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join us on an adventure as we travel to a land of ice, snow, mountains, and fjords. We'll sail along rocky coasts once inhabited by fierce Vikings. There will be times when the sun never sets…and times when it never rises.

Does this sound like the trailer for a new action movie? It's not, but it could be! All those things and more await you when you travel to Norway.

Located in northern Europe, Norway makes up the western half of the ScandinavianPeninsula. It shares land borders to the east with Sweden, Finland, and Russia. To the north, south, and west, you'll find bodies of water, including the Barents Sea, Norwegian Sea, North Sea, and Skager Strait.

Most of Norway is mountainous with a cold climate due to the fact that a significant portion of the country stretches north past the Arctic Circle. Its lengthy, jagged coastline was shaped by glaciers that created over a thousand fjords and more than 50,000 islands along the coast.

Due to the extreme terrain and climate issues that exist throughout central and northern Norway, about half of Norway's 5.2 million citizens live in the far southern part of the country, in large cities like Oslo (Norway's capital), Bergen, and Trondheim.

Early settlers became fishermen and farmers. With so much water to sail along its long coastline, Norway also spawned a tradition of seafaring explorers that reached its height during the Viking era.

Today, many tourists visit Norway to enjoy its awe-inspiring natural beauty. In particular, many people venture to the far northern part of the country to see the Northern Lights.

Life is not easy in the far north, though. During the winter, the Sun never rises, leaving residents in 24-hour darkness. The opposite occurs in the summer, when the Sun never sets. This phenomenon gives Norway its nickname: Land of the Midnight Sun.

Modern Norway has moved beyond its early reliance upon fishing and farming. It remains a world leader in maritime shipping and specialized shipbuilding. However, in the 1970s, offshore exploration led to the discovery of large reserves of oil and natural gas. Since the 1990s, Norway has been one of the world's leading exporters of petroleum.

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If you enjoy action figures, then there's one person you need to thank: Barbie. That's right! That perky doll that appeared in 1959 became an instant — and longstanding — success with children all over the world.

Barbie's popularity as a girl's doll led toy manufacturers to try to come up with something that would be just as popular with boys. A man named Stan Weston did just that. His idea: a soldier doll with a variety of military uniforms and accessories, like weapons, tanks, and vehicles.

Weston sold his idea to toy manufacturer Hasbro for $100,000 at the 1963 Toy Fair. In 1964, the G.I. Joe "action figure" made its debut. The original G.I. Joe action figure featured 21 moving parts and stood 12 inches tall.

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As one of Britain's best-known toy producers, Palitoy was responsible for making a host of famous stocking-filler names.

Action Man was one of its most famous creations.

BBC Inside Out East Midlands's Des Coleman speaks to former Palitoy employee Bob Brechin about his memories of modelling Action Man's famous grip on his own hand.
Inside Out is broadcast on BBC One East Midlands at 19:30 on Monday 14 September and nationwide for 30 days thereafter on the iPlayer.

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As one of Britain's best-known toy producers, Palitoy was responsible for making a host of famous stocking-filler names. Action Man was one of its most famous creations. BBC Inside Out East Midlands's Des Coleman speaks to former Palitoy employee Bob Brechin about his memories of modelling Action Man's famous grip on his own hand.

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Look around you. How many objects can you find that are made of plastic? From water bottles to clothing, furniture, and even computers, most homes today are full of items that contain plastic. Unfortunately, so are our oceans, streams, and rivers.

Environmentalists have warned of the dangers of plastic for decades. It may be an affordable material to make bottles and containers, but plastic costs the planet valuable resources. Made from materials like coal, crude oil, and natural gas, it requires the use of many non-renewable resources.

In 2016, the U.S. alone used about 46.3 million tons of plastic. Worldwide, the total was over 350 million tons. This is a huge increase since 1964, when the world used just 16.5 million tons of plastic. If plastic usage continues to grow, it is expected to double by 2036.

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Although human beings aren't able to regrow missing limbs, there are several creatures who can accomplish this amazing feat. For example,  newts and salamanders can regrow missing limbs, such as arms and legs. Lizards, such as skinks, can regrow missing tails. Starfish can regenerate missing arms. Flatworms can rebuild an entire body from a single cell.  When salamanders lose a limb, nearby skin cells seal the wound, forming a structure scientists call the wound epidermis. The cells in the wound epidermis send chemical instructions to the cells below. In response, nerves start to grow again while other mature cell types revert to form a mass of immature cells called a blastema.  Eventually, the cells in the blastema multiply and become new bones, skin, nerves and muscles.

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What is a sailing stone

Picture it: You’re trekking through

Death Valley, the hottest place on Earth. You come across tracks in the sand. But these are no normal tracks. Instead of footprints or paw prints, you’re following one thin, long line. What could make a track like this? A snake? A person on a unicycle? You keep moving, and finally, you get to the end of the line. There it is, the object that made this track. It’s . . . a rock?

You’ve found a sailing stone! They’ve only ever been seen in Racetrack Playa, which was once a lake. That changed as a result of dramatic climate change that occurred over 10,000 years ago. This resulted in the evaporation of the entire lake. It left behind light brown mud that’s more than 1,000 feet thick.

Today, Racetrack Playa receives only about one to two inches of rain each year. This dry and incredibly hot environment is one of the harshest on Earth. Footprints left on the playa can last for many years before enough moisture and wind erase them.

Erosion of the surrounding mountains causes rocks of all different sizes to fall to the surface of Racetrack Playa. For many years, visitors to Racetrack Playa have noticed that these rocks appear to have moved by themselves. Clear tracks behind the rocks revealed that some of them had moved as much as 1,500 feet. Since there were no footprints around, these rocks—the sailing stones—were somehow moving on their own.

But how is that possible? Rocks don’t have feet. Have you ever seen a rock move on its own? Of course not! The sailing stones of Racetrack Playa baffled scientists. Sure, there were plenty of theories. From aliensto some sort of weird magnetic effect, none of these theories could ever be proven with physical evidence.

Scientists who studied the rocks noticed that not all of them moved. The ones that did move only did so every two or three years. Further complicating things was the fact that the stones never moved at the same time or in the same direction. What’s going on at Racetrack Playa?

Recently, scientists used time-lapse photography, motion-activated GPSreceivers, and a great deal of patience to solve the mystery. They found that the stones’ movement is caused by a unique combination of water, ice, and wind.

When the playa fills with water after it rains or snow melts from nearby mountains, thin sheets of floating ice can form during cold winter nights. As temperatures rise during the day, the sheets of ice start to melt and break into large, jagged panels of ice that resemble broken windows.

These panes of ice can be pushed easily across the slick, wet mud by even light breezes. As they move across the playa, they push rocks in front of them. The rocks leave trails in the mud below as they move. When the ice is gone and the playa dries out, all you can see is the rock and the evidence of how far it has moved.

The mystery may be solved, but the sailing stones are still fascinating for many people. Would you like to visit Racetrack Playa to look for sailing stones one day? Maybe you’ll catch one in motion!

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Do people in movies Actually￼ do stunts 

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Do people in movies Actually￼ do stunts 

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here’s nothing quite like going to the movies, is there? A huge screen, incrediblesurround sound, comfortable seats, and a lap full of popcorn…what’s not to love?

What kind of movie do you like to see at the theater? Do you enjoy funny, animated, or scary films? Many kids love action movies! Watching the action hero on the screen, you may be amazed at how they can dodgedeath at every turn. From death-defying leaps from trains to giant explosions, today’s movie stars survive some unbelievable dangers.

Of course, you probably know that most actors aren’t really defyingdeath throughout the filming of a movie. The most popular actors bring in  way too much money for movie producers to consider putting them in harm’s way.

So, how do they film all those incredible scenes? All of those examples we’ve mentioned—and the hundreds more you can probably think of—are called stunts. Sometimes filmmakers film actual reality, such as two people talking. At other times, though, they create scenes that are illusions called stunts. The action in these scenes looks real, but it’s far from it.

Stunts have been around since the earliest days of movies. Filmmakers had to figure out how to include fight scenes without anyone getting hurt. They and the actors they worked with used many techniques to do so.

Of course, movies have become much more complex since then. Today, they involve more complicated stunts. These can include fires, explosions, car chases, and much more. Often, these scenes require real people to be involved. However, movie stars are reluctant to risk their health—and sometimes lives—creating stunts.

That’s why filmmakers began to use stunt people. These were real actors who would perform dangerous feats instead of the main stars. They don’t make as much money as the movie stars, and they often get injured on the job. Maybe that doesn’t sound quite fair. But stunt jobs involve lots of excitement. Plus, it’s just fun to be in movies! Stuntpeople also have many techniques to do their jobs safely. Many go to special schools for training and learn ways to avoid injury.

Today, some movie stars do their own stunts. For example, movie star Jackie Chan got his start a

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Aren't animals cute when they're little babies? Just think about it. Little puppies jumping around with

boundlessenergy…tiny kittens with fuzzy fur…small bunnies with twitching noses…they're all so adorable!

Of course, bunnies, kittens, and puppies usually grow up to be much bigger animals as adults. Are there animals that stay small all their lives? You might be WONDERing what the smallest mammal in the world is.

You'll have to keep your eyes wide open to take in the tiny creatures that vie for the title of Earth's smallest mammal. They're VERY small, but they probably won't replace kittens, puppies, and bunnies on your list of potential pets.

There are actually two mammals that can lay claim to the title of world's smallest mammal. The winner depends upon how you define “smallest." One of the animals weighs the least of any mammal, while the other is the shortest mammal on Earth.

The lightest mammal title goes to the Etruscan shrew (Suncus etruscus), which weighs in at a measly two grams or less. How small is that? It's less than the weight of a dime! Wow! That IS small!

These tiny creatures usually grow to a length of about 2.3 inches or so. Although they're small, they have huge appetites. Etruscan shrews regularly eat twice their own body weight every single day.

The Etruscan shrew is just one of the hundreds of species of shrewthat can be found all over the world. The Etruscan shrew is the smallestvariety, but all shrews tend to be very small. Some even have venomoussaliva that helps them to immobilize their prey to feed their big appetites!

If you're WONDERing why such a small creature has such a big appetite, it probably has something to do with their fast metabolism. Their miniscule hearts beat at a rate of a whopping 25 beats per second. That equals about 1,500 beats per minute. By way of comparison, the average human heart beats at an average rate of 72 beats per minute!

The Etruscan shrew shares the title of world's smallest mammal with a fascinating creature from Thailand: Kitti's hog-nosed bat (Craseonycteris thonglongyai), also known as the bumblebee bat. It gets its nickname from its size — barely over an inch long — which makes it about the size of a large bumblebee!

Thai zoologist Kitti Thonglongya discovered the bumblebee bat in 1973. It gets the “hog-nosed" part of its name from the fact that its nose is pink and shaped like a pig's snout. These tiny bats, while shorter than the Etruscan shrew, generally weigh a little more than two grams.

Bumblebee bats tend to live in groups of 100 or more in the limestone caves of Thailand. They've also been found in Myanmar.

Can you imagine what it would be like to encounter a swarm of these tiny bats? What do you think? Would you want to have either an Etruscan shrew or a bumblebee bat as a pet?

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Who doesn’t love a big, fresh,

delicious salad? It’s both tasty and healthy! Do you have any favorite salad ingredients? Some people love to add bell peppers, olives, or dressing. Others go crazy over tomatoes and carrots. We don’t know about you, but we think our favorite salad topping is the best, hands down. There’s nothing better than crisp cucumbers!

And cucumbers aren’t just great on a salad. Some people turn them into our favorite hamburger topping—pickles! Others like to slice them up like chips and eat them with a dip. Lots of people even use cucumbers as part of their beauty routine. But somehow, with all these great uses, cucumbers aren’t for anyone. In fact, if you’ve been online lately, you may have heard that cats are even afraid of cucumbers. Why would that be?

We did some Internet research and watching a few viral videos. That’s how we finally got to the bottom of this business between cats and cucumbers. Have you seen any of these viral cat videos? If so, you know that it appears many cats are indeed terrified of cucumbers.

These videos show someone placing a cucumber on the floor behind a cat. Meanwhile, the cat is otherwise busy. They might be eating, drinking, or playing with a favorite toy. When the cat turns around and sees the cucumber, it usually has a strong reaction.

Some cats freak out, jump into the air, and run away. Others stare at the cucumber as if afraid it will attack them. Many cats appear very curiousand wary. While some cats don’t show any type of fear, most of them do seem to be afraid of cucumbers.

What’s going on here? Is this a natural reaction that has been passed down? Have generations of cats feared cucumbers? Was an ancient cat attacked by a giant cucumber? Not likely!

Could cats hate the taste of cucumbers so much that they can’t stand the sight of them? How could they? Cucumbers are delicious!

Instead, scientists have a couple of theories about why many cats seem to fear cucumbers. Some think that cats may think cucumbers look like snakes. Mistaking a cucumber for a predator would certainly explain their strong reaction.

Others think that cats might simply be experiencing a fear of the unknown. They believe cats would have the same reactions to anything placed secretly behind them. It could be a pineapple, a plunger, a plastic spider, anything!

Animal experts warn that you shouldn’t go testing other items to see whether they’ll scare cats. Purposefully trying to scare cats — with cucumbers or any other items — isn’t nice. It can cause cats unnecessary stress that can be harmful to their health.

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Would you like an electric car?  From Beaver.com.hillsides

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Would you like an electric car?  From Beaver.com.hillsides

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Electric vehicles are becoming more common each year.  With more people concerned of climate change and carbon emissions, you can expect to see more EVs (electric vehicles) on the road in the future decade.  EVs are quite different from traditional gas powered vehicles.  You may have read about hybrid vehicles. Most hybrid cars can travel up to 50 miles on electricity alone.  For longer distances the rely on gasoline.  Electric vehicles rely on electricity alone.  There is no gear shift or clutch.  Instead, drivers use a simple selector to put EVs in park.

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Unlike most

teeth, which erupt in childhood, “wisdom teeth" (also known as “third molars") generally appear between the ages of 17 and 25. Linguists believe these teeth received the nickname of “wisdom teeth" because they appear later in life than other teeth — at an age when a person has matured into a young adult.

So why do we have wisdom teeth? Anthropologists point to our ancient ancestors for the explanation.

Ancient civilizations had very different diets than we do today. Instead of driving to the grocery store, our early ancestors hunted and gathered whatever food they came across in nature.

Snacking on raw foods such as leaves, roots, nuts, and meats was hard on their teeth! In those days, dental hygiene was poor, and tooth loss was common.

By the time a person had reached his or her 20s, it was not unusual to have lost a tooth or two to decay. Without enough teeth, ancient people would not have been able to chew the foods they found and risked starvation.

Anthropologists believe that in order to survive, early humans developed wisdom teeth as a way to make chewing easier, even if they were missing other teeth.

Luckily, our present-day diet, lifestyle, and access to dental care have made survival much easier on modern man — and on our teeth! This means wisdom teeth are no longer considered necessary to our survival.
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Today’s Wonder of the Day is about a small, fuzzy animal. Many people might call it cute and friendly. Are any animals coming to mind? Many kids may think of pets they have at home, like

dogs and cats.

Others might point to wild animals they see near home, such as rabbits or squirrels. We’re not talking about any of those animals, though. Today, we’re learning about a little critter that can only be found in Southwestern Australia—the quokka!

Quokkas are small marsupials. They’re about the size of a teddy bear or cat. and are related to the kangaroo and wallaby. Like other marsupials, quokka mothers carry their young in a small pouch on their abdomen. Mothers do so for the first six months of their babies’ lives.

In Australia, quokkas’ face several natural predators. These include feral pigs, European red foxes, and feral cats. Due to these predatorsand habitat loss, the quokka population has fallen in recent years. Today, they are a vulnerable species.

Fortunately, quokkas still thrive on Rottnest Island. This island is part of Australia and sits just off the coast of Perth. In fact, the island takes its name, which means “rats’ nest,” from the quokka. It was named by Dutch explorer Willem de Vlamingh. He thought quokkas looked like large rats because of their long tails.

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One of the secrets to specialty cake decorating is a substance called fondant. Depending upon where you live, the word “fondant” can have different meanings. The one we’re talking about today is the soft, flexible, and oh-so-edible substance used to decorate cakes and other desserts.

There are two main types of this kind of fondant: poured and rolled. Poured fondant is a sweet paste usually used as an icing or filling for cakes and other pastries. Poured fondant is made mainly of sugar, water and corn syrup.

Rolled fondant, on the other hand, is more like sweet dough. Like poured fondant, it is made with sugar, water and corn syrup. To make a pliabledough, gelatin and/or glycerine is added. It’s then rolled out into sheets that can be colored and used to decorate cakes.

Fondant is made by supersaturating water with sucrose (sugar). At room temperature, water can only hold so much sugar. When heated to its boiling point, however, it can hold over twice as much. The best fondant is made by boiling water and sugar together until it forms a soft ball. Cream of tartar is sometimes added for extra stability. Once it’s ready, you can then thin it out more with corn syrup to make poured fondant. Or you can roll into sheets to produce rolled fondant.

Fondant is very pliable. It can be kneaded and molded into all sorts of shapes. It can also be colored with various dyes. These features make it ideal for decorating cakes. Many cake artists drape sheets of rolled fondant over their basic cakes to cover them before decorating with finishing touches.

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We were

traipsing through the forest the other day when we stumbled upon a group of animals deep in conversation:

Opossum: I thought we had all agreed that we were going to ask the people at the cabin for some food.

Badger: We are! We're not going to just break into the cabin and stealfood.

Opossum: Then why is he wearing a mask?

Badger: Who? The raccoon? That's just his face!

Raccoon: Yeah, I always look like a burglar. You should see the reactionsI get at the bank.

Opossum: I bet! Well, maybe you should hang back at the edge of the woods while we ring the doorbell.

