Table of contents for Issue 354 - February 2025 in MiniMag

February is here Ð a month that wraps us in warmth, kindness and a sprinkle of love! Kindness is like sunshine: it brightens everything around it. This issue is bursting with stories and activities to inspire you to be your kindest, most compassionate self. First, let’s set off on an exciting adventure with Paddington in Peru, where everyone’s favourite bear shows us how a heart full of kindness can lead to the most wonderful friendships. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, Paddington reminds us that showing love isn't about gifts Ð it’s about caring for one another. Speaking of adventure, discover the Mysteries of Machu Picchu, the ancient wonder hidden high in the Andes Mountains, and be amazed by the ingenuity of the Inca people and their deep connection to…

February is the month of love. Which means chocolate hearts, flowers, cuddly toys and cute cards are being chowed, sniffed, hugged and read on 14 February by people all over world. After all, that is how we celebrate St Valentine’s Day. A day for all kinds of love. But first, let us learn more about St Valentine himself. Saint Valentine lived during the reign of Claudius II. He was also known as Claudius, the Cruel. Which probably tells you what kind of ruler, Emperor Claudius was. St Valentine, on the other hand, was a devoted Roman priest. He loved to speak about Christianity and do good deeds. This is probably why there are so many legends about him. The most popular one goes like this: Emperor Claudius was a ruler…

It’s lots of fun to send secret messages. Use the code below to write your own secret message to someone, or decode the messages provided. DNA uses only four chemicals – called A, G, C and T – to code for everything necessary in every organism. Every three letters send instructions for a specific type of amino acid to be built into a protein. Instead of building proteins, this exercise pretended that each three letters code for a letter in the English alphabet. A wetland is defined as any land area that is saturated or flooded with water, either seasonally or permanently. They can be either inland such as lakes, aquifers and marshes or coastal, as mangroves, estuaries and coral reefs. We need to conserve wetlands – 64% of the world’s…

Gami travels to the breathtaking land of Peru and explores the ancient city of Machu Picchu! Here Gami uncovers the brilliant mathematical skills of the Inca civilisation. From perfectly constructed stone terraces to advanced calendars, the Incas were true maths magicians. They use clever calculations to build their empire high in the Andes Mountains! Amazing Peruvian Mathematicians! PERFECT PRECISION: The stones used to build Machu Picchu fit together so perfectly that no mortar was needed. This precise engineering relied on advanced geometry and measurements. TERRACE FARMING: The Incas used mathematical calculations to design terraces that controlled water flow and prevented landslides, allowing them to farm on steep mountain slopes. ASTRONOMICAL CALCULATIONS: Inca mathematicians studied the stars to create calendars that guided agricultural practices and religious ceremonies. ZERO WASTE: The Incas…

Full of Paddington’s signature blend of wit, charm, and laugh-out-loud humour, Paddington in Peru finds the beloved, marmalade-loving bear lost in the jungle on an exciting, high-stakes adventure. When Paddington discovers his beloved Aunt Lucy has gone missing from the Home for Retired Bears, he and the Brown family head to the wilds of Peru to look for her, the only clue to her whereabouts a spot marked on an enigmatic map. Determined to solve the mystery, Paddington embarks on a thrilling quest through the rainforests of the Amazon to find his aunt … and may also uncover one of the world’s most legendary treasures.…

If you knew there were diamonds hidden in your garden, you would be digging for them every day! Nature holds many precious materials like diamonds, gold and platinum deep in its earthy pockets, but in other places, its riches are on display right under your nose. Take wetlands as an example. They often look like wastelands, but they hide many treasures: food, medicines of all kinds and secret DNA codes that could solve some of Earth’s biggest problems What is a wetland? If you guessed the answer, you're probably right. A wetland is land that’s wet, where lots of water covers the soil. Wetlands come in different shapes and sizes, like marshes and swamps. Wetlands contain plants that specialise in growing in water, like water lilies, reeds and rushes. Lots…

