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113 items in this section. Displaying page 11 of 12
Seasons in a Tree’s Rooted Life
Seasons in a Tree’s Rooted Life [Illustrations by Kusum Chamoli] You may be very proud of the fact that the orange tree in your garden only comes up to your shoulders, but that is just one part of the tree that you see. Sometimes a tree’s roots, beneath the soil, are much bigger than the parts you see above the ground. It is with these roots a tree looks for water that gives it life, and makes its leaves look shiny, bright and healthy....
The Tree is an Invisible Heater
Have you ever noticed that bare winter tree in your garden, in the park or in school? Without leaves the tree looks so cold and dry, but surprise of surprises, it keeps the grass below warm. So much so that the tiny blades never get any frost on them. In contrast, grass in parks without trees to protect them are usually in white frosty disguise in winters. Why is that so? You would never believe it but that leafless tree acts like a heater to the grass below....
Paris is Bugged by Termites!
Recently Parisians have been facing quite a bit of trouble; bookshop owners live in mortal terror of their precious books disintegrating, while owners of wooden houses are constantly worrying that their homes might collapse into a pile of rubble. Strangely enough, the cause of all this problem is really teeny. In fact the culprit that has most of Paris, France, upset is able to squeeze through an opening as small as 1/32 of an inch! Not so terrifying after all, but then these creatures live in gigantic colonies – consisting of more than a million members and love munching on wood and paper....
Mr Fly Rubs his Hands with Glee
Have you seen a housefly rubbing its hands together? It is almost as if it were washing its hands. It actually is. Not with water though. When the housefly rubs its hands together, it is cleaning them. And, if you have the food it has cleaned itself on, you are in for a bad time. Nothing can save you from a bout of diarrhoea or dysentery after that. Mr Fly Rubs his Hands with Glee [Illustration by Shridevi] The whole body of the housefly, including claws and padded feet, is covered with sharp hairs....
Rocky Planet of Fire and Ice
Would you believe it? 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 sands — 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....
High-tech Crane Migration
As winter sets in, millions of birds leave their nests in the northern hemisphere and head towards warmer lands in the south. During spring, they once again wing their way back to their original nesting grounds. This yearly ritual is known as migration. While some birds are great travellers, flying from one country to another; others merely flap down from the high mountains to sheltered valleys for the winter. The Arctic tern (of North America) is the hardiest traveller of all....
In a Minute
In a Minute [] There’s a flower found in the jungles of Africa that changes its colour seven times in one minute! It is known as the ‘Rainbow’ by the people there. Light travels a distance of 18,00,00,000 kilometres in one minute, which means 30,00,000 kilometres in a second! There’s a fish found in the waters of the Amazon river which can gulp down 250 fish, big and small, in one minute!...
Squirrelling it Away
Chimpu and his grandfather had gone to the park for an evening walk. After Chimpu had played with his friends for over an hour, he came back sweating and tired, to sit beside his grandfather at the park bench. There he found his grandfather throwing peanuts, brought from home, to the scampering squirrels at his feet. In fact, bushy-tailed squirrels are a common sight in the city’s parks and gardens. This frisky little rodent is constantly scampering around, and it is indeed rare to come across one perfectly still....
Excerpts From 'The Wonderful World of Insects'
What is an Insect? An insect is quite different from you and me. It has a body that is divided into three parts: the head, the middle which is called the thorax and the abdomen which is usually the largest part of the body. Did you know that many insects can see in more than one direction without turning their heads? This is because they have compound eyes. Compound eyes are made up of lots of cone-shaped units packed close together....
The Song of the Bird
The Song of the Bird [] Humans speak when they are happy, they speak when they are sad. They speak when they are angry, and they speak when they see a thing of beauty. They try to speak even when they have toothaches, and often they speak even when they have nothing to say. Well, songbirds are quite the same. They sing to tell their winged neighbours and strangers that the branch on which they are sitting, or the shrub that grows next to the school, is THEIR home....