Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2015 i Ask Science and Arts Magazine for Kids and Children

The Great Moon Hoax Bat-People and Unicorns on the Moon! That was the amazing news that greeted readers of the Sun newspaper of New York one morning in 1835. The paper claimed that the famous astronomer John Herschel, using his largest telescope, had seen herds of bison, blue goats, unicorns, and beavers walking on two legs living on the moon. Even more amazing were the cities of flying orange-haired moon people with wings like bats! The story caused a huge sensation. But alas, it was all a hoax, made up by a writer to sell papers. The real John Herschel was amused by the silly story at first, but eventually he got annoyed when people kept asking him when he was going to fly up to visit the moon people.…

Dear Ask, Can you please sometime print an Ask about pranks? I really like them. Your Friend, Joseph D., age 9 P.S. Hey, Marvin. You are my favorite raccoon because you are such a prank expert! Dear Joseph, I really don’t think a whole issue on pranks is a very good idea, I mean—Marvin, what are you doing? Get away from that computer! Marvin!!!!!! Pardon me a moment, I’ll be right back... Plush Dear Ask, How are bugs good for you? Can you eat alligators? Where can you get bugs to eat? My mom thinks eating bugs is gross. I want to try to eat a bug. I think your magazine is really interesting. Katie S., age 8, Alabama Dear Katie, Bugs are full of protein and vitamins—and yummy! If…

When you hear a funny joke (which we hope happens often), something odd happens. The corners of your eyes crinkle. Your nostrils flare, and your lips pull back to show your teeth. Your breath comes out in short bursts, five times a second, while your voice makes “ha ha ha” sounds. You’re laughing! There are many kinds of laughs—belly laughs and chuckles and guffaws and giggles and nervous laughs and unkind laughs. Your laugh is distinctive, like your voice. But even though no two laughs sound exactly the same, we all know laughter when we hear it. Laughs in Kazakhstan are pretty much the same as laughs in Kentucky. We usually don’t decide to laugh. When you hear a good joke, you don’t think, “Now I’ll raise my lip and…

Funny shoes, colorful silly clothes, wacky face paint, and a big red nose: you’d recognize a clown anywhere. But would you know a koshari, or a jester, or a chou? Cultures in every corner of the globe have their own kinds of clowns. And they all share one thing—they want to make you laugh. Not Jest for Fun But clowning has a serious side too. Throughout history, European kings and queens relied on clowns called jesters, or sometimes fools, for advice and counsel. After all, isn’t it easier to take advice when it’s delivered with a joke or two, or perhaps between a somersault and a jig, especially from someone wearing donkey ears and bells? Court jesters could tell the king the truth about a bad idea when all his…

There are some days when you just need good joke. For us, that’s every day! For this month’s contest, send us your favorite joke, or several, illustrated with a funny picture, so we can share the hilarity around. If we can stop laughing long enough to work the press, we’ll post a collection of the most sidesplitting in an upcoming issue of Ask. Contest Rules: 1. Your contest entry must be your very own work. Ideas and words should not be copied. 2. Be sure to include your name, age, and full address on your entry. 3. Only one entry per person, please. 4. If you want your work returned, enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope. 5. Your entry must be signed or emailed by a parent or legal guardian, saying…

These jokes come from the world’s oldest joke book, called Philogelos, or “Laughter Lover,” written about 1,600 years ago by some Greeks living in Rome. It started to rain while Silly Sixtus was out swimming, so he dived under the water to avoid getting wet. A talkative barber asked, “How would you like your hair cut, sir?” “Quietly,” his customer replied. Two farmers were watching a foot race. One of the runners lagged far behind the others. “I know just what that fellow needs to win the race,” remarked one farmer. “What?” asked the other. “A horse.” A man saved from drowning swore he’d never get in the water again until he really learned how to swim. Silly Sixtus went to a dinner party where they were served an excellent…

You Must Be Joking! by Paul Brewer Everyone loves a good joke, and these two jolly books are stuffed full of some of the best. Build up your stock of winning alien jokes, monster jokes, school jokes, knock-knock jokes, and jokes for all festive occasions. As an extra bonus, in the back there are helpful tips on joke telling and how to put on a comedy show—a must for any aspiring comedian’s library. Pranklopedia by Julie Winterbottom Who would want an encyclopedia of pranks? This dangerous volume should be kept locked up at all times. It is completely full of pranks, and I’m shocked to say they even tell you how to do them. There are silly pranks, easy pranks, complicated pranks, and even famous pranks in history. Do not…