Extinct Animals

While there are over a million animal-species in existence today, the fact is that hundreds have gone into extinction. We will only know them through creative creations, but would never be able to see them. In spite of their extinction one is always interested in learning about them. No wonder books and movies are made on dinosaurs, or then some extinct species become characters of comic books.

Here are some extinct animal facts, followed by an exhaustive list of animals that have gone into extinction over the eras of earth’s evolution…

The Tyrannosaurus Rex went extinct 65 million years ago. It was one of the largest animals. It measured up to 43.3 feet in length and 16.6 feet in height. It weighed approximately 7 tons.

The Quagga, which was half-zebra-half-horse animal species went into extinction in the year 1883. This is was one of the most famous animals of Africa. This animal had the zebra stripes only on the front part of the body, which would fade and become wider in the middle of the body, and the hindquarter was brown (no stripes). It was the cruel animal activities that led this animal to extinction. It was on 12th August 12, 1883, that the last of the Quaggas died at the Artis Magistra Zoo (Amsterdam).

The Tasmanian Tiger went into extinct in the year 1936. This animal is regarded to be the largest carnivorous marsupial in modern day and age. It was a native wildlife animal of Australia and New Guinea. Man and his evil ways led this animal to extinction.

Steller's Sea Cow was also known as the defenseless beast. It went into extinction in 1768. This creature’s natural habitat was on the Asiatic coast of the Bering Sea. It got its name because it was discovered by a naturalist, Georg Stellar, in 1741. He was traveling with Vitus Bering, a renowned explorer. The animal was large weighing upto three tons. Though it looked almost like a seal, it had two forelimbs that were stout, as well as tail that was whale-like.

Irish Deer is the largest deer to have ever existed. It went into extinction approximately 7,700 years ago. It was a native animal of Eurasia, grazing the land stretching from Ireland to east of Lake Baikal. It was large sized, with extra large antlers measuring upto 3.65 meters (12 feet from tip-to-tip). The antlers weighed about 90 pounds.

The Caspian Tiger was the third largest tiger species. The last of this tiger was seen in 1970, after which it has been declared amongst the extinct animal species. This tiger was found on the lands of Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkey, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Caucasus, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Aurochs was a large-sized cattle-species. It is recorded to have gone into extinction in 1627. It is said that this cattle evolved from India, migrating to the Middle-East, reaching Europe.

Here is an exhaustive list of other extinct animal species :

Antillean cave rat
Arabian gazelle
Barbados raccoon
Barbados rice rat
Basalt plains mouse
Bavarian pine vole
Big-eared hopping mouse
Blue buck
Canary mouse
Cayman Brac hutia
Cayman Brac nesophont
Cayman hutia
Central hare-wallaby
Central rock rat
Corsican shrew
Cuban spider monkey
Curio's giant rat
Dark flying fox
Desert rat-kangaroo
Dusky flying fox
Falkland Islands dog
Giant deer mouse
Goliath white-toothed shrew
Atlantic gray whale
Guam flying fox
Gull Island vole
Hairy-eared dwarf lemur
Imposter hutia
Jamaican monkey
Jamaican pallid flower bat
Large Corsican field vole
Large funnel-eared bat
Large ghost faced bat
Large Palau flying fox
Large sloth lemur
Large-eared tenrec
Long-tailed hopping mouse
Madagascan pygmy hippopotamus; common Malagasy hippo
Malagasy dwarf hippopotamus
Marcano's solenodon
Marianas flying fox
Negros naked-backed fruit bat
New Guinea big-eared bat
Omilteme cottontail
Pemberton's deer mouse
Przewalski's horse
Queen of Sheba's gazelle
Red gazelle
Sardinian pika
Saudi gazelle
Schaumburg’s deer
Sea mink
Short-horned water buffalo
Southeastern pocket gopher
Standing's hippo
Sturdee's Bonin pipistrelle
Swan Island hutia
Tanzania woolly bat
Tasmanian bettong
Tretretretre
Vietnam warty pig
West Indian porcupine
Western palm squirrel
White-footed rabbit-rat

Myths and Facts About Weight Loss

Weight loss has emerged as a global issue. Many people are suffering from obesity which not only affects one’s self-esteem but also creates doubts in the minds of the affected persons about their own abilities. Additionally, many people want to look good and that explains why there is a rush among people to join weight loss programs. However, there are certain myths attached with weight loss and exercise that need to be cleared. Let’s find out some of the facts countering these myths.

Many people assume that exercise does not help in weight loss but the fact is people lose maximum weight from exercise. With dieting, you can cut down 250 calories from your daily diet so that means you will lose almost half a pound weight per week. But if you add exercise to your routine then you can reduce almost double weight. Ideally, one should exercise for at least 30 minutes 3-4 times a week.

If you are under the impression of losing weight fast by skipping meals then you are definitely believing a myth. The fact is skipping meals raises your chance of overeating later in the day. It makes your body starve, and the body starts conserving its fat deposits by bringing down its metabolic rate. So, you must ignore this myth and should not skip your meal. However, you can always cut down on your intake.

The myth is carbohydrates make you fat but the fact is there is no scientific evidence to prove this. There is no need to cut down on carbohydrates. You just need to choose simple carbs over complex ones. Another myth circulating around is one should avoid eating between meals but again that’s false. You should rather keep eating small but healthy snacks between your meals to effectively manage your blood sugar level. This is important for keeping your metabolism strong and healthy.

