Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2024 i National Geographic Kids

A coral reef might seem like a calm and quiet place to live, but the creatures that reside there are constantly in work mode: They’re building, cleaning, protecting, and gardening the coral reef they call home. Nicknamed “rainforests of the sea,” coral reefs are also like undersea cities, with reef residents working together to help their community thrive. “Each role is important for keeping the coral reef ecosystem healthy,” marine biologist Kiho Kim says. Meet the animals in this underwater metropolis that get the job done. THE ANIMALS: Clownfish and Sea Anemones THE JOB: Security Guards A clownfish hovers inside the tentacles of a creature called a sea anemone (uh-NEM-uh-NEE). Unbothered by the stinging tentacles, the fish eats parasites off the anemone and protects it from predators like butterflyfish. Like…

1 Some coral glow to help algae produce nutrients. 2 People have turned ice-cream trucks and subway cars into artificial reefs. 3 Corals can sting each other to compete for space on the reef. 4 A coral’s tree-like growth rings can show a reef’s age. 5 Surgeons can use coral to help repair human bones. 6 Many reef-building corals release eggs just once a year—in the summer after a full moon. 7 Corals are related to jellyfish. 8 Coral skeletons, eggshells, chalk, and pearls are all made from calcium carbonate. 9 Bubblegum coral gets its name from the tiny pink polyps that live on its skeleton. 10 Some coral reefs living today began forming 50 million years ago.…

MUSCLES Octopuses don’t have bones but are 90 percent muscle. Humans are only about 40 percent muscle. ARMS An octopus sends messages from its brain to other parts of the body through cells called neurons; most neurons are in an octopus’s arms. Each arm can taste, feel, and move on its own. A few species of octopuses can detach an arm to distract predators. (Don’t worry—it grows back!) SKIN Octopus skin is covered with chromatophores—groups of special cells filled with different colors. These cells can stretch out and turn the creature’s skin the same color as its surroundings, which can make the octopus nearly invisible. INK When threatened, octopuses eject ink that can mess with a predator’s sight, taste, and smell. That distracts it so the octopus can escape. An…

As a kid exploring the beaches of Sydney, Australia, I loved plunging my hands into rock pools along the shore. But one morning, I felt something sticky—and it wasn’t sand. I yanked my hand out of the water. Then a single eye peered up, staring right at me. It was an octopus! It stretched out one of its eight wriggling, reddish arms and touched my finger so I could feel its little suckers. Now that I’m a marine biologist, I know the octopus must’ve been tingling all over with strange new senses—octopuses touch, taste, and smell with their suckers. It’s like having a fingertip, a tongue, and a nostril all in one place. (I also now know that only trained adults should touch wild animals.) This wasn’t the last incredible…

Around the world, coral reefs are in danger: Pollution, warmer waters due to climate change, and other threats can cause coral to die. An international report found that up to 90 percent of Earth’s coral is at risk. The good news is that many people are working to save them. “Coral reefs could be the first ecosystem we lose—but that also means it could be the first ecosystem we save,” marine biologist Steve Simpson says. “And if we can save coral reefs, we can save anything.” Check out a few ways conservationists are protecting these habitats. Underwater Nurseries Some polyps—the animals that create coral reefs—are harmed by heat waves and pollution, and others die after they’re knocked off a reef by strong storms or boat strikes. So conservationists had a…

‘SEW’ BIG Betsy Bond definitely made a point with her art project: She crafted the world’s largest knitting needles. Made with 15-foot-long plastic tubes, the needles had 3D-printed points and knobs on the ends. To break the record, Bond had to knit at least 10 stitches and 10 rows. We’re guessing she had a giant ball doing it. SUPER STINGER This ant is a pain in the neck … or whichever body part it stings. Native to Central and South America, the bullet ant has the world’s most painful sting. Bug scientist Justin Schmidt allowed 83 different insect species to sting him, and the bullet ant ranked first. The ant’s sting isn’t deadly, but Schmidt compares the pain to walking over flaming coals with a three-inch nail in your heel.…

Coral reefs are one of the most diverse ecosystems on our planet, providing homes to about a quarter of all known marine species. But because most coral reefs thrive in warm, shallow, coastal waters, these delicate habitats are vulnerable to climate change and pollution. A jump of even 2°F in water temperature can harm corals. They can also become sick if just one piece of plastic settles on a reef. That’s why it’s so important to protect the planet’s reefs—and the animals that live in them. So dive into this Special Coral Reef Issue to learn all about the animals that live there, plus get tons of tips on how you can help these ecosystems. But first, take this fun quiz to discover which coral reef system your personality matches…

1 HUNGRY SUN CORAL Algae that live inside coral tissue provide food for many species of coral. But that’s not all these animals eat. Corals like this sun coral are predators: They wave their tentacles to nab any zooplankton (teeny-tiny animals) that swim too close. 2 FISH HOUSE For fish like anthias, coral reefs provide shelter from predators, a safe place for their babies, and a buffet of food. In return, these fish eat coral-smothering seaweed. 3 CORAL EATERS Many reef creatures—like sunburst butterflyfish, sea stars, sea urchins, and crustaceans—feast on coral polyps. Called corallivores, some of these predators might help coral reefs by pooping out healthy coral bacteria over new areas. 4 FEATHERY FRIENDS Feather stars look like plants, but these animals can crawl, roll, and even swim to…