We weren't able to stick around to see if the animals were successful in their attempt to persuade the people in the cabin to give them food. We did feel sorry for the raccoon, though. It must be difficult to look like you're always wearing a mask.

Unfortunately, if you've ever lived in an area with raccoons nearby, you know that they often live up to their burglar-like appearance. Raccoons are omnivorous, which means they eat both plants and animals.

People familiar with raccoons know they'll eat most anything. In the wild, their diet consists of a wide variety of fruits, berries, nuts, plants, insects, frogs, crayfish, and rodents.

In urban areas, raccoons are attracted to garbage cans and will eat most anything they find in the trash. Raccoons can quickly become a nuisance if garbage is too easy to access. Their behavior has led many cities to search — usually in vain — for garbage can lids that are raccoon-proof.

Why are raccoons so good at getting into the trash? They have tiny hands with nimble fingers that are able to manipulate many different types of locks, latches, and levers. They're also known to be quite clever.

Scientists who studied raccoon intelligence in the mid-20th century concluded that the raccoons in the study could remember solutions to tasks they were given for up to 3 years. That's pretty impressive for an animal whose life span in the wild is, on average, two to three years.

More recently, scientists tested a group of raccoons to see how they would perform on the Aesop's Fable test. This test is based upon an old fable in which a crow can't drink from a pitcher because the water level is too low. The clever crow drops stones into the pitcher to raise the level of the water, so that it's able to drink.

In the Aesop's Fable test, the raccoons were tested to determine whether they could recognize cause and effect by displacing water to access food. They were presented with cylinders with marshmallows floating on top of water, but they were too low to grab.

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Different marine habitats have their own food chains. Algae are eaten by small fish which are then eaten by larger fish. Those larger fish become dinner for even bigger ocean animals, likewhales and sharks. But did you know there’s a fish that even some sharks have to look out for?

It’s true! The goliath grouper is able to eat smaller species of sharks. As adults, these giant fish can grow to eight feet long. They can weigh up to 800 pounds! Two species live in the wild today—one in the Atlantic Ocean and another in the Pacific.

Where can you find goliath groupers in the wild? The Atlantic specieslives off the coast of western Africa, from Senegal to the Democratic Republic of Congo. They’re also found in waters from the Gulf of Mexico south to the coast of Brazil. The Pacific species can be found in the eastern Pacific Ocean from southern California to Peru.

Young goliath groupers often make their homes among mangroves. Adults prefer coral reefs and other shallow, rocky parts of the sea. The fish are also known to live in or near sunken ships.  There, they feed on other fish and invertebrates. Instead of chewing, they’re known to swallow their prey whole.

Goliath groupers may sound intimidating—and for most fish, they are! But humans have little to fear from these creatures. In fact, many people familiar with them call the fish “gentle giants.” It’s still smart to stay away from fully grown goliath groupers. They could eat a person if they wanted to! However, in general, it’s the fish that are threatened by humans, not the other way around.

For many years, people have fished for both species of goliath groupers. In the early 1990s, the Atlantic species was listed as critically endangered. Harvesting the animal for food was banned in the U.S.

Since then, the species has made a comeback, and catch-and-release fishing of the animal is now allowed. The Pacific species is still caught for food by some in Central and South America.

Experts believe goliath groupers are very important to the reef systemsthey live in. This makes conservation efforts even more important. How do you think we can better protect these giants of the sea?

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Do you

wash your hands regularly? We hope so! Everyone’s hands get dirty during the day. They can be covered with germs that can make us sick. Washing your hands with soap and water helps keep you and those around you healthy.

Some people really hate germs. They avoid them at all costs. These people are often called germaphobes, but the proper name for this phobia is mysophobia.

If you had mysophobia, where might you go to be safe from germs? Some people might think outer space would be a good place to go. After all, there is no air in space. And all that radiation would kill off all the germs, right?

The truth may surprise you. In fact, it turns out that over 250 different species of bacteria and fungi can survive in outer space. Even more shocking, they actually thrive there.

For example, the Russian space station Mir encountered problems with a film growing over its windows. This hurt the crew’s ability to see while in orbit. Upon its return to Earth, scientists were shocked to find manybacteria and fungi covering the window.

Moreover, the small organisms had done more than just coat the window and block astronauts’ views of space. They had actually damaged the window. This concerned scientists. The window was made of quartz glass in a titanium frame encased in enamel. Scientists thought the windows could withstand just about anything.

Closer examination of the Mir space station revealed that the creatures had also harmed electronic equipment by rusting copper cables. Scientists also found fungi coating several other surfaces.

Scientists were so surprised because space vehicles are cleaned with toxic gases before being sent into space. How did these fungi and bacteria survive? Experts think they must have hidden in areas where gas could not reach. But how did they survive and thrive once in outer space?

Scientists think that bacteria come out of hiding once in outer space. In a sterile environment without other organisms around, they multiply and thrive. Instead of killing them, cosmic radiation may also help them to mutate. They may be able to grow faster than they normally could on Earth.

These findings were supported by recent experiments done on the International Space Station (ISS). Bacteria-covered rocks were put on the outside of the ISS. Scientists hoped to learn how they would react to the conditions of outer space. They wanted to see if the bacteria could survive temperature swings, lack of air, and contact with ultraviolet light and cosmic radiation.

Some bacteria did succumb to these harsh conditions. But a group of bacteria known as OU-20 survived for over a year and a half on the outside of the ISS! Researchers now have samples of these hardysurvivors back on Earth for further study.

What can scientists learn from these germs that thrive in outer space? Only time will tell. But for now, they seem to be a sign that at least some Earthlings can live beyond the blue planet!
Do you

wash your hands regularly? We hope so! Everyone’s hands get dirty during the day. They can be covered with germs that can make us sick. Washing your hands with soap and water helps keep you and those around you healthy.

Some people really hate germs. They avoid them at all costs. These people are often called germaphobes, but the proper name for this phobia is mysophobia.

If you had mysophobia, where might you go to be safe from germs? Some people might think outer space would be a good place to go. After all, there is no air in space. And all that radiation would kill off all the germs, right?

The truth may surprise you. In fact, it turns out that over 250 different species of bacteria and fungi can survive in outer space. Even more shocking, they actually thrive there.

For example, the Russian space station Mir encountered problems with a film growing over its windows. This hurt the crew’s ability to see while in orbit. Upon its return to Earth, scientists were shocked to find manybacteria and fungi covering the window.

Moreover, the small organisms had done more than just coat the window and block astronauts’ views of space. They had actually damaged the window. This concerned scientists. The window was made of quartz glass in a titanium frame encased in enamel. Scientists thought the windows could withstand just about anything.

Closer examination of the Mir space station revealed that the creatures had also harmed electronic equipment by rusting copper cables. Scientists also found fungi coating several other surfaces.

Scientists were so surprised because space vehicles are cleaned with toxic gases before being sent into space. How did these fungi and bacteria survive? Experts think they must have hidden in areas where gas could not reach. But how did they survive and thrive once in outer space?

Scientists think that bacteria come out of hiding once in outer space. In a sterile environment without other organisms around, they multiply and thrive. Instead of killing them, cosmic radiation may also help them to mutate. They may be able to grow faster than they normally could on Earth.

These findings were supported by recent experiments done on the International Space Station (ISS). Bacteria-covered rocks were put on the outside of the ISS. Scientists hoped to learn how they would react to the conditions of outer space. They wanted to see if the bacteria could survive temperature swings, lack of air, and contact with ultraviolet light and cosmic radiation.

Some bacteria did succumb to these harsh conditions. But a group of bacteria known as OU-20 survived for over a year and a half on the outside of the ISS! Researchers now have samples of these hardysurvivors back on Earth for further study.

What can scientists learn from these germs that thrive in outer space? Only time will tell. But for now, they seem to be a sign that at least some Earthlings can live beyond the blue planet!

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Have you ever wanted a

puppy? They’re so cute and small and furry! Puppies are fun to play with. When you ask your family, they might say something like, “Puppies don’t stay puppies forever.” That’s true. Puppies grow up to be adult dogs. If you’re looking for a pet that WILL stay a baby forever, we’ve got an animal for you!

The axolotl (pronounced ACK-suh-LAH-tuhl), also known as the Mexican walking fish, is an amphibian that’s native to the waters near Mexico City. These creatures have a rare ability. They can stay in their larvalstate their entire lives. While other amphibians grow up and leave the water to live on dry land, most axolotls stay babies their entire lives.

Wait. If axolotls live their entire lives in water, then aren’t they fish? Some might think so, but that’s not true! In rare cases, axolotls will mature. These axolotls leave the water and live on land. Because of their ability to grow up and leave the water, experts classify axolotls as amphibians. When axolotls do grow up, we call them Mexican salamanders.

What do axolotls look like? Their name comes from an Aztec word meaning “water dog” or “water monster,” if that gives you any idea. Axolotls have long bodies, short legs, and tails. They have feathery external gills that ripple through the water when they move. Axolotls have four toes on their front feet and five toes on their back feet. They can grow to be a foot long.

Axolotls are also known for having wide mouths. Many appear to be permanently smiling. They can be a variety of colors. Typically, axolotls are brown or black. They often have spots of gold or olive. However, some axolotls are other colors, including white and gold.

Don’t axolotls sound cute? Many people think so. However, you may want to keep your distance if you see an axolotl in the wild. They are typically top predators in their habitats. While axolotls are not known to attack humans, they do eat worms, tadpoles, insects, and some fish.

Axolotls are especially aggressive toward each other. Two axolotls in the same area will attack one another, biting off gills, feet, and tails. But have no fear! Axolotls have another trick up their sleeves. They can regenerate many body parts. They can even regrow their own hearts and other organs.

Looking for an axolotl in the wild? You’ll have the best chance at night. Axolotls are nocturnal animals, meaning they avoid light. Like many nocturnal animals, they have poor eyesight. They rely on their other senses, mostly smell, to hunt.

However, you may have a very difficult time finding a wild axolotl. These amphibians have a very small habitat—they only live in a lake near Mexico City. As a result of human activity, much of their home has been destroyed. A 2013 study found no axolotls in the wild. This left many to believe they now live only as pets and in public aquariums. Today, experts consider axolotls critically endangered.

Many people find caring for axolotl pets is mostly easy. They aren’t very social and prefer to be left alone. Axolotls shouldn’t be picked up. Instead, they should stay in a large tank in a room away from bright sunlight. And be sure to never house two axolotls together!

Despite their aggression toward each other, many people like axolotls because of their friendly appearance. Their unique abilities to remain larval and regrow body parts also interest us. Would you like to have an axolotl as a pet? They’re much easier to care for than puppies are! Would you rather see axolotls return to the wild? How can we clean up their habitat?

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ave you ever met someone who looked just like you? Perhaps you’ve walked up to a person you thought you knew only to find they were a complete stranger. If so, you may have met a real-life doppelgänger!

What is a doppelgänger? The word comes from German. In English, it means “double goer.” Today, it’s often used to describe two strangerswho look so much alike they could be twins.

Seeing a doppelgänger can be startling. That’s true whether it’s a person who looks just like you or someone who could be your friend’s twin! It’s no WONDER, then, that doppelgängers are also common inscary stories.

In literature, a doppelgänger is the double of another character. They are similar to the character in many ways, most often in looks. However, the things that make them different are more important. The doppelgänger often differs from the main character in the values they hold. This results in them making choices that lead them down a different path.

Often, doppelgängers act as the main character’s evil twin. One famous example is in “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson. In this story, both characters share the same body. However, they are opposites, with Dr. Jekyll representing good and Mr. Hyde evil.

Doppelgängers also have a place in the stories of many cultures. They’re described as ghosts or spirits who look like real people. Many say doppelgängers bring bad luck—and seeing your own is a sure signsomething terrible will happen soon.

In fact, President Abraham Lincoln supposedly saw his own doppelgänger in 1860. Just five years later, he was assassinated. What other famous people have claimed to see their own doppelgängers? A few names include Catherine the Great, Percy Shelley, and Queen Elizabeth I. Whether or not these stories are true, they’ve been passed down for many years.

Have you ever seen a doppelgänger? Can you think of any books or movies that feature them? What would you do if you came face to face with someone who looked just like you?

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What is Greek mythology?
It’s a set of stories used by the ancient Greeks to understand the weather.  The Greeks believed in many gods and goddesses.  They are also various monsters that are evil and try to overthrow mount Olympus.  Kronos, a lord titan, try’s to destroy the world.  Kronos is defeated by poesidens sword.

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Others might point to wild animals they see near home, such as rabbits or squirrels. We’re not talking about any of those animals, though. Today, we’re learning about a little critter that can only be found in Southwestern Australia—the quokka!

Quokkas are small marsupials. They’re about the size of a teddy bear or cat. and are related to the kangaroo and wallaby. Like other marsupials, quokka mothers carry their young in a small pouch on their abdomen. Mothers do so for the first six months of their babies’ lives.

In Australia, quokkas’ face several natural predators. These include feral pigs, European red foxes, and feral cats. Due to these predatorsand habitat loss, the quokka population has fallen in recent years. Today, they are a vulnerable species.

Fortunately, quokkas still thrive on Rottnest Island. This island is part of Australia and sits just off the coast of Perth. In fact, the island takes its name, which means “rats’ nest,” from the quokka. It was named by Dutch explorer Willem de Vlamingh. He thought quokkas looked like large rats because of their long tails.

Experts say as many as 10,000 quokkas now live on Rottnest Island, which has been cleared of natural predators. Thanks to their gentle nature, quokkas have even become a popular tourist attraction. Their unique mouths make them look like they’re always smiling!

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Some strawberries are white. There are some strawberries that are white and they are ripe and never turn red.

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But not all dogs are friendly. Most people have come across an aggressive dog at one time or another. When that happens, some people will tell you to remain calm and not to show any fear. Why? Because dogs can smell fear! If they smell fear on you, they'll become more aggressive and possibly attack.

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Have you ever visited the ocean? Maybe you live along a coastline where you get to see the ocean all the time. For most others, though, seeing the ocean means taking a trip—sometimes a long one!—to visit the ocean.

If you’ve ever walked along a seashore, you’ve probably searched for seashells. They’re not always easy to find, though. If you can’t find any big seashells, you may decide to check out the selection of shells at a local souvenir shop.

One thing most children do upon first picking up a large seashell is to hold it up to their ears to listen for the sounds of the ocean. If you’ve ever tried this, you know that it works. No matter how far you are from the ocean, it seems like you can hear the soothing sounds of ocean waves lapping up onto the beach when you hold a shell to your ear.

Obviously, the ocean isn’t inside the shell. So what exactly is it that you’re hearing? If not the ocean, what in the world is it?

One popular myth that many people believe is that, when you hold a shell up to your ear, what you’re really hearing is the echo of the blood pumping through the blood vessels in your head. It sounds believable, but scientists have proved that the echo of pumping blood is not what you’re hearing.

Others believe what you hear is the sound of air flowing through the shell. Scientists have disproved this theory, too, though. When tested in a soundproof room—where there’s still air flowing—shells don’t produce the same “ocean” sound.

So what IS that sound you hear? Scientists believe the most likely answer is that it’s the echo of the noise in the air around you. They call this ambient noise. The seashell captures the ambient noise, which then resonates inside the shell.

Depending upon the size and type of shell you listen to, different frequencies of sound will be echoed back to your ear. This leads to different shells making different “ocean” sounds. The best shells are large, spiral conch shells.

Would you believe you don’t even need a shell to hear the “ocean”? You can produce the same effect with an empty cup or simply by cupping your hand over your ear. You may want to try this in a noisy area. The more ambient noise there is around you, the louder the effect will be.

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In China, ancient people wrote on bamboo. They used long bamboostrips. Then, they tied the strips together to make books. This processwas very long. It made heavy books that were difficult to carry.

This was a problem. In 105 CE, a man named Cai Lun came up with a solution. He was a Chinese court official who often used bamboo for writing and reading. He knew how inconvenient it was and set out to find a better way. Cai had the idea to mix tree bark, hemp, fishing net, and cloth. The result was a lighter material that was easy to write on. Cai Lun had invented paper.

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Invention of Paper - Who invented Paper ? | Great Inventions and Discoveries

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Many different types of creatures have fangs, including cats, tigers, dogs, spiders and, of course, snakes! Fangs are also popular features of fantasy creatures, such as dragons and vampires.

Like vampires, mammals use fangs to bite and tear flesh, such as when they eat meat. Predators use fangs to hold and quickly kill their prey.

Venomous snakes use their fangs in a unique way: to inject venom into their prey. Venom immobilizes — and sometimes kills — snakes' prey.

Snake venom is a type of saliva produced by special glands. Venom contains a mixture of many different types of proteins and enzymes.

Many of these proteins and enzymes are harmless to humans, but some are toxic. Many venomous snakes have long, hollow fangs through which venom can be injected directly into prey.

When a snake uses its fangs to bite, muscles force venom from its storage glands through a duct into the hollow fang. Tiny holes at the ends of the fangs eject the venom directly into prey.

Some snakes have fangs at the back of their mouths. These fangs aren't hollow. Instead, small grooves on the inside of the fangs direct venom into the wound caused by a bite.

If you're wondering how some snakes with huge fangs keep from biting themselves, the answer is that their fangs fold! When they're not being used, the fangs fold flat against the inside of the mouth.

You will often hear people refer to snakes as being poisonous or nonpoisonous. Would you believe there are technically no poisonoussnakes?

By definition, poison must be inhaled or ingested (eaten). The venom that deadly snakes use to kill prey is injected. This is why scientists refer to snakes as either venomous or nonvenomous.

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Have you ever told a goldfish about your day? Complained to a dog about your sibling? Maybe you’ve held a cat on your lap and told them your favorite bedtime story. Many animals are great listeners. But how well do they actually hear?

It may come as no surprise that many animals have a strong sense of hearing. In fact, several can hear a wider range of frequencies than humans can. Cats, for example, hear noises between 45 and 64,000 hertz (Hz). Humans are limited to sounds between 64 and 23,000 Hz.

