My Science School

This World Heritage Site is located near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Dating back to the 18th Century, Paraty is one of Brazil’s best-preserved colonial coastal towns. It is lined with cobblestone streets and calm beaches. Ilha Grande, once the home of a maximum-security prison housing Brazil’s most-wanted, is today home to some of the world’s most threatened species that find shelter in the four protected areas of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. With Paraty’s rich culture, and Ilha Grande’s vast forests, this property is listed as a mixed world heritage site.

“The most interesting thing about this title is not to attract tourists to a specific event. All cultural and environmental beauties are in the municipality for 365 days a year, so the visitor will be able to enjoy it all on any day. This is very important because it unlocks the flow of tourism on specific dates of events. It is very good because it is another action against the seasonality of tourism,” argued Paraty Culture Secretary Cristina Masela.

“In Paraty and Ilha Grande, we see in an exceptional and unique way a combination of natural beauty, unique biodiversity, cultural manifestations, a preserved historical complex, and archaeological testimonies important for understanding the evolution of humanity on planet Earth”, said the president of Institute of National Historical and Artistic Heritage.

 

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Located in the Yellow Sea eco region in China, this natural heritage site is the central node of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF). The flyway boasts the largest number of endangered and critically endangered species of birds in the world due to its rich biodiversity. Nearly 280 species of fishes and over 500 species of invertebrates are also found here.

The two components of the property are both along the coast of the Yellow Sea: 1) YS1- the Jiangsu Dafeng National Nature Reserve, the southern section and Dongsha Experimental Zone of Jiangsu Yancheng National Nature Reserve and the Tiaozini area (totaling 173,110 ha including a buffer zone of 28,271); and 2) YS-2 the middle section of Jiangsu Yancheng National Nature Reserve (95,589 ha including a buffer zone of 51,785). The total area of the two components is 188,643 ha plus a buffer zone of 80,056 ha.

 

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Located near Sawahluntro, West Sumatra, Indonesia, the Ombilin coal mine was built in the 19th Century for the extraction, processing and transport of high-quality coal when Indonesia was under the control of the Dutch government. Its workforce was drawn from the local population and supplemented by convict labourers from Dutch-controlled areas. It is considered the oldest coal mining site in Southeast Asia.

 It comprises the mining site and company town, coal storage facilities at the port of Emmahaven and the railway network linking the mines to the coastal facilities. The Ombilin Coal Mining Heritage was built as an integrated system that enabled the efficient deep-bore extraction, processing, transport and shipment of coal. It is also an outstanding testimony of exchange and fusion between local knowledge and practices and European technology.

 

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One of the three national parks in Iceland, the Vatnajokull National Park was founded in 20087 when authorities combined the 8300-sq-km Vatnajokull ice cap with the already existing Skaftafell and Jokulsargljufur national parks. The park is known for its rich diversity in landscape, biosphere and cultural remains. Its landscape features are created by the combined forces of glacial ice, rivers, volcanic and geothermal activities.

The second-largest national park in Europe is now Iceland’s third UNESCO World Heritage Site, joining Thingvellir National Park and the volcanic island of Surtsey. Vatnajökull National Park is a natural marvel where active volcanoes meet arctic ice in a constant battle for survival. A land of shifting glaciers, lava fields, sudden glacial floods, ice caves, unique wildlife, fresh glacial rivers, and deep canyons — all of which showcase the dynamic nature of fire and ice in real-time.

 

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Located across provinces of South Korea, the Seowon academies were educational facilities built during the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910). They served as publishing houses, libraries and venues for discussing social and political matters. Renowned Confucian scholars were honoured at the Seowon. Over the centuries, the Seawon have survived the turbulence of the country and maintained their original form. Nine of the Seowon sites have been inscribed on the World Heritage List. With the addition of Seowon, Korea now have a total of 14 world heritages. Diverse tour programs and events are planned to attract both domestic and international travelers to Seowon.

Among the many Seowon in Korea, nine were chosen and added to the list of Korea’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites as follows: Sosuseowon, Namgyeseowon, Oksanseowon, Dosanseowon, Piramseowon, Dodongseowon, Byeongsanseowon, Museongseowon, and Donamseowon.

 

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Though cookies, hot chocolate, eggnog and gingerbread are iconic Christmas treats, the festive season would be incomplete without indulging in some rich plum pudding or cake.

