Table of contents for November 2024 in The Primary Planet

Hello, TPPers, and welcome to yet another bumper issue of The Primary Planet! As always, we hope you enjoyed last month’s issue, where we took you on a whirlwind tour of some of the world’s coolest cities. This month, we’ve gone STEM-crazy as Science Week approaches. As you can see from the cover, there’s nothing too stodgy about the science we’re bringing you this month. The Ig Nobels are hilarious – but they’re also really good examples of science, from the everyday things (milking cows) to the extraordinary (floating frogs). Honestly, if you get half as much fun out of reading this month’s issue as we did in researching and writing it, you’ll be delighted you took the time out to do it. Right! What else have we got? Oh,…

2,082 Km Trek to the Chipper! David Lavelle, a painter and decorator, made a 2,082 km journey from a Danish island to his native Cork for a ‘last supper’ at Jackie Lennox’s which, after 73 years, closed its doors for the final time last month. Thousands of devoted customers formed queues outside for a week, standing in line for hours in torrential rain. The chipper was founded by Mancunian soccer star and former Blackpool FC player Jackie Lennox in 1951. The Lennox family say it has become too stressful to keep a small business going these days, successful though it was. David grew up in nearby Lough but moved to Denmark in later life. ‘I was up at five o’clock and onto the ferry and across the Baltic Sea all…

This month in history 25 years ago On this day, in a referendum, Australia voted NO to becoming a republic, instead choosing to keep the British monarch as its head of state. Formerly a British colony, in 1907 Australia became a ‘self-governing dominion’ within the British Empire. Opinion polls had seemed to show that most Australians wanted a republic. Nevertheless, nearly 61% voted NO. However, it seems many voted NO because they didn’t like the plan that a president would be appointed by Parliament with a two-thirds majority, instead of being directly elected by the people. 30 years ago On this day, the Codex Leicester was sold to Microsoft founder Bill Gates, at Christie’s auction house in New York, for $30,802,500. When that sale price is adjusted to present-day value…

Where: In cinemas from November 8Cert: PGStarring: Ben Whishaw, Hugh Bonneville, Emily MortimerDirected by: Dougal Wilson Everyone’s favourite marmalade-loving bear is back! In Paddington in Peru, the charming bear embarks on his most exciting adventure yet – a journey to reconnect with his roots in Peru. Paddington, along with the Brown family, sets off to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy for a heartwarming family reunion. However, as is typical with Paddington, things don’t go quite as smoothly as planned! With its signature blend of humour, heart and charm, Paddington in Peru promises to delight viewers of all ages. And yes, that includes the older members of the family – from comical mishaps to heartfelt moments, this adventure has something for everyone! DID YOY KNOW! Michael Bond created Paddington Bear after…

Mount Bromo is an active somma volcano among the Tengger Mountains, in the east of the island of Java, Indonesia. It is in the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park. At 2,329 metres, it’s not the highest peak there, but it’s one of the most active and the most famous, getting close to a million visitors a year. Java has 112 volcanoes, about 40 of them active. Ancient caldera Bromo and four other volcanoes lie within a huge outer caldera created 45,000 years ago. Mount Batok alone is inactive, with some vegetation. A caldera is a large, basin-like depression, resulting from the explosion or collapse of the centre of a volcano. Sacred mountain The name Bromo comes from the Javanese pronunciation of Brahma, the Hindu god of creation. At the edge…

Sailing through the stars – how does that sound? A dream? An ancient myth? Science fiction? All of those, yes, but also probably future space travel. Humans have harnessed the power of sails and wind for long ages past and become extraordinarily expert in that. Future space travellers, however, will be using sunlight, not wind, to power their sails. Science fiction For centuries, astronomers speculated on the idea of sailing through space. Johannes Kepler, in a letter to Galileo in 1610, wrote: ‘Provide ships or sails adapted to the heavenly breezes, and there will be some who will brave even that void.’ It has also fascinated science-fiction writers. In 1865, Jules Verne wrote: ‘There will someday appear velocities far greater [than those we know], of which light or electricity will…

How to make a difference, one small act of kindness at a time Kindness is built on respect, friendship, generosity of time and consideration. When we show kindness, it costs us nothing – but can make a HUGE difference to someone else’s life. It also has the added benefit of making us feel good about ourselves. There are many important reasons to practise kindness. It helps us develop empathy – understanding and putting ourselves in other people's shoes – and encourages us to give attention to those who may need it. Kindness is all about making someone’s day better, even through something as simple as offering a smile when they're feeling down. Equally important is being kind to yourself. We often judge ourselves too harshly, but self-kindness is just as…

