Table of contents for Issue 322 - June 2022 in MiniMag

It is holiday season and if you are one of the lucky ones, you will most probably spend some time at the beach. Most of the time we take this huge body of water for granted, but have you ever thought about the many interesting aspects in and around the ocean? The mesmerising waves, the sandy beaches with all the beautiful shells and colourful stones? Then the dangers inside the water … the mysteries hidden below the waves, dangerous sharks, gentle dolphins and other strange creatures … the wonderful stories about pirates, mermaids and imaginary worlds under the sea? Climb aboard as we explore just a few of these facts. Pilchards: Good for the oceans and for you Do you know the difference between a sardine and a pilchard? Don’t…

But life in the Sahel is in danger. Droughts are becoming more frequent and severe and the once greenish landscape is turning into a sandy desert where hardly anything will grow. This is called desertification and is a major threat to the people of the ten African countries who live here. Word wise: Organic material in soil is material that comes from something that was alive and is able to decay. When organic material breaks down it forms the nutrient-rich dark brown part of soil called humus. Detritivores are organisms that eat dead or decaying material. Soil aggregates form when soil grains stick together because of the physical forces and organic material holding them together. DESERTIFICATION happens when healthy soil is damaged so that plants can no longer grow in…

Think Green Go Green ONLY ONE EARTH In the universe are billions of galaxies, In our galaxy are billions of planets, But there is #OnlyOneEarth. Let’s take care of it. Earth faces a triple planetary emergency: • the climate is heating up too quickly for people and nature to adapt;• habitat loss and other pressures mean an estimated 1 million species are threatened with extinction;• pollution continues to poison our air, land and water. World Environment Day is celebrated annually on 5 June and is the biggest international day for the environment. It has been celebrated every year since 1974 and the event has grown to be the largest global platform for environmental outreach. Millions of people from across the world engage on this day to protect the planet and…

Keep clean • Wash your hands before handling food and often during food preparation• Wash your hands after going to the toilet• Wash and sanitise all surfaces and equipment used for food preparation• Protect kitchen areas and food from insects, pests and other animals Why? While most microorganisms do not cause disease, dangerous microorganisms are widely found in soil, water, animals and people. These microorganisms are carried on hands, wiping cloths and utensils, especially cutting boards and the slightest contact can transfer them to food and cause foodborne diseases. Separate raw and cooked • Separate raw meat, poultry and seafood from other foods• Use separate equipment and utensils such as knives and cutting boards for handling raw foods• Store food in containers to avoid contact between raw and prepared foods…

The United Nations has declared 17 June as World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. The theme for this year is “Food. Feed. Fibre” reminding us of the important resources that we get from soil and that healthy land is needed to sustain healthy people.Did you know it takes rocks between 200 and 1 000 years to break down and form a 1 cm layer of soil? Erosion can wash or blow away many centimetres of soil in just a couple of minutes. Stay safe! 7 June is World Food Safety Day to help spread awareness about the dangers of diseases that can be spread by food. Remember to wash your hands after working with soil, going to the bathroom and blowing your nose, especially before tucking into your lunchbox.…

There are snakes small enough to fit into the palm of a hand, and snakes so big they can kill and eat crocodiles. They all eat meat and swallow their prey whole because their teeth cannot break up their food into small pieces. Despite people’s fear of snakes, most of these creatures are not poisonous and pose no threat.Warning stripes The harmless Sinaloan milk snake has the same colours and patterns of the deadly poisonous coral snake. This may help it to keep away would-be predators. Most snakes are coloured, marked and patterned to blend in with their environment. SINALOAN MILK SNAKE Water snakes Snakes live in rivers, ponds, lakes, marshes and swamps, as well as in the sea. Sea snakes mainly live in the warm waters of the Pacific…

If you thought that stamps were just items used to send mail, think again! Through stamps, we can learn a great deal about the world around us and even have fun while doing so! There are a number of topics that can be exploredwith these sticky senders, one of which is Biodiversity. By issuing a set of four stamps and a commemorative cover reflecting our country’s remarkable “living wealth”, the South African Post Office is helping us understand this important concept more easily. South Africa is greatly blessed with a wealth of species diversity. Even though our land surface area of 1,1 million km2, represents only 1% of the Earth’s total land surface, South Africa contains almost 10% of the world’s total bird, fish and plant species, and more than…

MUST WATCH! BRAND-NEW SHOW AQUAMAN: KING OF ATLANTIS It’s the funniest undersea adventure of a lifetime! Join the legendary DC Superhero, Aquaman, on his first day on the job as King of Atlantis. This month, Cartoon Network follows Aquaman, and his two royal advisors, Vulko, the scholar, and Mera, the water-controlling warrior princess, as they work together to protect the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, from his own half-brother who wants to overthrow him to the dangers both above and below the deep sea and everything in between. A slippery journey for our clumsy Aquaman, with monstrous creatures, devious rivals, and epic battles. Get ready for this 3-part super-powered miniseries starting on Saturday, 2 July and find out if Aquaman will rise to the challenge and prove to his subjects –…