AR34 159 W  How Do Penguins Live on Ice?

Penguins live in very cold places. They walk, slide, and sleep on ice. But how do they stay warm? Penguins have thick feathers. These feathers keep heat close to their bodies. Under the feathers, they have a layer of fat. The fat also helps them stay warm. Penguins huddle t...

AR34 150 W  Why Do Giraffes Have Long Necks?

Giraffes are the tallest animals on land. They have very long necks. But why are their necks so long? Giraffes live in places with many trees. They eat leaves from tall trees. With long necks, they can reach food that other animals cannot. This helps them survive when food is ...

AR34 206 W  What Can Elephants Do With Their Ears?

Elephants are the largest land animals. They have long trunks and big ears. Their ears are not just for hearing. Elephants use their ears in many smart ways. On hot days, they flap their ears back and forth. This helps them cool down. Inside their ears, there are many tiny blood ...

AR34 204 W  Can Hippos Swim Well?

Hippos are big animals with short legs and large bodies. They live near rivers and lakes in Africa. Many people think hippos are great swimmers, but that is not true. Hippos do not really swim. Instead, they walk or run under the water. Hippos spend most of their day in the wa...

AR34 190 W  How Fast Can a Cheetah Run?

Cheetahs are the fastest land animals in the world. They can run up to 70 miles per hour. That is faster than a car on a city street! But they can only run that fast for a short time. After 20 to 30 seconds, they get tired and have to stop. Cheetahs have special bodies made fo...

AR34 198 W  Why Can Owls See Well at Night?

Owls are birds that are active at night. While most birds sleep, owls hunt in the dark. They have special eyes that help them see very well at night. Their eyes are big and round. Bigger eyes let in more light, which helps owls see in the dark. Owl eyes are not like human eyes...

AR34 208 W  How Do Dolphins Talk?

Dolphins are smart animals that live in the ocean. They do not talk with words like people, but they have their own way to ¡°speak.¡± Dolphins use sounds, body movements, and touch to talk to each other. Their sounds include clicks, whistles, and squeaks. Each dolphin makes it...

AR34 189 W  How Do Ants Build Their Homes?

Ants are small insects, but they can do big things together. One amazing thing they do is build homes underground. These homes are called nests. Ants dig tunnels and rooms using their jaws. They carry tiny pieces of soil or sand out of the ground, little by little. Each ant ha...

AR34 197 W  Why Do Bees Dance?

Bees are busy insects that live in hives. They work together to find food like nectar and pollen. When a bee finds a good place with lots of flowers, it goes back to the hive and does a special dance. This dance is called the ¡°waggle dance.¡± The waggle dance is not just for ...

AR34 185 W  How Do Camels Live in the Desert?

Camels live in hot, dry deserts. These places have little water and lots of sun. But camels are made for this kind of life. Their bodies help them survive in the heat and sand. Camels have humps on their backs. The humps store fat, not water. When camels don¡¯t find food, thei...

AR34 179 W  Why Do Turtles Live So Long?

Turtles are known for living a very long time. Some turtles live over 100 years! But why do they live so long? Scientists think there are many reasons. First, turtles have slow bodies. They move slowly and use little energy. This means their bodies don¡¯t get tired or worn out...

AR34 193 W  How Do Polar Bears Stay Warm in the Cold?

Polar bears live in the cold Arctic. There, snow and ice cover the land, and the wind is strong. But polar bears don¡¯t get cold easily. Their bodies are made to stay warm in freezing weather. First, polar bears have two thick layers of fur. The top layer keeps water out, and ...

AR34 157 W  How Small Is a Hummingbird?

Hummingbirds are some of the smallest birds in the world. Many hummingbirds are only 7 to 10 centimeters long. That is about the size of a finger! The smallest one, the bee hummingbird, is just 5 centimeters long and weighs less than 2 grams. It is as light as a paperclip. Eve...

AR34 160 W  How Do Dragonflies Fly?

Dragonflies are amazing flying insects. They have two pairs of wings—one pair in the front and one in the back. Unlike most insects, dragonflies can move their wings separately. This helps them fly in special ways. Dragonflies can fly forward, backward, up, down, and eve...

AR34 166 W  How Does a Tadpole Become a Frog?

Frogs start their lives as eggs in the water. A mother frog lays many eggs in a jelly-like group. After a few days, the eggs hatch, and tiny tadpoles come out. Tadpoles look like little fish. They have long tails and no legs. They swim around and eat plants in the water. As ta...

