The eastern green mamba (Dendroaspis angusticeps) is a highly venomous
snake native to the coastal regions of southern East Africa. First
described by Scottish surgeon and zoologist Andrew Smith in 1849, the
mamba has a slender build with bright green upperparts and yellow-green
underparts. The adult female averages around 2.0 metres (6.6 ft) in
length, and the male is slightly smaller. A shy and elusive species, it
is rarely seen; its green colouration blends with its arboreal
environment. It has been observed to lie in wait like many vipers
instead of actively foraging. The eastern green mamba preys on birds,
eggs, bats, and rodents such as mice, rats, and gerbils. Its venom
consists of both neurotoxins and cardiotoxins. Symptoms in humans can
include swelling of the bite site, dizziness and nausea, accompanied by
difficulty breathing and swallowing, irregular heartbeat and
convulsions. The most severe bites can quickly be fatal.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_green_mamba>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1940:
Second World War: During the Blitz, a semi-armour-piercing
fragmentation bomb fell on the road above Balham station in London,
which was being used as an air raid shelter, killing at least 64 people.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balham_station>
1957:
After three days of heavy rain, the Turia overflowed and
flooded the city of Valencia, Spain, causing at least 81 deaths.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1957_Valencia_flood>
2014:
A snowstorm and series of avalanches occurred on and around the
Himalayan peaks of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri, resulting in the deaths of
at least 43 people.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Nepal_snowstorm_disaster>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
Woozle effect:
The phenomenon whereby frequent citation of earlier publications leads
to a mistaken public belief in something for which there is no evidence,
giving rise to an urban myth.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Woozle_effect>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
The supreme quality for a leader is unquestionably integrity.
Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a
section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office. If a man's
associates find him guilty of being phony, if they find that he lacks
forthright integrity, he will fail. His teachings and actions must
square with each other. The first great need, therefore, is integrity
and high purpose.
--Dwight D. Eisenhower
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Dwight_D._Eisenhower>