Cornstarch and Water Bonding Experiment

REQUIREMENTS

  • A bowl
  • Cornstarch
  • Water

HOW TO DO

  • Put the cornstarch in the bowl.
  • Pour water in the bowl too.
  • Mix the cornstarch and water.
  • Punch the cornstarch.
  • What do you observe?
  • How easy or tough is it to punch the cornstarch?

WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN?

When the cornstarch and water mixed is punched, it turns solid. This happens because the water gets trapped in the molecules of the starch, thus making this solution firm.

TRY THIS

Here are some questions for you. What is cornstarch used for? How is this property of cornstarch useful in cooking? Ask your mother! Try making something using cornstarch and see how it helps you. How do other substances behave in water? What about oil? Try your own experiments and tell us the results in the comments below. What is starch used for? Hint- think of clothes.

For more such science experiments and articles, visit https://mocomi.com/learn/science/

Can Sound Move Objects?

REQUIREMENTS

  • A sheet of plastic
  • An elastic band
  • A bowl
  • Rice
  • Music Speaker

HOW TO DO

Put the rice on the bowl after you cover it with a plastic sheet and secure it with a rubber band. Play music loudly and bring the speaker near the rice. You will see that the grains of rice start dancing.

WHY THIS HAPPENS

The loud music produces noise which vibrates. This makes the air vibrate as well, producing sound waves. When these waves hit the bowl, the bowl vibrates, making the rice jump about.

TRY THIS Do this experiment- can sound move objects. You will find out what happens.Try making music by putting different items like peas in cans and shaking them. See whether your friends can guess what you’ve used. Try out our other experiments for even more fun. Learn more about sound waves on our site.

For more such science experiments and articles, visit https://mocomi.com/learn/science/

Coins and Paper Experiment

REQUIREMENTS

  • Coins
  • Empty Plastic Bottle
  • Strips of Paper

HOW TO DO

  • Place a strip of paper on top of the bottle. The strip of paper should only stick out a little from the back of the bottle, as shown.
  • Next, place some coins on top of the strip of paper.
  • Swiftly swipe the paper strip with one stroke of your finger. In case this doesn’t happen, maybe the paper was not positioned properly. Carefully pause the video, study the image, place the paper correctly and try again. Or perhaps your finger movement was hesitant. Swipe confidently and keep trying till it happens.

WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN?

This happens because of inertia. Inertia is the resistance of any physical object to change in its state of motion or rest, or the tendency of an object to resist any change in its motion. The coins do not fall, because of this effect.

TRY THIS

Do this experiment with coins and paper. You will find out what happens.

For more such science experiments and articles, visit https://mocomi.com/learn/science/

Where does Food come from?

We all eat fruits and vegetables, some of us also eat chicken and fish. So, anything that we eat to live is called food. We need food as it helps our bodies to grow, remain healthy, and gives us energy to do work.

Food is like fuel to our body. All living creatures, be it plants and animals, need food to survive. So food is very precious, and must not be wasted.

Sources of Food :-

We get food from two primary sources, they are:-

  • Plants
  • Animals

FOOD FROM PLANTS

Food grains like wheat and rice, pulses, fruits and vegetables all come from a variety of plants. Plants also give us oils like mustard, sunflower, or groundnut oil, which are used as cooking fuel. Plants are a major source of food for both humans and other animals.

About half of the food we eat comes from just two crops: wheat and rice. Wheat after grinding is used to make chapattis (roti), bread, noodles, etc. Rice is used to make boiled rice, dosas and idlis. Plants are also a source of sugar, spices, tea and the coffee that we drink.

FOOD FROM ANIMALS

Animals provide us with food materials such as milk, eggs, chicken, meat and fish. Animals like cow and buffalo give us milk. Chickens provide us with meat. Milk from these animals are also extracted, but we usually drink cow or buffalo milk.

PROJECT

  • Name the most common food items provided by these animals- Cow, hen, goat, camel.
  • Name 4 animals who provide us with milk.
  • Name 5 food materials which come from plants.

Looking for more biology articles and videos? Go to: Biology for Kids.

The Lepenski-Vir Civilization

One of the earliest known human settlements, is at the Lepenski-Vir archeological site in modern day Serbia. The presence of these early Europeans date back to around 7000 BC, when they first began settling on the banks of the river Danube.

Lepenski Vir archeological site

There is evidence of a complex, well planned housing system. The houses were arranged in a horseshoe shape that opened into the river. Archeologists believed that the space in between was used as a meeting place or town square.

There seems to be one large central village that probably houses around 100 people. The population must have eventually grown because a few satellite villages came up surrounding the main one.

An interesting factor of each house is that they were all equipped with indoor fireplaces that served as a stove to cook food as well as a source of heat. The Lepenski-Vir settlements are important because they give us an insight into the civilization’s transition from a nomadic hunter-gatherer way of life to an agricultural one.

Seven settlements were discovered at the same site, with 136 different residential buildings being excavated. Their civilization peaked at around 4500 BC.

Lepenski Vir sculptures

There is evidence of pottery and tools, storage pots, axes and sickles. An early form of writing, called the Vinca symbols, has also been discovered and these are as old as the Greek Dispilio tablet, and at least 1000 years older than the Sumerian-Mesopotamian cuneiform scripts.

Since their form of writing had not yet fully developed, we have no way of knowing exactly why these sites were abruptly abandoned. Some archeologists believe that they were not equipped to fight the proto-Indo-Europeans that came after them, while others believe that they simply evolved and moved onto other places, with more suitable conditions of living.

For more such interesting history articles and videos, visit History for Kids category.

Static Electricity (Balloon and Woolen Cloth)

REQUIREMENTS

  • Balloon
  • Shreds of paper
  • Pure woolen fabric

HOW TO DO

  • Rub the balloon hard and quickly on the woolen cloth. Do this a few times. Why do you think this is required?
  • Bring the balloon close to the paper shreds.
  • You will see that some paper shreds rise and stick to the balloon’s bottom. In case they didn’t, maybe you didn’t rub the balloon hard enough. Or perhaps, the woolen cloth was not pure. Make changes and try again.

WHY THIS HAPPENS

Rubbing the balloon against the woolen fabric creates static electricity. This involves negatively charged particles (electrons) jumping to positively charged objects.

When you rub the balloons against the fabric they become negatively charged. They take some of the electrons from the fabric and leave them positively charged.

TRY THIS

Do this static electricity experiment with a balloon and woolen cloth. You will find out what happens. It will seem like magic!

For more such science experiments and articles, visit https://mocomi.com/learn/science/

Coke vs. Diet Coke Experiment

REQUIREMENTS

  • A bucket or a tank
  • Water (enough to fill the bucket or the tank)
  • A can of Coke
  • A can of Diet Coke
  • A can of any other cola

HOW TO DO

Fill the bucket or tank with water.
Place the cans in the water, one by one, spread far apart.
The Diet Coke can floats above the other two cans.

WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN?

This happens because of the sugar content in both cans. The Coke can and the other cola can contain much more sugar, which adds to the weight and therefore they sink in the tank. The Diet Coke can contains very little sugar and therefore, it floats.

TRY THIS

Do this experiment with Coke vs. diet Coke. You will find out what happens. Which one do you enjoy drinking more? As a rule, it is better to avoid colas. Natural liquids like water are better.

For more such science experiments and articles, visit https://mocomi.com/learn/science/

Cucuteni-Trypillian culture

Cucuteni-Trypillian refers to an ancient civilization that flourished in the Carpathian mountains in modern day Romania, Moldova and Ukraine. That covers over 35,000 square kilometres, with over 15,000 people that lived there in settlements about 3-4 kilometres apart.

Settlements of the Cucuteni–Trypillian culture

It existed between 5,500 and 2,750 BC and was the largest settlement of the Neolithic period. People of this civilization were extremely advanced. They practiced animal husbandry, agriculture, and fishing in addition to hunting and gathering.

Like in many earlier cultures, women did stay-at-home jobs like weaving, pottery, and more importantly, threshing and milling the grain and baking bread. While, the men made tools and hunted.

Their settlements were built close to water bodies, mostly rivers and streams and some houses were two stories high. Common to other ancient civilizations, part of their houses were buried into the ground, to prevent invaders from easily spotting them and their dwellings.

From the various sculptures and figurines, we know that Cucuteni-Trypillians worshipped goddesses. Because of this, some archeologists believe that the culture was matriarchal.

This means, that women held positions of power and inherited and transferred property instead of men. Like most other ancient civilizations, it is almost impossible to say why Cucuteni-Trypillian culture declined.

It is suggested that the Cucuteni period ended due to natural causes and not wars, since no weapons have been found on the site. Some say the earth’s climate became colder and more arid after the Ice Age, so they probably perished or moved away.

For more such interesting history articles and videos, visit History for Kids category.

How to Draw a Wolf

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw a Hippo in a simple and interactive way. You just need a pen and a paper to start drawing a hippo in the next 2 minutes!

5 Steps to draw a Wolf

  1. Draw a big oval in the center. The top part of this will be the wolf’s head. Draw another, smaller one, below it, slightly to the right. This will be the wolf’s hind. Join the two ovals with a couple of lines.
  2. Next, draw a rectangular shape sticking out from the first oval. Draw a small triangle for your wolf’s nose. Bisect the rectangle as shown to make a snout. Draw some jagged lines on the end of the rectangle for his mouth.
  3. Draw some long triangles along his body for the fur on his chest. Erase the lines as shown. Now your drawing’s starting to look like a wolf.
  4. Use circles and semicircles for his eyes and eyebrows. Pencil in some curved lines for his ears. Draw a couple of sharp teeth below his snout.
  5. Next, draw his legs and paws. Your wolf is in a sitting position. Finally, it’s time to draw his tail. Draw a thumping big one. Make it look pointy by adding small triangles along it. Draw his toes in. Colour your wolf drawing in and watch him move!

For more such cool How To Draw videos go to our Drawing page.

Where does Rain come from?

How is Rain formed?

The sun shines on the sea water and heats it. The causes the water to evaporate and rise as water vapour. Once the water vapour reaches high in the sky, it condenses and forms clouds. These clouds are blown towards land by wind. The clouds precipitate over the land as rainfall. This cycle repeats itself. This is called a rain cycle.

Thus we see that the water cycle in nature is basically made up of four main parts, these are:

  1. Evaporation
  2. Condensation
  3. Precipitation
  4. Accumulation

Evaporation

Evaporation stage involves the heating up of water from various water bodies like the oceans, seas, lakes, rivers and changing into gaseous form – water vapour and rising to the atmosphere.

Condensation

Condensation is a process in which the gaseous state changes into the liquid state.

Precipitation

Precipitation actually denotes the action of falling.

Accumulation

In this stage there is a runoff from the hills and the mountains, the water thus accumulating back into the lakes, rivers seas and oceans. When the water ends up with no water body around, it soaks in to the ground making itself available as underground water, for the use of plants and animals.

For more interesting Geography articles and videos, visit our Geography for Kids category.

How to Draw a Hippo

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw a Hippo in a fun and interactive way. You just need a pen and a paper to start drawing a hippo in the next 2 minutes!

3 Steps to draw a Hippo

  1. First, draw an oval. This will be the hippo’s face. Next, draw overlapping ovals to form the hippo’s body. Rub out the overlapping lines. Other members of the animal kingdom, like the bear, will pop in from time to time.Next, draw the hippo’s short, stout, legs. Now, it’s time to draw his ears and eyes. Draw a couple of teeth and make him smile!
  2. Draw nails on his feet to make him come to life. Don’t forget his tail. Draw a background with stones and grass to make him feel at home.
  3. It’s time to colour him. Remember to colour the background too. There! Your hippo looks good. Watch him open his mouth to show off its inside.

Watch more videos in our How to Draw series, like How to Draw a Panda, How to Draw a Lion, How to Draw a Submarine.

For more such cool How To Draw videos go to our Drawing page.

Why is it so Hot Near the Equator?

Countries, towns and cities located around the equator experience hot weather throughout the year. It is because the sun remains almost directly overhead everyday.

Countries that are further North or South of the equator experience a change in seasons, when hot weather follows cold weather.

This happens because the Earth circles around the sun on a tilted axis. So places with seasons spend some of the year nearer to the sun and some of the year further away from it.

Living near the Equator

  • In places near the equator the sun’s rays are almost directly over head thus keeping temperature high.

Living in places with seasons

  • Countries like United Kingdom and Korea, which are further North and South from the equator experience a change of four seasons.

Living far from the Equator

  • In Antarctic, the sun’s rays strike the Earth at a very low angle and this is why the climate here is so icy cold. The ice makes this region even colder by reflecting the sun’s light and heat back into space.

