those that can harm or kill do not often cause the death of a careless diver.

 

More than 550 species of sharks live on our planet, and we periodically meet information about sharks from news sources. However, we know little of the interesting facts associated with them, such as the fact that sharks have been living on the planet for more than 400 million years. So sharks are older than dinosaurs.

 

Interesting facts about sharks

 

1. The body of a shark produces a special substance that blocks all its pain sensations.

 

2. Up to 30 tons per 1 sq. cm is the largest shark bite force.

 

3. About 3.5 years is the gestation period for a shark. 

 

4. The speed of large sharks can reach up to 50 km / h. 

 

5. A shark can't stop abruptly. 

 

6. No more than 15% of its own weight is the average weekly diet of a shark. 

 

 

7. 15 cm is the smallest shark size, and 12 meters is the largest. 

 

8. The minimum speed of a shark is 2.5 km / h. 

 

9. To regulate the salinity of water, the body of a shark can produce special means. 

 

10. To conserve energy, a shark can turn off part of the brain. 

 

11. In the water column, the scales of the skin of a predator help to move faster. 

 

12. Thanks to its large liver, the shark stays on the water. 

 

 

13. This predator has a low level of blood flow activity. 

 

14. Shark skin is lubricated with a special oily secret to reduce resistance when moving in water. mybook.ru advertising | 16+ More 

 

15. Some species of sharks may have glowing eyes. 

 

16. The lateral line helps sharks navigate in space. 

 

17. A shark's eating habits can be affected by the phases of the moon. 

 

18. Sharks never stop moving or sleep. 

 

19. Warm-blooded species include the blue, great white, and mako sharks. 

 

20. Sharks never blink. 

 

 

21. There is a species of shark that emits photophores on its fins. 

 

22. Along the intestine there is a special valve in the form of a spiral to increase the absorption surface of the large intestine. 

 

23. Two whirlwinds in one muscle movement can create a shark's tail fin. 

 

24. The osmotic pressure of a shark provides half the salt content in the sea water of the ocean. 

 

25. Sharks can suffer from food fever. 

 

26. Some sharks can rest on the ocean floor.

 

27. If you pull the shark by the tail for a long time, then it can drown. 

 

 

28. A shark's sense of smell is one of the best on the planet. 

 

29. A shark can experience a voltage of 0.01 microvolts. 

 

30. Even above the surface of the water, a shark can smell. 

 

31. In 360 degrees, the hammerhead shark is able to inspect the space. 

 

32. The shark is perfectly oriented in space. 

 

33. The Earth's electromagnetic field serves as a "compass" for sharks. 

 

 

34. The structure of the eye in sharks has the same configuration as in humans. 

 

35. The muscles of the diaphragm in a shark are responsible for focusing the image. 

 

36. At a distance of up to 15 meters in opaque sea water, a shark is able to see. 

 

37. Shark sees 45 frames per second. 

 

38. Shark eyes are able to distinguish colors. 

 

39. 10 times the quality of a shark's vision compared to a human.

 

40. A shark can swim safely in the dark and with its eyes closed. 

 

 

41. A shark can feel sounds with its entire skull. 

 

42. In the range of 10-800 hertz, a shark is able to distinguish sound signals. 

 

43. The white shark has the best hearing. 

 

44. Sharks are able to detect changes in water temperature thanks to sensitive skin receptors. 

 

45. Among the possible threats to humans in the water, the shark is the last on the list. 

 

46. ​​A double shark attack on the same person is known. 

 

 

47. Every year, sharks make up to ten attacks on ships. 

 

48. Sharks, attacking ships, often get stuck in them. 

 

49. Florida's New Smyrna Beach is the place where most shark attacks have been recorded. 

 

50. Shark often attacks inedible objects that impede its movement.

 

51. A shark uses a special system to warn people of an attack. 

 

52. Predators often attack the male half of the population. 

 

53. A dressed person in the water attracts the attention of a shark more than an undressed one. 

 

 

54. In 1873, the white shark received its official name. 

 

55. A juvenile white shark feeds exclusively on fish. 

 

56. At the age of 15, a white predator reaches sexual maturity. 

 

57. Killer whale often hunts the great white shark. 

 

