Archives for December, 2009
Posted by New Year’s Eve is fun, but don’t be an environmental party pooper when you celebrate. All those disposable party plates, napkins, and decorations go straight from your overflowing trash can into landfills. so celebrate the New Year and the planet by throwing an Earth-friendly party. Then ring in 2010 with a recycled noisemaker you can create using items around your home.
Eco-Party Tips
-Hang biodegradable crepe paper streamers around your house.
-Drink sparkling cider from glasses instead of disposable cups.
-Trade fluorescent party lights for energy efficient LED lights.
-Encourage your friends to share rides to your New Year’s Eve party.
-Make a New Year’s resolution to be more eco-conscious in 2010.
By Kristin Hunt
Sucker-Footed Bat Secretes Sticky Sweat
Most bats hang upside down when they’re resting. A bat called Myzopoda aurita that lives in Madagascar hangs right-side up. Scientists recently discovered that these bats don’t use suction to hang, even though part of the scientific name, Myzopoda, means “sucker foot.” As it turns out, the sucker-footed bat doesn’t have suction cups, but is able to “glue” itself upright by secreting a sticky sweat from its wrists and ankles.
Watch scientists test a sucker-footed bat’s grip on glass.
Learn more about the sucker-footed bat on National Geographic News.
Read about the bats of Bracken Cave on National Geographic Kids.
Matschies tree kangaroos are hard to find in the remote canopy of the cloud forests of Papua New Guinea’s Huon peninsula. By strapping a National Geographic Crittercam to these endangered animals, scientists can learn more about their diet and habitat. Watch the tree kangaroos eat, groom, and climb in this video!
Read the video transcript on National Geographic News.
Watch a video of rock wallabies on National Geographic Kids.
And the Winners Are (Drumroll Please…)
Posted by Congratulations! The votes are in! The three bloggers who received the MOST votes for their reviews are:
Emelie, 13, Dizzy, by Cathy Cassidy
Mairen, 12, Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card
Sheila, 12, The Secret of Shadow Ranch, by Carolyn Keene
Thanks to everyone who sent in book reviews and to everyone who voted! We will run this contest again next year.
Keep reading DogEared to officially “meet” our three new bloggers when we reveal their avatars and read some of their reviews.
Scientists have observed chimps using tools to get food, but scientists were surprised to see octopuses using tools–and not for food-gathering, either! As seen in the video above, octopuses near Indonesia were seen using the coconut shells as mobile shelters. Sometimes they would even fit two halves of a coconut together to make a hiding place. Even though the octopuses moved more slowly carrying coconut shells, they always have a place to hide from predators if they bring them along.
The sight of the octopuses moving across the ocean floor carrying the coconut shells wasn’t just surprising. It was also very funny! “It was hard not to laugh underwater and flood your [scuba] mask,” said biologist Mark Norman.
Read more about the coconut-carrying octopus on National Geographic News.
Learn more about octopuses on National Geographic Kids.
Findings published by the journal Current Biology
Video courtesy Museum Victoria
We had so much fun reading with you this year! Bet if you went back and count all the books we read combined… well, holy moly, it would be a LOT- hundreds, thousands, bajillions (um, roughly… math isn’t our strongest subject). Anyway, thanks for sharing all your opinions on books you loved, ones you didn’t and sharing must-read book suggestions with other DogEared readers.
We picked one review from each of this year’s DogEared bloggers for our Top 9 of ’09 List. These are books that got you guys all fired up to post about or excited to read. And most importantly? They were books each of the reviewers loved best.
Here is the DogEared Top 9 of ’09 (in no particular order of favorites!).
BRADEN
Mummies by Elizabeth Carney – ’cause we learned how to make a mummy in REAL life… not that we’re going to, but wow!
ELEANOR
Shug by Jenny Han – just for all the funny postings about first kisses. Hee hee.
HANNAH
Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke – a.k.a. Hannah’s “favorite book of ALL time” also turned us on to other books by this author, Inkspell and Inkheart.
ISABEL
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney - like getting to peek at someone’s private journal, this hilarious book had a waiting list at most of your school libraries.
JORDAN
Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling – is there any ”Best of” list that J.K. Rowling wouldn’t make? That’s what we thought. You are big, big fans.
LILY
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart – ’cause there were so many surprise twists & turns in this plot that you guys kept trying to post book spoilers in the comments of Lily’s review that we had to delete.
