Boom!
No Girls Allowed! Issue 2
November 2012
ON THE EDGE
OF SPACE SPACE JUMP BREAKS THE SOUND BARRIER
Inside this month!
What is this creature? Find out inside!
How to build your own Viking Ship! Get your ‘Dangerous Badge’ collector poster inside
Entertainment News Toy Story returns with Halloween TV special Toy Story is back. But not as we know it. Disney Pixar are working on a spooky Halloween special that will hit our TV screens next year. In Toy Story Of Terror, Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the gang head off on a road trip.When they stop off at a roadside motel one of the toys disappears and the others find themselves caught up in a mystery that must be solved. Toy Story of Terror will be the first time the computer animated toy stars have appeared in a TV show. One Direction have been nominated for three American Music Awards. The boy band are up for the New Artist of the Year, Favourite Band and Favourite Album categories. Rihanna and Nicky Minaj picked up the most nominations with four each.
And Finally...
Boy sends robot to school in his place TA seven-year-old boy who is too ill to go to school has sent a robot to class in his place. Devon Carrow, from New York in America, uses the ÂŁ3,000 'robo-swot' to answer his teachers' questions and take part in group discussions, all from the comfort of his home. The high-tech gadget uses HD cameras to show Devon his classroom and he can signal when he wants to give an answer with a flashing light. Devon has lots of allergies, which mean it is dangerous for him to be around other children. His Mum says that the equipment helps him feel included and realise that he still has to go to school the same as anyone else.
Could robots have human emotions? Robots that can think for themselves and have human emotions could soon be a reality, according to scientists. Experts at the University of Reading have been showing off robots that can cry, laugh and get angry at a special showcase just for children. They've been demonstrating different ways of teaching robots human emotions. One way scientists can programme robots to have feelings is by using a rat's brain to programme how they think.
New planet discovered five thousand light years from Earth. This is PH1, a brand new planet five thousand light years away from Earth. It's been discovered by two amateur astronomers who are part of a group called planet hunters. They watch the brightness of stars and can see when they become dimmer which suggests planets are moving in front of them. The planet is six times bigger than earth and really rare because it's lit by four different suns.Their discovery of PH1 was confirmed by professional astronomers using a massive telescope on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. Dr Chris Lintott from Oxford University said: "It's fascinating to try and imagine what it would be like to visit a planet with four suns in its sky, but this new world is confusing astronomers - it's not at all clear how it formed in such a busy environment."
Scottish independence deal signed Take a look at this giant eyeball that was found on a Florida beach. It was discovered by a man having a walk and is the same size as a grapefruit. Scientists are baffled by the eye and have sent it to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute to be examined.
Prime Minister David Cameron and First Minister Alex Salmond have signed an agreement about the 2014 Scottish independence referendum. A referendum is a vote where people are asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. Scottish people will be asked a single Yes/No question on whether Scotland should leave the United Kingdom. The deal sets out key details of the vote, which will take place in autumn 2014.
STANDING ON TOP OF THE WORLD Felix Baumgartner travelled faster than the speed of sound when he jumped from the edge of space back down to earth. He was going more than 800 miles an hour after he leapt from 24 miles about the ground. He had a few problems on the way down when he span out of control and the visor on his helmet fogged up. But he managed to get back in control and landed safely in the desert in New Mexico, America. He travelled up to the edge of the atmosphere wearing in a special suit and carried by a giant balloon. He then jumped out of the capsule and it took him about nine minutes to fall back to the ground. He couldn't see his equipment because his mask had steamed up so had to guess when to pull the cord to release his parachute. It went off a bit early but meant he was safe and drifted back to earth and landed on his feet. It was a really risky jump and people have died trying to do it before. Afterwards he said he wouldn't do it again. "It's way more difficult than anything I've done so far and I think I am done."
Felix Baumgartner after the jump.
Felix Baumgartner prepares to jump.
OH NO!
DINO VAMPIRE! A new kind of dinosaur has been identified that is part parrot, part vampire bat and part porcupine. BOOM! finds out more and takes a look at some other killers from the past! Scientists say the scary looking beast is called Pegomastax africanus, which means "thick jaw from Africa". The dinosaur had a parrot-like beak, porcupine-like spikes and sharp fangs, which is unusual because they also think it was a vegetarian! Experts from the University of Chicago say Pegomastax africanus was identified from fossils found in South Africa. It was about the size of a pet cat and lived 100-200 million years ago. Professor Paul Sereno, from the University of Chicago, actually first discovered the creature way back in 1983 but he got distracted by other work and didn't get round to writing about it until now!
