science for kids – Page 2 – Whizz Pop Bang Blog

Carl Sagan’s Golden Record

Posted on 24th August 2023 | by Jo at Whizz Pop Bang | Leave a Comment

Carl Sagan was an astronomer, planetary scientist, cosmologist, astrophysicist, professor and science communicator who was fascinated by extra-terrestrial life. You can read about him in Whizz Pop Bang 98: Aliens!

Carl was involved in American space exploration since it began in the 1950s. He put together messages that were sent into outer space in the 1970s on the Voyager Golden Record.

By NASA – Great Images in NASA Description, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6455682

Copies of the Golden Record were carried by Voyager I and Voyager II. They contained:

Messages in 55 ancient and modern languages
Sounds from Earth
Images of humans and Earth

By NASA/JPL – The Sounds of Earth Record Cover, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=137443

The discs contained diagrams that explain where Earth is and how to play the record. Scientists spent a long time working out how to communicate these messages to aliens!

Here are some examples of things that were included on Carl Sagan’s Golden Record. You can find a full list of everything that was included here.

Greetings in ancient and modern languages

English (this was recorded by Nick Sagan, Carl’s son, when he was six!)

Akkadian (an ancient language used in Mesopotamia about 6,000 years ago)
“May all be very well.”

Arabic
“Greetings to our friends in the stars. We wish that we will meet you someday.”

Cantonese
“Hi. How are you? Wish you peace, health and happiness.”

Hebrew
“Peace”

Korean
“How are you?”

Nguni
“We greet you, great ones. We wish you longevity”

Polish
“Welcome, creatures from beyond the outer world.”

Rajastani
“Hello to everyone. We are happy here and you be happy there.”

Spanish
“Hello and greetings to all.”

Welsh
“Good health to you now and forever.”

Music

Bach, Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F. First Movement, Munich Bach Orchestra, Karl Richter, conductor

New Guinea, men’s house song, recorded by Robert MacLennan

Mexico, “El Cascabel,” performed by Lorenzo Barcelata and the Mariachi México

“Johnny B. Goode,” written and performed by Chuck Berry

Georgian S.S.R., chorus, “Tchakrulo” collected by Radio Moscow

Peru, wedding song, recorded by John Cohen

Images

We can’t include the photographs and diagrams included on the Golden Record because of copyright but you can see some of them here. These show some of the same subjects that featured on it.

The cratered surface of Mercury
NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

If you want to find out more about fantastic scientists like Carl Sagan, subscribe to Whizz Pop Bang, the awesomely amazing science magazine for kids! Learn about inspirational scientists of the past and present every issue – our readers are the in credible scientists of the future!

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Whizz Pop Bang’s trip to Just So Festival was out of this world!

Posted on 23rd August 2023 | by Jo at Whizz Pop Bang | Leave a Comment

Team Whizz Pop Bang spent a wild weekend meeting hundreds of scientists-in-training at Just So Festival 2023. Thank you so much to Just So Festival for having us back again – we absolutely love being a part of this incredible event.

This year, we brought Jonathan Scott from the European Space Agency (ESA) along to share his amazing knowledge of staying fit and healthy in space. Jon works in the Space Medicine Team at ESA and he used his expert skills to run an Astronaut Training Camp.

Jon brought a replica space suit along for Whizz Pop Bang fans to try on!

We were overwhelmed with the turn out for Jon’s talk and it was fantastic to see so many budding astronauts! A HUGE thank you to Jon, and to all of you who came and joined in the fun. We hope you picked up a thing or two about how astronauts stay fit and healthy on board the International Space Station.

We also ran The Whizz Pop Bang Discovery Den, where young scientists could explore their five senses in some super-fun hands-on experiments.

Children were invited to visit us in ‘The Future’ area in the woodland at Just So Festival and try five different activities linked to the senses.

FEEL IT: run your fingers through gloopy cornflour slime (find out how to try this at home here!)
SEE IT: trick your brain with optical illusions
HEAR IT: test how well sound travels through solids compared to through air using clanger hangers
SMELL IT: put your sense of smell to the test
TASTE IT: find out how holding your nose affects flavours

They learned some amazing facts, including:

Dogs have 44 times more scent cells than humans
Sound travels further and faster through solids than through the air
Cornflour slime is a non-Newtonian fluid, meaning it acts like both a liquid and a solid

We hope to see lots of you at Just So Festival in future!

