Were You Wondering... » What is the Smallest http://www.wereyouwondering.com Just another WordPress weblog Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:35:56 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 What is the Smallest Owl in the World? http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-owl-in-the-world/ http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-owl-in-the-world/#comments Sun, 06 Jul 2008 01:51:15 +0000 admin http://www.wereyouwondering.com/?p=175 There are two owls that are in competition for the smallest owl in the world; the Northern Pygmy Owl and the Elf Owl; either one could be classified as such depending on the individual being measured. The Northern Pygmy Owl is between 16 and 18 centimeters, while the Elf Owl is 13 to 30 centimeters tall. Pygmy Owls may suffer from “little man syndrome” because despite their diminutive size, these little fellows are fierce hunters and will attack prey many times larger if they feel threatened. Pygmy Owls are often mistaken for the shrike, another small bird of prey. They subsist mainly on small song birds and small mammals like voles and mice and can carry up to 3 times their own weight. Pygmy Owls are somewhat macabre in nature and can be likened to zombies in their love of brains; often the brain is the only part of a bird that they eat! It’s lucky this species doesn’t suffer from Mad Cow disease. They can be found on the West coast of North America starting at the Alaskan Panhandle and finishing in Northern Mexico. They are not listed as Threatened or Endangered with the IUCN.

The Elf Owl is not nearly so goulish. They live in the Southern U.S. and in Central Mexico, migrating between the two places. The like to live in woodpecker holes in trees and cacti and feed mainly on insects; including scorpions; talk about spicy! The Elf Owl is listed as Least Concern with the IUCN.

]]> http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-owl-in-the-world/feed/ 0 What is the Smallest Goat in the World? http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-goat-in-the-world/ http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-goat-in-the-world/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 20:39:06 +0000 admin http://www.wereyouwondering.com/?p=171 The smallest goat in the world is the Nigerian Dwarf Goat and as its name suggests, is native to West Africa. They measure between 40 and 56 centimeters tall at the shoulder and weight between 27 to 36 kilograms. These goats are easily domesticated and live on several different continents. They have good meat and produce a surprising amount of milk per day for their size; 1-3 kilograms. They have a rather grim history in North America as they were brought here as food animals for large cats in zoos.

If they are raised by hand; meaning that they were fed from infancy from a bottle by a human, they are very well socialized towards people. Some even like to come into the house although I wonder if they can be toilet trained. Neutered males make the best pets as they carry a minimal amount of scent and their horns are usually cut off in infancy to protect their owners and the herd.

]]> http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-goat-in-the-world/feed/ 0 What is the Smallest Country in the World? http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-country-in-the-world/ http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-country-in-the-world/#comments Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:45:27 +0000 admin http://www.wereyouwondering.com/?p=48 The smallest country in the World is the Vatican City at just over half a square kilometer. It was granted sovereignty by the Lateran Treaty in 1929. Technically, it isn’t referred to as a country; but as an independent state. It has almost 800 residents, most of whom are not permanent. The Vatican City is located within the city of Rome, Italy. Interestingly, the Vatican City has properties outside its borders, located within the city of Rome that are treated like foreign embassies and contain offices for workers of the Holy See; it takes a lot of manpower to run the Catholic empire! The Vatican City includes St. Peter’s Square and Basilica, the Apostolic Palace, the Vatican Museums (which contain the Sistine Chapel) and various other administrative buildings. The city is bordered on 3 sides by walls that have been there for hundreds of years. Only the front entrance to St. Peter’s Square doesn’t have a wall and is freely accessed by Via Della Conciliazione.

The next smallest country in the world is Monaco at 1.8 square kilometers. Located near Nice in the south, it is completely enclosed by France and is very densely populated at almost 33,000 souls; who obviously don’t have a great need for personal space!

Are you wondering what is the biggest country in the world?

]]> http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-country-in-the-world/feed/ 0 What is the Smallest Animal in the World? http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-animal-in-the-world/ http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-animal-in-the-world/#comments Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:43:55 +0000 admin http://www.wereyouwondering.com/?p=47 The smallest animal in the world, which is also the smallest insect in the world (so far) is the Megaphragma caribea otherwise known as a fairyfly. It is a parasitic wasp that lives on the island of Guadalope and feeds off the eggs of other insects. Specimens have been found between 0.10 mm to 0.17 mm in length. If your eyesight isn’t what it once used to be, you could have this little guy thread your sewing needle for you. Want to know what is the biggest insect in the world?