We were given a glimpse into the future of men’s Gaelic football last month as seven major rule changes were trialled during four interprovincial matches at Croke Park. A Football Review Committee, led by former Dublin manager Jim Gavin and including James Horan, Michael Murphy and Éamonn Fitzmaurice, spoke in depth to Gaels all over the country in a bid to make football more enjoyable to play and watch. A Special Congress takes place on November 30, when delegates will decide whether any of the new rules will be introduced for the 2025 National League. So, what are the seven rule changes being proposed? Let’s take a look … 1 vs 1 throw-ins Just one player from each team will contest the throw-in at the start of each half, with…

Schmidt’s Return A familiar face returns to Dublin later this month, determined to spoil the Irish Rugby Football Union’s anniversary celebrations. Joe Schmidt enjoyed some memorable days as Ireland coach, winning three Six Nations during his six years in charge, but he will be plotting his former side’s downfall when Australia come to Lansdowne Road on November 30. Transforming the Wallabies’ fortunes is arguably the biggest challenge of Schmidt’s coaching career. They failed to qualify from their pool at last year’s Rugby World Cup, after which Schmidt replaced Eddie Jones as head coach. They then lost five of their six matches in this year’s Rugby Championship, scoring just 11 tries and conceding 28. However, Ireland can be sure that Schmidt will have some tricks up his sleeve. He proved as…

PIGS ARE ON THE RISE! The latest numbers are in from the Central Statistics Office (CSO), and guess what? While cattle and sheep numbers have gone down, pigs are on the rise! There are more pigs now than last year – nearly 1.7 million of them in total! Here’s the breakdown: • Cattle numbers dropped by over 158,000. • Sheep took a dip too, with nearly half a million fewer sheep than in 2023. • But pigs are living it up, with 11,400 more non-breeding pigs and a 4.9% increase in breeding pigs! There are also some interesting changes in crops. Potatoes are booming, with more fields dedicated to spuds, while wheat and barley numbers dropped. SCAN ME to read more AG MAG news stories. TRACTOR RUN FOR ISAAC RAISES…

FUTURE FOOD SCIENCE: EXPLORING TEAGASC ASHTOWN Come along for ‘Crunching the Numbers: Understanding What People Eat’ – a fun-filled event all about the science of food! First, learn how numbers help us understand what people like to eat. Then, explore cool food topics in a speed-meet with experts, where you'll discover things like how we check the quality of meat, design smart food packaging and make healthy eating easier. Finally, take a guided tour of our research labs to see where scientists study plants, trees and other exciting projects. It's the perfect chance to explore how science helps make our food even better! DURATION: 2 hours LOCATION: Teagasc Ashtown, Dublin AUDIENCE: Transition Year students, accompanied by their teacher COST: Free SCAN THE QR CODE TO BOOK SCAN ME To access the…

Ask your teacher for the answer! Age: 24County: GalwaySport: Soccer Sadhbh Doyle is proving hard work pays off – both on and off the pitch. The midfielder is a League of Ireland champion who has played in the UEFA Champions League and represented her country in the underage grades, with a senior cap surely in the offing. Meanwhile, when not dictating play around the middle of the park, Doyle has been busy studying for a dentistry degree at Trinity College. It was due to her studies that Doyle swapped Galway WFC for Peamount United in 2020, and she quickly became a key figure for the Dublin club. That came as no surprise to anyone who had seen her performances for the Republic of Ireland at underage level. The highlights included…

Hold up! Seamie was found in high numbers last month and, I’ll be honest, he’s seething! Come on now, you have to admit it was one of his best spots yet? Good, but – as I often have to admit – not good enough. So, as with last month, expect a nano-style approach – and no giving out if he does it this time around! If you do come across him, log on to www.theprimaryplanet.ie/competitions (or scan the QR code) and type his location, along with your name and school details, in the comment box provided. If you are correct, you will get entered into a draw for a super-cool O’Neills GAA county jersey of your choice. Thanks, O’Neills, as always! Once again, don’t stress if you don’t see your…

TIME’s Kid of the Year 2024 At just 15 years old, Heman Bekele is TIME’s Kid of the Year 2024 – a huge honour in the USA. Heman earned this impressive accolade by coming up with an idea for a soap that could treat skin cancer. The soap would contain lifesaving medicine inside teeny-tiny nanoparticles, which would stick to the skin after the soap has washed off. Heman is currently working with scientists to develop his idea. Originally from Ethiopia, Heman’s parents taught him the importance of protecting skin from the sun and the dangers of skin cancer. At 14, he made a video explaining his idea for the lifesaving skin cancer treatment soap – and with that, he won the 3M Young Scientist Challenge. The prize was $25,000 (€23,000),…