Singing sands In deserts like the Gobi and the Namib, the sand can create a strange “singing” or humming sound, almost like a musical note. This occurs when millions of sand grains vibrate together due to wind or movement, such as an avalanche. The pitch of the sound depends on the size and shape of the grains and the humidity levels. It’s a natural symphony in the desert! Wombat poop is cube-shaped Wombats, adorable marsupials from Australia, have a unique digestive system that produces cube-shaped poop. Scientists believe this peculiar shape prevents the poop from rolling away, helping wombats mark their territory effectively. The secret lies in the elasticity of their intestines, which compress the faeces into distinct cubes before they are expelled. Living rocks Pyura chilensis, also known as the…

Plants don’t like getting sick, so they’ve come up with ways to protect themselves. Coded into their DNA, they have many sophisticated weapons to fight off their enemies. When an insect chews on them or fungi or bacteria try to enter, the plant chooses a battle plan. This may include making poisonous chemicals to kill the intruder or killing off a few cells on purpose to fool the attacker into thinking that it isn’t alive and worth feeding on. Biotechnology to the rescue Some plants are resistant to disease Ð meaning that they don't get sick like others of their species do. Scientists love to study these plants because they contain special genes that unleash the right weapons to destroy the pests attacking them. Plant breeders like to breed these…

Ever wondered how milk turns into creamy, tangy yogurt? It’s not magic – it’s science! With the help of tiny bacteria and a fascinating process called lactic fermentation, milk transforms into one of the world’s oldest and most popular foods. Let’s dive into the chemistry behind yogurt and discover how you can make your own at home! What is lactic fermentation? Lactic fermentation is a natural process where bacteria convert sugars like lactose (found in milk) into lactic acid. This acid gives yogurt its tangy flavour and thick texture. The two superstar bacteria behind yogurt-making are Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. When these bacteria are added to warm milk, they work together to ferment the lactose, thickening the milk and preventing harmful bacteria from growing. This process not only preserves…

Nestled high in the Andes Mountains of Peru, Machu Picchu is a breathtaking archaeological site that has captured the imaginations of people all over the world. Known as the “Lost City of the Incas,” this UNESCO World Heritage Site is a symbol of the ingenuity and resilience of the Inca Empire. But what makes Machu Picchu so extraordinary? A biodiversity hotspot The surrounding region is home to unique plants and animals, including orchids and spectacled bears. A glimpse into history Machu Picchu was built in the 15th century during the reign of the Inca emperor Pachacuti. It is believed to have served as a royal estate or a sacred religious site. Hidden for centuries beneath dense vegetation, the site was rediscovered by American explorer Hiram Bingham in 1911. Today, it…

Algae (many of which are found in wetlands) are like tiny factory workers: they can be grown in a big tank and be told to make many different kinds of substances. This includes food supplements, hormones, bioplastics and biofuels. Biotechnologists do this by inserting genes into the algae. For example, if there’s a gene that provides the code to make a certain type of medicine in a wetland plant, it can be inserted into algae. Now the algae have the instructions coded into their DNA to make that medicine (like a recipe) and they can produce it quickly and cheaply on a large scale. Golden rice Rice, a wetland plant that loves flooded fields, is a golden crop: over half the world’s population depends on it as a staple food.…

Have you ever wondered how your brain knows when to make you laugh, cry, or even jump in excitement? It’s all thanks to tiny chemicals called neurotransmitters! These incredible messengers zip around your brain and body, carrying important signals that help you think, feel and react. What are neurotransmitters? Neurotransmitters are like little delivery workers in your brain. They carry messages between nerve cells, helping different parts of your body communicate. Think of them as text messages sent between your brain and the rest of your body! When a nerve cell needs to send a message, it releases a neurotransmitter. This chemical crosses a tiny gap between nerve cells called a synapse and delivers the message to the next cell. Unlocking the secrets of neurotransmitters Did you know that every…

Who doesn’t love a good old-fashioned sandwich accompanied by a banana and chocolate for dessert? The components of this simple lunch are threatened by dangerous pests and climate change. A lunchbox like this could be a luxury item for you and your grandchildren in fifty years’ time. Chocolate Your chocolate comes from cacao trees, which get serious diseases with fantastical names like swollen shoot virus, frosty pod and witches' broom disease. Now, climate change scientists predict that hotter weather will make it nearly impossible to grow cacao trees in some places. This could make chocolate very expensive indeed in coming decades. Bananas The ever-popular Cavendish banana is under attack from a ruthless fungus called Panama disease. Panama disease could put an end to the Cavendish banana’s commercial production, just like…