Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2016 - January 2017 i National Geographic Kids

1 Early Bird Archaeopteryx(pronounced ARK-ee-OP-tur-icks) was a flightless birdlike creature that lived during the Jurassic period, about 150 million years ago. Archaeopteryx was the first animal found to have features of both dinosaurs and birds, linking modern-day birds to their reptilian ancestors. 2 Rhino Skull Flowing ash and rock from a volcanic eruption 10 million years ago in what is now Nebraska “baked” and preserved this rhino’s skull and jaw. Because the heat usually incinerates them, mammal fossils like this one are rarely found in volcanic rock. 3 Terrible Teeth These terrifying fossilized teeth—yes, they’re teeth—filled the entire lower jaw of the 270-million-year-old fish Helicoprion. The prehistoric creature didn’t have any upper chompers ... perhaps because its lower ones were so effective at snagging grub. 4 Sticky Situation Fossilized insects…

TOUCAN GETS NEW BEAK! Alajuela, Costa Rica Injured and alone, Grecia the toucan was in trouble. He had been attacked by humans, and if he didn’t get help soon, he would die. Luckily some kind people found the bird and stepped in to help. Grecia—named for the town he was found in—survived. But he ended up losing part of his upper beak, which had been mangled in the attack. Rescate Animal Zoo Ave, the animal rescue center that eventually took in the toucan, came up with a solution for the bird’s problem. With the help of other organizations, they could build an artificial plastic beak for Grecia using 3-D printing technology. Before building the bird’s beak, technicians first studied scans of normal toucan beaks. “These gave us an idea of…

A tiny red-bellied pademelona type of marsupial related to kangaroos and wallabies—sits stranded on a deserted road on the Australian island of Tasmania. Just minutes ago the baby had been snuggled safely inside his mother’s pouch. But as the mom was crossing the street in the pitch-black night, a car struck her. After the vehicle drove off, the joey crawled out of the pouch. He now huddles by his motionless mother, scared and disoriented. Without a parent to feed him and keep him warm, he won’t last much longer. POUCH POWER Several minutes later, the driver who accidentally hit the pademelon returns out of concern for the animal. The man realizes immediately that the mother marsupial didn’t make it. Then he spots the softball-size joey squatting nearby. Scooping up the…

1 Over five million dollars was spent last year on fireworks for Singapore’s National Day, a holiday in August that honors the country’s independence. 2 AMERICANS CONSUME AROUND 150 MILLION HOT DOGS ON THE FOURTH OF JULY. 3 For Up Helly Aa, which pays tribute to the Viking heritage of Scotland’s Shetland Islands, revelers toss lit torches at an empty replica of a Viking ship. 4 Japan’s annual Coming of Age Day in January recognizes those who turned 20 during the past year. 5 To celebrate African culture‚people light a candle a day during the weeklong Kwanzaa to honor principles such as unity and creativity. 6 On King’s Day in April, citizens of the Netherlands celebrate Dutch royalty by wearing orange outfits. 7 ON HOLI, A HOLIDAY IN THE HINDU…

A 600-pound Siberian tiger pads through a snowy forest in eastern Russia at night. The tiger doesn’t notice that it’s being watched. Click, click, click. A camera attached to a tree trunk captures photos of the cat as it walks by, its paws slushing through the snow. The unsuspecting feline was part of an important photo shoot. Tiger experts sometimes place cameras in parts of the big cat’s range—which stretches across areas of eastern Russia and 12 other Asian countries—to snap pics of the cats. They use the images along with other information to help calculate the number of tigers in the wild. And during recent measurements of the population, publicized in 2016, they got a surprise. For the first time in a century, the number of wild tigers counted…

Russia is the world’s largest country. It covers about 11 percent of the Earth’s land. The United States bought Alaska from Russia in 1867 for $7.2 million. The Ural Mountains split Russia between two continents, Europe and Asia. The country’s Trans-Siberian Railway, the world’s longest railroad, stretches from Europe to the Sea of Japan. The inside of Kamchatka(Kam-CHAT- kuh) Cave is full of cool shades of white and gray. That’s because it’s an ice cave—a 20-foot-high, 30-foot-wide passage that tunnels half a mile through a glacier. But sometimes the cave’s scenery is transformed. Its icy interior occasionally glows with a dazzling display of blue and violet lights. So what gives this cave its unique colors? COLD HARD FACTS The icy tunnel is tucked away in a remote valley on the…

In the virtual world of Animal Jam you can play as an animal—but which one is right for you? Answer each question, then add up your points using the blue box below to discover which animal lives in you. Then visit animaljam.com and play wild! You’re a tiger! 46–55 POINTS Tigers are the biggest of the big cats—but you won’t hear them roaring about it. You also have incredible power, but you’re not one to brag. Just like a tiger peeking from the grass, you enjoy activities like photography where you can observe others. But once you step out, you impress everyone with your strength and courage. You’re a harp seal! 16-25 POINTS Your passion for the planet is as deep as the ocean. Like a harp seal diving in…

1 THE TOY Geckobot WHAT IT IS A wall-climbing robot COOL SCIENCE Suction HOW IT WORKS This toy gecko scales walls like the real lizard. After a battery-powered motor moves two of the Geckobot’s four legs forward, a built-in pump sucks out the air beneath the suction cup feet. This makes the air pressure outside of the cups greater than the air pressure inside them. The high-pressure air on the outside pushes against the cups, sealing them to the wall. The same forces let you drink through a straw: Sucking in air makes pressure inside the straw lower than the pressure around it. The higher pressure in your glass pushes liquid up the straw to your mouth. Once the toy moves its other feet forward, the pump puffs air back…

MOANA When rooster Heihei stows away on Moana’s boat during her Pacific islands voyage, he drives her crazy, squawking loudly and repeatedly falling overboard. That wouldn’t be a huge problem for a real chicken. They can stay afloat for long periods of time by paddling their feet like a duck. In the movie, kakamoraare tiny pirates that make armor out of coconuts. In real life, the veined octopus uses coconut shells to protect itself too. If a predator appears, the octopus uses its suckers to slide inside and hold the shell halves together. On her journey, Moana encounters Maui, a half god, half mortal who’s able to shape-shift into different animals. Real-world animals can shape-shift too. When attacked, the Spanish ribbed newt shifts its ribs forward and pushes them through…

Leopard seals have a reputation for being vicious beasts. That’s how they’re portrayed in movies such as Happy Feet and March of the Penguins. As a wildlife photographer, I set out to prove that these animals are actually misunderstood predators. With this as our mission, my friend Goran Ehlme and I head for Antarctica, where leopard seals live and hunt penguins. When we spot a massive female leopard seal, I quickly launch our Zodiac (an inflatable boat) and set out to get a closer look. Almost immediately the seal initiates an encounter, swimming over to our 13-foot-long Zodiac and ducking underneath. She is as long as the boat and three feet wide—massive for her species. While I try to come to terms with her size, she swims off, grabs a…