Title: Pumpkin Date: 1994 Artist: Yayoi Kusama Born: Japan, 1929Nationality: JapaneseStyle: Pop ArtMedium: Fibreglass reinforced plasticOn Display: Naoshima Art Island, Japan Yayoi Kusama’s family owned a plant nursery and seed farm, so she began to draw pumpkins as a child. She also began to have hallucinations (visions) with ‘flashes of light or dense fields of dots’. She moved to New York in 1958 and became a hippy and pop-artist there, rebelling against society. As a pop-artist, she used everyday items and consumer goods in her art and aimed to shock people. On her return to Japan, the art world was hostile to her, seeing her as just a ‘scandal queen’ looking for attention. In 1993, Yayoi created a mirrored room full of small pumpkin sculptures, where she sat in a…

Ready, steady, SLOW! So, what kind of sport generates jokes like ‘making it to the finish slime’, ‘speeding at a snail’s pace’ and the danger of ‘shellburn’? Snail racing, what else? The people of Congham in Norfolk, England, have heard all the cracks – and that’s because they hold the Snail Racing World Championships every year. But how does snail racing work? How CAN it work? The snails compete on a wet cloth on a round table, racing 33 cm from a small inner circle to a larger outer circle. The prize? A ‘very juicy bunch of lettuce’. The world record is two minutes. Snails usually have names like Speedy or Zoomer – the best was ‘Uslime Bolt’! Congham has a ‘stable’ with lots of snails that anyone can hire…

Maker: Picasso AutomotiveCountry: SwitzerlandModel: Le Mans StreetYear: 2024Fuel: PetrolTransmission: ManualTop Speed: 315 km/hHorsepower: 660 hpMaterials: The Picasso 660 LMS has an all-carbon-fibre body and chassis, a 3.0 Twin Turbo V6 engine and weighs less than 1,000 kg 5 Fast Facts 1 The 660 LMS is a powerful track supercar that can also be driven on the road. It takes inspiration from the world of Le Mans racing, which is what the ‘LM’ in its title references. The ‘S’ stands for street use. 2 The Picasso’s monocoque (which means the car’s body, floor plan and chassis form a single structure) is 3.24 m long and is made with the world’s longest fibre panel ever built for a car. 3 You will probably not have seen many of these cars on the…

TPP's Book of the Month Check out The Tree That Sang to Me by Serena Molloy, our book of the month for November. Title: The TreeThat Sang to MeAuthor: Serena MolloyYear: 2024Publisher: Hodder Children's Books Kai’s family is in crisis. His big sister Jen no longer lives with them and Kai thinks it is all his fault. Things aren’t great at school either. Kai’s so-called ‘friends’ are bullies, but despite this, Kai does his best to fit in with them, even keeping guiltily quiet when they bully another boy. The only place he feels safe is in a big sycamore tree he climbs to escape his worries. It’s a space just for him, until one day he meets a girl at the tree and things begin to change … Dyslexia…

The Amur leopard lives in the Primorsky region of south-eastern Russia and northern China. It is named after the Amur River which runs between those countries. It is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, as in 2007 only 19 to 26 were surviving in the wild! Stunningly beautiful, this big cat’s gorgeous coat, thick and richly marked with spots, becomes even thicker and longer in winter. Its claws are retractable, meaning they can be drawn back into special ‘scabbards’ so they don’t get blunt from walking. Its large paws act like snowshoes, helping it to walk on snow without sinking. An Amur leopard can take down prey three times its size. It hunts ungulates (hooved animals) like deer and wild boar but also eats small animals, fowl,…

What a game to start Mí na Nollag! Anfield will be rocking when Liverpool welcome Premier League champions Manchester City on December 1 (4 pm kick-off). The battle for this season’s title is turning into a three-horse race, with Arsenal maintaining the impressive form they showed in the previous campaign, where they pushed City all the way. That duo have been joined by Liverpool, who have hit the ground running under Arne Slot. The Dutchman has made an incredible start as Reds boss since succeeding Jürgen Klopp, and a win over City would be the perfect early Christmas present for their supporters. Last season Manchester City became the first team to win four English top-flight titles in a row. Now they are hunting a fifth in succession and have started…