Project-

  • Why is it better to launch a space craft from near the equator?
  • What is the exact length of the equator?
  • Places on the Equator experience the quickest rates of sunrise and sunset in the world. True or False?

For more interesting Geography articles and videos, visit: https://mocomi.com/learn/geography/

Young Achievers of India

15th August 1947, a momentous day in Indian history. The day India become free from foreign rule. Our leaders had a vision. They wanted the people to excel in various feilds and achieve success globally.

And we have..

As new leaders from various fields emerge and make India one of the most sought after countries in the world. We also come across some of our younger achievers, who have made us proud!

  • Mr.Suhas Gopinath, born on the 4th of November 1986, was recognised as the world’s youngest Professional-Web developer just when he was 14 years old.
  • Yuratna Srivastava, a climate and environment protection activist was youngest child to be invited to share her view on climate change by the UN General Secretary when she was just 13 years old in September 2009.
  • Dr.Tathagat Avtar Tulsi, an Indian physicist, born on the 9th of september 1987 in Patna, Bihar, completed high school at the age of 9. He went on to do his B.sc which he completed at the of age 10, followed by his M.sc at the age of 12. He was offered the position of assistant lecturer by the reputed IIT Bombay.
  • Ronen Chatterjee, a Delhi boy, born on the 7th of August 1992, had his first book published when he was just 15 years old. His book ‘Fire Within’ was released on his 15th birthday.
  • Shravan and Sanjay Kumaran are siblings aged 10 and 12 years respectively. They are considered India’s youngest chief executives. The brothers are the CEO and President of the company ‘Go Dimensions’. Their first product was a mobile application which was displayed on the Apple’s App Store.
  • Priyanshi Somani born on the 16th of November 1998, the youngest participant at the mental calculation world cup 2010 held in Germany.
  • Haris Imtiyaz Khan, the youngest live portrait artist from pune, has set a world record in 2010 when he was just 10 years old. He draws using charcoal and his talent was recognised by his parents when he was just 7 years old.
  • Shruti Pandey, became the worlds youngest yoga teacher at the age of six. She conducts her classes at an ashram in the North if India.

For more such interesting General Knowledge articles and videos, visit: General Knowledge for Kids.

What is Air Pollution?

Definition of Air Pollution

Air pollution is the introduction of foreign products into the atmosphere that have determintal effects on living organisms and cause damage to the environment.

Causes and Effects of Air Pollution

  • Vehicles release chemicals in the form of exhaust fumes. These chemicals are very harmful to the environment. These gases also cause acid rain which is also very damaging to the Earth.
  • Many industries release a lot of fumes which are harmful for the environment.
  • Refrigerators and Air Conditioners release chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons which over time, lead to the formation of holes in the Ozone layer. These holes let the ultraviolet rays of the Sun reach the Earth and thus cause various health problems for humans.
  • Fumes released by weapons are also toxic.
  • Volcanoes, upon erupting eject tons of smoke and harmful gases. These toxic substances linger in the atmosphere for a long time causing breathing problems for organisms.
  • Naturally occurring radioactive materials inside the Earth, sometimes decay releasing a gas called Radon. It is considered to be a health hazard as it causes lung cancer if humans are exposed to it for a long time.

For more environment related articles and videos, visit: Environment for Kids category.

What is a Tsunami?

5 Quick Facts about Tsunami

  1. Tsunami is a Japanese word meaning harbour (tsu) wave (nami).
  2. Animals can sense a Tsunami approaching because of their superior sense of hearing. People who have survived Tsunamis say that it sounds like standing near a moving freight train.
  3. There are Tsunami warning systems attached to buoys in the ocean that transmit data about the ocean and serve as a warning system.
  4. If the water along a shoreline begins to recede dramatically, it most likely means that a tsunami will follow in a few seconds or minutes.
  5. A tsunami is not just one wave but a series of waves or a “wave train.”

Did you know?

  • When tsunamis are near the coast, they slow down but increase in height.
  • Tsunamis used to be referred to as tidal waves but aren’t anymore because they have nothing to do with the tides.
  • Some tsunamis may not appear on shore as a huge wave but as a quickly surging tide.

For more interesting Geography articles and videos, visit our Geography for Kids category.

How do Rockets Work?

How do Rocket Engines Work?

The Rocket engine works on the basic principle proposed by Newton which is- Newton’s Third Law “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.”

In rocket engine, the fuel and the oxidizer are passed though pipes with the help of high speed pumps.

Under the high pressure both are mixed in the combustion chamber, where they ignite.

A large amount of hot gases are released under high pressure through the nozzle.

This results in an upwards thrust against gravity, which propels it into space.

For more such interesting Physics videos and articles visit our Physics for Kids category.

Indian Ocean Facts

9 Interesting Facts about the Indian Ocean

  1. Scientists believe that the Indian Ocean began to form about 200 million years ago when Australia broke away from Africa, followed by India.
  2. The Indian Ocean is 10,000 km across at its widest point, between Africa and Australia.
  3. Unlike in other oceans, currents in the Indian Ocean change course twice a year. They are blown by monsoon winds towards Africa in winter, and then in the other direction towards India in summer.
  4. The Indian Ocean is the third largest ocean after the Pacific and Atlantic with a total area of 73,426,000 sq km.
  5. The deepest point is the Java Trench off the coast of Indonesia, which is 7450 m deep.
  6. The Indian Ocean is getting 20 cm wider every year.
  7. The average depth of the Indian Ocean is 3890 m.
  8. The Indian Ocean is scattered with thousands of tropical islands such as the Seychelles and Maldives.
  9. The Maldives are so low lying that they may be swamped if global warming melts the polar ice.

For more interesting Geography articles and videos, visit our Geography for Kids category.

What are Asteroids?

Asteroids Definition

Asteroids are celestial bodies that orbit around the sun. The word asteroid means star-like and is derived from the Greek words – astor (star) and oid (shape).

The Extinction of Dinosaurs

They are believed to be remnants of the humungous cloud of dust and gases that formed the sun and planets over 4 billion years ago. Most of them lie in a single belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Sometimes changes in gravitational flows and other forces in space cause them to get dislodged from their orbit and move away from the main belt. It is believed that a giant asteroid crashed into earth millions of years ago causing such extreme changes in weather and the extinction of dinosaurs.

How is Asteroid Belt formed?

Scientists believe that the asteroid belt in our solar system could have formed in one of two ways.
1. There existed a planet between Mars and Jupiter that broke up into the belt due to a collision with another celestial body.
2. The rock material in the asteroid belt was unable to fuse into a planet like the others due to Jupiter’s tremendous gravitational force.

Asteroids can be anywhere from a few feet to several kilometers in diameter. The largest asteroid in the belt is known as Ceres. It is 950 km wide, so large that it actually has its own classification, called a dwarf planet.

Project

Can you find out the reason why Pluto was demoted from the status of Planet to a dwarf planet like Ceres?
What is the main difference between a planet and an asteroid?

For more interesting Geography articles and videos, visit our Geography for Kids category.

What are Shooting Stars?

Look up at the night sky. Once in a while, you will see a streak of the light in the sky. These streaks are called ‘shooting stars’. But did you know ..? These shooting stars’ are not really stars! They are small dust particles, floatings around in space. When the dust particles come close to earth, some of the get pulled towards the earth.

The dust particles enter the earth’s atmosphere at very high speeds. Speeds so high, that the friction with the air, heats up the dust particles. The dust particles start glowing brightly. They finally burn out before reaching the ground. And that is what we see as ‘shooting stars.’

For more interesting Geography articles and videos, visit our Geography for Kids category.

Food Crops of India

India has a diverse physiography, climate and soil. Because of this, a variety of food crops are grown.
Following are the most widely cultivated food crops in India.

RICE-

  • India is the second largest producer of the rice in the world.
  • It is the most important crop and 34% of India’s land is covered with rice fields.
  • Major rice producing states are: West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab.

WHEAT-

  • Wheat is another major crop cultivated in India.
  • Uttar Pradesh cultivates 35% of the total wheat produced in the country.
  • The major wheat producing states are: Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana.

JOWAR-

  • This crop is grown where the climate is hot and dry.
  • Maharashtra cultivates 50% of the the total jowar produced in the country.
  • Jowar producing states include: Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu.

PULSES-

  • Pulses are grown in dry climatic regions of India. It is a major source of protein.
  • Madhya Pradesh is the leading pulses producing state in India.
  • Madhya Pradesh Produces 24% of the total pulses in the country.

Name 5 other important crops of India. Also find out where they are grown and what are the climatic conditions necessary for their growth.

For more interesting Geography articles and videos, visit: https://mocomi.com/learn/geography/

Antarctica – Facts and Figures

10 Cool Facts about Antarctica

  1. Over 98% of Antarctica is covered by the unbroken polar ice sheet.
  2. If the ice sheet melted, the oceans would rise by around 65 meters.
  3. The size of the Antarctic ice sheet doubles every winter.
  4. The elevation at the south pole is 9300 feet although the bedrock is only a 100 feet above above sea level.
  5. It is the driest and coldest place on earth.
  6. The lowest recorded temperature in history is -128 degrees F.
  7. Antarctica is the 5th largest continent with a population of 0.
  8. Antarctica is the only continent with no countries.
  9. Samples of ice extracted from the ice sheet give scientists valuable information about the earth’s climate from millions of years ago.
  10. Antarctica is the only continent with no indigenous species of animals.

For more interesting Geography articles and videos, visit: https://mocomi.com/learn/geography/

13 Fun Facts about China

China Facts and Information

  1. China is officially known as the People’s Republic of China.
  2. China has the largest population in the world, with about 1.3 billion people as on October 1, 2014. One in five people in the world is Chinese!
  3. Area wise, China is the fourth largest country in the world, after Russia, Canada, and the U.S.
  4. The Great Wall of China is the world’s largest man made structure.
  5. Tea was discovered in China in 2737 BC, when a tea leaf fell in a Chinese emperor’s cup of boiling water.
  6. The Chinese are also credited with the invention of a vast array of things including paper, compass, gunpowder.
  7. Suspension bridges were invented in China in 25 B.C.
  8. Paper money was invented in China, around 1,400 years ago.
  9. Fingerprinting was practiced in China as early as 700 A.D.
  10. China’s national sport is table tennis.
  11. The Chinese army has trained 10,000 pigeons to serve as a back up communication system.
  12. All giant pandas in the world are on loan from China. When a baby panda is born, it is sent back to China, to expand the gene pool.
  13. Here, people like dyeing their pets so that they look like other animals.

To get more information about the Ancient China, visit: https://mocomi.com/facts-about-ancient-china/

How to Draw a Princess

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw a Princess in a simple and interactive way. You just need a red pen and a paper to start drawing a Princess in next 2 minutes!

Do you love fairy tales? Want to be a princess? Start by drawing one.

19 Steps to draw a Princess

  1. Draw a medium sized circle towards the top of your page. Make a smaller circle below it, keeping a little space.
  2. Draw a slightly bigger circle than the second one, below it.
  3. Connect the second and third circles on both sides with lines. Erase lines as shown.
  4. Draw curved lines from this shape for her gown. Make small wavy lines at the bottom to make it look real. Erase lines as shown.
  5. Draw the top part of her dress, sleeves and arms.
  6. Connect her shoulders with a line.
  7. Decorate her dress.
  8. Now, it’s time to work on her face. Draw an overlapping circle to cover the gap you left between her face and body. Erase lines as shown.
  9. Draw semi circles for her hairline and draw her hair on the left side.
  10. Draw her right ear.
  11. Draw a dotted vertical line in the middle of her face.
  12. Make another dotted, but horizontal line, towards the top of her face.
  13. Make her eyebrows, eyes, nose and mouth. Erase the dotted lines. Shade her eyes.
  14. Draw her crown and colour it in, along with her dress.
  15. Draw the background now. Make straight lines for the balcony.
  16. Draw curved lines above it for curtains.
  17. Draw the floor and clouds.
  18. Colour the balcony, curtains and alternate tiles.
  19. Imagine your princess doing a curtsey to you! You can use your imagination to pick the shade that you think suits her best.

For more such cool How To Draw videos go to our Drawing page.

Italy Facts

10 Interesting Facts about Italy

  1. The official name of Italy is Italy is the Italian Republic. Italy is nicknamed as “Bel Paese” which means beautiful country.
  2. The capital city of Italy is Rome.
  3. Italy was the birthplace of the Renaissance, a period of great cultural achievements in poetry, architecture and painting.
  4. Famous artists such as Michelangelo, Raphael, Donatello, and Leonardo Da Vinci were Italians.
  5. Popular fast food chain McDonald’s was opened in 1986 in Rome.
  6. Popular varieties of cheese like Parmesan, Mozzarella, and Ricotta were invented in Italy.
  7. Pizza was invented in Naples in the 1860s.
  8. The espresso machine, thermometer, eye glasses and cologne are all Italian inventions.
  9. Before adopting the euro, Italy’s currency was known as the lira.
  10. Italy has more hotels than any other European countries.

