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Including Yuri’s Night!
Including Yuri’s Night!n
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nOnnthis day in 1829, Russia’s czar Nicholas I asked German explorer andnscientist Alexander von Humboldt to study the previouslynuncharted regions of Siberia. Among other things, Humboldt tookntemperature measurements and noted that locations at the samenlatitude and altitude varied in temperature according to theirndistance to the ocean.
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nDonyou think that locations in Siberia closest to the ocean had warmernor colder temperatures than locations that were far inland? (For thenanswer, scroll down.)
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| Przhevalsky’s horse |
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Onnthis date in 1839, Nikolai Przhevalsky was born in Russia. Hengrew up to become an explorer and geographer who traveled and studiednregions in Siberia and in Central Asia, such as Turkestan. Hendescribed many species of animals and plants that were previouslynunknown to Europeans, including the only species of wild horse stillnalive, which is called Przhevalsky’s horse.
Onnthis date in 1839, Nikolai Przhevalsky was born in Russia. Hengrew up to become an explorer and geographer who traveled and studiednregions in Siberia and in Central Asia, such as Turkestan. Hendescribed many species of animals and plants that were previouslynunknown to Europeans, including the only species of wild horse stillnalive, which is called Przhevalsky’s horse.n
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| Mustangs |
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nDonyou know why free-roaming horses in the U.S. (called mustangs)nare not properly called “wild horses”? (For the answer, scrollndown.)
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Andnon this date in 1961, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becamenthe first human in space! Space exploration is exciting to me—partlynbecause there is so much more to explore up there! Perhaps the worldnfeels that way, too, because today is celebrated as Cosmonaut’s Day,nInternational Day of Human Space Flight, and Yuri’s Night. Check outnthis and this other post about Yuri Gagarin and celebrations ofnhumanity’s first-ever spaceflight.
Andnon this date in 1961, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becamenthe first human in space! Space exploration is exciting to me—partlynbecause there is so much more to explore up there! Perhaps the worldnfeels that way, too, because today is celebrated as Cosmonaut’s Day,nInternational Day of Human Space Flight, and Yuri’s Night. Check outnthis and this other post about Yuri Gagarin and celebrations ofnhumanity’s first-ever spaceflight.n
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nANSWERS:
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| Siberia inland |
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nOceansnhave a “moderating effect” on temperatures. That means that landnnear oceans tends to have more “medium” weather—cooler weathernwhen it is hot inland and warmer weather when it is cold inland. InnSiberia, famous for freezing cold temperatures, the coastal landsntend to be warmer.
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| Siberia’s coast |
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nMustangsnare sometimes called “wild horses” because they are unowned andnuncontrolled, like other wild animals. However, their ancestors werendomesticated horses first brought to North America by Spaniards.nTherefore, the proper term for them is “feral” rather thann“wild.”
