Innholdsfortegnelse for 180 i The Week Junior

The UK Prime Minister Theresa May faces a tough few weeks as she tries to persuade Members of Parliament (MPs) to support her new Brexit deal. Brexit is the name for the UK leaving the European Union (EU), which is an organisation of 28 countries who trade together and follow the same rules. When will Brexit happen? The UK is due to leave the EU on 31 October. It was supposed to leave on 29 March but MPs have not been able to agree on a Brexit deal. In November 2018, May made a deal with the EU that set out how the UK could leave. For the deal to become law,, the UK Parliament needs to vote for it by a majority (which means getting more votes for yes…

A Roman coin has been unearthed during road works on the A14 in Cambridgeshire. The coin is only the second one of its kind found in England. It shows emperor Ulpius Cornelius Laelianus, who reigned for two months in AD269 before he died. Dr Steve Sherlock, who is the lead archaeologist (someone who studies evidence of past human activity) on the project, said that “discoveries of this kind are incredibly rare”.…

At 2,350 metres above sea level, and set between two peaks, Machu Picchu is hard to reach. Dating back to the mid-15th century, the city was most likely a royal palace complex for a ruler of the Incas (people who lived in the region at the time). Getting to Machu Picchu can be tricky, but it could become a lot easier after the construction of a new international airport in Chinchero – a nearby town with lots of historic ruins. Similarly, a new cable car on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, in Tanzania, Africa, would give many more tourists direct access to the slopes of the famous mountain. Both plans have been welcomed by some people, but others say that too many visitors will damage these sites. So, is better…

The Wildlife Trusts is encouraging everyone to do something outside every day during June, to enjoy the many benefits of being outdoors. The Wildlife Trusts is an organisation made up of 46 local wildlife trusts with the shared mission of helping to protect wildlife. It looks after more than 2,300 nature reserves in the UK and its aim is to help people understand more about the natural world. The challenge, which begins on 1 June, is to complete 30 simple and exciting “random acts of wildness”, such as dancing in the rain, taking photos of nature, drawing a plant, or going to your favourite wild spot. This is the fifth year the challenge has been held, and last year more than 350,000 people signed up to take part. The organisers…

According to new research from NASA, the Moon is shrinking and this could be causing tremors on its surface, known as moonquakes. The Moon has been shrinking for several hundred million years as its interior cools down. This makes the surface shrivel, a bit like the way a grape shrinks to form a raisin. However, the Moon’s surface isn’t soft like a grape’s skin; it’s hard and brittle, and instead of wrinkling, it cracks. This throws up staircase-like cliffs called thrust faults, where one block of land is pushed up over another. These cliffs can be up to nine metres tall. Now, a link has been made between these thrust faults and moonquakes. NASA scientists took another look at data gathered from instruments measuring tremors on the Moon. The instruments,…

Storm ahead Dark clouds over northern Italy. Light fantastic A display on a lake in Shandong Province, China. Dizzying heights Aerobatics pilot Aaron Fitzgerald performs over New York, US. Bath time Speedy the sea turtle gets a spring clean at an aquarium in Germany. How many ox can an oxpecker pick? Oxpeckers remove insects from a buffalo in Masai Mara, Kenya. Rainbow ride A visitor enjoys an amusement park in China’s Hubei Province.…

To mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day on 6 June, the Imperial War Museum has planned a week of events, including a recreation of the D-Day landings. D-Day is the name given to the invasion of Normandy, France, in 1944 by the Western Allies (a group of countries including the UK and US) during the Second World War. The purpose was to free western Europe from the Nazis, who ruled Germany and had invaded several countries. D-Day was the largest military air, land and sea operation in history. At the time, UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill said it was “undoubtedly the most complicated and difficult operation that has ever taken place”. The name D-Day comes from a military term for the day on which an operation will take place. Officially…

You’ve probably been junk modelling since you were in preschool without even realising it. Remember scavenging through the recycling bin for cereal boxes and toilet rolls, then sticking them together to make a wonkyy robot? Junk modelling, though, isn’t just for little kids. With the right bits of discarded cardboard and plastic, you can construct really impressive creations that require practical skills and a vivid imagination. In the UK, we currently recycle around 45% of our household waste. That’s a lot of supplies for your next junk modelling project. Why buy materials from shops when you can use what’s recycled at home? To take your junk modelling to the next level, try building models with levers (a see-saw, for example), pulleys (perhaps a mini water well) or other moving parts.…