58. The great white shark closes its eyes at the last moment of the attack. 

 

59. More than 10 meters in length reached the largest sharks caught. 

 

60. Young predators survive on their own without the support of their parents. 

 

 

61. About 47% of all shark attacks end successfully. 

 

62. Waiting and many hours of tracking down prey is part of the shark's hunting strategy. 

 

63. In one year, on average, a white shark eats up to 11 tons of food. 

 

64. A great white shark can live without food for three whole months. 

 

65. Often in captivity, a shark refuses to eat. 

 

66. The "scavenger" of the ocean is called the tiger shark. 

 

67. Powder kegs and cannonballs were found in the stomach of a tiger shark.

 

 68. Compared to bull skin, tiger shark skin is 10 times stronger. 

 

 

69. A tiger shark is considered a nocturnal predator. 

 

70. A bull shark can live in fresh waters. 

 

71. About half of all attacks on humans are carried out by a bull shark. 

 

72. In India, the dead are thrown into the water with voracious bull sharks. 

 

73. A bull shark is considered an almost immortal predator, which can eat its own insides. 

 

74. The largest amount of testosterone is produced in the bull shark. 

 

75. Only in the back row do new teeth grow in a bull shark. 

 

 

76. The maximum length of a shark's teeth is 18 cm. 

 

77. Up to 15,000 pieces can be the number of teeth in a shark. 

 

78. A shark renews up to 24,000 of its teeth in one decade of life. 

 

79. Only 6 mm is the size of the teeth of the whale shark. 

 

80. About 5 cm is the length of the white shark teeth. 

 

81. The only bone tissue in the body of a shark is the teeth. 

 

82. Shark can determine the fat content of the victim with the help of teeth. 

 

 

83. Each type of shark has its own shape of teeth. 

 

84. A shark jumps up to three meters in the water while hunting. 

 

85. The fox shark has an unusual way of hunting. 

 

86. The wolf is the terrestrial brother of the shark. 

 

87. The gray shark hunts in an original way. 

 

88. A dolphin can attack a shark to protect its offspring. 

 

89. The tiger shark has characteristic teeth and a very large mouth. 

 

90. Large crocodiles are among the shark's enemies. 

 

 

91. A shark can hunt a whale.

 

 92. Sperm whales and porpoises can attack a shark. 

 

93. Shark attacks only obviously weak opponents. 

 

94. The whale shark is the largest species. 

 

95. About 15 tons is the weight of the largest shark. 

 

96. In the shape of a rectangle, the whale shark lays its eggs. 

 

97. About 100 kg on average weighs a baby whale shark. 

 

98. A female whale shark can carry 300 new embryos at the same time. 

 

99. About 200 kg of plankton are eaten daily by a whale shark. 

 

100. The speed of the whale shark often does not exceed 5 km / h.

 

It is difficult to imagine a more graceful, noble, and delightful animal than a horse. It has served man from time immemorial, fairy tales have been written about horses, poems have been dedicated - for example, “My horse is moving quietly”, “Horse and rider”, “Boyar stables are red for everyone”, etc. Very often the horse became the savior of heroes in an unequal battle.

 

What are the top ten most expensive horse breeds?

 

There are a lot of types of horses - some of them are inexpensive, while others exceed the cost of even a modern apartment in the city center. What caused such a price? - you ask. Everything is simple. A good horse is a profitable investment because there are not many breeds of horses in the world that can be called racehorses, they have been bred for decades. Horses are rare, hence the high cost.

 

Whether you are connected with horses or you are just interested in the headline is not so important. If you are here, then the topic is of interest to you.

 

Do you want to know how much is the most expensive horse in the world? We present to your attention photos and prices of rare and beautiful breeds of horses that can participate and win in sports competitions.

 

10. Appaloosa - up to $15,000

The motley horse with spots is recognized as one of the most unusual colors! Appaloosa is characterized by: striped hooves, variegated color, white conjunctiva.

 

The horse attracts attention not only with its bright color, but also with its character - this breed is very quick-witted, kind, and devoted. Mostly horses of this breed are common in the United States and make an excellent companion for those who participate in horse racing or rodeos.

 

It is known that the Spaniards brought the Appaloosa to America, and the Indians domesticated them in the 16th century. By crossing, they received a breed that is distinguished by speed and endurance.

