P is for Petrichor

Petrichor

The word was first coined in the scientific journal Nature in 1964, and stems from the Greek word for rock (Petra) and the word Ichor, the liquid that was said to flow through the veins of Greek gods. 

It describes the distinctive odour that occurs after rain falls after a prolonged drought. The water creates a distinctive earthy scent. 

I learnt the word from an episode of Doctor Who. 

E is for Eureka

Eureka!

The cry of “Eureka!” came whilst Archimedes was taking a bath, with the subsequent displacement of water leading him to discover what is now known as the Archimedes Principle.

Reportedly, Archimedes was so thrilled and excited with this discovery that he immediately hopped out of the bath and ran naked onto the streets to tell his king, shouting loudly in Greek ''Eureka! Eureka!'' (I have found it!)

The term is also the motto of the US State of California, referring to the momentous discovery of gold in the state in 1848. 

D is for Drink

 

Another factor to bear in mind over the recent weekend was the need to carry water. 

Water is such a precious resource, however in a heatwave - your water bottle is more than that - it is your best friend!

Too little water could lead you to become dehydrated, and a loss of fluids and salt could produce a upset in balance in the human body. This, combined with the lowered blood pressure due to the heat, can lead to heat exhaustion (and symptoms such as dizziness and confusion).

Remember to drink!

W is for Water

Here's seven fascinating facts about water...

1. Water comprises 71% of the Earth's surface, mostly in seas and oceans. Because the oceans reflect blue light, the Earth appears blue from space. 
2. 97% of the water on Earth is salt water, with an average salinity roughly equivalent to 34 grams of salt in 1 kg of seawater.
3. The balance therefore represents fresh water, which is rather unevenly distributed on the Earth. 68.7% of this fresh water is trapped in glaciers, ice caps and permanent snow. Of the liquid surface fresh water, 87% is contained in lakes, 11% in swamps, and only 2% in rivers. Small quantities of water also exist in the atmosphere and in living beings.
4. The human body contains anything between from 55% to 78% water, depending on age, health, weight, and sex. To function properly, the body needs to be hydrated - the NHS tell us that we should drink about 1.2 litres (six to eight glasses) of fluid every day to stop us getting dehydrated.  If the weather is hotter, the body will need more than this. We also get some fluid from the food we eat. 
5. 70 -75% of the human brain is water.
6. Water is unusual in that its solid form, ice, is less dense than its liquid form, which is why ice floats. 
7. Water is often called the "universal solvent" because it dissolves more substances than any other liquid.

L is for Lord, I Lift Your Name on High

According to Wikipedia, Rick Founds wrote this song on 1989 as part of his morning devotions, strumming his guitar at the same time. He was thinking of the "cycle of redemption", comparing it with the water cycle (the journey water molecules take as they circulate from the land to the sky and back again).

The Water Of Life

The well is deep and I require
A draught of the water of life,
But none can quench my soul's desire
For a draught of the water of life;
Till one draws near who the cry will heed,
Helper of men in their time of need,
And I, believing, find indeed
That Christ is the water of life.
SASB 351, chorus (Albert Orsborn)