Ruby Tandoh, a baker and writer who appeared on The Great British Bake Off in 2013, has been turned into cheese. Helene Steiner, a designer and engineer, took bacteria from Tandoh’s skin and used it to turn fresh milk into Stilton cheese. Steiner had originally wanted to use bacteria from between Tandoh’s toes but ended up using germs from her face after Tandoh said she wanted “to be a nice cheese”. The wheel of cheese, which is not edible, is on display at the V&A Museum in London until 20 October. Could this brie a load of rubbish, or are we telling the truth?*…

On 18 May, The Netherlands won the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest. The competition has been held every year since 1956 and features singers from across Europe and beyond. During the final, which is broadcast live on TV around the world, singers from 26 participating countries each performed a song before two rounds of voting, one by professional juries and the other by members of the public. The song that receives the most votes is the winner. The winning country gets to host the show the following year, and this year it was held in Tel Aviv, Israel. The winning song, Arcade, sung by Duncan Laurence, received 492 points in total. Italy finished second with 465 points and Russia third with 369 points. The UK finished bottom, with just 16 points…

On 17 May, a ceremony was held at Westminster Abbey in London to mark 100 years of women in the Metropolitan Police Service, more commonly known as the Met. Formed in 1829, the Met is the police force for London’s 32 boroughs and is the biggest in the UK. It was on 17 May 1919 that women police officers, known then as the Women Patrols, wore their uniforms in public for the first time, at a ceremony to commemorate all the police officers who died during the First World War (1914–1918). Before this year’s ceremony, 12 female police officers gathered at Westminster Abbey to recreate the first photo of the Women Patrols, which was taken 100 years ago. They wore recreations of the uniform, which took six months to make.…

The Duke of Cambridge, Prince William, has said that people need to talk more openly about mental health. Mental health refers to how we think, feel and behave. Anxiety (when someone often feels uneasy or worried) and depression (when someone feels very sad or low for a long period of time) are both examples of mental-health issues. In the BBC documentary called A Royal Team Talk, shown on 19 May, William said people need “to relax a little bit and be able to talk about our emotions because we’re not robots”. He also opened up about his own feelings. In 1997, William’s mother, Princess Diana, died in a car crash. William revealed it was a very difficult time for him and described how he felt “pain like no other”. Now…

Sara Hussain, an 11-year-old pupil from Blackburn, Lancashire, has won a local public-speaking competition with a speech she wrote about the 2017 bomb attack at the Manchester Arena. The attack took place at an Ariana Grande concert and 22 people died. Hussain was inspired to write the speech after comforting a friend who had been at the arena on the night of the concert. In the speech, titled “If I Could Change the World”, Hussain said she wished she could invent a time machine, so she could go back in time and persuade the attacker not to hurt anyone. Hussain said: “People might think that because it is coming from an 11-year-old I can’t make a difference, but we can. Words are powerful.”…

As one of the largest lakes in the UK and Scotland’s second deepest lake, it’s no wonder that Loch Ness is believed by some to be the home of a mysterious creature. For fans of Nessie the monster, there is plenty to see. Try spotting her from a boat cruise on the loch or visit the town of Drumnadrochit, at the Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition and Nessieland. If monsters of the deep don’t appeal, the ruins of the historic Urquhart Castle are well worth exploring. Find out more at tinyurl.com/TWJ-loch-ness…

Experts are asking volunteers to support a nationwide survey of rare beetles. For two weeks in June, noble chafer beetles will be caught and released to help monitor populations. ● LIFESPAN IN THE WILD: Four to six weeks, once they have emerged from their larvae. ● HABITAT: Woodland and orchards with old, decaying wood. The beetles particularly love cherry, plum and apple trees that are between 50 and 80 years old. ● DIET: Adults feed upon pollen and nectar from flowers. ● FUN FACT: The beetles’ eggs hatch into larvae that live for two to three years before becoming adult beetles. NO PLACE LIKE HOME It is thought that some noble chafer beetles never leave the tree on which they were born.…

With a top speed of 249mph, Japan’s shinkansen ALFA-X will become the fastest bullet train in the world when it is put into service in 2030. Tests began on 10 May, during which the train will speed down a track twice a week for the next three years. Japan’s bullet train system is more than 50 years old and is one of the safest ways to travel, despite the high speeds. These electric trains have long, aerodynamic noses that reduce the resistance from air whizzing past. ALFA-X will test several different noses – including one that is 22 metres long – to find out which is the best. Engineers also need to make the train quieter, particularly when it goes through tunnels, to avoid disturbing people who live close to…