 

9. Morgan - up to $20,000

The Morgan is one of the first breeds bred in the USA. This is a wonderful horse with increased efficiency, harmoniously built, hardy.

 

The breed of horses is distinguished by complaisance and tractability. Morgan can be seen in circus performances - compact horses quickly learn tricks and do not require a spacious arena.

 

By the way, the horse got its name in honor of Justin Morgan. In 1790, the musician Morgan received a one-year-old colt of unknown origin, whose name was Figure, as a repayment of a debt. According to assumptions, his ancestors were Dutch, English, and Arabian horses. Later, the horse began to bear the name of its owner - Justin Morgan.

 

8. Clydesdale - up to $30,000

The homeland of Clydesdale is Scotland. The horse belongs to the heavy draft variety, its weight can reach 1 ton, so it is not surprising that today the breed continues to be used as a carrier of goods.

 

Hardy and strong Clydesdales existed in the Middle Ages, but in XVII they underwent changes on the orders of Hamilton IV. He decided to improve the exterior and working abilities of the horses, for which he crossed Scottish mares with Flemish priests, who were brought from Holland.

 

After the population of this breed, the Clydesdales began to be massively acquired by famous horse breeders to breed new breeds. This horse is used for sports, and in particular for competitions.

 

7.  Friesian - up to $ 30,000

The  Friesian horse breed is one of the oldest in Europe. In the West, they are sometimes called "black pearls", because the Friesian is an incredibly beautiful black horse.

 

They were first heard about in the 13th century because at that time these hardy horses carried knights with their armor.

 

By nature, these horses are very calm, peaceful, thanks to which companionship is favorable, but if we talk about sports riding, the Friesian is not very suitable for these purposes. You can make friends with these beauties, take pictures, ride on horseback, but their lynx is rather weak.

 

6. Orlov trotter - up to $ 30,000

Orlov trotter is a famous Russian breed of light draft horses. There is not a single analog of this horse in the whole world. The horse was created at the Khrenovsky stud farm at the beginning of the 19th century, and named after the owner of the plant, the famous Count A.G. Orlov.

 

Today, elegant and stately Orlovites are called the living brand of Russia, they are used in almost all types of equestrian sports. The nature of the Oryol trotter is kind, peaceful, cautious. Breeding stallions are temperamental and frisky, but with proper training, they are able to obey the commands of the rider.

 

5. Sorraia - up to $35,000

The Sorraia is a well-known breed among equestrians and horse lovers, but those who are not fond of horses are unlikely to have heard of it. This is not at all surprising, since the barn is one of the rarest and most expensive breeds. Horses have a rather modest appearance - a mouse suit.

 

This rare breed is in the status of "endangered species", which, of course, cannot but be frustrating. The horse, originally from Portugal, has been captured by local farmers for centuries, tamed, and used to work in the fields.

 

Gradually, this breed began to be domesticated, and their descendants began to lose their characteristic features. In appearance, the Sorraia is rather fragile: it has a thin skeleton, a small head, and a long neck, but elegance has never prevented the horse from surviving in places with a difficult climate, so the breed can be classified as one of the most enduring.

 

4. Mustang - up to $60,000

This beautiful horse has been known to many since childhood from books about the American prairies. The Mustang is quite capricious and cannot be trained. However, the beauty, incredible speed, grace of the horse cause delight and attract attention to it. Due to the mixed origin, the features of this breed are blurred, but they are all equally strong, hardy, and strong.

 

All mustangs are currently protected by US law. In the 16th century, mustangs were brought from the Old World to the continent by the Conquistadors. Many of the horses fought off the herd, running away to the deserted American steppes, where they crossed with other free horses. They easily adapted to wild natural conditions due to the climate that is comfortable for horses on the continent.

 

3. American Trotter - up to $100,000

This breed of horse is considered the fastest. The American Trotting Horse was bred in the United States in the early 19th century for specific purposes: ambling on racetracks and trotting. The main thing that they paid attention to was the speed of the horse (the animal ran a distance of 1 mile (1609 m.)

 

The Yankees did not pay much attention to the appearance, because the horse does not have an exterior standard. The nature of the horse is quite balanced. Standardbred horses are not capricious, so even novice riders can easily handle them.