How about our canine friends? They also surpass human hearing, with a range of 67-45,000 Hz. Other common pets, like the rabbit, gerbil, guinea pig, and ferret, also have wider ranges of hearing than people. Goldfish, however, have rather limited hearing. They can only sense noises between 20 and 3,000 Hz.

Many other animals can hear an impressive range of sounds. For example, elephants can sense extremely low frequencies, all the way down to 16 Hz. This allows elephants to hear approaching clouds as they rumble through the air. Beluga whales also have quite the range—between 1,000 and 123,000 Hz.

However, none of these animals have the best hearing. That award actually goes to an insect! The moth can hear the widest range of frequencies, going up to 300,000 Hz. Researchers think the moth’s sharp sense of hearing may have evolved to help it escape from its most common predator: the bat.

After all, bats have some of the best ears among mammals. Thanks to echolocation, they’re able to sense sounds between 2,000 and 110,000 Hz. This aids bats in hunting. That’s why the moth’s hearing capacity is so useful to that lucky insect.

The bat’s ears may seem like an obvious giveaway to its impressive hearing. However, animals don’t need bat-like ears to hear. In fact, some don’t have ears at all! Just look at the members of the cephalopodclass—including squids and octopuses. They don’t have ears, and for many years, experts didn’t think they had a sense of hearing. Today, though, we know these earless creatures do hear, but at a limited, low range of frequencies.

Of course, not all animals can hear. Just like humans, many animals are born without hearing or lose the ability after illness or injury. If you’ve ever known a dog or cat who was hearing impaired, you know they find other clever ways to communicate, just like people do.

Moths may take the prize, but many members of the animal kingdom possess excellent hearing. For many, this means the difference between finding food and ending up on the dinner menu themselves. The next time you’re in nature, pay attention to the animals around you. Can you tell which ones have wider ranges of hearing based on how they act

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Where is the boiling river of the Amazon?

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Where is the boiling river of the Amazon?

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When you think of the

Amazon, what comes to mind? Some may envision thick, impenetrable jungle. Others may imagine monkeys and other exotic creatures thriving in a tropical enviorment. Adventurers may remember ancient legends about lost civilations and ancient cities of gold.

But what about small villages of indigenous peoples living near a small river that shamans believe is the home of powerful spirits? A river so hot that anything that happens to fall into it gets boiled alive?

Does that sound like the stuff of myths and legends? That's what Andrés Ruzo always thought when his grandfather would tell him stories about a river deep in the Amazon jungle of Peru called Shanay-timpishka, which loosely translets to "boiled with the heat of the Sun."

According to legend, the headwaters of this river were marked by a boulder shaped like a serpent’s head. The hot waters of the river supposedly came from a giant snake spirit called Yacumama ("Mother of the Waters").

Ruzo believed the river was only a myth until he created a thermal map of Peru as part of his graduate studies to become a geophysicist. He noticed a large hot spot in the central Peruvian Amazon. He was eventually able to find and study the Boiling River of the Amazon, which flows near a small indigenous community called Mayantuyacu.

Although known by local shamans and indigenous peoples for hundreds of years and even discovered by foreign oil field researchers in the 1930s, the Boiling River has only been studied recently after Ruzo took an interest in this geologic anomaly.

The total Boiling River system is about 5.5 miles long. The waters of the river start off cold, but they heat up and flow hot for about the last four miles of the river. How hot? The steaming waters can reach temperatures of about 200˚ F, which is hot enough to kill just about any creature unlucky enough to fall into its waters.

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you love to swim in the ocean? Who doesn’t, right? The sand, the sun, the cool water . . . what’s not to love? But have you ever been in the water and suddenly felt yourself being pulled away from the shore?Uh oh! That’s the last feeling you want when you’re in the water. But many people experience this when they’re at the beach. What’s going on here? More than likely, they’re experiencing a phenomenon known as a rip current.A rip current can pull even strong swimmers out to sea. What causes rip currents? Think of what happens in an ocean. Waves continually break upon the shore. One after the other, they never stop. All that water has to go somewhere, right?As waves break on the shore, water from previous waves runs underneath those currently breaking. This creates a gentle current that floats to the bottom of the ocean, which can pull you toward the ocean floor. This is an undertow, and it’s usually mild enough that it doesn’t present any danger except to small children and the weakest of swimmers.

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you love to swim in the ocean? Who doesn’t, right? The sand, the sun, the cool water . . . what’s not to love? But have you ever been in the water and suddenly felt yourself being pulled away from the shore?Uh oh! That’s the last feeling you want when you’re in the water. But many people experience this when they’re at the beach. What’s going on here? More than likely, they’re experiencing a phenomenon known as a rip current.A rip current can pull even strong swimmers out to sea. What causes rip currents? Think of what happens in an ocean. Waves continually break upon the shore. One after the other, they never stop. All that water has to go somewhere, right?As waves break on the shore, water from previous waves runs underneath those currently breaking. This creates a gentle current that floats to the bottom of the ocean, which can pull you toward the ocean floor. This is an undertow, and it’s usually mild enough that it doesn’t present any danger except to small children and the weakest of swimmers.

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Some people want to travel back in time to see how life was back in the day. Some people even want to prevent the invention of math. But take a step back. Who really invented Math?

Mathematics isn’t really an invention, it’s more like a discovery. Math encompasses many other kinds of studies, it can’t be attributed to one single person. Math has slowly adapted over thousands of years by thousands of people.

Math may got it’s start when prehistoric humans when they would be hunting or just sharing what they found. They would need to count, and they would need to divide the number of berries, of what ever they were splitting up.
Nowadays, there are many branches, or forms, of mathematics. They include: Algebra, geometry, calculus, and trigonometry!
Lots of people use math to do everyday work.
But most experts agree that math may have been invented in Ancient Greece that mathematics that math became an neat kind of science. But expanding our understanding of math is really handy in real life.

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Do you like

tongue twisters? If you do, you've probably tried to say “She sells sea shells by the sea shore" several times quickly. Try it right now, if you want! It can be more difficultthan you think.

Have you ever been to the sea shore? If you have, you know that there are many shops along the shore that sell sea shells. Some of those stores are operated by women, so you could definitely say that "she sells sea shells by the sea shore" when referring to such women.

The sea shells in shops by the sea shore can be beautiful. They come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and colors. There almost seems to be no end to the different kinds of sea shells you can find in these stores. But before you buy sea shells in a store, see what you can find on the beaches along the shore.

A leisurely stroll along the beach will reveal thousands upon thousands of sea shells. Many of them are mere pieces and fragments of complete shells, but it's also possible to find the kinds of complete, beautiful sea shells you'd find in the stores along the shore.

So where do all these sea shells come from? Is there an underseafactory where mermaids and dolphins work hard to produce shells that they then send on the waves to shore? That's not it at all! The sea shells you see scattered along the shore are actually former homes! Homes for whom? Mollusks, of course! Sea shells are the left-behind externalskeletons of mollusks.

Mollusks are small invertebrate animals that usually have delicate, slimy bodies. As mollusks grow, their shells protect their fragile bodies from the elements and predators that hunt them.

As mollusks live their daily lives in the sea, they take in salts and chemicals from the water around them. As they process these materials, they secrete calcium carbonate, which hardens on the outside of their bodies and begins to form a hard outer shell.

Although its shell is attached to it, it's not part of the living body of a mollusk. This is because the shell is formed from minerals, not mollusk cells. As mollusks continue to excrete calcium carbonate, their shells continue to grow. When a mollusk dies, it leaves its shell behind for you to find along the sea shore.

A mollusk's shell material, called nacre, is mostly calcium. However, it also usually has an outer layer of hard scleroprotein, which is similar to human fingernails.

There are many different types of mollusks. Moreover, different seas around the world offer mollusks all sorts of different diets. The different types of mollusks eating different types of diets explain the incredible variety of sea shells that can be seen on the shores of seas around the world.

For example, warm tropical waters provide more food sources for mollusks. As a result, tropical mollusks leave behind more colorful shells, since different foods provide different types of pigments. Cold-water mollusks, by comparison, tend to rely on more limited food supplies and leave behind shells that tend to be solid, darker colors.

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The good news is flus and coughs don’t effect us the same way they effect our animals.  So you don’t need to worry about giving your cat or dog the flu.

Many of the common sickness that pets encounter, such as heart worms, kennel cough and canine pervious.  The bad news is that there are plenty of diseases and illnesses that can spread from pets to humans.

Although pets can pass along  a variety of diseases and illnesses to humans, the dangers can be minimized by keeping your pets healthy.

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Today's Wonder of the Day takes a closer look at the

tail end of man's best friend. What are we talking about? Dogs' tails, of course!

If you love dogs, you know that they come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and colors. They can vary in so many different ways. One of their primary features — the tail — can also vary widely amongst different dog breeds.

Some dog breeds have long, shaggy tails that can wag so forcefullythat they can be wielded like a weapon! Other breeds have short, tiny tails that aren't much more than nubs.

https://d3mvlb3hz2g78.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/dreamstime_m_102282426.jpg This is a cute pic

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One of the most popular snacks in the United States of America.The most eaten food is rice them it is potato chips. Potato chip where accendetly made in 1853.In the summer 1853 Gorge Crum was a chef he works at the home lake lodge in Saratoga springs.Once a costumer complained that the fries where to thick.

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Earth’s seas are full of beautiful creatures. Do you have a favorite marine animal? Maybe you love seeing dolphins orjellyfish. Many people love octopuses! And for good reason. They are unlike anything we see on land. They stand out with their tentacles, ink sacs, and squishy bodies. Not to mention their huge, floppy ears!

What, you didn’t know octopuses have floppy ears? Well, they’re not really ears. But one genus of octopus does sport big, floppy fins that look like ears. The scientific name for this group is Grimpoteuthis. But people have also given them a more fitting name. It’s based on a certain animated character. Most people know these animals as dumbo octopuses!

In total, there are over 15 species of dumbo octopus. Experts don’t think they’re at risk of extinction, but it is very rare to see one. Why? Dumbo octopuses live very deep in the ocean. In fact, their habitat is deeper underwater than that of any other octopus. Many of them live 13,000 feet below the surface.

Dumbo octopuses are special in a few other ways, too. They’re the only octopuses that don’t shoot ink. And the way they swim is different, too. Most of their eight-tentacled cousins get around by shooting water out of siphons. Instead, the dumbo octopus swims around with the use of its ear-like fins.

Just how big is a dumbo octopus? They can vary from eight inches to six feet long. And, like other types of octopus, they can change color. This helps them hide from predators. It also lets them blend in with their surroundings while hunting their prey.

A dumbo octopus’s diet is made up of smaller animals it finds near the ocean floor. This includes worms, snails, and clams. The ocean floor is also where dumbo octopuses lay their eggs. They attach the eggs to rocks to keep them safe until they hatch.

Where are you most likely to spot what many call the world’s cutest cephalopod? Just go deep-sea diving in any ocean of the world. Dumbo octopuses are known to live all over the planet, including near New Zealand and California.

How would you like to see a dumbo octopus one day? Can you imagine an octopus that’s even cuter? You never know what you’ll find below the ocean’s surface. Experts estimate up to two-thirds of sea life has yet to be found!

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Ahh…summer! There’s nothing quite like the warm weather to get you outdoors. The days are longer, so you can stay outside and play until almost bedtime. When the Sun finally sets, it’s the perfect time to sit out on the porch to enjoy the cool breeze as the temperature begins to drop.

If you’re like many kids, you might want to turn on the porch light and grab a book to read. Of course, you might not be able to sit out and read for very long if some unwelcome guests arrive. What are we talking about? The bugs attracted to the porch light, of course!

If you’ve ever spent much time outside after dark on a summer night, you’ve probably noticed how certain bugs are attracted to light, whether it’s a porch light, a streetlight, or a campfire flame. Some bugs just seem drawn to and mesmerized by these lights. What’s up with that?

Science doesn’t yet have a final answer for why moths, flies, and other insects. There are several theories that might explain why certain insects seem attracted to light.

Something called phototaxis explains how creatures respond to lightwith motion. Insects--like moths--that move toward lights are positively phototactic. Other insects--like cockroaches--that move away from lights, are negatively phototactic.

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Do you enjoy going

barefoot? On the first warm day of spring, it's nice to feel the fresh blades of grass tickling your toes. On a hot summer day, there's nothing like the sensation of sand between your toes as you walk on the beach.

Most of the time, though, you probably wear shoes. If you're like many kids, you probably have a variety of shoes designed for different tasks. Tennis shoes work great for gym class. Flip flops make the walk from the beach to the shower easier. Hiking boots allow you to tackle toughterrain with ease.

A trip to your nearest shoe store will reveal a wide variety of shoes: running shoes, basketball shoes, soccer cleats, dress shoes, high heels, clogs, mukluks, boat shoes, work boots, and the list goes on and on. Who makes all these different shoes? Do they all come from the same factory?

Shoes date back to the earliest days of primitive man. It didn't take long walking on rough ground and rocks to figure out that some protectionfor the feet was necessary.

For thousands of years, shoes were crafted by hand out of natural materials, including animal skins. While it's still possible to find handcrafted shoes, they tend to be expensive and relatively rare.

Most of the shoes we wear today are mass-produced in factories for the multitude of shoe manufacturers that exist around the world. For example, shoe giant Nike primarily uses factories in Asia to make its iconic sneakers, including countries such as China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, India, and Thailand.

The exact steps of production vary by factory, equipment, material, and shoe design. Even the simplest shoe designs can require nearly 100 steps from start to finish. More complex designs can include 400 steps or more!

While shoe designs vary greatly, most shoes contain some common, basic parts: sole, insole, outsole, midsole, heel, and upper. Depending upon specific designs, shoes may also contain a lining, tongue, quarter, welt, or backstay.

A variety of specialized machines are used to manufacture all of these separate pieces and, ultimately, fit them together to create a finished pair of shoes. Despite the number of steps and materials involved, a pair of shoes can be manufactured much more quickly in a factory than by hand.

To make the shoe-manufacturing process more efficient, modern factories use a manufacturing process known as nesting, which divides up the many steps of shoe production into several different departments within the factory.

These departments usually bear names that reflect the specific tasksthey perform, such as designing, cutting, machining, sewing, assembling, and finishing. While many different machines perform specialized tasks, many humans are also essential to make the process run smoothly.

Today's shoes boast a dizzying array of materials. Leather, plastic, cloth, and rubber remain popular materials. Thanks to technology, though, you'll also find advanced materials in many shoes, including ethylene vinyl acetate, polyurethane foam, and gel or liquid silicone.

Does the shoe-manufacturing process seem a bit complicated? There certainly are many steps, machines, and people necessary to produce a modern pair of shoes. But don't forget that there's one more aspect that makes things just a little bit more difficult: every shoe design also has to be manufactured in a wide variety of different sizes!

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Do you like to play music? Many kids do! Some learn to play instruments—like the violin, guitar, or piano. Others like to sing or play the drums. If you enjoy both music and technology, maybe you use a synthesizer to string together new songs.

Does that sound like you? If so, you may already know a thing or two about the topic of today’s Wonder of the Day. We’re talking about Vocaloid—the widely used voice synthesizing software. It enables users to make songs complete with lyrics right from their computers.

Vocaloid has been around since 2000. That year, a man named Kenmochi Hideki worked with the company Yamaha. Together, they made the first version of the technology. Since then, Vocaloid software has continued to improve and grow in popularity.

How does Vocaloid work? It uses voice banks made from the sounds of real human voices. These voice banks are attached to characters that usually take the form of anime figures. Once a user chooses a voice bank, they can type lyrics and melody directly into the program. Then, Vocaloid turns these inputs into a song.

Yamaha released the fifth version of Vocaloid software in 2018. Today, voice banks come in five languages: Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, and English. However, most options are in Japanese, as Vocaloid songs are most popular in Japan.

The most widely known Vocaloid character today is Hatsune Miku. Animators draw her as a Japanese teenager with turquoise hair. Voiced by actor Saki Fujita, the character has been featured in over 100,000 songs. In fact, Hatsune Miku is so popular that some people even call her a virtual pop star. In English, her name translates to “the first sound from the future.”

Hatsune Miku may be the most well-known Vocaloid character, but others have also gained popularity in recent years. A few examples are Meiko, Kaito, and Kagamine Rin. A character named Oliver is the most widely used English-speaking Vocaloid.

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What would you think if you heard Opal, Andrew, Katrina, Hugo, Camille, and Irene were coming to town? Who are they? Long-lost relatives flying in for a family reunion?

Not quite! In fact, they're not even people at all. They're past hurricanes! Let's find out how these super storms are born.

Each year, as summer turns to fall, hurricanes begin to appear. These large storms usually occur in the southern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, or the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Sometimes people think hurricanes are like big tornadoes. They're actually quite different, though.

While a tornado might cover a mile or two of ground, hurricanes are huge tropical storms that can sometimes be as large as 600 miles across. If you look at a map of the United States, you'll see that a hurricane that large would stretch from Philadelphia to Indianapolis!

Tornadoes also usually last no more than a few minutes. Hurricanes, however, can last more than a week because they travel slowly at speeds of only 10 to 20 miles per hour as they cross the ocean.

Hurricanes are defined by their extremely strong winds that can blow from 75 to 200 miles per hour. Before a storm becomes a hurricane, it starts out as a tropical storm. Tropical storms have wind speeds between 39 and 74 miles per hour.

Even though these storms are not yet hurricanes, they can still cause damage and flooding. Once a tropical storm's wind speeds reach or exceed 75 miles per hour, the storm becomes classified as a hurricane.

Not all tropical storms become hurricanes. Wonder why? The key ingredient to forming a hurricane is warm water.

During the warmer months of hurricane season, the waters in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico are the perfect temperature to create hurricanes. As warm, moist air rises from the water into the atmosphere, it creates an area of low pressure underneath.