Origin and evolution

Fruit cakes date back to Roman times, where the people prepared a dessert called satura, which comprised barley, dried raisins, pine nuts, pomegranate seeds and mead (wine made with honey). According to reports, the English began making a different version of satura during the Victorian period. This became a popular and an integral part of holiday feasts. They came to be known as plum cakes or plum puddings in England. Some food experts suggest that a version of plum cake has been consumed in England since the medieval period. During this period, there was a popular tradition of observing a period of fast before Christmas. Right before indulging in heavy treats and meals during Christmas, most people consumed a rich porridge that “prepared the stomach for feasting”. This porridge was made of oats, dried fruits, spices, honey and meat. Ingredients such as oats and meat were excluded from the recipe eventually. New ingredients such as flour, eggs and butter replaced meat and oats, paving way for the birth of the famous plum cakes, which are also known as plum puddings or fruit cakes.

Journey across the globe

Plum cakes moved out of England primarily due to colonization. English men working in colonies such as Australia, and the Americas, Canada and India received Christmas gifts and hampers from their families in England. Plum cakes were sent along with these hampers. The locals eventually began making these cakes in their households during the holiday season.

Do plum cakes really contain plum?

Plum cakes and puddings do not contain plum in them, though the name suggests the same. In medieval England, dried fruits such as raisins were generally referred to as plums. This is believed to have given rise to the term “plum cakes”, as dried fruits are an integral part of this dessert.

Plum cakes for all

Plum cakes are prepared and served in different ways across the world. In most western countries, plum puddings and cakes are baked in semi-spherical moulds and are gently set on flame with a spirit while being served. In India, boiled plum cakes are made in households that do not own an oven. In this case, the batter is bound in a muslin cloth before being boiled. These cakes are more dense and fudgy than the baked cakes.

One of the most famous Indian varieties is the Kerala plum cake.

Plum cakes can also be prepared according to one’s dietary requirements such as keto, gluten-free, vegan or dairy-free. There are a wide range of plum cake flavours, including spiced, pumpkin, orange, toffee and ginger.

 

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• The soaring walls of Great Zimbabwe date back to 11th century, during the country’s Late Iron Age.


• The walls rise as high as 32 feet and were constructed from granite blocks of the exposed rock of nearby hills.


• The walls were built by laying stones one on top of the other without the use of mortar.


• It is believed that a maximum of 20,000 people lived inside its walls at its height.


• For many decades, the ruins at Great Zimbabwe were described, by Europeans, as a perplexing 'mystery' and an ancient 'riddle,'. They refused to believe that such a complex site was built by Africans who they considered to be lower people and attributed the site’s construction to foreign sources.


• The Great Zimbabwe and the culture that flourished inside its walls declined by the 15th century.

 

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• Commissioned by the Roman emperor Hadrian to defend the part of Britain the Romans controlled from attacks.


• Some believe that it was constructed to prevent immigration and smuggling.


• The 117.5 km-long wall ran coast to coast from the banks of the River Tyre near the North Sea to the Solway Firth on the Irish Sea.


• It is called Vallum Hadriani in Latin.


• A significant portion of the wall still stands and is considered a British cultural icon. It is one of Britain’s ancient tourist attractions.


• Work commenced on the wall in 122 AD and was completed around six years later. It goes without saying that a construction project of such nation-spanning proportions required significant manpower. Three legions – comprised of around 5,000 infantrymen each – were employed to take care of the major construction work.


• It’s a popular misconception that Hadrian’s Wall marks the border between England and Scotland. In fact, the wall predates both kingdoms, while substantial sections of modern-day Northumberland and Cumbria – both of which are located south of the border – are bisected by it.

 

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• This wall is a national memorial in Washington, D.C. built to honour the U.S. Armed forces who fought the Vietnam war, and the service members who died in service or were unaccounted for during the war.


• The memorial is maintained by the National Park Service, the U.S. and receives around 30 lakh visitors each year.


• The Memorial Wall is made of two long, black granite walls, etched with the names of those being honoured in 140 panels.


• The stone for the panels was quarried from Bengaluru, India.


• Visitors can see a reflection of themselves in the names on the black granite walls, connecting the living to those lost.


• The names are listed in chronological order by date of their casualty and begin and end at the origin point, or center, of the memorial where the two walls meet.

 

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• Built several centuries ago, the walls of Babylon are situated 85km south of Baghdad.


• The ancient city of Babylon in Mesopotamia was protected by these walls.


• The Ishtar Gate, the eighth gate and the main entrance to the inner city of Babylon, was considered one of the world’s wonders for its beautiful design and relief work.


• Many of the walls of Babylon, like the ancient city itself, is now in ruins due to damage caused by reconstruction ordered by former President Saddam Hussein in the 1980s and more recently, the U.S. military occupation.


• Like the Hanging Gardens, they were included among the “world’s seven wonders," and, according to every account given of them, their magnitude and construction were remarkable.


