Innholdsfortegnelse for 277 i The Week Junior

A HEROIC HOUND A cockapoo has saved her diabetic owner’s life when he was struggling to breathe. Biscuit, who lives in Lanarkshire, Scotland, began barking at 3am, sensing something was wrong. The noise alerted Brandon’s sister, Veramarie, who quickly called for help. A SPECIAL WEDDING Joe Short is used to photographing famous people’s weddings, such as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s big day. During lockdown, Short photographed his daughter’s Sylvanian Family toys getting married instead. Short and nine-year-old-Juno staged the event and have shared photos of the newlyweds online. STEVEN THE LAMB At six days old, Steven the lamb in West Yorkshire, England, caught an infection and his back legs stopped working. His owner, farmer Janet-Alison Arkwright, came up with a plan. She decided to adapt a dog wheelchair to…

When Mwaksy Mudenda became a Blue Peter presenter in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, she began the job filming from her bedroom. “I didn’t feel as much pressure,” she tells The Week Junior, “Because it wasn’t all ‘Camera one! Camera two! Camera four!’” Mudenda still had to do the entry challenge, though – it’s a Blue Peter tradition. She had to try to break five world records in a week, including throwing teabags into a mug and putting on 10 vests blindfolded. “I’m a high achiever,” she says, “so I tried hard.” Her first job after university was working for BBC Sport and she started a series about getting fit through dancing. The bosses at the BBC decided she would be even better working on shows for young people,…

Manta rays may communicate with each other by moving the fins beside their mouths, according to a new study. An international team of researchers watched hundreds of hours of video footage of the giant flat-bodied fish. They realised there were patterns that showed social interaction between manta rays, as well as with other fish. Mantas are the largest species of ray in the world, with a wingspan that can reach almost nine metres across. These giant fish are social creatures and seem to have friends. Until now, however, scientists have had little idea of how they actually communicate with each other. The researchers filmed behaviour at large manta gatherings in the waters off Raja Ampat, a chain of islands in Indonesia, Southeast Asia. Here, rays meet up at “cleaning stations”,…

Hanami, which means “flower viewing” in Japanese, is the country’s tradition of enjoying the beauty of cherry blossom. Every year, from the end of March to the start of May, families and friends gather to see cherry blossom (called sakura) bloom all over Japan. The history of Hanami The history of Hanami dates back to around AD710. Back then, it was plum blossom that people admired rather than cherry blossom. Emperor Saga, who ruled from 809 to 823, was the first to hold a viewing party for cherry blossom after he saw a tree he liked in Kyoto. In the 16th century, a leader called Hideyoshi Toyotomi brought Hanami to the masses by planting hundreds of cherry trees across the country. Once the cherry trees are in bloom it’s a…

Since the first exoplanets were found in the 1990s, scientists have had fun finding nicknames for these far-off worlds. Kepler-16b, a planet that orbits a pair of stars 200 light years from Earth, is known as Tatooine, after Luke Skywalker’s home in Star Wars. NGTS-4b, a Neptune-sized world where humans would vaporise in seconds, has been nicknamed the Forbidden Planet, after a famous 1950s sci-fi film. Planets eventually get official names from the International Astronomical Union, which makes sure that no two worlds have the same name – and that they don’t get too silly.…

Popping in A mute swan feeding underwater. Taken by Ian Wade in the UK. High-speed pursuit Fish scatter as a striped marlin goes hunting in Mexico. Taken by Karim Iliya. Lighting the way This bearded goby hides in coral. Taken by ManBd in Malaysia. On the move A grey seal swims off the Farne Islands in the UK. Taken by Kirsty Andrews. Shipwreck Exploring a sunken boat in the Bahamas. Taken by Tobias Friedrich. Close-up A portrait of an angelfish. Taken by Michael Gallagher in Bonaire. UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2021…

This Easter, Kew Gardens in London and Wakehurst in Sussex, England, are celebrating 70 years of the Beano comic character Dennis. In Dennis and Gnasher’s Big Bonanza, visitors to Kew can follow an interactive trail to help Dennis and friends save their favourite fruit from extinction. The adventure includes a giant 3D comic strip, which is the largest comic Beano has ever created. The story behind the trail involves Dennis and Minnie the Minx. They have realised that the evil Dr Gloom has committed a crime that puts the future of the banana in danger. They, and you, embark on a mission to save the banana and rescue the superhero Bananaman, who has been shrunk down by the villain. You’ll be helped by some new characters based on Kew staff,…

