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NATGEOKIDS.COM • FEBRUARY 2019

CUTE
PENGUIN
POSTER!

World’s
Rarest
Leopard
WHY THESE BIG CATS ARE THRIVING

PIGLETS VS. PUGS COOL

EGYPT
FACTS
GEMSTONES
 ADV E RT I S E M E N T

ALL THE T I M E !
YouTube Channel.
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IN
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12 The World’s Rarest Leopard

Gary E. Knell
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 Grab a parent to watch
Weirdest, Bestest, Truest
for more crazy-fun facts.

Check out these youtube.com/natgeokids

BY JEFFREY WANDEL

THE EARTH
T
TRAVELED
MORE THAN
M

THE OLDEST MILES THE

CONTINUOUSLY
STANDING IN THE PAST 5 MINUTES. TALLEST
VOLCANO
TREE A SNAIL would take about ON
ON EARTH IS
MORE THAN 220toHOURS
crawl
5,000 1 mile nonstop.
YEARS OLD— MARS
10,000
ABOUT THE SAME
A SAN
N FRANCISCO
N MAN
M N USED
AGE AS THE IS ABOUT
17
PYRAMIDS OF
MILES
HIGH.
THAT’S
61 TIMES
YOU ARE MADE
UP OF ABOUT E-CONTROL
E- ROL
OL TALLER THAN
THE 110-STORY
10 TRILLION WILLIS TOWER

CELLS. IN CHICAGO,
ILLINOIS.

(
THERE CAN BE THE
ABOUT AS M THE BRIGHTEST
WORLD’S STUDIES LIGHT
SHOW
IN
1 SQUARE
FIRST THAT WHEN EVENLY
MATCHED TEAMS
ON A HOTEL
IS IN
LAS VEGAS,
HANDHELD COMPETE, NEVADA,
MILE CELL THE TEAM WEARING AND CAN BE
RED
AS THERE ARE
PEOPLE PHONE SEEN FROM
AIRPLANES
ON THE ENTIRE COST HAS A BETTER
250 MILES
$3,995.
CHANCE OF
WINNING. AWAY.
4 NAT GEO KIDS • FEBRUARY 2019 NASA / JET PROPULSION LABORATORY (MARS VOLCANO)
 GUINNESS
WORLD
RECORDS
$169 OT DOG
Y ou won’t find this treat at the ballpark.
The most expensive hot dog sells for $169
at a Seattle, Washington, restaurant. Called
the Juuni Ban, the foot-long hot dog is topped
with high-end toppings such as Wagyu beef,
shaved black truffles, caviar, and Japanese
mayonnaise, all served in a brioche bun. What,
no ketchup? —Molly Marcot

FINNED MAN
CONQUERS HURDLES
T hink leaping over hurdles during a race is hard?
Try doing it with flippers. Christopher Irmscher
of Germany can run the 100-meter hurdles wearing
swim fins in 14.82 seconds, the fastest on record.
Not bad, considering that’s only about two seconds
slower than the world record without flippers. So
why wear swim fins in the first place? Uh, we have
no idea. —B.F. Summers

GIANT
HORSE
B ig Jake is no ordinary
horse—he’s almost
seven feet tall. This
2,600-pound creature
holds the record for tallest
living horse. Big Jake is
a Belgian draft horse, a
breed known for its size.
What does a giant horse
eat? Big Jake consumes
about twice the amount
of food an average-size
horse would, finishing off
three giant grain buckets
a day. Talk about horse-
power! —Molly Marcot

GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS (HOT DOG); JOHN WRIGHT / GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS (IRMSCHER); KEVIN SCOTT RAMOS /
GUINNESS WORD RECORDS (BIG JAKE); INFORMATION PROVIDED BY © 2019 GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS LIMITED. FEBRUARY 2019 • NAT GEO KIDS 5
 cool facts about the
human body BY MICHELLE HARRIS

Your
2 teeth
are
cells live harder
than your
longer than bones.
all of the other 3
cells in your The
more you
body. concentrate,
the less you
4
heart
Your blink. 6
beatsabout 5
It’s
not
100,000 Some possible
times each people to
day.
7
canhear
their
tickle
yourself.
The eyeballs
saliva
you produce in your
moving. 8 Your
lifetime could foot
is about the
30,000
fill
nearly same length as the
water
bottles.
distance
between your
elbowand
wrist.
For more fun facts, grab a parent to watch
Things You Wanna Know! youtube.com/natgeokids

6 NAT GEO KIDS • FEBRUARY 2019 SEBASTIAN KAULITZ / SHUTTERSTOCK

ALL ABOUT
MONEY BY KRISTIN BAIRD RATTINI

A Cambodian leader
once abolished the
use of money. The Greek goddess
Athena
and her
sacred owl
appeared on
The Southern Cross constellation coins minted over
appears on Brazilian coins. 2,000 years ago.

Botswana’s THiS
currency WiLL BUY
is named YOU A LOT
pula,
or
OF DOG
TREATS.
rain,
which is
valuable
in this
Belgium
l i
issued a coin
desert
nation. featuring the
cartoon hero

Fibers from the abaca plant, a close

Tintin
and his dog,
relative of the banana plant, are used in
Japanese banknotes. Snowy.

The
In the A mint
error
U.S. Bureau of Engraving
Netherlands and Printing uses
in 1636,

tulips
added
n extra

were so valu of nk each ay

p to
bison
e
that some
as much a money. 05
ho sas
e
rters.  

CLIP COUPONS FOR YOUR PARENTS.

MONEY For each coupon they use, ask if they’ll put
TIP! the money they save into your piggy bank.

© RADOMIR TARASOV / DREAM MSTIME (CONSTELLATIO

ALAMY (STARS); © PAUL HARRISON
ON COIN); © JTB PHOTO COMMUNICATIONS, INC. /
HARRISON / ALAMY (CAMBODIA);
(CAMBOD © INTERFOTO / ALAMY (OWL) ; © GLYN THOMAS /
ALAMY (PULA); © ERWAN GALESNE / NUMISTA (TINTIN); © MICHAEL MITIN / DREAMSTIME (TULIPS); © SAM
FEBRUARY 2019 • NAT GEO KIDS 7
SLOAN / ALAMY (INK); COURTESY TAZMIC ENTERPRISES (BISON); KELLEY MILLER / NG STAFF (PIGGY BANK)
 BY JR MORTIMER
AND NANCY CASTALDO

CHOOSE
THIS:
Stack
monuments
all the way to
the moon’s You’re reaching
r for the stars if you
the moon by stacking Eiffel Tow
y try to get to
wers on top of each

surface. other. The

T height of the Eiffel Tower in Paris,
France,, is 986 feet. The distancee from the Earth’s
surfacee to the moon at its closeest is about
223,700 0 miles. If you were to stack Eiffel Tower
upon Eiiffel Tower all the way to the
t moon, it would
requiree more than 1.1 million moonuments! Be sure
to buildd an elevator while you’ree at it.
(STATUE OF LIBERTY); SUBBOTINA ANNA / SHUTTERSTOCK (HAMSTERS); KONONOVA VIKTORLIA / SHUTTERSTOCK (CROCODILES)

