Oh! My God

Snowbound

Many caribou live in Arctic Canada. In winter the ground is covered in ice so the caribou move south in search of moss and lichen to feed on. They return to the north in the spring.

 

Soft Sand

The soft sand that we sink into on the beach, is actually rock. Sand is what a rock becomes after years of being worn down by rivers. Years of sea waves crashing against huge rocks and cliffs makes rocks break into small particles. And ultimately, they end up as sand. The colours of sand – yellow, red, grey, black – depend on the kind of rock it comes from. Sometimes, desert sand is carried by winds across great distances, to seasides, increasing the amount of sand in the sea.

 

Soldier first used hand grenades

Did you know that soldier first used hand grenades in the 15th century?

They had nasty habit of going off when they should not and the idea was forgotten for another 200 years.

 

Space Facts about Pluto

Pluto, now a dwarf planet, was discovered by Clyde Tombaugh in 1930. An interesting story goes behind its discovery and naming.

In 1930, Tombaugh discovered a possible moving object on photographic plates. Another photo taken on January 20 helped him confirm the movement. Soon, Pluto was confirmed to be the ninth planet from the sun.

The name Pluto was suggested by Venetia Phair, an eleven-year-old girl from Oxford, England.

Venetia was interested in Classical mythology as well as astronomy.

Recently, ISRO declared Pluto to be a dwarf planet according to the new definition. As the world bids bye to Pluto, the dwarf planet has been given a new name – 134340.

 

Special Funeral Service by Japanese General Nagoaka

Did you know that when Japanese General Nagoaka shaved of his 19 inch moustache in 1933, it was given a special funeral service?

 

Speedy insect

The day-flying hummingbird hawkmoth relies on speed to avoid capture. Hawkmoths are among the swiftest flying insects, reaching 50kph.

 

Spring of water in the desert

An oasis is a spring of water in the desert. Sometimes desert travellers think they see a pool of water where there is none. This is called mirage, but they have not imagined it. It is caused by a trick of light in which part of the blue sky appears to be surrounded by land.

 

Starfish attacks

When a starfish attacks a clam it holds its prey with its arms and slides its own stomach into the clam to digest it whole!

 

Stork flies back home

The European stork flies to Africa for the winter, and returns to Europe in the spring to breed. Pairs of storks can find their way back to the same rooftop nests every year.

 

Strange laws in America

There are some very strange laws in America. For example, in Milwaukee, it is against the law to take your pet elephant for a walk unless your elephant is on a lead; and in Illinois, bees are forbidden to fly over the town, though it is doubtful whether anyone has managed to stop them breaking the law!