The Cyber Archive.
From the reason leaves change color, to the origin of the season's name,
we count 15 interesting facts about autumn.
Number 15. Not everyone on Earth experiences the season
at the same time. When it's autumn in the Northern hemisphere, it's spring in the Southern
hemisphere. So as the leaves are falling in North America and most of Europe, new plants
are emerging in South America and Australia. Number 14.
People living closest to the equator, around the center of the planet, never experience
the season of autumn. Around the equator the temperature remains consistently warm. Tropical
regions instead typically experience other seasonal changes such as dry or wet seasons.
Number 13. The first day of autumn is known as the Autumnal
Equinox which is around the 22nd of September in the Northern Hemisphere and the 20th of
March in the Southern Hemisphere. On the day of an equinox the number of hours of daylight
and darkness are equal. This is because the sun is aligned with the center of the Earth
at the equator. The word Equinox comes from the Latin aequo nox meaning equally night.
Number 12. Autumn ends around 21st December in the Northern
Hemisphere and the 21st of June in the Southern Hemisphere with the winter solstice which
in Latin sol sistere literally translates as stop the sun. This is because at a solstice,
the Sun's path as seen from Earth comes to a stop before reversing direction.
Number 11. The Aurora Borealis, also known as The Northern
Lights and the Aurora Australis or Southern Lights are geomagnetic storms that occur up
to 20 degrees from Earth's poles. This natural light display can be seen most vividly in
autumn and spring. This is because geomagnetic storms are about twice as likely to occur
near the time of the equinoxes. Number 10.
Yellow and orange colors are always present in the pigmentation of leaves due to the presence
of carotenoids, but they are normally overpowered by the abundance of green from chlorophyll.
In autumn when the sun weakens and the days grows shorter, the amount of chlorophyll in
leaves diminishes, allowing the other pigments to show through.
Number 9. The color in red and purple leaves is actually
caused by the presence of anthocyanins. Unlike the yellow and orange carotenoids, anothocyanins
are not present in most leaves throughout the growing season, by are actively produced
towards the end of summer through the breakdown of sugars.
Number 8. While most trees lose all their leaves in
autumn, some trees don't. Evergreen trees lose their leaves gradually throughout the
year. The reason they keep their leaves through the autumn and winter is because the tough
leaves have a waxy coating, that protects them from the bitter cold and prevents dehydration.
By protecting their greenery, photosynthesis can continue throughout the year.
Number 7. Fall is a peak migration time for many species
of birds. During autumn, birds will fly to other areas of the planet to seek more hospitable
climates. Probably the most extreme example is the Arctic Tern. These birds travel from
the Arctic in the north, to the Antarctic in the south and back again every year. With
a round trip of about 50,000 miles, they get to see two summers per year and more daylight
than any other creature on the planet. Number 6.
Contrary to popular belief, most tree squirrels who have spent the entire autumn collecting
acorns and nuts, don't hibernate. During harsh cold days they will spend most of their time
in shelter and when they do come out in winter, they are usually tunneling under the snow
to find the food they buried during the fall. Number 5.
Spiders are found outside all year round but are more frequently seen in late summer and
autumn. House spiders are most often seen in autumn due to the falling temperatures
outside. Also visible in autumn is the drifting gossamer produced by dispersing baby spiders.
This process is known as ballooning. The spiders climb to high places on plants and fences
and produce silk threads that act like sails, allowing the wind to carry them long distances.
Number 4. Several cultures have traditions that coincide
with autumn. A few of the celebrations include the Chinese Moon Festival, the Hindu Diwali
festival of lights, American and Canadian Thanksgiving, the Jewish holiday of Sukkot,
the Day of the Dead in Mexico, the British Harvest Festival and Bonfire night, and of
course Halloween. Number 3.
Conkers is a traditional British game, played by children in the autumn that uses the seeds
of the Horse-Chestnut tree. A hole is drilled through the Conker with a nail or screwdriver
and string is threaded through and knotted at the end. Two people take turns hitting
each other's conker using their own, until eventually one of them breaks. Conkers fall
from the trees in autumn and are eaten by squirrels and deer. Squirrels often bury them
to eat later but if they forget where the conker is, a new tree can grow there.
Number 2. Often associated with autumn and Halloween,
pumpkins are one of the most popular crops in the United States, producing around 1.5
billion pounds (680 million kg) of pumpkins every year. 95% of the U.S. crop is grown
in Illinois and Nestle produce 85% of those pumpkins. In 2009, rain in Illinois devastated
the Nestle crop, resulting in a shortage affecting the entire country during the Thanksgiving
holiday season. Number 1.
Before the 16th century, Harvest was the term used to refer to the season and is still common
in some European countries to this day. As more people moved from working the land to
living in towns and cities, the word Harvest lost its reference to the time of year and
came to refer only to the actual activity of reaping. The words Autumn and Fall then
began to replace it as a reference to the season. During the 17th century as British
emigration to the North American colonies was at its peak, the term Fall gradually became
obsolete in Britain but became the more common term in North America.
And that's it for this Autumnal countdown, as always thanks for watching.