How to Draw a Squirrel

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw a Squirrel in a simple and interactive way. You just need a red pen and a paper to start drawing a Squirrel in next 2 minutes!

18 Steps to draw a Squirrel

  1. Draw an oval and draw another, similar oval below it, slightly to the left, keeping a gap. Join the two with lines.
  2. Draw the ear and eye of the squirrel.
  3. Add detail to its body.
  4. Make its foot.
  5. Make a big, plump tail that is even taller than its head.
  6. Draw its nose and paws.
  7. Erase the lines as shown.
  8. Add detail to the tail.
  9. Erase the line in its nose.
  10. Draw its mouth.
  11. Draw an acorn in its hand.
  12. Where is it sitting? Draw a tree trunk and a branch, on which it is perched.
  13. Draw tree rings to make it look real.
  14. Shade the bottom part of the tail and ear, the nose and the acorn.
  15. Draw and shade leaves at the ends of the branch.
  16. Draw clouds in the sky.
  17. Add another branch on the left, with leaves.
  18. Colour this cute creature and imagine his tail thumping!

For more such cool How To Draw videos go to our Drawing page.

Spain Facts

10 Interesting Facts about Spain

  1. The official name of Spain is the Kingdom of Spain or Reino de Espana.
  2. Spain’s capital city is Madrid.
  3. Spain is Europe’s fourth largest country.
  4. Spain is the 28th most populated country in the world.
  5. The Spanish National Day is celebrated on 12 October.
  6. Spain’s national anthem is called La Marcha Real (The Royal March).
  7. Bull fighting is a traditional spectacle of Spain.
  8. Soccer is the most popular sport in Spain.
  9. Spanish people do not believe in tooth fairies. Instead, they have a tooth mouse called Ratoncito Pérez.
  10. Spain is among the top three most visited countries in the world.

For more such interesting General Knowledge articles and videos, visit: General Knowledge for Kids.

How to draw a Whale

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw a Whale in a simple and interactive way. You just need a red pen and a paper to start drawing a Whale in next 2 minutes!

11 Steps to draw a Whale

  1. Draw a curved shape for the whale’s body, incorporating its tail.
  2. Extend its mouth and draw its eyes.
  3. Draw a little box on top, erasing the overlapping lines.
  4. Draw details on its tail and body to make it look real.
  5. Draw a couple of fins, front and back. Erase the overlapping line of the front one.
  6. Draw a tooth.
  7. Draw its eyebrows.
  8. Erase the top line of the box shape you drew and make it a couple of small curves.
  9. Draw a plant in the bottom right foreground. Draw some more seaweed near it.
  10. Now, move near the whale’s face. Draw a small circle for a bubble. Draw another bubble behind the whale and another on top.
  11. Draw some rock on the left side of your foreground to make it look real. Colour it in whichever colours you like.

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Victoria Memorial Facts

Information and Facts about Victoria Memorial

  1. The Victoria Memorial is located in the city of Kolkata in West Bengal.
  2. It was constructed during the British Empire in the memory of Queen Victoria.
  3. The foundation stone of the Memorial was laid down by the ‘Prince of Wales’ in 1906.
  4. It was opened to the general public on 21 December, 1921 by the Duke of Windsor.
  5. There is a beautiful black bronze Angel of Victory holding a bugle in her hand situated at the top of the dome of the Memorial. It is mounted on large ball bearings and rotates with the wind.
  6. The Victoria Memorial, Kolkata was designed by Sir William Emerson.
  7. It represents a blend of Mughal and European architectural styles.
  8. The Victoria Memorial was constructed by Messrs Martin & Co. of Calcutta and the expenditure incurred was more than Rupees 1,50,000,000.
  9. The memorial is massive in its size and stands enclosed within blooming gardens that spread over an area of 64 acres.
  10. Presently, the Victoria Memorial houses a museum, where you can see the memorabilia of Victoria, paintings from the era of British rule and other exhibits like weapons, maps, coins, stamps and textiles of those times.
  11. After India gained independence in the year 1947, a National Leaders Gallery containing the portraits and relics of the freedom fighters was added to the memorial to restore national pride.

How to draw a Giraffe

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw a Giraffe in a simple and interactive way. You just need a red pen and a paper to start drawing a Giraffe in the next 2 minutes!

18 Steps to draw a Giraffe

  1. Draw a small oval and one more a bigger above slightly above it.
  2. Draw a long inclined rectangle from the bigger oval for the giraffe’s neck.
  3. Draw the giraffe’s face.
  4. Draw lines connecting the two ovals.
  5. Draw the giraffe’s knees and legs. Remember, his legs will be long!
  6. Draw the front legs first, then the hind legs.
  7. Draw his tail and erase lines as shown.
  8. Draw his mane.
  9. Make his eye.
  10. Draw a pair of bony projections on his head.
  11. Add detail to his man to make it look real.
  12. Give him a mouth.
  13. It’s time to draw your giraffe’s spots.
  14. Make rectangles and triangles all over his body.
  15. Draw a tree in the background for his food.
  16. Add stones, grass and clouds to the landscape.
  17. Fill in his spots.
  18. Colour your giraffe. Doesn’t he look good?

For more such cool How To Draw videos go to our Drawing page.

Narwhal Whale Facts

11 Fascinating Facts About Narwhals

  1. The Narwhal whale is unique among whale species and has a long ivory tusk that extends from the upper left side of its jaw. The tusks measure 7 to 10 feet in length.
  2. Narwhals swim belly up and lay motionless for several minutes and this has earned them the name, “corpse whale.”
  3. Narwhals use their foreheads to feel sound waves and hear each other as they bounce through water.
  4. Their squeals or whistles can make humans deaf.
  5. They travel in pods of 4 – 20 whales. They are often separated by gender.
  6. Narwhals use their tusks as terrifying weapons when they are courting and also when they wish to display dominance among rivals. The female tusk is shorter than the male tusk.
  7. They live to be up to 50 years old.
  8. They can dive to depths of about 5,000 feet when looking for food.
  9. They migrate from coastal water towards the offshore to prevent being trapped by ice in winter.
  10. Inuit people hunt the narwhal for their long tusks and their skin, an important source of vitamin C in the traditional Arctic diet.
  11. The average weight of a narwhal is one ton.

For more such interesting General Knowledge articles and videos, visit: General Knowledge for Kids.

How to draw a Frog

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw a Frog in a simple and interactive way. You just need a red pen and a paper to start drawing a Frog in next 2 minutes!

Aren’t frogs cute? Have you read The Frog Prince? Draw one that seems life like.

10 Steps to draw a Frog

  1. Draw a triangle shape with an oval on both sides.
  2. Now, draw his webbed back feet.
  3. Draw a couple of sticks in the middle and extend them for his front feet.
  4. Draw his eyes. Make the left one bigger than the other one.
  5. Give him a smiley and erase lines as shown.
  6. Add spots on his body by drawing circles.
  7. Draw a semi circle for him to sit.
  8. Draw waves.
  9. Draw flowers in the foreground and clouds in the background.
  10. Colour the spots.

For more such cool How To Draw videos go to our Drawing page.

Madagascar Facts

10 Things You Might Not Know about Madagascar

  1. Madagascar is the world’s fourth largest island country, situated off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean.
  2. The people of Madagascar, called Malagasy, are descendants of Africans and Indonesians who came and settled here 2000 years ago. Madagascar is home to 22 million people and 18 different tribal groups.
  3. Madagascar was ruled by the French for a very long time and became independent only in 1960. It became the Republic of Madagascar in 1993.
  4. The Malagasies have high respect for their ancestors and their dead. They bury them in coffins and place them on high caves, believing it would bring the dead closer to heaven. During ceremonies, they even dance with the bodies and photos of their dead relatives.
  5. Scientists say that Madagascar broke off from Africa almost 160 million years ago. That is why new species developed here. Hundreds of species of animals and plants, found nowhere in the world, are found in Madagascar.
  6. Over 100 species of lemurs are found only in Madagascar, of which the ring tailed lemur is quite famous. Half of the world’s chameleons are found here.
  7. Tenrecs were the first mammals to arrive in Madagascar. The Fossa, with a cat like body and dog-like nose, is neither a cat nor a dog. It is the largest predator in Madagascar.
  8. Madagascar has only 11% of the total land as concrete roads. Rest all the roads are muddy and it is extremely difficult to drive a car on them.
  9. Even though Madagascar provides half of the world’s supplies of precious and semi-precious stones like sapphire, it is one of the poorest countries in the world.
  10. Fanorona is a famous and fun board game which was invented in Madagascar.

For more such interesting General Knowledge articles and videos, visit: General Knowledge for Kids.

How to draw a Fish

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw a Fish in a simple and interactive way. You just need a red pen and a paper to start drawing a Fish in next 2 minutes!

Do you like fish? Here’s how to draw one.

16 Steps to draw a Fish

  1. Make a big oval.
  2. Draw a triangle shape from it, to the right.
  3. Draw its fins. The back one would be longer and curvy.
  4. Draw a heart shaped tail.
  5. Draw an eye in the middle of the oval.
  6. Draw another, partial eye, so that it seems to be protruding from the left.
  7. Draw its mouth.
  8. Erase lines as shown.
  9. Draw smaller scales on its body.
  10. Draw its eyebrow.
  11. Colour its lips, tail and back fin.
  12. Time to draw the background! Draw the seabed and plants.
  13. Draw some rocks too.
  14. Draw bubbles to show the fish is breathing.
  15. Watch the fish dash away in the video.
  16. Colour it in whichever colours you like.

For more such cool How To Draw videos go to our Drawing page.

Golconda Mines Facts

Diamonds of Golconda Mines

Golconda mines were one major source of Indian diamonds. The kingdom of Golconda was a group of mines concentrated around the Krishna river, located in the modern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Magnificent diamonds were taken from the mines in the region surrounding Golconda. Darya-e-Nur, meaning sea of light is 185 carats(37 g), the largest and finest diamond of the crown jewels of Iran.

Famous Diamonds from Golconda Mines

Many other famed diamonds are believed to have been excavated from the mines of Golconda:

  1. The Nur-Ul-Ain Diamond
  2. The Kohinoor
  3. The Hope Diamond
  4. Princie Diamond
  5. The Regent Diamond
  6. The Wittelsbach Diamond

Modern scientific analysis concludes many famous high quality diamonds like the Cullinan, Regent and the Koh-I-Noor can be proven to come from the Golconda area. These are the rarest and purest diamonds ever found.

9 Interesting facts about the Golkonda Diamond Mines

  1. Golconda diamonds are still considered to be the finest and possess superb luminousness and transparency.
  2. Experts around the world widely agree that all diamonds which display this special luminousness are of Indian origin.
  3. Gemologists use this classification to denote a diamond with a complete lack of nitrogen; “Golconda” material is also referred to as “2A.”
  4. Some Type 2A diamonds also exhibit exceptional transparency or crystal due to the purity of the carbon crystal lattice.
  5. These diamonds are highly transparent in shortwave ultraviolet light.
  6. Some of the Golconda mines diamonds highest prices when sold:
  7. 34.98-carat Beau Sancy diamond – sold for $9,699,618 (£5 million).
  8. The Archduke Joseph Diamond of 76.02 carats sold for $21.5 million.
  9. The Indian mines were eventually depleted and the diamond center shifted to Brazil where new diamond mines were discovered.

Read here How are Diamonds Formed?

How to draw a Duck

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw a Duck in a simple and interactive way. You just need a red pen and a paper to start drawing a Duck in the next 2 minutes!

Quack quack! It’s draw a duck time. Here’s how to get started.

13 Steps to draw a Duck

  1. Draw a small circle in the middle of the page.
  2. After a gap, draw a curved line.
  3. Draw a line curved in the opposite way below it and join the two.
  4. Add lines to the duck’s body to make it look real.
  5. Make the duck’s eye and beak.
  6. Add detail to the beak to make it look realistic.
  7. Draw the duck’s neck to connect its face with its body.
  8. Shade its eye.
  9. Draw a wave such that the bottom part of its body is submerged.
  10. Draw some plants and colour the water blue.
  11. Draw and shade some rocks below the water.
  12. Watch your duck bob in the video.
  13. Colour it in bright colours to make it stand out.

