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Scientists report that they have worked out the science behind ghostly will-o’-the-wisp. What’s the spookiest thing you’ve ever seen in real life? Read about the latest research on page 17. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was published 75 years ago this month. Which fantasy land would you visit? Discover which character author C.S. Lewis first imagined on page 14. The winner of this year’s Family Friendly Museum Award has been named. What’s your favourite museum and why? Find out who the judges picked as their top choice on page 7. The big debate Are AI actors a good idea? Page 10.…

This week’s cover is of course about the hopes for peace in the Middle East. At the time The Week Junior went to the printers, the ceasefire was holding. On page 4 we report on the early stages of the process where families on both sides were reunited after their loved ones were released from captivity. Following that positive theme, on page 11, you can read about Sarah Mullally, who has been named the new Archbishop of Canterbury. Her aim, she says, is “to bring people together to bring hope and healing”. In other news, a recent report says many young people find it hard to distinguish between fake information created by artificial intelligence and genuine news facts. This is very important to us at The Week Junior, and I…

On 13 October, five car companies went on trial in the UK as part of the “dieselgate” scandal. Diesel is a fuel used in vehicles including cars (see panel). What’s happening at the trial? Several companies have been accused of using unlawful software to make it look like their diesel cars would release less emissions in real life than was actually the case. The companies, which all deny the claims, are Mercedes-Benz, Ford, Nissan, Renault and Stellantis, which owns Peugeot and Citroen. They’ve been accused by thousands of UK car owners of misleading them over emissions tests. The trial, at London’s High Court, will end next year. The final judgement is expected in mid-2026. What is the “dieselgate” scandal? The dieselgate scandal began in 2015 when car company Volkswagen (VW)…

Artificial intelligence can be really useful for everyday life, such as using the digital assistants Alexa and Siri at home. AI has many uses – it’s even being used by doctors to help screen people for diseases like cancer. However, some people are not happy about one new AI invention in particular: an actor called Tilly. Although Tilly hasn’t been cast in any big movies or TV shows yet, the company that created her says she could be a star. Can a creation that is not real actually convey human emotions and be believable on screen? Lots of people aren’t convinced. There are also concerns that AI actors could start taking over real actors’ jobs in films and TV shows. What do you think? Are AI actors a good idea?…

During winter these strange sea creatures can wash up onto the shoreline, thrown up from the ocean by stormy seas. Called a sea mouse because it looks furry, Aphrodita aculeata (its official scientific name) is actually a marine worm. They live in the seas all around the UK, from the shallows to depths of around 200 metres. Sea mice grow up to 20 centimetres long and around five centimetres wide. They are covered in soft bristles but around the edges of their bodies are glass-like “hairs” called setae, as well as thicker, prickly bristles that shimmer blue, green and gold. If you find a sea mouse upside down, you’ll see its body is divided into segments like an earthworm. Each segment has a pair of parapodia – tiny “feet” that…

Amazonian butterflies Researchers say butterflies in the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil are losing colour and becoming dull and brown. This “discolouration”, is being blamed on humans. Across the region, areas with mixed plant species are being replaced by “monocultures” – where just one plant is grown in an area. Crops like eucalyptus and oil palms are less colourful than natural vegetation, so butterflies are evolving to be duller so that they blend in.…

A fossil aged 185 million years old, which was found on the south coast of England, has been identified as a new species of ichthyosaur. The fossil was discovered in Dorset, in an area known as the Jurassic Coast (see panel). Ichthyosaurs were a type of prehistoric marine reptile. They were dangerous predators and lived in the waters that covered much of Europe millions of years ago. They had long, thin jaws with lots of teeth, which they used to catch their prey, including octopuses and cuttlefish. The fossil (an impression or trace of an ancient plant or animal that has turned to stone) has only recently been identified as a new species of ichthyosaur by experts. After it was discovered in 2001 at Golden Cap, a hill in Dorset…

Researchers recently recreated an ancient recipe once used in Turkey and Bulgaria – making yoghurt using ants. To do this, they dropped four ants into a jar of warm milk. By the next day, the liquid had begun to thicken and sour – an early stage of yoghurt. The process works because the ants carry bacteria that help thicken the milk, as well as other substances that help to change the milk’s texture and turn it into yoghurt. Don’t try this at home though: ants can carry harmful bugs. Enjoy these stories? Find more in this month’s The Week Junior Science+Nature magazine sciencenature.theweekjunior.co.uk…