This causes air from the surrounding areas to flow into the low pressure area. Eventually this air becomes heated and rises into the atmosphere, and the cycle repeats itself.

In this way, hurricanes are kind of like a big engine with a constant supply of intake and exhaust. The “intake" is the cooler air that keeps the cycle going. The “exhaust" is the warm air rising into the atmosphere.

As this cycle continues, clouds and storms form, creating a giant, spinning storm.

When you look at satellite images of a hurricane, you may notice a hole at the center of the storm. This hole is called the “eye" of the hurricane.

As the eye passes over land, the weather becomes very calm. Once the eye passes, though, the winds begin again as the second part of the storm passes over.

Unfortunately, there is no way to stop a hurricane. They do tend to lose strength once they move over land.

Without warm ocean water to continue fueling them, hurricanes will eventually diminish in size and speed until they disappear.

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Longest Home Runs hit in Yankee Stadium (2009-2014)

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n warm summer days, there's nothing quite like spending the day at your favorite ballpark. Whether you're playing baseball or softball or watching your favorite team do battle against its rival, great memories are sure to be made!

If you've ever played baseball or softball, you know that one of the true joys of stepping up to the plate is making solid contact with the ball. A base hit — or even a double or a triple — can be thrilling. In fact, there's only one thing that tops those. What are we talking about? A home run, of course!

Whether you call it a homer, a dinger, or a blast over the outfield fence, the ultimate batting achievement is to take a big swing, hear the satisfying crack of the bat as it hits the ball, and watch the ball sailthrough the air until it clears the playing field and lands in the stands.

Home runs are definitely one of the most exciting parts of a major league baseball game. Fans jump and shout for joy when a player knocks one out of the park. It's quite a sight to see a professionalbaseball player hit a fastball hundreds of feet in the air. In fact, it's so exciting that one of the highlights of the major league baseball season is the Home Run Derby that occurs every year right before the All-Star Game.

Baseball fans love statistics, and plenty of statistics are kept for home runs. One of the most cherished records in all of major league baseball is the most career home runs. Held by many years by baseball legend Babe Ruth, the career home run record was broken in 1974 by Hank Aaron. Aaron retired with a total of 755 career home runs.

Aaron's record would stand for over 30 years. In 2007, Barry Bonds broke Aaron's record and eventually retired with 762 career home runs. How long will Bonds' record stand? No one knows!

Another record that baseball fans are often curious about is the longest home run ever hit. Unfortunately — and surprisingly, given baseball's fascination with statistics — there's no easy, clear-cut answer to the question of who hit the longest home run!

“How can that be?" is a question that may immediately come to mind. With all the statistics and records kept in baseball, plus the technology available today, how can we not know who hit the longest home run?

The main reason why statistics aren't kept on home run distances is that it's simply too hard to measure accurately the distance a ball travels. If you're in a wide-open field, you can hit a ball as far as possible and then measure the distance from where you hit the ball to where it landed.

In major league stadiums, however, a home run ball rarely ever completes an unimpeded journey to the ground. If you think about the home runs you've witnessed, you'll understand the problem. When a home run ball clears the outfield fence, it usually hits a wall, a pole, a roof, a scoreboard, a seat, or even a fan's glove.

Modern stadiums have software that can estimate how far a home run ball travels before it hits one of these objects. Such an estimate is an approximate distance, but it's not exact and can't predict how far the ball would've traveled unimpeded. Plus, today's technology wasn't around for the thousands upon thousands of home runs that have been hit since baseball began.

All that being said, there are some historic blasts that many baseball experts can agree would definitely be in the running for the longest home run ever. When researching longest home runs, you'll likely run across claims that legends like Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth hit home runs well over 600 feet.

When you consider that many baseball stadiums have centerfield fences around 400 feet from home plate, such blasts would be truly spectacular. Unfortunately, those mammoth distances were measured from where the ball stopped rolling after bouncing several times — not where it first landed.

When considering only landing distance, however, there are a few home runs that arguably measured well over 500 feet. For example, Reggie Jackson's famous home run at Tiger Stadium during the 1971 All-Star Game is thought to have traveled approximately 532 feet. Its distance would have been even greater had it not hit a light tower!

Others believed to have hit home runs in excess of 500 feet include Ted Williams, Mark McGwire, and Cecil Fielder. Of course, legends such as Mantle and Ruth (and others!) would probably be in that club, too, had today's technology been available back when they played!

Wonder Words (18)

RIVAL

JOY

TRIPLE

BLAST

SAIL

TRAVEL

DINGER

ACHIEVEMENT

DERBY

JOURNEY

ACCURATELY

MAMMOTH

SATISFY

PROFESSIONAL

HIGHLIGHT

STATISTIC

CHERISH

UNIMPEDED

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Wonder What's Next?

Your dentist will appreciate tomorrow’s Wonder of the Day!

Try It Out

Did today's Wonder of the Day make you want to step up to the plate and swing for the fences? Grab a ball, a bat, and a few friends or family members to explore the following activities:

How far can you hit a baseball or a softball? Find out! Grab a bat and a ball, along with a friend or family member or two, and find a ball field to have some fun. Play an informal game or just engage in a little batting practice. It's up to you! Take turns pitching and batting. Can you or any of your friends or family members hit one over the fence? If at first you don't succeed, try, try again!

If you wanted to hit the farthest home run you possibly could, should you choose a wooden bat or a metal bat? Check out past Wonder of the Day: Which Bat Is Best? to learn more about the different types of bats. Which bat do you think would be best for hitting long home runs?

Do you have an idea how far the farthest home runs have been hit? If you've ever been to a major league baseball stadium, you might have some idea of how far it is from home plate to the outfield fence. Today, grab a measuring device, such as a tape measure, and measure out 400 and 500 feet from a certain point. For example, you could stand in front of your house on the sidewalk and measure 400 and 500 feet in the same direction down the sidewalk. What do you think? Do these distances seem closer or farther than you thought they'd be? Do they make you more or less impressed with the longest home runs in history?

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Longest Home Runs hit in Yankee Stadium (2009-2014)

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Do you know how to draw a

rabbit? Of course you do! Who doesn’t, right? Cute…fluffy…cotton-ball tail…long ears…and one other feature you’re bound to see in just about any picture drawn of a rabbit. What are we talking about? Big teeth, of course!

If you love cartoons, you’ve probably enjoyed comical battles between Elmer Fudd and Bugs Bunny. Bugs has the required fluffy fur, tail, and long ears. He also has the big buck teeth that most people associate with rabbits. How else could he munch on all those carrots?

Real rabbits in the wild don’t look quite like Bugs Bunny, of course. After all, they’re not really tall and they don’t stand on two feet and walk like a human. Most rabbits also don’t have huge buck teeth like Bugs Bunny, either. Still, they do have impressive chompers for such small creatures.

Those big front teeth are called incisors. They get all the attention, but an adult rabbit actually has a full set of 28 teeth. There are six incisorstotal: two on the top, two on the bottom, and two “peg teeth.“ These are tiny teeth located right behind the upper incisors. Rabbits also have “cheek teeth” along the sides of their mouths: 12 on top and 10 on the bottom.

Rabbits use their incisors, which have sharp edges, to slice like scissors through the rough, fibrous vegetation they eat. Their cheek teeth help them chew their food into smaller pieces that are easier to swallow.

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Have you ever stopped to WONDER why the ocean is blue, though? After all, when you turn on your tap at home and fill a clear glass with water, it doesn't appear blue, does it? Nope! It's clear as can be. So why would the ocean water appear blue?

For many years, people believed (and some still do!) that the ocean is blue because it reflects the blue sky. The real reason the ocean appears blue does involve reflection, but it's not because the ocean acts as a mirror to the sky.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the ocean is blue because of how it absorbs sunlight. When sunlight hits an ocean's waters, the water molecules naturally absorb the light rays.

Not all rays are absorbed in the same way, however. Water molecules mainly absorb longer wavelengths of light, such as those in the red, orange, yellow, and green wavelengths. Shorter wavelengths, like the blue wavelengths, tend to get reflected back to our eyes. This is why we usually see ocean water as blue.

Ocean water doesn't always look blue, though. And sometimes it appears to be deeper blue than at other times. For example, the farther out in the ocean you go, the deeper the water gets. The more water there is, the more light gets absorbed. That's why deep ocean waters may appear dark navy blue.

Shallow waters closer to shore may be other lighter shades of blue or even other colors, such as green. These colors may result from reflections of light bouncing off of the ocean floor, floating sediments, or plant life, like algae and phytoplankton.

You may also notice that other bodies of water, like rivers and ponds, appear to be colors other than blue. Some rivers, for example, may appear to be a muddy brown rather than a beautiful blue. The brown color of some bodies of water often results from the presence of sediments in the water, especially after the water has been stirred up by a storm or heavy rains.

If you've ever seen the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean, which are usually shades of light green rather than clear, you may have WONDERed why those ocean waters are so much clearer than others.

Some people believe the Caribbean waters are cleaner and contain less pollution. That can certainly be true and have an impact. However, the colors are much more likely a result of the particular characteristics of the body of water in question.

For example, the plant life that exists in many Caribbean waters can contribute to more green light being reflected back. Some Caribbean waters that are exceptionally beautiful also tend to be more shallow. In addition, the composition of the ocean floor can have an effect. The ocean floor in the Caribbean often contains coral, which can reflect light differently than the sands found in many other areas.

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Are you a

fan of baseball? If so, you know that the major leagues are filled with talented players from all walks of life. Teams include people of different races and nationalities. Sadly, though, that was not always the case.

Years ago, athletes of different races had to play in separate leagues. This lasted until 1947. That was the year one man broke the color barrierin baseball. His name was Jackie Robinson.

Jack Roosevelt “Jackie” Robinson was born in Cairo, Georgia, on January 31, 1919. He was the youngest of five children. Robinson and his siblings were raised by their single mother. The family did not have much money. But Robinson was able to attend Pasadena Junior College. There, he shone in four sports: baseball, basketball, football, and track.

Robinson was a great athlete. He moved on to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). There, he became the first athlete ever to earn a varsity letter in four sports. But financial hardship forced him to leave UCLA before graduating.

Robinson moved to Hawaii to play semi-professional football. His season was cut short, though. The United States had entered World War II. From 1942 to 1944, he served in the U.S. Army. An incident at Fort Hood, Texas, in 1944 would foretell the important role in history Robinson would eventually play.

At Fort Hood, a bus driver demanded that Robinson give up his seat. He was told to move to the back of a segregated bus. Robinson refused. As a result, he was arrested. Later, he was acquitted of the charges after the public learned of the injustice.

Robinson’s courage to stand up for himself was an important first step. He would have a long fight for civil rights. After leaving the Army in 1944, he played professional baseball.

At the time, professional baseball was segregated. That meant White and Black players played in separate leagues. Still, Robinson excelled as always. Soon, he was chosen by Branch Rickey to join the all-White Montreal Royals. This was a farm team for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

On April 15, 1947, Robinson played his first game for the Brooklyn Dodgers. That day, he became the first Black baseball player in the major leagues.

Many people were ready for integration in major league sports. But many others were unhappy about it. Robinson had many hard times as he faced racism. This came from baseball fans, other teams, and even some of his own teammates. He persevered through it all, though. Robinson became an inspiration to millions of people.

In addition to being an inspiration to the civil rights movement, Robinson was a great baseball player. He won Rookie of the Year in his first season. He went on to win Most Valuable Player in 1949. Over the course of his decade with the Dodgers, he maintained a .311 batting average. He even led the Dodgers to victory in the 1955 World Series.

Robinson’s success in the major leagues paved the way for other Black athletes. After retiring from baseball, he continued to work for civil rights and other important social causes.

In 1962, Robinson became the first Black player inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. In 1972, the Dodgers retired his uniform number: 42. In 1997, Major League Baseball retired the uniform number 42 across all major league teams. This was the first time that had happened in any sport. Today, baseball still honors Jackie Robinson every April 15. That day, every player on every team wears #42 on “Jackie Robinson Day.”

STANDARDS: CCRA.L.3, CCRA.L.6, CCRA.R.1, CCRA.R.2, CCRA.R.4, CCRA.R.10, CCRA.SL.1, CCRA.W.2, CCRA.W.4, CCRA.L.1, CCRA.L.2

Wonder Contributors

WE’D LIKE TO THANK:

Prathik,  Javon, and  Eli from FL
for contributing questions about today’s Wonder topic!

Keep WONDERing with us!

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So how did all this balloon artistry get started? No one knows for sure. Several historians believe the art may have gotten its start with Herman Bonnert from Scranton, Pennsylvania, who some believe started twisting balloons into animal shapes at magicians' conventions in the late 1930s.

Others believe the ancient Aztecs may have been the first balloon artists. Of course, they didn't have the kind of balloons we have today. They created their own homemade balloons from the dried and inflated bladders of dead animals.

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Who invented balloons? | Most entertaining facts about party balloons

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Are Lions Really the Kings of the Jungle?

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Are Lions Really the Kings of the Jungle?

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However, some of our Wonder Friends have been asking . . . are lions really the kings of the jungle? According to experts, the answer is technically no. In fact, lions don’t even live in the jungle. Instead, you’ll find them in desert habitats.

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Would you ever go

bungee jumping? How about parachutingout of an airplane? Maybe you’d like to try out a human catapult. These forms of recreation are thrilling for some. Others find them scary. If you’re looking for a sport with a bit of danger, you may enjoy mountain climbing.

Specifically, some thrill-seeking mountain climbers tackle the challenge of climbing Mount Everest. At 29,029 feet (8,848 meters) above sea level, it’s the highest mountain in the world. The first people to reach its summit were Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953. Since then, over 4,000 people have reached the mountain’s peak.

To do so, climbers must enter the most dangerous part of the mountain. It’s called the “death zone.” To prepare, climbers must give their bodies time to get used to higher altitude. That’s why they normally spend several weeks climbing Mount Everest. They stop to rest every few thousand feet. When they reach 26,247 feet (8,000 meters), they’ve entered the death zone.

How dangerous is the death zone? That far above sea level, the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere falls 40 percent. This makes it difficult for the human body to get the oxygen it needs. Combined with the physical exertion of climbing the mountain, this can be deadly. Some climbers have compared the experience to “running on a treadmill and breathing through a straw.”

Every cell in your body needs oxygen to carry out its job. For that reason, the low-oxygen nature of the death zone makes it a very dangerous place. It can have dire effects on the human body.

One of these is swelling of the brain. This may lead to high altitudecerebral edema (HACE). HACE can cause nausea and vomiting. Even more dangerous, it can lead to difficulty thinking. In the death zone, climbers can forget where they are or even have hallucinations. This can make a dangerous climb even more life-threatening.

Many climbers experience high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) in the death zone. Symptoms of HAPE include fluid in the lungs, fatigue, and weakness. Climbers affected by HAPE can also feel like they’re suffocating. They will have a persistent cough. They may cough up white, frothy fluid.

Other dangers posed by the death zone are snow blindness andfrostbite. Snow blindness is the temporary inability to see due to the glare from snow and ice. Frostbite can affect any exposed skin. The temperatures on Mount Everest are low enough to freeze skin instantly.

Mount Everest isn’t the only peak with a death zone. In fact, the world’s 14 highest mountains all have death zones. All of these are located in the Himalaya and Karakoram Ranges on the continent of Asia. Some avid mountain climbers make it their goal to reach the top of all 14.

Would you like to climb Mount Everest one day? How would you protect yourself from the death zone? Mountain climbing requires both skill and preparation. If you’re interested in this sport, spend some time learning about the important safety precautions today.

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Do you love to swim in the ocean? Who doesn’t, The sand, the sun, the cool water . . . what’s not to love? But have you ever been in the water and suddenly felt yourself being pulled away from the shore?

Uh oh! That’s the last feeling you want when you’re in the water. But many people experience this when they’re at the beach. What’s going on here? More than likely, they’re experiencing a phenomenon known as a rip current.

A rip current can pull even strong swimmers out to sea. What causes rip currents? Think of what happens in an ocean. Waves continually break upon the shore. One after the other, they never stop. All that water has to go somewhere, right?

As waves break on the shore, water from previous waves runs underneath those currently breaking. This creates a gentle current that floats to the bottom of the ocean, which can pull you toward the ocean floor. This is an undertow, and it’s usually mild enough that it doesn’t present any danger except to small children and the weakest of swimmers.

Sometimes, though, certain weather patterns cause heavy wave action. At these times, the water from breaking waves may build up. As it does so, it seeks a weak point in the breaking waves. When it finds one, it pushes quickly out to sea, creating a rip current that runs quickly away from shore along the surface of the water.

Rip currents can be very strong. They’re also fast, moving up to eight feet per second. That’s faster than an Olympic swimmer! Strong rip currents can even be deadly. They cause as many as 150 deaths each year. In Florida, rip currents cause more deaths every year than thunderstorms, hurricanes, and tornadoes combined!

Some regions are more prone to rip currents than others. This is because of the particular shape of the coastline in the area. You may see warning signs nearby telling swimmers to be wary of rip currents.

If you’re WONDERing what to do if you ever find yourself caught in a rip current, you might be surprised by the answer.

The natural reaction is to swim toward shore. However, even experienced swimmers can tire out quickly before ever reaching the shoreline when they’re caught in a rip current. Instead, focus on staying afloat. Don’t try to swim against the current. The best thing to do is to swim sideways along the shoreline—parallel to shore—until you find a weak point in the current. Then, swim at an angle away from the current and toward shore.

If you’re swimming in an unfamiliar area, be sure to ask locals about the currents. You should also be aware of any posted warning signs and take them seriously. Ignoring them can be a costly, potentially deadly, mistake!

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Do aquarium fish live in salt water or fresh water

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Do aquarium fish live in salt water or fresh water

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f you like aquariums like we do, you might have WONDERed if the fish in aquariums swim in freshwater or saltwater. As it turns out, aquariums can be filled with either freshwateror saltwater. It just depends upon what kind of fish you want to raise.

