Caltrop

We just learned about the Czech Hedgehog.

Another type of castle fortification is a Caltrop.

These are kind of like the Czech Hedgehogs as they are spikey things on the ground, but they are a lot smaller.
Caltrops would be put out over where enemies would be marching, so that they had to walk slowly and carefully to try and not step on one of the spikes.


(from: wikipedia - caltrop)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Catherine Palace

Baptism of Clovis I

We just learned about the Leo and Attila.

Another part of early Christianity is the Baptism of Clovis I.

In the land we now call France, there were a lot of people who did not believe in God.
One of them was a very powerful king named Clovis I.

His wife was named Clotilde, and she grew up as a Christian.
When she married Clovis I she begged him to become a Christian, and after a while he finally agreed.

This helped spread Christianity through France, and because the King was a Christian it was safe for other people to talk about God.

There is still a statue of Clovis I being baptized in the city of Reims.


(from: wikipedia - clovis i)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Cæsar - bishop of Dyrrachium

San Martín Pajapan Monument 1

We just learned about the Toltec Atlantean figures from Tula.

Another ancient sculpture from Mesoamerica is the San Martín Pajapan Monument 1.

This is another sculpture made by the Olmec people from ancient Mexico, carved some time before 1000 BC.

It is made out of basalt rock, and was found on the top of the San Martin Pajapan volcano in the Mexican state of Veracruz.

The statue is of a young ruler who is bent over and lifting a large bar from the ground.
People think this bar was meant to be for the world tree, and the sculpture was meant to show the earthly world connecting with the spiritual worlds above and below.


(from: wikipedia - )


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Tōdai-ji Nio Guardian Agyō - Unkei

Russian - How are you?

We just learned some greetings in Russian, like Привет (privet), Здравствуй (Zdravstvuy) and Доброе утро (Dobroye utro), Добрый день (Dobryy den), Добрый вечер (Dobryy vecher), Доброй ночи (Dobroy nochi).

If you want to say How are you? in Russian, you would say:

Как дела? (kak dela) - sounds like kah-k dee-lah - 文A

To respond and say Very good thanks, you would say:

Спасибо Хорошо (Spasibo khorosho) - sounds like spah-ee-see-bah kha-dah-shoh. - 文A

The "X" in Russian sounds kind of like the sound a cat makes when hissing.


(from: wikipedia - russian academy of sciences)

Norwegian: Hvordan har du det? Veldig bra takk. Greek: Γειά σου (Geiá sou), Χαίρετε (Chairete), Αντίο (Antío), Καλημέρα (Kaliméra), Καλησπέρα (Kalispéra), Καληνυχτα - (Kalinychta)

ASL: How are you?

Italian: Come va? Molto bene, grazie.

German: Wie geht es Ihnen? Sehr gut, danke.

Spanish: ¿Cómo estás? Muy bien, gracias.

French: Comment allez-vous? Très bien, merci.

Valve

We just learned about the Cam.

Another part of moving things like machines is a Valve.

This is something that opens and closes to let air or water in or out.
We use valves every day, like when we turn on the water to wash hands.

Turning the water on opens the valve, and you can usually open it a little or a lot.
Then turning the water off closes the valve.


(from: wikipedia - valve)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Great Art of Artillery, the First Part

Nematocysts

We just learned about the Tentacles of a jellyfish.

Another part of a jellyfish is the Nematocyst.

This is the part of the jellyfish that stings its prey, or even stings a person.

They are almost like traps on the jellyfish's tentacles that just wait until they get touched a tiny bit, and then they shoot out and then squirt toxins into their prey to stun them or kill them.


(from: wikipedia - cnidocyte)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Chromatophore

Ciliary Body

We just learned about the Fibrous Tunic where the Cornea and Sclera are.

Another part of the eyes is the Ciliary Body.

This is made up of two parts: the ciliary muscle, and the ciliary epithelium

The muscle is what squeezes the lens inside the eye to change its shape so you can look at things far away or close up.

The epithelium is what makes the aqueous humour that fills the front of the eye where the pupil is.


(from: wikipedia - ciliary body)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Tooth - Initiation