The US Navy has created a device that could recharge underwater robots using fish poo, as well as other organic material on the sea bed. Underwater robots are useful for showing us what lies beneath the waves, but their short battery life can make them impractical. However, the US Navy believes it has found a way to solve this problem and send underwater robots on longer missions. The solution is microbial fuel cells (MFCs). These channel the natural energy produced by bacteria feeding on organic gunk, such as fish poo, on the seabed. As bacteria breaks down the muck, they generate an electric current. An electrode (a metal rod that carries electricity) in the seabed can then transfer this energy to the MFC. Meriah Arias-Thode, a scientist who works with…

On 18 and 19 May, as part of British Cycling’s Let’s Ride pop-up programme, hundreds of young cyclists took part in traffic-free events in towns, cities and parks across the country. At many of these events you could hire bikes for free and pick up tips from cycling instructors. As the rides were held on short routes, people could cycle for a short time or for as long as they liked. Summer is a good time to get on a bike and get involved with British Cycling’s activities. There will be more of these rides staged throughout the next few months, and young people of all ages can sign up and come along, accompanied by an adult. British Cycling is also organising 14 exciting cycling festivals in UK cities. At…

Crack codes at Bletchley Park Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire is where experts cracked secret Nazi codes to find out Germany’s plans. With Deception Plans you become a codebreaker who must decrypt (decode) messages to see whether the D-Day landings can go ahead. Climb aboard HMS Belfast Now moored near Tower Bridge in London, HMS Belfast is one of three surviving ships that supported the Normandy landings. On 8–9 June, you can climb aboard to see what it would have been like to be a sailor during the invasion. Travel back to the 1940s Portsmouth, in Hampshire, is where much of the D-Day landing force started their journey to Normandy in 1944. The city will be hosting a series of events, including a weekend-long festival, to mark its contribution to the…

Anew app is helping young hospital patients to understand more about their treatment, using games, augmented-reality (AR) technology and a chatbot that answers their questions. The Xploro app was designed by a British man named Dom Raban, after his daughter Issy was diagnosed with a form of cancer called Ewing’s sarcoma when she was 13. Raban saw how stressful Issy found it being treated without knowing what was happening and what to expect. His Xploro app is being tested with young people in the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, with researchers from Edge Hill University, in Lancashire, studying its effects. Its features include a virtual character who can chat to young people, answering their questions and telling jokes to cheer them up. The app also uses augmented reality to show how…

About 46 million Australian $50 banknotes have been printed with a spelling mistake. The new note was launched in October last year, but people have only just spotted that the word responsibility has been spelled incorrectly in a tiny piece of text. Edith Cowan, Australia’s first female member of parliament, is featured on the note and the error is a misspelt word from one of her speeches. The Reserve Bank of Australia has said that the mistake will be corrected in the next notes that it prints.…

On 19 May, Buddhists around the world celebrated the festival of Vesak. It is one of the most important festivals in the religion’s calendar because it honours the life of Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. The event is held on the day of the full Moon during the ancient lunar month of Vesakha (usually some time in April, May or early June.) Buddhists follow the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, a prince who lived between the 6th and 4th centuries BC. Gautama gave up his royal life to travel around as a homeless man. Through study and meditation (training the mind to focus on the present moment) he achieved a spiritual awareness known as enlightenment, and a greater understanding of what’s important in life. He was given the title Buddha, which…

Fjadrargljufur, Iceland Waterfall in Bieber video closes Tourists are banned from visiting a waterfall in Iceland that became famous after it appeared in a Justin Bieber video. Authorities are protecting Fjadrargljufur Canyon because too many tourists were arriving, which was damaging the environment. The canyon was used in Bieber’s video for his song I’ll Show You, which has been watched more than 444 million times on one online video-streaming site. Arizona, US Fans say goodbye to Grumpy Cat Fans have paid tribute to the cat Tardar Sauce, more famously known as Grumpy Cat, after she died at the age of seven. The famous feline became a worldwide sensation for her miserable stare, inspiring clothes, films, gifs and even a perfume. The news was released via the cat’s Instagram, which explained…

