Science of Ketupat

It's almost impossible to imagine rendang without ketupat during raya. But, have you ever thought about the precision needed behind crafting those yummy square-shaped rice we enjoy gorging so much? #EverydayDiscovery

Shared by Lisa
Guest Blogger

Bukit Nanas – The Urban Forest

Bukit Nanas is located in Kuala Lumpur at the heart of the capital city of Malaysia. Bukit Nanas is also home to the one and only urban hanging bridge, also known as the Skywalk with hang up to 20 metres above ground which allows visitors to observe the mix of concrete skyscrapers and nature all around the surrounding while immersing themselves in nature in a bird's eye view. Among the skyscrapers around the area are KL towers and several other mega corporation towers. 

Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve in one of the very few forests that still keep the original rainforest from before the urbanization of Kuala Lumpur hence a walk through the forest, visitors can find many trees with the age as far as hundreds of years old are all around the area. Not only greens can be found in the forest but animals can also be found such as these unique silvered leaf monkey that makes the area their home. Among the mentioned aspect that has made this place so interesting, this urban forest has also prepared a tracking trail for visitors to explore the natural beauty offered in a slow pace, nearer experience through the woods. Visitors can touch trees and feel the different texture that is very different from one another while learning about the facts of it all around the area. 

In conclusion, the forest is not exactly the perfect interpretation of an untouched tropical forest, but in bits, it does give a glimpse of what an untouched tropical forest of Malaysia really looks like. Having so much concrete all around the area, the Kuala Lumpur Forest Reserve is a good place for anybody who wishes to take a little break from the hustle and bustle of the city. It is also a great place for those who live in the city to learn a little about the types of trees that can be hard to find in the current condition of the city. 

Shared by Lisa

Guest Blogger

Roti Titab

Roti  titab berasal dari negeri  Kelantan. Seperti yang kita tahu Kelantan dan manis memang tidak boleh dipisahkan. Namun kita tidak perlu berjalan jauh sampai ke negeri Kelantan untuk merasainya. Roti titab kini yang semakin viral sebagai sarapan pagi boleh didapati di kebanyakkan.

Roti titab adalah roti bakar yang dimakan bersama telur separuh masak dan kaya, kombinasi yang sempurna untuk memulakan hari anda. Ia mengandungi khasiat-khasiat seperti berikut:-

1. Roti – ramai yang sudah tahu tentang khasiat roti iaitu serat, kalsium, folat dan zat besi. Didefinisikan sebagai makanan berkarbohidrat di dalam piramid makanan.

2. Kaya – diperbuat daripada kelapa dan wangi pandan. Khasiat semula jadi yang terdapat di dalam buah kelapa dan pandan yang menaikkan selera rasa lemak dan wangi dalam makanan.

3. Telur - khasiat dan kebaikan bersarapan dengan telur separuh masak dapat membantu pembentukan otot, menguatkan daya ingatan, baik untuk mata, mencegah anemia dan dapat mencegah penuaan. Hal ini kerana telur mempunyai nilai protein yang tinggi dan baik untuk tubuh badan.

Roti membuatkan kita cepat kenyang dan ianya amat sesuai sebagai alas perut ketika bersarapan. Roti titab ialah roti yang mempuanyai kombinasi sempurna untuk dinikmati ketika bersarapan dan memulakan hari anda.

Di sini saya kongsikan gambar roti titab yang cukup membuatkan ramai orang terliur. Roti titab ini dibakar dengan sapuan mentega dan dipecahkan telur separuk masak di atasnya dihiasi dengan lemak wangi kaya yang cukup sempurna memikat hati dan membuka selera ketika bersarapan.

Jangan lepaskan peluang anda untuk menikmati menu baru yang viral sebagai sarapan dan permulaan baik untuk hari anda! Rasai dan nikmatinya.

Shared by Anis Syazwany

Guest Blogger

Miocene Animals At The Geotime Diorama, Petrosains

What is the Miocene epoch?

1. Miocene epoch is the first epoch that occurred during the Neogene Period, spanning about 23.03 to 5.333 million years ago. The Miocene epoch occurred after the Oligocene epoch and is followed by the Pliocene epoch. Following the warmer Oligocene epoch, the Miocene epoch gradually cooled with its series of ice ages. 

2. During the Miocene, the land bridge connecting North America and South America was yet to fully form. The Himalayas were forming because India collided with the rest of Asia due to the process of plate tectonics. Animals (especially mammals) became more recognizably modern and widespread.

What are the Miocene animals shown at the Geotime Diorama of Petrosains?

1. The animals displayed are Moropus, Platybelodon and a pair of Synthetocerases.

What was the Moropus?

1. The Moropus (the name means “slow foot”) was a 5-meter-long mammal from the grassy plains of North America that belonged to an extinct group of animals called the chalicotheres. This genus lived from 23 to 13.5 million years ago.

2. Its head resembled that of a horse, rhinoceros and tapir. On its long forelegs, there were huge claws pointing forwards (unlike those of other chalicotheres that pointed backwards as walking on their forelegs were by the knuckles) that were possibly used defensively against other predators or to dig up roots. It had shorter but strong hind-legs that were used to lift its frontal part of the body to reach taller vegetation. As a browser, it had flexible joints in its neck to allow it to reach taller vegetation as well as to reach low-lying vegetation.

