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Penguin Sweaters
Oil spills can have a devastating effect on marine life. After an oil spill, one of the most important jobs of rescuers is to fish out oil soaked birds and animals, clean them and rehabilitate them before releasing them into the wild again. Recently, after an oil spill in the Australian waters, environmentalists claimed that the oil slicks were threatening the existence of the little blue penguins in the south of Australia. These tiny, blue-backed penguins are barely 41 centimetres in height – half the height of the world’s biggest, and famous Emperor penguins of Antarctica....
Why's the Sun Red during Sunrise and Sunset?
As day breaks, a reddish-white ball of light that we call the sun, rises. This red haze gives way to a golden-white sheen as the day advances and reappears when the sun sets in the evening. Does the sun really change colours, or does it only seem so? The explanation lies in-between. Light from the sun consists of three kinds of radiation – ultra-violet rays, visible light and infra-red rays. Unlike visible light, ultra-violet rays and infra-red rays cannot be seen....
What Makes the Egg Shell so Strong?
Have you ever wondered why hens don’t break their eggs when they sit on them? The secret lies in the shape of the egg. An egg is a great example of nature’s excellent skills in packing. If you squeeze the ends of an egg between the palms of your hands, it won’t break. However, if you squeeze it in the middle, it pops and creates a terrible mess. If you have seen the way eggs are sold in the market, you would have noticed that they are kept with their ends pointing up and are never left lying horizontally....
Why don't Birds on a wire get a shock?
Now how is that possible? The fact is, for a living creature to get a ‘shock’ there has to be a substantial flow of current through the body. However, there is barely any current running through the bird’s body for two reasons. Firstly, the bird not only forms a circuit with the wire, but it also offers a high resistance to current, so the current passes through the wire instead of the bird. It’s a bit like this, would you prefer going on a smooth road or a road full of potholes?...
Why does water stay cool in earthen clay pots?
Have you ever had a drink of cool refreshing water from a ‘matka’ or earthen clay pot placed outside? Surprisingly enough, the pots are exposed to blazing sunlight, yet the water within stays so cool. How is that possible? This is because of a physical process known as evaporation. When a liquid changes to a gaseous (or vapour) state without boiling, it is known as evaporation. A matka is made of mud and has many minute pores (extremely small holes)....
Why do Clocks Run Clockwise?
“Time to get dressed!” cries a harried Mama as she tries to pack the bag, straighten the tie, pack lunch, tie shoelaces as at the same time she pushes children dragging their heels towards the bus stop. Oh? Is it already “Time for school?” later still its “time for dinner” or “time for bed!” Old Father Time can be quite an interfering busybody and there really is nothing we can do. Most of us spend a greater part of our time and lives trying to beat exactly this – time!...
Why is the Dead Sea dead?
The Dead Sea is indeed a very scary name for a lake. It is called so because nothing lives in it. There are no sea weeds or plants, no fish either. This is because the Dead Sea is nearly six times as salty as the ocean. It also contains many other dissolved minerals, including magnesium chloride, calcium chloride and potassium chloride in large quantities. Whereas in fresh water, only minute quantities of these minerals are found....
What is the Mystery of Dracula?
As bats flap through the musty castle, a coffin lid creaks open and an ashy white hand gropes for the cover. The lid slides off and a caped figure rises in the gloom – Dracula is on the prowl! Vampires have enthralled generations of readers and moviegoers; and the most popular ‘vampire’ is the fearsome Count Dracula of Transylvania. Of course, these blood-sucking monsters do not exist and are merely the figment of our imagination....
Why does the Sun follow You?
Have you ever noticed that when you are in a car, or a bus, travelling on a straight road, the Sun appears to move right along with you? While telephone poles and trees close to the road, whiz past in the blink of an eye, the Sun is always visible throughout the journey. No matter how fast Daddy drives, you just cannot leave the Sun behind. Strangely enough, the trees nearer the road disappear from your range of vision more quickly than the trees further off....
How does the Lotus Flower Clean itself?
How will you explain the meaning of purity to someone? Well, many people do it by giving the example of the lotus — it grows in muddy waters but the flower remains spotless. It is not surprising that the lotus has a special or sacred place in world religions like Hinduism and Buddhism. It is a symbol of purity, and many a time gods are shown seated on lotus thrones. Now a group of German Scientists has discovered that the lotus plant is truly spotless....
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