Abbie Wood At the Swimming World Cup in the US, Great Britain’s Wood won gold in the 400 metres medley and silver in the 200 metres medley. Hull Kingston Rovers They won rugby league’s Super League Grand Final by beating Wigan Warriors 24-6. Hull KR have also won this season’s Challenge Cup and League Leaders’ Shield. Coco Gauff In the final of the Wuhan Open tennis tournament in China, 21-year-old Gauff defeated another American player, Jessica Pegula, by two sets to zero. Keely Hodgkinson The British athlete won the 800 metres race at the Athlos event in New York, US. Georgia Hunter Bell, also from Britain, finished second.…

by Christopher Edge (Walker Books) Ready or not, here I come! The game of hide and seek has been played since ancient times. A version of it was mentioned nearly 2,000 years ago by a Greek writer and it is also featured on a wall painting in Herculaneum (an ancient Roman city). In the first book of this new series by Christopher Edge, Adam and his best friend Sol are on a camping trip. Things go wrong when they stumble upon an abandoned ghost town, and find themselves drawn into a terrifying and strange game of hide and seek. Who, or what, is trying to find them – and what will happen if they’re found? This nail-biting book is a mixture of chapters and “case notes” from the Darkive, a…

Name: Jeremy Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle and Stephanie Baudet “Dramatic, spine-tickling and enigmatic. The book is recommended for anyone who loves a little surprise.” YOUR TURN Please email your book review to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk. If it is printed in the magazine you will receive a Roving Reporter badge. Describe your chosen book in three words, tell us what you liked about it and why you would recommend it to others. Don’t forget to include your name and address.* *If you are the competition winner, we will only use the details you provide to contact you and arrange delivery of your competition prize. Further details about how we manage the data you provide can be found at www.futureplc.com/privacy-policy…

Diwali is the festival of lights, a celebration marked by several religions. Hindus, Jains and Sikhs around the world gather to mark the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. Diwali’s date is based on the Moon but it’s always between October and November. This year it begins on 18 October. During Diwali, people light candles and oil lamps called diyas. Families gather for food, fireworks and fun and buy each other gifts for good luck. Diwali also symbolises new beginnings. Some people clean their homes and fill them with colourful decorations. Try making these pretty paper decorations to bring colour into your home for Diwali. They can be made bigger or smaller, as long as all the paper squares are cut to the same size. To hang…

Wordsearch Can you find all the words listed here? They are hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and may read forwards or backwards. BALL BENCH CORNER DEFENCE DRAW DRIBBLE FOUL GOALIE HEADER MANAGER MATCH OFFSIDE PASS PITCH PLAYER SAVE SCORE TACKLE TEAM TROPHY Split words Piece together the letters and pairs to find four words for conversations. CU SS S DI A T C H K L A T B TE A E D Number fit All of these numbers fit in the grid. Can you work out where they go? We’ve placed one to start you off. 3 numbers 144 164 480 542 557 776 4 numbers 7838 9467 5 numbers 32349 46846 60541 66577 6 numbers 652735 740474 956586 7 numbers 2831545 4343632 5457451 7371466 8 numbers 23213623 45285238…

On 13 October, 20 hostages being held in Gaza were released to Israel. In return 1,968 Palestinians being held in Israel were released. Gaza is a strip of land that borders Israel and Egypt and is home to Palestinian people. The releases were part of a peace plan to end the war between Israel and Hamas. What is the plan? The plan is a path to achieving peace between Hamas and Israel that was announced by US president Donald Trump on 29 September. It was put together by the US and countries including Egypt and Qatar. Hamas is an armed group that governs Gaza. It is classed as a terrorist organisation by the UK Government. Intense fighting has been taking place in Gaza since 7 October 2023, when Hamas attacked…

YOUNG SINGERS Alastair Mucklow, who sings at Dorchester Abbey, England, has been named as Senior Young Chorister of the Year. There was a senior and a junior category. Leo, from King’s College School, Wimbledon, was named the junior winner. RARE L’HOEST’S MONKEYS A rare monkey was born at Edinburgh Zoo on 26 September. The L’Hoest’s monkey will be named in the coming weeks. L’Hoest’s monkeys are native to eastern and central Africa. They are classed as “vulnerable” in the wild because of hunting and losing their homes as humans cut down trees. CONKER CHAMPS The new “King and Queen Conker” were crowned at this year’s World Conker Championships in Northamptonshire, England. At the event, players “fight” each other with conkers on strings, with the aim of destroying the other conker.…

