Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 4 i Australian Geographic Explorers

Welcome to issue four! We hope you are loving Explorers. As winter unfolds, we want you to have a great issue to curl up with. Our cover star and feature interview is the inspiring Angie Scarth-Johnson. Angie is a world champion climber, who is preparing for the Olympics at just 16! We also learn how to survive the extreme cold with young adventurer Jade Hameister, unravel the history of submarines, and visit our galaxy, the incredible Milky Way. Our MEGA poster this issue is all about penguins – or you might prefer to pop the killer whale and polar bears on your wall. And it’s World Ocean Day on June 8, so do your bit to help our seas, worldoceanday.org. Meantime, we LOVE hearing from you, so please feel free…

In 2016, Jade became the youngest person to pull off the Polar Hat-Trick – skiing to both the North and South Poles, and crossing Greenland, the second-largest polar icecap on the planet. The journey took four months in total and involved more than 1300km on ice. We asked her how she did it. 1 How did you first get into trekking? My parents organised regular mini-adventures in nature with me and my younger brother Kane from a very young age, including hikes up many of Australia’s tallest peaks. The first trip I really pushed for was Everest Base Camp when I was 12 and Kane was 10. "I am passionate about empowering young women." 2 What appeals to you? I love being in big nature, and a physical challenge. It…

In Australia there are 11 places where you can catch a glimpse of the Milky Way, including Warrumbungle (NSW), Lincoln National Park (SA) and Mount Wellington/kunanyi (Tas). You won’t be able to see all of it – because we’re in it – but you can see the band we’re part of. Earth is located in the Milky Way’s Orion arm. The Milky Way name comes from an ancient Greek myth about the goddess Hera and her stepson Hercules. His father Zeus was so fond of Hercules that he snuck him onto his sleeping wife Hera’s chest to suckle, so that his son would get god-like powers. But Hera woke up and pushed him away, and the milk spilt, creating the Milky Way. In China however it is known as Silver…

If you are a nature lover and obsessed with rescued bats, meteor showers and survival stories, our mag is perfect for you. Explorers is made for 8-12-year-old kids who want to be inspired and learn. Every issue comes with a HUGE pull-out poster too. Bonus! MEET AUSTRALIA'S TOP 30 CUTEST AND MOST DEADLY ANIMALS IN THESE TWO COLLECTOR CARD SETS! Play your friends by taking turns to read out the clues, awarding points for how fast a player can guess the animals from the top 30 adorable and deadly Australian animals. Each set includes: 30 cards plus one game pack. Pack size 110 x 70mm. CHOOSE YOUR OFFER OFFER WITH THE GIFT $49.00 for 6 issues (1 year) via annual automatic renewal (credit card or direct debit). SAVE $2 –…

The Physics of Popcorn by Dr Aidan Randle-Conde, CSIRO Publishing. An interactive book about the curious world of kitchen science, this features 22 cool experiments, lots of info, and fun quizzes. Learn about volume and mass by making popcorn, energy and heat by creating a hot air balloon, wavelengths by making a rainbow, gravity by examining baseball, plus friction and other forces, and much more! An inspiring exploration of physics for older readers. Why Do Tigers Have Whiskers? edited by Sunanda Creagh, Thames & Hudson. This book brings the wonders of science to life, addressing questions like whether sharks sneeze and why cats don’t wear shoes. Gorgeously illustrated with a mix of realism and fantasy, it features answers by academic experts, a glossary to explain more complex terms, and extra…

What did the big flower say to the little flower? Hey little bud. Why is Peter Pan flying around all the time? He Neverlands. What did the finger say to the thumb? I’m in glove with you. Which fruit do vampires love? Neck-tarines of course. Why didn't the zombie go to school today? He felt rotten! Why is a cemetery a good place to write? Because of all the plots there of course! Where do ghosts like to go for vacation? The Dead Sea. Why are skeletons so calm? Because nothing gets under their skin. What did the gherkin say to the pickle who was complaining? Just dill with it. How does the man on the moon cut his hair? Eclipses it.…

Readerr pop-ups Myth Buster Do kangaroos really drown dogs? Yes and no. Kangaroos have been recorded drowning dogs, but experts say this is a defence mechanism rather than a purposeful act. Woah! How brilliant is this product?! It’s a braille cube that has the names of colours on each square! We love it. Check it out at www.braillecube.com. Make it Not only is crafting a great way to destress, it is also fun to do! Check out these brilliant ocean-inspired ideas from Fleur Harris at the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. Visit www.barrierreef.org/freekidsactivities…

The first recorded mention of humans going underwater is a legend from 332BCE. Alexander the Great submerged himself in the sea in a glass barrel to study fish. Since then, mankind has worked towards creating a machine that would allow travel under the water, but 1800 years passed before English mathematician William Bourne worked out how to keep a ship under water. He created a system that controlled the volume within the vessel, concluding that if the volume was decreased the vessel would sink, and if it was increased it would rise. Next, to work out how to propel it. In 1620, Cornelis Drebbel invented an enclosed, submersible boat rowed by 12 men. Sixteen years later, Marin Mersenne realised the submarine needed to be cylindrical in shape, and made of…