CHOOSE
POLA DAMONTE / SHUTTERSTOCK (EIFFEL TOWER); QUAOAR / SHUTTERSTOCK (MOON); NATCHAPON L. / SHUTTERSTOCK

THAT:
Stack
hamsters
to the height
of a famous
monument.
8 NAT GEO KIDS • FEBRUARY 2019
Y ’vee gott quiiite
You l i actt iff you try to stack ha
t a bbalancing
to thee top of tthe Statue of Liberty in New York City. T
heighht of the monument—from bbase to torch—is ab
151 feeet. The aaverage height of a hhamster standing on
hind legs is sixx inches. That means if you created a t
hamsters thatt reached the top off Lady Liberty, you
302 hhamsterss in all! It would stinkk to be the hamste t
bottoom, woulddn’t it?

BON
NUS FACT
If you lined up 45 crocodiles CHECK
tail to snout, they’d stretch OUT
as long as one side of the THE
Grreat Pyramid at Giza. BOOK!

FEBRUARY 2019 • NAT GEO KIDS 9

A
My mom’s
great, but she
can’t drive me THE CALF RAN
to the mall. ALONGSIDE THE
VEHICLE AND
PAUSED EACH
TIME THE CAR
STOPPED.

WILDEBEEST

Mom m y
A WILDEBEEST CALF
THAT’S A FEW WEEKS
OLD, LIKE THIS ONE,
KNOWS BETTER THAN
TO BOND WITH A CAR.
Do i look
like a car
to you?
Mix-up
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park,
K
South Africa
Watch out: Baby animal ahead! baby wildebeest had a strong
While driving through a national instinct to follow any large mov-
park, visitors spotted a newborn ing object. The behavior keeps
wildebeest racing behind a very young calves close to their
blue car. When the vehicle mothers and their herd, which
came to a stop, the tiny calf can protect them from preda-
nuzzled a tire and even tried tors like lions and jackals.
to drink milk from it. The The calf followed the vehicle
youngster
y might’ve been for about a half-hour until the
wondering: Are you my mom? herd reappeared. “The mother
Since the calf was probably ran out to reunite with her calf,”
only about a day old, the new- says Asma Ali, a visitor who
born likely hadn’t completely caught the event on video. As
WHEN THE HERD bonded with its mother yet, it grows, the baby wildebeest
REAPPEARED, THE African wildlife expert Markus probably won’t make the same
CALF QUICKLY
FOUND ITS REAL Hofmeyr says. So when it was mistake again—no more calf
MOTHER.
separated from its mom, the carpool. —Kitson Jazynka

10 NAT GEO KIDS • FEBRUARY 2019

© ARNOMEINTJESWILDLIFE / DREAMSTIME (WILDEBEEST, MAIN); THE LATEST
SIGHTINGS (WILDEBEEST AND CAR, WILDEBEEST CALF AND MOTHER)
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A WORLD OF IDEAS:
SEE ALL THERE IS TO KNOW www.dk.com
 During
the winter,
an Amur leopard’s
coat can vary between
light to reddish yellow.
In the summer,
it’s even brighter.

An Amur
leopard can leap
up to 10 feet in
the air.

AN AMUR LEOPARD’S
LARGE PAWS WORK LIKE
SNOWSHOES, LETTING
THE CAT WALK ON SNOW
WITHOUT SINKING.

12 NAT GEO KIDS • FEBRUARY 2019

ACTION SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY / SHUTTERSTOCK (LEOPARD IN SNOW); TLWILSONPHOTOGRAPHY / SHUTTER-
STOCK (LEOPARD BEHIND TREE); © YURI SMITYUK / TASS / ALAMY LIVE NEWS (SNOWY-FACED LEOPARD)
 SCIENTISTS SOMETIMES
CALL AMUR LEOPARDS
THE “SILENT KILLER”
SINCE THEY’RE SO GOOD
AT SNEAKING UP ON PREY.

THE
RAREST

THESE BIG CATS GET A NEW CHANCE AT SURVIVAL.

S
BY SCOTT ELDER
lowly stalking down the snowy hillside, the Amur
leopard watches its prey through the trees. In
the clearing below, a sika deer munches on tree
bark, one of its few remaining food sources dur-
ing the cold Russian winter. The leopard crouches,
its body so low to the ground that its belly fur
brushes the snow. Suddenly it bounds and springs
forward, tackling the deer from 10 feet away.
With a deadly combination of speed, strength, and stealth, the
Amur leopard seems like it has everything it needs for survival.
But not long ago—after decades of habitat loss and poaching—
these endangered cats almost went extinct. Thanks in part to a
newly established national park, however, Amur leopards are
SOFT, DENSE FUR clawing their way back from the brink.
KEEPS AMUR
LEOPARDS
WARM IN THE GRAB A PARENT TO WATCH OTHER BIG CATS IN ACTION.
BITTER COLD. youtube.com/natgeokids

FEBRUARY 2019 • NAT GEO KIDS 13

 Amur
leopards are
named after the
Amur River, a body
of water that runs
along the Russian
and Chinese
border.

Where
Amur leopards

IA
live

SS
RU
CHINA JAPAN

NORTH
KOREA

ADULT AMUR SOUTH

LEOPARDS KOREA
ARE SOLITARY
HUNTERS.

Disappearing Act done by counting tracks, which isn’t the

Most people think of leopards prowling most reliable method). “These animals
African savannas, but the spotted preda- were going extinct,” biologist Dale
tors are found in many different coun- Miquelle says. “Some of us were afraid it
tries and habitats. They’ve adjusted to was too late to save them.”
life in grasslands, jungles, deserts, and Their solution? A new national park
freezing, hilly landscapes. It’s there— dedicated to protecting the endangered
along the Russian-Chinese border—that cat. But first, scientists had to convince
Amur leopards live, adapting to their the government that this was something
chilly climate with bushier fur and longer worth doing—and that it could be done.
legs to trudge through the deep snow.
Although Amur leopards thrive in Spotting Leopards
freezing temperatures, by the late 20th An adult male Amur leopard treks
century the human population moving through the snow, then stops to check
into their habitat shrunk their California- out his surroundings. He surveys his ter-
size range by a huge 98 percent, trapping ritory, ready to warn other males to stay
AMUR LEOPARD CUBS the animals in a stretch of land less than away if he encounters them.
REMAIN WITH THEIR
MOTHERS FOR ABOUT half the size of Puerto Rico. Poachers But how much of that territory was
TWO YEARS. roamed the space that remained, killing the cat trying to protect? And how many
the cats to sell their coats. In 2000, con- other leopards was he protecting it from?
servationists were stunned when a new The first step to convincing government
count of Amur leopards estimated that officials to help was to show where the
only 30 were left in the world leopards spent their time—and what
CHECK OUT OTHER ANIMALS IN THE SNOW. (though it was based on a study land needed protection most.
natgeokids.com/february