In February, David Mackay became the first person from Scotland to go into space, during a test flight for Virgin Galactic. The company, founded by Sir Richard Branson, plans to offer space flights to the public, and Mackay is Virgin Galactic’s chief pilot. Mackay had wanted to be an astronaut since he was a child, but kept his ambition private because he “thought people might laugh at me”. At the age of 61, Mackay achieved his dream after years of working as a pilot. In an interview with the i newspaper, Mackay says that he visits schools to tell pupils his story. His advice to them is:“You should never give up on your dreams, but you should also do everything you can to prepare yourself for that opportunity.”…

Scientists have discovered that a flightless bird living on a group of tiny coral islands in the Indian Ocean is the same species as one that was previously wiped out by a flood 136,000 years ago. The Aldabra rail – named after the islands where it lives – is related to the white-throated rail, which lives around 300 miles away on Madagascar, a large island off the coast of south-eastern Africa. These white-throated rails first arrived on Aldabra hundreds of thousands of years ago. With no predators, the rails lost the need to fly, and evolved into the Aldabra rail. Yet, according to researchers from the University of Portsmouth and London’s Natural History Museum, they were later wiped out by a devastating flood. Around 36,000 years ago, the story repeated…

SAVING THE LAND OF THE JAGUAR Tropical rainforests are one of the most remarkable habitats on the planet. Covering just 6% of Earth’s surface, they are home half the world’s plant and animal species. Grab a copy of the latest issue of Science+Nature to find out why rainforests are so important to us and what you can do to help save them. Plus, you’ll be amazed to discover the secret science of magic, a death-defying bike stunt, how to extract DNA and much more... VISIT sciencenature.theweekjunior.co.uk THE WEEK JUNIORSUBSCRIBERS GET AN EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT. CALL 0330 333 9494 TO CLAIM.…

The Doctor has made her debut appearance in a virtual-reality (VR) episode of the popular TV series. The Runaway, released on 16 May, lets viewers take control of the Tardis and use the sonic screwdriver. To watch – and play along with – the episode, viewers need an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive VR headset. Those without suitable VR kit can also experience it at 40 libraries across the UK. By wearing a headset, users will be placed in a story that unfolds around them over the course of 13 minutes. The story begins after an accident in space, and the Doctor quickly calls on the player to help her pilot the ship as she attempts to get a cute alien home. Playing as an assistant to the Doctor, the…

Tetris might be the most famous “falling blocks” puzzle, but the Puyo Puyo games have been going since 1991, swapping blocks for colourful cartoon faces (the puyos of the title). In 1993, Sega released a Puyo Puyo game but changed all the characters to baddies from the Sonic games. Nintendo also brought out a version at that time using characters from the Kirby series. The latest game in the series is Puyo Puyo Champions, and one of the draws of the game is that it encourages players to compete against their friends and family. The puyos drop from the top of the screen in groups of two, three or four at a time. Your job is to rotate and move them into place, to make matches of four or more…

If you want to climb the Statue of Liberty, you’ll need to travel to New York, US, but if you only want to see it, how about bringing it to your own road or garden? Well, now there’s an app for that. It uses augmented-reality (AR) technology to bring the famous statue to wherever you are. The app has been released by the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation (SOLEIF), which looks after the statue and its museum. The app tells the monument’s story, from its creation in France in the 19th century to when it was given to the US. Using AR, you can look at a virtual model of the monument, and a life-size model of its foot, to see how big it is in the real world. There’s…

Name: Freddie “As part of British Science Week, I was invited to the UK Scouting headquarters to take part in completing the Scouts Science Badge. We were given a tour of the grounds, then we went into the experiment room to start learning some new science skills. The session was being led by the astronaut Tim Peake! We did experiments like burning steel wool and blowing up a balloon with yeast. My favourite part of the whole day was asking Tim about space. I didn’t think learning science and technology (from a real astronaut) were the kind of things that I’d do in Scouts! But I’ve had lots of memorable experiences. I know these experiences will aid me in whatever path I choose to take, and will stay with me…

A castle complete with a moat and drawbridge is being sold for £200,000 in New Zealand, which is below the average price for a property in the country. Castle Glatisaunt was built in the 1970s in the style of a historic building, and features small towers, battlements and a secret room hidden behind a cupboard. The rooms are decorated with suits of armour and weapons such as swords, which are all included in the price. WOW! The world’s biggest castle is Prague Castle in the Czech Republic. It has an area of 70,000 square metres.…