What does a real scarlet flower look like. Scarlet flower, what a flower. Lights burn in the grass of their eyes

06.11.2019

A huge continent covered with ice is located in the very south of the planet, and Russian navigators Mikhail Lazarev and Thaddeus Bellingshausen discovered Antarctica in January 1820. The mainland contains many mysteries, but in our article the most interesting facts about Antarctica that are already known to mankind.

Opening

In the photo: Mikhail Lazarev on the left, Thaddeus Bellingshausen on the right.

The first who came closest to the southern mainland was the famous navigator James Cook. During the second round-the-world expedition, his ship Resolution crossed the Antarctic Circle in January 1773.

But Cook and the members of his expedition saw the Antarctic ice, but did not consider it land. So the British missed the opportunity to discover a new mainland. Although they did not need it, because. The land here was of no value.

And the Russians opened it. On January 28, 1820, on the sloops Mirny and Vostok, Russian navigators rounded the white ice, thereby proving the existence of the sixth continent of the Earth.

It is noteworthy, but the name Antarctica, literally translated from Greek as "opposite the Arctic", and the first to use such a name was the famous scientist and philosopher Aristotle.

This name was fixed in the 80s of the XIX century, and for the first time Antarctica was marked on the world map in 1886. Over time, the official flag was also adopted - the outlines of the continent are drawn on the blue panel.

Conquest

Reaching the South Pole was the cherished dream of any explorer. And on December 14, 1911, Raoul Amundsen and Oscar Wisting reached the South Pole.

The Norwegian scientist and traveler became the first person in history to conquer the two poles of the planet.

There is a fairly simple answer to the question of who owns Antarctica, since no one owns the lands of Antarctica, and only research work can be carried out on its territory.

In addition, this is a demilitarized zone where the placement of any type of weapon is prohibited. This treaty, which has already been joined by 50 states, was signed in 1959.

What is the difference

Antarctica and Antarctica, it would seem, are two similar names referring to the southern tip of the globe, but in geographical science these two concepts have their own strict definitions.

Antarctica is the southernmost continent of the Earth, but Antarctica includes both the continent Antarctica and the waters of three oceans washing the waters of the ice continent.

The best

Everyone knows that Antarctica is the coldest continent. But, despite the huge reserves of fresh water, it is also the driest continent on the planet.

Some areas of the white continent have not seen rain for more than 2 million years, and the most beautiful McMurdo Valley is considered the driest part.

But the natural records of Antarctica do not end there, since it is also the highest continent on Earth.

The longest current

The Antarctic Circumpolar Current, 30,000 km long, is the only one on the planet that crosses all meridians.

The majestic current, which is also called the course of the West winds, circulating waters in the southern part of the oceans, influenced the fact that Antarctica became an icy desert.

There is no permanent population in Antarctica, so it is almost impossible to calculate the exact number of inhabitants. There is no official government here either.

There are several dozen research stations here, where from 3 to 4 thousand people work at different times.

But now, the Argentine Emilios Marcos Palma is considered a citizen of Antarctica, since he was born on January 7, 1978 on the continent.

Time

On the mainland, all the time zones of the world converge, although there is no specific time here. So it's hard to know what time it is.

Each station uses the time of the country to which the station belongs.

Despite the extreme natural conditions, various types of plants also grow here. And now we will answer the question of what plants grow in Antarctica.

Firstly, these are mosses and various lichens, but only two species grow from flowering plants. These are the Antarctic meadow and Kolobantuskito, which have chosen the warmest regions among the endless ice.

Secondly, more than 1150 species of mushrooms grow on the mainland, easily adapted to harsh conditions with low temperatures. But about the world, read the most interesting article on our website.

Own infrastructure

Southern polar explorers are arranging their life as far as they can away from civilization. For example, at the station named after Vernadsky, which is operated by Ukraine, there is a bar. The southernmost bar in the world.

But at the American station McMurdo there is a fire station, where real firefighters keep watch.