Diesel is a type of oil used as fuel in vehicles. It comes from fossil fuels – energy sources that will eventually run out. Diesel engines burn diesel to generate energy. When diesel is burned, it releases nitrogen oxides and nitrogen dioxide, which are harmful to people’s lungs. Diesel cars produce less carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming, than petrol cars. This meant diesel cars were once seen as an environmentally friendly option, but now people are aware of their effect on air quality and people’s health.…

New research has found that about half of UK school pupils surveyed feel they are unable to identify AI-generated misinformation. AI (artificial intelligence) is a computer system that learns from experience and can do things that usually require human intelligence. The survey by Oxford University Press (OUP) asked 2,000 UK pupils, aged from 13 to 18, how they felt about AI. OUP is a book publisher and part of the University of Oxford. The results revealed concerns among young people that it can be hard to know if the information provided by AI is accurate. More than half of pupils said they were also unsure if AI content is biased (where one opinion, person or group is favoured unfairly over another). The research also revealed that although eight out of…

Bishop Sarah Mullally visited a church to help pack food parcels for people in need on 3 October, the day it was announced that she would be the new Archbishop of Canterbury. There has been an Archbishop of Canterbury for more than 1,400 years, but Mullally is the first woman to be chosen for the job. As archbishop, Mullally will lead the Church of England. To do this, she will take advice from bishops (senior members of the Church who oversee different areas of the country). Mullally said she “came to faith as a teenager” but gained experience in leadership outside the church. She trained as a nurse and spent more than 35 years working in the NHS, becoming the youngest Chief Nursing Officer for England in 1999. In 2005,…

A report from a research group called Ember found that in the first half of 2025, renewable energy made more electricity than coal across the world. Renewable energy comes from natural sources that don’t run out, such as the Sun or wind. Coal has been the main way to make electricity on Earth for more than 100 years. Formed over millions of years from dead plant matter, the black lumps are burned in power stations to heat water and create steam. This turns turbines and the energy from the movement is turned into electricity. However, coal releases gases such as carbon dioxide when it is burned, which is a cause of climate change. Scientists say that humans must reduce their use of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and gas,…

A new project is being trialled in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, aiming to improve relations between farmers and endangered Asian elephants. Problems have been caused by water shortages and the expansion of farmland into areas that elephants walk through. As a result, the animals try to find food and water on people’s farms. This has increased the risk of conflict between humans and elephants. ZSL, the charity that runs London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo in England, is now partnering with an organisation in Thailand to try a new approach. At the moment, the farmers grow crops such as bananas and sugar cane, which elephants love. Instead, farmers will be encouraged to grow coffee beans, which the elephants don’t like as much. The coffee beans can be grown alongside chilli bushes and a…

On 16 October it was 75 years since The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was published, in 1950. Written by C.S. Lewis, the classic children’s novel was the first in the Chronicles of Narnia series – seven stories of children’s adventures set in a fantasy land called Narnia. Who was C.S. Lewis? Clive Staples Lewis was an author and teacher of English literature, born in Belfast in 1898. He lived in the city and spent his summer holidays in the nearby countryside. Its mountains and wild landscapes inspired him to create Narnia. When they were children, Lewis and his brother were also inspired by the tales of Beatrix Potter and they wrote stories about animals that dressed like people. After serving in the army during the First World War…

From 6 to 13 October, the winners of the 2025 Nobel Prizes were announced. The six prizes are awarded annually for outstanding work that has led to “the greatest benefit to humankind”. They are split into six categories, three of which are based on scientific research. The winner of the Nobel Prize for Medicine was shared by scientists Shimon Sakaguchi, Mary E. Brunkow and Fred Ramsdell for their research into the immune system (the body’s defence against infections). They discovered special cells that stop the immune system attacking the body and make sure it only attacks invaders like bacteria. Nobel Prizes are often awarded many years after the original research. The Nobel Prize for Physics went to the scientists John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis, who were…

AUSTRALIAN GEOGRAPHIC NATURE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR…

