Innholdsfortegnelse for July/August 2018 i Ask Science and Arts Magazine for Kids and Children

Bird-Beaked Spiders What is this weird-looking critter? Would you believe, a spider? Pelican spiders are named after the birds they resemble. Pelican birds use their giant beaks to scoop up fish. Pelican spiders use their long jaws to attack other spiders. But don’t be alarmed—these beaked bugs are only about the size of a grain of rice. Pelican spiders have been around since the time of the dinosaurs, or even earlier. Scientists in Africa know about these ancient spiders from fossils. Modern species live and Australia. In fact, there are more than we thought. Researchers armed with microscopes recently discovered 18 brand-new kinds on the African island of Madagascar. Space Car In February, the world’s most powerful rocket made its first launch. The rocket is called the Falcon Heavy. Someday…

Flight Feathers push down on the air so you can fly, then fold away when you don’t need them. They slide smoothly so you can change the shape of your wings. And feathers are light, so they don’t add too much weight. Custom Jobs Some feathers do special jobs. Desert grouse use sponge-like chest feathers to carry water many miles to their chicks. Woodpeckers have extra-strong tail feathers to help them climb trees. Many birds line their nests with old feathers. And some birds eat feathers to help them digest! Keeping Warm and Cool Downy feathers trap lots of tiny air pockets, which stop heat from getting in or out. This helps the bird stay just the right temperature. Feathers are so good at trapping heat that penguins can stay…

When the first dinosaur fossils were discovered, scientists thought they looked like lizards. So they drew pictures of living dinosaurs as scaly and drab. But a string of discoveries starting in the 1970s has changed all that. The first surprise was that many dinosaurs had feathers. Some had just simple bristles. Others were covered in complex plumes. And now, scientists may be able to tell what color those feathers were. Stone Colors In the 1980s, scientists began looking at fossil feathers with powerful microscopes. They saw tiny, sausage-shaped ridges inside. Most thought these were traces of bacteria that munched on the feather after the dinosaur died. But in 2007, Jakob Vinther looked at the fossil feathers and saw something different. To him, the tiny blobs inside looked like melanosomes. Melanosomes…

World of Birds by Kim Kurki Did you know that a young robin eats 50 worms a day? Can you tell a robin from a towhee? If you love birds and want to get to know them better, this beautiful book will be your friend. Every page brings common American birds alive with lots of fun drawings, interesting facts, habits, related birds, and where and how to spot them. The Secrets of Animal Flight by Nic Bishop Birds have all the fun. Why do they get to fly, and we can’t? Well, if you really want to know, read this book. It takes a close look at bird, bat, bug, and airplane wings and figures out how they work. There are lots of useful pictures that make the ideas clear…

Tk...tk…TEEEE! A colorful bird the size of a sparrow sits on a branch in a Colombian cloud forest. A female is nearby. Will she be his mate? The male hops side-to-side to attract her attention. Then he puts his head down, lifts his tail, and moves his wings so fast they blur. Tk…tk…TEEEE! A clear, loud tone like a doorbell rings out through the forest. But the bird’s beak hasn’t moved. He isn’t singing to the female. He isn’t chirping. So where is the sound coming from? Scientists have known for a long time that there is something odd about the club-winged manakin’s calls. But it wasn’t until 2002 that cameras became fast enough to discover the bird’s secret. When video was played back, frame-by-frame, it revealed a surprise. The…

Next time you’re outside, see if you can hear a bird just by its wings. Small birds whirrrr quickly. Pigeons flap flap flap like a flag snapping in the wind. A whole flock of starlings taking off can sound like rustling leaves. But no matter how hard you listen, you won’t ever hear an owl’s wings. Owls hunt small animals, often in the dark. They glide overhead, listening for the faint rustling sounds of mice and rabbits. Then, they strike. An owl’s dinner depends on silence and surprise. The mice are listening too. If a mouse hears an owl flapping above, it will jump into its burrow. So owls have evolved a secret weapon—super quiet wings. Why do other wings make noise? If you’ve ever been in a room with…

Hi Marvin and Bot, Can you speak Russian? Потому что я могу. I heard that you’re writing a joke book. Here’s one for you: Knock knock. Who’s there? Ya. Ya-who? Don’t get too excited, it’s only a joke. Пока Bye, Lucas S., age 9, California Dear Lucas, Thanks, that’s a good joke! So far I only speak raccoon Russian, but Bot has a built-in translator. Processing....and output says “because you can, for sure.” Is it hard to learn two alphabets? I have trouble with just one. Пока, Marvin and Bot Dear Zia, Do you have a typewriter? I do, and I’m typing this letter. I have a prank you can play on Marvin: Jello in his bed! If you play an instrument, what is it? I play the piano. If…

The first writing (that we know about) was invented in Babylon (now Iraq) more than 5,000 years ago. They used a little stick to press shapes into soft clay. Soon after, people cut reeds to make dip-pens to use with ink. Then, around 2,500 years ago, people started using feather pens—or quills. No one knows exactly who first had the idea. But feather pens became especially popular in Europe. They were the main writing tool until metal pens appeared in the 1800s. In fact, our word “pen” comes from the Latin penna, meaning “feather.” You can’t just take a feather and dip it in ink. A writing feather had to be specially prepared. The end was cut to make a nib, and the barbs (the feathery bits) were cut away.…

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a bird, flying through the sky, wearing beautiful feathers? What kind of bird would you be? For this month’s contest, imagine yourself as a bird (modern or ancient, real or imaginary), and send us a picture of your feathered self. We’ll host an aviary of the most astonishing 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 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,…