# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
All About the Sun for Kids: Astronomy and Space for Children

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
DID YOU KNOW?

* It takes eight minutes and 20 seconds for the light leaving the sun to reach Earth. (Note: Never look directly at the sun!) The light from our next closest stellar neighbor, Proxima Centauri, takes more than four years to reach Earth!

* The sun actually creates weather in space-a stream of charged particles called "solar wind." Sometimes these particles erupt from sunspots (cooler regions of the sun's surface) as "solar flares" that can knock out power on Earth.

* Our sun rules the solar system on its own, but many stars share their systems with a second or third star. Imagine having two or three birthdays!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Think Earth is the most important spot in the solar system? Think again. The sun is the real star of the show-literally!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Happened to the Dinosaurs? | CBC Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
SEVEN CONTINENTS OF THE WORLD | What Are The Seven Continents? | The Dr Binocs Show | Peekaboo Kidz

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Please click here if you are not redirected within a few seconds.

How many countries are there in the world? There are 195 recognised countries in the world, according to the United Nations. 193 of these are member states of the UN, while two countries are non-member observer states: Vatican City and the State of Palestine.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
how many countries in the world - Google Search

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Please click here if you are not redirected within a few seconds. How many countries are there in the world? There are 195 recognised countries in the world, according to the United Nations. 193 of these are member states of the UN, while two countries are non-member observer states: Vatican City and the State of Palestine.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Structure Of The Earth | The Dr. Binocs Show | Educational Videos For Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
How Did Dinosaurs Become Extinct?

Want to know more information about dinosaur extinction?

We ask "How did dinosaurs become extinct?" and do some 'digging' for answers!

Based on different research we outline some theories about why they became extinct. Share them with your kids and see which they think really happened.

Dinosaurs became extinct about 65 million years ago at the end of the cretaceous period (see what cretaceous dinosaurs were around at this time).

About 70% of all animal life on earth died out. Scientists call it a mass extinction - it wasn't the first mass extinction in earth's history and it probably won't be the last!

Having existed for 165 million years, why did dinosaurs die out?

There are many different theories about why this happened. We will probably never know exactly what happened, which means that scientists will continue to disagree and come up with different dinosaur extinction theories.

Here are some of them:

Asteroid Impact

A massive asteroid hit the earth at Chicxulub on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico about 65 million years.
The meteor crater is 180 km from rim to rim and scientists have worked out that the asteroid must have been 10 km across. It is thought that the impact would have caused massive damage, including a giant dust cloud which lead to massive changes in the climate.

This would have destroyed lots of the cretaceous plants, so herbivorous dinosaurs starved and the meat eating ones were left with nothing to eat either.

Ice Age Theory

Now and again, the earth cools into periods we call ice ages. As dinosaurs were thought to be cold blooded, it would have been hard for them to cope with such cold conditions.

For example, if large parts of the planet were covered in ice, then there would have been little or no plants for herbivorous dinos to eat. However, there is no real evidence of an ice age at this time.

Volcano Theory

There was massive volcanic activity between 63 and 67 million years ago, particularly on the Deccan Plateau in western India. This, again, would have caused a massive change in climate, which dinosaurs would have found hard to adapt to.
Disease

It is possible that a disease spread through the dinosaur population causing their extinction.

Competition from Other Animals

Fossils of small mammals have been found from 65 million years ago. It is possible that these small cretaceous animals started to compete with dinosaurs, for example stealing and eating dinosaur eggs. However, no-one is sure whether mammals caused dinosaur extinction, or they thrived because dinosaurs were no longer around.

Gradual Extinction

The number of dinos declined throughout the cretaceous period. Maybe a number of factors contributed to their eventual extinction and they just died out.

Dinosaur extinction is a big mystery, as although dinosaurs died out at this time, many species survived, including similar animal types like crocodiles.

New Discoveries

Scientist have come up with some strange ideas but none of the theories really explains everything, so we will probably never be sure what happened.