Living the Confidence Code by Katty Kay, Claire Shipman and Jillellyn Riley (HarperCollins) From Bali to Brazil, Australia to Afghanistan, this book brings together 30 true stories of girls who have achieved great things, whether by protesting about polluted water or championing inclusive books for everyone. This is an empowering read. Silence Is Not an Option by Stuart Lawrence (Scholastic) In this book, British author Stuart Lawrence shares what he’s learned from his life, including the tools and strategies that have helped him, even in the toughest times. With a message of “Stand up, speak out, be the difference”, he encourages readers to create positive changes in the world, whether big or small. How to Change Everything by Naomi Klein with Rebecca Stefoff (Penguin Books) This new book from journalist…

Do you have a favourite tree that you love to climb? Apart from being a great source of adventure, trees play a vital role in our environment. For a start, they filter the air, making it cleaner for us to breathe. The older a tree is, the more vital it is to all the living things that live in and on it. Why not find out more by taking a closer look at ancient trees near you? For the past 15 years, a charity called the Woodland Trust has been recording the oldest trees in the country, which are known as ancient trees. It has created a database with information about where these trees can be found, how old they are and what they look like. Since the database was…

Bowled over at auction A bowl that was bought for £25 at a jumble sale has been sold for more than £500,000 at auction. The seller, who wants to keep their identity a secret, bought the bowl outside someone’s house in Connecticut, in the US, last year. Afterwards, they sent pictures of the bowl to experts to find out if it was a valuable antique. It was identified as a rare Chinese lotus bowl that was made around 600 years ago. Historians think only seven of the bowls still exist. Massive manta ray photobombs surfer A photographer has captured an astonishing image of a manta ray jumping out of the sea behind a surfer in Florida, US. Rusty Escandell was taking photos of surfers when he noticed a splash behind…

Follow The Week Junior on PopJam@TheWeekJunior. You can download the PopJam app from the App Store or Google Play. Last week’s Big Debate was “Is digital art the future?”. You said… “Yes, I think that people will use digital art more in the future.” “I can see both sides because I love digital art but not everyone can afford it.” “Traditional paintings will probably still be sold a lot in auctions, but there will be more digital art online.” “No, I think normal art should always be first before digital.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here.…

A silver object showing a knight emerging from a snail shell that rests on top of a goat could be a medieval joke, according to the British Museum. The piece was found in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, last year but was only announced by the museum on 22 March. It was made between 1200 and 1350. The British Museum’s Beverley Nenk said that snails were a symbol of cowardice at that time and it was probably making fun of an enemy or a knight.…

Lauren and Reece James are the first sister and brother to represent England at football. “We are our own people. We are chilled, we have fun and we just love football,” said Lauren, who plays for Manchester United Women. Her brother Reece plays in the Premier League for Chelsea. Both of them are becoming stars on the pitch. However, when the James family gets together they try to forget about their careers for a while. Lauren told The Daily Telegraph newspaper, “It’s actually nice to talk about what’s on the TV or PlayStation or what shoes are coming out, because it helps you to switch off.”…

Some animals communicate in surprising ways. White rhinos send messages via their poo. The rhinos poo in a communal dung heap called a midden. Different rhinos leave dung with different chemicals in it. Then other rhinos sniff their smelly offering and can learn information about the rhino that left it. For example, they can work out another rhino’s age, health and if they are ready to mate. Other animals, including gazelles, monkeys and rabbits use this stinky system too.…

Japan isn’t the only place to enjoy Hanami. In 1912, Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo gave 3,000 cherry trees to the city of Washington D.C. in the US. Now, every year, the National Cherry Blossom Festival takes place when the flowers bloom in the spring. Brogdale Farm in Kent, England, also holds an annual Hanami festival. The Sakura Cherry Tree Project is planting 5,000 cherry trees in schools, parks and public places across the UK. To experience Hanami from home, you can watch some 360-degree videos of the cherry blossoms at tinyurl.com/TWJ-hanami…

