Learning Haven

Category: Science News

  • Endangered Orangutans


    The word orangutan comes from Malaysian language and it means “man of the forest”. They are often called red apes because of their reddish hair. Orangutans are highly intelligent and gentle. They are the largest tree dwelling animals in the world. They live about 100 feet above the rainforest grounds on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. The orangutan is critically endangered. Orangutans have lost a lot of their habitat over the past ten years. If we don’t help the orangutan soon they will be gone forever. This report will tell you all about the orangutan.

    Description

    The orangutans are easy to recognize among the large apes because of their bright red hair. They also have very long arms and a male’s arms can span up to 7feet long. They have hook shaped feet, which help these apes climb and swing from tree to tree with ease. They basically spend most of their time in the trees.

    They even sleep in the trees. The male orangutan can be easily identified because it is twice as big as the female and has large cheek pads, which are called flanges. The male also has a beard and a large pouch that hangs from his throat. This helps him to make load roars to warn other males and it is a mating call to females. The male weighs around 200 lbs and the female weighs around 100 lbs. Orangutans share 97% of the same DNA as humans. Their hands, feet, eyes, and teeth look very similar to ours. They orangutan lives 40 to 45 years in the wild. They are the closest living relatives to humans.

    Habitat

    Ten thousand years ago orangutans were found in Southeast Asia and Southern China. Their population was in the hundreds of thousands. Today they are only found on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra and their population is only around 45,000.

    The orangutan lives in the canopies of the tropical Montane forest, Heath forest, Peat Swamp forest, and lowland Dipterocarp forest. They spend most of their time swinging from tree to tree, but can walk on the ground similar to the way humans walk.

    Food

    The orangutan eats mostly fruit, which makes up 60% of their diet. They are mostly herbivores but they also eat insects such as termites and crickets. They use tools made out of sticks to get termites from under the ground. Their favorite food comes from durian trees. This food is said to taste sweet, cheesy, garlicky and custardy. They like to eat bird eggs, young leaves, shoots, seeds and bark. Nearly 60% of their daylight hours are spent looking for food. The weight of a female orangutan is 90 to 110lbs. and a male is 200 to 220lbs.

    Reproduction

    Orangutan reproduction rates are very slow. They have 1 baby every 7 or 8 years. Orangutan mothers are very good at raising their babies to adulthood. They teach them how to climb, which foods to eat, and how to survive in the jungle. The mother stays with her babies for an average of eight years, but they are completely independent by age 10. Orangutans have a low mortality rate.

    Enemies

    The orangutan’s worst enemies are humans and human activity. Other animals that are enemies of orangutans are tigers and the clouded leopard. Man is destroying the forests by clearing the timber for farming and for settlement. The increased population has made for less land for the orangutans. In 1997 a real dry spell burned a lot of Indonesia and destroyed the orangutan habitat. T he orangutan was also hunted for its meat and young apes were captured for the illegal pet trade. Orangutans become too big and strong and do not make good pets.

    Reasons for Endangerment

    Today, there are less than 45,000 surviving Orangutans in the rain forests of Borneo and Sumatra.

    Man has destroyed the timber and settled too closely to the orangutan’s home. Orangutans need 10,000 acres of land to survive. Another reason they are endangered is because man has hunted them for meat and traded them in illegal pet trade. The orangutan reproduces very slowly. A female gives birth every 7 or 8 years. This is why orangutans are very slow to recover from any disturbances to their habitat.

    Conservation Efforts

    The orangutan needs a lot of help. The OFI (Orangutan Foundation International) the SOS (Sumatran Orangutan Society) and the WORC (Wanariset Orangutan Reintroduction Center) are just a few of the rescue organizations. They are working to stop illegal logging, illegal pet trade and the rehabilitation of captured orangutans for release back into the wild. We can help too. We can donate money to conservation groups working to save the orangutan habitat. We can also avoid buying wood products that come from the trees in the tropical rainforest. Examples are rayon wood, teak wood and palm oil from the trees. Other things we can do are to recycle old cell phones and adopt an orangutan. These non-profit organizations along with our help will protect the endangered orangutan.

    Conclusion

    Sadly, orangutans are in serious danger of becoming extinct. Humans have destroyed their homes through logging, burning, farming, and illegal pet trade. Today there are less than 45,000 orangutans left in the world. Some say the orangutan will be extinct in 2018. We must do what we can do to protect them. Their survival depends on you!

  • Earth’s Tilt


    The Earth is a sphere. It can be divided into two
    hemispheres, the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

    The best way to understand this is to make a model. You
    will need an orange, or any other spherical object that you can pierce, a marker
    and a knitting needle skewer or sharp, thin stick.