For more such cool How To Draw videos go to our Drawing page.

Ganga River Facts

16 Interesting Facts about The Ganges River

  1. River Ganga is about 1557 miles long(2506 km).
  2. The Ganges basin is about 200 to 400 miles (322 to 644 km) wide.
  3. River Ganga originates from the Gangotri Glacier, on the southern slopes of the Himalayas, which is 14,000 feet above sea level.
  4. Rivers Bhagirathi and Alaknanda join each other at Devprayag to form River Ganga.
  5. Hindus have always believed Ganga Jal to be pure, pious and drinkable.
  6. In many Hindu rituals (from birth to death) much reverence is given to Ganga water.
  7. River Ganga is considered to be very pure.
  8. In 1896, a British bacteriologist Ernest Hanbury Hankin tested the bacterium Vibrio Cholerae that causes the deadly disease cholera, and found that this bacterium died within three hours when put into the waters of Ganga.
  9. The same bacteria continued to thrive in distilled water even after 48 hours.
  10. The presence of bacteriophages (viruses that kill bacteria) in the water of the Ganges is considered as the reason behind this quality and its purity.
  11. In a study conducted by Malaria Research Center in New Delhi it was observed that water from the upper ambits of Ganga did not host mosquito breeding, and also prevented mosquito breeding if added to other water sources.
  12. An unknown substance in Ganga acts on organic materials and bacteria and kills them.
  13. The Ganga’s self-purifying quality leads to oxygen levels 25 times higher than any other river in the world.
  14. Mistpouffers or Barisal Guns are unexplained sounds that resemble a sonic boom that have been reported to be heard in Ganga. They resemble the sonic boom of a supersonic jet.
  15. The Ganga in Haridwar has shifted from its original course by 500 meters in the past few decades. In Bihar, some parts of the river have shifted more than 2.5 km since 1990.
  16. River Ganga holds a sacred place in the hearts of Indians.

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Water in Plastic Bag Trick

REQUIREMENTS :-

  •  Sharpened pencils
  •  1 Zip lock bag
  •  Water

HOW TO DO

Pour water in a zip lock bag from a jug. Hold the zip lock bag over a vessel, so that in case it spills, you don’t make a mess.

Now, poke a pencil through the middle of the bag. What do you find?

Poke another pencil through the bag and see whether you get the same result.

Finally, poke the third pencil through the bag.

WHY THIS HAPPENS

The plastic bag is made up of long chains of molecules called polymers. This makes a plastic bag stretchy. When the sharpened pencil pierces through the bag, these long chains of molecules seal around the pencils within seconds, thereby preventing a leak.

TRY THIS

Do this experiment with water in plastic bag trick. You will find out what happens. Wow your friends with this ‘magic’ trick! See if they can figure out why it happens.

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How to draw a Hornbill

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw a Hornbill in a simple and interactive way. You just need a red pen and a paper to start drawing a Hornbill in the next 2 minutes!

17 Steps to draw a Hornbill

  1. Draw a circle and an oval below it, slightly to the side.
  2. Draw curved lines connecting the two.
  3. Erase lines as shown.
  4. Draw a good big beak for the hornbill.
  5. Erase lines as shown.
  6. Draw its eye. Doesn’t it look alive now?
  7. Draw its crest on the top of its head.
  8. Draw an overlapping oval near its bottom.
  9. Erase lines as shown.
  10. Draw its legs.
  11. Draw a beautiful, dense feathered tail.
  12. Colour the crest and tail.
  13. Draw a tree and position it on a branch.
  14. Add detail to the tree and branch.
  15. Erase lines as shown.
  16. Watch the hornbill peck the tree in the video.
  17. Colour it in bright hues so that it looks authentic.

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Mecca : The Sacred City

9 Interesting Mecca Facts

  1. Mecca is regarded as the birthplace of Prophet Muhammad and features at the top of the list of most visited places on Earth.
  2. Mecca is located in the heart of Sirat Mountains of Central Saudi Arabia.
  3. Only Muslims are permitted to enter Mecca.
  4. The central point of Mecca is the Ka’bah, or the ‘House of God’ and is covered in a gold-embroidered black fabric.
  5. The pilgrims have to circle the Ka’bah seven times.
  6. There is a ‘Well of Zamzam’ in Mecca, the water of which is believed to have special properties and health benefits.
  7. Ancient Mecca was an oasis on the caravan trade route that connected the Mediterranean world with South Arabia, East Africa, and South Asia.
  8. Pilgrimage to Mecca is known as ‘Haj.’ Haj pilgrimage is the fifth of the fundamental Muslim practices known as the ‘Five Pillars of Islam.’
  9. An interesting ritual known as the ‘Stoning of the Satan’ is practiced at Mecca in which the pilgrims throw stones at three different Haj pillars representing the Satan.

For more such interesting General Knowledge articles and videos, visit: General Knowledge for Kids.

What is Nuclear Energy?

10 Quick Facts about Nuclear Energy

  1. Nuclear energy is the energy amassed in the nucleus of an atom. Nuclear energy is liberated when a nucleus splits apart (fission) or fuses with another (fusion).
  2. Nuclear power uses fission to generate heat and electricity.
  3. The United States, Japan and France are the largest producers of nuclear power.
  4. Nuclear power provides more than 14% of the world’s electricity.
  5. Till date only two nuclear weapons have been used as part of warfare, one in Hiroshima and the other in Nagasaki.
  6. The Sun produces a huge amount of energy from its nuclear reactions that convert hydrogen into helium.
  7. So far, there have been three big nuclear power plant disasters: the Three Mile Island accident (1979), the Chernobyl disaster (1986), and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster (2011).
  8. Research suggests that a person receives five times as much radiation in a lifetime by sitting in front of the television or computer as he or she would from residing near a nuclear power station.
  9. Nuclear medicine uses radioactive isotopes to diagnose, and treat diseases. Doctors use radiotherapy to treat many medical conditions, especially cancer.
  10. During the Middle Ages, craftspeople used Uranium, today’s nuclear fuel, to colour glass yellow or green.

For more such interesting General Knowledge articles and videos, visit: General Knowledge for Kids.

How to draw a Dolphin

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw a Dolphin in a simple and interactive way. You just need a red pen and a paper to start drawing a Dolphin in the next 2 minutes!

Aren’t dolphins cool? Draw one.

15 Steps to draw a Dolphin

  1. Draw a circle.
  2. Make a curved line from it, from the right.
  3. Add another curved line to form the body.
  4. Extend them to make a forked tail.
  5. Draw its fin on the top.
  6. Draw its mouth and eye.
  7. Erase lines as shown.
  8. Add a front fin.
  9. Make its lower body and draw another back fin.
  10. Erase lines as shown.
  11. Shade its eye.
  12. Draw the ocean bed and add rocks.
  13. Add bubbles and seaweed.
  14. Shade the rocks.
  15. Watch the dolphin dash away in the video.

You can read more about these wonderful creatures in our Dolphin Facts article.

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Armour

13 Interesting facts about Armour

  1. Armour or armor is protective covering for the defence of persons, horses, (Personal Armour) and objects like vehicles, naval vessels, and aircraft (Vehicle Armour) usually during combat.
  2. In the beginning, body armour or protective suits were made of materials like leather, shells, wood, and basketwork, later supplemented by metal.
  3. Helmets- Tanko, worn by foot soldiers, Keiko, worn by horsemen, constructed from iron plates, were pre-samurai types, manufactured in Japan as early as the 4th century.
  4. The small skull cap evolved into a bigger true helmet and then further into a fully enclosed helmet in the late 14th century.
  5. Kobuksons were the first ships protected by iron armour, built in the early 15th century.
  6. The plate armor of knights of the European Late Middle Ages, were the most recognised style of armour in the world.
  7. Soldiers in the American Civil War bought iron and steel vests from peddlers. Some deflected bullets and some resulted in tragedy.
  8. Towards the end of the 1890s, ironclad ships went out of use, new ships were increasingly constructed to a standard pattern of designated battleships or armoured cruisers.
  9. Initially an innovation to aid the recovery of downed pilots, armoured cars were later put into use by the British on the Western Front.
  10. Armour plating was added to aircraft to protect aircrew and vulnerable areas such as fuel tanks and the engine.
  11. Today, ballistic vests, also known as flak jackets, made of ballistic cloth (e.g. kevlar, dyneema, twaron, spectra etc.) and ceramic or metal plates are common among police forces, security staff and some branches of the military.
  12. Since World War II, tank armour has now incorporated not only harder composites, but also reactive armour, designed to defeat shaped charges.
  13. We are always on a quest to find bigger and better ways to protect someone or something… but most of the time, the subject in protection is itself, built to kill.

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Lotus Temple Facts

Lotus Temple History and Facts

  1. The Lotus Temple is one of the remarkable constructions of the Bahai faith.
  2. The Bahai religion was founded by Baha-ullah, a Persian nobleman from Tehran. Bahai followers believe that there is only one God.
  3. The Lotus Temple is located at Kalkaji in New Delhi.
  4. This temple is designed in the shape of a lotus flower because the lotus is regarded as a symbol of peace, purity, love and immortality.
  5. The temple looks like a half opened lotus flower with 27 freestanding petals made of marble.
  6. The construction work for this temple took almost a decade to complete. The temple was finally opened to the public in 1986.
  7. Over 800 engineers, technicians, workers and artisans worked on the construction of the Lotus Temple.
  8. The temple can accommodate 2500 people.
  9. The temple is about 40 meters tall and is surrounded by nine ponds.
  10. The marble to build this temple was flown in from Greece.
  11. The Lotus Temple was designed by a Persian architect Fariborz Sahba from Canada.
  12. The Lotus Temple is open to people from all religions.
  13. The Lotus Temple is amongst the most visited monuments in India.

For more such interesting General Knowledge articles and videos, visit: General Knowledge for Kids.

Opera House (Sydney)

12 Interesting Facts About The Opera House (Sydney)

  1. The Sydney Opera House is located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
  2. It is famous as a symbol of Australia and one of the most popular performing arts venues in the world.
  3. The Opera House was amongst the 20 finalists in the New Seven Wonders of the World project of 2007.
  4. It was designed by Danish architect Jorn Utzon.
  5. The Opera House building represents a ship at full sail to fit in with its setting on Sydney Harbour.
  6. The construction of the Opera House took 17 years and more than 102 million dollars were spent on it.
  7. It was inaugurated by Queen Elizabeth II on October 20, 1973.
  8. The Opera House covers 4.5 acres of land and contains five main performance spaces, a recording studio, five restaurants and four gift shops.
  9. The Concert Hall of the Opera House has a seating capacity of 2,679 guests. The Opera Theatre has a seating capacity for 1,507, the Drama Theatre, 544, and the Playhouse has an intimate seating arrangement for around 398 patrons.
  10. The Sydney Opera House conducts almost 3000 events each year and has an annual audience of 2 million for its performances.
  11. The Sydney Opera House has its own opera based on it, called the ‘Eighth Wonder.’
  12. The Sydney Opera House was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site on June 28, 2007.

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Statue of Liberty: Facts And History

13 Things you don’t know about the Statue of Liberty

  • The Statue of Liberty is located on Liberty Island in the New York Harbor, USA.
  • The Statue of Liberty was built by French sculptor Auguste Bartholdi.
  • The Statue of Liberty commemorates the American Declaration of Independence and was a gift from the people of France.
  • This grand statue is around 46 metres in height and weighs about 204,100 kilograms.
  • Thousands of workers worked on the statue ten hour days, seven days a week for nine years.
  • The statue was finally finished in 1884 in form of 350 individual pieces.
  • These pieces were then packed in 214 crates and sent to New York from France, where these pieces were reassembled to form the complete statue.
  • The Statue of Liberty was officially accepted by the President of the United States on October 28th, 1886.
  • Visitors have to climb 354 stairs to reach the Statue of Liberty. There are 25 windows in Lady Liberty’s crown to allow the visitors to have a panoramic view of the vicinity.
  • The seven spikes on the Statue of Liberty’s crown represent either the seven oceans or the seven continents.
  • The statue is made of copper and was initially bronze in colour, but it has now turned green because of oxidation (a chemical reaction between metal and water) from the evaporation of the seawater around it.
  • The statue is said to represent Libertas, the Roman goddess of liberty. She holds a torch and a tabula ansata (tablet) on which 4th July, 1776, the date and year of the American Declaration of Independence, is inscribed.
  • The official name of the Statue of Liberty is ‘Liberty Enlightening the World’.

How to draw a Rocket

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw a Rocket in a simple and interactive way. You just need a red pen and a paper to start drawing a Rocket in next 2 minutes!

Aren’t rockets fascinating? Draw one!