Researchers have found a guide used by people in ancient Egypt to make mummies. A mummy is the body of a person or animal that has been preserved after death. Mummification played an important role in the society and religion of ancient Egypt. The 3,500-year-old was in a hand-written document called the Papyrus Louvre-Carlsberg. This six-metre scroll was made from a paper-like plant material called papyrus. It is now divided into two halves. One half is held at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, and contains medical information for the living. The other half is at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, where Egypt expert Sofie Schiødt made the first translation of the writing. She found that the scroll contained recipes for the treatment of the dead. Mummification was a…

With races in places like the Arctic and the Amazon rainforest, Extreme E is a distinctive new motorsport. Using electric off-road vehicles instead of petrol cars, it’s an exciting sport that raises awareness of environmental issues. At each race location, Extreme E scientists will be educating people about the environment and climate change. Climate change is the long-term changes in the world’s weather patterns, mostly caused by harmful gases released by burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas. The first Extreme E race takes place on 3 and 4 April in the desert around Al-Ula in Saudi Arabia. There are four other races in May, August, October and December in ocean, polar, rainforest and mountain glacier locations. Britain’s Jamie Chadwick is driving for the Veloce Racing team. “I’m…

Have you ever travelled somewhere without noticing the route you took or the people and landmarks you passed? Maybe you’ve gobbled down your breakfast without noticing what it tastes like. A lot of us run around on autopilot, which means we do things without being aware that we’re doing them, lost in our thoughts instead. What is mindfulness? Mindfulness is about training the mind to be in the present moment – to be more aware of what is happening now, rather than what has already happened or what might happen next. It is about observing our thoughts, feelings and surroundings. Mindfulness can be traced back to the religion of Buddhism but it’s now practised by people of all religions, as well as people who don’t follow any religion. Why is…

Billy Whizz First appearing in the Beano on 16 May 1964, Billy Whizz is the fastest boy in the world. His shoes are made from racing car tyres and he moves so fast that he can travel back in time. Roger the Dodger Roger the Dodger, who made his debut in 1953, wears a red-and-black chequered shirt similar to Dennis’s red and black striped jumper. Roger is a prankster who uses his powers of evasion to dodge trouble – and anything he doesn’t want to do. He has a library of 850 old dodge books in his attic and has his own DodgeWiki on his Dodge Pad. The Bash Street Kids Every teacher’s worst nightmare, the Bash Street Kids are a group of nine school pupils. They first…

The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne by Jonathan Stroud (Walker Books UK) In a future England, Scarlett lives in a dangerous world of gunfights, man-eating beasts and shadowy government agents. One day she comes across an accident on a lonely road and rescues the lone survivor, after which things get even more perilous. Now, Scarlett and her new companion, Albert Browne, are on the run. What are the secrets that Albert is hiding? There’s a mysterious enemy on their heels and Scarlett will need to use all her wits if she is to get them to safety. A unique blend of Wild West-inspired action and fantasy, this is a brilliant new tale from the author of Lockwood & Co. It’s bold, funny and original, and older, more adventurous readers…

How can I tell if a tree that I spot is actually ancient? There is no set age that makes a tree ancient. Fast-growing birch trees are considered ancient when they reach 150 years old but it’s 800 years for a yew tree. Older trees tend to have a wide – and often hollow – trunk, combined with a smaller canopy. This helps it to cope with high winds. How do I record a tree? You can use the online form at ati.woodlandtrust.org.uk to add a tree you have found. Try to describe as much as you can about the tree, its distinguishing features and where it is growing. The Ancient Tree Inventory can also help you find really old trees in your area.…

Editor’s note The clocks went forward on Sunday 28 March, which meant that we lost an hour of sleep but gained an hour of daylight in the evenings. Pushing the clocks forward officially marks the beginning of British Summer Time (BST). We will remain under BST until Sunday 31 October, when the clocks go back an hour and we return to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). It might have meant you felt a little sleepier than usual on Sunday – I know I did! Not everyone is a fan of changing the clocks forward and back, and if you rely on an analogue clock rather than a device like a smartphone, you have to change the time by hand, which can be quite a long job. Staff at the Queen’s official…

