Fall-Casting the Weather
Pigment that reduces in leaves in the fall.
What is "chlorophyll"?
In popular culture, this ship “falls apart” tragically in a 1997 blockbuster movie.
What is "the Titanic"?
Shorter daylight in fall increases this hormone that regulates sleep cycles.
What is "melatonin"?
This sweet drink, often served warm with cinnamon sticks, starts as simple apple juice.
What is "apple cider"?
This American holiday, first celebrated in 1621, became a national tradition of gratitude every November.
What is "Thanksgiving"?
Travels from US to Mexico in the fall.
What is "monarch butterfly"?
Leaves fall off these trees.
What is "deciduous tree"?
When fall humidity drops, blood can thicken slightly, increasing risk of this.
What is "clotting/thrombosis"?
Named after a root vegetable, this pie is a Southern fall favorite often mistaken for pumpkin.
What is "sweet potato pie"?
The catastrophic event led to the Great Depression, and it began in October.
What is "The Stock Market Crash of 1929"?
A warm spell that happens after the first frost.
What is "Indian summer/second summer"?
This structure fell, symbolizing the end of the Cold War.
What is "the Berlin Wall"?
The immune system can benefit in fall because moderate cold triggers a mild increase in this type of blood cell.
What are "white blood cells/leukocytes"?
This root vegetable, often roasted in fall dishes, comes in varieties like butternut, kabocha, and acorn.
What is "squash"?
September 23, 1846, marked the discovery of this faraway planet — the first found using mathematical prediction.
What is "Neptune"?
Petrichor (smell of rain) is stronger in the fall because of an increase in production of this chemical.
Geosmin
This European Empire fell apart in 476 AD.
The body balances sympathetic and parasympathetic activity in response to seasonal change — this general system regulates that.
What is the "autonomic nervous system"?
These ground spices—cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg—come from tropical plants but define fall flavors.
What are "warming spices"?
In fall 1957, this Soviet satellite became the first human-made object to orbit Earth.
What is "Sputnik 1"?
This fall fruit's seed is rich in magnesium- great for heart health.
What is "pumpkin"?
Plaque in arteries can rupture and cause this event where the heart “falls apart.”
What is a "heart attack/myocardial infarction"?
Seasonal affective disorder can influence mood and cardiovascular health through this hormone.
What is "cortisol"?
Found in fall soups and salads, this root vegetable’s nitrates improve blood flow and lower blood pressure.
In October 1967, Dr. Christiaan Barnard performed the world’s first successful one of these surgeries.
What is "a heart transplant"?