Near-Sightedness

We just learned about the Refractive Error.

One of the types of refractive errors is Near-Sightedness, also called myopia.

If someone is near-sighted that means they can see up close very well, but they can't see far away very well.
An easy way to remember that is that if you are "near-sighted" you are good at seeing nearby.

Of all the types of eye problems, more people are near-sighted than any other problem, about 1.5 billion people!

When light comes into the eye, the lens is supposed to try and make it focus right on the retina.
The lens is like a magnifying glass, and if it doesn't focus just right then it won't get a clear enough picture.

If the lens is focusing all of the light into a point before the retina, then this causes near-sightedness.
An eye doctor can make glasses to change the direction of the light coming into the eye so that it focuses right on the retina and helps the eye see near and far.


(from: wikipedia - near-sightedness)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: White Roll

Meltwater

We just learned about the Melt Pond.

Another part of Antarctica is glacial Meltwater.

Sometimes the ice or snow in Antarctica will melt a little, and turn into what is called meltwater.
Meltwater is different than the ocean water around Antarctica because it is fresh water.
This means animals can drink it, and it also means it can mix with the ice and snow of the glaciers and melt and refreeze over and over.
The meltwater usually melts because of the warmer summer weather, from magma underground, or from volcanic eruptions.

If the water stays in one place on top of the snow or ice, that is the melt pond.
Other times the melted snow or ice will turn into a small river and flow across the snow and ice.
There are even times when the snow or ice will melt underneath the top part, and make a small lake underneath the snow or ice.

Sometimes the meltwater is underground and is between two glaciers.
When this happens the glaciers can move around as they are sliding on the water in between.

Scientists study meltwater because it can help them understand climate change and how glaciers move.


(from: wikipedia - meltwater)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Ramparts

Notre-Dame de Paris

We just learned about the Decretum Gratiani.

Another part of early Christianity is the cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris.

In 1160 AD in Paris, the leader of the church there was Maurice de Sully.
He thought that they should build a really big nice church in a style called "Gothic style", and dedicate it to Jesus' mother Mary.

The cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris became very famous in Paris, and it was made even more famous later in 1831 when someone wrote a story about a hunchback who rang the bells in the tower.


(from: wikipedia - notre-dame de paris)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Holy Nails

Meriwether Lewis and William Clark - Charles Keck

We just learned about the Black Hawk Statue - Lorado Taft.

Another famous American statue is Meriwether Lewis and William Clark made by Charles Keck in 1919.

Keck was born in 1875 in New York, and went to school to study art in America and also in Italy.

He became famous for making statues of famous people across America.

The statue which is also called "Their First View of the Pacific" is of the famous explorers Lewis and Clark, along with their Native American guide Sacagawea.

In 1803 America made a deal with France to buy a big piece of land in the middle of North America.
This land later became the states of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas and Louisiana.

Because the land was so big, they needed someone to go explore, so Lewis and Clark went off from Pennsylvania and traveled all the way to the west coast to the Pacific Ocean.
Along the way they met Sacagawea, a 16 year old Native American woman who stayed with them and helped guide them safely all the way.

At the bottom of the statue are the words: "Bold and farseeing pathfinders who carried the flag of the young republic to the western ocean and revealed an unknown empire to the uses of mankind."


(from: wikipedia - meriwether lewis and william clark (sculpture))



(from: wikipedia - lewis and clark expedition)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Chiwara

Russian - September, October

We already learned that January, February is Январь (Yanvar'), Февраль (Fevral'), March, April is Март (Mart), Апрель (Aprel'),
May, June is Май (May), Июнь (Iyun'),
and July, August is Июль (Iyul'), Август (Avgust).

Let's keep going!

September - Сентябрь (Sentyabr') - sounds like say-n-tee-ah-b-dyah 文A

October - Октябрь (Oktyabr') - sounds like ah-k-tah-b-d-yah 文A



(from: wikipedia - russian academy of sciences)

Norwegian: September, Oktober

Greek: Σεπτέμβριος (Septémvrios), Οκτώβριος (Októvrios)

ASL: September, October

Italian: Settembre, Ottobre

German: September, Oktober

Spanish: Septiembre, Octubre

French: Septembre, Octobre

Pen-y-Darren Locomotive

We just learned about the steam wagon Cugnot's - Fardier à vapeur.

Another early steam engine was the Pen-y-Darren Locomotive.

Just like the steam boat and steam car, people mostly wanted to use steam power to move very heavy things from one place to another.
The big difference between boats, cars and trains was that the train didn't need a steering wheel to make sure it was going the right way, it would just go along the rails carrying its big load.

In 1802 a man from England named Richard Trevithick built a steam engine to be put on metal rails and carry a lot of weight.
It had a steam cylinder hooked up to a rotative beam engine, using a sun and planet style gear to turn the wheels.

To test his locomotive, he had it carry ten tons of iron, which is about 20,000 pounds.
It went about 10 miles and went a little over 2 miles per hour.

This wasn't very fast, about as fast as someone walking.
But it was like someone walking carrying a few giant elephants on their shoulders, so people were very impressed!

His steam engine did not become very popular, but it did help other people in the future learn how to make steam engines that would become the locomotives we know about from history.


(from: wikipedia - richard trevithick)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Tire Skid Marks

Bay Cat

We just learned about the Asian Golden Cat.

Another type of wild cat is the Bay Cat, also called the Borneo bay cat, or catopuma badia.

Bay cats are like the Asian golden cat, but a lot smaller.
Their fur is a light red-brown color, and their tail is long with a white tip.
They have rounded small ears that have black and brown fur on them.

These cats are a little over 2 feet long, with a 1 foot long tail, and they weigh about 8 pounds.
On their heads they have an "M" mark, and they have white cheeks and a white chin.

This cat lives mostly on the island of Borneo, and there are only about 2,500 of them left in the world.
At one time these cats were almost extinct and people could not even find 100 of them.
People worked to find them and take care of them, and help keep them safe so they would not go extinct.


(from: wikipedia - bay cat)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Venus Girdle Jellyfish