Myths and Facts about Migraine

Migraine has garnered huge print and web space across the world. It is common problem faced by many people. But different people have different versions about common migraine. In that light, sometimes it becomes difficult to identify what is myth and what is a fact. Because of such confusions, people should always check the real facts. Confusions and misconceptions can prevent the victims of migraine from seeking proper treatment for their condition.

One of the myths about migraine prevalent among people is that it is just a type of headache but this is a totally false notion. Migraines can cause serious problems and often lead to pain in other body areas like neck and shoulders. One should never ignore it as a mere headache and should consult the specialists. Many people present different reasons behind the occurrence of migraine but clearly, all those theories are myths. The fact is migraine has no known cause, as of yet. Factors like light, heat or noise can trigger the pain the head but what actually invites this problem is yet to be identified.

There are plenty of myths about cures for migraine but the fact says, migraine is not totally curable. It can occur again and again. Though you can minimize the pain but cannot cure it totally. Its symptoms can be treated and managed and by bringing some lifestyle changes, you can reduce the chances but it is hard to get rid of it completely. Few other myths about migraine are that it is commonly experienced by women and it is an adult problem. But both notions are totally wrong.

Diet- Myths and Facts

Health & fitness has emerged as one of the biggest industries in the world. According to an estimate, more than 55% of people in America are overweight or obese. Similarly, a very high percentage of obese persons are in Europe. The main reason of this phenomenon is unhealthy food habits and junk foods. That’s why, you can see many health & fitness centers have opened up in almost every nook and corner. Meals affect our body in a major way. Many people are taking diet guides to handle overweight issues. But at the same time, many of us fall prey to some common diet myths. Let’s have a look at some of those myths and facts.

One of the popular myths is about crash dieting that it helps in losing weight faster. The truth is you do lose weight initially but you gain them back as fast as you lose them. Losing weight over a long period of time is always better instead of opting for crash dieting.

Another myth is about nuts that they are fattening. The fact is nuts are wonderful in terms of calories, fat and vitamins and they are always better than sweets. You should not worry over eating nuts. Just keep a check on the quantity.

Do you also believe that you lose weight faster by eliminating fat from your diet? But in reality, many low fat products make you gain weight. For example, ice creams, pasta etc. So, you should focus on calories content of the meals instead of just focusing on fat content.

Finally, many people think it is not necessary to work out if they are dieting. Wrong perception. You should combine dieting with work out which will make you muscle look good.

Facts and stories

A fact, on the other hand is supported by some scientific evidence. A fact is different from the sense that it has some written records, proven logics or events whereas myths are typical word of mouth stories. For instance, in ancient times, we used to believe that thunderstorms are caused by gods. But as the science developed, logical explanation of thunderstorms was explained to the world and then it became a fact from a myth. There is no scientific explanation or proof of a particular story or a myth. No one really knows whether stories told in Greek, Hindu or Roman mythology actually took place. But as we have been told these stories by our previous generation thousands of times, we want to believe them. We like to read, hear and relish these myths.

There are hardly any myths that have scientific back-up and yet, they are part of almost all the cultures of the world. Whether it’s Hindu, Greek, Roman, Chinese, Egyptian, Nordic or Native American culture, they all offer rich collection of mythological stories. Myths are usually in form of a story. These stories cannot be explained through scientific reasoning. They are just believed to be true. Facts are more objective, reliable and provable in nature. If myths are more of generational thoughts and beliefs, facts are evidence and can be proved. Myths cannot be explained or disproved or proven but facts can be explained and can be disproven.
A fact, on the other hand is supported by some scientific evidence. A fact is different from the sense that it has some written records, proven logics or events whereas myths are typical word of mouth stories. For instance, in ancient times, we used to believe that thunderstorms are caused by gods. But as the science developed, logical explanation of thunderstorms was explained to the world and then it became a fact from a myth. There is no scientific explanation or proof of a particular story or a myth. No one really knows whether stories told in Greek, Hindu or Roman mythology actually took place. But as we have been told these stories by our previous generation thousands of times, we want to believe them. We like to read, hear and relish these myths.

There are hardly any myths that have scientific back-up and yet, they are part of almost all the cultures of the world. Whether it’s Hindu, Greek, Roman, Chinese, Egyptian, Nordic or Native American culture, they all offer rich collection of mythological stories. Myths are usually in form of a story. These stories cannot be explained through scientific reasoning. They are just believed to be true. Facts are more objective, reliable and provable in nature. If myths are more of generational thoughts and beliefs, facts are evidence and can be proved. Myths cannot be explained or disproved or proven but facts can be explained and can be disproven.

Myths and legends

We humans have always been fascinated with myths, fables and legends. They are all around us. Go to any part of the world and you will find fascinating myths that have been in circulation since ages. The word ‘Myth’ comes from a Greek word ‘Mythos’ meaning word of mouth. In simple words, myths are defined as very old stories. These stories don’t provide us with any proof of origin but they are in existence since centuries.

Myths, legends and fables have always been passed from one generation to another in oral fashion. The popularity of myths can be credited to fascinating stories of Gods, legends and mythological characters. Myths contain deep meanings. Most of the mythical tales are also considered as a part of religions because of the dominance of stories related to gods and supreme beings. Myths have hidden moral lessons that have kept inspiring generations of humans.