15 Steps to draw a Rocket

1. Draw a rectangular shape at an incline, with a triangular top.
2. Draw and colour three bands on top.
3. Draw three small circles that get bigger as you move down.
4. Add depth to them and colour for a realistic look.
5. Draw wing flaps, one on each side.
6. Draw a rectangle that’s thin and long standing up, in the front.
7. Draw curved lines above it and add a design.
8. Draw pipe ends at the back.
9. Colour the flaps.
10. Show flames emerging from the pipe ends.
11. Draw stars and a moon with craters in the background.
12. Draw a semi circle with details in the right bottom corner to show Earth.
13. Make a satellite near your rocket.
14. It’s ready for takeoff!
15. Colour it in whichever colours you like and show it to everyone

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Facts about the Eiffel Tower

17 Facts you didn’t know about the Eiffel Tower

  1. The Eiffel tower is one of the most famous architectural landmarks of Paris.
  2. It was constructed in 1889 to commemorate the centennial of the French Revolution and to flaunt France’s industrial prowess before the world.
  3. The Eiffel Tower is named after Gustave Eiffel, a French civil engineer who is credited with the designing of this tower.
  4. It is known as La Tour Eiffel in French. It also has the nickname La Dame de Fer which means ‘The iron Lady.’
  5. It measures 1050 feet in height and held the record for being the tallest man-made structure in the world for almost 40 years before being outshined by the Chrysler Building in New York.
  6. It is made of iron and weighs about 10,000 tonnes.
  7. It is painted after every seven years to protect it from rust.
  8. About 50 tonnes of paint is used to paint the entire tower.
  9. It is painted in three shades of brown, darkest at the bottom and brightest at the top.
  10. More than 4 tons of dusters & cleaning cloths, 400 litres of detergents and 25,000 bin bags are needed to clean the Eiffel Tower.
  11. The heat of the sun causes the tower to grow about 6 inches.
  12. There are more than 5 billion lights on the Eiffel Tower.
  13. The Eiffel Tower has 108 storeys, with 1,710 steps. However, visitors can only climb stairs to the first platform.
  14. There are two huge elevators to take the visitors to the upper platforms. These elevators cover a distance of around 103,000 km in a year, which is about 2.5 times the circumference of the entire Earth.
  15. The tower also houses two restaurants, several buffets, a banquet hall, a champagne bar and many unique gift shops.
  16. It is open for tourists and visitors 365 days a year.
  17. The Eiffel Tower was initially intended to be dismantled and sold as scrap 20 years after its construction, but the people of the city gradually fell in love with this structure and this never happened.

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Angkor Wat Facts

Angkor Wat: Facts and History

  • The Hindu temple ruin of Angkor Wat is the largest single religious building in the world.
  • The ancient city of Angkor used to be a capital of the ancient Khmer Empire in Cambodia.
  • The temple complex is the symbol of modern Cambodia and adorns the national flag of Cambodia.
  • Angkor Wat means ‘City of Temples’ or simply ‘City Temple.’
  • The temple complex was destroyed by the Siamese troops in 1431. Still, today Angkor ruins stretch over more than 400 square kilometres.
  • The Angkor Wat Temple was built in the 12th century by King Suryavarman II in the honour of Hindu god Vishnu.
  • After Cambodia converted from the Hindu faith to Buddhism in the late 13th century, the temple was also converted for Buddhist use.
  • The bricks of the temple complex were joined together by vegetable compounds instead of mortar.
  • Angkor Wat is oriented to the west, unlike most of the other Cambodian temples that face east. This was done on purpose because the west direction in Hindu religion represents death. It is for this reason that Angkor Wat is also known as the ‘funeral’ temple.
  • It was built to preserve the king’s ashes. So, you see the purpose of this complex was the same as that of the pyramids of Egypt.
  • Frenchman Henri Mouhot discovered this enigmatic temple complex in 1860. At that time the natives of the Cambodian jungle were not sure who had built it. They thought that it could have been built by gods, or even by giants!
  • The blockbuster movie Lara Croft: Tomb Raider was filmed there.
  • Angkor Wat is a UNESCO world heritage site.

For more such interesting General Knowledge articles and videos, visit: https://mocomi.com/learn/general-knowledge/

How to Draw a Spider

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw a Spider in a simple and interactive way. You just need a red pen and a paper to start drawing a Spider in the next 2 minutes!

Incy wincy spider…remember the rhyme? Draw a spider today.

17 Steps to draw a Spider

  1. Draw a hexagon.
  2. Extend lines from its vertices.
  3. Draw horizontal lines between these vertical lines to make a web.
  4. Drop a line towards the bottom, straight from the middle.
  5. Extend it to make a circle.
  6. Add a smaller, overlapping circle over its top.
  7. Add a smaller oval to its left for its other eye.
  8. Add a smile. This is a cute spider, not a creepy-crawly.
  9. Erase lines as shown.
  10. Give it a couple of pointy teeth.
  11. Add hair on its face’s sides.
  12. Colour its face.
  13. Now, it’s time to make the background!
  14. Stretch a line across, near the bottom, to show a wall.
  15. Add a wooden beam for the web to hang from.
  16. Make a crack in the wall for effect.
  17. Colour the beam.

For more such cool How To Draw videos go to our Drawing page.

Wolf Facts and Information

12 Interesting facts about wolves

  1. The wolf is a carnivorous pack mammal of the family Canidae.
  2. Wolves are native to America, Canada, Asia, Europe and the Arctic region.
  3. The wolf is the largest member of his family which includes dogs, foxes and coyotes.
  4. They have a highly developed sense of smell and hearing.
  5. It is the sole ancestor of the dog, which was first domesticated in the Middle East.
  6. The collective name for a group of Wolves is a Pack.
  7. The sound made by a wolf is referred to as a howl.
  8. It is respected by some Native American tribes.
  9. It is a social animal, travelling in nuclear families consisting of a mated pair, along with the pair’s adult offspring.
  10. Wolves walk on just their toe tips.
  11. There are four distinct gray wolf lineages which are the African wolf, the Himalayan wolf, the Indian wolf and the Holarctic clade.
  12. Wolves are an endangered species according to wild life experts.

Konark Sun Temple

Interesting facts About Konark Sun Temple

  • The Konark Temple is the most exciting tourist attraction in Orissa. The term ‘Konark’ has been derived from ‘Kona’ and ‘Arka’ that mean ‘corner’ and ‘sun.’
  • The Konark Temple was built by King Narsingha Deva in 1250 AD to commemorate his victory over Muslims.
  • This temple is basically dedicated to Lord Surya or the Sun God.
  • The temple is made up of black granite and is also known as the ‘Black Pagoda.’
  • Its construction took a long time- a span of 16 years.
  • The Konark Sun Temple is shaped like a big chariot representing the Sun God’s chariot. It has 24 wheels and is pulled by seven horses.
  • The spokes of the wheels serve as sundials and the shadows cast by these can give the precise time of the day.
  • The Sun God’s chariot in Konark Temple actually represents the seven days of the week, and the 24 hours of the day.
  • In the temple, there are three images of the Sun God, positioned to catch the rays of the sun at dawn, noon and sunset.
  • It is said that the temple was not completed as originally planned because the foundation was not strong enough to bear the weight of the heavy dome.
  • Some people believe that the temple was built completely, but there was a huge magnet in its peak that caused ships to wreck near the seashore. That is why the dome was removed.
  • The Konark Sun Temple was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1984.

For more such interesting General Knowledge articles and videos, visit: https://mocomi.com/learn/general-knowledge/

Colosseum Facts

15 Interesting facts about the Roman Colosseum

  1. The Colosseum is a huge open auditorium or amphitheater in the center of Rome, Italy.
  2. It was built by Emperor Vespasian for his successor, Titus.
  3. The word amphitheater is derived from the Greek word ‘ampi’ (open from both sides) and ‘theatron’ (public place of viewing).
  4. The name Colosseum is said to be derived from the giant statue of Nero called ‘The Colossus of Nero’ which earlier stood before the stadium.
  5. The Colosseum is an egg-shaped building that is about 620 feet long, 512 feet wide and 158 feet tall.
  6. It covers a vast expanse of 6 acres.
  7. More than 1.1 million tonnes of concrete, stone and bricks were used to erect this massive structure.
  8. It has about 80 entrances and is large enough to accommodate 50,000 spectators.
  9. In 847, the southern wall of the Colosseum collapsed because of an earthquake.
  10. The Romans used the Colosseum for gladiator duels and public spectacles such as animal hunts, mock sea battles, re-enactments of famous battles, executions and dramas.
  11. Certain classes of people like former gladiators and gravediggers were not permitted to enter the Colosseum.
  12. The west exit was called the Gate of Death. This was where dead gladiators were carried out of the arena.
  13. Historical data suggests that the games played in the Colosseum for hundreds of years have claimed the lives of about 500,000 people and more than a million wild animals.
  14. The gladiatorial fights stopped in 435 CE and the animal hunts by the beginning of 23 CE.
  15. Several popular singers like Elton John, Billy Joel, Paul McCartney and Ray Charles have performed at the Colosseum.

How to Draw a Windmill

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw a Windmill in a simple and interactive way. You just need a red pen and a paper to start drawing a Windmill in the next 2 minutes!

16 Steps to draw a Windmill

  1. Draw a triangular shape with a plateau top.
  2. Make a rectangle on top of it.
  3. Draw a circle and another around it, at the top.
  4. Add rectangular shapes on its sides.
  5. Colour the inner circle.
  6. Make four long rectangular shapes with depth for its blades.
  7. Add details to make them look real.
  8. Make a door at the bottom.
  9. Make rings on the tower and add windows.
  10. Colour the door.
  11. Erase lines as shown.
  12. Draw a line in the background and make hillocks on it, on both sides of your windmill.
  13. Add blades of grass with flowers in the foreground.
  14. Add small trees in the background so that they look distant.
  15. Add a cloud and colour the blades.
  16. Watch the blades move in our video.

For more such cool How To Draw videos go to our Drawing page.

Fun Facts about Jet Planes

16 Jet Plane Fun Facts

  1. In the 18th century, Isaac Newton was the first to theorize that a rearward-channeled explosion could propel a machine forward at a great rate of speed.
  2. A jet propulsion system which used piston-engine exhaust gases to add heat to an otherwise pure air stream compressed by rotating fan blades in a duct was patented by Henri Coanda in 1910.
  3. A jet aircraft flies much faster at higher altitudes as high as 33,000–49,000 ft, than a propeller-powered aircraft.
  4. The jet engine consist of an engine with a rotary air compressor powered by a turbine, with the leftover power providing thrust via a propelling nozzle.
  5. The Italian Caproni Campini N.1 motorjet prototype that flew on August 27, 1940 was the first flight of a jet engined aircraft to come to popular attention.
  6. During late World War II, Germany made the first operational jet fighter which was the fastest conventional aircraft then.
  7. The first commercial airliner was de Havilland Comet, produced in 1949 by Britain.
  8. In 1963, Boeing produced the 727, which is widely used till date and in 1969 came out with its first jumbo jet 747.
  9. Modern jet fighters commonly fly in excess of 1,000 mph and up to about 1,600 mph.
  10. The noise in jet planes is due to shockwaves that form when the exhaust jet interacts with the external air.
  11. Unmanned scramjets, military fighters are now being designed for stealth and payload.
  12. The world’s fastest manned jet airplane which flies at about Mach 3.5 (more than 2,000 mph) is the U.S. Air Force’s SR-71 Blackbird.
  13. The famous supersonic commercial jet airplane Concorde, made its first flight in 1976. It was produced by Aerospatiale, a French/British consortium.
  14. Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud owns the world’s most expensive private jet, an Airbus A380, which also has a two-car garage, a stable for horses and camels, and a prayer room that rotates so it always faces Mecca.
  15. The US makes up 49.7% of the world market for private jets; Europe 20.8%; Asia Pacific 11.8%; Latin and South America 11.6%; Africa and the Middle East: 6.1%.
  16. Some celebrities even fly jet planes themselves, like Tom Cruise (Gulfstream IV), Jimmy Buffett (Dassault Falcon 900), and John Travolta who owns eleven jets, including a Boeing 707.