TOM BRAKEFIELD / GETTY IMAGES (CROUCHING LEOPARD); © EDO SCHMIDT / ALAMY (LEOPARD CUB); © DMITRY KUCHMA / WWF-RUSSIA (CAMERA); LAND

14 NAT GEO KIDS • FEBRUARY 2019

OF THE LEOPARD NATIONAL PARK (CAMERA-TRAP LEOPARD); DENNIS W DONOHUE / SHUTTERSTOCK (SNOW LEOPARD); MAGGY MEYER / SHUTTERSTOCK
(AFRICAN LEOPARD); IAN RENTOUL / SHUTTERSTOCK (CLOUDED LEOPARD); WARREN METCALF / SHUTTERSTOCK (AMUR LEOPARD); MARTIN WALZ (MAP)
 Tracking Amur leopards is harder than to figure out where each leop-
it sounds. Sure, scientists could count ard spent most of its time.
pawprints in the snow. But tracks only tell In addition to showing which
researchers that a leopard has been stretches of land were fre-
there; they don’t tell them for how long, quented by the leopards, the
or what they were up to. It’s also easy to camera trap footage also
get individual cats mixed up. Plus, these revealed that their home rang-
cats are famous for their hiding skills. “I es were up to twice the dis-
tried to track an Amur leopard once,” tance as leopards in other
says World Wildlife Fund researcher Yury parts of the world. “We joke
A CAMERA
AMEERA TRA
TRAP LIKE
Darman. “I later realized it was actually that they’re tougher because THIS ONE CAPTURED A
watching me from afar the whole time.” they travel huge distances, PHOTO OF THIS AMUR
LEOPARD NEAR THE
Scientists came up with a high-tech often through snow, to find a RUSSIAN BORDER.
solution: camera traps, devices that meal,” Miquelle says.
automatically take photos and videos
of passing animals. Placed along trails New Territory
that the cats often used, the cameras This new footage helped scientists realize
gave scientists more information about that Amur leopards tracked their prey for
the Amur leopards in the area. Because such long distances because the cold for-
a leopard’s spots—called rosettes—are ests they live in support fewer animals like
as unique as human fingerprints, scien- sika deer, which local people also hunted.
tists could identify individual leopards That meant larger pieces of land needed to

HOW TO SPOT A LEOPARD

Snow African Clouded Amur

Leopard Leopard Leopard Leopard
HOME
Mountains of Central Asia Most kinds of terrain in Forests of Southeast Asia Forests along the border of
much of Africa and Asia Russia’s Far East and China

ENDANGERED
Yes No Yes Yes

COAT
Snow leopards have closely African leopards have closely Clouded leopards are known An Amur leopard’s coat is
spaced rosettes over a very spaced rosettes over a more for the big, cloudy-looking slightly less golden-colored
pale coat. golden-colored coat. patches on their coats. than an African leopard’s.

EXTREMES
Thickest coat Heaviest(170 pounds) and Biggest canine teeth relative Longest legs
tallest(2.5 feet at shoulder) to body size

FEBRUARY 2019 • NAT GEO KIDS 15

 Amur
leopards are
sometimes called
Far East leopards,
Manchurian
leopards, or Korean
leopards.

AMUR LEOPARDS
OFTEN DRAG
THEIR PREY
UP INTO TREES
BEFORE EATING.

“Leopard Tunnel” built on a stretch of

busy highway so that Amur leopards and
Amur tigers didn’t have to dodge speed-
AMUR LEOPARDS
ing cars.
GIVE BIRTH TO Before the park was established, Amur
ONE TO FOUR
CUBS AT A TIME. leopards quietly lived on a small sliver of
land, coming out briefly to hunt before
slinking away into the forests to avoid
other leopards or poachers. But just a few
months after the park’s creation, hidden
cameras recorded leopards lingering out
in the open now that they had more land
to safely roam free. In one video, a young
female named Berry rubs against trees
and flops around like a playful house cat.
In another, an adult male stretches out
along a rocky slope, checking out his sur-
roundings and occasionally stopping to
clean his paws.

Bouncing Back
Not only were the Amur leopards surviv-
ing, they were thriving. After watching
months of camera-trap footage, scientists
were able to determine an updated popu-
lation count for the cats. And the news
was hopeful.
Since Land of the Leopard National
Park was created in 2012, the Amur leop-
ard population grew to 84 by 2015.
“Everyone hoped for a population
increase,” Miquelle says. “But nobody
dreamed that we’d find 84 here.”
be protected for both the leopard and its endangered big cat from extinction. By 2018, a dozen new cubs had been
prey. Better protected prey meant more The result: Land of the Leopard spotted. Throughout the forest, young
food for the leopards and their cubs. National Park. The 647,400-acre refuge— leopards are now crouching nearby as
Armed with this information, scien- about two and a half times bigger than their mom teaches them how to hunt.
tists approached the Russian govern- where the leopards had been living— They’re learning how to survive from her.
ment about coming up with a plan to added newly protected areas to pre- And one day, some of those cubs will have
protect the big cats. After proving how existing reserves. New laws on hunting babies of their own to teach.
few leopards were left in the wild and animals such as sika deer meant the big Thanks to effective law enforcement in
what was needed to save them, scien- cats wouldn’t run out of food. Millions of the park, the population is rebounding.
tists eventually persuaded officials to dollars were spent on anti-poaching “We see a much brighter future for our
take action to save the world’s most patrols and other efforts, including a Amur leopards now,” Miquelle says.

RUDI HULSHHOF / GETTY IMAGES (JUVENILE IN TREE); ANDREW PORTER / GETTY IMAGES (MOM

16 NAT GEO KIDS • FEBRUARY 2019

AND CUB); WARREN METCALF / SHUTTERSTOCK (SHOWDOWN LEOPARD); DENNIS W DONOHUE /
SHUTTERSTOCK (SHOWDOWN TIGER). RICHARD MCMANUS / GETTY IMAGES (PENGUINS, PAGES 18-19)
 « BY ALLI DICKEY
LIVING SIDE BY SIDE WITH
Amur leopards is another fierce
predator: the Amur tiger. Which
feline will claw its way to the top
in this battle of the big cats?

Biggest
Amur leopards look large, but
they’re actually one of the smaller
big cats, weighing up to 165
pounds. The Amur tiger weighs up
to a whopping 660 pounds, tying
for the title of world’s heaviest
big cat(alongside India’s Bengal
tiger).