    Take the needle, stick or skewer and pass it right
    through the center of the orange, from top to bottom. Where it enters the orange
    at the top is the North Pole, and where it comes out at the bottom is the South
    Pole.

    Use the marker to draw a line around the middle of the
    orange, dividing it into a top and bottom half. The line represents the Equator,
    the top half is the Northern Hemisphere, and the bottom half is the Southern
    hemisphere.

    Now your orange should look like this:

    The stick represents the Earth’s axis. The axis is an
    imaginary line running from the North to South poles. The Earth spins on this
    axis all the time, turning around completely once every 24 hours. Take your
    orange, hold it by both ends of your stick, and turn the stick between your
    fingers. Notice how the orange turns around. That is what gives us night and
    day. However, it has nothing to do with the seasons, winter, spring, summer and fall. So far we have only shown
    that the earth has night and day. So what makes the seasons happen?


    At the moment you are holding your orange with the stick
    going straight up and down. That isn’t how it works. The whole Earth is
    actually tilted. Hold the orange in one hand and tip it, so that the top of the
    stick is nearer you than the bottom. Don’t tip it too far…we don’t want
    the stick pointing straight at you, about half way between upright (vertical)
    and flat (horizontal) will do nicely.

    THAT is how the Earth is in space.

    Now it should look like this:

    Notice how the top half, or Northern Hemisphere, is
    tipped toward you, with more of it showing than the Southern Hemisphere.

    Next:

    The effects of Direct and Indirect Sunlight

    Earth’s Orbit

    What Causes the Seasons?

    Previous:

    Introduction


  • Direct and Indirect Light

    Direct Light Produces More Heat


    For this we will do another very simple experiment. You
    need a flashlight and a piece of paper.

    First of all you need to experiment a little with the
    flashlight. Put your hand up against the light source. Feel that it is warm.
    Move your hand away just a little. Notice how the heat is less, but it is still
    warm. Move your hand further and nearer the light, tip it so it is at an angle.
    Can you feel any differences?


    Now you can show the way light produces heat using your
    paper. You will also need a watch and a ruler or tape measure and a large book

    First you need to make sure your paper is cold. Pop it in
    the freezer for a few minutes; try to keep it dry.

    Prop the book up at and angle and lay the piece of paper
    on it. Lay the flashlight on another book so that it shines onto the paper. Feel
    the paper and notice when it starts to get warm. Measure three inches from the
    light source and mark the spot on the paper. Keep feeling that bit. How long
    does it take to get warm?

    Mark your findings down.

    Now repeat the whole thing. Cool your paper again. This
    time prop your book upright three inches away from the light. Fix your paper to
    it with a piece of tape. Check the area of the paper opposite the center of the
    flashlight. How long does it take the paper to get warm this time? Check the
    area to the top of the paper. Which is warmer, the top or the center?

    The reason that it was quicker the second time is that
    the light was falling directly onto the paper. The first time round it was
    striking the paper at an angle. Direct light produces more heat than indirect
    light, or light striking something at an angle. This is also why the top of the
    paper the second time around was not as warm as the center.

    Next:

    Earth’s Orbit

    What Causes the Seasons?

    Previous:

    Introduction

    Earth’s
    Tilt


  • Penguin Facts


    In order to understand the adaptations penguins have, we
    first need to look at some of the characteristics of all birds.

    • Birds have their feathers in rows, with spaces in between.
    • In order to fly they need extra light bones. They have
      extra air spaces in all their bones to make them lighter.
    • The arrangement of bones in the “hand” makes them very
      flexible, which helps with flying.
    • Birds are very lean; this means they have very little fat.

    Some Penguins live in the Antarctic, where it is extremely
    cold, and the water temperatures never rise above freezing. Others live further
    North, but all penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere. The furthest North that
    Penguins live is in the Galapagos Islands. Some Penguins (Emperor Penguins)
    never step on land. When they are not in the water they live on ice floes. All
    penguins are flightless birds. They cannot fly at all, but they are wonderful
    swimmers. In Penguins the wing is known as a flipper.

