Table of contents for Issue 335 - July 2023 in MiniMag

Welcome to the awe-inspiring realm of Earth’s wondrous and peculiar creatures! From the depths of the ocean to the highest mountaintops, our planet is teeming with an astounding variety of life. But did you know that many of these extraordinary beings are under threat? Imagine a world without the majestic tiger, agile shark or colourful coral. We, the caretakers of this incredible planet, hold the key to their future. We must rise as guardians, preserving the diversity of life for generations to come. Every living creature has a crucial role to play in our delicate ecosystem. Each strange and wonderful species holds secrets and knowledge that can inspire us to create a better world. From the stealthy cat to the tiny ladybird, they remind us of the immense beauty and…

Meet three crazy creatures that you won’t believe are real: Gulper eel (Eurypharynx pelecanoides) This superbly strange fish lives deep in the ocean, where hardly any light reaches. They have ultra-black skin that absorbs 99.7% of all light, making them nearly invisible to the human eye! But this is not all that makes them so strange. These 1-meter-long eels, also called pelican eels, have huge jaws. Up to half of their body can open up like an umbrella to swallow whatever prey they find. Their extremely stretchy skin expands like a giant balloon to fit a meal or scare off predators. Scientists filming this strange creature could hardly believe what they saw. At first glance, a feeding gulper eel looks a bit like a big black flowy pillow. At closer…

It is now known that the continents are moving, and the rate – only a few centimetres a year – can be measured. In 1915 Alfred Wegener (1880 – 1930) published his theory of drifting continents. This told of an ancient “supercontinent” that scientists called Pangaea. When Pangaea started to break up some 300 million years ago (abbreviated to 300 mya), the Atlantic Ocean began to grow in the place where Africa split away from South America. Eduard Suess proposed that the southern continent be called Gondwanaland, after a region inhabited by the Gonds in India. Slightly later, the northern continent Laurasia was split apart to separate North America from Europe, isolating Greenland. It seems that the Earth’s processes continually either split supercontinents apart or move continents together to make…

Find the hidden tortoise in the picture! Find these 10 hidden African animals in the picture! Nature’s guardians and heroes! Imagine a world without beautiful forests, amazing wildlife and breathtaking national parks. It would be like a world without colour! But do you know who the heroes are that protect and take care of these natural wonders? They are called rangers! Let’s explore what rangers do and why their work is so important. Aranger is a special person who works in nature, taking care of the environment and all the animals that live there. They are like the protectors and guardians of our plant’s most precious places. Guardians of wildlife Rangers protect and conserve wildlife. They make sure that animals have a safe and healthy environment to live in. Rangers…

Spot the differences! Can you spot all 10 differences between these two pictures? Did you know that sharks cannot make any noise, so they use body language to communicate? Find the missing block! Make sure not to repeat a picture in each row and column! Did you know that tigers love swimming? Unlike most cats, tigers are excellent swimmers! They enjoy splashing around in rivers and lakes to cool off on hot days or to catch fish. They can swim long distances and have even been spotted swimming between islands! Snakes can dislocate their jaws to swallow prey much larger than their head. Their jaws are connected by flexible ligaments, allowing them to stretch their mouth around large meals. These fascinating reptiles may be misunderstood by some, but they play…

Meet three frightening fungi that you won’t believe are real: Octopus fungi (Clathrus archeri) This creepy fungus has devilish fingers and smells like rotting flesh. The octopus fungus is a type of fungi called a stinkhorn. It starts by forming white lumps that look a bit like a nest of eggs. Then four to eight long thin fingers emerge from each of the eggs. To make it even worse, stinky slime oozes from these finger-like tentacles. Just like plants use seeds to reproduce, fungi make spores to sow a new generation. The octopus fungus forms its spores on the slimy finger-like structures. You can find stinkhorns all over the globe in places rich in rotting plant-material like forest and woodland floors. The zombie-ant fungus (Ophiocordyceps unilateralis) Warning: This crazy creature is…

Gami’s head is spinning from all the marvellous maths history he soaked up in his time travels. He’s just popped back into 2023 to tell us some amazing stories about the origins of geometry. This time Gami went to visit the ancient Greeks and here’s what he discovered: The Genius Greeks Do you still remember that the history of mathematics started in ancient Egypt? Then you will also remember that the Egyptians had to devise ways of measuring lengths and areas to solve practical everyday problems. So basically, the Egyptians solved problems only as the need arose. The great contribution of the Greeks is that they proved that some of the solutions to problems would always work given a specific situation. That means that the Greeks were the first guys…

IN THIS SEASON: Arthur and Buster learn they make better friends than roommates, D.W. and Bud embark on a wilderness adventure, George is inspired to make a movie and Muffy’s family is chosen to be on TV. http://pbskids.org/ Website: pbskids.org youtube.com/pbskids DStv channel: 313 ABOUT ARTHUR ARTHUR is an animated series aimed at viewers ages 4 to 8. ARTHUR’s goals are to help foster an interest in reading and writing, to encourage positive social skills, and to model age-appropriate problem-solving strategies. WHY WE LOVE IT: ARTHUR chronicles the adventures of eight-year-old Arthur through engaging, emotional stories that explore issues faced by real kids, telling these stories from a kid’s point of view without moralising or talking down. LET’S ADD SOME COLOUR! LET’S DRAW ARTHUR! STEP 1: Start with Arthur’s glasses. STEP…