KN O W L E DG E
GENIUS!
DK Delhi Senior Editor Bharti Editor Bharti Bedi Senior Art Editor Shreya Editor Shreya Anand Project Editor Neha Editor Neha Ruth Samuel Art Editor Nidhi Editor Nidhi Rastogi Assistantt Editors Bipasha Assistan Editors Bipasha Roy, Manan Kapoor Assistantt Art Editors Assistan Editors Baibhav Baibhav Parida, Sanya Jain, Srishti Arora Jacket Designer Designer Tanya Tanya Mehrotra Jackets Editorial Editorial Coordinator Coordinator Priyanka Priyanka Sharma Senior DTP Designer Harish Designer Harish Aggarwal DTP Designers Pawan Designers Pawan Kumar, Vijay Khandwal Picture Researcher Rituraj Researcher Rituraj Singh Managing Jackets Editor Saloni Editor Saloni Singh Pre-production Manager Balwant Manager Balwant Singh Production Manager Pankaj Manager Pankaj Sharma Picture Research Manager Taiyaba Manager Taiyaba Khatoon Managing Editor Kingshuk Editor Kingshuk Ghoshal Managing Art Editor Govind Editor Govind Mittal
DK London Editor Jessica Cawthra Designer Gregory McCarthy Senior Designer Rachael Grady Editorial team Vicky Richards, Ann Baggaley US Editor Megan Douglass US Executive Editor Lori Cates Hand Jacket Designers Stephanie Cheng Hue Tan, Akiko Kato Jacket Editor Emma Dawson Jacket Design Development Manager Sophia MTT Gillian Reid Producer, Pre-production Senior Producer Angela Graef Managing Editor Francesca Baines Managing Art Editor Philip Letsu Publisher Andrew Macintyre Associate Publishing Director Liz Wheeler Art Director Karen Self Design Director Phil Ormerod Publishing Director Jonathan Metcalf First American Edition, 2019 Published in the United States by DK Publishing 1450 Broadway, Suite 801, New York, NY 10018 Copyright © 2019 Dorling Kindersley Limited DK, a Division of Penguin Random House LLC 19 20 21 22 23 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 001–313197–April/2019 Allthe rights reserved. Without limiting rights under the copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. Published in Great Britain by Dorling Kindersley Limited A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress. ISBN: 978-1-4654-8134-4 DK books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk for sales promotions, premiums, fund-raising, or educational use. For details, contact: DK Publishing S pecial Markets, 1450 Broadway, Suite 801, New York, NY 10018
[email protected] Printed and bound in China A WORLD OF IDEAS: SEE ALL THERE IS TO KNOW www.dk.com
KNO WLED GE
GENIUS! Contributors: Peter Chrisp, Clive Gifford, Derek Harvey,
Andrea Mills, and John Woodwar Woodward d
S T N E T N O C
1 SCIENCE GEEK
Space Planet parade Space travelers The elements Simply elementary The human body Know your bones Under the microscope Math Shape up! Transportation On the road All aboard! Taking to the skies All at sea
2 NA NATURE TURE KNOWITALL
10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38
Dinosaurs Clawed carnivores Plant-eating giants Prehistoric creatures Mammals Know your cats Primate party Aquatic mammals Invertebrates Insects everywhere Under the sea Arachnids assemble Birds Birds of a feather Deadly hunters Reptiles Reptile room Scaly serpents
42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 76
3 GEOGRAPHY GENIUS
Amphibians Amazing amphibians Fish Freshwater fish Marine life Animal behavior Tricky tracks Get cracking Eye spy Plants Flower power Fruit and nuts Plant food
78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 100 102
Earth High seas World waterways Peak puzzle Wonders of the world Countries of the world Cities Cool constructions City skylines Capital cities Eye in the sky Flags Raise the flag Weather Cloud watching Rocks and minerals Rock stars Precious gemstones
4 HISTORY BUFF
106 108 110 112 114 116 118 120 122 124
Ancient civilizati civilizations ons Lost cities Guess the gods Mythical creatures Castles Hold the fort Battle ready! Fighting fashion Leaders Famous faces
144 146 148 150 152 154 156 158 160 162
126 128 130
5 CULTURE VULTURE
132 134 136 138 140
Art Gallery of the greats Playing the classics Making music Languages Greetings! Sports On the ball Game on! Sports store Your turn!
166
Index Acknowledgments
188
168 170 172 174 176 178 180 182 184 186
192
How this book works Welcome thisup fact-packed, quiz-filled challenge.to Top with some new knowledge and then put your brain to the test by matching the picture clues with the answers. Can you identify your insects? Do you know the names of the bones in your body? Can you figure out which warrior’s weapon is which? It’s time to find out!
01. Choose your topic. There are five chapters on a wide range of subjects and lots of different d ifferent quizzes. Perhaps Perhaps start with one that you know all about, and then move on to something new.
130
GEOGRAPHY GENIUS 1 A sun with 32 rays adorns the flag of South America’s secondbiggest country.
mo Traditional carpet weaving patterns are part of this former Soviet republic’s flag.
2
natio the f sq
5 This nation manufactures the highest number of cars in all of Europe.
Next the challenge
Facts first First brush up on the basics with these pages of fun facts. Filled with both essential and curious information, these will warm up your brain for the quizzes that follow. follow. 128
Then it’s time to test yourself. Take a look at the pictures and the list of answers in the panel down the side and try to match them up. Follow these four steps for the best way to tackle things.
4 This flag flies in a country that’s home to more than 1,400 million people.
Raise the flag
Every nation of the world flies their own flag design. Each has been chosen to reflect the country’s history, colors, and identity. They represent the pride of the people, uniting everyone under one big b anner.
129
Charge An emblem on theflag.
Thepartof theflag farthestfrom thestaff.
Hoist Thepartoftheflag closestto thestaff.
Ne p a l ’ s
How to plant a flag on the Moon Fly
g i s t
Thefirst flag toflyon theMoon wasa USflag bought for just $5.50. It wasplaced insidean
e
o n
Field Thebasic background colorof theflag.
Apollo missions have planted flags on the Moon,and they are all still there today.
Try to plant 03. the flag pole into the lunar surface—this is not easy,the ground is very hard.
I don’t believe it
The most colors found on a national flag,those of San Marino and Ecuador.
e
the study of flags.It comes from s r the latin word vexillum,meaning u “flag.” Vexillologists even have o f n their own flag (above). n a a t h i o t n a r e l fl m o a g g t ha t h h a s
in Israelthe punishm ent can beup tothreeyears in pri son. son. In Denmark it isagainst thelawtodestroyth troytheflags eflags ofother countriesbut not Denmark’s ownnationalflag.
The 27 stars on Brazil’s flag show the pattern in the night sky above the city of Rio de Janeiro on November 15, 1889—Brazil’sindependenceday.
There’s no 01. wind on the Moon to
Check the 04. pole really is firm—
fly a flag.Get engineers to place a wire into a hem sewn into the top of the flag so it will stick out straight.
in 1969,when the spacecraft left,the blast of the engines knocked the flag over!
Jamaica istheonlycountry S a nationalflag that doesnot Twith C featurethecolorsred, white, or blue. A Thelatest design gn oftheUS F flag wasadopted in 1960and was Gcreatedby17-year-oldRobertG. Heft Aasa school assignment. Heonlyearned L a B- gradein class! F Atthe1936Olympics,Haitiand Liechtenstein discovered their national flagswerethe same.Liechtenstein later added a crown totheir flag. Allofficialnationalflagsin India aremadein onefactoryin Bengeri village, in thestateof Karnataka.
Where else are flags used? Star state Each of the stars on the
Regional: Agiant holding a club features on the flag of the Finnish region of Lapland.
State: All 50 states in the US, includingArizona (above),have their own flag.
Sports: A checkered flag is waved to signal the end of many motor races.
Organizations: The United Nations flag features olive leaves, representing peace.
Pirates: Skulls and swords were designed to strike fear into other ships’ crews.
According toFinnish law, when a nationalflag onalflag of Finland iswashed, it can only bedried indoors.
F l a g l a w s
A bird of adise stars on South Pacific nd flag, designed
10 A thunder dragon dominates the flag of this rugged, mountainous Asian kingdom.
15-year-old oolgirl in 1971.
Find a 02. good new spot.Six
US flag represents one of the 50 US states.Over time,as states joined the union of American states, the flag has had more than 25 changes.
.
s
d i
l y
Flags developed out of the coat of arms that armies carried into battle. Some countries have used the same flag design for centuries while others have changed their look. Afghanistan, for instance, has had more than 20 different flags in the past 150 years!
12
Flag study Vexillology is the name given to
h
aluminum tubeand flown to theMoon on board theApollo11 spacecraft in 1969.
Flags
Mir-1 a submersible plant Russian flagdived at theto
In manycountriesit’sagainst thelawto damageor destroy thenationalflag. In France, for example, thepunishmentis up tosix monthsin prison, while
a
Flagscomein a great varietyofcolors, patterns, and designs, but theyall sharethesame featuresand parts.
of the Arctic Ocean I nbottom in 2007.
fl
Parts of a f lag
sq ft s22,152 sq m) The area of a r(2,058 flag made in 2011. eMexican The biggest flag ever flown bfrom a flag pole,its area was bigger than 7 tennis courts. m u13,979 ft m) The distance n(4,261 below sea level that the
8 The country known for its che blossom season and very fast tra features a crimson sun on its flag
Red symbolizes “brightness”
GEOGRAPHY GENIUS Staff Theflagpolea flag hangsfrom.
6 Spears and a shield are said to protect this African nation’s people.
Somecountrieshaverules about what timeof theday their flag can be flown. In Iceland, forinstance,theflagmust never beraised beforeseven o’clock in themorning.
ed ire.
13 This country is famed for its African wildlife and its Maasai peoples whose shield is found on the flag.
11 T this
02. When you’ve chosen a quiz, take
03. Look at the “Test Yourself” panel
a careful look at the pictures. Do you recognize them all? The clues will give you extra information to help you figure things out.
and match the words and pictures. Don’t write the answers in the book—you may want to take the quiz again later to improve your score, or give it to a friend to see how they do.
131
16 Formed by freed slaves, this African state based its design on the US flag.
This untainous European is one of w to fly a uare flag. 3
7
15 Depicting the many colors of the “rainbow nation,” this flag first flew in 1994, the year in which Nelson Mandela became its president.
R E T R A T S
All the official flags of this nation are made of khadi— a cloth popularized by Mahatma Gandhi. 17
18 The flag of the world’s biggest country and hosts of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
19 This country, which the Amazon river flows through, has the words “Order and Progress” on its flag.
rry ins .
! S U I N E G
21 The circular symbol at
the center of this Asian nation’s flag means balance in the universe.
his flag was first flown in 1960, when frican country became independent.
United Kingdom Japan Switzerland Canada South Africa China Brazil France Greece
Australia Argentina R Russian Federation E Nigeria G N Turkey E L Mexico L A India H C Germany Italy
This island kingdom’s flag was formed by combining three flags into one.
TEST YOURSELF
22 The world’s best-known longdistance cycling race has been hosted by this nation since 1903.
Liberia Kenya Bhutan Turkmenistan South Korea Papua New Guinea Saudi Arabia Swaziland Peru
Start off easy ... ... These answers should be the easiest to figure out.
Getting harder ... ... How about these harder answers? Can you match them, too?
Truly tricky If you can figure out these final answers it’s official—you’r official—you’re e a genius!!
20 Blue represents the Mediterranean Sea on the flag of this land of ancient gods, where the first Olympic Games took place.
23 A maple leaf reflects the large forests found in this North American nation.
24 The shahādah (a Muslim statement of faith) is written in Arabic on this oil-producing nation’s flag.
14 The colors
of the ancient Inca civilization are depicted on this Andean nation’s flag.
25 This country is famously shaped like a boot when looked at from space.
26 Southern hemisphere stars dot the flag of a country famous for its kangaroos.
27 A crossroads between Europe and Asia, this country’s flag features an Islamic star and crescent moon symbols.
y e k r u T . 7 2 a i l a r t s u A . 6 2 y l a t I . 5 2 a i b a r A i d u a S . 4 2 a d a n a C . 3 2 e c n a r F . 2 2 a e r o K h t u o S . 1 2 e c e e r G . 0 2 l i z a r B . 9 1 n o i t a r e d e F n a i s s u R . 8 1 a i d n I . 7 1 a i r e b i L . 6 1 a c i r f A h t u o S . 5 1 u r e P . 4 1 a y n e K . 3 1 : S R E W S N A o c i x e M . 2 1 a i r e g i N . 1 1 n a t u h B . 0 1 a e n i u G w e N a u p a P . 9 n a p a J . 8 m o d g n i K d e t i n U . 7 d n a l i z a w S . 6 y n a m r e G . 5 a n i h C . 4 d n a l r e z t i w S . 3 n a t s i n e m k r u T . 2 a n i t n e g r A . 1
No peeking! peeking! You’ll find the answers
04. Work your way through the three
05. There is also a picture quiz for
matched the number of thewith correct picture, at the bottom of the page.
levels of difficulty—it’s not supposed to be easy! When you think you have got them all, check the answers—they’re upside-down at the bottom of the page.
every chapter, from spotting an insect to finding your way through a maze. Check you’ve got it right in the Answers section at the back of the book.
1
E C N K E I E C S G
Star hunter
Studying the night sky has helped scientists discover many wonders in our universe. Can you find the constellation of Orion the hunter in this starry scene? Start by looking for three bright stars in a line that make up his belt. Nearby, more stars form his body.