Note: 12 Things You Never Knew about Drones, visit: https://mocomi.com/drones/

Leaning Tower of Pisa Facts and History

15 Amazing Facts about the Leaning Tower of Pisa

  1. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is amongst the most famous architectural landmarks of Italy.
  2. It is known as ‘La Torre Pendente’ in Italian. It is said that this tower was originally designed by an Italian architect Bonnano Pisano.
  3. It weighs around 14,500 tonnes and leans at a 10 degree angle. It stands on a clay foundation.
  4. Complete construction of the tower took over 800 years.
  5. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is only 55.86 meters tall and is the ‘smallest’ tower to have achieved worldwide recognition.
  6. It stood straight only for five years upon completion of its initial construction and then started leaning towards one side.
  7. Once the tower began to lean, the construction was halted for 100 years. Engineers hoped that the clay beneath the tower would settle and become hard enough to permit further construction.
  8. The tower has 8 storeys and 294 steps.
  9. It was estimated that the lean was increasing by one inch every 20 years.
  10. Over the years several renowned architects put their heads together to come up with a solution to stop the tower from leaning further.
  11. They finally agreed to remove ground from under the high side, instead of trying to add ground under the low side.
  12. The restoration and repair work began in 1999 and finished in June 2001, straightening the tower by about 16 inches, and returning it to the position it held in 1838.
  13. Today, the engineers believe that it is safe for at least another 300 years.
  14. The tower contains 7 bells, representing the seven notes of the musical scales.
  15. Many people believe that Galileo Galilei did his famous experiment of dropping two differently-sized cannon balls to demonstrate that their speed of descent was independent of their mass from the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

White House Facts

15 Interesting Facts About The White House

  1. The White House is the official residence of the President of the United States of America.
  2. This magnificent building was designed by an Irish-American architect, James Hoban, after he won the architectural design competition to find the President’s architect, in 1792.
  3. The first President of the United States, President George Washington, supervised the construction of the White House, but he did not get to live there!
  4. The second President of America, John Adams, elected in 1796, was the first resident of the White House.
  5. There are 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, and 6 levels in the White House to accommodate all the residents, workers and guests who live in it.
  6. There are 412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, 8 staircases, and 3 elevators in the White House.
  7. Two of the floors in the White House are exclusively reserved for the First Family.
  8. President Theodore Roosevelt officially gave the White House its current name in 1901.
  9. The White House receives around 6,000 visitors a day.
  10. There are five full time chefs in the White House.
  11. More than 570 gallons of paint is required just to paint the outside surface of the White House.
  12. The White House has a variety of facilities including a tennis court, a jogging track, a swimming pool, a movie theater, a billiard room and a bowling alley.
  13. The White House has two replicas— one in France and one in Ireland. The building in France is a tourist attraction while the building in Ireland is for the Irish Parliament.
  14. The White House is said to receive more than 50,000 letters per week, 2,500–3,500 calls per day and 100,000 emails per day.
  15. Anyone can take a free tour of the White House. However, the application to tour the White House must be submitted 6 months before the trip.

Hawa Mahal Facts

11 Fun Facts about Hawa Mahal in Jaipur: Wonders of India

  1. Hawa Mahal is one of the most famous ancient monuments of Rajasthan. Hawa Mahal was built in 1799 A.D by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh.
  2. Hawa Mahal was built in 1799 A.D by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh.
  3. The words “Hawa Mahal” mean “Wind Palace.” Hawa Mahal is so called because it has about 953 windows through which the breeze flows and keeps the palace cool. All the Jaipur royals utilized this building as their summer retreat.
  4. Hawa Mahal was designed by Lal Chand Usta. The building was especially erected for the royal ladies of Jaipur. The purpose of this building was to allow the royal ladies to watch all the activities of the local marketplace without being seen.
  5. Hawa Mahal exhibits a unique combination of Mughal and Rajput architectural styles.
  6. It is carved out of red and pink sandstone.
  7. Hawa Mahal is the tallest building in the world without a foundation. Hawa Mahal has 5 storeys and it is still standing upright because it is curved and leaning at an angle of 87 degrees.
  8. Hawa Mahal is built in the shape of Lord Krishna’s crown.
  9. The lattice-work or the jaali work in the windows of Hawa Mahal is similar to the honeycomb of a beehive.
  10. Unlike conventional buildings, there is no front entrance to the Hawa Mahal. If you want to get in, you have to enter from the rear side.
  11. The Hawa Mahal has only ramps, instead of regular stairs to reach the upper floors of the building.

Mexico Fun Facts

11 Interesting Facts about Mexico

  1. Mexico is officially known as the United Mexican States.
  2. Mexico is the 11th most populated country in the world.
  3. Mexico is the 14th largest country area wise.
  4. The national symbol of Mexico is the Golden Eagle.
  5. Mexico introduced chocolate, chilies and corn to the world.
  6. Mexican children receive their Christmas gifts on January 6th, the day on which the arrival of the Three Wise Men is celebrated in Mexico.
  7. Mexico is situated in the “Ring of Fire,” one of the Earth’s most prominent earthquake and volcano zones.
  8. Mexico City is built over the ruins of an ancient Aztec city called Tenochtitlan.
  9. Since the city of Mexico is built on a lake, it is sinks about 6 to 8 inches every year. Large pumps are used to pump out the water and keep the city afloat.
  10. Mexico’s flag has a picture of an eagle eating a snake, based on an Aztec legend.
  11. Chihuahua, the world’s smallest dog is named after a Mexican state.

Note: Mexican Theme Party for Kids, visit: https://mocomi.com/mexican-party/

How to Draw a Panda

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw a Panda in a simple and interactive way. You just need a red pen and a paper to start drawing a Panda in next 2 minutes!

14 Steps to draw a Panda

  1. Draw a circle and section it off by drawing horizontal and vertical lines.
  2. Draw its ears.
  3. Add its eyes.
  4. Now, it’s time to add the nose and eyes.
  5. Add its legs and arms.
  6. Add detail to its ears.
  7. Erase lines as shown.
  8. Colour its feet, arms, ears and eyes.
  9. Add pupils in its eyes.
  10. Give it a bamboo shoot to chew on.
  11. Draw a line across for the background.
  12. Make tall grass.
  13. Outline a bamboo shoot in front of the panda.
  14. Draw a cloud in the sky.

Wouldn’t you like this panda as a soft toy?

For more such cool How To Draw videos go to our Drawing page.

How to Draw a Butterfly

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw a butterfly in a simple and interactive way. You just need a red pen and a paper to start drawing a butterfly in the next 2 minutes!

Don’t butterflies look beautiful? They’re simple to draw as well. Read on to know how to draw one.

10 Steps to draw a Butterfly

  1. Draw a circle and section it off with horizontal and vertical lines.
  2. Draw a long oval below this for the butterfly’s body.
  3. Add rings to it to make it look real.
  4. Make two big ovals and extend them to two small semicircles for its wings.
  5. Add its antennae.
  6. Draw its eyes with pupils and add a smile.
  7. Make circles on its wings for spots.
  8. Add clouds in the background.
  9. Watch your butterfly fly away.
  10. Colour it brightly and have fun showing it off to your family and friends.

For more such cool How To Draw videos go to our Drawing page.

Moscow Kremlin Facts

10 Amazing Facts about Kremlin Place – Wonder of the World

  1. The Moscow Kremlin is a historic fort complex situated in Moscow.
  2. The word Kremlin means a fortress. It is the largest fortress in Europe and includes five palaces and four cathedrals.
  3. The Moscow Kremlin was originally a wooden structure made of oak wood, founded in the 12th century by Prince Yury Dolgoruky.
  4. The walls that surround the Kremlin are 1.25 miles long, enclosing an area of more than 90 acres of land.
  5. The Kremlin boasts of the world’s largest bell, that was never rung, because it was broken during construction; and the world’s largest cannon, which is so big, that it could never be fired on ground.
  6. The Kremlin Armoury is now a museum showcasing the weapons and collectibles of the Tsars, including the famous Fabergé eggs.
  7. The Great Bell Tower at the Kremlin is said to mark the geographic centre of Moscow.
  8. In 1917, the Kremlin became the headquarters of the Soviet government. The complex also serves as the official residence of the President of the Russian Federation.
  9. Today the Kremlin is used to represent the Government of the Soviet Union, the same way that the White House is used to represent the President of the United States.
  10. The Kremlin was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1990.

For more such interesting General Knowledge articles and videos, visit: https://mocomi.com/learn/general-knowledge/

Panchatantra: The Lion Cub

One day, all the mother animals of the jungle had a serious argument. All of them were really proud of their little ones and each one of them felt that their kids were the best among all. They were, however, trying to find out which one of them had the largest brood.

Mother deer who was affectionately licking her three little babies said, “It’s definitely me…I have the best and the largest brood.”
“Certainly not! Look at my babies. How sharp their teeth are!” said mother jackal. All her five cubs immediately bared their fangs. Rest of the animals got scared and moved away, but mother jackal assured them that the cubs wouldn’t harm anyone.

Mother sparrow flew up to her nest flapping its wings and said, “I have nine little birdies, that’s more than both of yours put together.” The tiny little birds tweeted putting their heads out.

“But none of you can match my record,” said mother cat, pointing at her little kitten army.

“Your babies are not even worth being counted,” said somebody from the crowd. Mother cat got angry and said something back. One argument led to another and soon it ended up in complete chaos.

Finally, they all decided to go to mother lion to settle the argument.

“We all have so many babies, but we do not know who has the largest brood. What about you?” one of the animals asked mother lion.

“I just have one,” said mother lion, and looked at the little cub with pride. The cub ran about innocently around its mother.

Just one? That’s all?” asked the animals surprised. “Yes that’s all,” said mother lion smiling. “I have just one cub and it will become the king of the jungle one day. Why do I even need a larger brood?”

All the mother animals became quiet and realized that in future the lion cub would matter much more than all of their offspring put together.

For more interesting Panchatantra stories for kids, go to : Panchatantra stories

For other interesting stories for kids, browse though our huge collection of short stories here : Stories for Kids

Panchatantra: The Monkey and The Crocodile

Once upon a time, on the banks of a mighty river, there was a monkey, who lived on a magnificent tree. The tree bore fruits as sweet as nectar, and the monkey lived a happy, and content life.

Once, a hungry crocodile swam up to the bank of the river. “Hello! Try out these fruits!“ called out the monkey, tossing the juicy fruits to the crocodile. Everyday, the crocodile would come to eat the fruits, and soon, they became great friends.

But the crocodile’s wife was very greedy, and wanted to have the monkey for her supper. “I want to devour the monkey’s heart, for it will be as sweet as the fruit he eats,” schemed the wife.

Next day, the gullible crocodile invited his dear friend to his house for supper. The poor monkey believed the story, and without hesitation, jumped on the crocodile’s back and off they went to the crocodile’s home on the other side of the river.

In the middle of the river, the crocodile began sinking deep. The frightened monkey screamed, “What are you doing?” The crocodile said, “Forgive me, my friend, but I have to kill you! My wife has heard so much about you, and now she wants to eat your juicy heart.”

“Oh, silly friend,” baited the monkey. “Why didn’t you say so in the beginning itself? My heart is stored safely in the burrow of the tree.”

“Really? Let’s go get it then,” said the silly crocodile, and he started swimming back to the tree. Once the crocodile reached the river bank, the terrified monkey sprang to safety, on a high branch.

Once out of reach, the monkey yelled at the crocodile, “Your wife is a greedy crocodile and you a foolish one. I have only one heart and it’s beating inside me.” The crocodile was ashamed of what happened and swam back into the sea, having lost a dear friend due to his foolishness.

For more interesting Panchatantra stories for kids, go to : https://mocomi.com/fun/stories/panchatantra/

For other interesting stories for kids, browse though our huge collection of short stories here : https://mocomi.com/fun/stories/

Panchatantra: The Heron And The Crab

A long time ago, there lived a heron, by the side of a pond brimming with fresh fish. He was a lazy creature, who wanted to find a way to catch all the fish without any effort.

One day, he got an idea! He went to the side of the pond and put on a gloomy face. His friend, the crab, came alongside him and asked, “What is bothering you, my dear friend?”

The heron said, “Alas, my friends! I spotted fishermen making hungry nets in the village nearby! Soon, they will come to our pond, to catch all the fish.” On hearing this, the inhabitants of the pond were devastated.

The heron said, “Luckily, I know of a pond not far from here, where all the fish will be saved.” So, everyday, some fish would volunteer to be carried in the heron’s beak, to the safe pond.

The heron would take the fish each day and on reaching a large rock, he would eat all the fish, leaving nothing but their bones behind. For many days, the sly heron got a continued supply of fish without any effort.

But the wise crab was suspicious of the heron’s motives and one day, volunteered to go with the heron to the new pond. As they were flying, the crab was shocked to see his friends’ bones lying around the rock.

He realized there was something fishy going on, but chose to wait and watch. The heron took the crab to the rock to eat him up. Seeing this, the alert crab tightened its claws around the heron’s long neck and threatened to choke him.

