What is a pangolin? Pangolins are mammals which have an unusual appearance. Instead of fur their bodies are covered with large, keratin scales. The name comes from the Malay word, ‘pengguling’ which means ‘something that rolls up’. The animal’s favourite food is ants. But it...
How many kinds of energy are available? The energy that is released when chemical reactions take place is called chemical energy. It is stored in substances like food and fuels. Kinetic energy is the energy of movement. Potential energy is the energy possessed by an...
Why do floods occur? Floods have occurred from time immemorial. Floods are caused when rivers overflow their banks. Usually this happens after a spell of heavy rainfall. This leads to a great amount of water in the river resulting in the river waters rising and...
Which is the coldest place on earth? The coldest place on earth is the South Pole. The average temperature in the Antarctic region is around -50 degrees Centigrade or -58 degrees Fahrenheit. But temperatures 40 degrees Centigrade lower have been recorded on occasions.
What does Venus’ surface look like? Many space probes have explored Venus. Huge plains cover most of the planet’s surface. It has two big highland regions which can be considered as continents. One is located in the north and is called the Ishtar terra. The...
Why do baby turtles have a tooth on their nose? Though turtles are found in the sea they come ashore to lay eggs. The eggs are laid in a hole they dig in the sand. The hole is covered with more sand to keep the...
Which babies are born in a freezer? Polar bears are found in cold environments like the arctic region. When autumn comes, the mother bear digs a den under the snow. She delivers her cubs in the den in the middle of winter. The mother and...
What is a nuclear reaction? There are two kinds of nuclear reactions. Both produce great amounts of energy. In nuclear fusion, two nuclei collide and combine into one larger nucleus. In nuclear fission, neutrons are used to bombard the nucleus of an atom which causes...
How did small dinosaurs defend themselves from enemies? The Scutellosaurus was a small dinosaur the size of a domestic cat. But it was a tough fighter when confronted by big dinosaurs. It had rows of small bony knobs along its back and tail. These gave...
What did the Romans trade? The trade routes of Romans extended throughout Europe, China and Indi Their ships were loaded with things like wine, olive oil, farm products and works of art. They traded these for exotic goods like wild animals, ivory and silk.