 

2. Arabian horse - up to $ 130,000

Arabian horses are one of the most ancient breeds of horses. They have been valued at all times due to their good disposition, endurance, frisky temperament.

 

As for endurance, this is an indisputable fact, because during the Crimean War (1851-1854), with a rider on its back, this horse covered a distance of 150 km, and at the same time it never stopped.

 

The Arabian horse is a long-liver and can serve its owner with good maintenance for about 30 years. The horse has excellent muscles, strong graceful legs, and a developed chest, which can be seen in the picture. The most expensive horses of this breed are ravens.

 

1. Thoroughbred – up to $10 million

The Thoroughbred is a horse bred in England, a born racing champion. It is valued more than any other breed. A horse that is present in someone's stable emphasizes wealth and is a sign of nobility. Her physical abilities are a real delight!

 

The Thoroughbred has a hot choleric temperament and is very agile and energetic. The nature of this breed can hardly be called calm, on the contrary, it is explosive and even naughty. It is difficult for a beginner in equestrian sports to manage a thoroughbred horse, in open areas it can even be dangerous, but the horse shows excellent strength, high performance, and endurance.

 

What are the most prestigious horse races in the world?

 

Since ancient times, horse racing has been a popular entertainment among aristocrats and the rich. The scale of money turnover in this area is sometimes simply amazing: this also applies to entry fees for participation in some competitions, and the prize fund. We present to your attention the most expensive horse races in the world.

 

Pegasus World Cup

The title of the most expensive horse racing in the world since 2017 belongs to the Pegasus World Cup, which is the epitome of American extravagance. The total length of the track is 9 furlongs (British and American distance units), which corresponds to 1.8 km. The race takes place at a racetrack called Gulfstream Park, Florida. Only very experienced horses of at least four years of age are allowed to participate.

 

Dubai World Cup

With the former record holder Pegasus World Cup essentially split into two separate events, The Dubai World Cup will be able to regain its title as the most expensive race. The competition has been held annually since 1996 in the UAE at the Meydan Hippodrome. In March 2019, another race will take place with a prize pool of $12 million, and the winner will take home an incredible $7.2 million.

 

The Everest

Australia hosts the most luxurious turf race ever, The Everest. The 1.2 km course is located at the Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, which attracts the best racehorses from around the world. Everest has only existed for two years, but this time was enough for the event to beat the previous record holder and the most expensive race in Australia, the Melbourne Cup. In both 2017 and 2018, the Australian Thoroughbred Redzel was the winner.

 

Breeders' Cup Classic

Another event in the USA, but this time in the sprint category, the Breeders’ Cup Classic has been held in a new location every time since 1984, for all these years the only time the race was outside the USA was in Ontario, Canada in 1996. Only thoroughbred horses older than three years old are allowed to participate, and the winner receives half of the $6 million prize pool.

 

Prix ​​de l'Arc de Triomphe

The entire elite of the European racing world once a year gathers at the richest race of the continent, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. The horses must cover 2.4 km, and the owner of the fastest and toughest of them will receive $3.2 million out of a total prize pool of $5.6 million. l'Arc has been held at the Longchamp racecourse in Paris for 150 years, with the exception of 2016 and 2017, when the racecourse was undergoing restoration, when the famous racecourse of the Chantilly residence, which is located near Paris, took over the races.

 

Among all living creatures, owls stand out for their mystery and ancient symbolism. They are credited with wisdom, prophecy of adversity and military victories. But in fact, people know little about owls, because these strange birds are in no hurry to show themselves, they actively live and hunt at night.

Unusual and interesting facts about owls that not even all zoologists know.

How far owls can see, which owls live in cacti and why owls fly quietly - you will learn about this and much more from our material.

1. Owls Can Turn Their Heads Almost Fully

Many people think that owls have the unique ability to turn their heads a full turn, that is, 360 degrees. This is not entirely true: the rotation of their head is limited to only 135 degrees, but an owl can twist its neck in any direction.

So the total mobility of the neck is 270 degrees. Scientists explained this phenomenon by the fact that the bone structure and blood vessels of an owl are arranged in such a way that when it turns its head far, this does not interfere with the flow of blood to the brain.

