Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2019 i Ask Science and Arts Magazine for Kids and Children

Trendy Tail Trick If you’ve ever been to a dolphin show, you might have seen dolphins “walking” on their tails. It’s a common trick that trainers teach the animals. But researchers have seen some wild dolphins tail-walking, too. They think it was a trend. The fad started with a dolphin named Billie. She lived off the coast of Australia. When she was young, she spent some time in a center with captive dolphins. No one trained Billie. But she saw trained dolphins at the center doing tricks. Later, Billie was released back into the wild. Then some other dolphins in her group started walking on their tails. Scientists think Billie learned how to tail-walk, then taught the other wild dolphins. The trick was popular for years. But after Billie died…

Frank Epperson (1894-1983) Did you ever run off and forget your drink? That’s what happened to 11-year-old Frank Epperson in 1905. He’d been mixing drink mix with a stick, and left the cup and stick out on the porch all night. And it got cold. In the morning, Frank found a frozen lump of sweet drink—with a handy stick to hold it. He thought that was pretty cool. So he made more. Soon, everyone was enjoying his ice pops. At first Frank called them Epsicles, but later they got a different name—Popsicles. Obsession: blue raspberry Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) Benjamin Franklin was an American writer, printer, and inventor. He helped found America, and invented lightning rods, bifocal glasses, a heating stove, and a glass organ. But Franklin’s first invention was just…

Make an Inventing Grab Bag Get a bag (any kind) and put in 10 to 20 things that might be useful for tinkering. It could include just about anything you like, such as: scissors, tape, string, cardboard tubes, pipe cleaners, cups, straws, rubber bands, paper clips, craft sticks, balloons, bottle caps, modeling clay, cardboard scraps, safety pins, buttons, spoons, toy cars, rubber balls, paper, pencils. If you want, you can also add a “wish card” that can be used to stand in for one thing that isn’t in the bag (such as a spring or wheels). Warm-Up Exercise: How Many Ways? Close your eyes and pick an item at random from the bag. In one minute, think of as many different ways to use it as you can. For example,…

What is an invention? An invention is... • a new device or way of doing something • that is useful and solves a real problem. An invention doesn’t have to be a whole new machine. It could also be an improvement to an existing device. What are invention contests? Invention contests are a place for inventors to show their work. Expert judges look at the inventions and ask questions. The best inventions win prizes. What kinds of inventions do kids enter? It might be a new device. It could be an improvement to an old device. Or it might be a way of doing something, like a new kind of knot. Your invention could be anything, as long as it’s new, useful, and solves a real problem. How do I…

At a science museum in New York City, a miniature Mars rover prowls a fake Martian landscape. It has solar panels, six wheels, an infrared camera, and many sensors. Visitors have a great time driving the rover around by typing commands on a computer screen, just like a real Mars rover. This miniature rover is a hit with kids—and it was also built by kids. Two sisters in North Carolina, Camille and Genevieve Beatty, started experimenting with robots when they were 11 and 9 years old. Over time, they turned their robotic hobby into a business. From Droids to Drones “I’ve always loved Star Wars,” says Genevieve Beatty. When she was in elementary school, she and her older sister and dad started tinkering with electronics together. They wanted to try…

Kangaroo Kid When Lily was 8, she invented a three-legged mug she called the Kangaroo Cup. She has sold many thousands. In 2015, she went to the White House Science Fair and met Bill Nye and President Obama. The Problem Lily’s grandfather had Parkinson’s disease. His hands trembled, leading to spilled drinks. Lily wanted to make him a cup that was harder to knock over. The Idea Lily noticed that it was easier to stand on her bed with her legs farther apart. She used modeling plastic to add three leggy handles to an ordinary cup. It didn’t stand up. She played with the shape, reheating and bending the legs until she found a shape that worked. When her dad spilled coffee on his laptop, she made a pottery version…

Dear Marvin, I have an awesome prank for you. Take out Plush’s pillow and put in balloons that are inflated. When she lies down they will pop! Claire S., age 9, New Hampshire Dear Claire, Ha ha, that’s a very funny prank! What if I fill the balloons with jello? And rig them to her alarm clock, so when she goes to sleep the alarm goes off and jello flies everywhere? That will be very restful! Sweet dreams, Marvin Dear Plush, What’s your favorite play? I was in one called Once Upon a Mattress. Sylvia H., age 8, Texas Dear Sylvia, That must have been really fun! I love plays, especially musicals like Sound of Music and The Wiz. Right now I’m writing a sequel to Once Upon a Mattress…

Whoosh! by Chris Barton Lonnie Johnson always loved rockets. So he went to work for NASA. But he is most famous for inventing a toy, the super-soaker water squirter. This book tells his surprising story. I’m especially surprised at how hard it was to convince toy companies that super soaking was fun! Clearly, they need more kids in the office. Toys! by Don Wulffson Have you ever wondered who first had the bright idea of sticking plastic face parts onto a potato? Yes, of course, it was a dad. A pie company accidentally invented the Frisbee by making pie tins that were fun to throw. Why do humans like to play with things? I have no idea, but this book is full of the surprising stories behind the invention of…