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t u o s h k — c s g d e r e u d t a . i . n t p o e l r s s l b s u r t s h t t a s d c e e d s o e l n e i e l r r l h n a e t i r a a a t c e t p s d t s r e s e f a d l a t h e l t g a c o t l a s l S s m g e n . i n y c a c r o o n a r i s a c l t f n l r d s a — u i m l r p e , m s o a s f s s r b f e w t i e f i o o o v s s s x y b i r a s s n l n l l s u a e i o a a o , n t e b t c g g h s e i n r t r h t e a a l o l g h , E n r v o t i i y t , a e c c e i g l h W , n o t e . y n t r s i n a a h i e k l t t i s c e s p y u t c x o r d r a r s e f i a l v x p a y u E o e s g b O
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. s n i s l i l h a a e t c l T i c ) : r i y e m h v m e 2 a A v ( 7 e l h t H u c f f n 6 V r I e u 3 a 2 w l a t o l e p D
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t s . , n i a r s y i x 6 f e l a 6 g t o . m l a n r a 5 l s r 1 a e g u t e c l f a k g C i d n a s l r G e i i r g v d n a p N r s , n e u f u o e u p r c a o a a , s s l p o y h y g a s m d x h m n t a y i o n r a n l x l w a x a a a w t l k d o e e g s h r n s n l a i o u k T a f a g d d r i A p S
Exoplanet facts
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n w r a o u d h s o y n y a , v o n t a e s u t s H r a e I V h p t a . o o t e l w t t t e c D a e p r n e a s e s e e h t o r b e t n i e k i h o l e t t , , e b e e r l r c o u i p s b o h r e e e k p v h a a h t — c t M t f n e g . a r u o a t c l e t , 2 c n e a i a r e p 0 s g h
o l t e e e u b h f t , i r o h e r p c h n t e u e h a s t . l u g n e l n u l i h t i v s w e g s a e h n t l t i , r k e d u y a r D c o w a r a w . r l o l t e t a l s f 3 e o d v o n a r 0 b a t
— g s . n t d d i n e n t i n u u b a o o r l f o p r a , s o x 8 n t e e 1 e e n d 0 b a e 2 l l l y d a p a B h , s c s — . t 0 s 9 r d e 9 a e r l n 1 t a e s p r v o h e c o t h s i x e n t I o d 1 e r 9 e 7 , w 3
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p o o h , t o o p s v e l o l t e m t t 6 x h e h s x i , a m l e 2 r t e a y l s t a e o e t E i o u s . d h s s h l e h u r 4 T j T a e a ⁄ r c a g t 1 u a f s 5 r o s s 6 n u t 3 i A s e
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s . l d l i t t t i h e w e i r e l h l t a a t p e e E , u s a r r c h p ’ r h o e u d t s f o c p d o e s o a m l l n y h y t l c a e a a 0 r e ) r 5 d e n e e r o h u c i , / s o r b 7 n t d 8 a c o m e e n t O i r k k p 2 a 4 a r 0 . v a o s e t r h o 0 m t e g t 0 v , o y i s p p 0 4 ’ d e u 9 s n l a — u e f 6 e c e s h o ( i n r r
0 h e c v e u , h t k s a s o . y , h , i n h x s 0 m o s r l c e a n i l i 1 a e e h a x 0 m l g d a l g e s l 5 e u w , h r a s t l C v e r b a g l s a u l d u e G c a e g c N t i s d i k o t m a a s u n o a n j m e S m k e i l L
. y h x t n i l a s y d a w e a e e e s a l y r i G l b e S . x u m t u s ’ a i o y l e n y x d x a v y p p u a r e l a n b a o l g a h h c a a e o T e g e s n n r g r o . a b f e r r a n e e B o e t e a e p h l s t i s h a v u s t a u o o e e i h l g s h o h n c a r e T w r e r I h
e c n a t s s i d e l g i e a . r n e u m v s a e e h n h t T o ) d i l m n a l k i n h t o r a i l m l i E m e n 9 . 6 . e w 9 2 4 t e 1 ( b 9
e h t h c d i h n u w o . t r a a y x a d g l n i a h e e l r g i p p y s w s a e s W m h i y T k ) m 0 l i h e / t 0 M m s e k y s h 0 l r f a t 0 o , o 0 , 0 s e 0 0 0 e r ( h t o c 5 8
n w t o h n k g i t l t i a n h u a s t — e c d e n l a n o i t s c i s d e m e e l h g . 2 T n r ) i a 8 e m s y a k t 2 2 i n s h g 7 i , l l 6 , 9 e 9 a 8 9 v a r s ( t a 1 2
s r e b m u n n I
s r a a y d x e a l y e m a g o t d r r h n j o a A m g i e t l h t s . f e r y 0 o a a r e 0 e n W t y e k l 0 e h i m a t — M i y e 0 , d x h a t e l 6 h a o T g t 2
. n u — s i r e u h a t s t . n r r t e t e e f s a m r C a a h e o t c a r y a a x E e i m f o o r o n e y P t o t g o r a t i a t l h s e e l c t i g g a i n s e r e t s a a i v e b a 2 l d r n 6 . h . h e e e T 4 T h t 4
Planet parade The sun is a star. Eight planets travel around it, along with many asteroids, dwarf planets, and comets, all following oval paths called orbits—and known together as the solar system. Rocky bodies called moons orbit many of the planets.
The Great Red Spot is a storm more than 10,160 miles (16,350 km) wide swirling in the planet’s atmosphere.
Surface hidden by thick clouds, some of which rain deadly sulfuric acid.
Orbits the sun in just 88 Earth days at 105,944 mph (170,500 km/h)
Water covers more than two-thirds of the surface of this planet. Craters scar the surface, made by impact with countless meteorites.
The smallest of the planets, and the
A stormy world, the surface temperature on
The third planet from the sun, this
This object was visited by 12
Also known as the red planet because
The solar system’s largest planet is so
closest one to the sun, this rocky world shares its name with a chemical element.
this planet can rocket to a blistering 867ºF (464ºC) which is hot enough to melt lead.
is the only place in the universe where life is known to exist.
astronauts in Apollo spacecraftt between spacecraf 1969 and 1972.
of its rusty, iron rocks, more spacecraft have been sent to this world than any other.
big more than 1,300 Earths could fit inside. It is orbited by almost 70 moons.
1
2
3
4
5
6
13
TEST YOURSELF
The surface temperature of the sun is 9,930°F (5,500°C).
This gas giant is the least dense planet in the solar system—it is lighter than water.
R E T R A T S
R E G N E L L A H C
! S U I
N E G
Earth Mars Moon Jupiter
Saturn Venus Mercury Neptune
Titan Uranus Io Ganymede
The band of main rings extends for 174,000 miles (280,000 km), but for the most part is just 33 ft (10 m) thick.
Most planets rotate upright, like a top, but this one spins on its side.
The largest moon in the solar system, it is 3,270 miles (5,262 km) across. 7
Discovered by the Italian astronomer Galileo in 1610, this yellow moon is home to more than 400 active volcanoes. 8
Spectacular rings of dust,
largest in the solar
rock, and ice encircle this gas giant.
system, this moon is bigger than the planet Mercury.
9
10 Second
11 This
giant ball of gas with an icy core
12 The
farthest planet from the sun,
takes 84 Earth years to orbit the sun.
it was named after a god of the sea for its deep-blue color.
e n u t p e N . 2 1 s u n a r U . 1 1 n a t i T . 0 1 n r u t a S . 9 o I . 8 e d e m y n a G . 7 r e t i p u J . 6 s r a M . 5 n o o M . 4 h t r a E . 3 s u n e V . 2 y r u c r e M . 1 : S R E W S N A
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2 This 1972 American space probe was the first to travel past Mars and through the Asteroid Belt to take photos of Jupiter.
Launched in 1957, the first human-made object to travel into space made 1,400 orbits around Earth. It gets its name from the Russian word for “fellow traveler.” 3
1 Launched in 1973, this was the first probe to fly close to the planet Mercury. It also traveled to Venus!
The size of a motor car, this rover has been exploring the surface of Mars since 2012. It carries 17 cameras and a host of scientific instruments. 4
Space travelers
A laser in the head turns rocks into dust and gas, to reveal the rocks’ composition.
The development of powerful rocket engines in the 1950s enabled spacecraft and, later, people to explore space. The voyages made by these remarkable spacecraft—both manned and unmanned—have taught us much about the universe.
Cone-shaped Command Module held three astronauts
Antenna dish sent signals from the Moon to Earth
Solar panels generate electricity
The spacecraft was almost 364 ft (111 m) tall—as high as some 36-floor buildings.
The world’s biggest and most powerful launch vehicle was made up of three rockets, or “stages.” It launched missions carrying astronauts to the 5
Moon between 1969 and 1972. This small Chinese rover landed on the surface of the Moon in 2013 and explored it for 31 months. Its name comes from the Chinese for “jade rabbit.” 6
A 3 h c r a M g n o L . 2 1 n o i t a t S e c a p S l a n o i t a n r e t n I . 1 1 1 r e g a y o V . 0 1 e l u d o M r a n u L 1 1 o l l o p A . 9 e l t t u h S e c a p S . 8 s n e g y u H – i n i s s a C . 7 u t u Y . 6 V n r u t a S . 5 y t i s o i r u C . 4 1 k i n t u p S . 3 0 1 r e e n o i P . 2 0 1 r e n i r a M . 1 : S R E W S N A
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Five of these reusable spacecraft flew more than 130 NASA space missions between them. They launched like rockets but glided back to Earth to land on runways like planes. The last of these spacecraft retired in 2011.
8
7 The largest spacecraft to visit another planet, this probe had two parts—one that orbited Saturn for 13 years and another that was parachuted down onto Saturn’s largest moon, Titan.
TEST YOURSELF
R E T R A T S
R E G N E L L A H C
Antenna is 12 ft (3.7 m) across
International Space Station Space Shuttle Sputnik 1 Saturn V
Pioneer 10 Voyager 1 Apollo 11 Lunar Module Curiosity
Yutu Yutu Cassini–Huygens ! S Long March 3A U I Mariner 10 N E
G
more than 131 ⁄ 2 billion miles (21.7 billion km) away, this probe is the farthest spacecraft from Earth. It was launched in 1977 to explore the giant planets Jupiter and Saturn. 10 Now
Nicknamed “Eagle,” this spacecraft carried Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, the first humans to stand on the lunar surface in 1969. The lower section of the spacecraf spacecraftt was left behind on the Moon. 9
11 The largest human-made object
in space, at 357 ft (109 m) across, this machine is home to up to six astronauts, who live and conduct experiments on board.
Smaller modules are built on Earth and joined together in space. 12 This 170-ft- (52-m-) tall
Chinese rocket was built to launch communication satellites. It also launched China’s first mission to the Moon in 2007.
16
SCIENCE GEEK
The elements elements 2
Everything around us is made up of simple substances called elements. Each one is made up of tiny particles called atoms, which are unique for every element. When two or more elements combine, they form a compound. For example, sodium and chlorine combine to form sodium chloride, or common salt.
He Heli liu um 4
19
V
5
37
38
Rb 55
Sr 56
Cs 87
Ba 88
Fr
6
13
Ra
22
39
23
Ti 40
Y 57–71
La-Lu 89–103
Ac-Lr
Zr 72
Hf 104
Rf Rf
24
V 41
Nb 73
Cr 42
74
Db
W 106
Sg
26
Mn 43
Mo Mo
Ta 105
25
Fe 44
Tc 75
Ru 76
Re 107
Bh
27
Hs
28
Co 45
Ni 46
Rh 77
Os 108
rn A o g r A
Na Sodium
7
39.94
Pd 78
Ir 109
Mt
Pt 110
Ds
29
30
Cu 47
Zn 48
Ag 79
Cd 80
Au 111
Hg 112
Rg
2
Cn
31
49
In
15
81
Tl 113
82
As 51
Sb 83
Pb 114
Nh
16
33
Sn
Bi 115
Fl
F
Mc
17
S
18
35
Se
Ar 36
Br
52
53
Te
Kr 54
I
84
85
Po
Xe 86
At
116
117
Lv
Se m ium niu len Sele 78.96
mass of all the atoms of the element.
Ne
Cl
34
34
Atomic mass The average
10
O
P
Ge 50
9
N
Si 32
Ga
8
C 14
Al Sc
18
He B
21
arium
137. 32
11
Atomic number The number of protons (positive particles) in one atom.
Mg Ca
B a B
22.98
Be
20
K
S
Sul f ur 32.06
Vana Va 50.94
12
Na
56
23
There are 118 elements in the periodic table—92 are found in nature, while others have been created in laboratories. They are arranged in a special order in a table developed by the Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev Mendeleev.. The lightest elements 1 H are found at the top of the grid and those with similar properties are grouped together in columns. 3 4 11
16
Name Every element has a full name.
What is the periodic table?
Li
Chemical symbol A unique one- or two-letter code for the element.
Rn 118
Ts
Og
Key
Hydrogen Alkali Metals Alkaline Earth Metals Transition Metals Lanthanides Actinides The Boron Group The Carbon Group
57
La 89
Ac
n e e b e v a h . s s t t s i t n e n m e e i c l s e ,
s e w 0 e 0 n n 7 g i n l 1 e i r e h t e v e o m c c i i s n i T S d
58
59
Ce 90
Th
Pr 91
Pa
60
61
Nd 92
Pm 93
U
Np
62
Sm 94
Pu
63
Eu 95
Am
64
65
Gd 96
Tb 97
Cm
Bk
66
Dy 98
Cf
67
68
Ho 99
Er 100
Es
Fm
69
70
Tm
71
Yb
101
102
Md
The Nitrogen Group
Lu 103
No
Lr
The Oxygen Group The Halogen Group Noble Gases
1751
1772 1772
1807–1808
1823
1896
Axel Fredrik Cronstedt discovers nickel while working as a Swedish mining expert.
At just 22 years of age, Scottish chemist Daniel Rutherford identifies nitrogen gas.
English chemistpotassium, Humphry Davy discovers sodium (above), calcium, strontium, barium, and magnesium.
Swedish Jöns Jacobchemist Berzelius discovers silicon while experimenting in his laboratory.
Xenon gas discovered byisthe British chemists Sir William Ramsay and Morris William Travers.
Others 1.5% Magnesium 2.1% Potassium 2.6% Sodium 2.8% Calcium 3.6%
Stuffed Stuff ed crust Natural elements are found in the minerals and rocks that form Earth’s outer layer—its crust. Only a few are found in pure form—most of Oxygen them combine with others 46.6%
Iron 5%
Aluminum 8.1%
to form compounds.
Silicon 27.7%
100,000,000 s approximate number of rThe atoms that can fit in a row emeasuring ⁄ in (1 cm). b 9,000 m approximate number of uThe graphite pencils that could be made from all the carbon found in a human body. n n I 6,177°F 1
2
(3,414°C) The temperature at which tungsten melts—the highest melting point of any naturally occurring element.
91 The percentage of the sun made up of one element—hydrogen.
4 The number of elements that make up 96 percent of the human body. Those are oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen.
Proton: Particle with a positive charge.
Electron: Particle with Particle a negative charge.
Neutron: Particle with no charge.
Inside anofatom There are three types tiny particles in an atom. Neutrons and protons form the central nucleus, around which electrons are arranged in layers called shells.
I don’t believe it A piece of gold the size of a grain of rice can be hammered into a thin layer covering 1,550 sq in (10,000 sq cm).
Fireworks get their colors from different elements. Red sparks come from lithium and strontium. A lump of the element gallium melts just by clasping it in a hand. Carbon combines with other elements to form more than nine million different compounds.
Radium paint makes the numbers glow in the dark.
1898
1940
2016
French Marie and chemists Pierre Curie discover two new elements—radium and polonium.
Plutonium is discovered by Glenn Seaborg and his team in the US. It is radioactive and used for nuclear power and weapons.
Fournamed, elements are officially including Oganesson after one of the discoverers Yuri Oganessian (above).
Platinum is highly ductile, which means it can be drawn into really thin wires—as thin as 0.00006 mm. Only two elements naturally naturall y exist in a liquid state—mercury and bromine.
I t ’ s c h e
m i i c a l !
18
SCIENCE GEEK
Simply elementary
This element is highly flammable and is used on the strips on the side of safety match boxes.