Like many of the smallest/biggest questions that I have encountered, this question is more complicated than it first appears. The smallest animal in the world must have more than one cell according to many different definitions of the world animal, so although protozoa are considered by some to be an animal, they are only one cell in size, so they are out.

The smallest vertebrate animal in the world is the Paedocypris fish found in the dark, swampy waters of Sumatra. It lives in an environment that is only slightly less acidic than the human stomach. This species also has the distinction of being the smallest fish in the world.

Last, but certainly not least, the smallest mammal in the world is the Bumblebee Bat or the Etruscan Pygmy Shrew, depending upon who you ask. The bat measures between 2 and 3 centimeters in length. Like many of the coolest creatures on Earth, this bat is listed as Endangered by the IUCN. The shrew measures about 3.5 centimeters and weighs more, but of course, the status of smallest mammal really depends on the age and gender of the species in question.

Wonder what is the biggest animal in the world?

]]> http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-animal-in-the-world/feed/ 0 What is the Smallest Bird in the World? http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-bird-in-the-world/ http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-bird-in-the-world/#comments Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:42:07 +0000 admin http://www.wereyouwondering.com/?p=46 The smallest bird in the world is a Bee Hummingbird, weighing 1.8 grams and standing 5 centimeters tall. This miniature bird lives in Cuba, and unlike many of its interesting animal brethren, isn’t endangered, but its population is dwindling; which could potentially pose a problem for many species of flowers that depend upon the Bee Hummingbird for pollination.

The Bee Hummingbird eats up to half of its own weight in food and drinks 8 times its weight in water per day; energy needed to fuel wings that beat 80 times per second. Their tiny eggs are about the size of Tic Tacs and are laid, usually two at a time into nests suspended by spider silk. On an interesting side note, they have very few feathers; about 1000, as compared to other species of birds that can have up to 25000 feathers.

]]> http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-bird-in-the-world/feed/ 0 What is the Smallest Bone in the Body? http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-bone-in-the-body/ http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-bone-in-the-body/#comments Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:40:39 +0000 admin http://www.wereyouwondering.com/?p=45 The smallest bone in the human body is the stirrup bone, the stapes, one of the 3 bones that make up your middle ear; measuring 2-3 millimeters. It shaped like a “U” and is the innermost bone that receives sound vibrations and passes them along to the cochlea to eventually be interpreted by the brain.

Coming it at a close second and third, the other 2 bones in your ear, the anvil (incus) and the hammer (malleus). The malleus is situated right after the tympanic membrane (eardrum); the incus is next, which is connected to the stapes. The stapes is the last portion of the middle that terminates in the oval window, the opening to the cochlea. These bones function to concentrate and intensify the sound vibrations heard from the outer ear, so that when the vibrations reach the cochlea, the fine hairs that line its long tunnel can trigger neurons (brain cells) that send the sound signals to the brain for interpretation.

Sound information is processed in Wernicke’s area in the temporal lobe; the part of your brain that sits nearest your temples. This area contains the memory of words from the past and applies meaning to the abstracts sounds coming from your ear.

]]> http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-bone-in-the-body/feed/ 0 What is the Smallest Continent in the World? http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-continent-in-the-world/ http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-continent-in-the-world/#comments Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:39:12 +0000 admin http://www.wereyouwondering.com/?p=44 The smallest continent in the world is Australia at just over 8.5 million square kilometers. Arbitrarily, Australia isn’t considered an island because it is so large, so the status of largest island in the world is awarded to Greenland at about one quarter the size of Australia. Australia is not only a continent unto itself, but also a country that includes Tasmania, and a number of small islands in the South Pacific. The population is approximately, 21 million people. The capital of Australia is Canberra, and its largest city is Sidney.

Amazingly, Australia has been inhabited for 42,000 years by the indigenous people. The Dutch made their first foray into the region in the 1600′s and the British established a prison colony in the 1770′s. Australia had been steadily severing ties with Britain since 1901 when they united their various colonies. They gained further independence in 1942 when they ratified the Statute of Westminster. The Australia Act was created in 1986 and formally eliminated all ties with Britain, although Australia remains a Commonwealth country. The Commonwealth of Nations is a group of 53 former colonies of the British Empire. Well known countries include Australia, Canada, UK, Jamaica and New Zealand.

Want to know what is the biggest continent in the world?