“Please, spare me!” cried the scared heron, knowing his game was up. The wise and merciful crab let go of the heron’s neck, who promised never to be so deceitful again. The wise crab had saved the day.

For more interesting Panchatantra stories for kids, go to : https://mocomi.com/fun/stories/panchatantra/

For other interesting stories for kids, browse though our huge collection of short stories here : https://mocomi.com/fun/stories/

Hummingbirds Facts

14 Amazing facts about hummingbirds

  1. Hummingbirds are the tiniest birds in the world.
  2. A hummingbird will take about 250 breaths per minute while at rest.
  3. Hummingbirds have an average life span of about 5 years.
  4. 30% of a hummingbird’s weight consists of flight muscles.
  5. Hummingbirds need to eat on average 7 times per hour for about 30-60 seconds.
  6. A gorget is the patch of bright, flashing, colored feathers on the hummingbird’s neck.
  7. Hummingbirds have no sense of smell but can see farther and hear better than humans.
  8. Hummingbirds have very weak feet and can barely walk. They prefer to fly, and like to perch, spending most of their life perching.
  9. A hummingbird’s brain is 4.2% of its body weight, the largest proportion in the bird kingdom.
  10. Hummingbirds are the only birds that can fly forwards and backwards. They can hover in mid-air, fly sideways and even upside-down.
  11. Hummingbirds have tiny hairs on the tip of the tongue to help lap up nectar.
  12. Hummingbirds are very smart and they can remember every flower they have been to, and how long it will take a flower to refill. A hummingbird’s favorite color is red and they like tubular type flowers the most.
  13. Hummingbirds can see ultraviolet light.
  14. Hummingbirds lay the smallest eggs of all bird’s measuring less than 1/2 inch long.

Learn more different types of birds and their characteristics, here https://mocomi.com/types-of-birds/

How to Draw a Seahorse

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw a seahorse in a simple and interactive way. You just need a red pen and a paper to start drawing a seahorse in the next 2 minutes!

Aren’t seahorses marvellous? Here’s how to draw one.

14 Steps to draw a Seahorse

  1. Draw a circle and extend it for the seahorse’s snout.
  2. Make its eye and add a pupil.
  3. Draw a bean shape below for its body.
  4. Make a twirly tail emerging from its body.
  5. Make its crest on the top of its head.
  6. Add its mane and make its webbed hand.
  7. Draw lines on its body to show folds.
  8. Draw its ear.
  9. Add details to its mane too.
  10. Erase lines as shown.
  11. Add depth to its lower body.
  12. Colour in the ear, mane and fin.
  13. Now, it’s time to make the background.
  14. Add bubbles and seaweed.

For more such cool How To Draw videos go to our Drawing page.

Grand Canyon Facts

12 Amazing Facts about Grand Canyon

  • The Grand Canyon is located in the US state of Arizona and stretches to Colorado.
  • The Canyon was created by the Colorado River over a 5.4 million year period.
  • The Grand Canyon is about 445 km long and 5000 feet deep.
  • It is the third largest canyon in the world.
  • The Grand Canyon’’s oldest sedimentary rocks date as far back as 2 billion years.
  • Around 3000 million liters of water flow through the Grand Canyon per hour.
  • Garcia López de Cárdenas was the first white man to discover the Grand Canyon in 1540.
  • The floor of the Grand Canyon contains fossil footprints of more than 20 species of reptiles and amphibians; however, no fossilised reptile bones or teeth have ever been uncovered.
  • It is the site of the rare Brady Pin-cushion cactus, discovered in 1958.
  • The different types of rock visible in the Grand Canyon make it an important site for geological research.
  • The Grand Canyon became a national park in 1919. The Grand Canyon National Park is one of the world’’s premier natural attractions, attracting about five million visitors per year.
  • Around 88 species of mammals, 250–300 species of birds, 25 types of reptiles and five species of amphibians all live in the Grand Canyon.

For more such interesting General Knowledge articles and videos, visit: https://mocomi.com/learn/general-knowledge/

Acropolis of Athens, Greece

10 Lesser known facts about the Acropolis of Athens

  1. The Acropolis is one of the most imposing historical structures in Athens.
  2. The word ‘Acropolis’ is derived from the Greek words ‘akron’ meaning edge and ‘polis’ meaning city. It was thus named because it stands on a hilltop that overlooks the city of Athens.
  3. The Acropolis was also known as the sacred rock and was built for defensive reasons. During wartime, the Greeks used it to get a better view of the position of enemy forces.
  4. The construction of the Acropolis started in 447 BC and ended in 438 BC.
  5. The Acropolis served as the venue for festival celebrations and historically significant events during the peak of Athens’ power.
  6. The Greeks built many temples on the Acropolis, such as the famous Parthenon temple dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena.
  7. The first excavations on the Acropolis were conducted between 1835 and 1837.
  8. The first habitation remains on the Acropolis date back to the Neolithic period.
  9. Since the monuments of the Acropolis of Athens were being damaged due to pollution, many of the relics and historical objects were shifted to the newly constructed Acropolis Museum in 2007.
  10. The Acropolis was the runner-up for the New Seven Wonders of the World.

For more such interesting General Knowledge articles and videos, visit: https://mocomi.com/learn/general-knowledge/

How to Draw a Hedgehog

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw a hedgehog in a simple and interactive way. You just need a red pen and a paper to start drawing a hedgehog in the next 2 minutes!

Hedgehogs are so unusual, aren’t they? Have fun drawing one.

11 Steps to draw a Hedgehog

  1. Draw the snout of the hedgehog and extend it to make its mouth.
  2. Draw and colour a small circle on the top of its nose.
  3. Add the eyes and teeth.
  4. Add an ear and its spines.
  5. Fill its body with lines to show how prickly it is.
  6. Draw its feet.
  7. Shade its body.
  8. Now it’s time to make the background. Draw a line across.
  9. Make stones and blades of grass.
  10. Watch it curl in a ball and roll away!
  11. Colour it in whichever colours you like for a different look.

For more such cool How To Draw videos go to our Drawing page.

History of Sanchi Stupa

12 Interesting Facts about Sanchi Stupa

  1. The Sanchi Stupa is located in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the most ancient and famous Buddhist monuments in India.
  2. The Stupa has several chambers, which contains the relics of Buddha.
  3. The Sanchi Stupa was constructed in the honour of Lord Buddha by Emperor Ashoka in 3rd century BC.
  4. The height of the Great Stupa is around 54 feet.
  5. The Great Stupa at Sanchi is crowned by a chhatra, a parasol-like structure, intended to honour and protect the precious relics inside.
  6. The dome of the Stupa is a symbol of Dharma, the Wheel of Law.
  7. Most of the Buddha statues at the Sanchi Stupa were said to be painted with a legendary Mauryan polish that made them shine like glass in the erstwhile days.
  8. The Stupa actually symbolises the life of Buddha and his final release from the cycle of birth and rebirth (Moksha).
  9. The last addition to the Stupa was done during the rule of the Guptas, prior to 450 AD.
  10. The Stupa is surrounded by four gateways that represent various scenes from the life of Lord Buddha and the Jataka tales.
  11. The national emblem of India was derived from the Ashoka Pillar of Sanchi Stupa.
  12. Sanchi Stupa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

How to Draw a Bat

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw a bat in a simple and interactive way. You just need a red pen and a paper to start drawing a bat in the next 2 minutes!

12 Steps to draw a Bat

  1. First, draw a circle and section it off.
  2. Next, draw a rectangular shape with a curved bottom below it.
  3. Make the bat’s toes.
  4. Now it’s time to make the bat ears. Draw leaf like shapes on both sides of its face.
  5. Draw its eyes, eyebrows and give it a smile. Add some teeth.
  6. Add some detail to its ears to make them look real.
  7. Make the bat wings now. Draw lines within the wings for a webbed effect.
  8. Add some detail to its body and face to make it look life like.
  9. Draw a branch in the background so that it can hang from it.
  10. Add details to the branch.
  11. Make a cloud in the bottom right of your page.
  12. Turn your drawing upside down!

For more such cool How To Draw videos go to our Drawing page.

How to Draw a Seal

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw a seal in a simple and interactive way. You just need a red pen and a paper to start drawing a seal in the next 2 minutes!

16 Steps to draw a Seal

1. First draw a circle.
2. Then, draw lines from below to form the body.
3. Add triangular shapes for the seal’s flippers.
4. Add detail to the tail.
5. Section off its face.
6. Add eyes, the one to the right should be bigger so that it looks nearer.
7. Add a nose.
8. Don’t forget the whiskers.
9. Colour the eyes.
10. Add white spots in the eyes to make them look real.
11. Add eyebrows and colour the nose.
12. Add ears and erase the dotted lines.
13. Erase lines as shown.
14. Draw a line in the background.
15. Add shells in the foreground.
16. Give your seal a tuft of hair to make him look real.

For more such cool How To Draw videos go to our Drawing page.

How to Draw a Rabbit

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw a rabbit in a simple and interactive way. You just need a red pen and a paper to start drawing a rabbit in the next 2 minutes!

Don’t you love bunnies? Do you have one? Make one if you don’t and even if you do.

13 Steps to draw a Rabbit

  1. Draw a circle.
  2. Below that, draw the rabbit’s body and hands.
  3. Section off the face.
  4. Draw its legs. Remember the leg closer to you will be bigger.
  5. Draw a fluffy tail.
  6. Add a nose and mouth.
  7. Add eyes and teeth.
  8. Make long ears.
  9. Add details to the ears to make them look real.
  10. Erase lines as shown.
  11. Shade the ears and tail.
  12. Watch your bunny hop!
  13. Colour it in any shade you like for a different look. Hang it in your room after you’re done showing it off to your family.

For more such cool How To Draw videos go to our Drawing page.

What is an Eclipse?

What causes an eclipse?

An eclipse occurs when one object gets in between you and another object and blocks your view. From Earth, we routinely experience two kinds of eclipses: an eclipse of the Moon and an eclipse of the Sun.

what is a lunar eclipse?

When Earth orbits the suns, it comes between the Sun and the Moon, and throws a dark shadow across the Moon. This is known as a Lunar eclipse.

what is a solar eclipse?

When the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun it blocks the light of the Sun and a shadow of the Moon is cast on Earth’s surface. This is know as a Solar eclipse.

3 Types of solar eclipse

Total, Partial, and Annular.

1. Total eclipse

During a total eclipse, the Moon completely covers our view of the Sun and is only visible from a narrow strip (about 150 km wide) of Earth’s surface at any one time.

2. Partial eclipse

A partial eclipse will also occur if the Sun, Moon, and Earth are not precisely lined up.

The eclipse cannot be total unless the center of the Moon’s shadow is able to strike Earth.

3. Annular eclipse

The eclipse type that occurs when the Moon is at its farthest distance from Earth is an annular eclipse. The Moon then appears too small to completely block out the disc of the Sun.

During a solar eclipse, the Moon actually casts two shadows toward Earth called Umbra and Penumbra.

What is umbra shadow?

The Umbra shadow becomes smaller as it reaches Earth and is also the dark center of the Moon’s shadow.

A total solar eclipse, or a complete blocking out of the Sun’s light, can only be seen by those who live in the area covered by the Umbra.

What is penumbra shadow?

The Penumbra shadow becomes larger as it reaches Earth. People who live in the area of Earth covered by the penumbra will see a partial eclipse.

When does a total solar eclipse occur?

A total solar eclipse can only occur when two events happen at the same time.

  • The first event is a new Moon: This phase of the Moon occurs when the Sun is almost directly behind the Moon, and we see only a sliver of the Sun’s light reflected by the Moon. During this time the Moon and the Sun appear close together.
  • The second event: Moon must be in the right position, directly in the line of sight between Earth and the Sun.

These two events occur at the same time about once every year and a half.

To learn more about solar eclipse, click here.

How to Draw a Crocodile

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw a crocodile in a simple and interactive way. You just need a red pen and a paper to start drawing a crocodile in the next 2 minutes!

15 Steps to draw a Crocodile

  1. Start by making small close set circles for your crocodile’s eyes.
  2. Next, add its snout.
  3. Add its mouth and give it some wicked looking teeth.
  4. Add a nostril so that it can breathe and detail to the eyes so that they look expressive.
  5. Similarly, add details to its snout.
  6. Make an oval for its body and a triangle for its tail.
  7. Add its feet, starting with the front. Make the paws pointy.
  8. Add scales all along its back.
  9. Give the paws nails to make them look real.
  10. Erase lines as shown.
  11. Add small spots on its mode for a realistic effect.
  12. Add a line in the backround.
  13. Draw some grass, pebbles and water for a swampy effect.
  14. Add a cloud.
  15. Shade the scales and eyes.