Sneakiest

«
Both felines have thick coats
that provide camouflage while

AMUR LEOPARD
hunting among the trees in the
chilly environment. But the Amur

VS.
leopard is nicknamed the “silent
killer” by scientists. These cats
can get within 10 feet of their
prey before launching a sneak
attack.
AMUR TIGER
«
Strongest
An Amur leopard’s biggest power
comes from its jaw muscles:
They’re strong enough to pull up
prey high into trees, where the
cat can hide its meal from hungry
thieves. Amur tigers don’t need
to worry about hungry thieves
though—they can take out com-
petition with just one swipe of
their huge, powerful paws.

n n er
Wi MU
TIGERR
An Amur leopard might win for
sneakiness, but the Amur tiger’s
massive size and strength help it
take the crown in this showdown.

GRAB A PARENT TO WATCH MORE ANIMAL SHOWDOWNS!

youtube.com/natgeokids

FEBRUARY 2019 • NAT GEO KIDS 17

King penguins live on islands north of Antarctica. To guard chicks and eggs, these birds might peck at predators 2,000 times a day.
Brown and fuzzy, king penguin chicks look so different from their parents that scientists once thought they were a separate species.
THAT ROCK
WHAT YOUR BIRTHSTONE MIGHT SAYABOUT YOU
BY CATHERINE D. HUGHES

If these
description
s
don’t matc
you, that’s O h
These are ju K.
st
for fun.

NORTH
AMERICA
Turquoise
UNITED Emer
STATES COLOMBIA
AFRICA
Peridot
KENYA
SOUTH
AMERICA Garnet
Amethyst TANZANIA SRI L
BRAZIL Sap
Topaz
SOUTH AFRICA
SOME PLACES Diamond Opal
WHERE GEMS GET MORE FUN FACTS ABOUT ROCKS AND MINERALS.
ARE MINED
ANTARCTICA
natgeokids.com/february

20 NAT GEO KIDS • FEBRUARY 2019

JANUARY FEBRUARY
GARNET AMETHYST
REPRESENTS LOYALTY REPRESENTS SINCERITY
No one would describe you as a flaky friend. You stick up Being two-faced or half-hearted isn’t your thing. What you
for your BFFs if others put them down, and you’re always say to your friends and family is genuine and honest.
ready to listen when a pal has a problem.
OLD-SCHOOL MYTHS
OLD-SCHOOL MYTHS Amethysts supposedly had good powers. It
People once believed that garnets offered was believed that they helped people stay
protection from poisons, wounds, and awake and think clearly, protected against
even scary dreams. evil spells, and brought victory in battle.

ROCK-SOLID FACTS ROCK-SOLID FACTS

You can find garnets in streams Amethysts are found in geodes,
where water has worn away which look like ugly rocks on the outside.
rock, exposing the gems. Cracked open, a geode reveals sparkling
Before they’re polished, raw amethyst crystals that range in
garnets look like small color from light mauve to deep
pebbles. They come in shades purple. At one time, you could only
of red, black, and green (the wear amethyst jewelry if you
rarest). Some are even colorless. were royalty.

Star With This Stone: Grant Gustin Star With This Stone: Harry Styles

MARCH APRIL
AQUAMARINE DIAMOND
REPRESENTS COURAGE REPRESENTS ENDURING LOVE
You stand up to bullies whether they’re bothering you, You’re quick to make up after arguing with someone in
your family, or your friends. You’re never a coward. your family or group of friends. You don’t carry grudges.

OLD-SCHOOL MYTHS OLD-SCHOOL MYTHS

People used to believe that aquamarines could People associated the sparkle of diamonds with romance,
protect sailors and their ships from disasters at sea. mystery, power, greed, and magic. Many once believed that
The aquamarine was also thought to heal illnesses they were made by bolts of lightning.
that affected the stomach, liver, jaws, and throat.
The gem was supposedly an antidote to poison ROCK-SOLID FACTS
as well. Diamonds develop deep in the ground under great
pressure. The gems are the crystalline form of carbon.
ROCK-SOLID FACTS (Another form of carbon is graphite, the lead in your
Aquamarines, which are a form of the pencil.) Diamonds are the hardest naturally
mineral beryl, range from blue-green to occurring substance on Earth.
deep blue. Naturally occurring deep-blue
aquamarines are the rarest and most Star With This Stone: Emma Watson
valuable. Some of these crystals weigh
more than 250 pounds!

Star With This Stone: Camila Cabello

ALL PHOTO CREDITS PAGE 35 NAT GEO KIDS 21

MAY JUNE
EMERALD PEARL
REPRESENTS PURE LOVE REPRESENTS INNOCENCE
Your affection for those you love is clear. You’re not To you, nothing’s better than being a kid and
embarrassed by hugs—even from your parents in front having fun. You aren’t in any hurry to grow up.
of your friends!
OLD-SCHOOL MYTHS
OLD-SCHOOL MYTHS Pearls were thought to possess magical qualities. By law,
An emerald can melt a snake’s eyes! Well, only powerful, rich people could own and wear the gem-
that’s what people used to believe. They stones. According to legend, wealthy Roman women wore
also thought these gems would relax your pearls to bed so that when they woke in the morning, they
eyes if you looked through them. Other instantly remembered how rich they were.
beliefs: Emeralds stopped bleeding, cured
fevers, and kept the wearer calm. They also ROCK-SOLID FACTS
supposedly held powers for predicting the future. This is the only birthstone made by living creatures—
oysters and other shellfish. If a grain of sand finds
ROCK-SOLID FACTS its way into an oyster’s shell, the oyster covers the
Emeralds are sometimes found inside shale, a rock with irritating grit with layers of a shiny substance its
a very fine grain. Like aquamarines, they’re a form of body produces over many years. Eventually the
the mineral beryl. These gems are light to deep green. grain is encased, becoming a pearl.

Star With This Stone: Dwayne Johnson Star With This Stone: Chris Pratt

JULY AUGUST
RUBY PERIDOT
REPRESENTS CONTENTMENT REPRESENTS HAPPINESS
You’re happy with yourself and your life. You don’t feel the You’re happy! You never get up on the wrong side of the
need to make changes. bed. “Grumpy” definitely doesn’t describe you.

OLD-SCHOOL MYTHS OLD-SCHOOL MYTHS

Some people thought that rubies contained the spark Peridots were once thought to glow in the dark. People
of life. Many believed that the gems glowed from felt that peridots could ward off anxiety, help one speak
within and that royalty and gods used rubies better, and improve relationships. Peridots protected any-
to light their homes. That also meant that the one wearing them from evil and enchantment.
stones couldn’t be stolen, because they’d shine
through the thieves’ clothing. A ruby supposedly ROCK-SOLID FACTS
brought good health, cured bleeding, guarded Peridot is the gem-quality crystal of the olivine rock.
against wickedness, and foretold bad luck. It’s the only gem found in meteorites.