There are many different types of fish all over the world. Some live in freshwater, such as rivers and lakes, while others live in saltwateroceans. If you want to raise fish in an aquarium, you need to create a place for them that's similar to their native environment.

You can get a many different kinds of fish at a local pet store or exoticfish store. Freshwater fish frequently come from farms where they are raised to be sold in pet stores. Some types of freshwater fish you may know include bettas, angelfish, goldfish and rainbow fish.

Saltwater fish tend to be wild fish from the ocean imported from all over the world. Saltwater fish require a special environment that includes stable temperature and water conditions. Oceans, because of their size, tend to stay the same most of the time and change very slowly, if at all.

To copy ocean conditions in an aquarium, you may need to use a larger tank that can hold more water. You also have to keep a close eye on the tank's water values to make sure water temperature and chemical levels stay constant.

Some popular saltwater fish varieties include lionfish, clownfish, seahorses, eels, groupers and angels. Angels, for example, are very beautiful, but they can be very difficult to raise because they are sensitive to even the smallest changes in the water.

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Witch came first chess or checkers(grafts)

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Witch came first chess or checkers(grafts)

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https://wonderopolis.org/wonder_video/YouTube/YeB-1F-UKO0/

1,500 years ago in India, the ancient  game of chess was believed to be invented in the sixth century.
The game was eventually spread to  Persia. Witch was then migrated into Arabic culture.

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Do aquarium fish live in freshwater or saltwater?

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Do aquarium fish live in freshwater or saltwater?

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f you like aquariums like we do, you might have WONDERed if the fish in aquariums swim in freshwater or saltwater. As it turns out, aquariums can be filled with either freshwateror saltwater. It just depends upon what kind of fish you want to raise.

There are many different types of fish all over the world. Some live in freshwater, such as rivers and lakes, while others live in saltwateroceans. If you want to raise fish in an aquarium, you need to create a place for them that's similar to their native environment.

You can get a many different kinds of fish at a local pet store or exoticfish store. Freshwater fish frequently come from farms where they are raised to be sold in pet stores. Some types of freshwater fish you may know include bettas, angelfish, goldfish and rainbow fish.

Saltwater fish tend to be wild fish from the ocean imported from all over the world. Saltwater fish require a special environment that includes stable temperature and water conditions. Oceans, because of their size, tend to stay the same most of the time and change very slowly, if at all.

To copy ocean conditions in an aquarium, you may need to use a larger tank that can hold more water. You also have to keep a close eye on the tank's water values to make sure water temperature and chemical levels stay constant.

Some popular saltwater fish varieties include lionfish, clownfish, seahorses, eels, groupers and angels. Angels, for example, are very beautiful, but they can be very difficult to raise because they are sensitive to even the smallest changes in the water.

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Have you ever seen someone riding a unicycle? If you have, you probably remember it. A unicycle looks similar to a bicycle except that there's only one wheel and no handlebar. Although it's a skill that can take a while to master, anyone can learn to ride a unicycle.

No one knows for sure who invented the unicycle or when. Experts generally agree that the unicycle came about as a result of an early type of bicycle known as a “penny-farthing" (so-called because of its resemblance to the relative size difference between the British penny and farthing coins).

These early bicycles contained a rather large front wheel connected to a much smaller rear wheel. Legend has it that people riding penny-farthings eventually learned that they could lean forward and ride only on the front wheel.

Eventually someone removed the rear wheel and the unicycle was born.

Modern unicycles are like basic, less-complex bicycles. With only one wheel, unicycles have a seat, called a "saddle," which is connected via the seat post to the frame.

The frame sits atop the axle bearings, and the pedals directly control the movement of the wheel. This is different than regular bicycles that use a chain to transfer the energy of the pedals' motion to the wheels.

Unicycles are more difficult to ride than bicycles. Riders must maintain their balance from front to back, as well as side to side.

To get moving, riders must learn to “fall" in the direction they wish to go before correcting the fall by pedaling the unicycle to bring the single wheel back under their center of gravity.

As they move, riders must learn to control their center of gravity. If they “fall" forward, they can accelerate, while falling backward will enable them to decelerate as they correct their fall by once again bringing the wheel back directly under their center of gravity.

While this sounds simple enough, perfecting these techniques on a unicycle is another matter altogether! With only one wheel below you and no handlebars, learning the delicate balance required to ride a unicycle is a challenge for most people.

Although unicycles remain relatively rare, there are more unicycle riders today than ever before. Unicycles have even moved beyond the basic unicycle model most people have seen.

If you're into unicycle racing or unicycle basketball, you'll probably be interested in a sport unicycle. Of course, if you're a fan of rough, off-road terrain, then the mountain unicycle may be for you.

If you're a clown or a circus performer, a comical unicycle with a really small wheel may be just the ticket. Or, you could always go for the comic effect of the giraffe unicycle!

Wo

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Do you love to read? Your teachers probably tell you how important reading is all the time. And guess what? They're right!

Reading helps you in many ways beyond just being able to read and get good grades in Language Arts. Being an avid reader helps you become a better speller. Reading can also help you become a better writer. In fact, the more you read, the better you'll do in all your subjects.

Do you have friends who always have books in their hands? We bet you catch them reading all the time. Sometimes those people who like to read all the time are called bookworms. Is it because they look like earthworms? No! So where did that nickname come from?

A bookworm is someone who loves reading books. These people are also called bibliophiles. Bibliophiles sometimes love books so much that they choose to collect them, too.

Some old libraries became musty and attracted various pests. Some of these pests took the form of insects and worms who loved to eat paper and the glue in the bindings of books. These pests would spend their entire lives inside of books. It was only natural to transfer the “bookworm" idea to humans who loved to consume (read) books as much as these pests did.

So if you see a trip to the library as an adventure and are always on the lookout for a new book to read, you're probably a bookworm. And that's OK! There are millions of us in the world.

When you love books, it can be a lot of fun to share a great book with a friend. Seeing a friend read and enjoy a book as much as you do can be very satisfying. It can also strengthen friendships, as you discuss the books you share with each other.

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Today’s game of checkers developed around the start of the 12th century. A Frenchman came up with the idea of playing checkers on a chess board. At that time, the game was called “Fierges” or “Ferses.” With a new board design and new rules set, the game made its way to England and the Americas.

Today, most English-speaking countries use a 64-space checker board. This is known as the short king board version. However, much of Europe and Asia use a checker board with 100 spaces. This is called the long king version. Some people in Canada even use a board with 144 spaces!

Checkers remains a popular game around the world today. For many children, it’s the first game they learn how to play. Teachers have long known that the simple game of checkers can provide significant training in thought and logic. Of course, it also keeps players occupied with fun competition. So checkers remains the first to be made before chess.

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Do you have a

pet at home? As pet owners know, sharing your home with a special animal can make life so much better.

Nothing turns a frown upside down quite like the wagging of a dog's tail. If you have a dog as a pet, you understand why they're often called "man's best friend." Cats are also cute and cuddly. Even fish are entertaining to watch and take care of.

Dogs, cats, and fish aren't the only good pets for kids, though. How about something small and fuzzy that squeaks when it's happy? What are we talking about? The guinea pig, of course!

If you use your scientific reasoning abilities, you might think that the humble guinea pig is a type of pig that originated in Guinea. Unfortunately, you would be wrong. The guinea pig is not a pig at all, and it did not come from Guinea.

Instead, guinea pigs are rodents. Their scientific name, Cavia porcellus, means "little pig" in Latin. Based upon their scientific name, they're also sometimes known as cavies. Their resemblance to pigs is limited to their slightly-pig-like shape, tendency to spend a lot of time eating, and occasionally grunting a bit like a pig.

Rather than Guinea, guinea pigs are thought to have originated in South America. Experts believe they may have been domesticated for food by Andean tribes as early as 5000 B.C. Today, all guinea pigs are domesticated, so they no longer exist in the wild.

The "guinea" part of their name may have come from the price of an animal in 16th-century England: one guinea. Others believe the animals came to Europe via ships from either Guyana in South America or Guinea in West Africa, thus leading to their name.

Guinea pigs even have identity problems in other languages. Germans know them as meerschweinchen, which means "little sea pigs." The French call them lapins de Barbarie, or "Barbary rabbits," while the Portuguese call them porchitas da India, or "little pigs from India."

Whatever the origin of their name, guinea pigs have become popularpets around the world. They can be found in a wide variety of breeds with different colors, patterns, and textures. They're usually eight to ten inches long and weigh two to three pounds.

Guinea pigs make great pets, because they're very social and thrive on human affection. Primarily active in the morning and evening, they like to eat, groom themselves, and explore their surroundings. As herbivores, guinea pigs love fresh fruits and vegetables, although most pet guinea pigs enjoy a diet consisting mostly of processed pellets made out of alfalfa or timothy hay and special nutrients.

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1874, Dr. Samuel W. Francis made the spork’s closest ancestor. It combined spoon, fork, and knife to provide for all dining needs. Francis didn’t call his invention a spork or sell it on a large scale. Still, others took notice. Over the years, other people improved the utensil. In 1951, Hyde W. Ballard trademarked the word "spork." Later, the Van Brode Milling Company filed a patent to make plastic sporks. The utensilquickly became a hit. Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) was the first restaurant to offer sporks to customers, but others quickly followed!

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Today’s Wonder of the Day is about a type of candy that many people enjoy. Which one are we talking about? Here’s a hint: it’s sugary, comes in a pouch, and goes Pop! when you put it in your mouth. Can you guess what it is? That’s right! We’re talking about Pop Rocks®.

Have you ever WONDERed what makes Pop Rocks . . . well, pop? It all comes down to how they’re made. This candy contains five main ingredients: sugar, lactose, corn syrup, water, and flavoring.

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Have you ever found Ireland on a map? If so, you know it’s part of the British Isles. The area is also home to Great Britain, which includes England, Scotland, and Wales. And, of course, much of the region is part of the United Kingdom (UK). The UK is made up of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Many people find the political and social structure of the British Isles a bit confusing. In today’s Wonder, we’ll look at one major 19th century event that shaped the Isles. What are we talking about? The Irish War of Independence, of course!

What led to the Irish War of Independence? Starting in 1169, Ireland was ruled by Great Britain. The two faced tension and conflict for centuries. Many times, Great Britain treated the Irish people badly.

One example of this was Ireland’s Great Famine of 1845-1852. During this emergency, a disease wiped out most of Ireland’s potato crop. At that time, about a third of Irish people relied on potatoes for most of their diet. Though it ruled the region, Great Britain did little to help feed the Irish people. As a result, around a million Irish people died from hunger and disease.

By the early 1900s, tensions came to a boiling point. Many people in Ireland called for independent rule of their country. This led to a policy called “Home Rule.” Its goal was a non-violent separation of Ireland from Great Britain. However, talks about Home Rule paused in 1914 when World War I began.

By 1916, though, separatists in Ireland were tired of waiting. Led by the Irish Republican Brotherhood, they rebelled on April 24 of that year. This was later called the Easter Rising. Great Britain crushed the uprising within a week. However, British violence against the rebels and their leaders led to even more calls for independence.

In the 1918 election, many Irish politicians supported independence. They ran for office as part of a political party called Sinn Feinn. In English, this name means “We Ourselves.“ The Sinn Feinn party won most of the Irish seats in British Parliament. However, these representatives refused to report to Great Britain. Instead, they set up an Irish Parliament in Dublin in January 1919.

At the same time, the Irish Republican Brotherhood joined with other rebel groups. They formed a new group called the Irish Republican Army (IRA). It fought for Irish independence. The IRA carried out guerrilla attacks against British forces in Ireland.

The IRA aimed many of its attacks at the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC). This was a police force in Ireland that was controlled by Great Britain. An early IRA attack targeted two RIC officers on January 19, 1919. This began the Irish War of Independence.

The IRA targeted property owned by the British government. This included buildings such as police barracks and tax offices. It also went after British authority figures. Members of the IRA were volunteers who relied on support from the local civilians. Many locals gave IRA members shelter and helped them escape authorities.

The fighting reached its climax on November 21, 1920. That morning, the IRA attacked British Intelligence officers in Dublin. They killed 14 people and wounded five. Later that day, British troops shot into a civilian crowd of Irish fans at a football match. Another 14 people were killed, with 65 wounded. This day is remembered as Bloody Sunday.

Following Bloody Sunday, violence continued to grow. Irish people, angry at British violence against civilians, refused to give in. Another surge of violence followed Great Britain’s attempt to dissolve the Irish Parliament in May 1921.

Finally, Ireland and Great Britain reached a truce on July 11, 1921. That December, they signed the Anglo-Irish Peace Treaty. This gave Ireland the power to self-govern, establishing the Irish Free State. However, six counties in the north of Ireland remained part of the United Kingdom. This region became known as a separate body called Northern Ireland.

The Irish Free State continued to work for full independence. It finally accomplished this in 1949, becoming the Republic of Ireland. After a long fight, Ireland was finally free from Great Britain. The Irish War of Independence is just one example of a nation fighting for the right to govern itself. What others can you think of?

STANDARDS: C3.D2.CIV.12, C3.D2.CIV.14, CCRA.R.4, CCRA.L.3, CCRA.L.6, CCRA.R.10, CCRA.R.1, CCRA.SL.3, CCRA.L.1 CCRA.W.1, CCRA.SL.1, CCRA.L.2 CCRA.W.2, NCAS.A.1, NCAS.A.2, NCAS.A.3

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Wonder Words (9)

SURGE

RULE

CRUSHED

TENSION

BARRACKS

DISSOLVE

BOILING POINT

SEPARATISTS

EMERGENCY

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Are you a fan of

big cats? Maybe you love learning about lions, leopards, and jaguars. You might even know that the cheetah is the world’s fastest animal or that tigers love to swim. If so, you’re sure to enjoy today’s Wonder of the Day. It’s all about ligers!

Have you ever seen the movie “Napoleon Dynamite”? If so, you’ve heard of ligers. According to Napoleon, they’re fascinating creatures bred for their skills in magic. Based on the movie, you might think that ligers are merely a figment of Napoleon’s imagination. After all, they sound sort of far-fetched, don’t they? Believe it or not, though, they’re real!

So what exactly is a liger? They’re the offspring of a male lion and a female tiger. Get it? Li-ger. Li(on) + (ti)ger! Ligers tend to have characteristics more like lions than tigers. If you’re looking for a big cat hybrid that’s more like a tiger, though, find a tigon. That’s the offspringof a male tiger and a female lion.

Ligers look like big lions with tiger-like stripes. Their stripes are usually rather light in color. Larger than either parent, ligers are arguably the biggest known cats in the world. For example, Hercules, a liger at Jungle Island theme park in Miami, weighs over 900 pounds. He is recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest living cat!

Like tigers, ligers like to swim. Like lions, they tend to be very sociable. Would you like to run into a liger at your local pool? Probably not!

You also won’t find ligers in the wild. They are hybrids created by human breeders in zoos or animal sanctuaries. There is very little chance that a liger would be born naturally outside of these places. That’s because tigers are found mainly in Asia while lions are found mainly in Africa.

In the distant past, the two species had far greater ranges. At some point, they may have overlapped. Could a liger have occurred naturally in the wild long ago? It’s possible, but not very likely.

According to historical records, ligers can be traced all the way back to the early 1800s. Some artwork from that time period even shows male lions and female tigers and their offspring. Would you like to see a liger in a zoo or animal sanctuary one day? Maybe you’d rather visit a tigon! What other animal hybrids would you like to see?

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Have you ever played a game of singles? How about doubles? Maybe you’ve played in a match that was a double bagel or served a shot with backspin. If you know any of these terms, you may be a tennis player. And if so, you’ll recognize the name at the center of today’s Wonder of the Day—Serena Williams!

Who is Serena Williams? Only one of the greatest tennis players of all time! Williams was born on September 26, 1981, in Saginaw, Michigan. Her family soon moved to Compton, California. There, Williams grew up with four older sisters.

By the time she was three, Williams’s father was teaching her to play tennis. Along with her sister, Venus, Serena quickly showed a talent for the sport. The two practiced tennis daily on Compton’s public courts.

When Serena was nine, the Williams family moved to Palm Beach, Florida. There, Serena and Venus both began playing against other junior tennis players. At that time, they also started working with a new coach. Their father, Richard Williams, had coached them until that point.

Serena became a professional tennis player in 1995. Right away, she was seen as an upcoming star. She proved herself on the court, and in 1999, Serena won her first Grand Slam in singles. In tennis, a Grand Slam is when a player wins all four major titles in the same year. This includes the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and U.S. Open.

For the next several years, Serena dominated women’s tennis. She also teamed up with Venus, who is a top professional tennis player herself. The two won gold in women’s tennis doubles at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

The Williams sisters won gold again in the Olympic women’s tennis doubles in 2008 and 2012. In 2012, Serena also won gold in women’s singles. Despite injuries in the early 2000s, she continued to win.

In 2017, Serena achieved her 23rd Grand Slam. Later, the tennis player revealed that she was pregnant when she achieved this feat. In September of that year, she gave birth to a daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian, Jr.

In addition to her accomplishments on the court, Serena Williams is also an entrepreneur. In 2009, she and Venus both became part owners of the Miami Dolphins. They are the first Black women to own part of a professional football team.

Serena has always been passionate about fashion. In 2018, she launched her own clothing line, called S. She added a jewelry line in 2019. Williams also invests in companies that value diverse leadership. She does so through her venture capital firm, Serena Ventures.

Today, Serena Williams lives in Florida with her husband, Alexis Ohanian, Sr., and their daughter. She returned to tennis in 2018 and still plays professionally.

Most would agree that Serena Williams is one of the top athletes of her time. What other athletes are you interested in? Spend more time learning about your sports heroes today!

