Cuisine varies greatly around the world, but the basic ingredients that sustain humans are pretty similar. We eat a lot of corn, wheat, rice and other simple crops. Read on to find out which foods top the list of most important worldwide, listed by annual production and average yield in 2008.
Howler monkeys are widely considered to be the loudest land animal. According to Guinness Book of World Records, their vocalizations can be heard clearly for 3 mi (4.8 km). The function of howling is thought to relate to intergroup spacing and territory protection, as well as possibly to mate-guarding.
The drone of cicadas is one of Sydney's most recognisable sounds of summer. Yellow Monday Cicada. Photographer: David Gray Â© Australian Museum. Cicadas are the loudest insects in the world and there are more than 200 species in Australia. It is thought that the sound produced by some communal species can act as a defence against predatory birds and some are even loud enough (120 decibels) to be painful to the human ear.