Archive for category Things
BitLearn: Pont Neuf
The Pont Neuf is a beautiful stone bridge in the heart of Paris, France connecting the Île de la Cité with the right (Rive Droite) and left (Rive Gauche) banks of the Seine and the Louvre complex in the 1st Arrondisement with the Qaurtier Latin.
Pont Neuf translated from French = the “New Bridge”. The name is deceiving as all travellers to Paris learn that the Pont Neuf is actually the oldest bridge in the city.
In 1578 King Henry III decided to build a “New” bridge across the Seine river and the first stone was laid that year. The bridge’s construction wasn’t completed until around 1607 when King Henry IV opened the bridge to use. The bridge’s stone architecture utilized the most modern design techniques of the time.
Connecting both side of the river over the Île de la Cité, the bridge is actually two seperate spans on each side of the little island.
Take some time to learn a bit more about the Pont Neuf or plan a trip to see it with these additional resources -
BitLearn: The Bodhi Tree
According to Buddhist practice, the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) achieved enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree.
A species of ficus, the tree under which the Buddha gained enlightenment has become a symbol of the Buddhist faith and also part of its spiritual rituals.
“Bodhi” is a sanskrit word meaning enlightenment.
The Bodhi Tree that is associated with Buddha is believed to have been destroyed but Buddhist history provides that a branch or branches from it were preserved and used to propagate other trees that exist today.
Sacred Bodhi trees thought to have been propagated from the original tree are in Bodh Gaya in India, the Jetvana Monastery in Srvasti, India and in Sri Lanka in the Sacred City of Anuradhapura.
Take some time to learn a bit more about the Bodhi Tree with these resources -
BitLearn: Neuron
Central to the functioning of the human brain and nervous system, a neuron is a nerve cell which transmits information in the human nervous system through electrochemical signalling.
Or in plain English, neurons send signals throughout the human body and over long distances, telling the human body different pieces of information. Neurons act as the internal messaging system of the human body. Neurons are the main elements of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves.
Neurons contain several major structures, the dendrite, soma and axon. The dendrite(s) usually pull information into the neuron where it then is communicated out through the axon. The soma is the nucleus of the cell.
Neurons, unlike many other cells in the human body, cannot necessarily be replaced after being damaged or destroyed.
There are three types of neurons – motor neurons, sensory neurons and interneurons. Motor neurons communicate signals from the brain and spinal cord to muscle tissue in the human body. Sensory neurons communicate information from sensory organs back to the brain and spinal cord. Interneurons communicate between other neurons.
Take some time to learn a bit more about neurons with these resources -
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