To help you keep up with the news and discoveries about this, I have set up a news page on Why are Dinosaurs Extinct?

So what do you think? Have you got a theory? Why not invent a story about how you think dinos became extinct and share it with us here at Kids-dinosaurs.com. You can even upload a drawing to go with it!

I am happy for your class to submit their theories, but PLEASE send only one compiled submission under your school name - not individual ones. Then I will put up a class page for you.

See other sent stories:

Click below to see stories from other visitors.

More of your dinosaur extinction theories.

Some of your ideas were short, so I have pulled them together into one page.
Go to Kids Dinosaur Home from Dinosaur Extinction

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Dinosaur Extinction - Facts and Theories for Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Want to know more information about dinosaur extinction? We ask "How did dinosaurs become extinct?" and do some 'digging' for answers! Based on different research we outline some theories about why they became extinct. Share them with your kids and see which they think really happened.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Planet Earth: Astronomy and Space for Kids - FreeSchool

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Many Countries in All Continents, Continents and Number of Countries, Continents & Countries

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Curious Kids: Can black holes become white holes?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Are White Holes? | General Relativity | The Dr Binocs Show | Peekaboo Kidz

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
BLACK HOLE | The Dr. Binocs Show | Best Educational Videos for Kids | Peekaboo Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Science of Meow: Study to Look at How Cats Talk | National Geographic

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As a general rule, cats don't meow at one another. So, why do they meow at us?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Why can't some birds fly? -  Gillian Gibb

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Ready to learn some paw-some dog facts? Then you're in the right place! Join National Geographic Kids as we get the lowdown on our fur-tastic friends...

Dog facts!

1. Dogs are the most popular pet on the planet!

A third of ALL households around the world have a dog. These playful, friendly, loyal animals make great companions, but they can also be fierce and tough protectors, or intelligent helpers.

2. They evolved from a now-extinct species of wolf.

Dogs were the first animal domesticated (tamed) by humans, over 20,000 years ago! As they evolved from wolves, their skulls, teeth and paws shrank, and they became more docile and obedient.

FUN FACT!

Evidence from fossils suggests that five types of dog had evolved by the Bronze Age, around 4500BC. These were mastiffs, wolf-type dogs, dogs similar to greyhounds, pointing dogs and herding dogs. Bow wow!

3. They can learn over 100 words and gestures!

Dogs are thought to be as smart as two-year-old children (and much easier to train!), so many owners teach them commands and tricks.

4. Dog noses are at least 40x more sensitive than ours!

These clever canines have an incredible sense of smell - allowing them to follow scent trails days after they were left. Amazingly, bloodhounds' sense of smell is so spot on that it can be used as evidence in court!

FUN FACT!

Dogs also have fantastic hearing! They can detect high-pitched noises and spot sounds from much further away than humans can.

5. Many work as assistance dogs, helping humans!

Many dogs are trained to work as guide dogs, helping blind people get around safely. Others are assistance dogs, who keep their owners calm and safe, while some brave hounds are search and rescue dogs, who help human rescuers save people from danger.

WEIRD BUT TRUE!

Some working dogs are trained to use their super senses to sniff out explosives and illegal goods, or alert humans to potentially dangerous health issues. Wow!

6. They only sweat from their paws, and have to cool down by panting.

The sweat is much oilier than humans', and it contains lots of chemicals that only other dogs can detect. Weirdly, it also makes many dog paws smell of cheesy crisps!

7. They can be right or left-pawed!

Like humans, most dogs have a dominant hand - or in their case, paw! To figure out which one it is, you can conduct a simple science experiment ...

Watch a dog moving from standing still to walking forwards. Do they start walking with their left leg, or their right? Watch several times, noting down the starting leg each time, and see if there's a pattern. Many dogs will often lead with the same leg - their dominant one!

Ancient breeds like the Saluki lived in the lavish palaces of Egyptian royalty! The pampered pooches had their own servants, were decked out in jewelled collars, and ate only the finest meats.

