5 Mind Blowing Nature Facts You May Not Know

Here are 5 mind blowing facts about nature you may or may not know.

1. A Walk In The Woods Can Help Strengthen Your Immune System

How can something as simple as a walk in the woods have such an amazing power you might wonder? Well not only does walking in the woods generally make us feel good because of fresh air and exercise; there is another little known factor, "phytoncides". Phytoncides are a chemical plants naturaly give off to defend and protect themselves from unwanted pests. These chemicals have antibacterial and antifungal properties that when we breathe them in our bodies respond by producing more "killer cells" a type of white blood cell that help our bodies defend against tumour and virus infected cells. 

Living near a forrest dense with evergreens such as fir, pine, cedar and spruce would have the best benifits.

Isn't nature astounding!! 

2. Oceans Make Up 70% Of The Earth's Entire Surface ....but that's not all! 

 The oceans truly are the last frontier as just under 5% of ocean waters have been explored.

3. Honey Is A Natural Medicine

Who doesn't love honey? Those wonderful honeybees are always busy making the glorious golden syrup that we have loved since anicent times. Many may not realize though, that honey is far more amazing than just a tasty alternative to sugar or something you spread on your morning toast. 

Raw unpasturized honey has powerful natural healing benifits. The ancient Egyptians used honey often as a topical ointment due to it's antibacterial and anticeptic properties.

Some people also believe that local unpasturized honey can help relieve seasonal allergies, though there are not any studies confirming this and opinions are divided. No matter what, this makes our little buzzing buddies that much more incredible.

 It should also be noted that honey should never be given to children under the age of 1.

4. Humans Consume Only A Tiny Amount Of Actual Edible Plants On Earth

We as humans only consume about 200 of the possible 200,000 edible plant species. There are approximatly 400,000 known plant species on earth and at least half of them could be edible. Even more incredibly the majority of all crops in the world include only three types, maize(corn), rice and wheat. The reason for this is largely due to the fact that they rely on wind for pollination and not insects making them much easier to produce on a grander scale. 

50% of all plant life humans consume consists of rice, wheat and corn.

The main reason why we focus on such a small amount of plants for consumtion as humans could be because our ancestors did the work for us in figuring out which plants were the most suitable for domestication and production, and also which would be the least problematic for poisons. Most plant species have natural defences that could make them difficult to culivate.

5. Snow Can Influence Sound

  There is something peaceful about walking outside as soft snowflakes fall to the ground. It can seem extra quiet as there are less birds chirping, squirrels chattering and generally nature seems to be in a slumber. But is there more to it than that?

Fresh fallen snow actually absorbs sound. Soundwaves are absorbed at the surface of the snow and dampen sound. This is why it seems extra quiet and peaceful after a snowfall.

As snow freezes and the surface changes so does the influence it has on sound. As the snow's surface changes it reflects the soundwaves instead of absorbing them causing and opposite effect and amplifying the sound.  

There you have it!  5 mind blowing facts about nature you may or may not have known. Which ones did you already know? Which surprised you the most?

Feel free to leave your answers in the comments.