ROCK-SOLID FACTS Star With This Stone: Shawn Mendes

Rubies are a red form of the mineral corundum. All other
colors of corundum are sapphires.(See the September sec-
tion.) Large gem-quality diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires
are scarce, but rubies are the rarest of all.

Star With This Stone: Selena Gomez

22 NAT GEO KIDS • FEBRUARY 2019

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER
SAPPHIRE OPAL
REPRESENTS CLEAR THINKING REPRESENTS HOPE
Look out! When you know what you You always look at the bright side of things,
want, nothing gets in your way. seeing something good in every situation.
You are goal-oriented and You’re never a pessimist.
strive to achieve your dreams.
OLD-SCHOOL MYTHS
OLD-SCHOOL MYTHS Wearing an opal will make you invisible—according
Once upon a time many people to legend. An opal was also believed to bring beauty,
believed that a huge blue sapphire success, and happiness, as well as medicinal powers
held up the Earth and gave the sky its to ward off heart and kidney failure. It was once said
color. Sapphires were a source of protection that the opal could protect a person from lightning.
for travelers and brought peace and wisdom.
ROCK-SOLID FACTS
ROCK-SOLID FACTS Opals form over millions of years where hot, mineral-
Some sapphires are pale, while others are brilliant rich ooze—including the mineral silica—seeps into
blue. They also come in orange, green, yellow, and pink. rock cracks. Tiny spheres of silica stack up and harden
(Take a look at July to see how sapphires are related to become opals. The way light bounces off the silica
to rubies.) creates an opal’s colorful shimmer.

Star With This Stone: Zendaya Star With This Stone: Rowan Blanchard

NOVEMBER DECEMBER
TOPAZ TURQUOISE
REPRESENTS FAITHFULNESS REPRESENTS SUCCESS
You’re devoted to those you care about. Friends and Anything you put your mind to works out well, including
family can always count on you. moneymaking projects. “Defeat” is not in your vocabulary.

OLD-SCHOOL MYTHS OLD-SCHOOL MYTHS

In ancient Egypt the topaz’s golden glow was said Some people believed turquoise was a love charm. If a man
to come from the sun god Ra, and the stone gave a woman turquoise jewelry, he was pledging his love for
was supposedly a powerful amulet against her. Many Native Americans thought turquoise could bring
harm. Other legends proclaimed that a needed rain and ensured accurate aim while hunting. Even
topaz cleared people’s thinking, increased today in certain Native American cultures, the blue of tur-
strength, and warned of poisoned food or quoise symbolizes the sky and the green symbolizes Earth.
drink. It supposedly cured insomnia and
asthma, and stopped bleeding. ROCK-SOLID FACTS
Turquoise forms where mineral-rich water seeps into
ROCK-SOLID FACTS rocky gaps. Over time only the minerals remain—as
Topazes come in a range of colors. Many of them turquoise. The copper in turquoise gives the gem its
are golden; some are pink, green, or colorless. shades of blue and green.

Star With This Stone: Mackenzie Foy Star With This Stone: Taylor Swift

FEBRUARY 2019 • NAT GEO KIDS 23

 E
IGLs. TS Thiis animal sure looks ... um ...
fierrce? Ferocious? All right,
maaybe just super cute. But
cann pugs wipe the floor with

v
pigglets in this competition?

U MOS T AD O R A BLE
D O W N EV ER?
SMACK E C ID E.
YO U D
LIE BEER
BY JU
Pigs have a reputation for being diiirty,
rty
but that’s just trash talk. They’re actually FROM
very clean animals. Sure, they roll in the THE
mud sometimes—but that doesn’t mean PAGES
we can’t have a good, grime-free fight! OF

MOST
LIKELY
TO BE A
TRACK
STAR

Piglets Pugs
Pigs might not look like all-star athletes, but they can Pug-racing competitions are a thing too. But these
probably outrun you. Adult domestic pigs can run up to 11 household pets lag behind their porker pals when it
miles an hour—that’s faster than most humans ! In fact, comes to speed, averaging closer to five miles an hour.
some county fairs in the United States have pig-racing Most pugs aren’t active for long stretches of time any-
competitions, in which oinkers speed around a track. What’s how: Unlike high-energy dog breeds such as border
a pig’s motivation to be the leader of the pack? The snack collies and poodles, pugs are better off with short,
at the end, of course. brisk walks.

WATCH EVEN MORE CUTE ANIMALS.

natgeokids.com/february

24 NAT GEO KIDS • FEBRUARY 2019

TSEKHMISTER / SHUTTERSTOCK (INTRO PIG); AFRICA STUDIO / SHUTTERSTOCK (INTRO PUG); RASIMON /
ISTOCKPHOTO / GETTY IMAGES (TRACK PIG); ANNETTE SHAFF / SHUTTERSTOCK (TRACK PUG)
 THiS
MANNERS? COMPETiTiON
WHAT iS
MANNERS? BANANAS.

BIGGEST
FOODIE

Piglets Pugs
Pigs are sometimes called “food hogs.” No wonder: In the Those eyes definitely say “feed me.” The best food for
wild they eat everything from grass to small birds and pugs is dry dog chow—usually made from chicken, grain,
reptiles. Domestic pigs do some rooting around for food, and added vitamins and minerals. Since pugs are small
but their main meal is pig feed, which is a mix of grains. dogs, a few extra snacks (even banana bites!) can add
Pigs—which can weigh up to 750 pounds—eat about 2 up quickly, which veterinarians say isn’t good for their
percent of their body weight every day. That’s like you health. So while pugs might love snacking, it’s wise that
eating 50 peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches a day! they don’t pig out in this food fight.

BIGGEST-
SMARTY
PANTS

Piglets Pugs
Your dog probably has no idea what it’s staring at in the It’s true: Drooling isn’t the best way to ace an IQ test.
mirror. But a pig might. In a 2009 study, a group of pigs And in a ranking of pooches, pugs came in 110th out of
located a hidden bowl of food using several mirrors. Pigs 140 dog breeds in terms of intelligence—ouch! But the
can also learn tasks, such as operating levers to get food. judges noted that pugs might be as smart as pigs in at
They’ve even been known to work together to solve least one category: learning new tricks. These natural
problems, ranking them up near dolphins and chimps clowns can easily be taught to shake, play dead, and
in terms of intelligence. even jump through Hula-Hoops … especially for a treat.