Most of the 118 elements that make up the universe are solids, but 11 are gases at room temperature, and two are liquids. Here are 18 elements for you to name. Alongside each picture, look out for the unique chemical symbol—one or two letters—that scientists across the world use to identify each element.
In 1669, a German alchemist accidentally discovered this element when he was boiling a large pot of his urine in search of the 1
mythical Philosopher’s Stone.
P Named after the Greek word for violet, this element does not melt upon heating—it turns directly into vapor. It is used to make antiseptics and in food dyes.
2
When cooled to −297°F (−183°C) this colorless gas becomes a clear, blue liquid.
The glass sphere traps the purpleblack vapor.
I
Life on Earth depends on this element for survival. All living things need to breathe in this gas to convert food
This shiny precious metal is a popular choice for making jewelry. It also conducts electricity well
into energy.
and is used in electronics.
O
Ag
Al
A small amount of this element is added to water in swimming pools to kill off harmful bacteria.
4
3
5 This lightweight metal is used to make all sorts of objects—from objects—fro m drink cans to aircraft.
6
The glass sphere stops the gas from
Pure form of the element tarnishes when exposed to air.
When mixed with other elements, this metal forms strong but lightweight materials—it is used with other metals to make cars and aircraft. It also burns with a bright white flame and is found in flares and fireworks. 7
reacting with air.
Cl
Mg y r u c r e M . 8 1 n o b r a C . 7 1 r u f l u S . 6 1 m u i m s O . 5 1 n e g o r d y H . 4 1 r e p p o C . 3 1 n o t p y r K . 2 1 d l o G . 1 1 h t u m s i B . 0 1 n o r I . 9 n o e N . 8 m u i s e n g a M . 7 e n i r o l h C . 6 m u n i m u l A . 5 r e v l i S . 4 n e g y x O . 3 e n i d o I . 2 s u r o h p s o h P . 1 : S R E W S N A
19
8 Lighter than air, this gas is used in colorful lights and signs.
This colorless gas gives off a red-orange glow when electrified.
10 This brittle, heavy metal has been used in cosmetics for centuries to give a shiny glow.
9 Used to make steel, this element rusts in its pure form. It is also found inside
In its pure form, this metal reacts with air to produce rainbow-
our bodies and in some types of food.
colored crystals.
Ne
Fe
Bi
Au
Kr
Cu
11 For
thousands of years, this easy-to-work precious metal has been used to make jewelry. It was also forged into coins in the past.
A bluewhite glow is produced when this colorless gas is electrified.
12
Soft and flexible in its pure form, this metal conducts heat and electricity extremely well. For this reason it is used to make electrical wires and saucepans.
Os
S
15 Shiny
16 Also known as “brimstone,”
One of the rarest gases on Earth, this element was discovered in 1898.
14 The lightest and
most abundant element in the universe, this gas is used as fuel by stars to generate heat and light.
Unique reddishorange color
and hard wearing, this rare metal is the densest of all naturally occurring occurring elements and has a very high melting point at 5,491°F (3,033°C).
13
this pale yellow element is found near volcanoes. Many compounds containing this element give off a foul rotten-egg smell.
Pure gas glows purple when electrified
H
This non-metal exists in many forms: as a black, crumbly solid called graphite, as well as one of the hardest substances on Earth—diamond. 17
C Crystals of this element are often found attached to volcanic mud.
Known as quicksilver in the past, this metal is quite poisonous, but is still found in some 18
TEST YOURSELF STARTER
thermometers.
Hg
This is the only metal that is liquid at room temperature.
Gold Silver Copper Iron Carbon Sulfur
CHALLENGER Aluminum Oxygen Neon Magnesium Mercury Hydrogen
GENIUS! Krypton Osmium Chlorine Phosphorus Bismuth Iodine
20
SCIENCE GEEK
The human 250,000 s number of new rThe brain cells a developing ebaby typically grows bevery minute. m u25,000 The typical number breaths you take nofevery day. n I 106
Building a body Cells: These are the
body
smallest blocks ofbuilding the human body and come in lots of different types.
The human body is a miracle of nature. It is packed full of parts— from 206 bones and 21 sq ft (2 sq m) of skin, to hundreds of thousands of hairs and billions of blood cells. The body is organized into various systems which all perform vital tasks to keep you alive.
Tissue: Cells of the same type group together to form a tissue which performs a particular function.
The number of bones found in your hands and feet—more than half the number of bones in the body.
65 The percentage of your
Organ: A group of different tissues make up an organ, such as the heart (left).
Body systems
body made of oxygen.
Organs that are linked together are called systems. Here are four body systems.
Skeletal system system Over 200 bones meet at joints to form your body’s strong, movable frame.
Muscular system system Some 640 muscles make up 20 per cent of your weight and enable you to move your body.
Tendon connects muscles to bones. Ulna bone runs from elbow to wrist.
This muscle helps your hand grip. Veins carry blood back to your heart.
Circulatory system system Blood carries oxygen and nutrients around your body through tubes called blood vessels.
Nervous system system A network of nerves runs throughout your body carrying electric signals to and from your brain.
Nerves carry signals and from theto brain. Arteries carry blood from your heart to parts of the body.
21
Looking inside X-ray: X-rays are high energy waves that can pass through soft tissue in your body to reveal hard material such as teeth, joints, and bones.
Twisting frame of DNA forms the shape of a double helix
In around 200 , Greek scientist Galen of Pergamon described how the heart pumped blood around the body. British scientist William Harvey accurately described how blood circulated around the body 1,400 years after Galen. Czech Jan Evangelista Purkynë discovered discover ed sweat glands in 1833. Your body can make 3 pints (1.51 liters) of sweat a day.
CT scans: Patients lie in a doughnut-shap doughnut-shaped ed machine which takes X-ray images from all directions to give a detailed 3-D view of the body.
In the 1900s, Ernest Starling Starl ing and William Bayliss discovered hormones, chemical messengers that travel around the body.
Ultrasound: High-pitched sounds are bounced around inside the body and the echoes are put together to build up a picture of internal organs, or an unborn baby in the womb.
If the DNA coiled up in a cell were unwound, it would stretch for 52 ⁄ 5 ft (1.7 m).
Soldier cell This hungry hunter is a white blood cell, which seeks out germs and infected cells and gobbles them up to prevent infections.
How do senses work? Sight: Your brain puts the different views of your eyes together to give a 3-D view of the world.
Making me DNA is a special kind of molecule inside every cell of our body, and it holds all the instructions needed for a human being to grow and develop. Just 0.1 percent of all DNA accounts for all the differences between each one of us.
I don’t believe it You shed around 10 billion dead skin cells from your body every day.
Smell: A small patch of cells high up in the nostrils of the nose pick up scent molecules in the air.
Taste: Specialized cells in the mouth and on the tongue detect different flavors.
Touch: Touch receptor cells in your skin tell you what objects feel like.
Hearing: Sound travels through the ears as vibrations.
A n a t o m y f a c s t
22
SCIENCE GEEK
Know your bones
1 Good for gripping, these bones form the fingers and thumbs. You have similar ones with the same name in your feet!
2 Each finger and thumb is connected to the wrist by one of these long bones in the hand.
The human skeleton is a fantastic framework of bones that gives us shape, provides anchoring points for muscles, and protects our inner organs. Without it, your body would just crumple on the floor! The average adult usually has 206 bones, more than half of them in the hands and feet. Pick the bones of this sporty skeleton to prove you are on the ball.
The long, thin calf bone runs parallel to the shinbone and helps support the ankle.
Eight small bones help form the wrist and give it flexibility so you can turn it this way and that. 3
4
The shinbone is the larger of the bones of the lower leg. Run a finger down the front to feel its sharp edge. 6
Longer and heavier than any other bone, the thighbone extends from hip to knee. 5
This is your kneecap, a small thick bone that sits over the knee joint to protect it. 7
Seven small, movable bones form the ankle. The knobbly parts that you can see on either side are the ends of the bones in the lower leg! 8
Inside the ear The three smallest bones in the body are found in the ear. They pass on sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. 10 The tiniest of the ear bones is shaped like the ankle supports attached to a horse’s saddle. 11 This flat-topped bone is the middle of the three linked ear bones.
9 Five long bones give the foot its arched shape— point your toes and take a look!
12 This bone, which looks like a miniature DIY tool, is attached to the eardrum.
s i v l e P . 4 2 m u r c a S . 3 2 e a r b e t r e V . 2 2 m u n r e t S . 1 2 s u r e m u H . 0 2 s b i R . 9 1 a l u p a c S . 8 1 e l c i v a l C . 7 1 e l b i d n a M . 6 1 a n l U . 5 1 l l u k S . 4 1 s u i d a R . 3 1 r e m m a H . 2 1 l i v n A . 1 1 p u r r i t S . 0 1 s l a s r a t a t e M . 9 s l a s r a T . 8 a l l e t a P . 7 a i b i T . 6 r u m e F . 5 a l u b i F . 4 s l a p r a C . 3 s l a p r a c a t e M . 2 s e g n a l a h P . 1 : S R E W S N A
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13 The outer of the two forearm bones is shorter and smaller, and connects to the thumb side of the hand.
The head has 22 bones in all. Eight of them fuse together to protect the brain while the rest make up the frame of the face. 14
The only movable head bone is the lower jaw, which allows us to eat, breathe, and speak. 16
This bone is twisted here, but is the inner bone of the forearm—this forearm— this player has 15
rotated his arm at the elbow. 17 The only long bone that lies horizontally, this one attaches your upper arm to your body. 18 On each side of your back, there is a big wingshaped bone, usually called a shoulder blade. 19 Vital organs, such as your heart and lungs, are protected by this cage of curved bones.
The long bone of the upper arm connects to
20
the lower arm bones at the elbow joint.
This long, flat bone runs down the middle of the chest. 21
22 The backbone is a long column made of these 33 small bones stacked one on top of another.
A bowl of large, strong bones forms your hips and connects your legs to your backbone. 24
23 As you grow up, five bones at the bottom of your backbone fuse together into a large, bony triangle.
TEST YOURSELF STARTER Skull Ribs Pelvis Vertebrae Femur Humerus Stirrup Hammer
CHALLENGER Phalanges Mandible Scapula Sternum Carpals Metacarpals Clavicle Fibula
GENIUS! Tarsals Metatarsals Ulna Sacrum Anvil Patella Tibia Radius
24
SCIENCE GEEK
This open framework keeps things light and actually increases its strength!
This may look like delicate lace—but it’s strong enough to help you stand up straight. 1
2 A human can have around 100,000 of these stalks just sprouting from their head.
3 Naming this creepy creature could have you
scratching your head.
4
No, it’s not a duvet, but the largest organ of the body does snugly cover you up in several layers, with a
5
Hands up! Do you know where to find this unique body pattern?
total thickness of 1 ⁄ 5 in (4 mm).
6 When you eat a meal, the food goes down tubes lined with about 5 million little “fingers,” each one 3 around 1 ⁄32 2 in (1 mm) long, which absorb nutrients into your body.
TEST YOURSELF STARTER Eyelash mite Head louse Hair Skin
CHALLENGER Sweat pore Tooth enamel Blood cells Lip skin
GENIUS! Fingerprint Bone tissue Intestinal lining Muscle fibers
Under the microscope Take a really close-up look at yourself! These jawdropping images, magnified many times through a powerful microscope, reveal the human body—and some of the things t hings that live with us—in incredible detail. Can you recognize recognize which bit of you is which?
7 Watch out, there’s a creepy crawly about, 100 in but at 1 ⁄ 100 (0.4 mm) long, you won’t see it, however hard
you look!
Individual bundles of tissue
You need the hardest substance in the body for all that chomping! 8
Ready to run? These tightly packed bundles of tissues will get you on the move. 9
Sweat droplets Stay cool! Salty water runs through this tiny tunnel, making it part of the body’s temperature control system.
10
Allow yourself a big smile if you recognize this stretchy stuff. It is usually red in color due to the blood vessels underneath the thin skin. 11
Every day, we produce hundreds of billions of these. Above you can see two types—the red ones transport oxygen around the body, and the white 12
ones fight germs.
s l l e c d o o l B . 2 1 n i k s p i L . 1 1 e r o p t a e w S . 0 1 s r e b fi e l c s u M . 9 l e m a n e h t o o T . 8 e t i m h s a l e y E . 7 g n i n i l l a n i t s e t n I . 6 t n i r p r e g n i F . 5 n i k S . 4 e s u o l d a e H . 3 r i a H . 2 e u s s i t e n o B . 1 : S R E W S N A
SCIENCE GEEK
26
Math Math is the study of numbers and how they relate to each other and a nd the world. We need math for many things—for science, for building everything from houses to bridges, and for powering the computers and smartphones we use in our everyday lives.
Perfectly packed Bees make their honeycomb out of hexagons (six-sided shapes) because they fit together perfectly. Petal pattern pattern Next time you see a flower, count the number of petals it has—it is often a Fibonacci number.
I don’t believe it Although equations existed in ancient times, the equals sign was only invented in 1557, by Welsh mathematician Robert Recorde.
Using your fingers is also a handy way to communicate numbers without using words.
Counting in tens The first people to count almost certainly used their hands and ten fingers to help them, like children today. As a result, our modern counting system, the decimal system, is based on tens. If we only had six fingers and thumbs, we would probably be using a system based on six.
s r e b m u Mathematical patterns can be found in nature. n One number series, known as the Fibonacci s ’ sequence, turns up in all sorts of places. It e r begins: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 and continues continues as the u last two numbers are added together to give t N a
Early number systems The Babylonians were the first to devise a number system and symbols, 4,000 years ago. Other ancient civilizations developed their own digits.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Modern Hindu-Arabic Mayan Ancient Chinese Chinese Ancient Roman Ancient Egyptian Egyptian Babylonian
s n a i c i t a m e h t a m y l r a E
the next. Mathematical patterns can also be found in nature’s shapes.
Pythagoras: An ancient
Archimedes:: This Greek Archimedes
Greek mathematician, he is best known for figuring out the relationship between the sides and angles of a triangle.
thinker found ways to calculate the area of circles and other shapes as well as using math to create many inventions.
27 Natural symmetry If an object has two halves that look like reflections, we say it has lateral symmetry. Most animals have lateral symmetry, including you!
Measuring Earth A snowflake has lots of lines of symmetry. You have only one—down the middle.
Greek scientist Eratosthenes was one of the first people to use math to measure Earth’s size, around 2,200 years ago. He did this using the angles cast by shadows at two different places in Egypt. He got the answer 25,000 miles (40,000 km)—almost exactly right!
The distance around Earth is called its circumference.
Super spiral This plant is made up of five spirals—another Fibonacci number! Look for spirals on pine cones and pineapples, too.