• The supposed height of the walls was improbable, as it is unlikely that mud-brick construction material described would have been solid enough to support the weight of such a structure, and exploration has shown that the length of this wall seems to have been closer to twelve miles around.

 

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• The construction of the Berlin Wall commenced in August 1961 to prevent the people of East Germany from migrating to West Germany in search of better jobs.


• Since it was built in the middle of Berlin, dividing the city into two, it was called the Berlin Wall.


• The 155 km-long wall divided the city for nearly 30 years, bringing misery to a lot of families whose members were split on either side. Many people who tried to cross the wall were killed.


• It was demolished on November 9, 1989 after several uprisings and the beginning of the fall of the Eastern bloc.


• Today, the remains of the Berlin Wall are a tourist attraction.


• No fewer than 327 people died trying to cross the Berlin Wall into West Germany, 10 percent of whom were women. Another 5,000 people were captured trying to escape over (or sometimes, under) the wall.

 

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• These walls were first erected in the Bronze Age between 3000 and 2600 BC.


• They are among the oldest walls standing now.


• Built to protect the city of Troy, the walls were over 5.2 m-tall when erected.


• They have stood the test of time and continue to draw tourists from around the world.


• The city was considerably enlarged and furnished with a massive defensive wall made of cut blocks of stone and rectangular clay bricks.


• Troy archaeologists have found ceramics and bronze axes from southeast Europe, suggesting that that people may have moved into the city from there. 


• Many of the people who reoccupied Troy may not have been Greek colonists but rather people who already lived in the area.  

 

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• Also known as the “Wailing Wall”, the Western Wall is located in Jerusalem.


• It is a famous religious site for Jews.


• The limestone wall was originally erected as an extension of the Second Jewish Temple.


• It was constructed around 19th Century BC by Herod the Great.


• This wall is 488m long.


• It has been a site for Jewish prayer and pilgrimage for centuries, the earliest source mentioning Jewish attachment to the site dating from the 4th century.


• With the rise of the Zionist movement in the early 20th-century, the wall became a source of friction between the Jewish community and the Muslim religious leadership, who were worried that the wall was being used to further Jewish nationalistic claims to the Temple Mount and Jerusalem.


• After the 1948 Arab-Israeli War the wall came under Jordanian control and Jews were barred from the site for 19 years until Israel captured the Old City in 1967.

 

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• This wall is considered the longest manmade barrier ever built.


• It stretches for nearly 21,000 km, with parts of it in ruins.


• The wall was built across several Chinese dynasties


• The Great Wall was repeatedly breached. The most significant breach was by the Manchus who entered Beijing and established the Qing Dynasty.


• Some claim that this is the only manmade structure visible from space, but it is not true.


• One of the many legends surrounding the wall tells of a helpful dragon who drew out the tracks for the wall, which the workers then followed.


• The most well-known and popular legend of The Great Wall of China is the story of “Men Jiangnu’s Bitter Weeping,” which tells of a woman whose husband was killed building the wall. Her tears were so bitter that the section of the wall collapsed to reveal her husband’s bones so she could bury him.


• The wall is actually not a continuous line. It has spurs going in different directions, and breaks where mountains or lakes offer protection.

 

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In February 2013, archaeologists working on a site in Seidinga, northern Sudan, discovered 2000-year-old pyramids belonging to the ancient kingdom of Kush. For many years now, Sudan has been an archaeological hotspot, with evidence being uncovered of a civilization that was as advanced as Egypt in art, architecture, military prowess and trade. It even had its own Meriotic script.

Situated at the confluence of the Blue Nile, White Nile and River Atbara, there were two kingdoms of Kush (also known as Nubia), at different times in history. The first kingdom existed from around 2500 BCE, when the capital was at Kerma and the second from 800 BCE to 350 CE when the capital city was Meroe and to a lesser extent, Napata. In between, for around 500 years, Egypt colonized the area and a viceroy appointed by the Pharaoh ruled over Kush.

Kush is historically because it is the only ancient civilization with truly African roots. Its unrivalled power and wealth even saw it rule over Egypt for more than a century (between 747 BCE and 656 BCE) when the Kushite king Piye established the 25th dynasty.

Kush’s main occupation was agriculture. The presence of four waterfalls downriver in the Nile facilitated the building of reservoirs and wells that were used to irrigate the fields. Iron ore and gold were also mined. Kush enjoyed a flourishing trade since it was a conduit between Egypt and the rest of eastern Africa.

In 593 BCE, Napata was sacked, possibly by the Egyptians, and again in 23 BCE by the Romans.

 

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