Ice

In addition to the unique flora and fauna, the main attraction of the mainland is ice.

The greatest ice thickness in Antarctica reaches 4.5 km, and the average ice thickness is 2.5 km.

Tourists from different parts of the world come here to admire the icy beauty, and one of the most beautiful and majestic glaciers is a frozen wave.

Seasons and temperature

Information about the weather on the mainland is in any reference book, but we recall, but many are interested in when summer comes in Antarctica. Note that, as in the entire Southern Hemisphere, summer comes to ice on December 1, and ends on February 28.

The warmest is February, when the thermometer rises to +1°C, but the lowest temperature is recorded in July. In February, there is a change of employees at the stations.

As you know, this is the coldest continent, and in 1983 the minimum temperature was recorded at -89.2 ° C at the Soviet Vostok station.

Not only severe cold and ice are factors that prevent the settlement of the mainland. The strongest winds on the planet are also recorded here, as well as the highest level of solar radiation, although the ozone hole, which has frightened the scientific community for decades, has disappeared over the territory of Antarctica, according to the latest data. The TopCafe editors found data that in 2017 the size of the ozone hole decreased to the level of 1988. Unfortunately, we did not find more recent data.

In the image you can see how the ozone hole changed from 1957 to 2001.

Unusual Rules

At one time, people were not allowed on the mainland who did not have a wisdom tooth pulled out and an appendix not cut out. The fact is that no surgical operations were performed at the stations, and people who wanted to get to Antarctica were deprived of these body parts on the mainland.

Today, this unusual rule no longer applies, but researchers must still be in good health.

Since 90% of the mainland's surface is covered with ice, drilling in this part of the planet is one of the main forms of studying its surface and subglacial lakes.

In 2015, Russian scientists, having drilled a well at 3769 m, got to the largest and deepest lake on the mainland. The work was suspended so as not to harm the relict flora and fauna hidden under the ice.

Newest technologies

The Internet has reached this remote part of the planet. Like all countries on the political map of the world, the continent has its own domain - .aq.

The mainland also has its own telephone code - 672, so communication with a remote territory has been established.

Within Antarctica, its own currency also circulates, but it is impossible to purchase goods for it outside the mainland.

The only mainland is not suitable for life, but in 1980 it was opened for tourists to visit.

So, now every inhabitant of the Earth can book a tour to Antarctica to get acquainted with the beauty and white silence of the southern tip of the Earth.

Concert among the ice

In December 2013, a large dome was erected among the icy desert, and a stage was equipped inside. Metallica gave a concert under the dome.

The dome was erected so as not to disturb the nature of the continent, and the audience listened to the works of musicians in headphones. Metallica thus became the first band in the world to perform on all continents.

Meteorites are a fairly common occurrence on the southern continent, and in 1984 a rather rare Martian meteorite was discovered that fell among the ice 13 thousand years ago.

The largest ones are found in different parts of Antarctica, and their research helps to better understand the nature of the Cosmos. The fact is that thanks to the ice, "space aliens" are preserved in their original form.

Let's design the situation

Today, the area of the southern mainland is 14,107,000 km², but what will happen if Antarctica melts? Scientists have modeled that its area will decrease by a factor of three. Without ice cover, high mountain ranges and wonderful lakes will open to our eyes.

In the photo you can see what Antarctica looks like without ice. Its western part will become an archipelago with many islands, but the east will remain a continent. But the rise of water as a result of the melting of glaciers will hide most of the land under water.

In conclusion, we will briefly answer the most pressing questions. The first is whether polar bears live in the Antarctic ice. The answer is no, and to see the most dangerous predator on the planet, you need to go to the Arctic.

For children and schoolchildren, the fauna of the white continent is also interesting. So, what is interesting in Antarctica is completely absent land mammals, and the most recognizable representative of the animal world is the Antarctic penguin.

