Some animals in cold climates escape the severest weather by hibernating. That is, they spend the winter months in a very long deep sleep. The world hibernate comes from the Latin hibernare, which means to winter many animals find sheltered place underground or at the base of trees and hedges in which to hibernate. Hibernating animals include frogs, newts, toads, …

Rattles are a warning adaptation. The sound of the rattle warns potential predators or careless wanderers of the presence of these venomous creatures.

Rabbits are timid animals with many enemies and rely on their large ears to warm them of the sound of approaching danger. Their ears act like old-fashioned ear-trumpets. The large area catches a great many sound waves and channels them into the rabbit’s inner ear. Wild rabbits spend most of the day underground, usually coming out to feed between dusk …

What is it that makes every child remember Bugs Bunny? Its toothy smile of course! All rabbits have huge buck teeth in front, and with good reason. Being vegetarians they have to make a meal of leaf, grass, or vegetable. The plants, on their part, are very smart. Over a period of time they have developed ways of protecting their …

Although many birds can both swim and fly, no other bird can swim as well as the flightless penguins. Penguins have muscles, bones and organs very much like those of flying birds, so we assume that their ancestors must have been able to fly. Probably they slowly lost the power of flight while learning to swim faster and dive deeper …

Birds fly so well because they have developed skeletons which are especially light and strong. Most of their bones are hollow, with the interior webbed or honeycombed across by fine girders of bone to give added strength. They are sometimes called pneumatic or air-filled bones. A bird’s skull is made of thin bone in remarkable contrast to the solid, heavy …

The Oberammergau Passion Play was first performed in 1635 and is the result of a vow made by the inhabitants of the village that if God spared them from the effects of the bubonic plague then sweeping the region they would perform a passion play every ten years. The play is now performed in years ending with a zero, except …

Have you ever tried chasing a frisky grasshopper? If you have, you will definitely know that scampering after a jumpy bug is not an easy task. Most species of grasshoppers have a keen sense of hearing and the moment they sense trouble, they can hop fast and furious! Sometimes, shortage of food turns grasshoppers into migratory insects as they venture …

The city is celebrating Mother’s Day primarily with banners and posters. For, the idea of buying presents for moms just doesn’t find favour with youngsters. NECESSITY is the invention of all mothers. As so many moms seek ‘all things good and wonderful’ primarily for their little ones, they remain at the receiving end. No, not in the unending queues for …

MOTHERS are often taken for granted because they are always there for you. The thought that one should verbalise one’s emotions on a specific day takes a little getting used to. But, thanks to media hype and multinationals’ selling strategies, there’s a way to celebrate each and every day—Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day etc. Multinationals use all sorts of …