Showing results by author "Amy Tao" in All Categories

No one knows for sure just how the ancient Egyptians built the Great Pyramid of Giza, which is taller than the Statue of Liberty. How could an ancient civilization have achieved this engineering feat? Perhaps the solution to this mystery can be answered with simple machines!

Did you know that spiders are not insects? Insects have only six legs but spiders have eight. Unlike insects, spiders do not have antennae. Tarantulas may look terrifying, but they are relatively harmless to humans.

Do you know how buildings you see in your city got there? Before buildings are built, machines that move the ground are used! The excavator or digger move old ground away, preparing the space for a new building! A driver sits in the cab where all the fun begins! The tools to control the machine are inside the cab. Levers control the arms which do all the digging. How does the digger’s body move?

Learn about how the body processes food by following Joe's pizza lunch—from the plate to his mouth to his stomach and beyond. The nutrients from food are absorbed in the small intestine, which are delivered to rest of the body.

Take a look at your shadow in the sunshine. Try a shadow puppet. Learn how the sun's position in the sky affects your shadow.

See how the science of physics is utilized not only in the kitchen, but also around the house on a daily basis. Simple machines are everywhere! From brooms and rolling pins to lightbulbs and window blinds, basic everyday kitchen items transform into scientific concepts such as screws, levers, ramps, and wedges!

Have you ever wished you could speak to your dog? If you pay attention, you'll realize they actually speak to us all the time! Learn about the different noises and behaviors dogs use to communicate. The next time your dog "talks" to you, will you be able to understand him?

Do you think you are a good climber? You probably can't beat a mountain goat! Known as Kings of the Mountain, they can climb the steepest of mountains, even as babies! Learn the special anatomical features of their bodies that allows goats to seemingly climb straight up mountains and even jump nearly 12 feet in the air. Do you think you can go toe-to-toe with the goats?

Have you ever flown on a plane and heard the pilot speaking in some kind of code? Now you can understand what he is saying! The alphabet is different for airplane pilots. Instead of ABC, pilots say Alpha, Bravo, Charlie. Learn this new way of communicating with Click and Jane as they use the phonetic alphabet and pretend to be airplane pilots!

What makes all these animals fish? Fish live in the water, but they have other defining characteristics as well. Who else lives in the ocean?

Addie and Bea use the perfect material to build a house in the desert—adobe!

Firefighter Greg has a physical job to do so he stays strong and fit. He gets up early in the morning and sleeps where he works. Did you know that Firefighter Greg practices putting on his safety gear–in less than one minute? Or that his gear–helmet, facemask, air pack, boots and jacket–weighs 75 pounds? Find out how firefighters practice putting out fires in a training tower!

Have you ever ridden a roller coaster? They’re a lot of fun, but a lot of physics is involved in making those rides work. The momentum built up by energy and speed keep those trains on their tracks and riders in their seats, even when they’re upside-down!

Have you ever wondered what lifts a big, heavy airplane up in the sky without falling down? This article explains how their wings and air keeps planes—and birds, too—flying high! Learn how wings work just by blowing on a piece of paper in a fun experiment.

Diggory Dog has an important job: to watch over all the sheep. But why? One day, he learns what purpose sheep serve—they produce the wool that can be used for knitting.

The Elly award goes to the animal with the best nose! Learn about different animals’ noses and how their noses help them to survive in different ways.

The nose helps your body do more than just sniff and smell yummy foods! Without your nose, your favorite foods won't taste as good, your lungs won't have the warm air needed to stay healthy, and germs from outside your body will have an easier route in! Did you know your body makes mucus to wash away germs that find their way in your body? Discover how fabulous your nose really is!

Inside every seed waits a tiny plant, ready to grow. Watch the process of a pumpkin plant from tiny seed to full-size fruit! You'll also see other plant seeds, which come in many different sizes, shapes, and colors. Some can be as big as your head, but poppy seeds are so little you can hold hundreds in one hand!

Our sun is great at shining down light and heat on earth, but was the sun always that bright? With the help of gravity, the sun is eventually able to produce enough energy to give off light. Our sun has kept this up for four billion years and will keep shining for another five billion years!

Firefighter Greg has an important job to do–he helps people who are in danger of being hurt by fire. He has a lot of equipment to help him do his job. A computer inside the fire truck shows Firefighter Greg exactly which house to go to. Ladders, rigs, and tools help get the job done! Can you name other equipment that will be needed for Firefighter Greg to help others, and be safe? How can you be safe at your house to prevent fires?