PARKER
The Guinness World Records 2010: Book of the Decade - for its freaky pictures, crazy stunts and odd records set across the Globe, this book ranks as one of the all-time faves for leaving an impression on readers.
REED
The Fire Within by Chris D’Lacey – hard to choose a favorite review from Reed, who sets our own NG Kids record for posting the MOST reviews this past year (can you say Employee of the Year?), but this mythology series was a pretty good one.
WILL
African Critters by Robert B. Haas – ’cause we are suckers for anything about animals in the wild… we’re National Geographic, after all.
That’s it.
Now, check out these reviews, be sure to vote in our ’So You Wanna Be a DogEared Blogger’ contest for your favorite NEW bloggers and KEEP READING!
Happy New Year!!
- DogEared
What an incredible year this has been! Take a look at these 9 lists recapping your favorite amazing videos, tips, games, and more from NG Kids in 2009.
Fantastic Mr. Fox is a new stop-motion animated movie based on Roald Dahl’s classic book for kids of the same title. The movie’s full of fun and animal “facts,” but are all these facts for real?
According to Fantastic Mr. Fox, beagles love blueberries. Is that true? Nope, according to Lisa Peterson of the American Kennel Club. “Most dogs don’t like fruit at all.” So what do beagles like to eat when they’re not eating dog food provided by their owners? “Poop for sure, the fresher the better–usually someone else’s, but quite often their own. And I have one [beagle] that digs up grub worms and eats them. They also like any paper products, and if they don’t eat them, they will tear them up,” adds Janelle Holmes, a Texas-based beagle breeder.
Which other Fantistic Mr. Fox facts don’t hold water? Find out (and watch the movie trailer) on NGM Blog Central.
Check out National Geographic Kids to bust other animal myths.
Top 9 Animal News Bites
Top 9 Books! A National Geographic Children’s Book Editor’s Picks
Top 9 DogEared Reviews
Top 9 Funny Videos
Top 9 Games
Top 9 Green Scene Posts
Top 9 Photos
Top 9 Puzzles and Quizzes
Beautiful buildings, ferocious fish, crystal-clear water, and cute animals–these were your favorite pictures in 2009. Check out the full list of favorite galleries below.
New 7 Wonders of the World
Flip through gorgeous pictures of the new Wonders, the most popular photo gallery of 2009. Check out the pics!
International Photo Contest 2008 for Kids–Top Winners
Look at the winning entries of the International Photo Contest 2008 for kids.
Sharks
Beware, these large fish are sure to scare! View pictures.
Oceans
Browse through pictures of crystal-clear water, waves, and more.
Megafishes
Learn about the Megafishes Project and see photos of amazing freshwater giants.
Ancient Egypt
Pictures of ancient artifacts were popular this year. Take a look!
Baby Animals
Get ready to say ‘aw’ a lot when you scroll through this gallery of baby animals. Check it out!
Volcanoes
Take a look at pictures of nature at its most explosive. Browse the gallery.
Dogs
Our furry friends come in all shapes and sizes. Check out the pictures.
Games, games, games! Which games were the most popular this year?
Great Turtle Race
Choose a turtle and compete. How will you measure up on this week’s leaderboard?
Pluto’s Secret
Travel across the solar system with Nat and Geo to find out why Pluto is no longer a planet.
Zipper’s Treetop Trouble 2
Help Zipper find his lost Frisbee. Collect acorns and dodge obstacles along the way.
Iggy Arbuckle Race Off
Race through the Kook’s woods as either Iggy or his pal Jiggers. Collect powerups to help you zip over the finish line!
GeoGames
Choose an event and compete. Can you score big on all five minigames?
Tomb of the Unknown Mummy
Find clues and piece together the mystery. Who’s buried in this ancient Egyptian tomb?
Ninja Ice Chop
Practice your ninja skills and chop the ice blocks as they slide past.
Zipper’s Cave Maze
Help Zipper find his way through the caves. If you find all of the dinosaur bones, you’ll have a complete T. rex skeleton on your hands.
Plan It Green
Turn Greenville into a truly eco-friendly town.
Did you see the one where the boy had spiders all over his face? No? Well, how about the one where the lizard ran across the water? If you missed any amazing NG Kids videos this year, here’s your chance to see some of our favorites!
