Table of contents for Issue 330 - February 2023 in MiniMag

The ancestors of modern penguins may have been approximately 2 m tall and weighed over 100 kg! Fossils found in Antarctica suggest there were once giant penguins roaming the earth around 37 million years ago. Imagine running into one of these guys on an Antarctica cruise! Many species of penguins, such as gentoos and rockhoppers, are known to partner up for life. Adélie penguins will return to the same spot to greet the same mate every breeding season. And female emperors can spot their mates in a crowded colony, via their unique calls, after months apart during the freezing Antarctic winter. Penguins have a special organ called a gland that helps them keep warm in the cold water. This gland filters the salt from the seawater, which helps them stay…

There are lawyers who feel that even if there is physical DNA evidence, motives for a crime cannot be ignored. They argue that DNA is just evidence that can be mishandled or even planted. Also, because the DNA techniques are so sensitive, it is possible that samples can be contaminated by other cells at the crime scene, or even by the police or the forensic scientists investigating the crime. For this reason, there are very strict laboratory rules and in very serious cases, the sample can be sent to two different laboratories for analysis. How DNA fingerprinting works DNA. It’s what makes you unique. It’s the stuff that tells each and every one of your body’s 10 trillion cells where it’s supposed to be and what it is supposed to…

In the previous issue of MiniMag you read about Atlantis, the Lost Continent and how, according to some theories, the Atlanteans erected megaliths (those giant upright stones usually made of sandstone) along the Atlantic seaboard as far inland as France. The most famous of these are Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain in England and the giant heads on Easter Island. There are many more: • the soul statues in Corsica * thirty-eight megaliths in a circle at Castlerigg in England• the Druids’ Altar in south-west Ireland• the Carnac Stones – more than 3 000 megaliths that stretch in eleven alignments for several kilometres• the Callanish Circle in the Outer Hebrides where pagan couples still come to make their marriage vows and many, many more scattered across Great Britain and France. More…

For countless centuries, wetlands have had a bad reputation and no wonder. Swamps and bogs are often spooky places where people can get lost or drown. They used to be seen as wastelands which only serve as breeding grounds for creepy crawlies like snakes, frogs and crocodiles. Mosquitoes also breed in certain wetland waters and carry several terrible diseases, including malaria. Until 200 years ago people thought that there was bad air near wetlands that made them sick. They did not realise that they were getting malaria from mosquitoes. Now, things are different. Modern science has shown how wrong everybody has been about wetlands. They don’t kill humans; they protect them against storms, provide food for them, purify water and prevent disease. Wetlands are one of nature’s vital organs. Yet…

Emperor and king penguins lay a single egg; the other species usually lay two eggs each year. Penguins are supremely well adapted for swimming in cold seas. Some of their adaptations, particularly the dense, waterproof feathers and thick fat layers under the skin, also serve them well on land. The penguins rely on the fat as a store of energy when they are looking after eggs and chicks and cannot get out to sea to obtain food for themselves. A practical penguin Adélies winter out at sea off the pack ice but march inland to their breeding colonies in October. They navigate partly by means of the Sun. Adélies usually return to the same mates and nest sites every year. Mark of distinction The main distinguishing marks of penguins are…

8000 BC Long before the discovery of DNA, early farmers were using selective breeding to improve their crops and livestock. They kept back the best seed and offspring from their farms to begin the next generation. 1859 Charles Darwin publishes his theory of evolution through natural selection. It was only long after his death that his ideas finally became widely accepted. 1863 Gregory Mendel, a monk in Austria, first documents hereditary traits in garden peas. 1953 James Watson and Francis Crick accurately describe the molecular structure of DNA as a double helix. 1966 The genetic code is revealed. It is established that a sequence of three nucleo-tide bases corresponds to each of 20 amino acids in the production of proteins. Since then a further two amino acids have been discovered.…

The earliest known megaliths date back to the Neolithic period, around 4000 BCE. These structures were typically built using stone blocks that were quarried from local sources and transported to the construction site. The blocks were then carefully shaped and fitted together to form the desired structure. The process of raising the megaliths was equally challenging. It is believed that ancient peoples used a combination of levers, pulleys and human power to lift the heavy stones into place. In some cases, the stones were placed on top of smaller stones or wooden rollers to facilitate movement. The building and raising of megaliths was a complex and labour-intensive process that required the use of specialised tools and techniques. Despite the many challenges involved in building and raising megaliths, they remain an…

A world without wetlands is vulnerable to flooding and storm damage. Imagine you are an ant on a kitchen floor and a glass of water is spilt right next to you. As you get ready to take a swim, you realise with great relief that there’s a sponge lying next to you on the floor and it’s sucking up all the water. In the same way, wetlands suck up extra water during storms like tornadoes, hurricanes and floods. They save cities millions of rands by preventing damage and may even save some lives. Wetland habitat Eeeeeew! A stinky problem Sewage is a fancy word for everything that gets flushed down the toilet and it is a stinky problem for cities. It can’t be dumped into rivers because that would spread…

Despite their differences in size and appearance, all penguins have a few things in common. They are skilled swimmers and divers, and they have a unique tuxedo-like feather pattern that helps them blend in with the icy landscape of their habitats. Let us learn more about these fascinating birds and discover what makes them so special! Join the dots and then colour in! Colouring-in These cute penguins need some colour! Spot the differences! Romance. on ice! The Adélie penguin got it's name from the French Antarctic explorer, Jules Dumont d'Urville. On discovering these sea birds in 1840 he decided to name them after his beloved wife – Adéle. Did you know? The Adélie is the smallest species of penguin in the Antarctic. It might look cute and a bit clumsy…

Nothing beats an old-fashioned greeting card via snail mail or hand delivery. The best thing about a homemade card is that you can personalise the content and design to add an exceptional touch. Even better, you don’t have to go out to shop to buy a card at the last minute. A greeting card made by yourself is the perfect way to show how much you know your loved one and involves the most precious gift of all – time! So, get paper, pen and scissors ready and enjoy making the best gift ever for Mom, Dad any other special person in your life. Let’s add a poem! I write you this lovely card Because I hold you in high regard Every once in a while I like to go…

Listen to the sounds of the bush, feel the beat of the African drums and allow your senses to taste the wonder of nature’s wilderness. Get out your favourite colouring pencils and crayons and let your untamed spirit free! These magnificent African animals are waiting to be brought to life with colour. Did you know that. the giraffe has a blue tongue and the lion sleeps for longer than 15 hours a day? There is one animal in the picture that is not right! Can you guess which one? The tiger of course! There have never been wild tigers in Africa. Tigers are from Asia, mainly India and South China. If I were an African animal Giraffes are majestic …your neck I would pick.Elephants are noisy …your strength is the…

This list was made by: THE UNITED NATIONS an International Organisation that counts virtually every country in the world as a member! The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of targets relating to future international development. They are created by the United Nations and promoted as the Global Goals for Sustainable Development. They replaced the Millennium Development Goals that expired at the end of 2015. The SGDs run from 2015 to 2030. There are 17 goals and 169 specific targets for those goals. Each month MiniMag will feature another Sustainable Development Goal!…