P U E N I L Y L D A E THE D
Predator X is an informal name for a
Terror birds were the top
marine predator which is claimed to be “the most fearsome animal ever to swim in the oceans.” It was 15 meters long, 45000 kilograms in weight, with teeth 30 centimeters long. It’s teeth were powerful even compared with those of Tyrannosaurus Rex, making its bite 10 times more powerful than any animal of today and four times powerful than Tyrannosaurus rex. There’s one more fact that makes this creature even scarier: it used only two of its four flippers to swim; the other two it only used when catching prey.
predators in South America and parts of North America during the Miocene, Pliocene and Early Pleistocene periods. They were unable to fly, but could run very fa s t ( a s fa s t a s a ch e e t a h , according to some scientists!) and were very large; the largest species could grow up to three meters tall and weigh up to half a ton. Their main weapon was their head, which could be up to one meter long, allowing them to swallow prey as large as a dog in one single gulp! However, thanks to the hooked tip of the bill, similar to that of eagles and hawks, the terrors birds could kill and devour prey much larger than a dog, including horses, camels, etc.
THE USUAL SUSPECTS
These fearsome predators are the movie stars of Prehistoric times (and some are actual movie stars!). We all know of them, but that doesn’t change how deadly they were while they roamed the Earth
Madtsoia was a giant snake, about 15-20 meters long. It was similar to modern day pythons, in that it’s not venomous but rather squeezed it’s prey until it died. Their victims were mostly dinosaurs. This predator managed to avoid extinction for very long time, until it finally disappeared 45 million years ago.
S REX
AURU TYRANNOS One of the largest meat-eating dinosaurs that ever lived.
OR
VELOCIRAPT
Velociraptor was fast, smart and had great eyesight. He was also a ferocious killer, using his teeth and claws to rip apart his victims and eat his fill.
YL PTERODACT Pterodactyls were flying reptiles. They lived about 145 to 65.5 million years ago.
Collect your ‘Dangerous’ badges This week your ‘Dangerous Badge’ is the ‘Astronomy and the Solar System’ badge. Try the activities on this page to earn your badge. Collect the whole set if you can. To get your badge simply print this page and cut out the badge below. You can add you badges to the special ‘Dangerous Badge’ collector poster in this issue.
Constellations have been an important part of human society and folklore since we humans lived in caves, and, probably, even before then. The fascinating figures that we see in the night sky are so large and so beautiful that we have felt a very strong urge to attach importance to them. People have done this throughout the ages by creating very interesting stories and legends in an attempt to explain where these large "pictures" in the sky came from. These stories, also known as mythology, behind the constellations can be as interesting as studying the constellations themselves. There are currently eighty-eight figures in the sky that have been generally recognized as being "official" constellations by whoever it is that designates such things. Why not wait for a clear night sky and see which of these constellations you can spot! If you find one (or even just try) you can add your new ‘Dangerous Badge’ to your poster! The Story of Andromeda Long ago, in the land of Ethiopia, there reigned a King Cepheus, and his Queen Cassiopeia. They had a daughter, the Princess Andromeda, who was exceedingly beautiful. So beautiful, in fact, that her mother, the Queen, couldn't help but be proud, as any mother would, and even occasionally boast a little about it. On one occasion, she went so far as to proclaim that her daughter was even more beautiful than the nymphs of the sea. But the Queen had forgotten how jealous and spiteful nymphs were. When they heard of the Queen's proclamation, they immediately went to their master, Neptune, lord of the sea, crying out for retribution. The great god Neptune, although second in power and authority only to Jupiter himself, could never say no to his nymphs.
The Big Dipper and Ursa Major Since the Big Dipper is part of the constellation Ursa Major (The Great Bear), it is technically not a constellation. It's what is called an asterism, which is the name given to interesting star patterns that are easily recognizable, but not one of the "official" constellations. Be that as it may, the Big Dipper is probably one of the first objects in the sky that we learn to find and identify. It's
Ursa Major
distinctive position at the top of the summer night sky and the graceful curve of its handle make it easy for almost anyone to find.
Can you find the Big Dipper in the night sky?
The Big Dipper
Andromeda One of the most impressive sights in the winter sky, Andromeda appears high overhead during November and December. In addition to being easy to find, this constellation also has the large Andromeda galaxy as a close neighbor. Andromeda is one of the true highlights of the winter evening sky here in the Northern Hemisphere. On any clear November or December evening, you can easily
Andromeda
find this very large constellation by looking high in the northern part of the sky. According to mythology, Andromeda was the daughter of Cepheus and Casseopeia and was one of the most beautiful of all the goddesses. The striking appearance of this beautiful constellation Can you find the Big Dipper in the night sky? seems to confirm this ancient legend.