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COMPETITION CLOSED – WIN an ION8 water bottle!

Posted on 1st August 2023 | by Kirsty Williams | 110 Comments

When you’re in the savannah you have to keep hydrated! This month’s magazine is all about the African savannah and we’ve got the perfect competition prize, enter to win one of six ION8 water bottles!

We’ve teamed up with ION8 to keep your little one hydrated all summer long.

These brilliant water bottles are 100% leakproof when closed and made from either stainless steel or BPA-free RECYCLON, (made from organic materials from plants instead of fossil fuels). These refillable and reusable drinks bottle are food safe, odour resistant, easy to hand wash, and keep drinks fresh and full of flavour. Find out more about ION8 products here.

For your chance to win one of six water bottles, simply answer the question below and tell us which design you’d like to win: Cats, Ecologi, Space, Camping, Bugs Life, Frog.

Which is the largest desert in Africa?

A) Namib desert
B) Kalahari desert
C) Sahara desert

Good luck!

This competition closes at midnight on 31st August 2023 and is open for UK residents only. For full terms and conditions visit whizzpopbang.com/terms

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Homemade glue recipe

Posted on 17th July 2023 | by Jo at Whizz Pop Bang | Leave a Comment

PVA glue is often used in crafts but it’s made from petrochemicals, the production of which is bad for the environment. Here’s a recipe for glue made from natural materials that works just as well!

You will need:

45 g plain flour
15 g sugar
5 ml (1 teaspoon) vinegar
100 ml warm water
Bowls
Spoon
Jug
Jar or tub with lid

What you do:

Put 50 ml of warm water into a jug and add the sugar. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved.
Add the vinegar.
Put the flour into a bowl and slowly add the liquid, stirring all the time, until it is combined together. Keep stirring until there are no lumps.
Add the rest of the water and stir thoroughly.
Store the mixture in a jar or tub with the lid closed in the fridge for up to two weeks.

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COMPETITION CLOSED – Win brilliant science books by Dr Helen Scales!

Posted on 26th June 2023 | by Jo at Whizz Pop Bang | 255 Comments

Helen Scales is a marine biologist, writer, broadcaster, teacher and scuba diver who stars as our Science Hero in Whizz Pop Bang 96: Coasts. Read more about her in this issue, now available in our shop. She tells us all about her exciting job, including some of the books she has written, and we’re so excited to have five sets of two of these books to give away to mini marine biologists!

Scientists in the Wild: Galápagos by Helen Scales follows a group of marine biologists as they set sail to study the amazing wildlife and habitats of the Galápagos. To get the job done they will climb volcanoes, get sneezed on by marine iguanas, watch dancing birds, launch a deep-diving submersible and explore the dazzling underwater wonders of Galápagos.

Great Barrier Reef by Helen Scales (released 6th July 2023) introduces this incredible, intricate Australian ecosystem to young readers. Discover the plant and animal inhabitants of the Great Barrier Reef in this beautifully illustrated book, then find out what we can all do to ensure its survival.

To enter the competition, simply answer the following question in the comments:

Where is the Great Barrier Reef?

a) Australia

b) South America

c) Antarctica

The competition closes at midnight on 31st July 2023. For full terms and conditions, please visit: https://www.whizzpopbang.com/terms-and-conditions/.

Want to know more about Whizz Pop Bang – the awesomely amazing science magazine for kids?

Whizz Pop Bang is an award-winning science magazine that brings science to life for children aged six to twelve (and their parents too)!
Each monthly issue is packed with experiments, puzzles, science news, crafts, jokes, inspiring scientists, competitions and more!
Our aim is simple – to help children develop a love of science. We love to imagine what they might discover or invent one day!

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COMPETITION CLOSED – Win a brilliant engineering bundle!