    Structural Adaptations:

    • They are white on the front and black on the back. In
      water, the only place they are really at risk from predators, this gives them
      camouflage. From below they are white and cannot be easily seen against the
      lighter surface of the sea. From above they blend in with the darker depths.
    • Penguin feathers are extremely densely packed, with no gaps
      between them. This gives them good protection against the cold.
    • Each feather has an extra part behind it, so that they can
      fluff their feathers up. This keeps them warm in the cold and allows them to
      cool off when the weather is warmer.
    • They don’t have all the extra airspaces in their bones
      that normal birds have. This helps them sink in the water.
    • They have a layer of blubber (fat) beneath their skin. This
      helps them keep warm.
    • They can control the flow of blood through the fat. When it
      is very cold almost no blood passes through the fat. When they are warm, the
      blood flow increases so they can cool off.
    • The “hand” bones are fused (stuck) together. This is
      because water is thicker than air, and in water the flexible arrangement of
      flying birds would not make the wings strong enough to pull them through water.
    • Emperor and King Penguins have a special flap of skin on
      their feet. They do not build nests from twigs and leaves. They only lay one
      egg, and keep it on their feet, under the flap of skin so it can’t roll off.
      The feathers come down over the feet, keeping the egg warm.


      • Behavioral Adaptations:

    • Penguins live in large communities. This helps keep them
      warm.
    • They make their nests side by side and after the chicks are
      born they all huddle together to stay warm.

    • Living close together in large communities also protects
      them from the few predators, who might like to make a meal of them. Any walrus
      or sea lion happening upon them will only be able to grab one penguin from the
      edge of the group.
    • Penguins pick up stones and store them in their crop. This
      makes them heavier when they are in water.

    Neat Penguin Facts:

    1. They are considered to be the most specialized animals on
      the planet, and yet they are not endangered.
    2. Penguin pairs share duties. The female builds the nest and
      lays the egg, while the male hunts and eats, this takes up to 3 weeks. Then the
      female hunts and eats, while the male sits on the egg. Once the egg has hatched
      both parents collect food and feed the young.
    3. A penguin can pick its own baby out of a crowd of
      thousands, to feed it. They never feed the wrong one.
    4. The Emperor Penguin is the
      only bird that never touches land.

    Related Articles:
    Animals and Adaptations
    Turtles
    Antarctica
    Animals in Antarctica
    The Weather and
    Climate in Antarctica


  • Four Seasons


    Most places on Earth
    experience four seasons every year. These are spring,
    summer, fall (or autumn)
    and winter. Here we are going to find out why we have different seasons.


    The seasons are caused by
    a combination of things.

    • The Earth is tilted as it moves around the sun.
    • Direct sunlight produces more heat than indirect light.
    • The Earth moves around the sun in a way you may not
      expect.

    We will look at each of these in turn, and then see how
    all three, together produce the seasons.

    Next:

    Earth’s Tilt

    The
    effects of Direct and Indirect Sunlight

    Earth’s Orbit

    What Causes the Seasons?




  • What is Color?


    by Nancy Sutthoff

    The Electromagnetic Spectrum

    The entire electromagnetic spectrum is made up of
    ultraviolet, visible light, and infrared. The human eye can only see the light
    sector of the spectrum. That is
    Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet. (ROY G BIV is how I
    was taught to remember it in school).
    These are also the colors you see in a rainbow after a rainstorm.

    Visible Color

    Color is the thing we perhaps notice most about light in
    the world around us. But why we see colors the way we do all has to do with
    light. The reason something appears to be the color that does is that the object
    is absorbing all the other colors of light except the ones we see, which are
    reflected back to our eyes. If something absorbs all the colors, it appears
    black, if it reflects everything, it appears white. Color comes from what is
    called the visible spectrum of light. Scientists
    measure the wavelengths of light in this spectrum in nanometers or billionths of
    a meter. Red has the longest wavelength, and violet has the shortest. So, what
    color we see depends on the wavelength of the light we absorb into our eyes. The
    primary colors are red, green, and blue, from these colors, every other color
    can be made.




    Invisible Color

    The ultraviolet and infrared are wave energy that can not
    be seen by our eyes. William Herschel began down the road to discovering the
    electromagnetic spectrum in 1799. He wanted to find out how light and heat were
    connected. He used a prism to break up white light and used a thermometer to
    measure the temperature of each of the different colors. Each color, he found,
    did not have the same temperature. Red had the highest reading of all of the
    colors, while violet gave the lowest.

    Infrared

    However, past the red that we are able to see, Herschel
    found something that was even hotter than red itself. This end of the
    electromagnetic spectrum he called infrared. Infrared can be felt, but it can
    not be seen by the naked eye. The wavelengths of the visible spectrum are all
    medium in length. The wavelengths of infrared light are very slow. Everything
    emits infrared light. Even things found in your freezer emit it. Infrared can be
    found in anything above absolute zero. The amount of infrared light that an
    object emits depends on its temperature. A human gives off much more infrared
    light than an ice cube would. No matter what time of day it is, the same amount
    of infrared light is given off. Because of this, movement can be detected in the
    dark with infrared detectors. Some animals, like snakes of the pit viper family,
    are able to pick up on infrared waves to detect their prey.

