Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2017 i National Geographic Kids

Some people are terrified of creepy-crawlies and bugs; others will happily pick up a spider but won’t sleep in the dark in case a monster grabs their foot! Follow our frightful quiz to see where your deepest fears lie … FEEL THE PHOBIA If you’re really scared of something, it’s called a phobia. Phobias range from things that most people find a bit scary, like being high up, to things that are very unlikely to hurt you, such as baked beans. Phobias often have interesting names, like the ones on these pages.…

Sure, these creatures have weird names—and even weirder looks. But they’re not freaks. Their odd fashion statements are clever adaptations that help them survive in their environments. Wolf Eel This so-ugly-it’s-cute eel is shy. Wolf eels generally hang out in caves. After the female lays her eggs, both parents guard them. Viperfish This deep-sea fish uses glowin-the-dark lights along its dorsal fin to attract prey. Then it impales the tasty fish on its sharp bottom teeth. Batfish The batfish doesn’t just swim—it walks! Its “legs” are actually four fins that help the fish stalk its dinner. Hatchetfish Hatchetfish produce light to avoid becoming prey. In sunlit water, the creatures emit light to hide their shapes from predators lurking below. Goblin Shark What’s up with this fish’s nose? Some scientists think…

Ahungry barn owl swoops through the chilly night sky looking for a snack. Fallen leaves blanket the ground, providing the perfect hiding place for mice and voles, the owl’s prey. Luckily the bird has the ultimate feature to help it locate food: superhearing. A barn owl’s ears are so sensitive that the animal can hear the quiet rustling of rodents from dozens of feet away—and it can also pinpoint the exact spot where the noise is coming from. Using its extreme hearing, the bird homes in on a mouse and dives for its meal. All 225 species of owls have impressive skills and traits. “Owls are amazing at what they do,” says Kevin McGowan, an ornithologist (or bird expert) at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in New York. But certain…

As the wind howls and the rain pounds down in eastern Australia, a two-week-old bat clings tightly to her mother, who is hanging upside down in a tree. The gray-headed flying fox is one of hundreds of newborn bats in this large group, called a camp. And these baby bats are in trouble. The violent storm is intensifying, and the furry creatures have not yet learned to fly. If the wind knocks them from the shelter of their moms’ wings, the pupseach weighing less than four ounces—will fall to the ground. Trees depend on flying foxes for pollination, just as many plants depend on bees. The bats’ survival is crucial to the forest’s survival. Finally the fierce thunderstorm ends. Roy Webster, a volunteer with Wildcare Australia, worries that a few…

Draw a haunted house. Send us your original drawings: Nat Geo Kids—Haunted House Art Zone P.O. Box 98002 Washington, DC 20090-8002 Include your name, address, phone number, date of birth, a title for your drawing, a statement that it is your own work, and the name of your parent or guardian. Your parent or guardian must sign a release for publication if your illustration is selected. Submissions become the property of National Geographic Partners, and all rights thereto are transferred to National Geographic Partners. Submissions cannot be acknowledged or returned. Selection will be at the discretion of Nat Geo Kids.…

FREEDOM! NAME Otto FAVORITE ACTIVITY Planning escape strategies FAVORITE TOY Picklock PET PEEVE Pet detectives I KNEW OUR WET DOG SMELL WOULD GET RID OF THOSE KIDS. NAME Emma FAVORITE ACTIVITY Playing “Marco Polo” with dog pal, LB FAVORITE TOY Floating bone PET PEEVE The deep end THE DISHWASHER MISSED A SPOT. OR TWELVE. NAME Ruby FAVORITE ACTIVITY Washing dishes with her tongue FAVORITE TOY Dial on the dishwasher PET PEEVE The rinse cycle ONE ROLL DOWN, FIVE TO GO. NAME Bella FAVORITE ACTIVITY Unrolling all of the toilet paper in the house FAVORITE TOY Wadded-up toilet paper PET PEEVE Flushing…

You’re standing on a newly discovered planet, staring across its rocky landscape. This weird-looking world is covered in a dim red light. Suddenly you hear something moving nearby. A creature with huge eyes is lumbering toward you. It looks like … an alien?! This scenario might seem farfetched, but earlier this year NASA announced a discovery by astronomers that could mean the search for life beyond Earth has made a major breakthrough. The scientists found a new star system 40 light-years (the distance light travels in a year) from our planet. After 200 years on an ultrafast spacecraft, you’d arrive to see seven Earth-size worlds orbiting a small red star—and some of these worlds could be home to extraterrestrial life. OUT OF THIS WORLD Extra-solar planets, or planets outside of…

We’re sure they’re just stories: the mysterious footsteps when no one’s around, the shadowy figure of a dead soldier. But even though you don’t believe in ghosts, it still makes one wonder … could the White House be haunted? President Harry Truman heard a few bumps in the night. “The ... place is haunted, sure as shootin’, ” he wrote. Even today, former White House curator Bill Allman doesn’t deny spirits. “Although I personally don’t believe in ghosts,” he says, “other people have claimed to have felt their presence.” After all, with over 200 years of history, it’s natural to feel as if you’re not alone. SLEEPLESS NIGHTS If ghosts haunt houses because they’re sad, then it’s no wonder Abraham Lincoln (above, left) is said to still roam the White…