Innholdsfortegnelse for July/August 2022 i Ask Science and Arts Magazine for Kids and Children

Dinos Died in Spring About 66 million years ago, an asteroid plunged into the ocean off the coast of Mexico. Its effects wiped out the dinosaurs, along with three-quarters of all species on Earth. Now scientists think they know what season it was when the asteroid hit. A few years ago, scientists discovered a fossil bed in North Dakota where animals had died from the same asteroid that killed the dinosaurs. Even far away from the impact, the ground shook and debris fell from the sky. Scientists studied the bones of fossilized fish from that site. Inside the bones, they could see yearly patterns of growth. The fish had died in the spring, which may pinpoint the time of year when the asteroid hit. This Pot Was a Potty Ancient…

For many animals, an island can be a great place to live. Water all around keeps big predators away. But islands have their own dangers. Food and water are limited. A storm or volcano can easily wipe out a whole population, or change the land in big ways. If a predator (like cats or rats) does arrive, there’s no escape. These challenges can cause island animals to evolve quite differently from their mainland ancestors. So islands around the world are home to rare species found nowhere else. A Rock of My Own The Galápagos are a group of small volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean, 600 miles (966 km) west of Ecuador. When these islands first erupted from the sea, they were empty of life. Over time, plant seeds blew…

Do you ever dream of getting away from it all to your very own island? For this month’s contest, draw us a picture of your dream island retreat. What’s the weather like? Which weird animals call it home? What would your house look like? Send us a picture of your idyllic isle, and we’ll take a tour of the most terrific 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…

Split Off Continental islands form when parts of a land mass split off in an earthquake, or when tectonic plates move. England and Ireland are both continental islands. Erupt Volcanic islands (also called oceanic islands) form when undersea volcanoes erupt and rise above the surface. Many islands in the Pacific and Caribbean are volcanic. Coral Ring Low, flat coral islands start out as coral reefs around volcanoes or anchored to undersea rocks. After a long time, the volcano can erode away, leaving a coral island called an atoll. Islands Stay Put Islands don’t float on the water. They are the tops of underwater mountains, volcanoes, or coral reefs, rising up from the sea floor. Sea Rise Sometimes new islands form when seas rise and flow into low places, cutting off…

More than 2,000 years ago, the Greek thinker Plato wrote about a magnificent island called Atlantis. According to Plato, the royal palace was “a marvel to behold for size and for beauty.” It sat on a perfectly round island, surrounded by rings of water and land. Gardens, golden temples, a horse-racing track, and fancy bath houses filled the island rings. Ships sailed in the circular waterways, bringing goods from all over the world. The whole place was filled with fruit and flowers. Wise kings ruled over happy people. But over time, Plato wrote, the people grew greedy and corrupt. They waged war and attempted to enslave their neighbors. So the gods punished Atlantis. With dreadful earthquakes and floods, the island sank into the sea, never to be seen again. Ever…

What you’ll need • A glass of water • Dishwashing soap (not hand soap) • Pepper What to do To do this trick, prepare beforehand by secretly rubbing a little dishwashing liquid on the tip of your index finger. A tiny bit will do! Don’t let anyone see. Then, get a glass of water (be careful not to dip your soapy finger in it!), some pepper, and a friend. Sprinkle some pepper on top of the water. It should float. (If it doesn’t, make a distraction and start another trick.) Challenge your friend to stick a finger in the water (gently) and test their power to make the pepper leave. It shouldn’t go anywhere. If you’re lucky, pepper will stick to your friend’s finger. Now YOU try it, with your…

South America Hello! I’m Cecil. I’m a parrot—a Sisserou parrot. I come from the island of Dominica. My island isn’t very big, just about the size of New York City. But it is filled with waterfalls, rainforests, seven volcanoes, and 365 rivers—one for each day of the year! And of course, it is completely surrounded by water. Let me show you around. This scarlet beauty is my island’s national flower, the Bwa Kwaib, which means “Carib wood.” Like me, they are only found on Dominica. I especially love them in April, when they are in full bloom and flowers cover the whole branch. Down the middle of our island is a spine of steep volcanoes, covered with rainforest. Much of this is a national park called Morne Trois Pitons (Three…

The Pacific Ocean covers almost a third of the Earth. Scattered around its rim are many groups of islands. In recent years, the people of these islands have noticed tides getting higher and storms getting worse. And they wonder—is their world about to change? Rising Tides As the climate warms, the huge ice sheets at the North and South Poles are melting, releasing water into the oceans. That makes the ocean higher, like when you add water to a bath. Warmer water also takes up more room than cooler water, so as the oceans warm they rise even more. Scientists expect that if the planet continues to warm, sea levels around the world may rise 2 to 6 feet (1 to 2 m) or more by 2100. That may not…

Dear Bone Pony, Hi! Did you know that cows produce more milk when listening to classical music? And in Japan there is octopus flavored ice-cream. I found a little squirrel by our school today. Does Avery know him? Your Friend, Bella P., age 9, China Dear Bella, I think most animals enjoy nice music. It certainly helps me when I’m thinking! Octopus ice cream sounds...interesting, though I think I’ll stick with hay, and dictionaries. Have you tried it? Did it stick to the cone? Your ossified pal, Bone Pony Dear Zia, I like zebras! Did you know that each zebra has a different stripe design? My favorite animal is a panda. They’re black and white just like you! What is your favorite kind of cupcake? Mine is vanilla. I made…