2. Owls can see into the distance with ease thanks to their tubular eyes.

Owls, which have tubular eyes instead of eyeballs, can see very clearly into the distance. This ability is preserved even in the dark, and all thanks to the tubular structure of the eyes. Owls, which can't see well up close, select and eat prey by "groping". To do this, they have special sensory feathers on their beak and paws.

Due to the fact that these birds do not have eyeballs, they do not rotate their eyes - in order to look around, they have to turn their whole head.

3. Owls have very sensitive hearing.

Owls have a keen sense of hearing, which they need to detect their prey under leaves, soil or snow. In some owls, the ears on the head are asymmetrically located, at different heights, so they can detect prey, distinguishing even small fluctuations in sound waves.

Other species of owls hear prey by using their "face" like a large ear thanks to special hairs on their flat facial disc. The hearing of an owl is so subtle that it is four times the hearing of a cat.

4. You won't believe how quiet owls are.

An excellent night hunter must move very quietly. The owl, leaving far behind all other birds, does not make any sounds in flight. Thanks to their special feathers, which are fringed or saw-toothed at the ends and break turbulence into small pieces, owls can fly almost silently.

5. They Can Swallow Prey In One Bite

Becoming a victim of an owl can be quite scary. This predator first catches and kills its prey, and then, depending on its size, either swallows it whole or tears it with a powerful beak and puts it piece by piece into the mouth.

The digestive system begins to digest the prey it swallows in one bite, and indigestible parts such as bones and fur are then removed through the beak.

This bird can live for a long time without water - the blood of victims is enough for it, but owls drink water if possible and even bathe.

6. Owls sometimes eat their own kind

Their relatives can be hunted not only by large species of owls, such as the eagle owl, but also by many other species. For example, the Virginia Eagle Owl may prey on the Barred Owl, Barred Owl, and Western Screeching Owl.

7. A mother owl feeds her strongest cub first

As cruel as it sounds, owls prefer to feed the largest and strongest chicks. If there is little food, the mother will feed the oldest of her cubs first, and the older owlets can eat the smaller ones.

Since owls lay their eggs gradually, there can be owls of different ages in the nest. Even if the chicks can fly out of the nest, they do not stray far from the tree where they were born, and the parents continue to bring them food. It is believed that if the owl survives its first winter, it has a good chance of survival.

8. When it comes to camouflage, owls have few rivals.

Many owls hide in foliage or grass and sleep during the day, as the dull color of feathers with spots and stripes perfectly masks them.

9. Some Owls Can Make Frightening Hissing Sounds

Owls can make a variety of sounds, from whistling to screaming, from hissing to hooting.

10. Elf owls live on cacti

Elf owls are the smallest species of owls in the world, they are usually found in the southwestern part of America and in northern Mexico. Their dimensions do not exceed 14 centimeters.

Owls-elves are not very picky in choosing a house, since they cannot build their own due to their diminutive size. Therefore, minks made by other animals in the stiff trunks of the saguaro cactus are used as nests.

Sometimes owls coexist with other birds - for example, woodpeckers. They can also settle in hollow trees and even in holes in telephone poles hollowed out by woodpeckers.

11. Owls nest in burrows dug by dogs.

Very few burrowing owls, commonly found in South and North America, are active during the day. Owls of this species turn tunnels dug by rural dogs and minks of prairie dogs into nests. If they have a need, they can even dig their own holes.

Here's how they hunt. The burrowing owls cover the entrance to the nest with excrement and sit there all day. Since the excrement attracts insects, owls are always provided with food.

12. Owls Eat Pests

Owls feed on a large number of rodents. The family of barn owls during the breeding season, which lasts four months, eats up to 3 thousand rodents. Only one owl eats 22 kilograms of gopher rodents in one year.

Farmers have come up with a way to deal with pests: they hang owl nests in their fields, where feathered predators settle. Owls prey on rodents and farmers protect their fields. This natural method of dealing with grain-destroying mice and ground squirrels is cheaper and safer than using poisons.

13. Owls are known as a symbol of death.

Since early centuries, owls have been associated with death, evil, and superstition. Many cultures know the owl as a sign of death.

