Basophil

We just learned about the type of white blood cell called the Eosinophil.

Another type of white blood cell is the Basophil.

We've learned about 4 other types of white blood cells (WBC):
- lymphocytes - that help kill off bad diseases using T, B or NK cells.
- monocytes - that help fight off infections and clean up garbage in the body.
- neutrophils - most common WBC that is the first line of defense for fighting infections.
- eosinophils - that live in tissues and help fight off allergic responses

The Basophil is the 5th and last type of WBC.

This type of white blood cell is one of the things that makes your body react when it is allergic to something. So this could be swelling up or getting itchy spots on your body.
It does this by letting out something called "histamines".

The eosinophils puts out "antihistamines" so when your body is trying to calm down from being allergic to something, these antihistamines work against the histamines.

Basophils also let out a chemical called heparin, which keeps your blood a liquid.
When your blood dries up and turns to a clot it can cause problems, so the heparin makes sure it doesn't dry up.


(from: wikipedia - basophil)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Rod Cells

Belarus

We just learned about the country of Azerbaijan.

Let's learn about the country of Belarus

This country is in eastern Europe next to Russia, Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, and Latvia.
It's about 80,000 square miles, and about 10 million people live there.
The people there speak both the Belarusian and Russian languages.

(from: wikipedia - belarus)

The Belarusian flag has a large red stripe above a smaller green stripe, and on the left side there is a red and white pattern.
The red stripe is for freedom, the green stripe is for life, and the red-white pattern is one that is used a lot in Belarusian art and clothing.


(from: wikipedia - flag of belarus)

To eat in Belarus you might have Kalduny, which is dumplings made of dough, and filled with something like ham and mushrooms.

(from: wikipedia - kalduny)

Almost half of Belarus is a forest. Long ago most of Europe used to be a forest, but after people have made buildings and cities a lot of it is gone. The Białowieża Forest in Belarus is one of the last big forests left in Europe.
The forest is part of both Poland and Belarus.

(from: wikipedia - białowieża forest)

There is a big old castle in Belarus called the Mir Castle, made in 1568 AD.

(from: wikipedia - mir castle complex)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: East Antarctica

Spanish Inquisition

We just learned about the Italian Renaissance.

Another part of early Christianity is the Spanish Inquisition.

We learned before about the Medieval Inquisition that the churches started to try and help make sure people were following the right laws from God.

During the Spanish Inquisition in 1478 AD, the rulers of Spain wanted everyone in Spain to be Catholic.

So they said if someone wasn't Catholic they had to either leave Spain or become Catholic.
And if they found out someone was not following the rules, they would put them in jail and ask them questions to try and make them prove they were good or bad.

Later on things got very bad and the inquisition would hurt or kill people if they thought they were not following the rules from the Bible or from the King.

The inquisition went on for hundreds of years and wasn't over until the year 1834 AD.


(from: wikipedia - spanish inquisition)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Anno Domini

Booker T. Washington - Richmond Barthé

We just learned about the sculpture of Alice in Wonderland by Jose de Creeft.

Another famous American sculpture is Booker T. Washington made by Richmond Barthé in New York in 1946.

In America after the Civil War was over and slavery was made illegal, a lot of African American people who lived as slaves in the south moved to the north to find places to live and get jobs.

Many places in the south were still not very friendly toward African Americans, so they wanted to go to places in the north where they felt more free.

Barthé was born in Mississippi and grew up wanting to be an artist.
He tried to go to a college in the south but they would not let him because he was African American, so he went to art college in Pennsylvania.
Later on he moved to New York where a lot of African Americans were living and getting jobs, and he became a famous artist there.

Booker T. Washington was a famous African American who fought for the rights of freed slaves after the civil war.


(from: wikipedia - richmond barthé)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Water Nymph and Bitterna - William Rush

Swahili - Do you speak Swahili?

Remember that to say please, you're welcome in Swahili, you say tafadhali, karibu.

To ask if someone speaks Swahili, you say:
Unazungumza kiswahili? which sounds like tee oo-nah-zoo-n-goo-m-zah kee-swah-hee-lee - 文A


To say yes you would say ndio which sounds like n-dee-oh - 文A


or to say no you would say hapana which sounds like hah-pah-nah - 文A




(from: wikipedia - swahili language)

Russian: Ты говоришь по-русски? (Ty govorish' po russki), Вы говорите по русски (Vy govorishtay po russki)

Norwegian: Kan du norsk?

Greek: Μιλατε ελληνικα? (Milate ellinika?)

ASL: Do you speak ASL?

Italian: Parli italiano?

German: Sprechen Sie Deutsch?

Spanish: ¿Hablas español?

French: parlez-vous français?

Chimney

We just learned about the Superheater.

Another part of a steam locomotive is the Chimney.

The smoke from the boiler goes up the chimney pipe so the smoke goes up high and the engineer can still see down the tracks.


(from: wikipedia - chimney (locomotive))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Valve Port

Savannah Cat

We just learned about the Sphynx Cat.

Another type of cat is the Savannah Cat.

This type of cat is a cross between a normal house cat and the wild Serval cat.
They usually weigh about 15 pounds, which is a lot smaller than the 40 pound serval cat.
On their ears they have the same markings, and their fur is spotted just like the serval.
Their legs are longer than a normal cats, but not super long like the wild serval.



(from: wikipedia - savannah cat)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Lappet