Have you ever been so absorbed in something that you forget what’s going on around you? This is called getting in the flow and it helps you switch off any worries. What does “in the flow” mean? Sometimes you can be so wrapped up in what you’re doing that everything else fades away. Maybe you’re in a race and all you hear is your heart beating, or you’re so busy painting a picture you forget where you are. A psychologist (someone who studies how we think and feel) called Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi described this as being “in the flow”. It’s a happy, joyful feeling you get when focusing on something that’s challenging but fun. “Time flies,” Csikszentmihalyi said, and “every action, movement and thought” flows. “Your whole being is involved and…

Calling all artists! Can you design a bright, beautiful front cover for our Christmas issue? This year’s theme is Peace on Earth and the winning design will appear on the issue that comes out on 18 December. The winner will also receive a framed copy of their design. You can use paint, pencils or pen – but your design must be colourful and clear. Our judges are Anna Bassi, Vanessa Harriss, Dave Kelsall and Mandy Rowson, all from The Week Junior, and illustrator Rebecca Cobb. How to enter Draw your design in the template below (you can download more at theweekjunior.co.uk/cover25) Please send in your original artwork, not a photo of it, and have a parent or guardian’s permission to enter. When your design is ready, fill in your details…

How is writing horror different from other kinds of stories? I always aim to write thrilling stories where readers have to keep turning the pages to find out what happens next. Writing horror is just the same but you add a frisson (a shiver) of fear, making the reader almost scared to keep going. What does your writing routine look like? As the Fear Files have been leaked from the Darkive, a top-secret database of the unexplained, I just have to give the stories a polish to share them with the public. I just hope the Darkive investigators don’t track me down… Are you more similar to Adam or Sol? Why? I hope I’m more similar to Adam because he’s great at finding good hiding places as he tries to…

What’s best: a pig that shoots fire from its snout, a sleepy sun-loving beast with a leaf poking out of its head or a blue crocodile that bites everything it sees? This isn’t a choice you’ll face in your local pet shop, thankfully. However, it is the first decision for players in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest game in the famous monster-battling series. Tepig, Chikorita and Totodile are the three options for your first Pokémon companion in the game, which makes some big changes to the formula seen in previous games. For starters, it’s not set in the countryside. Instead you’ll be exploring the huge Lumiose City. There are special “Wild Zones” where the Pokémon live, so you’ll still be building up your collection. The biggest change comes with the…

Stinky fruit causes chaos The mystery behind a peculiar smell in Lytham St Annes, north-west England, has been solved. Local people thought there was a gas leak and an engineer was sent out to investigate the stench. The source of the smell wasn’t gas at all, but a type of fruit on sale at Strongs Fruit and Veg greengrocer. Shop owner Andrew Simpkins decided to order some durian fruit after his assistant returned from a holiday in south-east Asia, where the fruit is considered a delicacy (rare or expensive food). Simpkins told The Times newspaper, “I knew it smelled bad but I didn’t think it would bring the gas board out.” Display a dinosaur in your garden Dinosaur lovers have the chance to make their garden look like a scene…

Young photographer Arabella Alexander has won the Brian Black Memorial Award junior competition. The award, which was organised by Yachting Monthly magazine, recognises great photography and writing that highlights the changing environments of the sea. Arabella, aged 10, won a digital SLR camera. She said, “On Charmouth Beach in April 2025, a tree branch was in a strange position on the beach. You could see the texture of the wood as it had been eroded by the water, and sand and stones on the beach. You can see how Mother Nature breaks down natural matter. This inspired me to capture the extraordinarily interesting object. “I didn’t expect to win this prize and I can’t believe I have. I look forward to having a proper camera to take pictures with and…

Teacher’s name: Lizzie Searle, peripatetic teacher (teaches at different schools) School: Micklefield School, Reigate, England “I would like to nominate my music teacher Lizzie. She teaches me singing, piano, music theory and band club. She is very dedicated, works incredibly hard to support me in achieving the best possible marks in the grades, while making my lessons fun. She is a very talented musician.” Eve If we pick your teacher as Teacher of the Week, we’ll send your school three free issues of The Week Junior. Send your nominations, along with a picture of your teacher and your school’s full name and address, to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk JOKE OF THE WEEK “What do you call a bumpy level crossing? An unlevel crossing.”Alex…

Eat Your Pumpkin Millions of pumpkins are used for Halloween every year. Carving pumpkins to create a spooky decoration is a lovely tradition but many people throw the filling away, not thinking about food waste. With the Eat Your Pumpkin campaign, the charity Hubbub wants to make sure people don’t forget that pumpkins should be eaten. The team has put together an online recipe booklet with ideas on how to eat them. Be sure to ask an adult for help doing any cutting. To find out more and download the booklet, ask an adult to help you visit hubbub.org.uk/eat-your-pumpkin WIN A BADGE! Email your news, views and pictures to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk Please include your full name and address so that we can send you a Roving Reporter badge if your contribution…