STANDARDS: CCRA.R.4, CCRA.L.3, CCRA.L.6, CCRA.R.10, CCRA.R.1, CCRA.SL.3, CCRA.L.1, CCRA.W.2, CCRA.SL.1, CCRA.L.2, CCRA.R.1, CCRA.SL.2

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WE’D LIKE TO THANK:

Ariam,  Sara, and  Tanvi
for contributing questions about today’s Wonder topic!

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Wonder Words (9)

FEAT

LINE

DIVERSE

COACH

DOMINATED

DESPITE

FASHION

VENTURE CAPITAL

PASSIONATE

TAKE THE WONDER WORD CHALLENGE

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What is the history of Dungeons and Dragons?

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What is the history of Dungeons and Dragons?

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Do you have a strong imagination? Do you ever dream of setting out on a grand adventure with your closest friends? Maybe you picture a world where elves, goblins, and wizards

really exist. If this sounds like you, then we think you’ll enjoy today’s Wonder of the Day. It’s all about Dungeons & Dragons!

Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) is a very popular role-playing game. People of all ages can have fun creating their own character. These are often fantastic creatures, like sorcerers and wizards. Then, they play as the character they created and explore an imaginary world. Best of all, players can customize the game. Many decisions are up to the dungeon master, the person who builds and guides the adventure.

How did Dungeons & Dragons begin? It all started with two people named Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Together, they wrote the first 50-page D&D rule book in 1973. It grew from two other games Arneson and Gygax had previously created. These were called Chainmail and Blackmoor.

To print and sell the D&D rule book, Gygax started a company called Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. (TSR). Over the next decade, TSR saw great success. It distributed D&D all over the world. TSR even worked with Marvel to create a D&D television show.

Soon, however, things went south. Others in TSR pushed Gygax out of the company. Then, they made a string of bad business decisions. In the late-1990s, it looked like D&D may have reached the end of its road. Luckily, another gaming company called Wizards of the Coast bought TSR in 1997.

Quickly, Wizards of the Coast started publishing new and revamped D&D materials. It also gave the game’s third edition an Open Gaming License (OGL). That meant that anyone could create new adventures and settings based on the D&D rules. This led to the creation of a number of games based on Dungeons & Dragons, including Pathfinder and Starfinder. Today, D&D is on its fifth edition, which players call 5e. It includes many pre-written games and characters, which are great for beginners and D&D experts alike.

Why do so many people love to play Dungeons & Dragons? Many say it’s a great way to give your imagination a workout. They enjoy exploring a new world as a made-up character. The game also helps players build problem-solving, teamwork, and math skills. Plus, it’s a way to spend time having fun with friends and family members. Maybe you can suggest D&D for your next family game night!

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Sawfish are easy to identify by their long snouts that are edged with sharp teeth. Many people believe the sawfish snout, called a rostrum, looks like a saw.

There are two species of sawfish found in the shallow, coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico and even in freshwater rivers in the southern United States: the smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinate) and the largetooth sawfish (Pristis perotteti). Both species are closely related to sharks. There are also five other species found in other oceans around the world.

Sawfish can grow to be quite large. An average smalltooth sawfish grows to 18 feet (5.5 meters) in length, while larger individuals may grow as long as 25 feet (or about 7.5 meters). Unfortunately, the smalltooth sawfish is an endangered species. Experts believe habitat loss, overharvesting, and entanglement in fishing nets are the primary causes for the declining sawfish population.

Do sawfish pose a danger to swimmers? Not likely! Sawfish aren't known to attack humans, and they tend to stay away from areas where humans would swim, such as near beaches.

So what do they do with their fearsome saws? Are sawfish the lumberjacks of the sea? Not quite! Sawfish eat other fish and crustaceans. They use their saws to catch and kill their prey.

For years, many scientists believed sawfish primarily used their saws to dig through sediment on the sea floor to find crustaceans and small fish to eat. Recent research, however, has shown that the sawfish rostrum is a much more complex tool than just a simple shovel.

Scientists have learned that the sawfish rostrum contains thousands of tiny sensors (known as ampullary pores) that can detect the invisible electric fields that surround living organisms. Using these special sensors on their saws, sawfish can locate fish swimming in the waters around them. Once located, a quick back-and-forth swipe of their saw can also cut their food in half, making it easier to eat!

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o you have a strong imagination? Do you ever dream of setting out on a grand adventure with your closest friends? Maybe you picture a world where elves, goblins, and wizards really exist. If this sounds like you, then we think you’ll enjoy today’s Wonder of the Day. It’s all about Dungeons & Dragons!

Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) is a very popular role-playing game. People of all ages can have fun creating their own character. These are often fantastic creatures, like sorcerers and wizards. Then, they play as the character they created and explore an imaginary world. Best of all, players can customize the game. Many decisions are up to the dungeon master, the person who builds and guides the adventure.

How did Dungeons & Dragons begin? It all started with two people named Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Together, they wrote the first 50-page D&D rule book in 1973. It grew from two other games Arneson and Gygax had previously created. These were called Chainmail and Blackmoor.

To print and sell the D&D rule book, Gygax started a company called Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. (TSR). Over the next decade, TSR saw great success. It distributed D&D all over the world. TSR even worked with Marvel to create a D&D television show.

Soon, however, things went south. Others in TSR pushed Gygax out of the company. Then, they made a string of bad business decisions. In the late-1990s, it looked like D&D may have reached the end of its road. Luckily, another gaming company called Wizards of the Coast bought TSR in 1997.

Quickly, Wizards of the Coast started publishing new and revamped D&D materials. It also gave the game’s third edition an Open Gaming License (OGL). That meant that anyone could create new adventures and settings based on the D&D rules. This led to the creation of a number of games based on Dungeons & Dragons, including Pathfinder and Starfinder. Today, D&D is on its fifth edition, which players call 5e. It includes many pre-written games and characters, which are great for beginners and D&D experts alike.

Are you interested in playing D&D? If you’re new to the game, the best place to start is by finding a group of friends to play with you. You’ll need a dungeon master to guide the game as well as a few people to go on the campaign. Once you have a group together, create your characters.

Each player will need to fill out a character sheet to choose their name, characteristics, and motivation. Then, it’s time to grab some dice, sit down together around a table, and get started! Nowadays, many people also play D&D together online. This gives friends who live far apart a chance to play together.

Why do so many people love to play Dungeons & Dragons? Many say it’s a great way to give your imagination a workout. They enjoy exploring a new world as a made-up character. The game also helps players build problem-solving, teamwork, and math skills. Plus, it’s a way to spend time having fun with friends and family members. Maybe you can suggest D&D for your next family game night!

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What Is the Most Dangerous Animal in Australia?

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What Is the Most Dangerous Animal in Australia?

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G'day

mate! Are you ready for a trek down under to the land of koalas and kangaroos? Where are we talking about? Australia, of course!

If you've ever visited or even read much about Australia, you probably know that this country that's also an island and a continent is famous for its wide variety of crazy critters. Perhaps more than anywhere else in the world, Australia is home to some of the world's most deadly creatures.

So if you're headed to Australia, there are several dangerous beasts you'll want to avoid. For example, if you see a man-sized, flightless bird with wild eyes headed your way, give it a wide berth. The cassowary is slightly smaller than the ostrich, but it packs an attitude and a dagger-like middle toe that can wreak havoc in an attack.

If you're wandering the outback, though, you're probably more concerned with some of Australia's famous snakes and spiders. The Sydney funnel-web spider, for example, is known for being aggressive. Resembling a tarantula with long fangs, It's also known for venom that's twice as strong as cyanide. Even more famous is the red back spider, which bites thousands of people each year. Luckily, its venom produces severe pain but rarely causes death.

When it comes to slithering threats, Australia has its fair share. The inland taipan features the most powerful venom of any snake on Earth. Fortunately, it's not particularly aggressive and lives only in the most remote areas.

Much more dangerous is the eastern brown snake, which boasts the second most powerful venom. The eastern brown snake is also bigger, more common, and much more aggressive than the inland taipan, plus it can be found much closer to populated areas. Other extremely dangerous snakes to be on the lookout for include the tiger snake and the death adder.

With all of these land-based threats, you might be tempted to head to the waters off Australia's shores. Sadly, that could be a deadly mistake if you run into one of the many deadly sea creatures that call the waters of Australia home. For example, the textile cone is a type of snail you won't want to encounter. A snail? Seriously? Think of it as a killer snail able to shoot a tiny harpoon full of a neurotoxin powerful enough to kill a human being.

If you're enjoying the waters off of one of Australia's coasts, there are several other threats you'll want to avoid. The stonefish, for example, looks like a rock, but it's actually the most venomous fish in the world. If you accidentally step on one, it can inject you with a powerful neurotoxin that can cause excruciating pain and even death.

Likewise, the box jellyfish can also claim to be one of the world's most lethal sea creatures. With powerful venom, its stings are incredibly painful and sometimes fatal. In fact, one box jellyfish can contain enough venom to kill 60 human beings! You'll also want to keep an eye out for the blue-ringed octopus. Its dangerous venom, known as TTX or tetrodotoxin, is 1,200 times stronger than cyanide, which means the tiniest bite can be fatal.

If you're successful at avoiding all these perils of the Australian seas, you'll still want to be sure you don't venture into waters teeming with two of the world's most fearsome apex predators: the saltwater crocodile and the great white shark. Along with bull sharks and tiger sharks, great white sharks patrol the waters off Australia's coasts, looking for a tasty meal.

Likewise, saltwater crocodiles inhabit the coastal waters, but also enjoy the many rivers of Australia. The largest living reptile on Earth, the saltwater crocodile can grow to be 25 feet long and weigh as much as 4,000 pounds. It will eat just about anything that moves, since it also has the most powerful bite of any creature on Earth — 10 times greater than that of the great white shark.

Don't let these many fearsome creatures deter you from visiting Australia, if you get the chance. They're easy to avoid, for the most part, and they're not even the most deadly creature you're likely to encounter. Statistics show that the common honey bee is responsible for more deaths each year than all these other creatures combined!

Wonder Contributors

WE’D LIKE TO THANK:

Falon from DE
for contributing questions about today’s Wonder topic!

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Wonder Words (18)

TREK

MATE

FANG

BITE

PAIN

SNAKE

WREAK

HAVOC

REMOTE

PATROL

VENOM

LETHAL

SLITHERING

CYANIDE

EXCRUCIATING

NEUROTOXIN

TEEMING

AGGRESSIVE

TAKE THE WONDER WORD CHALLENGE

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Writing is a complicating task that involves multiple parts of the body at once. Your brain must visualize the letters you want to write. Your nerves must communicate those intentions to the muscles in your hands and arms.  At the same time, your eyes watch the letters as you write them, constantly monitoring their shapes and alerting your brain to corrections that need to be made. As if all that wasn't enough, your handwriting can also be affected by a variety of environmental factors, such as the temperature of the room, your stress level, time constraint, and your overall mood.  It is now no surprise that we all have different handwriting from each other.

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Frost flowers aren't real flowers at all. They're natural ice sculptures that some people believe look like flowers. Others describe them as looking like spun glass or cotton candy. Are they sculpted by fairies in the night? Nope! They're actually created by plants!

You might see them dotting a field like a huge bouquet of white flowers. If you see them, enjoy the experience while you can. You might want to grab your camera and take pictures before they disappear!

Although they're incredibly beautiful, they're also incredibly delicate. Almost ethereal, these thin, fragile ice sculptures will disappear as the first rays of sunlight hit them. As the Sun rises and temperatures follow, frost flowers melt away and vanish in an instant.

So how does Mother Nature produce these fleeting, yet stunningcreations? It's all science! Frost flowers will only develop when temperatures first drop below freezing but the ground is still warm enough to keep the root systems of plants alive.

When those conditions exist, plants can still draw water from their roots up into their stems. However, when that water reaches the stem, it quickly freezes because of the cold air. Because plant stems are thin, ice crystals that form will push their way out through the stem's walls.

Depending upon the structure of the plant's stem, the ice crystals may form thin strands like a ribbon or in thin curling sheets. When these ribbons and sheets join together, they can create a shape like a flower petal.

If you've never seen frost flowers before, it could be because you don't get up early enough! It's also possible that you don't live in an area with one of the few species capable of producing these interesting and delicate ice sculptures.

One plant species known to produce frost flowers is frostweed, which is also known as Indian tobacco or tickweed. It grows commonly in Texas, and you're likely to find it in river or creek bottoms or the shaded areas under large trees. You might also find frost flowers in areas with white or yellow wingstem plants. The best place to spot frost flowers will be among tall weeds in areas that aren't mowed often.

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What if you wake up a bear from hibernation 

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What if you wake up a bear from hibernation 

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Have you ever heard someone say, “Don’t poke the bear”? Did you WONDER where that saying came from? Of course, it means you shouldn’t provoke someone if they could cause trouble for you. But why include bears in that metaphor? Are they easily angered?

Actually, no—bears are often shy. Still, they will defend themselves if they sense danger. That’s why it’s important never to sneak up on or scare these animals. After all, many adult bears are much larger and stronger than humans. We know we wouldn’t want to end up on a bear’s bad side!

What happens if you wake a bear from hibernation? Experts say it’s best not to find out. A bear that senses a threat can wake quickly to defenditself. That’s because bears’ body temperatures only lowers by a few degrees when they hibernate. This helps them become alert much faster, compared to other animals. Many other species lower their temperatures to near freezing for hibernation.

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Does it really rain diamonds on Neptune? Earth hosts life. Saturn has rings. Mars is covered in red dust, and Jupiter is enormous. Yes, every planet in the solar system has special features that make it stand out among the rest. Don’t believe us? Just look at Neptune—it’s raining diamonds there!As the farthest planet from the Sun, Neptune has long been difficult to study. In fact, it’s one of only two in our solar system that can’t be seen with the naked eye. Neptune was also the only planet predicted to exist by mathematicians before it was ever actually seen.Today, though, people know more about Neptune than ever before. In 1981, scientist Marvin Ross predicted that the planet had diamond rain. He said both ice giants (Neptune and Uranus) may experience this phenomenon. In 2020, an experiment proved it could happen.To carry out this experiment, researchers at Stanford University modeled the conditions on Neptune inside their lab. They started by applying extreme heat and pressure to polystyrene. Then, they sent shockwaves through the material using a laser.  Using x-rays, they watched what happened. The elements that make up polystyrene split from each other. This resulted in carbon and hydrogen atoms. Under pressure, the carbon turned into diamonds before their eyes. Based on these findings, the researchers believe it’s likely that diamonds do indeed rain down on the planet Neptune.Just imagine! What would it be like to get caught in the middle of a diamond shower on Neptune? No human being can speak to the experience (yet). Still, experts have learned quite a bit about this planet since its discovery in 1846.On Neptune, a year lasts 60,190 Earth days. However, the farthest planet from the Sun experiences shorter days than we do on Earth. Neptune completes a full rotation once every 16 hours. Just how far is Neptune from the Sun? About 2.8 billion miles! In fact, the planet is sometimes farther from the Sun than Pluto is. That’s one reason why human beings have such a hard time studying the planet. It’s difficult to get there! Only one spacecraft, Voyager 2, has visited Neptune. Does that mean Neptune is lonely? Not necessarily. It has five rings and 14 moons to keep it company. However, the planet is not capable of supporting life as we know it.Would you like to see a diamond shower on Neptune one day? Anything is possible. Maybe you’ll invent the next great space technology that will take us there!

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Does it really rain diamonds on Neptune? Earth hosts life. Saturn has rings. Mars is covered in red dust, and Jupiter is enormous. Yes, every planet in the solar system has special features that make it stand out among the rest. Don’t believe us? Just look at Neptune—it’s raining diamonds there!As the farthest planet from the Sun, Neptune has long been difficult to study. In fact, it’s one of only two in our solar system that can’t be seen with the naked eye. Neptune was also the only planet predicted to exist by mathematicians before it was ever actually seen.Today, though, people know more about Neptune than ever before. In 1981, scientist Marvin Ross predicted that the planet had diamond rain. He said both ice giants (Neptune and Uranus) may experience this phenomenon. In 2020, an experiment proved it could happen.To carry out this experiment, researchers at Stanford University modeled the conditions on Neptune inside their lab. They started by applying extreme heat and pressure to polystyrene. Then, they sent shockwaves through the material using a laser.  Using x-rays, they watched what happened. The elements that make up polystyrene split from each other. This resulted in carbon and hydrogen atoms. Under pressure, the carbon turned into diamonds before their eyes. Based on these findings, the researchers believe it’s likely that diamonds do indeed rain down on the planet Neptune.Just imagine! What would it be like to get caught in the middle of a diamond shower on Neptune? No human being can speak to the experience (yet). Still, experts have learned quite a bit about this planet since its discovery in 1846.On Neptune, a year lasts 60,190 Earth days. However, the farthest planet from the Sun experiences shorter days than we do on Earth. Neptune completes a full rotation once every 16 hours. Just how far is Neptune from the Sun? About 2.8 billion miles! In fact, the planet is sometimes farther from the Sun than Pluto is. That’s one reason why human beings have such a hard time studying the planet. It’s difficult to get there! Only one spacecraft, Voyager 2, has visited Neptune. Does that mean Neptune is lonely? Not necessarily. It has five rings and 14 moons to keep it company. However, the planet is not capable of supporting life as we know it.Would you like to see a diamond shower on Neptune one day? Anything is possible. Maybe you’ll invent the next great space technology that will take us there!

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f you are ever lost in the jungle, there are a few animals you'd better watch out for. What are we talking about? Big cats, of course! And, no, we don't mean fat, furry felinesnamed Fluffy. We mean the really big cats.

In general, the animals referred to as big cats include four species: tigers, lions, leopards, and jaguars. The term big cat is not a scientificterm. Instead, it's an informal term used to distinguish the largerspecies of cats from the smaller ones.