Moropus

What was the Platybelodon?

1. The Platybelodon (the name means “flat-spear tusk”) was a 4-meter-long elephant from the Riverlands of Caucasus and Asia. This genus lived from about 7 to 5.333 million years ago.

2. As a semi-aquatic rooter, it had flat tusks at the lower jaw to scrape bark from trees as well as to shovel up plants in the mud. Its broad muscular trunk was used to draw vegetation and food into its mouth. Elephants in the Miocene became more and more recognizable and slowly grew in size in terms of species.

Platybelodon

What were the Synthetoceras?

1. The Synthetoceras (the name means “combined horn”) was a 2-meter-long artiodactyl from the grassy plains of Texas, USA. This genus lived from about 13.6 (right after the Moropus went extinct) to 5.333 million years ago.

2. The Synthetoceras was a grazer, thus it fed on grass. It had horned ornaments on its head that were aggressive displays of dominance among males. The Synthetoceras belonged to an extinct group of animals called the properties.

Synthetoceras

Why is This Science Important / Relevant to Us?

1. The study of prehistoric animals (aside from the three animals mentioned above which are displayed at the Diorama station of Petrosains) helps us to understand the history of our planet earth: allowing us to predict the circumstances of future events on the planet in comparison to past events. This study allows us to understand living things in the present better.

2. The oil reserves discovered at the offshore Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia are of primary Miocene age. Understanding the conditions and environment of the Miocene epoch would assist us in understanding the process of formation of our oil reserves.

References

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miocene

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moropus

3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platybelodon

4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetoceras

Shared by Rizal Lai

Guest Blogger

Teotihuacán

The place where the gods were created

Egypt is a popular destination to feast one's eyes on the pyramids. Do you know there are many other countries that have pyramids, and each of its architecture is unique to its location? 

In Mexico and Central America, hundreds of these pyramids are designed in different styles. All pyramids, regardless of whether they are from Egypt, Mexico or elsewhere in the world, are believed to have been built for religious purposes. 

Credit: Pinterest

[Credit: YouTube]

Our place of interest, Teotihuacán, is an ancient Mesoamerican city located in a sub-valley of the Valley of Mexico, 40 kilometres north-east of modern-day Mexico City.

Teotihuacán is a vast Mexican archaeological complex that was estimated to be settled around 400 B.C. It became the most powerful and influential city in the region by 400 A.D. but was later abandoned until the Aztecs found it in the 1400s - hence the names of structures and places are in Aztec. 
                                                                                   
Its origins, history, and culture is a mystery but according to researchers, it was a major economic as well as religious centre.

Watch The Archaeology of Teotihuacán. https://youtu.be/-Av64A6BvwM

The Layout

Teotihuacán was the most extensively planned ancient city in the New World.  Its resemblance to modern cities is striking and it was ancient urban planning at its best! Major features included – the use of orthogonal grid planning; large overall spatial pattern with big civic buildings in the centre and low-rise residences spreading out; and its location in a semi-arid environment where irrigation agriculture was important.  

A sample of an orthogonal plan [Credit: WikiVisually]

The layout of Teotihuacán [Credit: Pinterest]

The grid layout covering about 20 square kilometres contained about 2,000 single-story apartment compounds, pyramids, plazas, temples and palaces of nobles and priests. The city’s main street, Avenue of the Dead, is a 40-metre-wide, 2.4 km long road and contains three major pyramid complexes - Pyramid of the Moon, Pyramid of the Sun and Temple of the Feathered Serpent.

                                                     Avenue of the Dead [Credit: Wikimedia Commons]

   

Teotihuacán [Credit: YouTube]

Watch Teotihuacán Overlay in Google Earth 1080p. https://youtu.be/DfOAX9pKFHs

Why did the successful Teotihuacán collapse?

Linda Manzanilla, an anthropologist with Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, offered a possible explanation. Based on her examination of parts of the ruins, analysis of human remains and other artifacts found in the area, she believes it was due to clashes between groups with differing economic interests. Tensions between wealthy businessmen, neighbourhood leaders and those that were part of the government, eventually resulted in an angry mob of people burning down major parts (administration and ritual buildings) of the city and trashing sculptures and other iconic structures. This led to the total collapse of the city.

Lessons learnt from the past

Some people see history as just the past that has no significant importance to the present. Is it true? Time and again we have seen history repeating itself in “a bad way”. Is this an indication that we have not learnt from our ancestors?

Power, influence and success are short-lived.  The fantastic complex the people and inhabitants of Teotihuacán created and built is but fragile. Was the collapse of Teotihuacán not just economics and human tension but also urban decay? Does it hold any lessons for the fragility of the urban lifestyle that dominates our world today?

Researchers found clues for the cause of urban decay - evidence from teeth and bones discovered. Pollution and poor sanitation were most likely the cause - the city grew too large that it was unable to feed its population and maintain satisfactory sanitation. 

What do you think?

Was overpopulation tearing at its seams?

Are there similar situations in our urban cities?

Shared by Azni Zainal Abidin
Guest Blogger