Welcome to Issue #2 of AG MAG – Ireland’s first-ever dedicated magazine and website for young farmers and families. Here you will find news, features, facts and fun on all things agriculture. From farming stories to farmer interviews, and from animal updates to machinery reviews, AG MAG promises to be the number-one resource for the young farmers of Ireland. With Science Week around the corner, this issue of AG MAG is going full S.T.E.A.M. ahead, so get ready to read, share, watch, listen and learn. The AG MAG mission Here at AG MAG, we firmly believe that you, the young farmers of Ireland, can be powerful agents of change, within both your families and your communities. By sharing knowledge about agriculture and responsible farming, you can help build a culture…

In proud partnership with the Health and Safety Authority Top of the morning! It is 6.30 am. Time to get up ... Cock-a-doodle-do! Have you read STAY SAFE ON THE FARM with Jessy? You may remember someone from your family reading it to you. We love to encourage parents and older brothers and sisters to read this book with the younger children in the family. Discussing farm safety is hugely important and you’re never too old to read Jessy – for the first time or for the hundredth! SCAN ME Scan this code to read STAY SAFE ON THE FARM with Jessy. GETTING WINTER READY As the evenings get darker and the cattle head back into their cosy sheds to keep warm, it’s time for farmers to consider the dangers…

As you read this, around 150 million Americans are getting ready to vote for the next president. They will decide whether to bring back former president Donald Trump or elect a new leader, Kamala Harris, to become the 47th president of the United States for the next four years. However, unlike in many countries, the person who gets the most votes isn't always the winner. For example, in the 2016 election between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, Clinton received nearly three million more votes, but she still lost the election. How does this happen? The American presidential election works through a system called the Electoral College. Electors are officials who cast the formal votes to decide who will be president. There are 538 electors across the 50 states, and a…

Our Island’s History Proudly Sponsored By Following the ‘Flight of the Earls’ in 1607, much of the land of Ulster was confiscated and planted. Thousands of new settlers (planters) were brought over from England and Scotland and given large tracts of this land to farm so they could build a new life for themselves. However, this made the Irish who had remained very angry, and the decades that followed were filled with hatred and violence. Rebellion These new settlers were fairly well off, they spoke English rather than Irish and were Protestants rather than Catholics like the Irish. This led to great tension and suspicion which eventually broke out into horrific violence in the rebellion of 1641. Thousands of settlers were killed and run off their lands as the Irish ran…

# 1 Craggy Cliff From WWW News Ramblers in south-western England have been stunned after discovering the likeness of a man's face carved into a coastal cliff by none other than Mother Nature herself! The eyes, nose, mouth, hair and beard of an elderly-looking man can be seen in the cliffs of Hope Cove overlooking the English Channel. Stormy weather earlier this year has left its mark and led to increased rockfall on the Devon coast. But no one could have expected a formation like this to take shape! ‘It was hard to miss,’ said Tim Sathers, who came across, and photographed, the craggy face. ‘We were surprised no-one else had noticed it.’ In fact, the face is so convincing that online viewers accused Tim of using Photoshop to make…

It was a Friday night, and the sound of cows and calves filled the town air. The mart lights illuminated the surrounding areas, and when one looked directly at the floodlights, the heavy rain was visible. Every corner of the yards and surrounding roads was littered with trucks and every brand of car, jeep and trailer. Hello there, Planet Farmers – and welcome once again to another busy monthly roundup. The local mart was packed with both man and beast. In fact, I overheard one of the workers say that there were over 500 animals booked in, and the queue stretching over 3 km down the road seemed to confirm this. I approached the booking desk for my sales numbers, hoping they wouldn’t be too high. My eyes beamed with…

Paper Cut Physics! A paper cut is always an unpleasant surprise, and scientists are now digging into the physics of why certain types of paper are more likely to cause them. Tissue paper is too thin and flimsy, while postcard paper is too thick and rigid. However, in experiments with jelly replicas of human skin, researchers discovered that magazine paper (ahem!) hits the ‘sweet spot’ – or should we say, the ‘sore spot’! When it strikes the skin at a sharp angle, it's most likely to cause a cut. When asked about the next phase of the research, physicist Jensen Kaare from the Technical University of Denmark joked: ‘Ideally, you’d want test subjects, but it’s hard to find volunteers for this!’ Lunar Deep Freeze! To protect Earth's biodiversity from threats…