Posted on 1st June 2023 | by Kirsty Williams | Leave a Comment

Do you know a budding engineer who’d love to win this awesome bundle of engineering gifts? This month we are joining forces with DK Books and Thames and Kosmos to bring you this brilliant bundle!

engineering bundle competition with DK Books Thames and Kosmos and Whizz Pop Bang science magazine

Here’s what you could win:

⭐ The Way Things Work book from DK Books: Embark on a captivating journey through the world of engineering with this acclaimed book. Discover the fascinating inner workings of machines and understand the principles behind everyday inventions. Packed with detailed illustrations and engaging explanations, The Way Things Work will broaden your understanding of the technological wonders that shape our lives.

Simple Machines mechanical engineering toy set

⭐ Simple Machines set from Thames and Kosmos: Dive into hands-on experimentation with this captivating kit. Explore the fundamental principles of mechanical engineering through a variety of interactive projects. Build and operate models of levers, gears, pulleys, and more, gaining invaluable insights into the mechanics behind simple machines. Unleash your creativity as you tinker, test, and unlock the secrets of engineering.

⭐ Engineering Magazine Bundle and Snip-Out Science Activity Book from Whizz Pop Bang: Embark on a thrilling STEM adventure with a bundle of three Whizz Pop Bang engineering magazines and paper-craft activity book! This magazine bundle is packed full of activities to get children inventing, designing and building and the activity book is stuffed with 30 projects to cut, stick and fold, all with a science twist! Test fantastic flying machines, engineer brilliant bridges, make a moveable skeleton, craft some super sea creatures and much more!

Engineering magazines for kids and Snip-Out Science Papercraft Activity Book

✨ To enter this brilliant engineering competition, head over to Facebook or Instagram, where you’ll find all the details you need to enter for your chance to win this awesome engineering bundle. ✨

Enter on Facebook

Enter on Instagram

T&C’s: This giveaway closes at midnight on Friday 30th June 2023. One winner will be selected at random from all entries via Facebook and Instagram and will be contacted in the first week of June. This competition is open to UK residents only. Winner will be informed via your original comment by @whizzpopbangmag – please be wary of scams, do not give personal details or follow any links from other accounts. For full terms and conditions visit buff.ly/3ij98Q3 This competition is in no way affiliated, endorsed, sponsored or administered by Instagram or Facebook.

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A young girl reads Whizz Pop Bang magazine on her tablet. Digital magazine subscitions are now available for Whizz Pop Bang science magazine!

We now offer digital subscriptions!

Posted on 1st May 2023 | by Jo at Whizz Pop Bang | Leave a Comment

We’re passionate about our mission to help children around the world to fall in love with science. Recently, we’ve been working hard to find a way to make subscriptions more accessible (particularly for our readers who live overseas).

Digital subscribers can:
💥 Choose between an annual subscription or a one-off purchase of a single issue
💥 Flick through complete 36-page editions of Whizz Pop Bang
💥 Get instant access when a subscription is purchased
💥 Download and print the amazing cut-out paper craft activities included in each issue purchased
💥 Save up to 36% when buying an annual digital subscription* (or a huge 57% on international subscriptions)!

Find out more about digital subscriptions here

* When you order a digital subscription or digital single magazine you will be redirected to Issuu.com, our digital magazine publisher. Savings based on full cover price of physical magazine (£4.75 per issue) plus international postage charges. New issues will be available on 1st of each month.

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COMPETITION CLOSED – Win a bug-tastic bundle of STEM gifts!

Posted on 1st May 2023 | by Kirsty Williams | 1 Comment

We’re super excited to announce that we’ve teamed up with Laurence King Publishing and Insect Lore for May’s online competition which we are running on Instagram and Facebook only! Head over there to find out how to win this bumper prize!

Science gift competition bug bingo Whizz Pop Bang science magazine Insect Lore Butterfly Garden

You could win:

Bug Bingo Game – This beautifully illustrated bingo game features 64 species of bugs from around the world. Identify all kinds of insects – from the giant hawker dragonfly to the kissing bug and the orchid bee to the sacred scarab – mark them off on your card and bingo! Bug Bingo brings a fun and educational twist to the traditional game as players learn the names and colourings of both favourite species like the honey bee and more exotic bugs like the vampire moth. Contains one masterboard, 64 superbly illustrated bug tokens, 12 bingo cards and brightly coloured counters for you to mark up your card, as well as a leaflet containing basic information and a few quirky traits for all of the bugs featured.