    Ultra violet

    At the other end of the spectrum, past violet, is
    ultraviolet. Ultraviolet was discovered by Wilhelm Ritter in 1801. He dipped
    strips of paper into silver nitrate and shown certain types of light on them.
    Silver nitrate goes under a chemical reaction when exposed to light, and Ritter
    found that the reaction was different depending on the type of color that was
    shined on it. When exposed to violet light, the paper would turn much darker
    than any of the other colors. Knowing that Herschel had found unseen light at
    the red end of the spectrum, Ritter decided to see if there was at the violet
    end. When he did this, the paper turned darker than when exposed to violet
    light, proving that there was light beyond violet. This invisible light was
    named ultraviolet. Ultra violet light is often given off by the sun. Most are
    reflected by the ozone layer, but some do get into our atmosphere. These rays
    damage unprotected skin and have been known to cause skin cancer.
    This is the light that gives you sunburn and this is the light that
    sunscreen protects us from.

    Just as with Light, Color is not as simple as it seems to
    be at first thought. To find out
    more about color, take a click over to the website listed below:

    Color Matters – how color affects us all




  • Facts About Zebras


    Inquisitive to know the facts about zebras? And why? Because you have just been stumped with the question, “With zebras, is it black over white or the other way around?” a perennial favorite with riddle lovers. Zebras may not possess the feline charm of a leopard or the cuddliness of a koala, the majesty of the horse or the adorable pranks of the monkey. But they are definitely one of the most striking-looking species in the animal kingdom. Yet so little is known about them!

    To elaborate on the fundamental facts about zebras. They are herd animals, most famous for their stunning black and white stripes. These are white on black stripes, typically vertically aligned on the head, neck, forequarters and the torso and horizontally on the rear and the legs. Zebras are usually one to two meters in height, two to three meters in width and weigh around 250-500 kilograms. These are the facts that you can also more or less discern about the animal from its pictures.

    As is clear from the resemblance in the pictures, the zebra belongs to the horse family, more specifically Equidae. It is a native of central and the southern parts of Africa. It has a maximum travel speed of 55-kilometers per hour, which is slower than the horse. But the zebra more than makes up for it with its stamina. Ever seen a zebra panting after a trot! They are great walkers too, and can cover up to 40-kilometers daily.

    The average life span of a zebra is around 28 years.

    The zebra populace is a diversified lot. There are presently four species and numerous sub-species. The most common species is the Plains Zebra and the largest species is the Grevy’s Zebra. Another zebra species is the Mountain Zebra.

    Facts about zebras can border quite on the dramatic too. For instance, did you know that every zebra has a unique pattern of stripes? And these stripes are actually present for a good reason too. They make it difficult for the predatory animal to distinguish one particular zebra from amidst a herd in motion. These stripes also make it difficult for the predators to ascertain the actual distance. Quite a designer defense mechanism indeed!

    Other reasons have been put forward as to this difference in stripes patterns. According to many zoologists these differences exist to facilitate social interaction between the zebras themselves. People have their own individual looks, long hair, stocky build, gangly arms and all. And zebras have stripes to know each other.

    Yet another group of zoologists feel that these bold stripes are a ploy to confuse and disorient the vision of the blood-sucking tsetse fly.

    The shiny coats on them serve another purpose too. The coat dispels about 70% of the incoming heat and scientists feel that this helps the animal keep away the solar radiation. So no chance of sunstroke for the zebra wandering in the vast treeless plains of Africa, one or two finches on its back. Bet you didn’t know all these facts about zebras? Did you?

    The zebras are resourceful animals, naturally endowed although. They have elongated jaws so that when they are grazing they can still keep an eye at the distance. Their eyes are perched on the side of their head so that they have a broader field of vision. There are many animals who prey on zebras, hence these defense mechanisms.

    Facts about zebras are much more than their vital statistics, habitat and dietary habits; the facts will help you appreciate these wonderful creations of Nature.

    Here’s What Happens When Zebra Stripes are Added to Horses

  • “Ology” and “Onomy” Terms in Science


    by Nancy Sutthoff

    Ology/onomy are Greek words which mean “the study of”.
    As a matter of fact, many of the words used in science tend to have both Greek and
    Latin “roots”. You may have already begun to study Greek and Latin root
    words as part of your regular Language Arts/English classes. However, for this particular article, I am going to work on
    the assumption that you have not. (and if you have, good for you!)