Guinness World Records: Most Spiders on the Body
You came, you saw, and you watched over and over! Tom Buchanan, aka Spider Boy, sets the record for the most spiders on his body in this video.
Snake Fakes
These spiders are truly masters of disguise. Watch the video to discover their sneaky secrets.
Jumping Spider
How does a jumping spider stalk its prey? Watch this video and get a spider’s-eye view of the action. (And be thankful you’re not a honeybee!)
Water Walkers
Are your eyes tricking you? Nope! The basilisk lizard can really run on water. Watch the video to find out how.
Guinness World Records: Most Snails on the Face
Sticky… slimy… and all over Tom Vincent’s face! Did he set the record for most snails on his face? Watch and find out.
Leapin’ Lizards
Can lizards fly? Not really. But they can glide (or jump!) a long way.
Fish Cleaning a Hippo
Hit the spa with this hippo and get the royal treatment from cleaner carp.
Guinness World Records: Dog Who Knows the Most Tricks
Chanda-Leah knows over 1,000 tricks and commands! Watch her perform some of them.
Fishy Disguises
If you were a predator, you might pass right by these camouflaged critters.
Which videos made us all laugh this year? These 9 videos kept our sides aching for all 12 months.
Fainting Goats
THUMP! Myotonic goats “faint’ when they’re surprised. Be prepared to be bowled over by this video.
“Idle Worship”
Iggy’s hero, Manly Boarman, is coming to Mooseknuckle! But Manly may not be the kind of explorer that Iggy’s expecting.
Balloon-Popping Dog!
Watch Anastasia pop her top over helium balloons.
Walrus Workout
Watch Seahook the walrus get his exercise in this video.
“Big Toe’s Faux Paw”
Iggy and Jiggers try to prove that Catfish Stu’s Big Toe Tour is a scam before the Kook is overrun by Big Toe maniacs!
“If Pigs Could Fly”
After Iggy and Jiggers hatch an orphaned condor egg, they have to teach the baby to behave like a bird.
KOL Sugar Gliders: “Camping”
What happens when Kiki and Ariel go camping?
Caracara Cutups
Caracaras, or Johnny rooks, have a sense of mischief. Watch them make a mess of a film crew’s campsite!
Hippos Licking Crocs
That must be one brave hippo to get so close to a crocodile! Find out why the croc doesn’t seem to mind.
We had so much fun reading with you this year! Bet if you went back and counted all the books we read combined… well, holy moly, it would be a LOT: hundreds, thousands, bajillions (um, roughly…). Anyway, thanks for sharing all your opinions on books you loved, ones you didn’t, and sharing must-read book suggestions with other DogEared readers.
We picked one review from each of this year’s DogEared bloggers for our Top 9 of ’09 List. These are books that got you all fired up to post about or excited to read, and they were books each of the reviewers loved best.
Here is the DogEared Top 9 of ’09 (in no particular order of favorites!).
BRADEN
Mummies by Elizabeth Carney – ’cause we learned how to make a mummy in REAL life… not that we’re going to, but wow!
ELEANOR
Shug by Jenny Han – just for all the funny postings about first kisses. Hee hee.
HANNAH
Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke – aka Hannah’s “favorite book of ALL time” also turned us on to other books by this author, Inkspell and Inkheart.
ISABEL
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney – like getting to peek at someone’s private journal, this hilarious book had a waiting list at most of your school libraries.
JORDAN
The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling – is there any ”Best of” list that J.K. Rowling wouldn’t make? That’s what we thought. You are big, big fans.
LILY
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart – ’cause there were so many surprise twists & turns in this plot that you guys kept trying to post book spoilers in the comments of Lily’s review that we had to delete.
PARKER
The Guinness World Records 2010: Book of the Decade – for its freaky pictures, crazy stunts and odd records set across the globe, this book ranks as one of the all-time faves for leaving an impression on readers.
REED
The Fire Within by Chris D’Lacey – hard to choose a favorite review from Reed, who sets our own NG Kids record for posting the MOST reviews this past year (can you say Employee of the Year?), but this mythology series was a pretty good one.
WILL
African Critters by Robert B. Haas – ’cause we are suckers for anything about animals in the wild… we’re National Geographic, after all.
That’s it.
Now, check out these reviews, today is the last day to to vote in our “So You Wanna Be a DogEared Blogger” contest for your favorite NEW bloggers and KEEP READING!
Happy New Year!!
