Fun facts 2nd August 2017

Why do you cry when you cut onions?
When you cut an onion, it releases a gas called Propanethiol S-oxide. When mixed with certain enzymes in the onion, it creates a sulfur gas. These gases then get to your eyes and create a mild acid which irritates the eyes.

How much does a baby blue whale weigh at birth?
After about a year inside its mother’s womb, a baby blue whale emerges weighing up to 3 tons and stretching to 8 meters. It gorges on nothing but mother’s milk and gains about 90 kilograms every day for its first year.

Why is there a leap year every 4th year?
A common year has 365 days and a leap year 366 days, with the extra day designated as February 29. A leap year occurs every four years to help synchronize the calendar year with the solar year, or the length of time it takes the earth to complete its orbit about the sun, which is about 365¼ days.

Why is there no wind on the equator?
The trade winds coming from the south and the north meet near the equator. These converging trade winds produce general upward winds as they are heated, so there are no steady surface winds. This area of calm is called the doldrums.