“This week my cat, Cookie, and I sat on our garden swing reading The Week Junior together. It was purrrfect!”Ellen “This is me celebrating my ninth birthday at Alton Towers. I am just big enough now to touch the top of the tower. Haha.” Ezra “I planted a seed from a watermelon I ate, watered it regularly and eventually harvested a whole new watermelon I grew myself.”Ziming “I made some yummy cottage pies for my family’s dinner.”Barnaby We’re proud to be plastic-free The Week Junior is delivered without a wrapper. This decision was made in response to requests from our readers who wanted us to reduce waste. Since removing the wrap in 2018 we have saved our planet from more than 20 tonnes of plastic and made your magazine 100%…

In the days following the ceasefire, aid agencies reported that Israel was allowing more aid into Gaza than it had done previously. They said vital supplies such as food, medicine and tents were entering the territory, and that gas for cooking was being allowed in for the first time since March. There are plans to scale-up aid so that even more can reach those in need. Some countries have pledged new packages of aid for Gaza, including the UK, which will provide £20 million for hygiene services and clean water across the territory.…

In the 10 years since he appeared on the television programme Britain’s Got Talent, Calum Scott’s life has completely changed. He’s released three albums, performed with Ed Sheeran and sung at King Charles’s coronation concert. Scott is also a campaigner for mental health. In an interview with the BBC for World Mental Health Day, which was on 10 October, Scott described some of his own struggles with mental health and the importance of sharing how you’re feeling with others. “Whether it’s on paper, to a therapist, to a friend, to a stranger from a charity – getting it out just helps so much,” he said.…

Whipsnade Zoo in England has welcomed an 11-year-old South American tapir called Anna. Tapirs have a long snout that they use to grab food from trees and to swim underwater, using it like a snorkel. • LIFESPAN: Around 35 years. • HABITAT: Cloud forests, grasslands, rainforests and swamps. • SIZE: 1.8 to 2.5 metres long and weighing 150 to 320 kilograms. • DIET: Mainly leaves, fruit, twigs and other plant materials. • FUN FACT: Tapirs communicate using whistles, shrieks, clicking noises and nose snorts.…

“Golf is a great sport but it can often be too slow. In speedgolf there’s no time to think – only time to do,” said Sebastian Wells, after his success at the British Speedgolf Championships last month. In speedgolf, players hit their shots and then jog or run to where the ball has landed to continue each hole. The total time is taken into consideration for a player’s final score. Matches are played on 18-hole courses, just like regular tournament golf games. Speedgolf only uses a few golf clubs – unlike the 14 that can be used in a normal game – which are carried by hand or in a golf bag. The games are far quicker than in traditional golf, which take a few hours because players walk or…

The Lone Husky by Hannah Gold. Illustrated by Levi Pinfold (HarperCollins Children’s) April Wood lives in the Arctic and her best friend is a polar bear, so she is used to adventures. However, when she volunteers for the Polar Race – a dog-sled contest across the frozen wilderness – she wonders if it might be an adventure too far. The Last Journey by Stacy Gregg (Simon & Schuster Children’s) Pusskin loves living with his owner, Lottie. Unfortunately, cats are being blamed for the disappearance of birds and insects. To stay safe, Pusskin sets out on a journey with his fellow felines. This story is partly inspired by real life – such as how cats were treated during times of plague and actual events on an Australian island during the 1990s.…

1 For how many hours can green turtles stay underwater? 2 True or false? At a zoo farm in Somerset, England, there is a giant mosaic of an elephant that has been made using 1,000 pumpkins. ☐ True ☐ False 3 How old is the world’s oldest president? 4 Which city was named green capital at the European Green Cities awards? ☐ a) Leeds ☐ b) Heilbronn ☐ c) Valencia 5 True or false? The Archbishop of Canterbury is the person who leads the Church of England. ☐ True ☐ False 6 What is Britain’s smallest rodent? 7 Who wrote The Chronicles of Narnia book series? ☐ a) C.S. Lewis ☐ b) J.R.R. Tolkien ☐ c) Katherine Rundell 8 True or false? There are six Nobel Prizes awarded each year.…