- DogEared
This was a big year for animals in the news (especially fish)! Take a look back and see which stories rocked your world.
Freaky Fish
The first photos of live, intact Pacific barreleye fish were released in February.
President Obama’s Family Gets Their Dog!
The presidential puppy is a Portuguese water dog named Bo.
“Dracula” Fish Discovered
Talk about a news bite! Those are real fangs you see on the fish picture below.
Happy Birthday, Tai Shan
Tai Shan, a panda living at the National Zoo, turned four in July.
Are Greenland’s Spiders Getting Bigger?
Could global warming be causing the increase in spider size?
Humongous Snake Fossil Found
Titanoboa cerrejonesis was the biggest snake ever at a whopping 42 feet (13 meters) long.
Glowing Animals Gallery
What makes these mice glow?
Mini T. Rex Found
“Tiny” Raptorex kriegsteini changes the way scientists think about the evolution of T. rex‘s short arms.
Rainbow Jellyfish Discovered
The rainbow glow on the jellyfish comes from light reflecting off the creature’s cilia.
Everyone is looking for ways to help the environment! But which Green Scene tips were the most interesting to kids this year?
Green Halloween Ideas
Get creative and make your own costumes. Cat Up a Tree, Spaghetti and Meatballs, and Aquarium costumes can be made for less than $20.
Energy Saving
Did you know that your cell phone charger still uses energy if you keep it plugged in after your phone is charged? That is one of the amazing facts you can discover on the Energy Star website created by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Ocean Now E-Cards
Send a friend or family member one of these amazing e-cards so they can learn more about Ocean Now and find ways to help ocean conservation efforts.
NG Kids Denim Drive Garners Guinness Record
NG Kids received the record for the most clothing collected for recycling. Over 33,000 denim items
were donated to be recycled into home insulation.
Kids Change Their Cafeteria
Some kids in Maryland were concerned that their lunch trays are made of styrofoam (like in the picture above) and their utensils were made of plastic, so they decided to do something about it.
Get Outside on Father’s Day!
What are you going to do with your dad or grandpa on Father’s Day? What does your dad like to do on a day off?
Ocean Alert
It may seem as if the world’s oceans are so vast that nothing could hurt them.
Back-To-School Tips
As you head back to school, see if you can add a few of these tips to your school routine.
Help Clean Up Waterways
Last year, 400,000 volunteers all over the world helped remove 6.8 million pounds of trash from waterways during the annual International Coastal Cleanup day, according to the Ocean Conservancy.
Nothing beats solving a puzzle or acing a quiz. See which brain-bending puzzles and quizzes scored top marks this year!
Playful Puppies Puzzler
It’s time to play! Put together puzzles of adorable frisky puppies.
Quiz Your Noodle: Sharks
Sink your teeth into shark trivia in this quiz.
Cuddly Animals Puzzler
Piece together photos of duddling animals.
Quiz Your Noodle: Dog Breeds
How much do you know about different breeds of dogs? Take the quiz and find out!
Quiz Your Noodle: Halloween
Get set to shiver with this spooktacular Halloween quiz.
Fair Rides Puzzler
Give these jigsaw puzzles and slide puzzles a spin!
Quiz Your Noodle: Volcanoes
How much do you know about volcanoes? Don’t blow your top if you don’t ace the quiz on the first try!
Quiz Your Noodle: Mount Everest
Do you have what it takes to make it to the top this mountain of a quiz?
Iggy Arbuckle Video Blast
Solve the slide puzzles and watch Iggy Arbuckle video clips.
Check out our editor’s picks chosen from all the NG children’s books published this year.
The National Geographic Kids Almanac 2010!
This was a 2009 top seller, which means lots of other kids have liked this book. And, why not? It’s packed with pictures of your favorite animals, games, and zillions of fact to wow your friends and stump your parents.
Our Country’s Presidents
Remember back in January? The U.S. got a new President–Barack Obama, the first African-American President in the White House. You can read all about America’s chief executives from George to Barack and find out who was tallest? Who was oldest? Who had the most kids? in this photo-filled, fact-bursting book.
Alive in the Killing Fields: Surviving the Khmer Rouge Genocide
Looking for a little inspiration this holiday season? Try this incredible, amazing story of Nawuth Keat, a boy who survived the Cambodian Khmer Rouge genocide on wits and luck alone. You’ll be so amazed by the power of his human spirit and his human story that you won’t be able to put this one down.
