Quicksand

BY THE NUMBERS » OCEANS

70 Percent of the Earth’s surface that is covered by ocean. Less than 5 percent of the oceans' depths have been explored by humans. The Mid-Ocean Ridge, which is the planet’s longest chain of mountains stretching for more than 40,300 miles, has been less explored than Venus or Mars. In comparison, the longest mountain range above water is the Andes at 4,300 miles long. Also at 70 percent is the amount of oxygen marine plants produce for the planet.

94 Percent of living species on Earth that live in the ocean. The World Register of Marine Species lists 240,470 ocean species but experts believe that is only scratching the surface of marine life, with new aquatic species being discovered almost daily.

1000Estimated number of shipwrecks lying off the Florida Keys. There are believed to be more than 3 million shipwrecks worldwide, with the oldest dating back 10,000 years. There are more historic artifacts under the oceans than in all the world’s museums. 60MNumber of square miles of the Pacific Ocean, the largest ocean on Earth. The Pacific’s average depth is 13,000 feet and there are about 25,000 islands in it. The Arctic Ocean is the smallest, covering an area of 6.1 million square miles. Still, the Arctic Ocean is about 1.5 times larger than the United States.

750The temperature, in Fahrenheit, of water at the deepest levels of the ocean. The incredibly hot water comes from hydrothermal vents on the seafloor. The water is prevented from boiling by the intense pressure at those depths, a pressure that would literally crush humans.

20M Number, in tons, of gold estimated to be in the oceans. According to bestlife.com, that equates to about 9 pounds of gold for each living person on Earth.

262Number of feet the oceans would rise if all the glaciers and sea ice melted at the same time. This is just about the height of the Statue of Liberty.

LOOK, LISTEN & LEARN OUTER SANDBOX

Dead Eyes

Comedian and actor Connor Ratliff sets off on a journey to answer a simple question that has bothered him for most of his adult life: Why Tom Hanks fired him from a small role on the 2001 HBO miniseries Band of Brothers. If you are worried the podcast will end on a cliffhanger or an unsatisfying ending, don’t be. The last episode of the second season is a fantastic interview with the object of his attention: Tom Hanks himself.

Babbel

Sure, DuoLingo is free and quirky (their whole owl motif can be a little much), but if you’re looking to learn practical language skills before you hit the beaches of Costa Rica or the streets of Strasbourg, consider investing in Babbel. Babbel breaks down language learning in 10–15 minute sessions so you can squeeze them in without too much fuss. You’ll be asking for directions or another cocktail with ease in no time.

NASA

The NASA app is perfect for those “eyes to the sky” folks and future astronauts. Want to track the International Space Station? Or stay on top of space missions? The app has it. In addition to thousands of images and videos that could keep a junior astronomer busy for hours, you can also listen to Third Rock internet streaming radio or watch live NASA TV. If we find life on other planets, don’t you want to be one of the first to know?

ROAD TRIP!

Road trip! Beyond the boundaries of our little sandbox, there is much to see. Here are a few events worth checking out. For events with a more local flavor, check out moorechoices.net. And check with locales before heading out!

THROUGH OCTOBER Tweetsie Railroad Blowing Rock | tweetsie.com

Giddy up, partners and mosey on over to a Wild West themed amusement park near Blowing Rock. Tweetsie Railroad features a 3-mile ride aboard an old-fashioned coal-powered steam locomotive, an assortment of live shows, lots of thrilling rides, a zoo and gold panning and gem mining.

JULY 1–2 Christmas in July West Jefferson | christmasinjulyinfo.ipage.com

A festival started to celebrate the Christmas tree industry that Ashe County is well known for, the Christmas in July Festival has grown into an event that draws thousands to this quaint mountain town. Enjoy music, food and clogging, and get Santa your Christmas list early!

JULY 14–16 NC Peach Festival Candor | ncpeachfestival.com

Those who say peaches are just for Georgia have nothing on the NC Peach Festival. The homemade peach ice cream is a must-try. This year only, the festival will span three days. Even better, this festival is just across the county line in Montgomery County ... only a hop, skip and a jump away. There’s no reason to miss it!

QUOTES

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes ... including you.”

– Anne Lamott

“To know that we know what we know, and to know that we do not know what we do not know, that is true knowledge.”

– Nicolaus Copernicus

Health Tips

Know Your Numbers

Your blood pressure numbers, that is. Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is known as the silent killer. It is not uncommon to have no or few symptoms while having high blood pressure. If caught early, hypertension can be treated and controlled.

Unchecked, and the list of issues that can arise is staggering. Heart attack, stroke, heart failure, vision loss, kidney failure, dementia and erectile dysfunction are just a few. Testing is as easy as going to the self-testing cuff chair at the pharmacy. And of course your doctor should be checking it at your annual physical. Which you’re doing, right?

Take the stairs

We’re not talking the stair master at the gym, although if you’re doing that, good for you. Skipping the elevator is good for your heart—it protects against hypertension, it works your legs, abs, back and arms and joints, and it aids in maintaining flexibility. It also burns more calories than jogging, about five to 11 calories per minute, using about seven times more energy than taking the elevator. Best of all, it’s a stress reliever. Probably because your thighs will be burning so much and your lungs will be huffing and puffing so much that you forget how stressed you really are. Cheap therapy is just a couple flights away.

Tan those shrooms

Before you slice up those mushrooms for a salad, place them on a window sill for about twenty minutes. Mushrooms are similar to our skin (as gross as that sounds) and convert sunlight to vitamin D. By exposing your shrooms to UV light for a bit before eating them, you can increase the vitamin D almost eightfold. And since vitamin D plays an important role in our immune system and metabolism, juicing up our shrooms isn’t a bad idea.

Live Lightly

Tips on living a more sustainable life

If you can believe it, about a third of our treated drinking water is used to water our lawns.

Reduce the use of your sprinkler system by at least one day, (it’s rare that any plants need to be watered daily) and water in the mornings before the sun is up to reduce evaporation.

Consider setting up a rain barrel and water your flower beds and gardens with it.

Ideally, plant a more earthfriendly yard by incorporating native perennials and bushes that thrive on normal rainfall and can support bee and butterfly populations. And if you are really inspired, get rid of your grass lawn all together. Just think, no lawn means less work in the summer! SP

JUNE 4 Flying Squirrel Ten Miler

Asheville 10M runsignup.com

JULY 4 Battle for Independence

Wilmington 5K, 1M runsignup.com

SEPTEMBER 3 Weymouth Woods Trail Run

Southern Pines 25K, 50K runsignup.com