For example, there is a legend in history that there was an owl that predicted Caesar's death. Owls are also often associated with witches and evil beings from the underworld.

14. Owls are also considered a sign of victory in wars.

But since Athena is also a warrior goddess, owls have become a symbol of the protector of armies. If the Greek soldiers saw an owl during the battle, then this was regarded as a sign of an approaching victory.

15. Owls usually treat people well.

Owls have been very popular animals since ancient times. You can often see owls on rock paintings in France, whose age is estimated at 30 thousand years, and on hieroglyphs in Egypt. In many historical documents from the Middle Ages there is evidence that owls were used and loved.

However, now in many countries it is forbidden to keep owls in houses and apartments as pets. Because although they are intelligent creatures that you can communicate with, owls remain predators and can attack the owner if they feel threatened.

Among the animals, both small creatures are invisible to the eye and real giants. The dinosaurs died out a long time ago, so we can no longer see the brachiosaurs with our eyes, which could weigh up to 50 tons. There are some animals whose sizes are unique. Below is a selection of the ten largest animals.

 

Which one is the biggest animal?

 

Hundreds of thousands of animals of various sizes live on earth. There are real giants, the dimensions of which, although inferior to prehistoric monsters, far exceed the sizes of those animals that we can usually see around.

 

10. Giant Squid

Giant squids are clear evidence of deep-sea gigantism. Today, it is reliably known about individuals whose length from the ends of the tentacles to the fins reaches eight m. When, after death, the squid muscles are relaxed, length measurements can show the figure 16 m. The mass of these inhabitants of the ocean reaches 275 kg.

 

Giant squids live at depths of 300-1000 m, and they can be found in any ocean on Earth. They feed on fish and smaller species of squid.

 

9. Polar bear

Bears are the largest land mammal, predators. Among them, polar bears are the largest. Their length can reach 3 m, and their weight can reach 500 kg. The giant polar bears live on the coast of the White Sea.

 

The polar bear hunts seals and sea hares but, if possible, attacks seals and walruses. His favorite technique is to overturn the ice floe on which the seals are located. Today, there are approximately 25,000 polar bears in the world. It is worth noting that they live in the Northern Hemisphere, in the Arctic. They are not found in Antarctica.

 

8. Giraffe

The tallest animal on the planet, whose height can reach 6 m. The mass of adults is 900-1200 kg. The high neck allows giraffes, exclusively herbivores, to feed on the leaves of tall trees. At the same time, other herbivores cannot reach these leaves because of their high location, and therefore giraffes do not experience competition from them.

 

However, it is difficult for the animal's heart to pump blood because of the high neck. It is forced to create a blood pressure three times higher than a human. The nature of the giraffe weighs over 12 kg.

 

7. Saltwater Crocodile

The largest among crocodiles are combed crocodiles that live in Australia, India, Indonesia, Indochina. The length of their bodies can reach up to 6.2 m, and the mass of such crocodiles can exceed a ton. Due to their size, combed crocodiles are considered the planet's giant reptiles and terrestrial predators.

 

Salted crocodiles are extremely dangerous and can attack even some types of sharks in the water. In nature, they have no natural enemies. Even a man with a firearm is hard to resist. The incident that occurred in February 1945 on Ramri Island is indicative. During the Second World War, an armed detachment of more than a thousand armed Japanese tried to get out of the encirclement, making their route through one swamp. As a result, almost all the soldiers were eaten by combed crocodiles, only 20 Japanese survived.

 

6. Hippo

The average mass of these giants living in Africa reaches 3 tons. However, record-holders weigh more than 4500 kg. The length of hippos can be 5.4 m.

 

They spend most of the day in the water but come out to feed at night. Although hippos are herbivores, they often attack other animals, including rhinos and elephants, when disturbed. There are frequent cases of fights between two hippos, while the weaker male usually dies in such disputes. Although hippopotamuses seem, clumsy creatures, if necessary, they can reach speeds of up to 30 km/h.

 

5. Elephant seal

Among all pinnipeds and seals, the largest species is the southern elephant seal. The mass of one such animal sometimes exceeds 3.5 tons, and its body length is 6.5 m. The name of the species suggests that it has a trunk. However, its length is usually only 10 cm.

