April 13: International Plant Appreciation Day, Scrabble Day

Today, on April 13, all lovers of flora and the mysterious world of green spaces can join the events on the occasion of the International Plant Appreciation Day, UNN writes.

The impact of plants on our planet and on the human body in general is hard to overestimate. They absorb carbon dioxide and various hazardous volatile organic compounds and then release oxygen.

Many essential products are made from plants; without plant foods, the human diet cannot be complete, not to mention herbivores.

In addition to their enormous benefits, plants give humanity the aesthetic pleasure of growing and admiring them. After all, flowers, trees, and shrubs have a positive effect not only on physical but also on psychological health.

Currently, the plant kingdom on our planet includes more than 500 thousand species. All plants are divided into 2 divisions: the true green algae, which includes most green algae, and the higher plants, which includes some of the more complex green algae and all land plants.

The flora of Ukraine includes more than 16 thousand species.

Scientists estimate that over the past 250 years, more than 500 plant species have disappeared from our planet. 60 thousand plant species are on the verge of extinction.

Today, intellectual entertainment fans can join the celebration of Scrabble Day, which is known as Scrabble in many countries. The event was founded in honor of the birthday of Alfred Butts, who was born on April 13, 1899.

In 1938, the then unemployed architect Butts presented his first version of the game.

According to the man's plan, it was supposed to be a game in which knowledge and chance would have equal weight, so he used the crossword puzzle principle and randomly selected letters at the beginning of the game.

In the first version, Butts used only a set of cards with letters, and no one was interested in the game.

Then Butts added a 225-square game board to his design and changed the principle of the game. Now the words had to cross each other, like in a crossword puzzle. In 1948, the entrepreneur James Bruno bought the rights to produce the game from the author in exchange for royalties for the sale of each copy.

In 1952, the game became wildly popular in the United States, and later in many countries around the world.

Also on April 13, various events are being held to mark International Functional Neurological Disorders (FND) Awareness Day.

FND is a condition in which the communication pathways of the brain and body do not work properly, resulting in a wide range of physical and/or neurological symptoms. These symptoms can include tremors, seizures, difficulty walking, numbness, and more. FNDs are often misunderstood and misdiagnosed, which can lead to unnecessary treatment and delays in getting the right diagnosis and treatment. This day aims to educate people about these disorders and their symptoms, and the importance of early diagnosis and proper treatment.  

According to the church calendar, today is the Day of Remembrance of the Holy Martyr Artemon.

Artemon was born in Asia Minor into a Christian family. From a young age, he devoted his life to serving the Lord, was a preacher and theologian.

When the persecution of Christians intensified under Emperor Diocletian, Artemon did not stop holding services.

On the order of the ruler, the elderly priest was captured, tortured for a long time and brutally, and then executed.

On April 13, Artem, Dmytro, and Marfa celebrate their name days.