AR34 153 W  Why Do Chameleons Change Color?

Chameleons are special lizards known for changing color. Many people think they do it to hide, but that is only part of the reason. Chameleons change color to show how they feel, to talk to other chameleons, and to stay warm or cool. Their skin has special cells called chromat...

AR34 154 W  Is a Whale a Fish?

Many people think whales are fish because they live in the ocean. But whales are not fish—they are mammals. That means whales are more like humans, dogs, or dolphins than fish. Fish lay eggs, breathe through gills, and are cold-blooded. Whales are different. They breathe...

AR34 159 W  What¡¯s the Difference Between Seals and Se...

Seals and sea lions may look alike, but they are different animals. They both live in the ocean and rest on land, but their bodies work in different ways. One big difference is their ears. Sea lions have small ear flaps that stick out. Seals do not. Their ears are just small h...

AR34 155 W  Do Monkeys Use Tools?

Yes, some monkeys do use tools! They are smart animals and can learn how to use objects to help them. Monkeys have hands and fingers like humans, so they can hold and use things easily. For example, some monkeys use rocks to crack open nuts. Others use sticks to get insects ou...

AR34 211 W  Can Dogs Understand Human Words?

Dogs live with people and are part of many families. People talk to dogs every day. But do dogs really understand what we say? The answer is yes, at least a little. Dogs cannot speak, but they can learn what some words mean. Many dogs know words like ¡°sit,¡± ¡°stay,¡± and ¡°c...

AR34 191 W  How Do Bats Fly?

Bats are the only mammals that can truly fly. They are not birds, but they fly in the sky like birds do. Bats have wings made of thin skin stretched over long fingers. Their wings look like hands with very long, thin fingers. This helps them turn, dive, and move quickly in the ai...

AR34 184 W  How Long Do Crocodiles Live?

Crocodiles are strong and ancient animals. They have lived on Earth for millions of years. One amazing thing about crocodiles is how long they can live. Some crocodiles live more than 70 years, and a few may even reach 100 years if they stay healthy and safe. Crocodiles grow s...

AR34 167 W  How Do Moles See Underground?

Moles are small animals that live underground. They dig tunnels and spend most of their lives in the dark. But how do moles see when there is little or no light? The answer is, they don¡¯t see very well. Moles have very small eyes, and their eyesight is weak. Moles do not need...

AR34 168 W  How Do Butterflies Drink Nectar?

Butterflies are colorful insects that fly from flower to flower. They do not eat with mouths like people. Instead, butterflies drink sweet nectar from flowers using a long, thin part called a proboscis. It works like a straw. When a butterfly lands on a flower, it unrolls its ...

AR34 191 W  Why Do Cats Meow?

Cats are quiet animals, but they meow to talk to people. Kittens meow to their mothers when they are hungry or cold. As cats grow up, they mostly meow to humans, not to other cats. Meowing is their way of saying something to us. A cat might meow when it wants food, water, or a...

AR34 185 W  Why Do Roosters Crow in the Morning?

Roosters are male chickens, and they are known for crowing early in the morning. Many people think roosters crow because the sun comes up. This is true, but there is more to it. Roosters have an inner clock called a biological clock. It tells them when it is time to wake up and c...

AR34 186 W  Why Do Lions Live in Groups?

Lions are one of the few big cats that live in groups. A group of lions is called a pride. Most big cats live alone, but lions live together to stay strong and safe. In a pride, there are usually several female lions, a few males, and their cubs. Living in a group helps lions ...

AR34 189 W  Why Are Snails So Slow?

Snails are small animals with soft bodies and hard shells. They are known for moving very slowly. But why are snails so slow? The answer lies in how their bodies are built and how they move. Snails move using a big, flat foot on the bottom of their bodies. This foot makes wave...

AR34 188 W  What Kind of Tree Do Koalas Like?

Koalas are animals that live in Australia. They are known for sleeping in trees and eating leaves. But koalas do not eat just any leaves. They love the leaves of eucalyptus trees. These trees are tall and have strong-smelling leaves. Eucalyptus leaves are not easy to eat. They...

AR34 174 W  Why Do Ducks Float Well on Water?

Ducks are birds that love water. They swim in ponds, lakes, and rivers. One special thing about ducks is that they float very well. But why do ducks float so easily on water? First, ducks have light bodies and hollow bones. This helps them stay on the surface of the water. The...