 

Southern elephant seals live mainly off the coast of the subantarctic islands - the Kerguelen archipelago, the islands of South Georgia, Crozet, etc. Approximately 5% of individuals live directly in Antarctica. Also, animal colonies are present in the southernmost regions of Argentina. If necessary, elephant seals can hold their breath for 2 hours and dive to 2000 m.

 

4. Rhino

Among these animals, distinguished by the presence of one giant horn, the largest are white rhinos, which are gray. Their mass can reach up to 5 tons, although usually, it is in the range of 2-2.5 tons. The length of the rhinos is 4.2 m, and the height is 1.6-2 meters.

 

There are white rhinos in southern Africa. They create groups that can reach up to 18 individuals. There are two subspecies of white rhinos - northern and southern. The subspecies of the north are almost exterminated - there are two females left, which are kept in the zoo. There are approximately 20,000 southern white rhinos.

 

3. Elephant

Among all land animals, elephants are the largest, and among them, the savannah elephants that live in Africa are the largest. The average weight is estimated at 7 tons, and females weigh about 5 tons. However, in 1974, a specimen was shot in Angola while hunting, whose weight was 12.2 tons. The length of the savannah elephants reaches 7 m, and the height reaches 3.8 m.

 

Elephants lead a peaceful lifestyle and feed on vegetation. Nevertheless, only in Zimbabwe from 1982-to 1989, did 500 people become their victims, because elephants can still show aggression, protecting themselves and the herd. The number of savannah elephants back in 1930 was 5 million individuals, but today there are no more than 700 thousand.

 

2. Whale Shark

The largest of the sharks is also the largest fish on Earth. Usually, the length of the whale shark does not exceed 12 m, but there were individuals with a height of 20 m. The mass of such giants can reach 34 tons.

 

The speed of these species of sharks does not exceed 5 km/h. They feed on plankton and therefore are safe for humans. Sometimes people can even ride on their backs.

 

The lifespan of whale sharks is remarkable. Individuals reach sexual maturity only by 30, and they live up to 100 or even 150 years.

 

1. Blue whale

In general, all whales are enormous animals, and if desired, the entire TOP 10 could be filled with different types of whales. But the largest among them are blue whales. The length of the most prominent individuals reaches 33 meters, and the mass of such animals exceeds 150 tons.

 

Oddly enough, these giants do not feed on fish but only on plankton, consisting of small crustaceans (no more than 6 cm in size). Seeing their flock, the whale opens its mouth and launches a massive amount of water inside. Then it closes its mouth and uses a unique mechanism to push out the water.

 

Back in the 19th century, the number of blue whales exceeded 350 thousand individuals. Whalers could not hunt this species for a long time - it was too strong. But in 1868, hunters mastered a new weapon - a harpoon gun, with the help of which the extraction of blue whales became possible. By 1967, the number of blue whales was reduced to 2 thousand, as a result of which their fishing was utterly prohibited. Since then, the number of blue whales has grown very slowly.

 

What is the smallest animal in the world?

 

The Etruscan shrew is the smallest modern mammal on the planet.

The pygmy shrew, or Etruscan shrew (Suncus Etruscans), is the smallest known mammal. Her body weight does not exceed 1.8 grams, and the maximum body length is 4.5 centimeters.

 

The shrew moves very fast and has an extremely high metabolic rate, which causes it to eat twice its weight in food. So, this crumb has to eat up to 25 times a day, hunting for insects, young frogs, and lizards.

 

As a rule, the heartbeat of a shrew reaches 1511 beats/min (25 beats/sec), and its body temperature is 37 ° C. However, when a shrew falls into a temporary torpor, its temperature drops to 12°C. Usually, this state of the body occurs during a food shortage and with the onset of cold weather. The exit from the stupor is accompanied by a sharp increase in heart rate - from 100 to 800-1200 per minute.

 

Today, these amazing creatures are endangered in some countries. This is mainly due to sudden climate changes, to which pygmy shrews are very sensitive. But to a greater extent, the destruction of their dwellings due to agricultural work leads to a decrease in the number of Etruscan shrews. This fact is even more upsetting when you consider that the shrew is of great benefit to people, destroying pests in their gardens, vegetable gardens, and fields.