Table of contents for May 2022 in OWL

KID-APPROVED Putting fillings between two pieces of bread was made popular by John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich in England, in 1729. A LUNCH BY ANY NAME Long sandwiches have many names—subs, hoagies, heroes, torpedoes, blimpies, and wedges are a few. TERRIFIC TOWN Hamburgers are named after the city of Hamburg, Germany. SCOOBY SNACK ate a sardine sandwich consisting of 16 pieces of bread. P.B. AND J Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were once considered a delicacy. AROUND THE WORLD Many countries have their own version of the sandwich. Vietnamese sandwiches are called bánh mì and are often eaten for breakfast. POPULAR VOTE Some of the most popular sandwiches in North America are peanut butter and jelly and grilled cheese. BY THE NUMBERS 2,468 kg (5,440 lbs.) Weight of the biggest sandwich…

MAXIMUM DAYTIME Sophie and Chloe learned that chickens need 15 hours of sunlight for maximum egg production, so when the shorter fall days hit, their chickens stopped producing as many eggs. The sisters wanted to let in more light without leaving their chickens vulnerable to predators at night. So they decided to build an automated coop door to open in the morning and close at night, and a lighting system to imitate daylight. The door would keep the chickens safe, and the light would help them lay more eggs. LET THE LIGHT SHINE IN They didn’t want to stress out the chickens by blasting them with light in the morning or by plunging them into sudden darkness at night. So Sophie and Chloe needed a light source that could brighten…

Why do we use money? -ALEXA, 9 We use money for transactions—exchanges of one valuable thing for another. Money works for this purpose because its worth is protected and backed by the government or central bank that makes it. Thanks to that protected value, we can use money to purchase goods (stuff we want) or services (things off debts (what we owe to others). Cash any physical unit of money, honour the value printed on it. Its worth is protected. Why does money exist instead of a barter system? -MATTEO Bartering, which is older than money, is when you agree to trade one thing for another (“My hockey card for your chocolate bar!”). It’s fine to barter here and there, but there is a problem with it—the other person has to want what…

If you do the activity with a friend or sibling, you can both enter individually. Ideas to Inspire You! Try a household zero-waste challenge. Start a green committee at school. Make a video about animal habitat conservation. Dream up an invention to help with recycling. Find more inspiration at owlkids.com/sciencefun. 2 GRAND-PRIZE winners will receive: • Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite • An Owlkids prize pack RUNNERS-UP will receive: • SmartLab Organic Science Lab • An Owlkids prize pack TO ENTER: Go to owlkids.com/sciencefun and send us a photo, letter, or video explaining how you helped the environment. Contest deadline: May 30, 2022 CONTEST IS OPEN TO CANADIAN RESIDENTS, EXCLUDING RESIDENTS OF QUEBEC. ENTRANTS MUST BE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 5 AND 17 AS OF THE DEADLINE. QUEBEC RESIDENTS PLEASE…

TALK ABOUT IT OWL readers share their advice. “I have asthma, so I can’t run as fast as my friends. They make fun of it a lot. Even though I laugh along with them, it really hurts. What should I do?” —CASEY, 13 “Tell them that running is not as easy for some people. If they don’t stop, they aren’t very nice friends.” MADDIE “I understand. It hurts when people tease. Tell them how you feel. It might even help your friendship if you know you can be honest with each other. I wish you the best of luck!” COLLIN “Try talking to your friends. They might not know that their words are hurtful.” LOTTIE “I’m not the fastest runner in my group. If they don’t stop, ask a grown-up or a teacher…

DOWN-TO-EARTH ART FROM THE GROUND UP He’s part artist and part gardener. American Stan Herd creates massive artwork using the ground as his canvas. He’s been making his masterpieces, which he calls earthworks, for more than 40 years. Herd plans his designs on paper, then he plants, mows, and plows the land to bring his vision to life. He relies on a team of people to help create each piece, and their tools of choice include rakes, shovels, tractors, and lawn mowers. Each earthwork can take anywhere from a week to a year to complete. And while some of Herd’s pieces are permanent, others vanish as the seasons change. Luckily, he uses drones to take photos of the art from above, so there’s a record of each one. They’re here to stay!…

STAGE SCRAMBLE These plays and musicals are all mixed up. Unscramble the letters to reveal the famous titles. CAN YOU LOCATE THESE ITEMS? Magician’s hat White gloves Handkerchief Rose Black sock Blonde wig Sunglasses Cane Balloon Necktie WHO GOT THE PART? Three students—Jack, Hunter, and Dev—were chosen for three different parts in the school play. From the clue below, can you figure out the name, grade (6, 7, or 8), and character of each kid? Grade Character Talking Tree Wise Old Owl Evil Wizard Clue: Jack is older than the kid who plays the wizard and younger than kid B, who isn’tHunter. Answers page 32.…

Pig-Nosed Turtle HABITAT Rivers in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Australia SHELL SIZE 70 cm (28 in.) long WEIGHT About 30 kg (66 lb.) Also known as the Fly River turtle, this species is the last living member of the Carettochelyidae family. These turtles get their common name thanks to their distinct nostrils, which look like a pig’s snout! But you won’t find these special turtles chilling in the barn. They are great swimmers and perfectly suited to an aquatic life because their bodies are made for it. The turtles have fore-flippers and webbed hind legs for pushing through the water. Dive on in! Spiny Turtle HABITAT Shallow streams in rainforests across Southeast Asia SHELL SIZE Around 20 cm (8 in.) long WEIGHT 1.5 to 2 kg (3 to 4.5 lb.) These…