The Wonder Book of Knowledge: The Marvels of Modern Industry and Invention, the Interesting Stories of Common Things, the Mysterious Processes of Nature Simply Explained
History
The Wonder Book of Knowledge: The Marvels of Modern Industry and Invention, the Interesting Stories of Common Things, the Mysterious Processes of Nature Simply Explained
Industrial arts -- History
A device acting on the same principle is the moving platform, with the
difference that this may be of indefinite length and act as a sort of
railway for carrying passengers from place to place. The passenger steps
from a sideway at rest to one in moderate motion, and from this to a
second one moving more rapidly, and in this way can be carried
horizontally at a fair rate of speed. On reaching his station he has but
to step back on the slower platform and from this to the moveless
sideway. The pioneer example of this contrivance was installed on a long
pier leading into Lake Michigan at the Chicago Exposition of 1893, and
plans for putting it into practical use in various cities have been
entertained. None of these, however, have yet been put into effect.
Certain drawbacks, possibly that of cost of installation and operation,
has served as a hindrance.
[Illustration: A GRAVITY CONVEYOR OF THE SINGLE SPIRAL OPEN TYPE
For the quick and safe conveyance of heavy goods from upper to lower
levels.]
* * * * *
What Happens when Animals Hibernate?
We have all heard of certain animals sleeping through the long winter
months and most of us have probably wondered what happens to them when
they do this.
This hiding away for a long sleep, or hibernation, as it is called,
commences when the food of the animal begins to get scarce, and the
length and depth of the sleep depends on the habit and constitution of
the animal.
Bats, bears, some animals of the rodent order, such as the porcupine,
the dormouse, some squirrels, etc., all the animals belonging to the
classes of _Amphibia_ and _Reptilia_, such as tortoises, lizards,
snakes, frogs, etc., and many species of mollusks and insects, hibernate
more or less completely, retiring to suitable places of concealment--the
bat to dark caves, the hedgehog to fern-brakes, snakes to holes in
trees, etc.
During hibernation there is a great decrease of heat in the bodies of
the animals, the temperature sometimes sinking to 40° or even 20° F., or
in general to a point a little above that of the surrounding atmosphere.
The respiration as well as the pulsation of the heart is exceedingly
slow, and the irritability of the animal often so low that in some cases
it can be awakened only by strong electric shocks.
With frogs and amphibious reptiles the dormant state is very common, and
if the temperature is kept low by artificial means they may remain
dormant for years.
The term “æstivation” has been used to describe a similar condition into
which certain animals, such as serpents and crocodiles, in tropical
countries pass during the hottest months of the year.
How do Peanuts Get in the Ground?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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