Away, far away, from the bustling haunts of modern toil and light,
Where dreams of commerce with the day unite,
There lies a realm, untouched by human plight,
A wild, serene expanse, out of our sight.

Behold the water, in its course so clear,
A mirror to our journey, far and near.
In every droplet, life’s essence appears,
A dance of liquid, like silver tears.

Mark well this World Water Day, a time to muse,
On nature’s bounty, which we must not abuse.
Through each wave’s journey, our fates are fused,
To every shore, our respect is due.

Deep in the forests, where secret whispers wind,
And in the heavens, where eagles’ paths are twined,
There lies a magic, gently, subtly designed,
A tapestry of life, by nature’s hand aligned.

On World Wildlife Day, we stand in awe and praise,
Of every creature, in their unique ways.
From tiny ants to lions in their gaze,
Each a part in nature’s endless plays.

To the rivers, lakes, and oceans vast,
To creatures in their boundless habitats cast,
Their existence teaches us, steadfast,
To live and love in harmony, vast.

In pursuit of success, let’s remember and find,
The wisdom of nature, not to leave behind.
In her embrace, a peace of a different kind,
A balance of life, for all of mankind.

So, let’s toast to the water, to wildlife so dear,
In their honour, our mission is clear:
To cherish, protect, to hold near,
The natural world, in our journey here.

Water is fascinating. It is abundant on our planet, we drink it, take a bath in it, swim in it, cook with it. However, it is one of the most mysterious liquids we know of, with quite a few of its properties still subjects of hot scientific debate.

Here are some “ah-ha moment” facts about water:

Water is the only natural substance found in all three physical states – liquid, solid (ice), and gas (steam) – at the temperatures that naturally occur on Earth.

Unlike most substances, water expands as it freezes. This anomaly causes ice to be less dense than liquid water, which is why ice floats on water.

Research has suggested that water has a ‘memory’. However, this is a highly controversial and debated topic in the scientific community. Check out the work of Dr. Masuro Emoto for more about this – you will be taken aback, the first time you see the effect words have on water.

Water has a high specific heat capacity, which means it can absorb a lot of heat without a significant rise in temperature. This property plays a crucial role in regulating Earth’s climate.

In nature, completely pure water is rare. Even the cleanest natural water contains dissolved gases (like oxygen and carbon dioxide) and minerals.

The purest form of water is created by us, deep within our cells! This water has a gel like property and is vital for life.

Scientists have discovered that Earth’s mantle holds vast amounts of water, potentially equal to or exceeding the amount found in all the world’s oceans.

The Mpemba effect is a counterintuitive phenomenon where, under certain conditions, hot water can freeze faster than cold water. The reasons for this effect are still a topic of research.

The water on Earth is incredibly old. The water molecules we use today are the same ones that existed millions of years ago and have been recycled through the Earth’s water cycle countless times. There is hardly any “new” water that comes to Earth because it evaporates as the vehicle carrying it hurtles down through the Earth’s atmosphere. Some of the water we find on Earth and in comets and meteorites is thought to be older than the sun, originating in the cold molecular cloud that gave birth to our solar system.

Water is not unique to Earth. It has been found in the form of ice on other planets, moons, and even in interstellar clouds, suggesting it might be more common in the universe than previously thought.

Sound travels about four times faster in water than in air. Underwater, sound waves travel at a speed of approximately 1,482 meters per second, compared to 343 meters per second in air at 20°C.

Water molecules are polar, meaning they have a positive end and a negative end. This polarity gives water a high surface tension, leading to phenomena like water droplets forming beads on a surface and some insects being able to walk on water.

While about 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, over 96.5% of that water is found in the oceans and is too salty for human consumption, agriculture, or most industrial uses. Many make the mistake of thinking that there is abundant drinking water. If all the water on the planet could be put in a 1 litre bottle, the amount of drinking, potable water we have would fit in the cap of the bottle! Good clean drinking water is incredibly scarce and it is theorised that once humans stop fighting over “My God is better than yours” and imaginary lines on the surface of the Earth, the real wars for water will begin.

Finally, if you eat vegetarian or vegan food only, you could leave your water faucet on through the day and the night, 24 hours, 365 days a year, and yet consume far less water than a person who eats non-vegetarian food!

You may think that there is a lot of wildlife on Earth. The truth according to a 2018 study is that just 4% of the mammals on Earth are wild. 96% of mammals are either human or livestock. If you look up in the skies, hopefully you will see birds. Just 30% are wild, the rest are mainly chickens and other fowl that certain misinformed humans like to eat. 

To celebrate World Water Day and World Wildlife Day, make a meaningful lifestyle decisions. Go vegetarian. Save yourself, save the amazing diversity of life that we have on Earth and we may just end up creating a wonderful life for all the beings of our beautiful Earth.

PS Navroz Mubarak – Today is Parsi New Year too 🙂