Saint Patrick

We just learned about Mariology the study of Mary.

Another part of early Christianity is Saint Patrick.

Some time around 430 AD, at the age of 16 a man named Patrick was captured by pirates from the island of Ireland.
He was taken back to Ireland, and was made a slave for 6 years.

Later on he escaped and went back to his home in Britain, and learned to be a Christian.
He knew the people in Ireland were not Christian, so he decided to go back there and tell people about Jesus.

When he went there, some people listened to him and became Christians, and other people did not like him and would put him in jail.
After many years of traveling around Ireland, he helped many people become Christians, and even after he died people still believed and spread the news.

When he died, because he did such a good thing they named him a Saint, so now they call him Saint Patrick.
The day of his death was March 17th, so on that day people celebrate Saint Patrick's day, and his life of service bringing news of God to the people of Ireland.


(from: wikipedia - saint patrick)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Tychicus - Bishop of Colophonia

Montezuma's Headdress

We just learned about the Teocalli of the Sacred War.

Another ancient mesoamerican work of art is Montezuma's Headdress.

This is a crown made of feathers sewn together, and decorated with some gold plates.
It is about 46 inches tall and 69 inches wide.
There are feathers from four birds: the cotinga amabilis, the roseate spoonbill, the squirrel cuckoo, and the quetzal.

Most of the feathers on the headdress are from the quetzal
.

(from: wikipedia - montezuma's headdress)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Kongōrikishi

Russian - Hello and Goodbye

We've now learned a whole year of Norwegian!
Wow!

Let's try another language now, how about Russian?

This is the language of the people of Russia, where over 250 million people speak the language.
A lot of the other countries near Russia also speak it, like Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, and a bunch of other countries.

Russia uses a different alphabet than English, using letters called Cyrillic.

There are some letters that look and sound almost the same, like A and T.
But there are some that are very different like the letter Я which sounds like "ya" or the letter Ш that sounds like "sh"
Let's learn how to say hello and goodbye in Russian!

There are a few ways to say Hello.

Hi - Привет (privet) - Sounds like p-dee-v-yet
This is like saying Hi to your friends.

Hello - Здравствуй (Zdravstvuy) - Sounds like z-d-rah-v-st-voo-ee
This is like saying hello to a grownup, or someone you are meeting for the first time.

There are a few ways to say Goodbye also.

Bye - Пока (poka) - Sounds like pah-kah
This is just like saying bye to your friends.

Good Bye - до свидания (do svidaniya) - Sounds like dah s-vee-dah-n-yah
This is like saying goodbye to people you don't know really well, or to grownups to show respect.


(from: wikipedia - russian academy of sciences)

Norwegian: Hei, Hallo, Ha det, Ha det brah

Greek: Γειά σου (Geiá sou), Χαίρετε (Chairete), Αντίο (Antío)

ASL: Hello and Goodbye

Italian: Ciao, arrivederci

German: Hallo, Auf Wiedersehen

Spanish: Hola! Adiós!

French: Bonjour! Au Revoir!

Linear Actuator

We just learned about the Rack and Pinion gears.

Another type of thing used in machines is a Linear Actuator.

The word actuator really just means "mover" and there are lots of types of actuators out there.
Linear means moving in a straight line.

So a linear actuator is a type of machine that moves something in a straight line.
We learned before about rotors that spin around in circles in electric motors.
So this is different because it might be moving a rod up or down, back or forward but in a straight line.

Sometimes this is done by having a bolt or screw that has lines on it, and then a nut spinning around on the screw that makes the screw go up and down.
This is a roller screw linear actuator.


(from: wikipedia - linear actuator)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Bellifortis Rockets

Oral Arms

We just learned about the Manubrium mouth on a jellyfish.

Another part of a jellyfish's body is the Oral Arms.

We learned that the manubrium is the mouth.
The oral arms are connected to the manubrium, and they hang down below the jellyfish like tentacles.
When they sting an animal, the oral arms help bring the food up to their manubrium mouth so they can eat it.


(from: wikipedia - jellyfish)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Cephalopod Funnel

Aqueous Humour

We just learned about the Vitreous Body gel inside the eye.

Another part of the eye is the Aqueous Humour.

We know that the eye has different layers.
1 - On the very outside is the cornea, the clear part of the eye that you can touch with your finger.
2 - Then there is the pupil which is the hole letting light in, and the colored iris that helps control the size of the pupil.
3 - Behind those is the lens, which is like a magnifying glass that changes shape to help you focus.

In between those layers is some watery liquid that helps keep everything tightly held in place.
This is the Aqueous Humour, and you can think of it kind of like how a water balloon helps keeps the shape of the balloon.

Aqueous is because it is watery, and Humour means like a liquid.
So the name really means watery liquid.


(from: wikipedia - aqueous humour)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Odontoblast

Witch Tower

We just learned about the Trou de Loup trap.

Another part of a castle is a Witch Tower.

This was a tower in a castle that was used as a prison.
In the old times if the people thought someone might be a witch they would keep them locked up in the tower, which is where it got its name.


(from: wikipedia - witch tower)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Palace of Versailles