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| So you're into sci fi? But what about sci fact? Sometimes fact is stranger than fiction... Each month our very own Voyager Science Queen* will bring you interesting, quirky and downright bizarre tasty morsels from the world of science. And its all completely, totally, 100% true! December Sci-Facts |
Science Page December 2007This article is dedicated to three of the finest, most beautiful men ever seen on this bright, little planet, and sadly two are deceased. Firstly, Terry Pratchett’s new novel “Making Money” inspired this Science Page. The other two are Isaac Asimov, who will always be Uncle Isaac in my heart, and to my grandfather, Lennard Alexander George Lumsden. I blame them all for my ‘everyone lean to the left’ sense of humour. ‘Tis the season for spending money... What so I want from Santa? Well, as a writer, I wish for Bill Bryson’s warmth; Isaac Asimov’s clarity; Neil Gaiman’s eye for legendary themes; Dianna Wynn Jones’ feisty heroines like Sophie from ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’; and Terry Pratchett’s humour. Or, Santa could just bring me money. Getting money for Christmas used to seem a disappointment. After all, it means the person giving the money either doesn’t know you well enough, or care enough, to know what you want for a present. Or they just couldn’t be bothered to go out and find one. However, I’ve found some currencies that would light up most of the people who haunt the Purple Zone. Heavy Money If you look at a map of the Australasia area, Micronesia is a small cluster of islands above Papua New Guinea. In this cluster is the island of Yap; isn’t the name just perfect? Until recently, the people of Yap had a ceremonial currency, Rai stones. These are stone coins with a hole in the middle, so they look like enormous fairy stones (for those who don’t know, looking through a stone with a natural hole was meant to reveal fairyland). These Rai stones can be up to three metres in diameter, and weigh nearly four tons. The stones are usually placed in spots of social and cultural significance, and are rarely moved even when they change hands. As such, they are not used as a day-to-day currency; instead, they are used for transactions like marriages, to ransom warrior killed in battle, alliances and other important, traditional purposes. The most valued Rai stones are those with a special history or good craftsmanship. They sound quite impressive, don’t they? Imagine trying to pass one of those off in a handful of loose change. No Scruples I don’t collect coins, but I do have a scruple. It has a tiny woman’s head upon it. Well, to be truthful, my husband has a scruple... I have no scruples. Shelling Out For Presents The problem with using shells as money is that what is valuable to one culture may be worthless in another culture. Logically, you aren’t going to see shells as a currency when you can pick them up for yourself, so shells were often considered more valuable to landlocked societies. However, a beautiful rare shell – like abalone or pearl oyster shells - would still be valuable anywhere. Even today, shells are still considered collectable. As a zoologist, I would encourage people to collect shells only when the inhabitant has died or moved on. It’s very bad form, morally and ecologically, to kill an animal for its shell. |
| *The Voyager Science Queen is also known as Lynne Green So, who is this woman who attempts to entertain us with Science? Well, I really am a scientist. I have a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Queensland, in Zoology. And, at the moment, I am working in a Pathology laboratory. I have always been intensely curious about every aspect of our universe, from the teeny tiny workings of the gene right up to the mind-bending forces that are twisting and knotting inside a blackhole. So, now I am sharing a brain stuffed full of trivia...and hopefully entertaining people at the same time. As well, I write Fantasy stories and novels. One day, I hope to have a book published, but don't hold your breath. Reading is my other major love, and my favourite authors are Terry Pratchett and Isaac Asimov, though I could list hundreds of others. If I had one wish, I ask for more time to write! Read previous Sci-Facts: Anti-Science Looking for more scientific oddities? Have you checked out Dr Steven Juan's website? He is, quite literally, the wizard of odds! |
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