Pixel Puzzler #44: The Great Reveal
We got tons of great guesses on Part 1 of this Pixel Puzzler and now it’s time for the answer. Are you ready for the great reveal? Find out if you got it right!
The answer to this Pixel Puzzler is (drum roll please) Zebras! How did you do? Tell us in the comments!
Tap here for more cool stuff like this!
Why can’t all birds fly?
Did you ever wonder why penguins forgot how to fly? I mean, they ARE birds, and they DO have wings – so at some point long, long, long ago – their ancestors could probably fly, right? They certainly didn’t SWIM to Antarctica after all.
So today, I’m exploring the mystery of flightless birds. What’s their whole deal??? Tune in to find out!
Where will we be looking for today’s question? Up? In the sky? In the tree branches? Deep under the sea? Or on ground level, among the grass and bushes? Yup! We’re back in the Down Under of Australia, the country of many mysteries!
What animal is said to be one of the only surviving dinosaurs, descendants of theropods? Birds! If you look up, you’ll likely see a bird flying through the sky, perched in a tree, or on a roof. These animals have mastered the skies, inspiring humans to make planes to join them. They’re strange, beautiful, delicate, and weird. So what kind of grounding conundrum are they facing?
THE QUESTION OF THE DAY:
Why are there birds that can’t fly?
Birds can be found in all shapes and sizes. There’s the tiny hummingbird, the soaring eagle, and the gigantic ostrich. Why can some fly, and others can’t? Is it because they’re too heavy? Have too small wings? Do they all need hollow bones to fly? Or is it something special? Vote on the answer you think is right! If you have any thoughts, share them in the comments below.
So… what’s the answer? Be sure to listen to know the full reason why! It might be a bit more complicated than you think…
A Special Muscle for some…
Ostriches and cassowary don’t have it, but the penguin does… what is it? The keel!
A Keel is a part of a bird’s breastbone, attached to their wings. It’s a super-important muscle for flight, so important that the keel is also used as a word for important “backbone” parts for planes and ships! Without a keel, birds like the cassowary, ostrich, kiwi, and rhea cannot fly. This group of flightless birds is called ratite.
Some ratites, like kakapo, may show “vestigial” keels – remains of this body part that disappeared from evolution. However, there’s one bird that still has it yet is just as grounded as us!
The slippery surfer!
Penguins – unlike other ratites DO have a keel. If they had bigger wings, they probably could fly! But with heavy bodies, their keel cannot support them. Instead, they focus on mastering swimming, and tobogganing across the ice! At least when they can’t fly like other birds, they’ve still got some fun special tricks. What do you think?
Do you have a fun animal mystery you want us to explore?
Let us know in the comments in the Earth Rangers App!
Earth Rangers are gearing up to tackle litter!
At Earth Rangers, we’re gearing up for an epic event that is just around the corner: the Provincial Day of Action on Litter! It happens every year on the second Tuesday in May. This year, it’s on May 14th, and kids all across Ontario will team up to say “NO” to litter bugs, and “YES” to cleaner communities!
Ontario’s Provincial Day of Action on Litter is a special day. It’s when we’ll all come together, roll up our sleeves, and jump into the sometimes messy work of cleaning up our planet! We’ll tackle the trash that litters our streets, stopping it from ending up in parks or waterways, where it can harm animals and pollute our water. But it’s not just about cleaning! It’s also about spreading the word on why it’s important to keep our environment clean, and cheering on those who are working hard to clean up litter from nature.
What can you do this Provincial Day of Action on Litter?
At Earth Rangers, we’re all about helping the planet, protecting animals and having fun while doing it! And what better way to celebrate Ontario’s Day of Action on Litter than by completing the Shoreline Saver or Stash the Trash Mission! For a limited time only, you’ll get DOUBLE the points for completing either of these missions.
In the Stash the Trash Mission, you’ll organize your own neighbourhood cleanup to help get rid of litter!
In the Shoreline Saver in the Mission, you’ll focus your clean-up efforts near water, ensuring litter doesn’t end up creeks, rivers, lakes and even the ocean!
Here’s what Earth Rangers who completed these Missions had to say:
“I clean up because I like the animals around shorelines and I don’t want them to die.” – Earth Ranger Langley
Langley knew that cleaning up with his friends would be an adventure. So, they formed their own clean-up crew and joined the Shoreline Saver Mission. As they walked around their favourite playing area near the creek, they found lots of plastic packaging. They worked together to remove every last piece!
“It is important to you to keep your neighbourhood clean so that none of the animals go extinct and it makes a better planet”– Earth Ranger Harlow
Harlow and her brother teamed up for the Stash the Trash Mission. Setting out into their neighbourhood, they found lots paper and even a pile of egg cartons along the way. To make their clean-up more fun, they named each piece of trash’s ‘villain’ name like “Plastosaurus” or “Victoria Baggins”.
