Avoiding Apoptosis

We just learned about the Anti-Growth Signals of cancer, where the cells won't listen to the body telling them to stop.

Another part of cancer is Avoiding Apoptosis.

All of the cells in our body are created, live for a while and then go away.
Apoptosis is the part at the end of a cell's life where it would die and go away.

In a cancer cell, it doesn't listen to the body telling it that it's time to go away, and so they avoid apoptosis.
These cells that are not working right do not go away, and then the body can be flooded with the wrong types of cells.


(from: wikipedia - apoptosis)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Canthus

Slovenia

We just learned about the country of Slovakia

Let's learn a little about the country of Slovenia!

This is a small country in eastern Europe, bordering Italy, Austria, Hungary, and Croatia.
It is about 8,000 square miles and about 2 million people live there.

People in Slovenia usually speak Slovene, Italian or Hungarian.


(from: wikipedia - slovenia)

The flag of Slovenia is stripes of white, blue and red with the coat of arms of Slovenia.
On the coat of arms is a white mountain for Mount Triglav, wavy lines for the sea, and three golden stars for the old rulers of the land.


(from: wikipedia - flag of slovenia)

To eat in Slovenia you might have Potica which is a type of rolled pastry with ground up walnuts.


(from: wikipedia - slovenian potica)

Visiting Slovenia you might go see the mountain Triglav, which is about 10,000 feet high.


(from: wikipedia - triglav)

In Slovenia there are famous old stories from 1858 of a fairy tale hero named Martin Krpan, who was so strong he would do things like carry around his own horse.

(from: wikipedia - martin krpan)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Palmer Research Base

How Great Thou Art - Carl Boberg

We just learned about the hymn Amazing Grace by John Newton.

Another famous hymn is How Great Thou Art by Carl Boberg, written in Sweden in 1885.

One day when Boberg was walking outside, a huge storm came along with dark clouds, thunder, and lightning.
The storm got over pretty quickly, and then right after there was a rainbow, and birds singing happily.

When he saw the power of the storm and then the beauty of nature after, it gave him the idea for the song.


(from: wikipedia - how great thou art)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: The Prince's Crusade

Two Running Violet V Forms - Robert Irwin

We just learned about the land art Spiral Jetty by Robert Smithson.

Another famous land art is Two Running Violet V Forms made by artist Robert Irwin in 1983 in San Diego.

Irwin liked the forest with eucalyptus trees in this area, how there were so many of them and how the light throughout the day changed and made them look different.

He put violet colored fences up high that would help reflect the light as it was changing through the day and shining through the trees.

Irwin was born in 1928 in California, and went to art school in California.
He started off as a painter, but as he went on to do more abstract art he started making things like these fences that were part of landscapes.


(from: wikipedia - robert irwin (artist))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Meat for Wild Men - Charles Marion Russell

Swahili - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

We just learned in Swahili that to say his face is rough is Uso wake ni mkali

Let's learn the days of the week in Swahili!

Monday - Jumatatu - Sounds like joo-mah-tah-too 文A


Tuesday - Jumanne - Sounds like joo-mah-n-nay 文A


Wednesday - Jumatano - Sounds like joo-mah-tah-noh 文A




(from: wikipedia - swahili language)

Russian: Понедельник (Ponedel'nik), Вторник (Vtornik), Среда (Sreda)

Norwegian: Mandag, Tirsdag, Onsdag

Greek: Δευτέρα (Deftéra), Τρίτη (Tríti), Τετάρτη (Tetárti)

ASL: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

Italian: Lunedi, Martedì, Mercoledì

German: Montag, Dienstag, Mittwoch

Spanish: Lunes, Martes, Miercoles

French: Lundi, Mardi, Mercredi

Oil Pump

We just learned about the Motor Oil.

Another part of a car is the Oil Pump.

The oil that helps keep everything in the engine moving fast and slippery gets pushed through the car using an oil pump.

There are a few different types of oil pumps, but one of the most common is the gear pump.
For this type of pump, the gears spin around and help push the oil through the engine.
The gears are spun around using the power of the spinning crankshaft as it goes around.


(from: wikipedia - gear pump)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Steam Cylinder

Olive Baboon

We just learned about the Uganda Mangabey.

Another type of old world monkey is the Olive Baboon, also called the Anubis Baboon, or Papio Anubis.

These monkeys live all over Africa, in forests, deserts, and grasslands.
They get the name Olive Baboon because their fur looks olive colored.
Their other name Anubis Baboon comes from the way their face looks kind of like the dog faced statue of the Egyptian Anubis.

Olive Baboons are a little over 2 feet tall and weigh about 50 pounds.
Usually they talk to each other using grunts, but if they get scared by another animal they might shout "Wahoo!" to warn everyone.

These baboons will eat just about anything, from plants and bugs to mice, birds, and other larger animals.
They will sometimes even go after sheep, goats and chickens from farms!

Some elephants and the baboons have learned to work together to survive.
Elephants will dig holes to get water, and baboons will be lookouts up in the trees to warn if there is danger coming.


(from: wikipedia - olive baboon)



Olive baboon troupe - Cameron Wares


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Andean Mountain Cat