Infinity s r This is the word used by mathematicians to define an endless amount. The for infinity is an eight b esymbol on its side: ∞ . m uZero systems had no nNumber number for nothing until mathematicians gIndian invented it around 650 . n i Googol m The name of the number 1 by 100 zeros. It afollowed was named by a 9-year-old NUS schoolboy in 1920.
h. t h ma t ng m mag i icc h y yo u r r m ead i n re d- r n n i Ma t h m m t w i t h e nd w f r i ie f r ess a re I m p r I m
Hypatia: The first known
Al-Khwariz Al-Kh warizmi: mi: Born Born
female mathematician, Hypatia lived in Egypt more than 2,300 years ago and had her own school of math.
in 780 CE, this Arabic mathematician described equations and algebra and introduced Hindu-Arabic numbers (1–9) to Europe.
t, a nd d i i t, fo l ld r,, fo a pe r p p f f o e c e ie i p p a t. r 9 o n t i i t. loo k a t n u m be r to lo t to t he n n te t h no t r i i te m e W r h t h t 1. W g n n i i l l l te e nd te f r i ie r f r yo u r to y t to ve i i t g i v to: t he m to s k t h a d n a r r o to t a la l ho use r h e nd a ca l lcc u r i ie t he i r t h f r f f f r r o u r r o e y y b e m v v i u G n n 2. t he d t h r r age a nd ad n u m be r t he i r n t h p ho ne n t i i n r p i r e P u t h • P t h t f f o s ts t i g ig i r d fo u r t fo las t t he la • Add t h r r 18 b y 1 t b res u l t t he a ns we e re I f t h I f . h r. r t h t e y y h l t h t p p e i t i t g l o u to t r r M • M l t i i l u n t t he a ns we ts u f t h g i ts ts o f e d i ig g i ts • Add t h t he e t h i a n o ne d i ig g i t, t, ke kee p p add i ng ng t h t h td h e re mo r has m . t. f t f e le l e n ha ve o y h he y o n l y t h t r a nd pa pe r f p o f e c e ie i p p e h t h t t t loo k a to lo e nd to wa ys 9. f r i ie r f r is a l w r is e r yo u r l y w s n a Te l l 3. T e h T T . t. t n r a maze me t he i r tcc h t h wa t
28
SCIENCE GEEK
Shape up!
There are three sloping faces.
Everything has a shape. Some things, such as a piece of paper, are flat, or 2-D (two-dimension (two-dimensional)—they al)—they have height and width. Other objects, like a book, are 3-D (three-dimensional)—they have height, width, and depth. So while paper is rectangular, a book is cuboid. Perfect for rolling, basketballs and marbles are this shape.
Every point on the surface of this 3-D solid is the same distance
2 This shape has four sides, only two of which are parallel to each other.
The inner angles of all the corners of this shape add up to 360°.
1
away from its center.
3 This 3-D shape has five faces, including a triangle at each end.
4
The opposite
sides of this shape are equal and run parallel with each other. Count up! This shape has nine sides, all of equal length. 6
This seven-sided shape gets its name from the Greek word for seven. 5
7 Each of the six faces of this shape is a rectangle, and the faces opposite each other are the same size.
The giant building that is home to the US Department of Defense takes this five-sided shape. 10
Like a drink can, this shape is round with two identical and circular flat ends.
The angle at each corner is 60°.
8
9 There are four main types of this shape. The others are isosceles, right-angled, and scalene. The name of this one comes from the fact its three sides are the same length.
e n o C . 1 2 e b u C . 0 2 n o g a t c O . 9 1 e r a u q S . 8 1 e l g n a t c e R . 7 1 n o g a x e H . 6 1 m s i r p l a n o g a x e H . 5 1 e t i K . 4 1 d i m a r y p d e s a b - e r a u q S . 3 1 s u b m o h R . 2 1 n o g a c e D . 1 1 n o g a t n e P . 0 1 e l g n a i r t l a r e t a l i u q E . 9 r e d n i l y C . 8 d i o b u C . 7 n o g a n o N . 6 n o g a t p e H . 5 m a r g o l e l l a r a P . 4 m s i r p r a l u g n a i r T . 3 m u i z e p a r T . 2 e r e h p S . 1 : S R E W S N A
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This shape has a total of ten sides.
11
12 This slanting shape has four sides that are all the same length.
13 The ancient
Egyptians constructed buildings in this shape, with a four-sided base and four triangular sides.
The diagonals of this shape intersect at 90°.
15 With a six-sided face at
each end, bees use this 3-D shape—because lots of them fit together perfectly— to make a honeycomb.
14 This shape is named after
the traditional flying toy. It has pairs of equal-length sides that meet.
Each angle on this shape measures 120°. 17 This shape
The pointed end of this shape is called a vertex.
has two pairs of equal-length sides and four corners.
16 A traditional soccer ball
is made up of 20 of these six-sided panels (along with 12 pentagons).
19 Resembling a stop
sign, this shape has eight sides usually of the same length.
21 With a circular
base, this shape narrows to a point at its other end— turn it upside down and you could fill it with ice cream.
18 All four sides of this
2-D shape are the same length and meet at corners at 90° angles.
Dice are this shape—six flat faces and 12 edges make it good for rolling. 20
TEST YOURSELF STARTER
CHALLENGER
GENIUS!
Square Rectangle
Hexagon Heptagon
Nonagon Decagon
Sphere Cube Cylinder Cone Equilaterall triangle Equilatera
Octagon Pentagon Kite Cuboid Triangular prism
Rhombus Parallelogram Trapezium Square-based pyramid Hexagonal prism
30
SCIENCE GEEK
Transportation Before planes, trains, and cars, long journeys could take months. People walked, rode, used horse-drawn carriages, or sailed with the wind. Now we fly around the world in hours, cross oceans in high-tech liners, and speed overland in all types of vehicles.
Steaming ahead Invented over 200 years ago, the steam train would revolutionize travel, connecting cities and countries like never before. Steam trains burn wood or coal to heat water, which turns into steam. The steam pushes rods that turn wheels around, propelling the train and the carriages it pulls along the track. Chimney Smoke leaves the engine through this outlet.
Boiler Water is heated in this large metal container, turning into steam.
Driver’s cab Driver and fireman (who keeps the furnace going)
stand here.
How to fly a plane
01. Start the engine and release the brakes. The engine produces thrust—a force that pushes the plane forward.
s6,000,000 The number of parts used to build a Boeing 747 jet airliner. r e b 1,505 ft
(458.45 m) The length of m ship, the uthe world’s longest s upertanker.. supertanker n 36 n number of wheels on the I The world’s longest stretch limo, Seawise Giant
which is 100 1 00 ft (30.5 m) long and contains a swimming pool and a double bed.
Speed machines The first cars, planes, ships, and trains were slow, but modern advances in technology have really sped things up!
Vestas Sailrocket 2: The world’s fastest sailing ship travels at 75.22 mph (121.06 km/h).
A4 Mallard: The fastest-ever steam locomotive reached 126 mph (203 km/h) in 1936.
Driving wheels These are driven around by the steam.
Westland Lynx AH.1: Reaching 249.09 mph (400.87 km/h), this is the fastest helicopter ever made to date.
Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport: This supercar has a top speed of 267.86 2 67.86 mph mph (431.07 km/h).
8 (13mph km/h) The top speed of km/h) the Benz Motorwagen, the first car, made in 1888.
Spirit of Australia: In 1978, this boat set the water speed record of 317.59 mph (511.11 km/h).
SCMaglev L0 train: In 2015, this experimental train reached 375 mph (603 km/h).
SR-71 Blackbird: This military jet plane can fly at high levels, levels, at speeds of 2,193.1 mph (3,529.56 km/h).
Thrust SSC: The world land speed record holder achieved 763 mph (1,227.9 km/h) km/h) in 1997.
31
02. Use the
03. Pull back on
throttle to increase the engine’s speed along the runway. Air moving under and over the wings produces lift.
the control column (the steering device) to lift the nose of the plane up off the ground.
The Hawk T1A jet plane is flown by the British Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows aerobatics team.
Weird watercraft The The Seabreacher ,
a two-person underwater craft, can leap out of the water like a dolphin.
04. As the plane climbs up into
05. Flaps on the
the air, activate controls, which the pull the wheels up into the plane’s body.
wing and tail can be moved using the control column and rudder bar to steer the plane in the sky.
This Quadrofoil Q2S Q2S electric boat skims above the water at 25 mph (40 km/h) using four wing-like hydrofoils.
This Tredalo paddleboat looks paddleboat like a giant hamster wheel. In 2012, it carried Chris Todd 23 miles (37 (3 7 km) km) across the Irish Sea.
1
At only 4 ⁄ 2 ft (1.37 m) long, the Peel P50 is the smallest drivable car in the world. In 1999, a Mi-26 helico helicopter pter carried a 23,000-year-old woolly mammoth encased in an ice block across Russia.
Giant carrier The body of the giant Airbus Beluga stands 562 ⁄ 5 ft (17.2 m) Beluga stands tall and can carry entire aircraft, helicopters, and space station modules.
I don’t believe it The first aircraft flight, by the Wright brothers’ Flyer 1 plane 1 plane in 1903, lifted off the ground for just 118 ft (36 m).
A train line crosses right over the plane runway at New Zealand’s Gisborne Airport. The Rinspeed sQuba car can be driv driven en both on land and up to 33 ft (10 m) under water. Space Shuttle This craft raced through space at 17,500 mph (28,000 km/h).
G e t m o v i n g !
SCIENCE GEEK
32
1
This extra-long luxury car can carry eight or more passengers in comfort and style! This 1958 model was the first car made by a famous Japanese car company. Its engine is in the back, with room 2
On the road
for storage in the front.
There are more than one billion motor vehicles on the world’s roads, and most of these are cars! Powered by electric motors or internal combustion engines, they come in all shapes and sizes.
Fifteen million of these affordable US cars—the first to be mass-produced on a production line—were built from 1908 to 1927. 3
This sleek, electric car was built in 2010 and can travel up to 244 miles (393 km) before its batteries need recharg recharging. ing. 4
Wooden spokes
This super small, two-seater car is ideal for driving around crowded city streets. 5
Just 81 ⁄ 5 ft (2.5 m) long
TEST YOURSELF Volkswagen Beetle Mini Cooper Smart Car Willys Jeep Stretch limousine
Ford Model T Rolls Royce Phantom Bugatti Veyron Cadillac Eldorado DeLorean DMC-12
Aston Martin DB2/4 DB2/4 Ford GT40 Subaru 360 Benz PatentMotorwagen Tesla Roadster
Known for its rocket-shaped tail fins, this rocket-shaped iconic 1950s American convertible was very heavy, at more than 2 tons. 6
R E T R A T S
To keep the car small, the engine sits sideways under the hood.
This four-wheel drive vehicle from the 1940s was sturdy enough for driving over rough ground. 7
R E G N E L L A H C
! S U I N E G
8 Small and zippy, this British car was first launched in 1959. Its design was later improved by a Formula 1 car designer.
No doors—making it easy for people to hop in and out n e g a w r o t o M - t n e t a P z n e B . 5 1 n o r y e V i t t a g u B . 4 1 e l t e e B n e g a w s k l o V . 3 1 m o t n a h P e c y o R s l l o R . 2 1 0 4 T G d r o F . 1 1 4 / 2 B D n i t r a M n o t s A . 0 1 2 1 - C M D n a e r o L e D . 9
r e p o o C i n i M . 8 p e e J s y l l i W . 7 o d a r o d l E c a l l i d a C . 6 r a C t r a m S . 5 r e t s d a o R a l s e T . 4 T l e d o M d r o F . 3 0 6 3 u r a b u S . 2 e n i s u o m i l h c t e r t S . 1 : S R E W S N A
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Gull-wing doors open upward
This 1950s British sports car is known for its speed, and the manufacturer is James Bond’s car producer of choice! 10
9
Famous for featuring in the 1980s Back To The Future movie series, this unusual car had a stainless steel body.
In the 1960s, this American car won the Le Mans 24-hour endurance race four times in a row. 11
The car was just 32 ⁄ 5 ft (1.03 m) tall.
Figurehead is called the “Spirit of Ecstasy”
12
The manufacturer of this luxury car with a ghostly name is known for its quality production.
Folding roof for rainy days
Distinctive bugshaped body
13 First built in the 1930s, this German vehicle is the most popular car ever, with more than 21.5 million models built.
Steering handle
At 183 ⁄ 4 ft (5.7 m), the car was very long for a two-door vehicle.
Made in 1886, this German vehicle was 15
This powerful supercar has a recordbreaking top speed of 268 mph (431 km/h). 14
the first car to be built for sale. It was steered using a handle rather than a steering wheel.
34
SCIENCE GEEK
1
This fast, French, electric train whisks passengers along at speeds of up to 199 mph (320 km/h).
This American carriage had its own electric motors so it could run on rails without an engine to pull it. 2
The coaches provide the look and feel of royal rail cars. 3
The world’s fastest train service reached 268 mph (431 km/h) on a recordbreaking run in China.
There are sleeping cabins, two restaurants, and even a spa on this luxury train that carries passengers around India. 4
All aboard! A powerful, sturdy train is just right for hauling sightseers through the hilly wilderness of northwestern Canada and US. 5
Trains run on rails, or track, and carry millions of people every day to work, school, or on exciting adventures! The first trains were powered by steam engines and hauled small numbers of wagons or small carriages. Now, modern trains use diesel engines or electric motors to speed along their routes. Can you name the train? This train travels on the world’s oldest below-ground railway system, which opened in 1863. Just please mind the gap! 7
In Japan, sleek electric trains, such as this one, pull 10 carriages at speeds of up to 199 mph (320 km/h)— getting passengers where they need to be fast! 6
The nose is streamlined for travel at high speeds.
The first British steam train to race at 100 mph (160 km/h), this train had traveled 2.08 million miles (3.35 million km) by 1963 when it retired from service. 8
t e k c o R s ’ n o s n e h p e t S . 5 1 n a h G e h T . 4 1 d r a l l a M 4 A . 3 1 l i a r o n o m a k a s O . 2 1 n i a r t o r e A M G . 1 1 n i a r T - y k S n h a B - H . 0 1 n e e u Q y r i a F e h T . 9 n a m s t o c S g n i y l F e h T . 8
d n u o r g r e d n U n o d n o L . 7 n i a r t t e l l u b n e s n a k n i h S N R J . 6 r e e n i a t n u o M y k c o R . 5 s l e e h W n o e c a l a P . 4 v e l g a M i a h g n a h S . 3 r e n i l o r t e M d d u B . 2 ) V G T ( e s s e t i V e d n a r G à n i a r T . 1 : S R E W S N A
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Each end could be connected to another carriage to make a long train.
Built in 1855, this East Indian Railways train is the oldest steam locomotive still running full-steam ahead. 9
10 This driverless train hangs below its rail, carrying passengers around Germany’ss Düsseldorf airport. Germany’
11 This 1950s American train had a streamlined nose, like a plane,
and carriages that were half the size of usual ones, which made the train so light that people complained about their rough journey! Smoke leaves the train’s boiler through this chimney.
13 Named
after a bird, the world’s fastest steam locomotive reached 126 mph (203 km/h) in 1938. The horn signals that the train is approaching.
