What are the Safest Countries to Travel by Next Year?

Aarhus, Denmark

Many institutions, international organizations or travel companies released their assessments for safest or dangerous countries every year.

The countries risk could change based on many factors, include violence and diseases. A travel company, international SOS just released safest and dangerous countries for travel by 2020.

The safest countries to travel for next year dominated by prosperous or industries countries, they are:

- Denmark

- Finland

- Iceland

- Norway

- Sweden

- Slovenia

- Luxembourg

- Switzerland

- Canada

- USA

Many the most dangerous countries to visit by 2020 are developing or even under on going civil war.

I myself not consider to visit these following countries:

- Afghanistan

- Somalia

- Syria

- Haiti

- Venezuela

- Libya

- Iraq

- Yemen

- Papua New Guinea

- Part of Egypt

Have you planned to travel by 2020? Where do you like to visit?

What Animals are Living Longer than Human?

Galapagos giant tortoise (credit to tripadvisor)

As you might know that France, Jeanne Calment was the longest human ever lived on earth. She reached 122 years and 164 days old (1875 to 1997).

The record said the average of longest people lifespan is about 110 years. However, people in many developing countries live average is 70 years and even lower in certain countries.

How about with animals? At least, there are 4 kinds of animals live longer than human:

- Galapagos giant tortoise

- Bowhead whales

- Greenland shark

- Ocean quahog

Galapagos giant tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra) extends to 152 years old, live in the Galapagos island. 

Ocean quahog, credit to Animal New York

Charles Darwin mentioned the tortoise and the island in his famous theory of evolution. The tortoise is called giant because its weight around 919 pound (417 kg). Much bigger than other tortoises.

The second longest lifespan animal is Bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus). This marine mammal lifespan is 200 years.

They are found in arctic ocean with size of 100 ton weight and 18 m length. Recorded as the fifth biggest mammal in the ocean.

Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) age is about the same age with Bowhead whale, 200 years old.

The one reason is that the shark slows growth of 1 cm per year and reach maturity at 100 years old.

Clam, ocean quahog (Arctica islandica) is considered as the longest lifespan animal on the earth. It reached 507 years old.

Finally, how old you wish to live?

Why is Whale Shark not a Mammal but a Fish?

A Whale Shark and a diver (credit to Premium Vacations)

As we know, whale is a mammal with some distinct characteristics:

- has bones (back bone)

- the largest marine animal on earth (could reach 100 tons)

- warm blooded, able to regulate temperature in their body

- breathe using lung (swim up surface to catch oxygen)

- spare hairs on the body

- give birth, and feed (milk) the youngs

Shark is a fish, like other fishes have common following features:

- cold blooded, body temperature depend on environment

- breathe using gills

- no hair on body

- shark is largest fish, but smaller than whale (shark 2 ton, while whale is 100 tons)

- have no bones, but cartilage.

Different of Whale Shark and Shark (credit to YouTube)

I think that we understand the different between whale and shark. We might have a question: why is there animal which living in the ocean called as “whale shark?”

The reasons that this shark called as “whale shark,” it has similarity with Whale in terms of:

- both filter feeder

- have single tail as propelling force.

- both have a dorsal fin

However, a Whale Shark is a shark, not a whale, not combine of shark and whale. Just shark.

Moreover, the Whale Shark was known to live in tropical oceans, surprisingly, Whale Shark was reported in Florida recently, and even to be believed to swimming up to the New York beach.