Snakes!
This National Geographic level 2 reader has all kinds of secrets about snakes (you won’t believe what some can eat). Check it out–it’s ssssensational!
How to Get Rich on the Oregon Trail
Life on the Oregon Trail was no picnic. Pioneers battled everything from illness to lice to thieves. But this book is not just about the nuts and bolts of survival–it’s also about making a fortune! Pick up tips on getting rich while also learning a lot of fun history.
Student Atlas of the World
Whether it’s for help with your homework or just to answer that burning question about where Andorra is exactly, this handy, backpack-sized atlas has all you need.
1776: A New Look at Revolutionary Williamsburg
The Revolution comes alive in this book illustrated with gorgeous, painstakingly accurate reenactment photography. See what life was like not just for the Founding Fathers but also for kids, slaves, blacksmiths, and milliners.
Face to Face with Sharks
Yes, their teeth really are that big! Underwater photographers David Doubilet and Jennifer Hayes would know. Find out who is at biggest risk in our oceans–people or sharks.
Bug Science: Science Fair Winners
Take your science fair by storm with these fresh and clever experiments in entomology–the science of creepy, crawly, utterly cool bugs.
Have you ever wanted to travel to space? In the near future, wealthy tourists will be able to ascend to heights once reached only by astronauts.The first SpaceShipTwo plane, seen above, is named the V.S.S. Enterprise (which is short for Virgin Space Ship Enterprise). The SpaceShipTwo plane will carry passengers into Earth’s suborbit–the edge of space!
Virgin Galactic, the manufacturer of the V.S.S. Enterprise, plans to build five SpaceShipTwo planes. Before that can happen, the V.S.S. Enterprise will go through a series of safety tests. The first flight into suborbit with passengers is planned for 2011. Tickets will cost about $200,000! Would you like to take a SpaceShipTwo flight into suborbit?
Read more about the V.S.S. Enterprise on National Geographic News.
See photos from trips to the moon on National Geographic Kids.
Visit the planets in our solar system with Nat and Geo in Pluto’s Secret.
Photograph by Jae C. Hong, AP Photo
The 2009 National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony begins today 5 p.m. EST today. There will be musical entertainment (including Jordin Sparks and Sheryl Crow) during the event, and for the finale, President Obama will light the National Christmas Tree. The giant tree doesn’t stand alone. There are also 56 smaller trees representing each state and territory, as well as the District of Columbia.
TV stations across the country will broadcast the ceremony. You can also watch the ceremony online at www.thenationaltree.org. Will you be tuning in?
Read more about the National Christmas Tree on the National Park Service website.
How much do you know about winter holidays? Quiz Your Noodle and find out!
Photograph by Haraz N. Ghanbari/AP
Holiday decorating is a fun activity for the whole family. This year, bring nature inside and create some table centerpieces, wreaths, and swags from the forest or your neighborhood.
Take a winter walk with your family and gather nature’s bounty to create your own decorations. Fill a backpack or canvas bag with pine cones in all different shapes and sizes. They can be added to mantels, wreaths, or to dress up a table.
Read the whole post »
Thanks for all the AMAZING book reviews you sent in for our ‘So You Wanna Be a DogEared Book Blogger’ contest! It was a tough, tough job narrowing the entries down to the top 10. (Seriously, you guys are opinionated, rock star readers.)
Click here to find out who made it to the top 10. Then, read ‘em and cast your vote for your favorite. Help us choose the top 3 finalists who will win cool prizes & become a DogEared book blogger.
Thx!
-DogEared
The correct answer is microbe poop! Scientists thought that the colorful deposits (like the ones in the picture above) found in lava tubes were minerals, but as it turns out, they’re really droppings from microbes living in the tubes.
Gross? Maybe, but the deposits can also be beautiful, according to scientists. Some examples are “a lovely blue-green ooze dripping out of the [cave] ceiling in Hawaii; a vein of what looks like a gold, crunchy mineral in New Mexico; and, in the Azores, amazing pink hexagons,” said Diana Northup, a geomicrobiologist at the University of New Mexico.
Find out more about the mats of microbe poop and how they might provide clues to life on Mars on National Geographic News.
Speaking of evidence, read about a birdnapper that got busted with poop on his shoes in another News Bite.
Photograph courtesy Guy Caniaux