Their powers of persuasion over men, be they gods or mortals, were impossible to resist. So Neptune sent the sea monster Cetus to wreak vengeance upon the boastful Queen and the lands she governed. Cetus ravaged the shores of Ethiopia, spreading death and destruction along the entire coastline of the kingdom. A desperate King Cepheus consulted an oracle, and was told the only way to stop the monster's rampage was to deliver up his precious daughter, Andromeda, for Cetus to devour. So, Cepheus and Cassiopeia, in order to save their kingdom, were forced to make the ultimate sacrifice, and give up their daughter to the horrors of the beast. Andromeda was chained to the rocks by the sea, and left for Cetus. Before long the monster was seen in the distance, looming larger and larger, heading straight
for the innocent young girl helpless on the rocks. The monster slowly approached the young Andromeda, crying and squirming frantically against her bonds. He opened his massive maw, lined with dagger-like teeth, and descended upon her, when suddenly a figure came diving out of the sky, swooping in between the monster and its prey. It was the hero Perseus! Mounted on the great winged horse, Pegasus, he was returning from a battle with the evil Medusa, when he heard Andromeda's cries. He pulled Medusa's severed head out of his satchel, a head so hideous that all who looked upon it were
instantly turned to stone. When the sea monster saw the head, covered with writhing snakes, it too turned to stone, and was no more.
When Perseus turned around and saw the beautiful Andromeda, he immediately fell in love with her, and carried her off to be his bride.
The
DANGEROUS
adge B
COLLECTION
Can you collect all 7 Dangerous Badges by reading
Boom!
Science and Experiments
Code-breaking
Carpentry and Woodwork
Direction and Navigation
Hunting and Fishing
Nature Exploring
Astronomy and the Solar System
THE
PROJECT
THIS MONTHS PROJECT... BUILD YOUR OWN VIKING SHIP Find these or similar supplies
EXTRAORDINARY PROJECTS FROM ORDINARY OBJECTS
• • • • •
1 Large Milk Carton 1 Straw & 12 Skewers Regular Masking Tape String or Thread Paper Bag
The next big thing from Apple could be...mini! Are Apple about to launch the ‘iPad mini’? The place for all your gadget news and needs!
It has only been weeks since Apple's highly-anticipated release of the iPhone 5, and the computer giant already has a new buzzworthy device that it's ready to show to the world. The Internet has been full of speculation for weeks about Apple's rumored next product, the iPad Mini, a smaller version of its game-changing tablet. Now that Apple has scheduled a press event for this month that seems to point to the iPad Mini, the word is that the gadget will hit stores by Nov. 2. Apple circulated an invitation to its press event that many people have assumed will mark the reveal of the iPad Mini. The invitation features a rainbow-colored design with the top of Apple's famous logo peeking out, along with the phrase, "We've got a little more to show you."
Science fact or science fiction? Before long it might be hard to tell the difference! BOOM! looks at sci-fi technology that may be arriving sooner than you think!
2016 - Space Tourism
Space tourism will hit the mainstream. Well, kind of. Right now it costs around £15-25 million to blast off and chill at the International Space Station, or £150,000 for a sub-orbital spaceflight from Virgin Galactic. But the market is growing faster than most realise: within five years, companies like Space Island, Galactic Suite, and Orbital Technologies may realise their company missions, with space tourism packages ranging from £7,000 upand-backs to £750,000 five-night stays in an orbiting hotel suite.
2013 -The Rise of Electronic Paper Right now, e-paper is pretty much only used in ereaders like the Kindle, but it’s something researchers everywhere are eager to expand upon. Full-color video is the obvious next step, and as tablet prices fall, it’s likely newspapers will soon be fully changed from their current form. The good news: less deforestation, and more user control over your sources.
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2009
2020 - Crash proof cars Crash-proof cars have been promised by Volvo, to be made possible by using radar, sonar, and driver alert systems. Considering automobile crashes kill over 30,000 people in America per year, this is definitely a welcome technology.
World in Photos
SPACE SHUTTLE ENDEAVOUR ARRIVES AT LA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON THE BACK OF A PLANE - WITH ONE SPECIAL JOURNEY LEFT BEFORE RETIREMENT...
PEOPLE GATHER IN VILNIUSFOR 'BURBULIATORIUS' OR BUBBLE DAY, WHICH TAKES PLACE EVERY SECOND MONDAY IN SUMMER TIME IN MORE THAN 15 WORLD CITIES.
INDIAN FARMER R. LAKSHMI NARASAIAH ARRANGES A DISPLAY OF WATERMELONS PRIOR TO AN AUCTION AT THE GADDIANNARAM WHOLESALE FRUIT MARKET ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF HYDERABAD, INDIA.
CLOWNS TAKE PART IN THE CIRCUS DAY CELEBRATIONS IN FRONT OF THE MUNICIPAL THEATER, IN DOWNTOWN SAO PAULO, BRAZIL
A MAN PERFORMS AS A LIVING STATUE NEAR THE PUERTA DEL SOL SQUARE IN MADRID ON JUNE 6, 2012. HE IS COVERED HEAD TO TOE IN NEWSPAPER STORIES!
A WOMAN VIEWS A PLASTINATED ASIAN ELEPHANT AND GIRAFFE IN THE 'ANIMAL INSIDE OUT' EXHIBITION AT THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM IN LONDON,