Summarize

As you can see, the southern tip of the globe is indeed rich in unique and interesting facts. Explorers and travelers from all over the world rush here to plunge into the mysterious and mysterious world of the white continent, and become famous by making a new discovery, or solving another mystery of the beauty of Antarctica. TopCafe is waiting for your comments and additions, as well as other interesting facts about Antarctica that we missed.

Antarctica is made up entirely of ice, rocks, snow and water, creating a landscape of unparalleled beauty. However, despite all its charm, this region is distinguished by its severity and many features that you may not have known about.

Antarctica has no owner, neither the mainland itself nor any part of it belongs to any country in the world. There were many applicants, and the authorities of different states tried to make ownership of this frosty land, but all the debate was decided by the fact that Antarctica will now and forever remain the only region on the planet that is not subject to any government.

Among the interesting facts about the animals of Antarctica, the most surprising is that there are no polar bears. Their habitation in the expanses of ice and snow is hindered by too low temperatures. They are found at the North Pole, as well as in Canada, Russia and Alaska. Instead, various types of penguins live on the continent. But recently, scientists are increasingly saying that an attempt should be made to transport polar bears to Antarctica, because the Arctic is inexorably melting and the habitat for these creatures is gradually decreasing.

It is worth noting that the frozen continent has its own rivers. The largest of them is called Onyx, it exists thanks to the melt water, which regularly flows into Lake Vanda. But this river wakes up only for two months in a whole year, during the so-called Antarctic summer. The rest of the time it is completely ice-bound. Its length is more than 40 km, and although it does not contain fish, there are many different living microorganisms.

For kids interesting facts about Antarctica there will be news that it is here that the largest iceberg on the planet is located. It is called B-15 and impresses with its size. It is 37 km wide and 296 km long. The area of this giant is 10,950 km, which makes it larger than Jamaica. More than ten years have passed since the discovery and study of the iceberg, but it still has not melted and continues to be among the largest ice giants.

Various frozen objects continue to be found in the ice of the mainland, starting with the remains of creatures previously unknown to the world and ending with the wreckage of aircraft and even ships. And what else may surprise you is that Antarctica is the driest place on the planet with how much ice and snow is present here. This statement is not hindered even by the fact that 70% of all fresh water on Earth is located here. And the reason for this is the minimum amount of precipitation. For a year, there are a maximum of about 10 cm of them here, while in even the driest and sun-corroded desert there are many times more of them.

There are no permanent residents here - another interesting fact of the mainland Antarctica. There has never been an indigenous population in its expanses and, due to the conditions of permanent inhabitants, there never will be. People come here in rare cases for excursions, more often for research. Scientists stay here for a short time, occupying various scientific and research centers. In the summer, their number can reach up to 5,000 people, but in the winter it is reduced to 1,000, because someone has to stay to work and maintain the centers in a usable condition.

An interesting fact of Antarctica is the absence of normal time. The frozen continent is the only place on the planet where there are no time zones. That is why, everyone who finds themselves here adheres either to the time that they now have in their homeland, or to the one according to which they are regularly supplied with food and other vital provisions. Being in the center of the mainland, all existing time zones can be walked in just a few minutes.

Among the interesting discoveries, finds and facts of Antarctica is the presence of a significant number of meteorites. It is easier to find and study them here than anywhere else. First, thanks to the contrast of colors. Secondly, freezing into the surface, they are preserved much better than in the same land. Fragments from Mars, found here for the first time, surprised the researchers very much, proving to be valuable things for science.

It is also the only habitat for Emperor penguins, considered the highest representatives of this animal species. Only they are able to breed during the winter, which the other 16 existing species of penguins cannot. Another interesting fact of the southern continent of Antarctica is that there are almost no terrestrial creatures here. Fur seals come here, but do not stay for a long time. The largest, permanent resident of the mainland is the wingless midge Belgica.

Doctor of Biological Sciences B. GOLOVKIN.