DECISION you Team Piglet or Team Pug? Grab a parent and go online to cast your vote. Then find out which

TIME
of these curly-tailed cuties squeaks its way to the top. natgeokids.com/piglets-vs-pugs

- ; L
ERO / GETTY IMAGES (FOODIE PUG); S-F / SHUT-
OTO / GETTY IMAGES (SMARTY-PANTS PUG) FEBRUARY 2019 • NAT GEO KIDS 25
 1 2
Experts think priests raised
Egyptians believed that the crocodiles
Milky Way symbolized milk in the
Temple of
from the udders of a cow
Kom Ombo
goddess. to honor the croc godSobek.
3
4 6 The amount of
Substances in the linen used to wrap
Ancient a single mummy
black eyeliner workers could cover three-
worn by both men could quarters of a professional
and women might
have helped prevent
cut
a 100-foot-
basketball court.
eye infections. tall obelisk—
5
a pillar-shaped
Some ancient 7
monument—
Egyptians shaved from a
their eyebrows single often ped
after the death of a mummy
pet cat. block of toes individually
stone.

3 Co
p

THINGS
ABOUT
10
ESA / HUBBLE AND NASA (1); AUDREY SNIDER-BEL / SHUTTERSTOCK (2); FEDERICO ROSTAGNO / SHUTTERSTOCK (3); EGYPTIAN /

Instead of
ancient pillows,
GETTY IMAGES (4); JAGODKA / SHUTTERSTOCK (5); SANTI RODRIGUEZ / SHUTTERSTOCK (6); LEVENTEGYORI / SHUTTERSTOCK

8 An 11 A drawing found in
sport matched
ANDREA IZZOTTI / SHUTTERSTOCK (12); RANGIZZZ / SHUTTERSTOCK (13); NATALI ZAKHAROVA / SHUTTERSTOCK (14)

many ancient one Egyptian

(7); ATIKETTA SANGASAE / SHUTTERSTOCK (8); DEAGOSTINI / GETTY IMAGES (10); © WRANGEL / DREAMSTIME (11);

Cleopatra two teams in canoes:

Egyptians slept on
tomb shows
sometimes gave headrests
emeralds
Players used a long pole a man walking a
made of
to move the boat wood or mongoose
as gifts to knock
and stone. on a
foreign officials. opponents leash.
off their vessel.
12
13 14 Egyptians squeezed
The mummy-making process took about A
reci sap from
70 days to
mallow plants
complete. and mixed it with
honey and nuts—
included the world’s first
ground-up
eggshells,
marshmallow.
ox hooves, 15 These people
and volcanic worshipped over
rock. 2,000 gods
and goddesses.

26 NAT GEO KIDS • FEBRUARY 2019

16 17 18 19
Egypt’s oldest
The oldest known
parasols
BEETLE HEAD
Children
hildren sometimes wore pyramids—built around
charms in the shape of 2650 B.C.—
were made of six
fish as protection appeared
appeared in ancient
against drowning.
Egypt. stepped platforms,
unlike the smoothly
20 King Tutankhamun’s sloped Pyramids
tomb held 5,000 at Giza.
objects, including
six chariots, 139 walking 22 Around 1400 B.C., a
sticks, and a solid
gold coffin. pharaoh
cleared away sand
partially covering the
21 Some pharaohs wore 1,000-year-old
sandals decorated with
images of Egypt’s enemies
Ancient Egyptians Sphinx
so the ruler could
often depicted the sun after he
”crush
them”
god Khepri as a man
scarab
with a
dreamed
that a g
god asked m

CK (30)
as he
(a type of beetle) for a
restore
ore it.

ONKEY); EALISA / SHUTTERSTOCK (29); JASON BENZ BENNEE / SHUTTERSTOCK

walked. to
head.

TY IMAGES
EGYPT
S / CORBIS /
NDMARE / SHUTTERSTOCK (25); MRKOB / ISTOCKPHOTO /
7); © CARABINER / DREAMSTIME (18); HORACIO VILLAL
ANCIENT EGYPTIANS RULED
FROM ABOUT 3100 TO 30 B.C.
UNWRAP SOME FACTS ABOUT
THIS AMAZING CULTURE.
BY ALLYSON SHAW

23 One person who 24 25

helped discover King The temple of Pharaoh

TERSTOCK (MO
GETTY IMAGES (21); PHOTODISC (22); LUCA SANTILLI / SHUTTERSTOCK ((24); MAREAN
SYTILIN PAVEL / SHUTTERSTOCK (16); TETREL/ GAMMA-RAPHO / GETTY IMAGES (17
Tutankhamun’s Ramses II was built so 26 A book of sp ls
tomb died shortly that sunlightshines into
tto help guide peo
people to
p
pe

(26); VALENTYN VOLKOV / SHUTTERSTOCK (FIGS); ERIC ISSELEE / SHUTT

after opening the the innerroomtwodays
thhe afterl
fterlife includes
chamber, sparking each year—the estimated
dates for his birthday and a charm to ward off
rumors of a mummy’s
curse in the 1920s. coronation. cockroaches.
30
27 The city
y of 28
Hatshepsut had About 2.3 million
statues created of herself
Hierakonpolis These stone blocks—some
ancient with a false beard
weighing about
might have held the
world’s firstt collection people
p p and male clothing
as much as two African
to help people accept
of animalss—sort of like
her as their leader. elephants—make up the
an ancient zoo.
z Great Pyramid at Giza.
to co ect
fruit
from
29
Ancient bakers
WIN THE BOOK!
sometimes kneaded

tr .
TRY ONLINE
bread dough with JANUARY 8-15.
their feet. natgeokids.com
/february

FEBRUARY 2019 • NAT GEO KIDS 27

 STUFF S, LAUGHS, AND LOTS TO DO!

PLAY

of Heart Love is in the air on this city street, and it has everyone turned around. All of these small scenes
are upside down or sideways. Find each small scene in the big picture. ANSWERS ON PAGE 35
CTON

28 NAT GEO KIDS • FEBRUARY 2019

 TOP ROW (LEFT TO RIGHT): THOMAS NORTHCUT / RISER / GETTY IMAGES; SIRI STAFFORD / GETTY IMAGES; ANDREY-KUZMIN /
SHUTTERSTOCK. MIDDLE ROW (LEFT TO RIGHT): BRUNO MORANDI / GETTY IMAGES; IMAGE FARM; JOSON / GETTY IMAGES.
BOTTOM ROW (LEFT TO RIGHT): PAUL TEARLE/ STOCKBYTE / GETTY IMAGES; © DBURKE / ALAMY; PETER MILLER / GETTY IMAGES.