]]> http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-continent-in-the-world/feed/ 0 What is the Smallest Dog in the World? http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-dog-in-the-world/ http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-dog-in-the-world/#comments Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:37:07 +0000 admin http://www.wereyouwondering.com/?p=43 The smallest breed of dog in the world is a Chihuahua. Many of these dogs have held World records for being the smallest dog of all, but the breed itself can be considered the smallest of all dog breeds. It ranges in weight from 1 to 6 kilograms and stands 15 to 23 centimeters at the shoulder.

The Chihuahua is named for the state in Mexico where the breed was first discovered. There are a couple of theories about how this breed made it onto the world scene. One is that the Chihuahua is a descendant of a companion dog to the Toltec people called a Techichi; a dog believed to be the oldest breed in the Americas. The Techichi, however, was a bigger dog, and the diminutive size of Chihuahua is thought to be a result of cross breeding between it and small Chinese dogs brought over by the Conquistadors. It became a recognized pure bred by the American Kennel Club in 1904.

As a breed, the Chihuahua is vulnerable to several health conditions including hydrocephalus, seizure disorders and hypoglycemia.They are known to be loyal companion dogs, but can be a biting risk for homes with very small children, so it is recommended that a Chihuahua be brought into homes with school aged children and adults.

Want to know what is the biggest dog in the world?

]]> http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-dog-in-the-world/feed/ 0 What is the Smallest Ocean in the World? http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-ocean-in-the-world/ http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-ocean-in-the-world/#comments Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:35:04 +0000 admin http://www.wereyouwondering.com/?p=42 The smallest ocean in the world is the Arctic Ocean. It has very complex and sometimes disputed borders, but it surrounded by Canada, Norway, Russia and the United States. The Bering Strait separates the Arctic Ocean from the Pacific Ocean in the west and the Greenland and Labrador Seas separate the Arctic Ocean from the Atlantic Ocean in the east. The Arctic Ocean is approximately one and half times the size of the United States and is covered in varying thicknesses of snow and ice for much of the year.

The Arctic Ocean is being monitored very closely for the effects of climate change. The decreasing size of the Arctic ice pack is affecting the Earth’s albedo (reflectivity). The ice cap serves to deflect the sun’s rays back out to space, stopping the absorption of excess heat from the sun. Without this layer of ice, the ocean absorbs this heat, further melting the ice pack and introducing fresh water into the system, disturbing both ocean currents and ocean salinity.

A number of animals call the Arctic Ocean their home including the endangered walruses and whales. Of the whale species found in the Arctic Ocean, the Beluga, Bowhead, and Grey are endangered or threatened.

Want to know what is the biggest ocean in the world?

]]> http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-ocean-in-the-world/feed/ 0 What is the Smallest Planet in the Solar System? http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-planet-in-the-solar-system/ http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-is-the-smallest-planet-in-the-solar-system/#comments Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:31:44 +0000 admin http://www.wereyouwondering.com/?p=41 The smallest planet in the solar system is Mercury, the closest planet to the sun. Up until now, there has been very little of footage taken of Mercury’s surface. Two NASA orbiters have been sent to Mercury; Mariner 10 in 1974 and Messenger in 2008. Mariner 10 was able to capture only 45% of the planet’s surface, and only recently, have we seen more of Mercury from the Messenger expedition in January 2008. Two more fly-by’s are scheduled to map the parts of Mercury that we have not yet seen; one for October 2008 and one for September 2009.

Mercury is grey with spidery lighter grey lines. Mercury is one of four terrestrial planets in our solar system. The other three are Earth, Mars and Venus. Its density is very close to the density of our planet at 5.43 grams per cubic centimeter comprising an inner core or molten iron, a 600 kilometer thick mantle and a crust that is 100 to 200 kilometers thick. The whole planet measures almost 4900 kilometers across the equator.

Mercury is named for the Roman Messenger God whom they based on Hermes, the Greek equivalent. The symbol for Mercury is said to be a stylized version of Hermes’ Caduceus; a short staff with two serpents entwined around it. When I look at it, I see the symbol for woman; the circle with the plus sign on the bottom, with a smile at the top of the circle. I am not sure I see the similarities between the two. Incidentally, the symbol for Mercury the planet is also the symbol for Mercury the element.

Did you think that Pluto was the smallest planet? Sorry, Pluto is not a planet anymore.

Want to know what is the biggest planet in the solar system?

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