WEIRD BUT TRUE!

Dead rulers were often buried with their doggy pals, as they believed the hounds would protect them from harm in the afterlife.

9. Dogs use body language to express their feelings.

From their ears to their eyebrows, shoulders, and tail, dogs often use signals and smells, rather than sound, to communicate! Their posture makes a big difference, too.

Next time you see a dog interacting with a person or other dog, pay close attention. Are they shrinking themselves down small, or standing up big and tall? What do you think they're trying to say?

10. Owning a dog is a BIG responsibility!

Just like humans, dogs have feelings and needs, and they have to be taken care of properly. They need regular walking, healthy food, a clean, cosy place to sleep and lots and lots of love and affection! Make sure you and your family think carefully before you get a dog (or any pet!) to make sure you have the time and means to take one on.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Dog facts for kids! | National Geographic Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Sink your teeth into 10 awesome dog facts from Nat Geo Kids! Find out about dogs' super senses, training talents, and more...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Giraffes for Kids: Learn about Giraffes - FreeSchool

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
giraffe, (genus Giraffa), any of four species in the genus Giraffa of long-necked cud-chewing hoofed mammals of Africa, with long legs and a coat pattern of irregular brown patches on a light background. Giraffes are the tallest of all land animals; males (bulls) may exceed 5.5 metres (18 feet) in height, and the tallest females (cows) are about 4.5 metres. Using prehensile tongues almost half a metre long, they are able to browse foliage almost six metres from the ground. Giraffes are a common sight in grasslands and open woodlands in East Africa, where they can be seen in reserves such as Tanzania's Serengeti National Park and Kenya's Amboseli National Park. The genus Giraffa is made up of the northern giraffe ( G. camelopardalis), the southern giraffe ( G. giraffa), the Masai giraffe ( G. tippelskirchi), and the reticulated giraffe ( G. reticulata).

Giraffes grow to nearly their full height by four years of age but gain weight until they are seven or eight. Males weigh up to 1,930 kg (4,250 pounds), females up to 1,180 kg (2,600 pounds). The tail may be a metre in length and has a long black tuft on the end; there is also a short black mane. Both sexes have a pair of horns, though males possess other bony protuberances on the skull. The back slopes downward to the hindquarters, a silhouette explained mainly by large muscles that support the neck; these muscles are attached to long spines on the vertebrae of the upper back. There are only seven neck (cervical) vertebrae, but they are elongated. Thick-walled arteries in the neck have extra valves to counteract gravity when the head is up; when the giraffe lowers its head to the ground, special vessels at the base of the brain control blood pressure.

The gait of the giraffe is a pace (both legs on one side move together). In a gallop, it pushes off with the hind legs, and the front legs come down almost together, but no two hooves touch the ground at the same time. The neck flexes so that balance is maintained. Speeds of 50 km (31 miles) per hour can be maintained for several kilometres, but 60 km (37 miles) per hour can be attained over short distances. Arabs say of a good horse that it can "outpace a giraffe."

Giraffes live in nonterritorial groups of up to 20. Home ranges are as small as 85 square km (33 square miles) in wetter areas but up to 1,500 square km (580 square miles) in dry regions. The animals are gregarious, a behaviour that apparently allows for increased vigilance against predators. They have excellent eyesight, and when one giraffe stares, for example, at a lion a kilometre away, the others look in that direction too. Giraffes live up to 26 years in the wild and slightly longer in captivity.

Giraffes prefer to eat new shoots and leaves, mainly from the thorny acacia tree. Cows in particular select high-energy low-fibre items. They are prodigious eaters, and a large male consumes about 65 kg (145 pounds) of food per day. The tongue and inside of the mouth are coated with tough tissue as protection. The giraffe grasps leaves with its prehensile lips or tongue and pulls them into the mouth. If the foliage is not thorny, the giraffe "combs" leaves from the stem by pulling it across the lower canine and incisor teeth. Giraffes obtain most water from their food, though in the dry season they drink at least every three days. They must spread the forelegs apart in order to reach the ground with the head.