The fiery red petals of the self-seed poppy (Papaver rhoeas), but the Russian girl was not surprised by the poppy, it is too common and common, however, only in the southern regions.

The southern summer adonis plant (Adonus aestiva lis) has red petals, but it is small for a fabulous miracle flower.

From the rainforests of Brazil, bright red sage (Salvia coccinea) has reached our gardens.

Another scarlet flower is the dawn. Its scientific name is lychnis, from the Greek word "lychuas" - a lamp. Indeed, the flower is so bright that it seems as if light comes from it. In the photo - Lychnis chalcedonica (Lychnis chalcedonica).

It can claim the role of an overseas fabulous scarlet gravilat flower.

A very tiny and inconspicuous plant with surprisingly bright flowers - full-time color (Anagallis arvehsis).

It seems that it is difficult to find a person who in childhood did not read the fairy tale by S. T. Aksakov "The Scarlet Flower" or at least did not hear about it. The tale begins with the scene of orders from daughters to their father, who is leaving for distant lands. In contrast to the older sisters, who wished for expensive gifts, "the younger daughter bowed at her father's feet and said:" You are my dear sovereign! Don’t bring me gold and silver brocade, or black Siberian sables, or Burmitz necklaces, or a semi-precious wreath, or a crystal toilette, but bring me a scarlet flower, which would not be more beautiful in the world.

And why, in fact, was the scarlet flower so sweet and loving to the youngest merchant's daughter, and she preferred it to all the temptations of rich clothes and jewelry?

For the sake of possessing a flower with an unusual color, the heroes of fairy tales perform unimaginable feats, which form the plot outline. True, there are few such unusually colored flowers: a blue rose, a black tulip, a nameless scarlet flower.

Why is it that a blue rose becomes unusual for us, while a bell of the same color is perceived without surprise? In the example with a rose, it is not the blue color that is striking in itself, but its combination with a rose. We are used to the fact that in her flowers there is usually no hint of blue, only various shades and combinations of red, yellow and white.

As for the scarlet flower, here the reason is somewhat different. First, let's clarify what scarlet is. It is most accurately defined in his "Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language" by V. I. Dal: "light, bright red; the thickest color of a rose, a bright (not golden) dawn; crimson, crimson (not crimson), colors of the blood of battle lived (i.e. arterial. - B. G.)". For all its brightness and saturation, this color is original, not "hybrid", that is, it does not have "additives" of a different color. In the old days there was another similar word - "brusn", meaning also a rich red color, as well as derivatives from it the verbs "brusvyanyt" - paint with the appropriate paint and "brusvyanet" - blush, turn purple, redden.

How is such a color formed, more precisely, what does this or that shade in flowers depend on?

Conventionally, in the flowers of higher plants, three color groups can be distinguished: white, yellow and blue-red. In the blue-red group, all transitions from pure blue to bright red are observed, these colors are created by two categories of pigments. Some are concentrated in the cell sap (anthocyanidins and anthoxanthins), others - only in the microscopic elements of cells - plastids and contain mainly carotenoids.

Anthocyanidins cause the main range of colors from blue to bright red. The first part of the color scale is created by delphinidin derivatives (named after the blue delphinium - Delphinium), bright red and orange color - by pelargonidin derivatives (Pelargonium is the Latin name for ordinary room geranium). Epigenidin derivatives give the same effect, but they are much less common. Many intermediate shades, which largely depend on the acidity of the cell sap, give rise to cyanidin derivatives.

Anthoxanthins - flavones and flavonoids - create a range of colors from ivory to light yellow. By interacting, anthocyanidins and anthoxanthins can create a new color. For example, yellow anthoxanthin with cyanidin gives an orange color, ivory anthoxanthin enhances the color of blue anthocyanidins.

Plastid pigments are chemically distinct from cell sap pigments and therefore do not interact with them to produce "independent" yellow and orange coloration.

