Amazing facts about countries you wouldn’t believe to be true

 

The world is full of miracles but what amazes us more are the special facts that belong to different countries around the world. You wouldn’t believe some of them to be true, they will leave you in surprise. Let’s unfold some of these facts:

 

Sweden imports garbage from other countries.

Late in 2016, the Swedish government faced a unique problem. The nation ran out of garbage to the extent that it had to import garbage from other European countries. Almost 2.3 million tonnes of waste was imported from the UK, Norway, Ireland, and other countries in 2016. Unlike other regular imports, Sweden does not pay for collecting other country’s garbage, instead, it is paid to do so. Sweden Recycles more than 99 percent of its household waste. The country has a state-of-the-art waste collection system with recycling stations located not more than 300 meters from residential areas. The country generates half of the electricity through renewables.  The citizens of Sweden are known to be sensitive to the environment.  There is a national recycling policy implemented in the country. Through this, the private companies undertaking the imports and burning waste, the energy goes to national heating networks. The astonishing “recycling revolution” led Sweden to reach ‘Zero waste’ levels. 

 

Singapore is using human sweat to power electronic devices

Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a thin film that harvests human sweat to power wearable electronic devices, including watches and fitness trackers. The film that can be used in Fabrics and shoes will evaporate sweat and convert it into energy. This energy, in turn, is used to operate electronic devices. The device will also help in keeping the body cool while running or exercising. Two hygroscopic chemicals Cobalt Chloride and Ethanolamine are the main components of this novel thin film. Though this technology is highly moisture absorbent, the film can rapidly release water after being brought into the sunlight. In this way, it can be reused and regenerated over 100 times.

This sweat-absorbing harvesting device consists of  8 electrochemical cells (ECs) in which the film acts as the electrolyte. Upon soaking up the moisture from the sweat, 0.57 volts of electricity would be generated. This much energy is sufficient to power a light-emitting diode. This innovation illustrates the potential of battery-less wearables converting human sweat and energy into electricity in the coming future.

Japan to launch a space satellite made of wood.

Japanese researchers announced that they are working to build the world’s first satellite made of wood. The goal is to help fight the problem of space junk. Space junk includes things like dead satellites, lost pieces of equipment, and small pieces of paint. Such objects can present threats to spacecraft and satellites operating in space. This project has been undertaken by Sumitomo Forestry and Japan’s Kyoto University. The company has announced to call it  “LignoSat”. There are several advantages of wood to be used in space equipment like satellites and rovers. For example, wood does not block Electromagnetic Waves, due to which wood can also be used to house antenna equipment. The wooden satellites would be easier to design. They would weigh less. They can be better for the environment as they would burn up while re-entering  Earth’s atmosphere. They would not release any polluting fragments into the air and ocean. The first wooden satellite is estimated to be launched by 2023. The European and United Nations have been planning to initiate actions to deal with the space junk currently orbiting the earth. One of the leaders of the project is a Japanese astronaut, Takao Doi. The research is undergoing to find such wood types and protective coatings that can retain their shape in severe temperatures and sunlight and intense space conditions for a longer period. Cedar and Birchwood are the materials considered and studied yet. The discovery and research of such trees would be beneficial for a sustainable lifestyle on the Earth as well. 

 

Mexico’s Avocado farming is causing earthquakes

11 billion pounds of  Avocado is estimated to be consumed annually worldwide. Mexico being the leading producer of the fruit, the economy is reliant on Avocado Farming. As avocado requires a lot of water to grow, Mexican Avocado Farms consume 9.5 billion liters of water every day. The water collected from the Aquifer consists of porous rocks that hold immense water underground. The exploitation of the Aquifer reached the caves under the land, becoming the cause of 3000 minor earthquakes around the nation. Many forest lands are being burned to set up more avocado farms as the demands grew more and it endangered Mexico’s wildlife. To handle this issue, the environmentalists have asked the government of Mexico for some reformation in the country’s agriculture laws and to severely punish anyone who burns away forests for the production of Avocados. The reduction in avocado consumption can help in tackling this issue. 

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Mosuo Tribe in China: a society where women rule. 

The Mosuo tribe is a community where matriarchy is the center of society.  Children of this tribe belong only to their mothers. The father lives in his own matriarchal home with their grandmothers and mothers as the head of the family. The children are born out of wedlock. They don’t believe in the necessity of marriages to conceive. Though this practice is Taboo in China, it is common for women of Mosuo not to be with the father of their child or to not know the father. No strings are attached. This culture has been existing with the support of men. The men in Mosuo are feminists by all standards. Women own and inherit property, sow crops in this agrarian society, and run the households – cooking, cleaning, and child-rearing. The men provide strength, plowing, building, repairing homes, slaughtering animals, and helping with big familial decisions, although the final say is always with Grandmother. Men might not have paternal responsibilities but they have considerable responsibility as uncles to their sisters’ children.

 

Conclusion

The world is breeding different cultures, rules, economies, and agricultural land. Every place has its strongholds and its drawbacks. Looking through a magnifying glass, the world is always a place waiting to be discovered for something new and even more breathtaking than before.