Why are feral animals such a threat to our native animals? Australia’s native plants and animals adapted to life on an isolated continent over millions of years. Pressures from new, invasive species have caused a major impact on our country’s soil and waterways, and on its native plants and animals. Sadly, plants are listed as threatened or endangered. Australia now has the worst mammal extinction rate in the world, and a high proportion of our surviving animals and plants are listed as threatened or endangered. What are some practical ways we can all help protect our native animals? There are lots of ways to protect our native Australian wildlife! Supporting organisations such as Aussie Ark is critical – without our vital work, Australia stands to lose its unique wildlife. At…

1 Where did the idea for this flying fox project come from? There is an urgent need to develop a means to cool bats down when temperatures get into the danger zone. 2 How hard was it to pull off? Thankfully, deployment and design-wise it has been a straightforward process to implement. 3 Why are our flying foxes in so much trouble? They are particularly sensitive to extreme heat, roost as they among the exposed branches of trees. In these exposed roosting areas, high temps often result in heat stress and fatalities, particularly of lactating females and their young. 4 Can you tell our readers why flying foxes are so important? They’re very important pollinators and seed dispersers, and are considered a keystone species for Australia’s eucalypt forests. 5 How…

In the 1920s, Australian cartoonist Jimmy Bancks created Ginger Meggs, a comic strip that followed the antics of a cheeky red-headed boy. This year, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ginger Meggs, Jimmy’s great-great nephew Tristan Bancks and illustrator Jason Chatfield have released Ginger Meggs – 4 Brand-New Stories, to celebrate the lasting impact of the one and only Ginger Meggs. Tristan, what’s it like to be part of Jimmy’s ongoing legacy? It’s the proudest moment of my career to be trusted with these characters, who were so important to me as a kid, and who have been around for a hundred years. You’ve acted, directed, written kids and YA books – how do you fit everything into your life? My goal as a kid was to never have a ‘real’…

All about Munkhsaikhan Family: I live with my mum and dad and five siblings. I have two sisters and three older brothers. Pets: A wonderful dog, Alagaa. How do you spend your spare time: I recently received a smart tablet thanks to a donation from World Vision Switzerland. I love learning on it and am keen to study hard to ensure a better future. My brothers and sisters also use the tablet to learn things such as foreign languages, personal development, and to follow their daily classes. Favourite music: Hip-hop! Favourite food: Tsuiwan, which is a traditional meal of noodles, meat and vegetables. What do you want to be when you grow up: My big dream is to work towards being a medallist at a national championship level for kickboxing.…

1 What got you into climbing? It was Mum’s fear of me hurting myself. Like many kids, I was always climbing trees, but this was a whole other level. From the age of three, I thought anything that looked climbable needed to be climbed, and took it personally if I couldn’t climb something or wasn’t allowed to. I started to have accidents that sometimes led to hospital, then at seven, Mum finally found the solution to my extremely strange climbing addiction – a climbing gym. It changed my life. 2 You were only nine when you climbed a grade 31. That’s one of the most memorable times of my life. It’s hard to explain how significant a grade 31 at nine is. It requires physical strength kids rarely have. Now,…

The next hundred years on Earth will completely change the face of power as we know it. Humankind is moving away from coal and towards eco-friendly sources instead. There are seven key renewable energies – solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, ocean, hydrogen, and biomass. Sun and wind power are already making huge inroads, with solar and wind farms increasing – and with government rebates, now households are able to install their own solar panels too. Even bigger shifts will come as we swap out old energy sources like coal for new ones, but unfortunately Australia is falling way behind with this target – we are currently at only 21% renewables, while Iceland and Paraguay are at 100%, Costa Rica is at 99%, and Austria is at 80%. Scarily, right now in…

WHAT IT IS Emotions give us information about things we see, hear, smell, touch and taste. They also help us figure out what we need. It’s normal to feel sad sometimes, and it’s an emotion that everyone feels. A lingering sadness often lets you know that there’s been a change or loss, and that you need to give yourself time to heal. COPING SKILLS Notice how you feel and why. It can help you to understand the reason behind feeling sad and to separate yourself from it. Look for solutions. Sometimes there are things you can do that can help. Cry it out, bash your pillow, have a crazy dance to your favourite song, or write about it in your journal. Do things you enjoy. Sometimes this can help you…

Long ago, all the animals spoke different languages, so they couldn’t communicate. But little Willy Wagtail learned them all so she could understand everyone and help those in need. When a bushfire threatens, she has to work out how they can escape, and it’s her ingenuity, leadership and courage that saves them all – but who will save her? A beautiful book of friendship, perseverance, and getting along with others despite differences.…