All of these pigments are distributed very unevenly in the plant kingdom. The following pattern is observed: pelargonidin and epigenidin derivatives are most often found in plants of the tropics and subtropics. These plants, for example, are many in the families of Gesneriaceae, Sterculiaceae, Bignoniaceae, and teas that live in hot countries. In temperate latitudes, pelargonidin and epigenidin in plants are very rare. And this, of course, in turn affects their color.

In order to count the bright red flowers in the flora of central Russia, fingers on one hand are enough: these are two types of poppy (Papaver rhoeas, P. argemone), Chalcedonian lychnis (Lychnis chalcedonica) and full-time color (Anagallis arvensis). In the temperate regions of Siberia, there are even fewer of them: one species of tulip (Tulipa schrenkii) and dawn (Lychnis fulgens).

In contrast, in tropical and subtropical plants, scarlet flowers are common. But only a few of them are plain scarlet. Plants with bright flowers attract various pollinators with their colors. For the tropics, this is especially important, since not only insects, but also birds, bats, even mollusks and reptiles act as pollinators here. Entomologists have found that insects are not able to highlight the red color of the spectrum, they can be considered a kind of color blind. The monochromatic scarlet color of the flowers attracts hummingbirds in the American tropics, and small honey-eaters in the Eastern Hemisphere.

That is why in our poor side with warm bright red flowers, where there are neither hummingbirds nor honeysuckers, the heroine of Aksakov's fairy tale, as the best gift, wished herself an overseas scarlet flower.

Take another look at the glowing crimson plants of our gardens: they are all guests from afar. Peonies carry Chinese "blood", phlox - North American, scarlet tulips remind of Central Asia, gladioli - of South Africa.

In conclusion, let's slightly modify the question asked at the beginning of the publication: "Why did the merchant's daughter ask for a scarlet, and not a red or bright red flower?" The answer for many, I think, is obvious. However, we recall that the adjective "red" in the old days was not directly related to color. It is enough to recall the proverb "The hut is not red with corners, it is red with pies" or the folklore "the girl is red". It can be translated into modern language as the same root "beautiful", "beautiful". Moscow's central square, Red Square, got its name by no means from the color of the Kremlin walls and not from the color of the blood shed at the Execution Ground. She deserved the name "beautiful" solely due to the masterpieces of her builders. In the meaning of "beautiful" the word "scarlet" is sometimes used. It was not for nothing that people said: "The scarlet color is sweet to the whole world," and in the old days a dear friend was sometimes called a "scarlet friend."

Drawn cartoon Scarlet Flower - the work of director Lev Atamanov. The cartoon was created on the basis of a fairy tale by Sergei Aksakov. The merchant Stepan Emelyanovich had three beloved daughters. Going on a long trip, he asked each one what she would like to receive as a gift from a distant country. The eldest daughter wished for a jewel, the middle daughter wished for a magic mirror, and the youngest, Nastya, wanted to receive a scarlet flower ...

She recently dreamed of such a flower and deeply sunk into her soul. The sisters laughed at her, and her father promised to bring everything ordered. In a distant country, he found a magic mirror and a precious crown, but nowhere did he find a scarlet flower ... And on his return, trouble happened to him - a huge wave washed him overboard. The merchant escapes by swimming and swims to an unknown island, on which there is an amazing scarlet flower. But as soon as the merchant plucks the stem, a terrible monster appears - the owner of this island. The monster allows you to take a flower in exchange for one of the merchant's daughters, otherwise death awaits him. At the right time, the daughter or he himself must put on a magic ring and be transported to this island. The merchant agreed. To see how he got home and how his beloved daughters met him, you need to watch the Scarlet Flower cartoon and follow the wonderful events. The merchant did not want to give away any of his daughters, and therefore decided to return to the island himself. But Nastenka accidentally overheard him telling his friend about it. She took pity on her father and, considering herself the culprit of what had happened, put on the ring and ended up on the island. There she was met by an invisible host, settled in a beautiful palace and surrounded by luxury. Once Nastenka saw the owner in the form of a monster and was horrified - he was so terrible. However, over time, she realized that the monster had a good heart, and ceased to be afraid of him. Nastenka asked to go home to see her relatives... To find out the continuation of the fairy tale, you need to watch online in good quality Scarlet Flower - a fascinating story about true love and kindness.