Females first breed at four or five years of age. Gestation is 15 months, and, though most calves are born in dry months in some areas, births can take place in any month of the year. The single offspring is about 2 metres (6 feet) tall and weighs 100 kg (220 pounds). For a week the mother licks and nuzzles her calf in isolation while they learn each other's scent. Thereafter, the calf joins a "nursery group" of similar-aged youngsters, while mothers forage at variable distances. If lions or hyenas attack, a mother sometimes stands over her calf, kicking at the predators with front and back legs. Cows have food and water requirements that may keep them away from the nursery group for hours at a time, and about half of very young calves are killed by lions and hyenas. Calves sample vegetation at three weeks but suckle for 18-22 months. Males join other bachelors when one to two years old, whereas daughters are likely to stay near the mother.

Bulls eight years and older travel up to 20 km per day looking for cows in heat ( estrus). Younger males spend years in bachelor groups, where they engage in "necking" bouts. These side-to-side clashes of heads cause mild damage, and bone deposits subsequently form around the horns, eyes, and back of the head; a single lump projects from between the eyes. Accumulation of bone deposits continues through life, resulting in skulls weighing 30 kg. Necking also establishes a social hierarchy. Violence sometimes occurs when two older bulls converge on an estrous cow. The advantage of a heavy, knobbed skull is soon apparent. With forelegs braced, bulls swing their necks and club each other with their skulls, aiming for the underbelly. There have been instances of bulls being knocked off their feet or even rendered unconscious.

Paintings of giraffes appear on early Egyptian tombs; just as today, giraffe tails were prized for the long wiry tuft hairs used to weave belts and jewelry. In the 13th century, East Africa supplied a trade in hides. During the 19th and 20th centuries, overhunting, habitat destruction, and rinderpest epidemics introduced by European livestock reduced giraffes to less than half their former range. Today giraffes are numerous in East African countries and also in certain reserves of Southern Africa, where they have enjoyed somewhat of a recovery. The West African subspecies of the northern giraffe is reduced to a small range in Niger.

Giraffes were traditionally classified into one species, Giraffa camelopardalis, and then into several subspecies on the basis of physical features. Nine subspecies were recognized by coat pattern similarities; however, it was also known that individual coat patterns were unique. Some scientists contended that these animals could be divided into six or more species, since studies had shown that differences in genetics, reproductive timing, and pelage patterns (which are indicative of reproductive isolation) exist between various groups. By the 2010s mitochondrial DNA studies had determined that genetic uniquenesses brought on by the reproductive isolation of one group from another were significant enough to separate giraffes into four distinct species.

The giraffe had long been classified as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which places all giraffes in the species G. camelopardalis. A study in 2016, however, determined that habitat loss resulting from expanding agricultural activities, increased mortality brought on by illegal hunting, and the effects of ongoing civil unrest in a handful of African countries had caused giraffe populations to plummet by 36-40 percent between 1985 and 2015, and, as of 2016, the IUCN has reclassified the conservation status of the species as vulnerable.

The only close relative of the giraffe is the rainforest-dwelling okapi, which is the only other member of the family Giraffidae. G. camelopardalis or something very similar lived in Tanzania two million years ago, but Giraffidae branched off from other members of the order Artiodactyla-cattle, antelope, and deer -about 34 million years ago.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Giraffe | Facts, Information, Habitat, Species, & Lifespan

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Giraffe, any of four species of long-necked cud-chewing hoofed mammals of Africa, the tallest of all land animals.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Instantly access Mountains plus over 40,000 of the best books & videos for kids.

# data[].attributes.headline
Video - Animals that live in the mountains

# data[].attributes.subject
Video - Animals that live in the mountains

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Mountain Animals: Fun Animal Facts And Sounds For Kids #kiddizoo #kidsvideo #animals

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The LIFE CYCLE of SEA TURTLES | The Journey from Hatchling to Adulthood