POER

ILAN HIOPLS
LCIIH SEEPPPR
WHAT IN THE
WORLD

SBU
ETCENKI

P S OT G N S I

EULODB-REECDK
SEEING RED

FEBRUARY 2019
•
These photos show close-up and faraway
views of objects that are red. Unscramble

ANSWERS ON PAGE 3
the letters to identify what’s in each picture

NAT GEO KIDS

W YAT R S E R B R

TRPGFNEIRIN
GTEAS AUNCTRI

29
THE BOOK!
CHECK OUT
FROM THE PAGES OF ALMANAC 2019:

STUMP
YOURPARENTS
If your parents can’t answer these questions,
maybe they should go to school instead of you!
ANSWERS ON PAGE 35

1 What heats up the water

in a natural hot spring?
A. the sun
B. magma beneath
the ground
C. microscopic creatures
6 In which of the following countries would
you not find a wild fennec fox?
D. steam engines A. Egypt C. Libya
B. Niger D. Botswana

2 Bowling three strikes in

a row is called a _______ . 7 TOPIO is a humanoid robot designed to
A. turkey C. stinker ____________________ .
B. gutter D. trio A. clean your room C. rescue people
B. play table tennis D. explore planets

3 What’s the longest amount of time a person

has spent riding a Ferris wheel?
A. 1 hour 15 minutes
8 Which of the following
was not an original
B. 6 hours Jell-O flavor
C. 30 hours 35 seconds when the jiggly
D. 72 hours treat was
introduced in
the late 1800s?
A. orange C. lime
4 Which character
does Alice play croquet with
B. strawberry D. raspberry

iin Alice’s Adventures in

Wonderland?
A. Cheshire Cat
A
B. Mad Hatter
9 About how long does a housefly
live(if it doesn’t get swatted)?
C. White Rabbit A. 1 day C. 10 years
D. Queen of Hearts B. 1 month D. 100 years

5 The Hope Diamond is about

the same size as a ______________ .
10 The sailfish—considered
to be one of the fastest fish
A. pea in the ocean—can reach speeds of
B. walnut ____________ miles an hour.
C. baseball A. 68 C. 88
D. basketball B. 78 D. 98

KANE513 / SHUTTERSTOCK (HOT SPRING); © PINCAREL IMAGES / DREAMSTIME (BOWLING BALL);

30 NAT GEO KIDS © ERIK DE GRAAF / DREAMSTIME (FERRIS WHEEL); © FOTO-MIX / ALAMY (BOOK COVER); THE
HOPE DIAMOND / SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, WASHINGTON DC, USA / BRIDGEMAN IMAGES
(HOPE DIAMOND); FLORIDAPFE FROM S.KOREA KIM IN CHERL / GETTY IMAGES (FENNEC FOX);
© AFRICA STUDIO / SHUTTERSTOCK (JELL-O); © PETE OXFORD / MINDEN PICTURES (SAILFISH)
 FUNNY
FILLIN
BIG WINNER
Ask a friend to give you words to fill in the
blanks in this story without showing it to PLAY MORE FUNNY FILL-IN!
him or her. Then read out loud for a laugh. natgeokids.com/ffi
BY KAY BOATNER

I’ve on . lly got my chance. Last week I went

noun favorite game show
to the set with . I couldn’t believe it when the host, ,
adjective friend’s name celebrity
me to play. As the audience clapped their ,I past the
past-tense verb body part, plural past-tense verb
onstage to spin the . The first thing I landed on was a
type of job, plural adjective noun
lifetime supply of . Then I won a(n) and a(n)
favorite food, plural type of transportation color
. But that’s not all! I also scored a(n) and a trip for people
animal electronic device large number
to . I’ve n o much fun. But how will I get my home?
exotic locati something big
DAN SIPPLE

FEBRUARY 2019 • NAT GEO KIDS 31

BACK
TALK
1. Fill in the thought balloon.
2. Cut out the entire picture (or make a photocopy of it).
3. Mail it along with your name, address, phone number, and date of birth
to Nat Geo Kids, Back Talk, P.O. Box 96000, Washington, DC 20090-6000.
Selection for publication in a future issue will be at the discretion of Nat Geo Kids.

What
YOU thinkdo
this
frog is
thinking?

FROM THE FEBRUARY 2018 ISSUE

CATHYKEIFER / GETTY IMAGES (FROGS); GERRY ELLIS / MINDEN PICTURES (ORANGUTANS)

You could just use a Hm, a red throat. It looks
toothpick. like orangutan-itis!
Oona H., 11 Eric K., 13
Essex, New York Rochester, Minnesota

Mom said to clip your nails, Hope you don’t pick

not your fingers. your nose!
Weston C., 8 Abby M., 10
Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina McMinnville, Oregon

I told you not to eat that I said ham sandwich, not

rotten banana. hand sandwich!
Hannah S., 12 Oliver E., 8
De Pere, Wisconsin Wanamassa, New Jersey

I think I’ll find a job other Ew! Not even the tooth
than dentist. fairy will take those teeth.
Logan T., 13 Kaidyn F., 10
Meraux, Louisiana Chicago, Illinois

32 NAT GEO KIDS • FEBRUARY 2019

 In the new book Explorer Academy: The Nebula Secret,
12-year-old Cruz Coronado breaks secret codes in order to
fight dangerous villains and solve mysteries. Test your own
skills by cracking the code on this page, then check out
more about the book at ExplorerAcademy.com .
TEXT AND PUZZLE BY GARETH MOORE

THE CODE: KEYED CAESAR CIPHER

1.
The key to solving this cipher is a secret code phrase—without it, the code is unbreakable. Start by choosing
a code phrase and then write that at the beginning of an alphabet table, ignoring any spaces and punctuation.
For example, if your code phrase is “I LOVE CATS,” you would start your table like this:

I L O V E C A T S

2.
Next, write the alphabet in order after the phrase—but leave out any letters that are already in your secret
code phrase. For example, you already have an a and a c in your secret code phrase, so the next two letters
after the phrase would be b and d. Once you’ve done this for I LOVE CATS, your table looks like this:

I L O V E C A T S B D F G H
J K M N P Q R U W X Y Z

3. Finally, write the normal alphabet under the coded alphabet, like this:

I L O V E S C A T B D F G H
A B C D E I F G H J K L M N
J K M N P Q R U W X Y Z
O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

4.
CHECK
So the top row contains the letters for your secret messages, and the bottom row OUT
THE
displays the translated letters. Using this, you could write KITTIES ROCK like this: BOOK!