    What’s your favorite?

    If you’re fascinated by spiders, then you’re into ARACHNOLOGY.

    If you erupt with joy for volcanoes, then VOLCANOLOGY
    is your thing.

    If you’re completely wowed by planets and stars, then you
    love ASTRONOMY.

    If you are into fish, then you would really dig ICHTOLOGY

    Snakes, Turtles, Frogs your thing, then you are into HERPETOLOGY.

    Dig bugs? ENTOMOLOGY
    is your thing.


    Some Basic Ology

    The study of living things is called Biology.
    Bio, for the greek word for life/living, and Ology as you know now, for
    “the study of”.

    The study of the Earth and its physical characteristics is
    called Geology.Geo, meaning Earth
    and of course, ology for “the study of”

    The scientific study of people and cultures is called
    Anthropology. Can you figure out
    which part of the word is for people and cultures?

    Look at the words above under “favorites”
    can you break them down to the root words?
    If you can, well then not only have you learned some science in this
    article, you’ve had your first Greek lesson, too J

    Are you an ologist?

    Are you really
    curious about things around you?

    Do you ask a lot of
    questions?

    Do you like to
    explore mysteries?

    Do you collect stuff?

    If you can answer yes to the following questions, then you
    are an “ologist”. The American
    Museum of Natural History has set up a website specifically for YOU.

    Ology
    – The American Museum of Natural History presents an interactive primer of
    “ologies” including: meteorology, paleontology, astronomy, and
    genetics.

    So, go forth and OLOGIZE!


  • Animal Classification Chart

    Animal Classification of Invertebrates and Vertebrates



  • What is Light?


    by Nancy Sutthoff

    If you were to ask someone the above question they may well
    look at you as if you were either joking or just a bit nutty.
    They may even tell you they think you are. That
    is fine. They will not have
    read this article so therefore, they may think they know what light is, but they
    won’t have the whole story. You
    will.

    Light is not as simple as it seems to be.

    Since the beginning of time, humans have strived to
    discover and understand what light is exactly. In simple terms, light is energy.
    Therefore,
    scientists who study light are called Physicists. Physics
    is the study of energy and matter. The
    effects of energy on matter, and the effects of matter on energy.

    Sunlight/Solar Energy

    The light we receive in the form of daylight from the
    sun is officially called Solar Energy. Solar energy also provides food for the Earth.
    This is how: Light from
    the sun contains a vast amount of energy that, if tapped into, has a great deal
    of power to be obtained. From the very beginning plants have used the sun to
    create energy. Animals such as reptiles use it to maintain their body
    temperature. We humans have only recently begun to explore the potentials of one
    of the most valuable resources available to us; the sun.

    Plants use light to make their own food. Plants are also
    known as autotrophs, which means they are able to make their food from the light
    of the sun. They make their food through a process called photosynthesis.
    Through photosynthesis, plants are able to take the energy from the sun’s rays
    and turn it into a type of energy that they are able to use. All green plants
    use this method. Some bacteria are also known to use photosynthesis.

    Color

    Color is the thing we perhaps notice most about light in
    the world around us. But why we see colors the way we do all has to do with
    light. The reason something appears to be the color that does is that the object
    is absorbing all the other colors of light except the ones we see, which are
    reflected back to our eyes. If something absorbs all the colors, it appears
    black, if it reflects everything, it appears white. Color comes from what is
    called the visible spectrum of light. This spectrum goes from red to orange to
    yellow to green to blue to indigo to violet, all the major colors of the
    spectrum, and everything in between. An easy way to remember this order is to
    remember Roy G. Biv, much liked the colors of the rainbow. Scientists measure
    the wavelengths of light in this spectrum in nanometers or billionths of a
    meter. Red has the longest wavelength, and violet has the shortest. So, what
    color we see depends on the wavelength of the light we absorb into our eyes. The
    primary colors of light differ from the primary colors of solid objects such as paint (red, blue and yellow). The primary colors of light are blue, green, and red. From these colors, every other color
    can be made.

    Activities:

    • Draw a rainbow, or use a prism to create a miniature rainbow that you can observe.
    • Get three flashlights, and cover the ends with red, blue, and green cellophane. Shine different combinations of light on a piece of white paper and see what colors you get.
    • Find out if your town uses and/or has facilities to make solar energy usable for utilities (electricity, heat, water). If so, see if they offer tours of the premises so you can SEE how light is energy.