Does the scarlet flower from the fairy tale by Sergei Aksakov really exist?

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Does the scarlet flower from the fairy tale by Sergei Aksakov really exist?

There is hardly a person who did not read Aksakov's fairy tale "The Scarlet Flower" in childhood. And even if one is found, he must have heard the story of a merchant's daughter who asked her father to bring her from overseas countries "a scarlet flower that would not be more beautiful in the world."

If you believe the fairy tale, it is not easy to master this flower: it grows “on an unknown island, in the middle of the sea-okiyana”, and “outlandish monsters” guard it. And the flower itself is so unusual, bright and odorous that hardly anyone will dare to pluck it.

What flower are we talking about? Does the scarlet flower really exist, or is it just a figment of the imagination? It turns out there is! Moreover, there are several contenders for the role of the scarlet flower.

There is a version that the merchant's daughter from Aksakov's fairy tale could desire an ordinary fern. In Russia, a superstition was popular that on the night of Ivan Kupala, the fern blooms and illuminates everything around with scarlet light. It was believed that if you get this burning flower, you can master magical powers.

But it was not easy to do this: according to legend, the fern blossomed only for one moment, after which it was torn off with lightning speed by the hand of an evil spirit. How can a mere mortal compete with him. Maybe the merchant's daughter simply believed that a blooming fern was more accessible across the sea?

According to other beliefs, the fairy tale could have been about the gravilat flower.

Gravilat bright red, or Gravilat coral (lat. Geum coccineum. "Cooky")

He comes from just "because of distant lands" - from the Balkan Peninsula, where Russian merchants often visited. In addition to the scarlet color, gravilate has an interesting shape: the flower has even shiny petals and many stamens in the middle.

Avens

Rafflesia Arnoldi is also suitable for the role of a scarlet flower. His homeland is one of the largest islands of the Sunda archipelago - Sumatra.

This flower has no stem or leaves. He sits right on the ground - huge and exotic.

Rafflesia Arnoldi (lat. Rafflesia arnoldii)

For the Russian soul, such a flower was indeed something out of the ordinary.

Whether any version is close to the truth is, alas, impossible to know. But it can be assumed why the imagination of the heroine of Aksakov's fairy tale, as well as of the entire Russian people, was so excited by scarlet flowers. After all, there are enough unusual flowers: this is a mysterious blue rose, and an exquisite black tulip. But the youngest daughter from the fairy tale asked her father for a scarlet flower. And it's all about the color!

Frame from the cartoon "The Scarlet Flower"

Scarlet is really unusual for a Russian person. Scarlet flowers can be found in large numbers in hot countries, they are typical for tropical and subtropical climates. And in central Russia, where, as they say, winter is 9 months a year, there are not enough bright colors in nature. Indeed, all the scarlet plants in Russian gardens came from afar: peonies are reminiscent of China, tulips are of Central Asia, and the rose came to us from Persia.

Thus, all these flowers were grown artificially in Russia, but the scarlet wild flower evokes a range of emotions. Therefore, it is not surprising that for the heroine of Aksakov's fairy tale, the overseas scarlet flower was sweeter than all the expensive gifts.

There is hardly a person who did not read Aksakov's fairy tale "The Scarlet Flower" in childhood. And even if one is found, he must have heard a story about a merchant's daughter who asked her father to bring her from overseas countries "a scarlet flower that would not be more beautiful in the world."

According to the fairy tale, it is not easy to master this flower: it grows "on an unknown island, in the middle of the sea-okiyana", and "outlandish monsters" guard it. And the flower itself is so unusual, bright and odorous that hardly anyone will dare to pluck it.