A few other species sometimes are included when talking about big cats. For example, some people include cougars, cheetahs, snow leopards, and clouded leopards. Tigers are the largest of the big cat species, and the biggest cat of all is the Amur (Siberian) tiger. These impressive animals can weigh more than 750 pounds and grow longer than 10 feet!

However, there is a new “super lion" recently found in Africa. Unlike most cats, the super lion likes swimming, has developed stronger pectoral muscles, and is 15% larger than other typical lions.

Big cats can be found in North and South America, Africa, Asia, and Europe. Despite big differences in size, the various big cats are remarkably similar in how their bodies are structured and how they behave. The one exception to this rule is the cheetah, which is quite different from any of the other big or small cats.

Big cats are carnivores. This means they eat other animals. They're also the only cats that can roar. Their ability to roar comes from a special larynx with cartilage walls that vibrate and produce sound when air passes through the larynx from the lungs.

Lions have the longest larynx, which means they can roar the loudest. Cheetahs and snow leopards can't roar, despite having similar throat structures. For this reason, some people exclude them from the list of big cats.

Although big cats are known for being ferocious, they actually have more to fear from us than we do from them. All the big cats are endangered, mainly from habitat destruction and poaching. Today, many countries have established conservation areas to protect the remaining big cat populations.

Think you know a lot about big cats? Here are some interesting facts you may not know:

An adult lion's roar is really loud! It can be heard up to five miles away.

Snow leopards can leap up to seven times their own body length in a single jump.

The tiger's stripes are like a fingerprint. No two tigers have the same exact pattern.

The leopard is the strongest climber of the big cats. It can carry prey twice its weight up into a tree.

The jaguar takes its name from a Native American word that means “he who kills with one leap."

Lions in the wild usually live 12-16 years. In captivity, they can live up to 25 years.

Tigers don't avoid water like many cats and are excellent swimmers.

Lions are the only big cats that live in groups, which are called prides.

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hen you hear the word "tiger," what do you think of? For most people, an image of a giant cat with orange and black stripes probably comes to mind. These apex predators are as fierce as they are beautiful.

If you've ever seen illusionists Siegfried and Roy's Las Vegas show or visited certain zoos, though, you may envision a different, more unique tiger: one that's snow white with black stripes. White tigers are exceptionally rare and exotic. But what exactly are they and where do they come from?

Some people claim that white tigers are a special subspecies of tiger that's endangered and dangerously close to extinction. While white tigers are indeed rare, they're not a separate subspecies and they're not albinos. Moreover, most, if not all, of the white tigers alive today were purposefully bred by zoos and private collectors.

White tigers are Bengal tigers that have two copies of a very rare recessive gene that controls coat color. Specifically, researchers have discovered that white tigers are caused by a single gene mutation in the protein known as SLC45A2.

White tigers can occur naturally in the wild, and there are reports that a few were seen in the tropical forests and jungles of India and Southeast Asia in the early 20th century. The last known wild white tiger was shot in 1958.

Today, white tigers exist only in captivity in zoos, wildlife sanctuaries, and private collections. Experts believe that all of the white tigers alive today are probably descended from the same male white tiger cub that was captured in 1951.

Because of their beauty and rarity, white tigers have become very popular attractions at zoos and wildlife sanctuaries. For years now, zoos and private collectors have purposefully inbred white tigers to multiply their numbers. White tiger cubs can be sold for $30,000-$60,000 or more.

Unfortunately, deliberate inbreeding to create white tigers has led to a white tiger population that's often affected by a variety of health problems. For example, white tigers are often cross-eyed and have trouble with vision and depth perception. Other common health problems include kidney problems, club feet, shortened tendons, cleft palates, and scoliosis of the spine.

In 2011, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums banned all its member zoos from breeding white tigers. However, now that the specific genemutation that produces white tigers has been identified, some people want to continue to breed white tigers since it could potentially be done without inbreeding and the resulting health problems that are so common.

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These small animals might look like squirrels, but they’re actually marsupials. That means they’re more closely related to kangaroos.

Where did the name “sugar glider“ come from? Well, these little animals do like their sweets. They will eat a variety of things, including bugs and vegetables. But they prefer nectar. They eat it in the form of the sweet sap of eucalyptus, acacia, and other trees.

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Would you like to hear a joke? Okay. What does a dentist do on a roller coaster?

…He BRACES himself!

Ha! We love making our Wonder Friends smile and laugh. All jokes aside, aren’t dentists great? They help us keep our teeth clean and strong so that, when we laugh at jokes, we show off beautiful smiles. Dentists give us great advice, too. They tell us to brush, floss, and stay away from sugar.

If your dentist has ever told you that sugar is bad for your teeth, then today’s Wonder of the Day might surprise you. Have you ever WONDERed who invented cotton candy? Believe it or not, that sweet, sugary treat was invented by a dentist!

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Have you ever had a

pet? If so, you know taking care of an animal can be a lot of fun. Of course, it’s also hard work. Pet owners have to feed and exercise their animals every day. Plus, they often need to coax their pets into things they don’t enjoy. If you’ve ever tried to give a cat a bath, you know exactly what we mean! Many cats will do anything to avoid contact with water.

Why don’t cats like water? Experts have many answers to that question. Some say domestic cats hate water because they aren’t around it early in life. If cats don’t spend much time in water as kittens, they’re more likely to be afraid of it. This is a common problem because many pet owners don’t bathe their cats, since felines groom themselves.

Additionally, many cats learn to associate water with punishment. That’s because many pet owners spray water at cats to make them stop doing something the owner doesn’t like. This teaches the cat that water means they’ve done something wrong. It’s no WONDER they run from a bath!

Another explanation has to do with evolution. Cats are what experts call “semi-domesticated.” That means they still have some instincts from their wild ancestors. Cats don’t like surprises, and they like to stay agilein case they need to escape a threat. Wet fur can weigh a cat down, making them move slower. That means cats may think water puts them in danger, making them less able to run away if they need to.

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Have you heard the popular

myth that one human year is equal to seven dog years? This would mean that a dog that is one human year old (365 days) is developmentally about the same as a human child who is seven years old.

Who came up with this idea? We're fairly certain it wasn't a dog. Not only do dogs not wear wristwatches, but most dogs we know seem quite unconcerned with the time. In fact, most dogs we know seem blissfully unaware of whether it's Monday or the weekend!

The idea of a “dog year" probably came about as a result of the fact that dogs develop at a different rate than human beings. A one-year-old child still relies on its parents for nearly everything. A one-year-old dog(in human years), though, does behave much more like an older child.

These developmental differences can be seen throughout a dog's lifetime. If you and a dog are born on the same day, the dog will develop and age much more quickly throughout its lifetime than you will.

For example, when you hit your teenage years, the dog will be quite advanced in age. As you're ready for high school, the dog will be ready for the retirement home! If it helps, you can also think of it this way: a dog's lifespan is a lot shorter than yours (maybe 15 years compared to 75 or more for you), so that means a dog ages much more quickly in the same amount of time.

How old a dog will live depends upon many factors, including its particular breed and size as an adult. Small dogs often live 15 years or more. Medium and large dogs tend to live shorter lives (10-13 years). Giant dog breeds, like mastiffs, might only live 7-8 years.

Given these differences in life expectancy based upon breed and size, you can see that a simple formula of one human year being equal to seven dog years would not be accurate. Although dog experts do not agree on a standard formula, there are some similarities in the ways different people think about things.

The most accurate calculation of dog years must take into account the particular breed and size of the dog in question. You can do research online to find special calculators that will estimate a dog's age based upon its size and breed.

Others use a variable formula that reflects the belief that the first two years of a dog's life are approximately equal to 10-11 years each, with each year thereafter being equal to about four human years. Over time for many dog breeds, this variable formula might average out to the common belief that one human year is equal to about seven dog years.

The variable formula reflects the fact that dogs develop quickly early in their lives. After the first couple of years, most dogs are fully grown and develop more slowly thereafter. The variable formula still does not take into account particular breed and size information, though.

Dog experts know that some breeds tend to live longer than others. As mentioned before, a dog's adult size is also an important factor. If you take these factors into account, a sliding scale for each dog is the only accurate way to estimate a dog's age in human years.

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Legend has it that Italian King Umberto I and Queen Margherita visited Naples in 1889. There, Esposito was asked to make them a pizza. He topped the pizza with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil. That pizza is still known as Pizza Margherita today.

Italian immigrants brought pizza with them to Spain, France, England, and the United States. It didn’t gain popularity until after World War II, though. That’s when returning soldiers looked for the food they had grown to love while fighting overseas.

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Today's Wonder of the Day will likely generate definite responses among our Wonder Friends. Most kids either love or hate snakes. Very few people have a lukewarm attitude toward snakes.So what do you think? Are you fascinated by these long, colorful creatures? Or does the mere thought of snakes send chills down your spine? If you like snakes, you'll love learning more about the largest snakes in the world. If not…well…get ready for some chills!

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Today's Wonder of the Day will likely generate definite responses among our Wonder Friends. Most kids either love or hate snakes. Very few people have a lukewarm attitude toward snakes.So what do you think? Are you fascinated by these long, colorful creatures? Or does the mere thought of snakes send chills down your spine? If you like snakes, you'll love learning more about the largest snakes in the world. If not…well…get ready for some chills!

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https://d3mvlb3hz2g78.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/dreamstime_m_74130141.jpg This is the picture ⬆️

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Do you have a favorite piece of art? Is there a painting or sculpture you love? Maybe you could listen to a certain song for hours. You might watch the same film over and over. Perhaps you even know a favorite poem by heart.

Humans have long enjoyed and appreciated all of these forms of art. Of course, we all have personal preferences. But most people could name a piece of visual, musical, literary, or performance art they enjoy.

All this talk about art has us WONDERing . . . what about other animals? Do they like art? Maybe dogs enjoy impressionism while cats prefer self-portraits. Perhaps your goldfish loves to listen to rock and roll. A lizard may turn the dial to some jazz.

The answer is complicated. Some studies have shown that animals react to music and performance art. However, it’s difficult for researchers to know exactly what’s going on in an animal’s brain.

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Would you like to pet a

liger? Some people have been lucky enough to ride zonkeys and zorses. Are these animals new to you? Believe it or not, they’re all hybrids of other animals! A liger’s parents are a tiger and a lion. A zonkey comes from azebra and a donkey. Where do you think zorses come from? That’s right, a zebra and a horse!

Animal hybrids have long been topics of mythology. Today, many of them are part of the real world. If ligers, zonkeys, and zorses are real, can we say for sure that mythical animals are not? Wouldn’t you love to swim with mermaids one day? How about running beside a centaur? We don’t know about you, but we’d like to take flight on the back of a griffin.

Have you ever heard of griffins? You may have seen griffins as statues or mascots. Some people mix up griffins and gargoyles, but they’re not the same thing. The griffin is a mythical creature. It has a lion’s body and an eagle’s head and wings. Take a second to picture that. Pretty frightening, huh?

Griffins are frightening for a reason. In myths, they guarded greattreasures. Their job was to scare would-be thieves away. In Greek mythology, griffins also pulled the carriage of the Sun god, Apollo. As the strongest creature that could fly, griffins were the obvious choice to pull Apollo across the sky.

Griffins are common throughout Greek mythology. However, that’s not where their story began! Griffins started in Asia. Miners searching for gold in the Gobi Desert said they fought griffins often. Their stories said that griffins guarded the gold they were mining. Miners had to get past the griffins to make their riches! Asian travelers brought these tales with them to Greece. There, authors wrote down the stories and started including griffins in their own mythology.

What do today’s griffins look like? The animal has remained pretty much unchanged over the centuries. We still draw griffins with four legs, two wings, and a beak. There are, however, a few variations. Some artists make griffins with long snaked tails. Others claim that only female griffins have wings. Since no living person has laid eyes on the creature, no one can say for sure!

Some experts believe the griffin is based on a real animal. The dinosaurProtoceratops lived millions of years ago and looked similar to the griffin. It had a beak, four legs, and long shoulder blades that could be mistaken for wings. Most notably, Protoceratops fossils have been found in the Gobi Desert, the same place griffin myths began.

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Would you like to pet a

liger? Some people have been lucky enough to ride zonkeys and zorses. Are these animals new to you? Believe it or not, they’re all hybrids of other animals! A liger’s parents are a tiger and a lion. A zonkey comes from azebra and a donkey. Where do you think zorses come from? That’s right, a zebra and a horse!

Animal hybrids have long been topics of mythology. Today, many of them are part of the real world. If ligers, zonkeys, and zorses are real, can we say for sure that mythical animals are not? Wouldn’t you love to swim with mermaids one day? How about running beside a centaur? We don’t know about you, but we’d like to take flight on the back of a griffin.

Have you ever heard of griffins? You may have seen griffins as statues or mascots. Some people mix up griffins and gargoyles, but they’re not the same thing. The griffin is a mythical creature. It has a lion’s body and an eagle’s head and wings. Take a second to picture that. Pretty frightening, huh?

Griffins are frightening for a reason. In myths, they guarded greattreasures. Their job was to scare would-be thieves away. In Greek mythology, griffins also pulled the carriage of the Sun god, Apollo. As the strongest creature that could fly, griffins were the obvious choice to pull Apollo across the sky.Griffins are common throughout Greek mythology. However, that’s not where their story began! Griffins started in Asia. Miners searching for gold in the Gobi Desert said they fought griffins often. Their stories said that griffins guarded the gold they were mining. Miners had to get past the griffins to make their riches! Asian travelers brought these tales with them to Greece. There, authors wrote down the stories and started including griffins in their own mythology.

What do today’s griffins look like? The animal has remained pretty much unchanged over the centuries. We still draw griffins with four legs, two wings, and a beak. There are, however, a few variations. Some artists make griffins with long snaked tails. Others claim that only female griffins have wings. Since no living person has laid eyes on the creature, no one can say for sure!

Some experts believe the griffin is based on a real animal. The dinosaurProtoceratops lived millions of years ago and looked similar to the griffin. It had a beak, four legs, and long shoulder blades that could be mistaken for wings. Most notably, Protoceratops fossils have been found in the Gobi Desert, the same place griffin myths began.

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Koalas are often called koala “bears," because they look a bit like small bears. However, koalas aren't bears at all. They're actually marsupials, like kangaroos.

Like kangaroos, koalas have pouches where their babies develop. Newborn koalas — called joeys — are only about the size of a jelly bean! They're born blind, hairless and without ears.

The mother will carry her joey in her pouch for about six months. After that time, the joey will be old enough to come out of the pouch and ride on its mother's back.

Koalas live in the plentiful eucalyptus trees of eastern Australia. They are good climbers that can easily leap from one treetop to another. Their sharp claws allow them to hold on tight to branches while they sleep.

Eucalyptus leaves are the main source of food — and water — for koalas. Most koalas will eat over two pounds of eucalyptus leaves each day.

Eucalyptus leaves and their oils contain toxins that will make most animals sick if they eat them. Koalas, however, have special digestivesystems that allow them to break down the tough leaves and filter out the toxins.

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Have you ever been on a roller coaster? Roller coasters don’t have engines! The car is moved by a motorized chain at the top of the first big hill.the chain is let go when the car is going down hill. This is a example of kinetic energy. When the cars do a loop, the chain is let go then, too. This is how roller coasters work.

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When you think of fish and teeth, what comes to mind? If you’ve ever seen “Jaws,” then you might picture the razor-sharp teeth of the great white shark. You might also think of piranhas! Those tiny fish have big appetites. They can devour a large animal in a matter of minutes.

When it comes to large teeth, though, one fish leads the rest. Great white sharks have large teeth, but they’re also huge fish. When tooth size is compared to head size, the Sloane’s viperfish stands out as the fish with the largest teeth!

How large are the teeth of Sloane’s viperfish? They’re so large that, when the fish has its mouth closed, its teeth overlap its jaws! The fish has to open its mouth to make its jaws vertical before it can swallow prey. Its largest teeth are about half the size of its head!

The Sloane’s viperfish has a large head that tapers to a small, forkedtail. It can be anywhere from one to eight inches long. Besides its disproportionately large teeth, the Sloane’s viperfish also stands out because of its color. It’s a shining silver-blue and has small photophores along its body.

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you love rabbits? We do! Who wouldn't? They're super soft, furry, and adorable. With those big ears and eyes and tiny twitching noses, bunnies can melt our hearts in seconds, making us want to cuddle and hug them.

What do you know about rabbits? They supposedly love carrots, right? You see them everywhere you look when Easter rolls around. What about how they move? Do they walk like humans? Of course not! Everyone knows what bunnies do: they hop!

Have you ever stopped to WONDER why bunnies hop instead of walk like humans? The simple answer is: they were made to hop. A rabbit's footis quite different from a human foot. After all, you don't see people walking around with human feet on their keychains for good luck!

Rabbits boast back legs that are long and quite strong. They can leap forward great distances with a single push from their back legs. They usually land on their front legs, which help them balance while their back legs spring forward into position to push off for another leap forward.

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Each year on April 22, people all over the world celebrate Earth Day. Earth Day began in 1970 as an effort to promoteawareness of air and water pollution. It was hugely successful and eventually led to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts.

Since then, Earth Day has grown each year. Today, it is an annualcelebration that promotes awareness for a wide variety of environmental issues around the globe.

Protecting the Earth is important. It's the only home you've got…and what a spectacular home it is! From the depths of the Grand Canyon to the peak of Mt. Everest, Earth offers an awe-inspiring array of naturalwonders. Where on Earth would you explore if you could go anywhere?

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It’s no coincidence that Jezero crater is also where NASA  sent its Perseverance Rover. Perseverance landed there on February 18, 2021, after a seven-month journey. In addition to searching for signs of life, Perseverance will collect rock and soil samples. Future missions will bring these back to Earth. The rover will also use microphones to record sounds from Mars for the first time.Experts hope Perseverance discovers fossils of ancient microbes. It’s also looking for moleculesthat contain carbon. These discoveries would confirm their belief that Mars once hosted life forms.The rover also brought along another device, the Mars Helicopter called Ingenuity. The helicopter will be the first to test powered flight on another planet. Experts hope to learn about the possibility of flight on Mars from this test.

