National Geographic Kids April 2017

Scientists gave species a new of peacock spider the nickname Sparklemuffin. A HONEYBEE HAS THE SAME NUMBER OF HAIRS AS A SQUIRREL: 3 MILLION. THE SUN HAS HOLES IN IT. SNAILS SMELL WITH THEIR LIPS. AN ELEPHANT’S TOOTH IS THE SIZE OF A BRICK. A MUSEUM IN OREGON HAS A COLLECTION OF 300 VACUUMS. There are approximately trillion (3,000,000,000,000) trees on Earth. SCIENTISTS HAVE DISCOVERED A PROTEIN THAT CAN PREVENT ICE CREAM FROM MELTING QUICKLY IN HOT WEATHER. THE PHILTRUM IS THE GROOVE BETWEEN THE TOP OF YOUR UPPER LIP AND THE BOTTOM OF YOUR NOSE. GET MORE!…

What would happen if an asteroid collided with Earth? If a half-mile-wide asteroid, or space rock, crashed into Earth, it would have the same impact as a hundred billion tons of dynamite. The collision would cause earthquakes for about a hundred miles. An even bigger asteroid would send up enormous clouds of dust that would block the sun and kill off most of the world’s plants. It could also generate enough heat to make the oceans boil! Luckily scientists don’t think an asteroid will strike anytime soon. And they’re coming up with ways to prevent one from ever hitting Earth, such as melting it with a laser or knocking it off course with a rocket. Sounds like some good rock stoppers! What would happen if you had gills like a…

TOWER OF CRATES My, what a strong ... chin ... you have? Sun Chaoyang holds the record for the heaviest stack of bottle crates stacked on the chin. Weighing nearly a hundred pounds, the tower of crates was stacked onto Sun’s chin during his live attempt of the challenge for a TV show filmed in Beijing, China. His record brings new meaning to the phrase “Keep your chin up.” ROBOT RIDES CAMELS Horse jockeys, beware: Kamel the robot races camels at nearly 25 miles an hour, the fastest robot on record to ride a camel. Camel racing is a sport in some Arab countries but is dangerous for human riders. So robots do the job. Controlled remotely by people following in cars, Kamel and his fellow robots tighten or loosen…

PLASMA PLANET Planet Gliese 1214b appears in front of the windshield of your spacecraft. The murky brownish-black world is encircled by smog so thick that scientists haven’t been able to observe the surface of the planet underneath. You’ll be the first person to see it. You dip the nose of your spacecraft down and dive through the haze, squinting your eyes to peer through the mist. As the planet comes into view, you’re surprised to see that Gliese 1214b is made of water. But that doesn’t mean it’s covered with lakes and oceans. Instead, the extreme 450°F heat here turns the water into dark steam. Your windshield fogs up in the hot and muggy conditions. Since this planet doesn’t have a solid surface, you can dive right inside it. As…

WEAR YOUR LAWN WHAT Grass-covered flip-flops WHERE New South Wales Coast, Australia DETAILS Want to feel the grass between your toes? Just plant your feet in these grass-topped flip-flops, designed to give you the sensation of being outdoors anytime. Don’t worry about watering the sandals—the grass is actually a layer of artificial turf. You’ll have some happy feet! ZIPPER OPENS APARTMENT WHAT Unzipped floor WHERE Tokyo, Japan DETAILS You won’t keep your lips zipped about this display! Built into the floor of an apartment, the temporary art installation is shaped like a giant zipper that’s opening up the floor. The zipper is made of wood, so it doesn’t actually move. But the artist hopes you’ll look twice before zipping by. ICE CUBE ON WHEELS WHAT Truck made of ice WHERE…

1 A sea turtle can weigh much as a water buffalo. 2 Some sea stars break off their own arms when frightened. 3 Food passes through a giant squid ’s brain on the way to its stomach. 4 An alligator grows 3,000 about teeth in a lifetime. 5 The fastest falcon can outpace a speeding race car. 6 The “barking pigeon” has a call that sounds like a loud dog. 7 Warthogs don’t have warts. 8 A newborn kangaroo is about as a paper clip.…