4 April 1928 US writer Maya Angelou is born Maya Angelou was a poet, writer and activist who was born in 1928 in Missouri, US. She fought to change racist laws (laws that treat people unfairly because of the colour of their skin) and worked with civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. She published her first book in 1969 and wrote many books and plays. In 2010, President Barack Obama gave Angelou the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Four years later, Angelou died aged 86. Obama said she was “one of the brightest lights of our time”.…

Now that you’ve read a bit more about it, tell us what you think by voting in our poll at theweekjunior.co.uk/polls. Vote YES if you think life was better in the past, or NO if you don’t. We’ll publish the results next week. The aim of the Big debate page is to present two sides of an issue fairly and objectively, in order to stimulate discussion and allow our readers to make up their minds. The views on the page do not reflect those of The Week Junior, and the page is not funded by third parties. The page is created in association with the English-Speaking Union, an educational charity helping young people discover their voice and realise their full potential. For more information, please see esu.org…

From 19 to 30 April, students are being encouraged to use their own power to get to school. This might include walking, cycling, scooting or using a wheelchair. On each day of the challenge, schools can compete to see who can record the greatest number of pupils, staff and parents travelling by active means, rather than using cars and buses. The idea is to reduce emissions of harmful gases from vehicles, which contribute to air pollution. The event is run by Sustrans, a charity that looks after the National Cycle Network. If you can take part, make sure you plan a safe route, wear whatever protective equipment you think you will need, and make the journey with a friend or adult if you can. If you are unable to travel…

Two teenagers from the US have discovered a new solar system of four exoplanets orbiting a distant star. Exoplanets are planets outside our own solar system. In this case, the new worlds orbit a star called HD 108236. Similar in size and brightness to the Sun, this star lies about 200 light years from Earth (a light year is the distance that light travels in one Earth year – roughly 5.9 trillion miles). High-school students Jasmine Wright, who is 18, and Kartik Pinglé, 16, made the discovery while taking part in a programme run by the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, in the US. The project involved looking at information from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). TESS is a space telescope that measures tiny dips in the brightness of…

Each of the 10 Extreme E teams have a female and a male driver. All qualifying, semifinal and final races have two laps. Each driver completes one lap behind the wheel, with the other in the passenger seat, and then they swap. To limit the environmental impact, no fans can attend and a team may only have eight people – two drivers, one engineer and five mechanics. The cars and equipment are taken to each race on the Extreme E ship, called St Helena. Travelling by ship is more environmentally friendly than flying.…

Michael Bready, who set up the charity Youth Mindfulness, has taught mindfulness to thousands of young people. Here are some of his top tips: • Be curious – if we’re curious and really pay attention, we can enjoy what the world has to offer. • Be kind to yourself – mindfulness takes practice. Sometimes it can feel relaxing but other times it can be difficult and boring. • When you’re going to bed at night, pay attention to something that helps you feel calm – it could be your breath or other sounds. • You can add some happiness by being mindful when you enjoy something. If you’re eating a sweet, close your eyes and really taste it!…

What did you want to be when you were little? When I was very tiny I wanted to be a butcher. Then I wanted to be a Meals on Wheels delivery man who took hot food to people’s houses but when I was five I made a little book out of scraps of wallpaper – and after that I wanted to be an author. It was a good dream. I stuck with it. What scares you? I don’t believe in ghosts but – if it’s a stormy night and some old tree branch is scratching against the window – I do get a bit nervous of them. Mostly I’m happy to put scary things into my books and let my heroes sort them out. Scarlett and Browne do a much…

This little rat (or mouse!) is perfect for keeping your place in your favourite book or magazine, and you can make it any length or colour you like. These bookmarks make great presents for people who love to read – you could make a few and give them to your friends. What you need • Pen • Grey, pink and white felt • Scissors • PVA glue or double-sided tape • 1 ball of cotton wool 1 Draw the body and legs onto grey felt. The body needs to be as long as your books. Cut out the shape. 2 Next, draw out four feet and a long tail on the pink felt and cut them out too. 3 Use double-sided tape or PVA glue to stick the feet to…

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