Phalangeal Ligaments

We just learned about the Metacarpal Ligaments that connect your metacarpal bones together in your hand.

The metacarpal bones in the hand connect to the finger bones called phalanges, and there are phalangeal ligaments connecting the metacarpal bones together, and the finger bones together.

The joints where the bones connect has padding to keep the bones from smashing into each other, and also keeps them stuck together so they can't be pulled apart.


(from: wikipedia - metacarpophalangeal joint)

The finger bones have ligaments that go over and under the fingers, to help your fingers stretch out or close into a fist.


(from: wikipedia - palmar plate)

Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Dendrite

Morelos

We just learned about the Mexico state of Querétaro.

Another state in Mexico is Morelos.

This is one of the smallest states in Mexico, in the southern part of the country, not on the coast.


(from: wikipedia - morelos)

The coat of arms has a cornstalk growing in the dirt, for the good farmland of the state.
The words around the center mean "The land will be returned to those who work it with their hands."


(from: wikipedia - morelos)

This state has some of the oldest ruins found ever in North America, over 8,000 years old!


(from: wikipedia - morelos)

There is a special type of dance called Chinelos that is in Morelos, where dancers wear fancy costumes and march in parades.


(from: wikipedia - chinelos)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: California Coast Ranges

Bridget of Sweden

We just learned about the Carmelite Nuns.

Another famous religious nun is Bridget of Sweden.

She was born in the 1300s in Sweden, and spent her life taking care of orphans and sick people.


(from: wikipedia - bridget of sweden)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Samson

Pataliputra Capital

We just learned about the Lion Capital of Ashoka.

Another famous sculpture from ancient India is the Pataliputra Capital.

It is over 4 feet long, and about 3 feet tall, and it was made over 2,000 years ago.
Even though it was made in India, it looks like a Classical Greek sculpture, so people think that the it was either given as a gift, or that the Greek people taught some other people in the area how to do sculptures the same way they did.

(from: wikipedia - pataliputra capital)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Last Judgement Typanum - Gislebertus

Greek - I am happy

Last time we learned that the Greek words for horse, sheep and duck are άλογο (álogo), πρόβατα (próvata), and πάπια (pápia).

Let's learn how to say I am happy in Greek!

We can break it up into two words:

I am - Είμαι (Eímai) - sounds like AY-mah-ee
happy - χαρούμενος (charoúmenos) - sounds like hah-DOO-may-noh-s

Together Είμαι χαρούμενος sounds like AY-mah-ee hah-DOO-may-noh-s


(from: wikipedia - center for the greek language)

ASL: I am happy

Italian: Sono felice

German: Ich bin glücklich

Spanish: Estoy feliz

French: Je suis heureux

Seismic Wave

We just learned about the Induced Seismicity.

When earthquakes happen, the waves of energy that happen as the ground moves are called Seismic Waves.

It's kind of like looking at a wave in water, and based on the size and shape of a wave scientists can learn about the type of earthquake it is.


(from: wikipedia - seismic wave)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Coke

Chambered Nautilus

We just learned about the Common Octopus.

Another type of cephalopod is the Chambered Nautilus.

These cephalopods look sort of like snails, and they live in shells like a snail.
Inside their shells are chambers in a spiral shape where their body parts are squished into.

The top of their outside shell is dark on top and light on the bottom.
This helps them hide from predators, because looking down from above they blend in with the dark sea, and looking up from below they blend in with the sky above.

The nautilus grows from an egg, but they don't grow as a larvae like a lot of other cephalopods. They grow right from the start with a tiny shell, and the shell grows with them inside the egg until they hatch, about 1 inch long.

It is a meat eater, and it eats shellfish, but also eats garbage food floating around in the water or on the bottom of the sea.

They float up and down by changing how much water is in their shell.
If they want to go down, they suck in more water, and if they want to go up they spit some out.
You can think of it like a boat, that fills up with water and sinks, or empties the water and floats.


(from: wikipedia - chambered nautilus)


(from: wikipedia - chambered nautilus)

Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Panamanian Golden Frog