This month’s winning story and poem The Robinsons I can’t believe it! I had accidentally kicked my best blue ball into the Robinsons’ yard! Well, not really their yard, but over their fence. You see, the Robinsons have a big castle and are very rich, and snooty, and absolutely HATE children! Just last year, when my friend Saoirse threw her boomerang a little too wildly, it ended up landing in one of the trees in the Robinsons’ garden. Needless to say, Mr Robinson wouldn’t give it back! His catchphrase ‘My yard, my property!’ is rather famous by now. In fact, I’d say they must have a giant room full of confiscated children's toys at this stage! Anyway, I began to panic. That was my best ball – it cost €15!…

Sport not to be missed this month Highlighting the best sporting action taking place this month WTA Finals The final tournament of the women’s tennis season takes place in Saudi Arabia, where the eight highest-ranked singles and doubles players will do battle. Having won the Australian and US Opens, Aryna Sabalenka will look to sign off a brilliant 2024 in style. Grand Slam of Darts The countdown to the World Darts Championship is on, and how Luke Littler would love to head for Ally Pally on the back of a major success in Wolverhampton. All eyes will be on the 17-year-old as he aims to find form just at the right time! Ireland vs New Zealand Ireland begin the autumn internationals with a revenge mission against New Zealand, who broke…

This year’s men's Ballon d’Or has been awarded to Manchester City’s Rodri, marking his first win and making him the first Premier League player to secure the trophy since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008 with Manchester United. The Ballon d’Or, or ‘Golden Ball’ in French, celebrates the world’s best footballer each year. Dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo since 2008, these two icons have taken home the prize a combined 13 times. The women’s Ballon d’Or (Ballon d’Or Féminin) was won by Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati, who achieved back-to-back wins with this year’s award. Full list of winners The Ballon d'Or (Best male player) Rodri Man City The Ballon d'Or Feminin (Best female player) Aitana Bonmati FC Barcelona Femení The Yashin Trophy (Best goalkeeper) Emiliano Martinez Aston Villa The Kopa Trophy…

Here at AG MAG, we believe that farming safety, knowledge and stories should be shared with everyone. That’s why we have a digital edition of AG MAG on our website www.agmag.ie free to read. So, whether you're young or old, or simply curious about farming, you can enjoy every issue, anytime, anywhere. Why not spread the word? Share AG MAG with friends and family, or even sit down with your grandparents and enjoy reading an issue of AG MAG together on a tablet. Let’s get as many people as possible discovering Ireland’s newest farming magazine and help us grow the AG MAG family! Scan here to access this month’s digital edition for FREE! SCAN ME GET IN TOUCH To help make AG MAG the best farming magazine and website it…

MEET THE SCIENCE HEROES OF THE FARM Farming has always been a big part of life in Ireland. With its rolling green fields and mild climate, the country is perfect for growing crops and raising animals. But did you know that farming today is not just about working the land and caring for animals? It’s also about science! Scientists at Teagasc, Ireland’s Agriculture and Food Authority, are helping farmers grow better crops, raise healthier animals and protect the environment. In this month’s edition of AG MAG, we’re taking a look at some of the cool science taking place in Teagasc today. HOW SCIENCE HELPS FARMERS Farming is one of Ireland’s oldest traditions. For thousands of years, people in Ireland have grown crops like wheat, barley and potatoes, and raised animals…

My name is Katie Larkin and I live in a small village called Abbey in east Galway. I’m farming at home alongside my father and brother. I also work full time away from the farm for an agribusiness. GLANVILLE SIMMENTALS I’m the fifth generation in my family to be farming. We run a suckler enterprise that consists of 65 commercial Simmental cattle and 15 pedigree Simmental cattle. The pedigree herd was established in 2016, when we bought our first show heifer and started showing the following summer. Our herd is called Glanville Simmentals. My father was milking cows before we got into sucklers. In 2002, he sold the milk quota and imported 60 Fleckvieh heifers from Austria, and that was the foundation of our commercial herd. My jobs on the…

We don’t ask for much here at The Primary Planet, do we? But with the season that’s in it, allow us this one-off occasion – it’s Christmas, after all – where we request something special from you, our valued TPPers! For next month’s issue, we’re asking you to pen the greatest Christmas story you’ve ever written. If your story is chosen, you will win a TPP hoodie and … a yummy selection box for EVERYONE in your class – teachers and SNAs included! But, before you fire up those laptops, take note: your story should be no more than 700 words. We’re getting excited already. Ho! Ho! Ho! Email your story to schools@theprimaryplanet.ie Closing Date for entries: November 21, 2024…