Can you imagine naming mountains under the ocean? Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain the measured from base to summit. Its base is deep in the Pacific Ocean. So its summit is 13,796 feet above see level but 19,700 feet below the sea level. In total it is 33,500 feet. That compares to Mount Everest at 29,035 feet. There are 14 mountains on Earth that are at least 8,000 metres. tall.
Mauna Kea, though, is located near the equator and is one excellent astronomical observation site with low humidity and clear skies. There are 13 telescopes on Mauna Kea.
For a few weeks every year, K2, in Pakistan/China is taller than Mount Everest. How does that happen? Snow, and lots of it!
Chimborazo in Ecuador is the point on the earth's surface that is furthest away from the earth's core so by that measurement technique it is taller than Mount Everest.
And at the opposite realm, "you might be interested to know that if Everest was put inside the Mariana Trench (the deepest point of the world’s oceans) it wouldn’t even reach the surface. In fact there’d still be room for more than 2,000 metres of water above it."
I wonder what science class this might be taught in. Fourth grade. I feel like I am catching up - download lesson plans, activities, colouring pages, resources, printable, clipart, and worksheets HERE. Here's the criss cross puzzle.
Our origami sculptures in the Minneapolis Arboretum repeat our theme for the day.
Origami in the garden was the theme of the artwork at the Minneapolis Arboretum Garden. This was the most beautiful of the sculptures. Set in a pond, it was isolatable so can be admired with the hint of the garden that surrounds it.
Buddhist monks carried paper to Japan during the 6th century. Japanese origami dates from this period and was used for religious ceremonial purposes.
Origami butterflies were used during Shinto weddings to represent the bride and groom in the 1600's.
Our picture today shows cranes in flight. Cranes are the best known design. The crane is auspicious in Japanese culture. Legend says that anyone who folds one thousand paper cranes will have their heart's desire come true.
The thousand cranes is a poignant story of the 20th century. A young Japanese girl, Sadako Sasaki was exposed to radiation of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. By the time she was twelve in 1955, she was dying of leukemia. She decided to fold one thousand origami cranes so that she could live. She saw that other children in her ward were dying, and she realized that would not survive. She wished instead for world peace and an end to suffering. Her thousand cranes are said to have been completed after her death.
There is a statue of Sadako in the Hiroshima Peace Park: a girl standing with her hands outstretched, a paper crane flying from her fingertips. Every year the statue is adorned with thousands of wreaths of a thousand origami cranes.
