Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2023 i Ask Science and Arts Magazine for Kids and Children

Lost and Found Tortoise The Galápagos Islands are known for interesting animal life. These Pacific islands are home to more than a dozen types of giant tortoise. Each tortoise comes from a different island. The tortoises that live on Fernandina Island were spotted only once—one tortoise, in 1906. Discoverers named it the “fantastic giant tortoise.” But no one saw another tortoise like it for more than a hundred years. Everyone assumed that it was extinct. Then, in 2019, people found a second giant tortoise on Fernandina Island. Was it a fantastic giant tortoise? Or another island’s species that had swum over or been left there? Scientists studied the tortoise’s DNA. It was a fantastic giant tortoise—not extinct after all. They named her Fernanda. Now they’re looking for more. Gophers Have…

Send your letters to Ask, 1 East Erie Street, Suite 525, PMB4136, Chicago, IL 60611, or have your parent/guardian email us at ask@cricketmedia.com. In our July/August issue we asked you to imagine your dream island escape. Thanks to all you inventive islanders for sharing your idylls! Dear Bone Pony, What are your favorite colors? Mine are green, yellow, and orange. And did you know that when dolphins sleep half of their brain is awake while the other sleeps and then it rotates? I think that’s pretty cool. Vera K. Dear Vera, Dolphins are so clever, and that is one trick I’ve always wished I could learn. Wouldn’t it be nice to let half your brain nap while the other half sorts the recycling? Though daydreaming is also enjoyable. I like…

Use Your Head (or someone else’s) One ruler in ancient Greece hit upon a clever way to hide messages—he shaved the head of his messenger, and tattooed the message on their scalp. Then he waited for the hair to grow back, and sent the messenger off. When the messenger arrived, he shaved his head to reveal the note. This method took a while, but it worked! Note: This technique is not useful for urgent messages or bald spies. Or Use Three Heads! In medieval Japan, the fearsome Ninja were military spies known for their stealth, clever disguises, and general trickiness. In combat they sometimes wore false heads on each shoulder to confuse opponents, who would not know which one to hit. When pursued, they dropped small metal spikes that would…

In 1798, the French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte took his armies to Egypt. They marveled at the pyramids and temples, and wondered about the lines of little people, birds, eyes, and fans carved all over them. Was it writing? What did it say? It was like a secret code whose key had long been lost. Until some soldiers demolishing a wall made a remarkable discovery. The Find The hot sun beat down on the backs of the French soldiers as they moved stones from an old fortress wall near Rosetta, Egypt. The wall had been built from rock and broken bits of older buildings. As they worked, one officer noticed a big chunk of black granite with a smooth front. It was covered in tiny writing. The officer pulled out the…

Secret Invisible Ink Need to keep your notes safe from prying eyes? Raid the kitchen for some disappearing ink. What you'll need • Index card or paper • Wood toothpicks or cotton swabs • lemon juice • grape juice or balsamic vinegar • baking soda • small dish or bottle cap • secrets What to do First, write a boring note on your card with ordinary pen. Leave space between the lines. Then, in between the lines, write your secret message! Method 1: Lemon juice ink Snap the tip off a toothpick (to make a more "brushy" end) or use a cotton swab. Dip the tip into the juice, and write away. The message will disappear as it dries. To read the message: Brush water over the message with a…