Grab your gloves, garbage, and recycling bags—it’s time to gear up for action!
Who Hibernates?
Who Hibernates?
Time:10 min
Difficulty:Easy
We all know bears hibernate over winter, but who else signs up for these long sleeps? Soon there’s gonna be a bunch of animals waking up, can you guess which ones?
Post your results in the comments below to let us know how you did!
Pixel Puzzler #44: Part 1
Let’s put your identification skills to the test! Can you figure out what is hidden in this picture? Make your guess in the comments.
Check back next week for the answer!
Tap here for more cool stuff like this!
How do Whales sleep?
How do whales sleep? On the sea-bed of course. But jokes aside… Marine mammals are facing a challenge: they need to breathe air regularly, so what do they do when it’s time to sleep? I’m jumping into the ocean with my brand-new SCUPA gear to find out!
Ahhhh-hhaaaaaa. Don’t you feel like yawning? I sure feel tired! But this is no time to be sleeping! There’s an underwater mystery to be solved! Today Emma throwing on her scuba gear to investigate something BIG!
Sleep is super important for everyone! A great night’s sleep helps you feel good and have nice dreams. When you get enough sleep, you stay healthy, give your mind and body a break, and feel rested. Not enough sleep can change your mood completely and even hurt your health in the long run!
THE QUESTION OF THE DAY:
How do Whales sleep?
When you live on land (like humans) there’s a soft ground to sleep on. You can find a comfy mattress, couch, or pile of pillows to sleep. Cats curl up, monkeys climb trees, and even birds make nests! Some animals are known for how they sleep! Bat hangs upside down, sloths are always sleepy looking… but who is the SLEEPIEST animal on Earth? Vote on the answer you think is right! If you have any thoughts, share them in the comments below.
So… what’s the answer? Be sure to listen to know the full reason why! One thing you might notice: All of these animals sleep on land. They’re safe when they lie down and rest. But what about sea creatures? Do they swallow water as they sleep? Does floating cause problems?
Some fish rest by reducing their activity, but don’t sleep like you do. Sea turtles can hold their breath for up to 7 hours, which allows them to sleep underwater for a short time if they can’t find land. What about bigger animals? Whales sleep by “turning off” part of their brains. Like humans, whales have a left and right side of their brain. To sleep, they keep one side on to work on breathing and paying attention to their environment.
Why do they do this? And why don’t we do it too then? Breathing: that is the key! Humans do what’s called “involuntary breathing” – we breathe without thinking about it. Whales are different – they do “voluntary breathing” – this means they must think to take a breath.
Sounds hard? It sure is! When diving deep down, whales are actually holding their breath! The longest whale to have held its breath was the Cuvier’s beaked whale at 222 minutes. This means they are always moving, even just a little. That is why to sleep they turn on only one part of their brain, to have the other work on breathing.
Talk about a strange biologic answer to this mystery! Do you know any other animals who sleep weirdly? What about you? Do you like sleeping on your back or sides? Or… maybe it’s a secret! I’m knackered, good night Earth Rangers!
Do you have a fun animal mystery you want us to explore?
Let us know in the comments in the Earth Rangers App!
Vegetable Rose Tartlets
Vegetable Rose Tartlets
Time:60+ min
Difficulty:Hard
A gift for lunch or dinner, some’bud’y is going to love this lovely rose!
- Carrots
- Zucchini
- Potatoes
- Tartlet shells
- 2 Eggs
- ¼ cup cream cheese
- ¼ cup grated cheese (parmesan, cheddar, mozzarella)
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- An adult to help with baking
Here’s how you make it:
Step 1: Beat eggs, cream cheese, salt, and grated cheese in a bowl.
Step 2: Peel your carrots, zucchini and potatoes into long thin slices.
Step 3: Start by rolling oner vegetable slice into itself. Roll two or three others around it to form a cute rose!
Step 4: Pour the egg and cheese mixture into your mini tarts. Carefully place your vegetable roses in the tartlets one after the other.
Step 5: Ask an adult to help preheat the oven to 375°F. While waiting, brush some olive oil over your vegetable roses. This will prevent them from burning!
Step 6: Once ready, put your mini tarts into the oven. Let them bake for 30-40 mins.
Let your tarts cool for 10ish mins, and then they’re ready to eat!
Voilà! You’ve got yourself a beautiful vegetable rose field; one you can dig into and eat! Enjoy!
Quiz: Are you ready to join our CFI team?
Join us on our Carbon Footprint Investigation Mission and test your skills as a savvy shopper! Take this quiz to see if you can figure out what causes some products to have a higher carbon footprint than others!
How did you do? Let us know in the comments below!
Did you know you can lower your carbon footprint by making smarter choices when you shop? Learn more in the Carbon Footprint Investigation Mission in the Earth Rangers App!