14 Powerful
engines in this train haul up to 44 passenger carriages on a 54-hour journey across across Australia. Australia.
12 Most trains run on two rails, but this electric train runs through a Japanese city on just one!
15 A pioneering steam
locomotive, this vehicle ran on the world’s first intercity train line between Liverpool and Manchester in the UK, in 1830.
TEST YOURSELF STARTER
CHALLENGER
GENIUS!
London Underground
A4 Mallard Palace on Wheels
Budd Metroliner Shanghai Maglev
Rocky Mountaineer Train à Grande Vitesse (TGV) The Flying Scotsman The Ghan
JRN Shinkansen bullet train H-Bahn Sky-T Sky-Train rain Osaka monorail
GM Aerotrain Stephenson’s Rocket The Fairy Queen
36
SCIENCE GEEK
These propellers tilt upward to help the plane take off vertically.
The first powered, heavierthan-air plane was built and flown by two brothers in 1903. 1
Pilot lay theacross wing.
This unusual military aircraft can take off and land like a helicopter and travel at speeds of up to 310 mph (500 km/h), km/h), like an airplane. 2
Inflatable bags stored here for landing on water
With floats underneath its body instead of wheels, this sturdy plane can take off and land on rivers and lakes. 3
4 This military helicopter once battled submarines but is now used for searchand-rescue missions.
Taking to the skies For thousands of years people dreamed of flying through the air like birds. With With the invention of aircraft in the early 20th century, they finally could! While some aircraft use spinning rotors or propeller blades to fly, others use powerful jet engines to zip through through the air. air.
The windshield is made of armored glass.
Known for its top speed of up to 447 mph 5
(720 km/h), this iconic British fighter plane was flown in World War II.
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TEST YOURSELF
R E T R A T S
The world’s biggest airliner, this plane can hold 7
6
In the 1930s, this German
airship carried passengers in style across the97 Atlantic Ocean. At 804 ft (245 m) it was longer than eight and a half NBA basketball courts.
Bell 47 Concorde Hindenburg Wright Flyer
up to 853 passengers.
The plane’s nose could droop down when landing to give the pilots a better view.
Control cabin for crew
8 Until its retirement in 2003, this plane was the world’s fastest airliner, with a supersonic speed of 1,350 mph (2,180 km/h).
Lockheed SR71 R Blackbird E G Airbus A380 A380 N E de Havilland Canada L DHC-3 Otter L A H Fokker Dr.1 C
! S U I N E
Westland Sea King Boeing V-22 Osprey SpaceShipTwo Supermarine Spitfire
G
This aircraft launches the jet plane (center).
9 Passengers may one day fly in space in future models of this experimental aircraft.
10 With three sets of
wings, this German fighter plane from World War I could twist and turn in air battles.
Fish-bowl style canopy for allaround vision
A special black paint hid the plane from enemy radar.
11 With a
top speed of 2,193 mph (3,529 km/h), this spy plane is the fastest jet aircraft ever— it flew 3,460 miles (5,566 km) from New York, US, to London, UK, in under 1 hour and 55 minutes.
12 A
pioneering helicopter, this craft was the first to fly over the Alps mountain range in Europe in 1950. 7 4 l l e B . 2 1 d r i b k c a l B 1 7 R S d e e h k c o L . 1 1 1 . r D r e k k o F . 0 1 o w T p i h S e c a p S . 9 e d r o c n o C . 8 0 8 3 A s u b r i A . 7 g r u b n e d n i H . 6
e r fi t i p S e n i r a m r e p u S . 5 g n i K a e S d n a l t s e W . 4 r e t t O 3 - C H D a d a n a C d n a l l i v a H e d . 3 y e r p s O 2 2 - V g n i e o B . 2 r e y l F t h g i r W . 1 : S R E W S N A
SCIENCE GEEK
38
All at sea
1
Early boats were hollowed-out tree-trunk canoes or simple rafts, used for short, local journeys. As their design developed, developed, and and ships and boats grew bigger, people were able to sail further, to trade and explore new lands. Today, cargo ships are so huge you need a bicycle to get Sail was raised from one end to the other! for long journeys
Shops, restaurants, and even swimming pools can be found in this floating hotel.
Large gun is used to fire at targets
2 Ancient Greek ships, such as this one, were rowed using three banks of oars on each side.
Ram was used to smash into enemy ships.
4
Fishermen and merchants merchants use vessels vessels like these to sail the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea.
Distinctive triangular sail
Small, rapid military boats carry cannons or other weapons for patrolling coastal waters. 3
The huge, steel, domeshaped tanks on this ship transport super-cooled fuel in liquid form across the world. 5
8
First used as warships more than 500 years ago, these three- or fourmasted ships were later sailed by explorers. 6
This large, armored military ship from World War II is one of the biggest and most heavily armed type of ship in large navies.
7 This 935-ft- (285-m-) long ship carries cargo in thousands of trucksized boxes, which can be then handled at ports.
r e k a e r b e c I . 5 1 y r r e f r a C . 4 1 r e i r r a c t f a r c r i A . 3 1 n a p m a S . 2 1 k n u j t n a h c r e M . 1 1 p i h s g n o l g n i k i V . 0 1 t a o b m a e t s r e v i R . 9
p i h s e l t t a B . 8 p i h s r e n i a t n o C . 7 n o e l l a G . 6 r e k n a t s a G . 5 w o h D . 4 t a o b n u G . 3 e m e r i r T . 2 r e n i l e s i u r C . 1 : S R E W S N A
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Known for its famous steam whistle, the engine turns the paddle wheels of this boat, moving it slowly through the water. 9
10 Warriors,
A historic Chinese trading vessel, this ship sometimes flew silk sails from its masts. 11
traders, and explorers from Scandinavia sailed this shallowbodied boat using woollen cloth sails.
Paddle wheels
Bamboo canes stiffen the sail.
12 A
traditional, flat-bottomed wooden boat, this vessel is used in China and some parts of Southeast Asia.
Canopy for shelter 13 This giant military ship acts as a floating airfield for military planes and helicopters.
This ship is 1,092-ft(333-m-) long
Ramp for driving vehicles onto the craft
This vessel cuts through frozen seas to keep routes open for other ships. 15
Hull is reinforced to force its way through the ice
TEST YOURSELF R E T R A T S
R E G N E L L A H C
! S U I
N E G
River steamboat Aircraft carrier Container ship Viking longship Cruise liner
Dhow Gas tanker Battleship Car ferry Icebreaker
Gunboat Galleon Trireme Merchant junk Sampan
14 Transporting
motor vehicles across lakes, and from one side of a river to the other, is the main function of this craft.
2
L L A T E I R W U O T A N N K
Camouflage challenge The world’s plants come in a variety of extraordinary colors and patterns. But there is more than just foliage in this picture—these picture—the se leaves are the perfect hiding place for the imperial moth. Can you see past its clever camouflage and spot it?
NATURE NA TURE KNOWITALL
42
How fossils are formed
01. To become a fossil, a dinosaur body needs to be quickly buried; for example, by being covered by volcanic ash.
02. Once the soft parts rot away, the hard bones end up under deeper layers of sediment.
03. Over millions of years, minerals fill spaces in the bones, which turn the sediment into rock and bones into fossils.
The long tail of T. rex was held high to balance its heavy head.
04. Over millions more years, wind and rain wear the rocks away, exposing the fossil so it can be found.
How to build a dinosaur
st spec i im e m n ll o nge e o h
T
9 f t easures 3 9 t
rex m m
f T y
( 1 12 2 m
r a n n o
) l o n
g .
s a u r u s
Dinosaurs
01. Fossil bones are very heavy and fragile, so take 3-D scans of them to create casts and then make copies of them using lighter materials.
Prehistoric reptiles called dinosaurs walked Prehistoric the Earth for 180 million years, long before humans were around. Scientists are able to tell how the dinosaurs lived by studying their remains, preserved in rock as fossils.
Extinction event
What was a dinosaur? Dinosaurs were giant scaly reptiles, some with feathers, that lived on land. They shared their world with many other kinds of giant reptiles that were not dinosaurs, for example, flying reptiles such as the pterosaurs and marine reptiles such as the plesiosaurs.
Many dinosaurs were wiped out when an asteroid collided with Earth and destroyed their habitats.
l i s s o f f o s e p y T
Body fossil: Hard body parts, such as skeletons, are replaced by minerals that turn them to rock.
Egg fossil: Dino eggs are usually found as fossil shell fragments, but are sometimes intact if buried and preserved quickly.
Flying reptile
Dinosaur
Marine reptile
243 million s age, in years, of the fossils of rThe Nyasasaurus,, the oldest dinosaur. Nyasasaurus e b700 The number of dinosaur species m udiscovered and named by 2018.
Dino birds Some dinosaur fossils, such as this specimen (right), Archaeopteryx specimen show the impressions of feathers— these dinosaurs were the first birds. By comparing body structures, scientists have figured out that birds evolved from ancestors that were upright-walking dinosaurs closely related to T. rex .
60 ft (18 m) m) The height of the tallest
nknown dinosaur, Sauroposeidon Sauroposeidon.. I
Fine sediment reveals the details of the Archaeopteryx’s feathered wing.
2 ft (60 cm) The The length of the biggest fossilized dinosaur eggs.
T. rex walked walked with its body roughly parallel to the ground.
Holes for large nostrils for sniffing out prey.
I don’t believe it The longest and heaviest dinosaur discovered to date is Argen is Argentinos tinosaurus aurus.. It was the length of four fire engines and would have weighed as much as 17 African elephants!
02. Make computer models of the bones, and put them together on screen to figure out how the dinosaur might have looked.
Dinosaur fossils have been found on every continent, including Antarctica. Scientists can often figure
Using power tools and cranes, attach the bone copies to a metal frame to build up a life-size museum exhibit.
03. T. rex had massively clawed feet, but tiny two-clawed arms.
out the height of a dinosaur from its fossilized footprint. Roughly, its leg length is four times the length of its footprint. Certain fossil sites, such as some lake beds, have preserved tissue, ranging from skin to even the outlines of muscles. Small stones found in the stomach cavities of planteating dinosaurs probably helped them grind up tough leaves.
Mold and cast: Molds are formed when impressions of something, such as this dinosaur skin, turn to stone. Later, mud fills the mold to create a cast fossil.
Trace fossil: Preserved signs of animal life, such as footprints or poop (called coprolites), are known as trace fossils.
F o s s i l fi n d s
44
NATURE KNOWITALL
Clawed carnivores
This creature had feathery, clawed wings that enabled it to fly for short bursts—but it also had a toothy dino-like jaw! 1
Dinosaurs have ruled the Earth for millions of years. These These extraordinary beasts came in all shapes and sizes—the biggest were the plant-eaters but the most formidable were the meat-eaters. Some grew as tall as a three-story building, while other, smaller ones were the ancestors of modern-day birds. 2 The most famous meat-eating dinosaur had banana-shaped teeth that delivered a bone-crushing bite. Its tiny but strong forelimbs may have helped to grip prey.
This dinosaur had powerful, muscular legs and may have run as fast as an ostrich, at up 3
to 37 mph (60 km/h).
Found in Asia, this large species had a bumpy crest along the middle of its snout.
4
Three strong toes, each with a blunt claw
One of the earliest known dinosaurs was scarcely bigger than an adult human at 10 ft (3 m). Its sharp, angled teeth were ideal for catching small prey. 5
7 This is one of the few meat-eaters with horns on its head
and a ridge of bony scales down its back. 6 Although small, this feathered dinosaur had enormous claws—up to 21 ⁄2 in (6.5 cm) long—for gripping prey.
With lots of tiny backward-facing backward-faci ng teeth for seizing slippery 8
fish, this dinosaur also had front limbs armed with claws up to 12 in (30 cm) long.
s u r u a s o h p o l o y r C . 2 1 s u r u a s o h p o l i D . 1 1 s u r u a s o l l A . 0 1 s u r u a s o n i p S . 9 x y n o y r a B . 8 s u r u a s o t a r e C . 7 r o t p a r i c o l e V . 6 s i s y h p o l e o C . 5 s u r u a s o h p o l o n o M . 4 s u m i m i l l a G . 3 s u r u a s o n n a r y T . 2 x y r e t p o e a h c r A . 1 : S R E W S N A
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9 Measuring 46 ft (14 m) long, the biggest meat-eating dinosaur had a giant “sail” on its back and crocodile-like jaws for catching fish.
TEST YOURSELF The spiny “sail” was supported by bones as long as 6 ft (1.8 m).
R E T R A T S
R E G N E L L A H C
! S U I N E G
Spinosaurus Archaeopteryx Archaeoptery x Tyrannosaurus Velociraptor
Gallimimus Allosaurus Coelophysis Cryolophosaurus
Dilophosaurus Monolophosaurus Baryonyx Ceratosaurus
The double crests may have been used in courting displays.
Unusual skull crests set this dinosaur apart from other meat-eaters.
10 This Jurassic dinosaur had more than 70 knife-like teeth, perfect for
11
Threeclawed hand
Powerful, threeclawed hand
12 Found in Antarctica, this top predator is known for its strange bony crest, which was probably used for display.
eating big plant-eating dinosaurs. Powerful legs for chasing prey
46
NATURE KNOWITALL
Plant-eating giants
The extraordinary neck—that grew up to 39 ft (12 m) m) long—of this Chinese giant made up almost half of its total length. 1
The giant plant-eating dinosaurs that walked theamong Earth around hundre hundreds ds of millions of years ago were the largest land animals that ever lived. While some had long necks and tails, others had enormous horns or thickly armored skin.
The neck was made up of 19 bones.
May have had spiky, triangular plates
The hollow crest gave it the name meaning “helmet lizard.”
The dinosaur may have reached 291 ⁄ 2 ft (9 m) in length.
Bony spikes covered the head and snout.
This North American plant2
eater a narrow, sharp had beak, which it used to rip leaves from plants.
A strong 10-in(25.4-cm-) thick skull— thicker than any other dinosaur skull—may have 3
been used for headbutting contests.
The 3-ft- (1-m-) long crest was the longest crest of any dinosaur.
Heavy tail helped to balance the long neck.
The unusual, hollow head crest may have been used to attract mates. 4
47
The tiny brain inside the skull weighed only about 4 oz (110 g).
Unlike most dinosaurs, the front limbs of this plant-eater were longer than its hind limbs, which allowed it to browse tall vegetation. 6
One of the longest land animals ever, at 108 ft (33 m), this dinosaur could gather leaves from the top of tall trees. Its vast body 5
Flat, bony plates were as long as 2 ft (60 cm).
contained a huge digestive system to process the tough plant food.
TEST YOURSELF Diplodocus Ankylosaurus Triceratops Stegosaurus
R E T R A T S
R E G N E L L A H C
7 Evidence suggests this dinosaur looked after its young, with babies staying in the nest for several weeks.
The big, distinctive plates on this dinosaur’ dinosaur’ss back were possibly 8
! S U I N E G
Iguanodon Brachiosaurus Corythosaurus Parasaurolophus
Maiasaura Mamenchisaurus Scelidosaurus Pachycephalosaurus
used for show. 9
Bony neck frill was a useful defensive shield but may also have been used for display to attract mates or deter rivals.