D S Q Q S E P N J O D
K I T T I E S R O C K

CRACK THIS CODE! Using the I LOVE CATS keyed Caesar cipher, decode the message below.
ANSWER ON PAGE 35

O I Q P N R F E V J A P V N J J F
, .
BREAK MORE CODES!
ExplorerAcademy.com

RYAN ETTER / IKON IMAGES / GETTY IMAGES (HEADER BACKGROUND) FEBRUARY 2019 • NAT GEO KIDS 33
kids PAPER S
MAKE THIS STRAW
TO AVOID TH T PLA STIC
STRAWS

BY ALLYSON SHAW

STRAW

»
MATERIALS

SWITCH • Paper
• Scissors
Help keep the Earth healthy
by ditching single-use plastic • Non-toxic glue
items. This month, make a paper • Chopstick
straw to use instead of a plastic • Glass jar
• Paraffin wax

»
one, which is one of the top items STEPS
found at beach cleanups and can • Candle warmer or
hurt ocean animals that mistake large cooking pot 1 2
them for food. • Paper towel Print out the Nat Geo
Kids straw pattern and cut
Add a long line of glue
on the side without the
Check out special Nat Geo Kids it out, or use a piece of pattern.
straw patterns online! natgeokids.com/straws printer paper cut into
1.5-inch-wide strips.
THE PAPER
BE CAREFUL TO ROLL YOU DON’T
ON TOP OF ITSELF SO
ON THE CHOPSTICK!
GET GLUEE O

3 Place a chopstick at 4 Wait 10 minutes for 5 Cut both ends of the 6 Grab a parent and put
an angle on the back of the the glue to dry, then wiggle tube to make them even. the wax in a glass jar. Melt the
paper. Then roll the paper the chopstick out from wax by either putting the jar
around the chopstick until inside the paper tube. on a candle warmer or in a pot
it’s completely covered. of warm water on the stove.

PLANET PROTECTOR TIP:

These paper straws will
last only about a day. Ask
your parents to purchase
reusable straws made of
bamboo, metal, glass, or
silicone that you can use
forever!
7 Dip the paper tube
into the melted wax one half
a straw-slay in g superhero
at a time.(This part might Become nesses like resta
urants
si
get a little messy.) Then wipe by talking to bu ps about ditching
o
the tube with a paper towel and smoothie sh online to learn how,
Go
to get off any extra wax. plastic straws. p a ttern and take
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34 NAT GEO KIDS • FEBRUARY 2019 SHANNON HIBBERD / NG STAFF (ALL)

LAUGH OUT
LOUD

“it’s past your bedtime—i don’t want

to hear another peep out of you.”
“THat looks Fun! GEMS THAT ROCK, PAGES 20: VARIOUS SMALL GEMS ALONG BORDERS, PAGES
20-23: PJRSTUDIO / ALAMY (GARNET); GREG C. GRACE / ALAMY (AMETHYST,
can i try?” EMERALD); RICHARD LEENEY / DORLING KINDERSLEY / GETTY IMAGES (AQUA-
MARINE); SPBPHOTO/ SHUTTERSTOCK (DIAMOND); VISAGE / STOCKBYTE /
GETTY IMAGES (PEARL); CORBIS (ROUND RUBY); RICHARD LEENEY / DORLING
KINDERSLEY / GETTY IMAGES (PERIDOT); EDWARD KARAA / DREAMSTIME
(SAPPHIRE); PETER HARHOLDT / SUPERSTOCK (OPAL); THE NATURAL HISTORY
MUSEUM / ALAMY (TOPAZ); ANTONY SOUTER / ALAMY (TURQUOISE).

VARIOUS BIG GEMS, PAGE 21: LIFETIMESTOCK / SHUTTERSTOCK (DIAMOND);

GREG C. GRACE / ALAMY (EMERALD); PJRSTUDIO / ALAMY (GARNET); GREG C.
“i hate it GRACE / ALAMY (AMETHYST, EMERALD); RICHARD LEENEY / DORLING KINDERS-
LEY / GETTY IMAGES (AQUAMARINE); SPBPHOTO/ SHUTTERSTOCK (DIAMOND);
when he VISAGE / STOCKBYTE / GETTY IMAGES (PEARL); CORBIS (RUBY); RICHARD
LEENEY / DORLING KINDERSLEY / GETTY IMAGES (PERIDOT); EDWARD KARAA /

has friends DREAMSTIME (SAPPHIRE); PETER HARHOLDT / SUPERSTOCK (OPAL); THE NATU-
RAL HISTORY MUSEUM / ALAMY (TOPAZ); ANTONY SOUTER /
ALAMY (TURQUOISE).
over.”
PAGE 22: REP0RTER / ALAMY (RAW GARNET); PJRSTUDIO / ALAMY (POLISHED
GARNET, RAW AQUAMARINE); RICHARD LEENEY / DORLING KINDERSLEY /
GETTY IMAGES (POLISHED AQUAMARINE); RF COMPANY / ALAMY (RAW AME-
THYST); GREG C. GRACE / ALAMY (POLISHED AMETHYST); DIMAS BARRANTS /
ALAMY (AMETHYST RING); ERIC NATHAN / ALAMY (RAW DIAMONDS); VSTOCK
LLC / TETRA IMAGES / GETTY IMAGES (NECKLACE).

PAGES 23: GREG C. GRACE / ALAMY (POLISHED EMERALD); JAN SOCHOR /

ALAMY (RAW EMERALD); HOOKER EMERALD, TIFFANY & COMPANY / NATIONAL
MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION/ BRIDGEMAN
IMAGES (EMERALD BROOCH); THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM / ALAMY (PEARL
IN OYSTER); ‘THE GULF PEARL PARURE’/ PRIVATE COLLECTION / © CHRISTIE’S
IMAGES / BRIDGEMAN IMAGES (PEARL EARRINGS); VISAGE / STOCKBYTE / GET-
TY IMAGES (PEARL); BILDAGENTUR-ONLINE / TH-FOTO / ALAMY (RAW RUBY);
BORISLAV MARINIC / ALAMY (RINGS); EPITAVI / SHUTTERSTOCK (RAW PERIDOT);
RICHARD LEENEY / DORLING KINDERSLEY / GETTY IMAGES (POLISHED PERIDOT);
BIGJO5 / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES (RAW SAPPHIRE); EDWARD KARAA / DREAMS-
TIME (POLISHED SAPPHIRE); PETER HARHOLDT / SUPERSTOCK (POLISHED OPAL,
NECKLACE); JOHN CANCALOSI / ALAMY (RAW OPAL); PHIL DEGGINGER / JACK
CLARK COLLECTION / ALAMY (RAW TOPAZ); WILAWAN KHASAWONG / ALAMY
(TOPAZ RING); THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM / ALAMY (POLISHED TOPAZ);
SHAWN HEMPEL / ALAMY (RAW TURQUOISE); AR IMAGES / ALAMY (TURQUOISE
JEWELRY).

drool.
(page 33): Cats rule, dogs
“Explorer Academy”
5. B, 6. D, 7. B, 8. C, 9. B, 10. A.
(page 30): 1. B, 2. A, 3. C, 4. D,
“Stump Your Parents”

fingerprint.
polish, double-decker bus,
strawberry. Bottom row: nail
row: chili peppers, stop sign,
necktie, stage curtain. Middle
(page 29): Top row: rope, (page 28):
“What in the World?” “Change of Heart”
Answers

CHRIS WARE FEBRUARY 2019 • NAT GEO KIDS 35