Butterfly Garden – Experience the miracle of metamorphosis with this unique Butterfly Garden! Observe caterpillars grow and change into butterflies, and then release them. The kit includes a 30cm tall reusable habitat for easy butterfly watching and a voucher for 3-5 caterpillars with food. Once you have received your caterpillars, they will eat, spin silk, and grow to TEN times their original size! After 7-10 days watch as they hang upside down and form their chrysalides! Then watch as they emerge as beautiful Painted Lady Butterflies and observe them for a couple of days before releasing into nature.

Science gift competition Insect Lore Butterfly Garden

A 6-month magazine subscription for Whizz Pop Bang! Keep your young scientist engaged with a monthly magazine subscription filled with hands-on science activities, the latest scientific news, jokes, puzzles, and more! The best part? Loads of the supplies needed for the activities can be found in your kitchen cupboard.

Science gift competition Whizz Pop Bang science magazine

We are running this competition on Instagram and Facebook only! Head over to our socials to find out how to be in for a chance of winning one of three of these awesome bundles.

Enter on Facebook

Enter on Instagram

T&C’s: This giveaway closes at midnight on Wednesday 31st May 2023. One winner will be selected at random from all entries via Facebook and Instagram and will be contacted in the first week of June. This competition is open to UK residents only. Winner will be informed via your original comment by @whizzpopbangmag – please be wary of scams, do not give personal details or follow any links from other accounts. For full terms and conditions visit buff.ly/3ij98Q3 This competition is in no way affiliated, endorsed, sponsored or administered by Instagram or Facebook.

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Seeking brand ambassadors!

Posted on 30th March 2023 | by Jo at Whizz Pop Bang | Leave a Comment

🚀✨ Do you know a curious kid? 🔬🧪

We’re on the lookout for households with enthusiastic young scientists to join our team as brand ambassadors for our amazing kids’ science magazine – Whizz Pop Bang! 🌍🔍

Share your passion for discovery, inspire others, and ignite a love for learning in the next generation of explorers.

Being a brand ambassador for us will mean demonstrating your passion for Whizz Pop Bang through your social media accounts – send us an email at hello@whizzpopbang.com to find out more.

Want to know more about Whizz Pop Bang – the awesomely amazing science magazine for kids?

Whizz Pop Bang is an award-winning science magazine that brings science to life for children aged six to twelve (and their parents too)!
Each monthly issue is packed with experiments, puzzles, science news, crafts, jokes, inspiring scientists, competitions and more!
Our aim is simple – to help children develop a love of science. We love to imagine what they might discover or invent one day!

Find out how to subscribe here!

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COMPETITION CLOSED: WIN a glow-in-the-dark GEOMAG magnetic construction set!

Posted on 1st February 2023 | by Kirsty Williams | 66 Comments

We’ve got three epic construction sets to give away from Geomag!

Enter our competition to be in for a chance to win a bumper 60-piece magnetic construction set from Geomag! This kit is sure to get mini-engineers excited about building 3D models because not only are they magnetic, but they also glow in the dark!

Use the strength and energy of the Geomag magnets and spheres to build crazy spinning tops and suspended models that will spin for ages. Put your building and spinning skills to the test with this Geomag Glow Magnetic Construction Set! Plus, they are environmentally friendly as all Geomag toys are made from recycled plastic!

For your chance to win, simply answer this question in the comments:

How tall is the Eiffel tower?

a) 30 metres
b) 300 metres
c) 3,000 metres

This competition closes at midnight on 28th February 2023. For full terms and conditions visit whizzpopbang.com/terms

Not a subscriber? Sign up here!

Fill your child with science wonder with a subscription to Whizz Pop Bang, the award-winning magazine for 6 to 12-year-olds. Watch their face light up with glee when their very own magazine zooms through the letterbox! Packed full of hands-on science awesomeness, it’s the gift that keeps of delighting, month after month.

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