Narrow head with strong beak
10
Thumb spike
11 The two horns, each 4 ft (1.3 m) long, were probably used in combat with rivals of the same species.
Bony knobs Bony plates
This dinosaur was protected by an armored back and a tail club that could be swung at its foe. 12
Club-like lump of bone
This dinosaur had a sharp thumb spike, possibly used for defense or for ripping plants.
Rows of bony knobs gave this dinosaur a tough armor against predators.
s u r u a s o l y k n A . 2 1 s p o t a r e c i r T . 1 1 s u r u a s o d i l e c S . 0 1 n o d o n a u g I . 9 s u r u a s o g e t S . 8 a r u a s a i a M . 7 s u r u a s o i h c a r B . 6 s u c o d o l p i D . 5 s u h p o l o r u a s a r a P . 4 s u r u a s o l a h p e c y h c a P . 3 s u r u a s o h t y r o C . 2 s u r u a s i h c n e m a M . 1 : S R E W S N A
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NATURE KNOWITALL
Prehistoric creatures After the age of the dinosaurs, som some e extraordinary animals walked the Earth. Some grew into giant beasts, while others remained as small as rats. Though they may look similar to some modern-day animals, the creatures shown here—many with truly tricky names—are now all extinct.
Curved tusks may have been used to scrape ice and snow.
1 The shaggy coat of this elephant cousin was necessary to survive the bitterly
1 cold Age. It measured ⁄ 10 10 ftIce (3.4 m) at 11 the shoulder.
A thick layer of fat helped to keep it warm.
2 A giant mammal, this animal could gather and digest large amounts of plant food.
Hair could grow up to 3 ft
(90 cm) long. Unlike its slow-moving modern-day relatives, this giant beast, at 20 ft (6 m), was too heavy to climb trees and lived on the ground—but used its large claws to pull branches within reach. 3
Possibly the largest meat-eating land mammal ever, at up to 13 ft (4 m) long, this predator is probably a relative of modern-day whales. 4
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5 One of the earliest known bats, this insect-eater may have been able to use echolocation to locate its prey, just like present-day bats.
TEST YOURSELF
Skin stretched over four long finger bones 6 About the size of a white rhinoceros, which can weigh up to 2.5 tons, this Ice Age grazer used its large molars to
grind tough vegetation.
R E T R A T S
The front horn was flat rather than conical.
R E G N E L L A H C
! S U I N E G
Woolly mammoth Smilodon Woolly rhinoceros Giant ground sloth
Uintatherium Glyptodon Gastornis
Procoptodon Icaronycteris Andrewsarchuss Andrewsarchu Macrauchenia
The short snout looked like a trunk.
This strange-looking mammal roamed the grasslands of South America, feeding on leaves and grass. 7
Flightless, like the modern-day ostrich, this big bird had a long neck and large beak, possibly for cracking nuts. 8
Hooked beak
10
This mammal had strange one-toed feet that looked like a single, large claw. It could be 10 ft (3 m) tall.
9 The long, curved, canine teeth of this fearsome predator were used to kill large prey.
Long, powerful legs
The upper canines could grow up to 7 in (18 cm) long.
11 Weighing as much as a small car, this armadillo-like herbivore had tough armor made up of hundreds of bony plates.
Like kangaroos, mothers carried the baby in a pouch.
n o d o t p y l G . 1 1 n o d o t p o c o r P . 0 1 n o d o l i m S . 9 s i n r o t s a G . 8 a i n e h c u a r c a M . 7 s o r e c o n i h r y l l o o W . 6 s i r e t c y n o r a c I . 5 s u h c r a s w e r d n A . 4 h t o l s d n u o r g t n a i G . 3 m u i r e h t a t n i U . 2 h t o m m a m y l l o o W . 1 : S R E W S N A
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NATURE KNOWITALL
Mammals
Small ears keep heat loss to a minimum.
From the tiniest shrews and bats to the blue From whale, the biggest animal ever, mammals thrive in across the planet. Most live onmany land, habitats but some can even hold their 01. In the freezing Arctic breath long enough you need a large skeleton— the bigger the body, to survive in the the more heat deep ocean. generated.
A polar can sniffbear a seal over 181 ⁄ 2 miles (30 km) away.
02. A thick fur coat and a layer of fat—up to 4 in (10 cm) thick—traps body heat, keeping you even warmer!
How to survive in the Arctic
Like nearly all mammals, polar bear cubs are born live and feed on their mother’s milk.
03. Take care of your cubs—for up to two to three years.
A polar bear’s hairs are actually transparent, but the way they scatter light makes them appear white.
04. As a warm-blooded mammal you can generate your own body heat, even in cold climates.
Large, padded, and hairy feet help the polar bear walk across slippery ice. Its sharp claws give it extra grip.
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Flapping about! A few kinds of tree-living mammals— such as squirrels—can glide through the air, but bats are the only mammals that can truly fly. Their wings are made Thin wings help bats move easily through the air.
up of skin stretched over very long finger bones.
7.7 billion s world population of the r The most abundant large mammal eever—humans! b 75 mph m km/h) Top Top speed of u(120 the cheetah, the fastest nland mammal. n The percentage of I 40 mammal species that are rodents.
2
The number of hours an elephant seal can hold its breath while diving for food.
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Hairless won wonders! ders! Many ocean mammals, such as dolphins, don’t have hairy skin. Instead they have a thick layer of fat, called blubber, to keep their body warm.
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The giraffe is the tallest mammal, reaching up to 20 ft (6 m). It grasps higher leaves by extending its tongue tongu e an extra 20 in (50 cm). African elephants are the heaviest land mammals, weighing up to 11 tons. Males also have the tallest shoulder height— up to 13 ft (4 m). The Etruscan shrew is
T a l l e s t t o t h e s m a l l e s t
the smallest mammal weight, averaging just by 0.06 oz (1.8 g). The bumblebee bat has a smaller body length, but weighs more.
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I don’t believe it The pangolin is the only mammal with scaly skin. It has huge scales, which form a protective armor.
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Monotremes: The only Monotremes: egg-laying mammals are echidnas and the duck-billed platypus.
Marsupials: These mammals Marsupials: give birth to tiny young that are usually protected in a mother’s pouch.
Placentals: Most mammals Placentals: fall into this group. Mothers nourish their babies inside their womb.
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The long tail balances the cat when it turns at speed.
The tail of this solitary American cat is nearly as long as the rest of its body! 1
Know your cats
2
The fastest animal on legs would easily beat the speediest human sprinter—it can reach speeds of 70 mph (115 km/h).
Cats are more than teeth and claws—although these sharp weapons are certainly a big part of their lives. They are sleek, nimble-footed predators. For the smallest, a mouse makes a decent meal, but others are big enough to tackle full-grown cattle. Look closer and you’ll be able to see the telltale spots of this African-Asian cat. It’s best known for its orange coat, but comes in black, too!
This cat moves its long, tufted ears to signal other members of its kind.
3
4
The biggest of all cats, weighing up to 800 lb (363 kg), has giant paws for swiping prey.
5
Distinctive rosettepatterned fur
6
A tropical cat
from the Americas, this hunter is the emblem of a famous luxury car.
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Out on the Asian plains, this shortlegged cat ambushes prey from behind large rocks.
This small cat lives in the Americas. Each one has a coat with a unique pattern of stripes and spots. 8
7
White cheek with black stripes
TEST YOURSELF R E T R A T S
Long, pointed ears help hearing.
R E G N E L L A H C
Found high in the mountains, this Asian cat can leap effortlessly from ledge to ledge, using its super strong legs.
Cheetah Jaguar Lion Tiger
Puma Snow Leopard Ocelot Leopard
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10 At up to 3 1 ⁄2 ft (1.1 m)
The mane makes the male look bigger than it really is.
this cat may be small, but it has the strength to kill reindeer and wild boar.
! S U I N E G
Marbled cat Caracal Pallas’s cat Eurasian lynx
11 The distinctive patterned coat
that gives this cat its name is a good camouflage when hunting in the forests of Southeast Asia.
12 Found
in Africa, the males of this fierce species have such loud roars, they can sometimes be heard 5 miles (8 km) away!
n o i L . 2 1 t a c d e l b r a M . 1 1 x n y l n a i s a r u E . 0 1 d r a p o e L w o n S . 9 t o l e c O . 8 t a c s ’ s a l l a P . 7 r a u g a J . 6 r e g i T . 5 l a c a r a C . 4 d r a p o e L . 3 h a t e e h C . 2 a m u P . 1 : S R E W S N A
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After gnawing through tree bark, this primate from Madagascar uses its long middle finger to scoop out the insect larvae lurking beneath. 1
2 This relative of the lemurs is the only primate to produce venom.
This monkey from Borneo has the biggest nose and is also the best primate swimmer. 3
Primate party Our closest relatives certainly make a playful, noisy bunch. Monkeys and apes, lemurs, and lorises use brains and brawn to survive in the wild. Some—like us—are more at home on the ground, while others prefer to be up in the trees.
This gibbon’s throat sac helps project his call across 11 ⁄ 5 miles (2 km).
The largest gibbon at up to 351 ⁄ 2 in (90 cm), it is found across forests in Southeast Asia. 4
5
Found in Africa, the world’s biggest primate thumps his chest to intimidate others.
6 The tail is more than a good clue. This primate covers it in a smelly substance, produced by scent glands, to waft at a territorial opponent!
7
This African ape uses sticks to probe for tasty termites.
l l i r d n a M . 5 1 s u b o l o c n a l o g n A . 4 1 a k a f i s s ’ x u a e r r e V . 3 1 y e k n o m r e d i p s s ’ y o r f f o e G . 2 1 e u q a c a m e s e n a p a J . 1 1 n a t u g n a r O . 0 1 n i r a m a t n o i l n e d l o G . 9
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Prehensile (meaning it can grip) tail acts like a fifth limb, supporting weight.
Glossy mane of fur
10
One of the best climbers, this primate, found in Southeast Asia, has arms longer than its legs—its arm span can be around 71 ⁄ 2 ft (2.25 m).
A thick coat helps it survive the cold
8
A face that is flushed red signals this primate’s good health, not embarrassment. It is usually found in the Amazon forest treetops.
northern winters.
This beautiful tiny monkey, at 13 1 3 in (33 cm), is the color of a precious metal. 9
11
This primate from Japan is known to take hot spring baths to survive in cold weather.
12 A grasping tail is enough to match any climbing superhero—especially one that lives in high rain forest canopies. 13 Bouncing
on two legs across the
Tail helps to balance while climbing.
ground gets this Madagascan primate from tree to tree.
14 A white, warm mane is
perfect for this primate’s home—the cool mountain forests of Central and East Africa.
15 These primates, with their red and blue faces (and bottoms!), live in groups called “troops” in African rain forests. They
can reach 31 ⁄2 ft (1.1 m) in length, making them the largest monkey.
TEST YOURSELF STARTER
CHALLENGER
GENIUS!
Ring-tailed lemur
Aye-aye
Verreaux’s Verre aux’s sifaka sifaka
Gorilla Orangutan Chimpanzee Mandrill
Slow loris Siamang Proboscis monkey Golden lion tamarin
Angolan colobus colobus Japanese macaque Bald uakari Geoffroy’s spider monkey
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NATURE KNOWITALL Distinctive sickle-shaped fin
2
Often mistaken for a killer whale, this fast swimmer creates a fan-shaped water spray above the water—called a “rooster tail.”
1 In fact a large member of the dolphin family, this mammal travels in
herds, where there is no one leader.
Most cetaceans live in salt water, but this one lives in the rivers of a vast rain forest. 3
This creature, which likes to swim just below the water’s surface, is named for a feature that 4
Adult human human diver (6 ft /1.8 m)
is missing from its back.
5 This thickbodied whale has an enormous curved mouth— the largest of any animal—and a heavy skull that it uses to smash through solid sea ice.
Aquatic mammals Dolphins and whales are cetaceans—airbreathing mammals that live in the water and have to come to the surface to take a breath. Their tails move up and down, not side to side like a fish’s.
The head makes up one-third of this animal’s total weight. This whale can grow up to 60 ft (18 m).
Fatty blubber under the skin keeps the heat in.
6 Jumping up through the ocean’s surface, this cetacean often makes a big splash, and is known for its song!
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7 The pointy shape at the front end holds a clue for this friendly mammal’s name.
This slow swimmer has sharp, curved teeth and is the smaller cousin of one of the biggest whales.
8
The curved mouth makes it look like the animal is always smiling.
TEST YOURSELF 9 Biggest heart, biggest tongue, biggest animal ever! It can be up to 105 ft (32 m) in length.
10 The
world’s biggest animal with teeth, this cetacean can dive to great depths to hunt squid.
R E T R A T S
R E G N E L L A H C
Blue whale
Amazon river river dolphin Humpback whale Beluga whale Long-finned pilot whale Indo-Pacific finless porpoise
11 Here is
The fin in adult males can be as long as 6 ft (1.8 m).
a pale-skinned cetacean: it gets its name from the Russian word “belukha,”
Sperm whale Orca Common bottlenose dolphin Narwhal
meaning “white.” Also known as the “killer whale,” this mammal is actually a big dolphin. 12
13
! S U I N E G
Dwarf sperm whale Cuvier’s beaked whale Dall’s porpoise Bowhead whale
The spiral tusk is used to attract mates.
No other animal has
a single tusk like this cetacean from the Arctic.
14 Named for
the shape of its snout, this cetacean can dive to a depth of more than 3 ⁄ 5 miles (1 km).
e l a h w d e k a e b s ’ r e i v u C . 4 1 l a h w r a N . 3 1 a c r O . 2 1 e l a h w a g u l e B . 1 1 e l a h w m r e p S . 0 1 e l a h w e u l B . 9 e l a h w m r e p s f r a w D . 8 n i h p l o d e s o n e l t t o b n o m m o C . 7 e l a h w k c a b p m u H . 6 e l a h w d a e h w o B . 5 e s i o p r o p s s e l n fi c fi i c a P - o d n I . 4 n i h p l o d r e v i r n o z a m A . 3 e s i o p r o p s ’ l l a D . 2 e l a h w t o l i p d e n n fi - g n o L . 1 : S R E W S N A
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NATURE NA TURE KNOWITALL
Invertebrates Animals without a backbone are known as invertebrates. They make up more than 80 percent
01. As a giant centipede, you have more than 20 pairs of jointed legs on your segmented Asfollow. some pairs step forward, thebody. rest will
of all typestes of include animal and arewith incredibly varied. Invertebrates Invertebra some hard outer cases, such as insects and shellfish, and soft-bodied animals such as jellyfish and worms.
How to move like a centipede
02. Let your body wriggle from side to side. This will help you pick up speed.
Antennae Long, jointed antennae, or “feelers,” sense surroundings.