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Have you ever been to a tea party? They’re not just for kids! People across the world enjoy afternoon tea. It’s a great way to rest and get ready for the end of the day. People have been drinking tea for thousands of years. Have you ever WONDERed how it started?

The story of tea is mixed with legend. In 2737 BCE, Chinese EmperorShen Nong was boiling water in his garden. A falling leaf from a nearby tree landed in the pot. When he drank the water, the emperor liked the flavor infused from the leaf. After further study, the emperor found that the drink had many positive effects. He made it a regular part of his diet.

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We were in the Wonderopolis kitchen making breakfast the other day when we overheard the toast and the cerealtelling jokes:

Toast: Hey cereal! Why did the donut have to go to the dentist?

Cereal: I have no idea. Why?

Toast: Because it needed a chocolate filling!

Cereal: Ay yi yi. You must have forgotten your butter, because that was really dry!

OK…so breakfast food humor might not be all it's cracked up to be. But we bet you wouldn't mind a donut, would you, especially if it had chocolate filling?

Donuts — sometimes spelled doughnuts — are tasty treats made from fried dough. They come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and flavors. Do you have a favorite type of donut?

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Have you ever WONDERed just how many spikes a hedgehog has? On average, their prickly little backs have over 6,000 of them! The main purpose of the hedgehog’s spikes is to protect it from predators. When a hedgehog feels threatened, it curls up into a spiked ball.

Would you like to see a hedgehog in the wild? They live in a variety of habitats. You can find wild hedgehogs in Africa, Europe, Asia, and New Zealand. In cold areas, hedgehogs hibernate during the winter, like bears. Hedgehogs that live in warmer climates, though, stay alert year-round.

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Fighting like cats and dogs" is a common phrase that people use to mean people argue, fight or don't get along. If you like cartoons, you've probably seen many that portray cats and dogs fighting like swornenemies. There have even been movies made that pit cats against dogs.

Are cats and dogs natural enemies that can never get along? Or is there hope for a truce between the members of the feline and caninespecies?

If you observe cats and dogs or ask people who own both cats and dogs, you will get lots of opinions on the subject. Cats and dogs will obviously fight from time to time. There is no doubt that some dogs will chase cats and maybe even harm them if given the chance.

However, people who own both dogs and cats will also tell you that they can easily be trained to get along. In fact, many will show you that dogs and cats can play together and even sleep curled up together.

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Blast off! Today Wonderopolis is leaving Earth and heading for space.

Growing up in today's world, it can be hard to imagine a time when outer space was a true mystery. You already know men have walked on the Moon. The International Space Station orbits Earth and sends back all sorts of information.

The Hubble telescope travels throughout the solar system, sending amazing pictures back to Earth. The Mars Rover is exploring the surface of Mars and helping scientists learn new things every day.

Way back in the day, though, outer space was an unexplored frontier. The people of Earth could only look up at the sky and WONDER about what was up there.

All that changed on April 12, 1961. That day, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human being in space. In the Russian Vostok 1 spacecraft, he made his historic 108-minute orbit around Earth — a place no man had gone before.

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Do you love to play

soccer? If you do, then you've probably daydreamed from time to time about scoring the winninggoal in a big game. Perhaps you've even pictured exactly how it would happen.

As your team streaks down the pitch on the attack, you position yourself in the middle of the box with your back to the middle of the goal. One of your wingers creates just enough space to whip across in your direction.

Unfortunately, the pass is high. In fact, it's a bit over your head. Without thinking, you instinctively arch your back and throw your body backwards into the air.

Your legs make a scissors motion as your right leg swings upward, makes contact with the ball, and blasts it past the keeper into the upper corner of the goal. The crowd erupts into raucous cheers to celebrate your game-winning goal!

There are probably very few soccer players who haven't dreamed of scoring a goal on a bicycle kick. It's a feat even more impressive than a hat trick. There's just something special about seeing a player jump into the air feet first to kick the ball backwards over his or her head.

You can try to describe a perfect bicycle kick, but somehow words struggle to convey the magic found in this unique combination of grace, beauty, and athletic prowess. Indeed, few players possess the skill and pure athleticism required to execute a bicycle kick.

In soccer, few moves can compare to the bicycle kick, perhaps because they're so rare. It's not often that you're able to witness human error (the bad pass that almost always precedes a bicycle kick) immediately corrected by an amazing feat of human athletic skill.

Given how special bicycle kicks are, it should come as no surprise that there's some argument about exactly who invented the bicycle kick. Some soccer historians claim Ramon Unzaga invented the bicycle kick in 1914 in Talcahuano, Chile.

Others believe the bicycle kick may have been invented as early as 1892 in Callao, Peru, in a game against British sailors. Even legendary Brazilian striker Leonidas claims to have invented the move in 1932.

Regardless of who invented the bicycle kick, it has been a special part of soccer for a century now. When a player successfully executes a bicycle kick in front of the goal, the resulting shot can be nearly impossible for a keeper to stop.

Why? Scientists claim it's because of the physics involved in a bicycle kick. Since the player's body is high above the ground and angled upward, the kicking leg has a greater distance than normal to travel before hitting the ball.

This allows the leg to gain momentum and increases its angular velocity. The result: a forceful kick that sends the ball toward the goalmore quickly than normal. Only goalkeepers with exceptional reflexes might be able to react quickly enough to block a shot from a bicycle kick.

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Fastest RC Car Ever On Our Channel NEW RECORD Speed Test - TheRcSaylors

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Vroom! Vroom! You hear an engine revving in the distance. You wait patiently to see the vehicle reveal itself. It sounds fast…and furious! Suddenly a squeal fills the air as tires spin on asphalt and a cloud of smoke rises into the air.

Your pulse quickens. You can hear the rumble of the engine as the car gets closer and closer. Lights flash around the bend and then there it is: a sleek, beautiful sports car comes screaming past you and vanishes into the night.

Does this sound like a scene from a popular action movie? Probably! That scene has played out in some form or another in hundreds, if not thousands, of movies over the years. Ever since they were invented, people have had a love affair with muscle cars that can jump start the heart.

Years before they can legally take the wheel, young children play with toy cars, dreaming of the day they'll pilot their own automobile. Many of those dreams feature fancy sports cars that can zoom along at dazzling speeds. In reality, though, very few people end up owning or driving such cars.

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Fastest RC Car Ever On Our Channel NEW RECORD Speed Test - TheRcSaylors

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You

wake up to disturbing sounds coming from outside. You lift your window to peer into the darkness. A large crowd of people is milling around in the street in front of your house. Some people are shouting. Others are crying. What's going on?

You dress quickly and sneak out the front door. People are dragging sick loved ones through the streets, desperately searching for help. Others cradle the bodies of dead loved ones in their arms. Dire warnings reach your ears. The shouts of strangers urge you to get back inside before you fall ill.

Is this the opening scene of the latest apocalyptic television series? Could such a horrible catastrophe actually happen one day? Could a large swath of humanity be wiped out by a deadly virus overnight?

Unfortunately, this isn't some pretend story on television. Instead, it's the very real disaster that struck the world in the mid-14th century. What horrible name did this tragedy go by? Historians called it the Black Death.

As early as the 1340s, Europeans began to hear rumors of a "Great Pestilence" that was killing scores of people along popular trade routes in China, India, Persia, and Egypt. Then, in October 1347, the Black Death hit Europe when trading ships traveling from the Black Sea docked in Italy.

Most of the sailors aboard the ships were already dead. The few still alive were seriously ill: feverish, overcome by pain, and covered by black boils that oozed blood and pus. Although the ships were quickly turned away, the damage was done.

The Black Death — what scientists would later call the bubonic plague — was quickly spread through the air. It was transmitted from one person to another by a bacillus called Yersina pestis. In fact, it was so contagious that merely touching the clothes of an infected person was often enough to contract the disease.

In addition to fever and painful boils, the plague also caused vomiting, diarrhea, and horrible pains. The deadly bacillus also worked quickly. People could go to bed feeling fine and still be dead by morning.

In addition to being transmitted through the air, the plague was also often spread via the bites of infected fleas and rats. Unfortunately, medieval Europe had no shortage of both these pests. Fleas and rats also loved traveling on ships, and the Black Death soon made its way all over Europe from one port city to another.

With the science of medicine in its infancy, people did not understand how the disease was transmitted or how to treat it. Plague doctors wore special masks with a beak-like nose filled with perfumes or aromatics. They mistakenly believed that the disease was transmitted via poisonous vapors with a bad smell that could be counteracted with good smells.

It took several years for the Black Death to run its course. By the early 1350s, the disease had killed over 20 million people in Europe, which was about one-third of the population at that time.

For the next several hundred years, the plague would reappear every few generations. As medicine and sanitation practices improved, however, the impact of the plague has largely been mitigated in modern times. It has not been completely eliminated, though, and remains a danger in some developing countries even today.

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We're sure you've heard the phrase “money doesn't grow on trees!" Unfortunately, that's true. So where does money come from?

Two bureaus within the U.S. Department of the Treasury are responsible for making the coins and bills that fill our wallets and piggy banks. The U.S. Mint produces coins, and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) produces paper currency.

Today, we're going to focus on paper currency, like the $1 bill. The BEP began in 1862, when only six people created money by hand in the basement of the Treasury building.

Today, the BEP has two facilities. The Washington, D.C., site opened in 1914. A newer facility in Fort Worth, Texas, opened in 1991 to meet increased demand for currency.

The currency production process involves highly trained workers, special equipment and a unique combination of traditional old-world printing techniques combined with cutting-edge technology. To prevent counterfeiting, the complex process of printing currency involves more than 65 steps.

U.S. currency is printed on special paper made by Crane Paper Company. Unlike traditional paper made of wood pulp, the paper used for currency is made of 75 percent cotton and 25 percent linen. BEP specifications require this blended paper to have special red and blue fibers woven throughout.

Before the paper can be used to print new bills, the image of the bills to be printed must first be engraved onto soft steel plates by hand in a process called "intaglio." These plates are called "master dies."

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The Bermuda Triangle is a part in the Atlantic Ocean. Lots of ships have sank here. People don’t know yet why ships seem to sink in this part of the ocean. If you think we can fly over the triangle, that’s not an option ether. Even planes sink into the triangles depths. People think that the triangle has also held a secret of time travel. Get this: A passenger plane took of on a normal day, but the plane never came to the destination. In fact, the plane wasn’t even in the map.  The plane didn't come back for 37 years!
Then there is a story of lots of army planes with only pilot students, but all of them sank into the triangle. Everyone died except for the pilot teacher. There even more stories of the Bermuda Triangle.

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Why We Have Rules:  Basic Concept of Laws for Kids

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When you want to ask your teacher a question during class, what do you do? Do you simply shout out your question as soon as it enters your mind? Or do you instead raise your hand and wait until the teacher calls your name?

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Why We Have Rules:  Basic Concept of Laws for Kids

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How Do Cats Always Land on All Four Feet?

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How Do Cats Always Land on All Four Feet?

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The zodiac got its start thousands of years ago with Babylonianastronomers. These early astronomers looked to map the stars in the sky to create an agricultural calendar that would determine when crops should be planted and harvested based upon the natural rising and setting of particular stars and/or constellations.

Based upon the Sun's path across the sky over the course of the year — called the ecliptic — early astronomers developed an early celestialcoordinate system that based latitude upon the ecliptic and longitude on the position of the Sun at the vernal equinox. They then divided the celestial sphere into 12 divisions of longitude. We call these 12 divisions the 12 signs of the zodiac.

The zodiac spread to other cultures, including the ancient Greeks and Romans. In fact, the word zodiac comes from the Greek word zoidiakos,which means “little animal sign." This makes sense since several of the signs of the zodiac are based upon animals.

Today, the zodiac is associated mainly with astrology rather than astronomy. Whereas astronomy is the scientific study of celestialobjects, space and the physical universe, astrology is more of an art. Astrology can be described as a collection of beliefs and traditions that focus on how the movement of the stars and planets relate to human events on Earth.

Astrologists study the movement of the stars and planets and predicthow those movements might affect human behavior. Everyone's birthday is associated with a particular zodiac sign, and astrologists believe that predictions can be made about a person's personality based upon the location and movement of the stars and planets at the time of their birth.

While many people believe in astrology, many people do not think that the movement of the stars and planets has anything to do with life on Earth. Even if you don't believe in astrology, it can still be fun to learn about the zodiac.

The 12 signs of the zodiac and their symbols are as follows:

Aries — the ram (March 21-April 19)

Taurus — the bull (April 20-May 20)

Gemini — the twins (May 21-June 20)

Cancer — the crab (June 21-July 22)

Leo — the lion (July 23-August 22)

Virgo — the maiden (August 23-September 22)

Libra — the scales (September 23-October 22)

Scorpio — the scorpion (October 23-November 21)

Sagittarius — the archer (November 22-December 21)

Capricorn — the sea goat (December 22-January 19)

Aquarius — the water bearer (January 20-February 18)

Pisces — the fish (February 19-March 20)

Many of the signs of the zodiac come from identifiable constellations that fall within their particular celestial division of the zodiac.

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Most experts agree that learning is largely about memory. When a person encounters a new idea or activity, there brain stores the information in a neural pathway.  Brand new information exists in the brain as part of short-term memory. That means the brain will not retain the new knowledge unless it deems it worth keeping. For new knowledge to be retained, it must become part of the brain’s long-term memory.Another technique for learning is to connect a new idea to background knowledge.  Have you ever had a teacher who asked you to connect a new idea to your background knowledge? Now you know why!  Activities that involve critical thinking or problem solving with new information can also help you learn.

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Do you have any

pets at home? Many kids have two of the most popular pets: dogs and cats. Kids who love particulartypes of animals might branch out and keep fish, birds, guinea pigs, hamsters, hermit crabs, or lizards as pets.

If you live on a farm, you might have rabbits, goats, or horses as pets. Still others like to keep really exotic pets, like snakes, spiders, or llamas.

For many kids, their pets become like members of the family. A loyaldog, for example, can seem like one of your siblings, except your dog probably doesn't hog the X-box or make fun of you when your parents aren't around.

Pet lovers like to point out when their animals act like humans. It's true: animals can exhibit some very human-like behavior at times, especially when they're seeking food or attention.

For the most part, though, there's a big difference between animals and humans. You don't see animals driving cars, using computers, or building large, complex societies.

On a more basic level, though, you don't usually see animals displaying the kind of empathy that humans can show to each other. In their interactions with other species and often in their interactions with others of the same species, animals tend to act strictly out of self-interest.

That's why humans are amazed when they see examples of animals willingly helping members of other species that find themselves in grave danger. For example, in 2012, researchers in Monterey Bay, California, witnessed a group of humpback whales protect a gray whale from a pod of killer whales (orcas).

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X-ray fish go by several names: X-ray Tetras, Golden Pristella Tetras, Water Goldfinches, and Pristella Maxillaris, according to scientists. They're small fish (usually two to three inches long) that can be found in large schools in the Amazon River and the coastal waters off South America.

Their name comes from the fact that their skin is usually translucent, allowing you to see their backbone and other internal structures clearly. Occasionally, they may also have a silver, yellow, or golden appearance.

Scientists believe the translucent skin of X-ray Tetras may have developed over time as a unique form of protection from predators. When swimming through dense vegetation amongst sparkling waters, their see-through skin makes them particularly difficult to spot.

In addition to their backbones, their skin also allows you to see a bonyinternal structure called the Weberian apparatus. This structure picks up sound waves and transmits them to the vertebrae, which gives X-ray Tetras a very keen sense of hearing.

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You have a big, important homework assignment due tomorrow, but you're not

stressed. You made good use of your study time at school and completed over half of it. When you got home, you avoided distractions, like television and video games, and worked hard until it was finished.

Then your worst nightmare happened! While you were in the kitchen making a healthy snack, your dog got hungry, too. Instead of eating his dog food, though, he made a sandwich out of your homework! Oh no! What will you do?

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Have you ever heard people refer to themselves as Capricorns or Scorpios? If you've ever WONDERed what in the world they were talking about, read on. Today's Wonder of the Day takes a closer look at the

zodiac!

The zodiac got its start thousands of years ago with Babylonianastronomers. These early astronomers looked to map the stars in the sky to create an agricultural calendar that would determine when crops should be planted and harvested based upon the natural rising and setting of particular stars and/or constellations.

Based upon the Sun's path across the sky over the course of the year — called the ecliptic — early astronomers developed an early celestialcoordinate system that based latitude upon the ecliptic and longitude on the position of the Sun at the vernal equinox. They then divided the celestial sphere into 12 divisions of longitude. We call these 12 divisions the 12 signs of the zodiac.

The zodiac spread to other cultures, including the ancient Greeks and Romans. In fact, the word zodiac comes from the Greek word zoidiakos,which means “little animal sign." This makes sense since several of the signs of the zodiac are based upon animals.

Today, the zodiac is associated mainly with astrology rather than astronomy. Whereas astronomy is the scientific study of celestialobjects, space and the physical universe, astrology is more of an art. Astrology can be described as a collection of beliefs and traditions that focus on how the movement of the stars and planets relate to human events on Earth.

Here are the dates of the zodiacs and their symbols:

Aries — the ram (March 21-April 19)

Taurus — the bull (April 20-May 20)

Gemini — the twins (May 21-June 20)

Cancer — the crab (June 21-July 22)

Leo — the lion (July 23-August 22)

Virgo — the maiden (August 23-September 22)

Libra — the scales (September 23-October 22)

Scorpio — the scorpion (October 23-November 21)

Sagittarius — the archer (November 22-December 21)

Capricorn — the sea goat (December 22-January 19)

Aquarius — the water bearer (January 20-February 18)

Pisces — the fish (February 19-March 20)