This Wednesday, September 22, 2021, autumn begins in the northern hemisphere , and will last exactly 89 days, until December 21, 2021. To learn a little more about autumn, below we have selected the most interesting and surprising curiosities from this station.
Meteorological and astronomical autumn
There is something that very few people know, and that is that there are two autumns . On the one hand, the astronomical autumn, which is defined by the Earth’s orbit around the Sun and which begins on September 22 or 23. And, on the other hand, the meteorological autumn, which always begins on September 1.
Leaf fall
Without a doubt, one of the main characteristics of autumn is the fall of the leaves of the trees. During the winter the days are very short and there is not enough light for them to photosynthesize , so during the autumn the trees begin to prepare. They do this by shutting down food production systems and reducing the amount of chlorophyll in the leaves.
Those born in the fall live longer
A study in the Journal of Aging Research found that those born in the fall months are more likely to live to be 100 years old . To do this, the researchers relied on demographics of Americans born between 1880 and 1895: 30% of centenarians were born in the fall.
September 24, 2303
Typically, the autumnal equinox takes place on September 22 or 23. However it is not always so. Considering that the Gregorian calendar is not in perfect symmetry with the Earth’s orbit , sometimes the autumnal equinox falls on September 24, but it is very rare. The last time it happened was in 1931, and it will happen again in the year 2303.
Weight gain
During this season, many people lose their hair, but this is not the only physical change. Scientists have found that a lack of vitamin D slows the breakdown of fats , which translates into greater fat storage in the body. For this reason, the lack of sunlight makes it easier to gain weight.
These are the main curiosities of autumn that are worth knowing. A very special season, which has inspired a multitude of novels, films and poems.