03. Use the claws at the ends of
Leg muscles Each leg has muscles to bend or straighten the joints.
your legs to help you run, grip prey, and even climb.
rasp
I don’t believe it When a pistol shrimp snaps its claws, the sound is so loud that it sends out shock waves strong enough to kill the shrimp’s prey.
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Types of invertebrates
Cnidarians: This is a group of simple invertebrates with tentacles, such as
Worms: There are differentt kinds of differen long-bodied worms. Some can burrow
Molluscs: This group Arthropods: These includes slugs and include spiders and snails. Molluscs are relatives. They have soft and fleshy and an outer skeleton
Echinoderms: These include sea urchins and starfish, which are shaped like disks
jellyfish jelly fish and and corals. corals.
and others swim.
often have a shell.
and jointed legs.
or stars.
12.5 trillion s size of the biggest rEstimated insect swarm: a plague of eRocky Mountain locusts. b 400,000 m of known beetle uNumber species, the largest group of insects. Very many more await discovery. n n 4 I 1 ⁄ 5 oz (50 g) Weight Weight of a goliath beetle, one of the heaviest flying insects—that’s more than a golf ball.
0.0055 in
(0.139 mm) Length of the smallest known insect, a fairy fly.
Extreme living An invertebrate holds the animal record for high-altitude living. A type of jumping spider lives at heights of up to 22,000 ft (6,700 m) on the slopes of Mount Everest. This little predator feeds on tiny insects that get blown high onto the mountain by the gales of the Himalayas.
Microscopic animals called tardigrades are great survivors. They can dry out into husks that have lost 95 percent of their body water and still recover, and they have survived being sent into space without any oxygen.
Biggest and smallest
40 ft (12 m) 6 ft (1.8 m) Colossal squid
Human
The giant of all invertebrates is the colossal squid that lives in the deep ocean. It snags fish with its hooked tentacles.
0.003 in (0.07 mm)
0.002 in (0.05 mm) Rotifer
A jellyfish has no brain. Its simple nervous system carries electrical messages for moving but cannot control complex behavior.
Width of human hair
Some invertebrates, such as rotifers, are so tiny you need a microscope to see them. Thousands could swim in
The deep-sea Pompeii worm that lives in tubes near volcanic vents can bear temperatures of 176°F (80°C).
one drop of water.
Smart octopu octopus s Although most invertebra invertebrates tes have tiny brains, a few, few, such as octopuses, are quite intelligent. A super-smart octopus is able to extract lobsters from lobster traps, or even make its escape from public aquariums.
Living fossils Horseshoe crabs (more related to spiders than shellfish) have been around for more than 400 million years.
I n v e r t e b r a t e f a c t s
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NATURE KNOWITALL This tropical American butterfly has see-through wings, so it’s difficult to spot when perched on a leaf.
It’s a busy life for this insect, collecting nectar that will be turned into honey back at the hive.
1
3
Sunlight bouncing off this Central American beetle makes it shine like a precious metal and helps 2
disguise it in the rain forest. Colored scales at the edges are the only way to spot this insect.
Insects everywhere
Hair traps pollen
Despite its name, this jewel-like insect does not sting, but it does lay its eggs in other insects’ nests. 4
There are more species of insects on Earth than any other living animal, so it’s no wonder they show up in practically every place you look. Thewings pattern on the helps it camouflage in forests.
Insects have six wings legs for andthat’s most of them also have forcrawling, flying—and that’ s clearly a winning combination in their fight for survival. With its strong legs, this insect can jump 1 27 ⁄2 in (70 cm) into the air—giving it its name.
5
This flying insect lives for only 1–2 days, and starts its life as a nymph that lives underwater in ponds and lakes.
6
One of the biggest and most colorful of its kind, this Asian insect has a wingspan of 10 in (25 cm). 7
Wings are covered with tiny scales.
8
Billions of these insects, which can be 3 in (7.5 cm) long, form hungry swarms that can quickly strip crops of all their leaves.
Three tails
Ridged wings are longer than the body. Pattern Patt ern on the wings reflects light 9
The long “snout” on this insect’s head was once thought to glow in the dark—which gave it its name.
Broad fore legs
10 A network of
veins in the wings of this insect makes it look like a type of delicate fabric. Snout has a pair of tiny jaws at the tip.
This is the perfect disguise for an insect that lives among the foliage of a rain forest. 11
Long antennae
12 Only
Only one set of wings 13 This notorious pest can
reach 13 ⁄4 in (4.4 cm) in size, and can eat almost anything— from food scraps to soap!
the males of this insect species have impressive jaws that that look like like antlers, which are used for wrestling with rival males.
15 A distinctive long
snout is used by this beetle to bore holes into hazelnuts for laying eggs.
14 The striped
This spotted beetle likes to munch on infestations of greenflies—making it a good friend of gardeners.
warning pattern of this insect is a bluff—it
16
does not sting and is a harmless nectar feeder.
Wings are hidden under the wing case. Hooked claws
TEST YOURSELF
17
That’s not a stinger—it’s a long egg-laying tube that can drill into timber.
Males have a bright blue abdomen with black markings.
Big eyes and superb controlle controlled d flight help this hunter catch other insects in mid-air.
18
Spines
Antennae detect wood-living larvae into which eggs are laid. 19 This architect of the insect
world builds towering mounds where millions of insects live in enormous colonies. Long, transparent wings with veins 21
20 Those
fiercelooking spiny fore legs are used to grab prey with lightning speed.
These insects spend most
of their lives undergrou underground nd as larvae, emerging from the ground only once every 13 or 17 years as adults.
R E T R A T S
Emperor dragonfly Desert locust Praying mantis American cockroach Honeybee Ladybug Stag beetle
Mayfly African termite termite R E G Common leaf insect N E Green lacewing L L Hover fly A H Atlas moth C Froghopper
! S U I N E G
Golden chafer Nut weevil Glasswing butterfly Sabre wasp Ruby-tailed wasp Ruby-tailed Lantern bug Periodical cicada
a d a c i c l a c i d o i r e P . 1 2 s i t n a m g n i y a r P . 0 2 e t i m r e t n a c i r f A . 9 1 y fl n o g a r d r o r e p m E . 8 1 p s a w e r b a S . 7 1 g u b y d a L . 6 1 l i v e e w t u N . 5 1 y fl r e v o H . 4 1 h c a o r k c o c n a c i r e m A . 3 1 e l t e e b g a t S . 2 1 t c e s n i f a e l n o m m o C . 1 1 g n i w e c a l n e e r G . 0 1 g u b n r e t n a L . 9 t s u c o l t r e s e D . 8 h t o m s a l t A . 7 y fl y a M . 6 r e p p o h g o r F . 5 p s a w d e l i a t - y b u R . 4 e e b y e n o H . 3 r e f a h c n e d l o G . 2 y fl r e t t u b g n i w s s a l G . 1 : S R E W S N A
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NATURE KNOWITALL
Under the sea
1
Deep red and covered in green spots, this creature waves its tentacles in the water to trap tiny prey.
The animal’s muscle fibers squeeze its body to move through w ater.
P eer into acreatures. shallow rock pool and you willwill see thea wider strangest Go deeper and you find range of animals than on land. The ones on these pages are all invertebrates, meaning they lack a backbone, and they come in extraordinary shapes and colors. The paper-thin body of this colorful animal ripples as it swims along.
2
3
The bells of this jellyfish are usually
around (30 cm)but in diameter. Its sting1isftpainful not dangerous—much like a well-known stinging plant!
Its name might make this creature sound edible, but it’s a relative of starfishes and is actually poisonous to eat—a good defense! 4
Prey is paralyzed by venom. Big eyes help see clearly while moving at high speeds.
A pale shell is a good disguise for scurrying on a sandy beach.
This animal lives attached to the rocks, and is a bivalve, which means it has two shell parts hinged together. 5
6
Fibrous threads attach to rocks.
p m i r h s s i t n a m k c o c a e P . 5 1 h s fi r a t s l a r e n e g d e R . 4 1 l a r o c m o o r h s u M . 3 1 n o t i h c d e n i L . 2 1 h c n a r b i d u n l w a h s h s i n a p S . 1 1 n e p a e s e l p r u P . 0 1 s u l i t u a n d e r e b m a h C . 9 m r o w e b u t e e r t s a m t s i r h C . 8 s u p o t c o d e g n i r - e u l B . 7 b a r c t s o h g d e n r o H . 6 l e s s u m n o m m o C . 5 e l p p a a e S . 4 e l t t e n a e s c fi i c a P . 3 m r o w t a fl d a l c y l o P . 2 e n o m e n a y r r e b w a r t S . 1 : S R E W S N A
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The rings flash vividly when the animal feels threatened.
One of the deadliest animals on Earth, the color pattern is a warning that its bite is deadly venomous. 7
The feathery tentacles might look festive—but they are used for catching food. 8
The whorls of tentacles also help take in oxygen.
TEST YOURSELF
R E T R A T S
Unlike its relatives, the squid and octopus, this swimming creature lives in a mobile shell.
9
10
It has up to 90 sticky tentacles.
R E G
This is really
N E L L A H C
a branching colony of tiny animals that are like miniature anemones.
11 This
sea slug is the enemy of anemones—nott only anemones—no does it eat them, but it steals their stingers and stores them on its back!
12 The flexible shell
of this snail relative can help it roll up for protection.
The shell is made of 8 plates.
Although it might look rather funguslike, this creature moves and slides across soft sand. 13
This crustacean has two swinging clubs that are used to smash prey to pieces. 15
Tube feet help the animal move and grip.
Prey is swallowed through a central mouth on the underside.
Clubs
! S U I N E G
Common mussel Red general starfish Blue-ringed octopus Horned ghost crab Strawberry anemone
Mushroom coral Chambered nautilus Polyclad flatworm Pacific sea nettle Peacock mantis shrimp
Lined chiton Christmas tree tube worm Purple sea pen Sea apple Spanish shawl nudibranch
14 The
shape is a giveaway! Each of this animal’s arms can grow back after injury.
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Watch out! This arachnid has a dangerous, venomous stinger and blends well into its desert habitat with its sand-colored skin. 1
Stinger
Often found weaving tangled webs in the corner of the ceilings, this spider traps its prey in silk threads. 2
Pincers hold captured prey.
4
Long, thin tail
Long, spindly legs
Distinctive yellow and black bands
Looking like a stinging stinging insect, this spider spins a web with a zigzag pattern to trap prey.
3 Although this arachnid has no stinger, it can defend itself by
spraying a vinegary acid from the base of its tail.
Dense red fur
Long, thin front legs help to feel for prey at night.
Arachnids assemble
This colorful, softskinned arachnid from Asia prowls slowly among leaf-litter, preying on smaller insects.
Feast your eyes on these eight-legged mini-beasts! Feast Arachnids are a type of invertebrate that includes spiders, scorpions, ticks, and and mites. While some of these have a venomous bite, others have a stinger in their tail, but they all use clever ways to catch their prey.
5
Front legs are raised to reveal fangs and warn off enemies.
6 This big, hairy arachnid from North America has a body up to 4 in (10 cm) long.
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This spider takes the plunge to catch food—it breathes underwater by carrying its own air supply in a bubble.
Two extralarge eyes
A web held out in the legs of this tropical arachnid is used like a net to scoop up passing prey. 7
Bubble of air around the body
Venom gland
This creature is perfectly disguised on the dark floor of an African rain forest.
9 One of the biggest of its kind, at up to 8 in (20 cm) long, this arachnid is armed with large, armored pincers that are used to crush and tear prey, such as lizards and mice.
Strong muscles in the pincers give a powerful grip.
Antennae-like front legs
10 This arachnid likes to
wander into homes. It builds tunnel-like webs in which it drags its prey to feast. Striped legs and mottled body
11 Lacking
any venom, this tropical arachnid relies on long, spiny front limbs to snag prey.
Eight forward-facing eyes help to judge distance accurately accurately..
R E T R A T S
Pincers often contain poison glands.
13 When this
12 With pincers
and a flat body, this arachnid might look like a scorpion, but lacks the tail and stinger of one.
Giant, venomous fangs
big-eyed arachnid from North America springs into action, it rarely misses its target—it can jump six times the length of its body.
R E G N E L L A H C
! S U I
14 Capable of changing its
color from white to among yellow, this arachnid hides flowers of matching color to grab unsuspecting visiting insects.
TEST YOURSELF
N E G 15 One of the most dangerous arachnids—with arachnids—with venom potent enough to kill a human—catches prey by laying trip-wires in front of its tube-like web.
Mexican red-knee tarantula House spider Yellow scorpion Daddy long-legs spider Sydney funnel-web spider
Wasp spider Goldenrod crab spider Diving bell spider Emperor scorpion Regal jumping spider
Whip scorpion Whip spider Broad-headed pseudoscorpion Ogre-faced spider Common velvet mite
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NATURE KNOWITALL
Birds
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There are more than 10,000 different kinds of birds living in habitats thatcoasts, vary from moorlands, andwetlands, forests to city streets. Being a bird means leading a busy life. Flying uses up a lot of energy, so birds need plenty of fuel in the form of food.
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What is a bird? Plumage:
Vertebrate: A bird is
All birds have body feathers and, usually, bare legs and feet.
a vertebrate, but has more neck bones than most other animals with backbones. Wings: The forelimbs of birds are in the form of wings, but not all birds can fly.
Lays eggs: Birds’ eggs provide protection and food for growing chicks.
I don’t believe it In 1956, a five-year-old albatross called Wisdom was ringed so that her movements could be tracked. She was still alive in 2017, aged 66.
The smallest bird The tiniest bird of all is the bee hummingbird, found only on the Caribbean island of Cuba. Males, which are smaller than females, measure on average just 2 in (5.5 cm) long and weigh 7 ⁄ 100 100 oz (1.9 g).
r e h s fi g n i k a e k i l t n u h o t w o
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Feathers
Quill Every feather has a hard central quill or shaft.
Feathers are made from keratin, a material also found in animal hair, nails, and reptile scales. Some feathers are fluffy for warmth, but most of the outer ones are flat and stiffened to improve streamlining and aid flight.
The oilbird from South America sleeps in caves during the day and flies at night, using batlike echolocation. Birds’ beaks contain a mineral that is sensitive to Earth’s magnetic fields. This helps them navigate on migration.
F l y i n g f a c t s
The longest-known nonstop bird flight—7,146 miles (11,500 km)—was tracked during the migration of a wading bird called a bar-tailed godwit.
Vane The flat surface (vane) is made up of side branches (barbs), held together by tiny hooks.
The wandering albatross has the longest wingspan of any bird— 12 ft (3.65 m).
01.
Find a perch above the water and watch for fish. Get ready to dive in a split second.
02. When a fish catches your eye, plunge into the water, pulling back your wings to streamline your body.
03. Grab the fish in your bill, float up to the surface, and return to the perch to swallow your meal.
Using tools A few brainy birds use tools to find food. The New Caledonian crow can even bend twigs into hooks to get insect grubs from wood.
s l l i b e g n a r t S Shoebill: An enormous bill with a cutting edge helps this large wading bird of the African swamps catch
Spoonbill: Sweeping its bill from side to side in the water, this bird feels for insects and shrimp
Hummingbird: This tiny South American nectarfeeder has a long, thin bill for probing flowers and
and kill big fish by slicing off their heads.
with the touch-sensitive “spoon” at the tip.
a long, grooved tongue to collect the liquid inside.
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NATURE NA TURE KNOWITALL
Showing off its spectacular plumage by dancing in the trees is how this bird attracts a mate.
Known for its deep red color, this water bird uses its long beak to probe for insects in the mud. 4
In Central America the long green tail feathers of this bird, which can be around 3 ft ft (1 m) long, were used in ceremonial headdresses. 3
The biggest bill of any bird is just what you need to fish for your food. 5
Birds of 1 The Amazon rain forest is the ideal habitat for a bird that only eats leaves of trees.
a feather The tail was thought to resemble a harplike instrument.
They are masters of land and water, and the champions of the sky—welcome to the wonderful world of birds! No other living animal has a coat of feathers, and and this means it’s easy to spot a bird. But can you tell one from another?
About 100–150 feathers make up this brilliant fan.
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By
spreading its brilliant plumes, this male show-off likes to strut in front of the females.
These birds are famous for mimicking sounds, from the calls of other birds to car alarms. 6
7
This giant flightless
livesofinNew the tropical rainbird forests Guinea.
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The pink of this
bird’s comes fromfeathers eating shrimp and other tiny animals living in the water.
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The hard, hollow projection on the upper bill helps make calls louder.
TEST YOURSELF 11 An enormous, colorful
bill looks inconvenient, but helps this bird grab hard-to-reach fruit.
R E T R A T S
Flamingo
12 The
claws of this colorful bird have an excellent grip, which helps with the everyday tasks of clasping onto branches and grasping food.
Ostrich Pelican Sulfur-crested cockatoo Toucan Indian peacock
R E G N E L L A H C
Emu Scarlet ibis Kiwi Blue-and-yellow macaw Lesser bird of paradise Southern cassowary
Wingspan is 41–45 in (104–114 cm)
13 Well
known in Japan, a pair of these birds will dance and honk in a beautiful courtship display.
14 The second-
largest bird in the world lives in the Australian outback.
! S U I N E G
16 The world’s largest living bird is also the fastest animal on two legs—it can run at a speed of 43 mph (70 km/h).
A white parrot from Australia, this bird is a popular pet—if you don’t mind the loud squawks. 15
A fan-like tuft of stiff golden head feathers gives this bird its name.
Hoatzin Resplendent quetzal Superb lyrebird Red-crowned crane Great hornbill Gray-crowned crane
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Red, inflatable throat pouch
The big wings are too weak for flight.
Reddish-brown, spiky feathers 18 The national bird of
New Zealand has nostrils at the tip of its beak to sniff
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A wedge-shaped tail allows this bird to turn while in flight, and also helps to identify it. 1
Found in icy coniferous forests, this bird has pointed wings, much like a hawk’s, and can hunt in thick snow. 2
The 6wings measure ft (1.8can m) across from tip to tip.
Deadly hunters A tiny hunter, this Asian bird targets small prey, such as insects and birds. 3
Watch out! There’s a bird of prey overhead. These feathered hunters all have a taste for meat. Some prefer rotting, dead animals (known as carrion) but
4 Fishes can be slippery prey, but this bird has spiky, clawed talons for keeping a firm grip.
most need fresh prey, and use their deadly talons and sharp beaks to make a kill. 5 One of the biggest flying birds, this species is found soaring over the longest mountain range of South America.
6 This bird’s massive and powerful talons are used for killing sloths and monkeys in the Amazon rain forest.
Wingspan can be more than 10 ft (3 m)!
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TEST YOURSELF R E T R A T S
Faster than any other animal, this hunter can reach up to 199 mph (320 km/h) when divebombing through the air.
Rüppell’s vulture Bald eagle Peregrine falcon Barn owl
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Long, feathery tufts
R E G N E L L A H C
Striking white head feathers ! S U I N E G
One of the biggest of its kind at around 291 ⁄2 in (75 cm), 8
Andean condor condor Secretary bird Harpy eagle Osprey
Red kite Pied falconet Eurasian eagle owl Northern hawk owl
this hunter’s favorite prey are rabbits and hares. Its huge orange eyes are three times more sensitive than the human eye.
Strong talons snatch fish near the water’s surface.
The national emblem of the US also appears on the country’s coat of arms. 9
Heart-shaped face 10
Super-sensiti Super-sensitive ve
hearing helps this pale nighttime predator track down mice and voles in the dark.
A powerful hooked beak makes it easy for the bird to tear off flesh and break bones.
11 A
bare neck is perfect for reaching right inside a dead animal to feast without getting dirty feathers.
12 How
do you catch a snake? By stomping it
This longlegged bird stands up to 47 in (120 cm) tall.
toclawed death feet withlike strong, this African bird.
d r i b y r a t e r c e S . 2 1 e r u t l u v s ’ l l e p p ü R . 1 1 l w o n r a B . 0 1 e l g a e d l a B . 9 l w o e l g a e n a i s a r u E . 8 n o c l a f e n i r g e r e P . 7 e l g a e y p r a H . 6 r o d n o c n a e d n A . 5 y e r p s O . 4 t e n o c l a f d e i P . 3 l w o k w a h n r e h t r o N . 2 e t i k d e R . 1 : S R E W S N A
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NATURE NA TURE KNOWITALL
Types of reptile Crocodilians These predatory crocodiles and alligators with long toothy jaws include the largest reptiles.
Lizards and snakes This is the biggest reptile group and includes lizards— with or without legs—and snakes.
Reptiles With hard, scaly skins and body heat controlled by outside temperatures, temperatur es, reptiles are unique animals. Most of them live in tropical forests deserts, but some cansnakes, cope with cooler habitats. A and few, warm such as sea turtles and sea are perfectly at home in the oceans.
What is a reptile? Vertebrate: All reptiles have a backbone and a hard bony skeleton.
Cold-blooded: The body temperature of reptiles matches that of their surroundings.
Turtles and tortoises Both aquatic turtles and land-living tortoises have protective shieldlike shells.
Lays eggs: Most reptiles lay eggs, but a few bear live young. Scaly skin: Hard scales help protect the body.
Tuatara This New Zealand reptile is the only survivor of a group that lived at the time of the dinosaurs.
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How to hunt like a crocodile
01. Lurk in the water,
02. When prey moves
03. If your prey needs air
with just your eyes above the
close, spring out of the water
to breathe, hold it underwater
surface of the water, and wait.
and grip it with your teeth.
until it drowns.
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Shedding skin
Defense tactics Many reptiles run or crawl away from danger, but the frilled lizard from Australia has an extra trick. It opens a wide neck frill to make itself look bigger. If that doesn’t scare the intruder, the lizard rises up on its back legs and sprints away on two legs!
Crocodilian teeth are shaped to stab and hold prey, rather than slice like knives.
The outer skin of reptiles wears down over time and has to be replaced. As new skin grows underneath, the old skin peels away. In lizards this usually happens in small patches, but in most snakes the skin comes off in one piece like a sleeve.
A snake can slither out of its skin in one piece by rubbing against a hard surface.
I don’t believe it Some species of skinks (a type of lizard) have green blood, which gives them green hearts, bones, and tongues, too.
Waterproofing
Venom flows from the gland down a channel in the tooth.
A reptile’s scales protect the skin from injury and help stop the body losing water
A special gland produces and stores venom.
in dry habitats.
04. Keeping hold of your prey, spin around and
16,000 s power in Newtons rThe (units of force) of the ebite of a saltwater bcrocodile—enough to crush a human skull. m u3,280 ft m) Depth of the n(1,000 deepest recorded dive nby a leatherback turtle. I 6 miles
(9.5 km) Distance over which a Komodo dragon
Hollow fangs Venom is injected through a tiny hole in the tooth tip.
How do snakes produce venom? All snakes are predators of other living animals and many kinds kill with venom, a poison they inject into their prey with a bite. Venomous snakes store their poison in glands
lizard can smell food.
around like a log, to pull off a lump of flesh.
(sacs that release a fluid) that lie behind their eyes and deliver it through hollow fangs.
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Muscular tail can grip branches.
Although slowmoving by nature, this lizard can catch an insect 1
with a flick of its long tongue.
3 A wormlike lure on the tongue of this patient predator attracts fishes into its open mouth, which then snaps shut with a powerful bite.
Reptile room
climbing trees
Pink lure
The world’s largest lizard, reaching lengths of 10 ft ft (3 m), lives on tiny islands in Indonesia, where it is the top predator, hunting prey 5
By biting its tail, and rolling into a spiky ball, this 4
armored lizard fends off predators.
Scaly skin may make a reptile look like it belongs to a prehistoric age, but these animals are still found in most places on Earth! As cold-blooded creatures, they rely on the warmth of the sun’s rays to get them moving, and live on both land and water.
This beast’s long jaws are filled with up to 110 sharp teeth—perfect for snatching fish in the rivers of northern Asia. 7
2 Green skin is perfect for a climbing lizard that wants to stay hidden in the forests of South America.
Long claws for
up to the size of deer.
This lizard has an excellent grip. It has splayed-out toes with pads covered in sticky “hairs,” which help it climb and cling to anything—even ceilings! 6
The tail helps this reptile move in water.
8 One of only two kinds of venomous lizard, this one is found in the United States and Mexico. It has a strong bite and doesn’t let go.
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TEST YOURSELF 9 In a dry Australian desert, spiky skin is a good defense against predators for this ant-eating lizard. 10 Found in New Zealand, this lizard looks prehistoric with its spiny crest.
11 A snorkel-like tube on
its nose helps this turtle breathe while it’s under the water of South American rivers.
R E T R A T S
Radiated tortoise Green turtle Nile crocodile Tokay gecko Komodo dragon
Sharp claws help dig burrows for shelter.
Up to 68 teeth line the jaws.
strength helps this African reptile pull large prey the size of a zebra under water.
R E G N E L L A H C
Gila monster Common green iguana Marine iguana Panther chameleon Alligator snapping snapping turtle
12 Brute
13 At home on the
volcanic Galápagos
Islands, this is the only lizard that feeds on seaweed. Usually black, the males turn a vibrant green or pink during breeding season.
Gharial Matamata ! Thorny devil S Tuatara U I N Armadillo girdled girdled E lizard G
14 This plant-eating animal
eats algae, which gives its body fat a unique color. It also has flipper-like legs—perfect for ocean swimming! A forked tongue allows this lizard to detect the scent of potential prey.
Tail will drop off if the lizard is cornered, to distract predators.
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Native to Madagascar, the distinctive starlike pattern on its shell gives this reptile its name.
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Scaly serpents Being legless is no big deal for snakes: they get around just as well as any other reptile. Their Their body is packed with muscle for gripping the ground, climbing trees, or even swimming at times. ti mes. They eat eat other living animals, using either constricting coils or venom to kill. How many can you identify?
Most snakes lay eggs, but this gloriously green climbing species from South America gives birth to live young. 1
2 Flipping onto its back, keeping still, and being smelly, make predators think this snake is long dead—a clever trick!
An upturned nose helps this snake rummage through soil for prey.
Large jaw muscles clamp down on prey, such as small mammals and birds, with great force.
A scaled hood helps the snake look bigger, warding off predators.
Mottled markings help this snake disguise itself amongst rain forest vegetation.
Watch out! When this snake spreads its hood, it means it is ready to strike.
3
In the Amazon basin, the world’s heaviest snake—weighing up to 542 lb (246 kg)— spends most of its time in water. 4
The only venomous snake in many European countries, this species can fold away its fangs when not in use. 5
Distinctive zigzag pattern
e k a n s g n i t a e - g g e n o m m o C . 2 1 e k a n s l a r o c n r e t s a E . 1 1 a b m a m k c a l B . 0 1 e k a n s k n u r t - t n a h p e l E . 9 e k a n s e l t t a r k c a b d n o m a i d n r e t s e W . 8 r e p i v h s u b y n i p S . 7 r e p i v n o o b a G . 6 r e d d a n o m m o C . 5 a d n o c a n a n e e r G . 4 a r b o c n a i d n I . 3 e k a n s d e s o n - g o h n r e t s a E . 2 a o b e e r t d l a r e m E . 1 : S R E W S N A
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Spiky scales cover the head and neck of this venomous snake from Central Africa. 7
Found in Africa, this scary serpent has the longest fangs—up to 2 in (5 cm) long—and produces the most venom of any snake.
The scales might help the snake to climb reeds and stalks.
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Wrinkly skin The distinctive patterns on this snake’s skin help it blend in amongst leaf litter.
The loose, scaly rings make a buzzing noise.
The wrinkly skin of this aquatic snake makes it look like the nose of a land mammal! 9
By shaking the tip of its tail, this venomous snake warns everyone to stay away. 8
This snake’s name comes from the color of its mouth.
Possibly the fastest snake, this speedy striker from Africa is lethally venomous. 10
By wriggling, it punctures the shell of its meal to reach the yolky goodness.
This African snake swallows its meal whole and digests it in its stomach. 12
11 The brilliant color bands of this American snake are a warning that its venom can be deadly.
TEST YOURSELF STARTER Indian cobra Common adder Western diamondback rattlesnake
CHALLENGER Eastern coral snake Black mamba Green anaconda
GENIUS! Gaboon viper Emerald tree boa Eastern hog-nosed snake
Common eggeating snake
Elephant-trunk snake
Spiny bush viper
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NATURE NA TURE KNOWITALL
Amphibians The word “amphibian” means “leading two kinds of life.” Many
Frog or toad: what’s the difference?
of these animals start their lives underwater as tadpoles and grow into adults that are as much at home on land as in water. Most amphibians prefer damp places with enough water in which to lay their eggs.
Types of amphibian Frogs and toads Most kinds of amphibians are frogs or toads. They usually have long back legs for swimming, hopping, or burrowing.
Salamanders and newts These have lizardlike bodies. They waddle or run over the ground, and some even climb trees.
Caecilians The wormlike shape of the tropical legless caecilians is ideal for burrowing in soil or leaf litter.
Frogs Most kinds of frogs around the world have a smooth, moist skin and very long back legs, which makes them the best jumpers.
g o r f e e r t a e k i l t n u h o t w o H
Toads Toads usually have rough, warty skins and squat bodies. Most have shorter legs than frogs, and prefer to walk rather than hop.
Open your 02. mouth wide and stick out your long tongue to reach your prey.
01.
Look for a juicy insect, then use your strong back legs to leap toward it.
Long legs give extra propulsion power!
I don’t believe it Some American salamanders have no lungs and breathe entirely
Keep away! Many amphibians have brightly colored skin. This is a warning that they are poisonous and may be