Guess what the crocodile’s got in its mouth!

For more such cool How To Draw videos go to our Drawing page.

How to Draw A Car

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw a car in a simple and interactive way. You just need a red pen and a paper to start drawing a car in the next 2 minutes!

18 Steps to draw a Car

  1. First make a curve.
  2. Extend it with a dotted line for the body.
  3. Add detail to the body to make it look real.
  4. Add wheels. There will only be a couple, the other two will be hidden.
  5. Erase lines as shown.
  6. Add lights, front and back.
  7. Draw a windshield and windows.
  8. Make the glass at the back of the car.
  9. Shade the wheels.
  10. Make a white circle in the middle of the wheels to make it look real.
  11. Draw lines to show doors and handles.
  12. Get inside the windows and draw seats.
  13. Draw a steering wheel.
  14. Shade the seats.
  15. Draw yourself driving the car with a big smile.
  16. Draw a line in the background.
  17. Draw buildings and a cloud.
  18. Add detail to the road so that it looks real. Now you’re all set to go for a spin.

For more such cool How To Draw videos go to our Drawing page.

Snow Leopard Facts

11 Fun Facts about Snow Leopards

  1. A native to the mountain ranges of Central Asia, the snow leopard, (Panthera uncia or Uncia uncia) is a moderately large cat.
  2. They may be slightly smaller than the other big cats, but exhibit a range of sizes from 27 and 55kg, with an occasional large male reaching 75 kg and a small female being under 25 kg.
  3. To minimize heat loss, their bodies are stocky, their fur is thick, and their ears are small and rounded. To distribute their weight better for walking on snow, their paws are wide.
  4. The snow leopard was first described by Schreber in 1775, in the Kopet-Dag Mountains in Turkmenistan and Iran.
  5. In summer, snow leopards usually live above the tree line on mountainous meadows and in rocky regions at altitudes from 2,700 to 6,000 m (8,900 to 20,000 ft).
  6. In winter, they come down into the forests to altitudes around 1,200 to 2,000 m (3,900 to 6,600 ft).
  7. Although they prefer to use existing trails made by other animals, they walk more on broken terrain and can travel without difficulty in snow upto 85 cm (33 in) deep.
  8. Using the momentum of their initial leap, they will actively pursue prey down steep mountainsides, for upto 300 m (980 ft).
  9. Their lethal killing style is a furious bite to the neck and then drag the prey to a safe location before feeding.
  10. Numerous agencies are working to conserve the snow leopard and its threatened mountain ecosystems.
  11. In India there are around 200-600 snow leopards left.

For more such interesting General Knowledge articles and videos, visit: https://mocomi.com/learn/general-knowledge/

Interesting Gun Facts

12 Interesting Fun Facts About Guns

  1. Gunpowder was invented by the Chinese in the 9th century.
  2. The first gun was made in 1000 AD in China.
  3. It was made up of bamboo and used gunpowder to fire a spear.
  4. The earliest surviving firearm has been found from Otepaa, Estonia and it dates back to at least 1396.
  5. In the late 14th century, smaller and portable hand-held cannons were developed, creating in effect the first smooth-bore personal firearm.
  6. During the early modern age, these hand-held cannons evolved into the flintlock rifle, then the breech loader and finally the automatic weapon.
  7. The shooter poured loose powder down the barrel. A lead ball projectile was then seated on top of the powder charge by means of a ramrod.
  8. This was later transformed into the basic features of the gun: a barrel made of metal, high-nitrate gunpowder, and a projectile which stops the muzzle so that the powder charge exerts its full potential in propellant effect.
  9. High pressure gas is generated by combustion, usually by lighting the gunpowder. This makes the bullet shoot from the barrel at a very high speed.
  10. A repeating firearm is a firearm which can be fired more than once between chargings  and holds more than one cartridge.
  11. A revolver has a rotating cylinder which holds a fixed number of cartridges; the cylinder “revolves” to align each chamber with the rear of the barrel.
  12. The Gatling gun is the first successful rapid firearm used during the American Civil war in the 1860s. It was operated by a hand crank with multiple rotating barrels.

Octopus Fun Facts

17 Crazy Facts about Octopuses

  1. There are three plural forms of the word ‘octopus’: octopi, octopuses, and octopodes.
  2. Octopuses are shy creatures. They do not like to be in the spotlight.
  3. All varieties of octopuses are venomous but only some have enough venom to kill a human being.
  4. A blue-ringed octopus can kill 26 human beings within a few minutes.
  5. Octopuses can change the colour and texture of their skin to blend into their surroundings.
  6. Octopuses have two rows of suckers on each arm. The sensory receptors at the bottom of their suckers help them to ‘taste’ whatever they touch.
  7. If an octopus loses an arm, it is not an issue—a new one grows back in its place!
  8. All octopuses have three hearts.
  9. Octopuses have a very flexible body because they have no bones.
  10. An adult octopus can squeeze through a hole the size of a dime.
  11. The colour of their blood is blue.
  12. Octopuses have very good eyesight but they cannot hear.
  13. An octopus can easily swim backwards.
  14. Octopuses eject a cloud of dark black ink to escape from predators.
  15. A female octopus is known as a hen. It may lay up to 1,50,000 eggs in two weeks.
  16. Large octopuses like the Giant Octopus have also been known to catch and kill small species of sharks.
  17. Octopuses are very intelligent animals and experiments have proven that they possess learning abilities. They can even be trained and kept as pets.

Tiger Facts

19 Interesting Facts about Tigers you should know!

  1. Tigers are the biggest of all cat species.
  2. They can reach a length of up to 11 feet and weigh as much as 300 kilograms.
  3. Tigers generally live up to 10–15 years in the wild and up to 20 years in captivity.
  4. Three of the nine subspecies of the modern tiger are now extinct. The remaining six are all classified as endangered species.
  5. The name ‘tiger’ is taken from the Greek word ‘tigris,’ which means a fast running animal.
  6. A group of tigers is known as a ‘streak’ or ‘ambush.’
  7. Tigers can run at a speed of 49-65 kilometres per hour.
  8. A tiger can leap up to a distance of 10 metres.
  9. Tigers are excellent swimmers and can swim up to 6 kilometres without taking a break.
  10. The canines of a tiger may be as long as four inches.
  11. Most tigers have more than 100 stripes.
  12. The patterns on tigers are unique to each animal and can be used to identify an individual tiger.
  13. White tigers have blue eyes while the others have yellow eyes.
  14. A tiger’s night vision is six times stronger than that of human beings.
  15. A male tiger’s territory can be five times larger than its female counterpart’s.
  16. You can hear a tiger roar over a mile away!
  17. A tiger can eat 100 pounds of meat a night!
  18. Tiger cubs are born blind and weak. Within eighteen months or so, they become powerful enough to make their own killing.
  19. When tigers are mated with lions, they give birth to hybrids known as tigons and ligers.

For more such interesting General Knowledge articles and videos, visit: General Knowledge for Kids.

Facts about Drones

12 Fun Facts about Drones

  1. A drone, also known as an unmanned aerial vehicle, (UAV) is an aircraft without a pilot on board.
  2. Its flight is usually controlled in two ways; either autonomously by computers in the vehicle (auto pilot) or under the remote control of a pilot on the ground.
  3. A. M. Low’s “Aerial Target” in 1916 was one of the earliest attempt at a powered unmanned aerial vehicle.
  4. There are two types of unmanned vehicles used by the US military at large in Afghanistan and other places, known as Predators and Global Hawks. Highly skilled aviator pilots fly them. Thanks to a combination of technology advances, a pilot no longer needs to be physically sitting in the airplane.
  5. A first-person view (FPV) aircraft has a front-facing video camera and transmits real-time video to an operator on the ground. The pilot flies the plane by looking at images on a computer screen transmitted by the camera, giving him or her the feel of sitting in the cockpit.
  6. The UAVs are unmanned aircraft guided exclusively by GPS or on-board computer analysis of imagery, but they aren’t first-person view UAVs.
  7. Aerial surveillance of large areas is now made possible with low cost UAVs for livestock monitoring, wildfire mapping, pipeline/home security, road patrol and anti-piracy.
  8. UAVs can be used to perform geophysical and geomagnetic surveys.
  9. MQ1 Predator UAVs armed with Hellfire missiles are now majorly used by US for hitting their ground targets.
  10. Armed Predators were first used in late 2001 from bases in Pakistan and Uzbekistan, to assassinate high profile targets inside Afghanistan.
  11. 4756 people have killed been by US UAVs as per the report of senator Lidsey Graham, in February 2013.
  12. Currently, engineers are working to produce UAVs that are capable of air to air combat, aerial refueling, combat search and rescue with facial recognition and resupply to agents on the ground.

For more such interesting General Knowledge articles and videos, visit: General Knowledge for Kids.

Hubble Space Telescope Facts

16 Interesting Facts About the Hubble Space Telescope

  1. The Hubble Space Telescope is 43.5 feet long and 14 feet wide.
  2. It weighs more than 11,000 kilograms and costs around 1.5 billion dollars.
  3. Hubble is nearly the size of a large school bus, but can easily fit into the cargo bay of a space shuttle.
  4. The telescope was named after the great American astronomer Edwin Hubble. He was the scientist who discovered that the universe was expanding beyond our Milky Way.
  5. The telescope was launched into space with the help of the space shuttle Discovery on 24th of April, 1990.
  6. The Hubble Telescope runs on solar power which is provided by two 25-foot solar panels.
  7. In its 20 years of service, Hubble has made more than 9,30,000 observations and clicked more than 5,70,000 images of 30,000 heavenly bodies.
  8. Till date, Hubble has made more than 1,10,000 trips around our planet.
  9. Astronomers using Hubble data have published more than 8,700 scientific papers.
  10. Hubble finishes one complete rotation around the Earth in just 97 minutes with a speed of 28,000 km/h.
  11. Hubble can observe the faraway galaxies, but it cannot observe the Sun and Mercury, which is too close to the Sun. The intense light from the Sun may damage it.
  12. Hubble’s images of the wonders of the cosmos are recorded in shades of black and white, not colour. The final colour images are artificially made by the scientists through coloured filters.
  13. The Hubble Space Telescope is designed in a fashion that it can even be repaired in space by astronauts. So far, it has been repaired four times.
  14. The Hubble Space Telescope can be used by anyone to study the universe, irrespective of one’s nationality.
  15. The Hubble Space Telescope is in the final phase of its life. Soon, its vital systems will shut down. It will then re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere and burn up sometime between 2019 and 2030.
  16. The Hubble Space Telescope will be replaced by the James Webb Space Telescope.

For more such interesting General Knowledge articles and videos, visit: General Knowledge for Kids.

Facts about the Golden Temple

10 Interesting Facts about the Golden Temple

  1. The Golden Temple is regarded as the most sacred place of worship for the Sikhs. It is located in Amritsar, Punjab.
  2. The construction of the Golden Temple started in 1588 under the aegis of the fourth Sikh Guru, Guru Ram Das Ji and was later completed by Guru Arjun Dev Ji.
  3. The foundation of the Golden Temple was laid down by a Muslim saint Mian Mir.
  4. It is mostly made out of marble but it is gold plated with real gold, which covers most of the outside portion.
  5. The Golden Temple is also known as the ‘Darbar Sahib’ or ‘Harmandar Sahib.’
  6. The water that surrounds the Golden Temple is known as the Amrit Sarovar (Pool of Nectar) and the water of the pool is said to have special properties.
  7. The largest langar of all Gurudwaras is organized everyday at the Golden Temple, where around 35,000 people a day are fed for free by temple volunteers.
  8. All the diners have to sit on the floor, irrespective of caste, status, wealth or creed, symbolizing the central Sikh doctrine of the equality of all people.
  9. The Golden Temple has four entrances in the North, East, South and West, indicating that people from all four corners of the earth are welcome here and are permitted to enter.
  10. The stairs entering the temple go down, rather than up like traditional holy places. They are deliberately designed in such a fashion to bring a sense of humbleness and eradicate arrogance in visitors.

For more such interesting General Knowledge articles and videos, visit: General Knowledge for Kids.

Mount Fuji Facts

9 Mount Fuji Fun Facts and Information

  1. Mount Fuji, with an elevation of more than 12,388 feet, is the highest and the most famous mountain in Japan.
  2. Mount Fuji is actually a tall, cone shaped, active volcano!
  3. Mount Fuji is made up of three separate volcanoes: Komitake at the bottom, Kofuji at the middle and Fuji at the top.
  4. The volcano last erupted around 300 years ago, in 1707.
  5. Some people believe that Mount Fuji is named after the Buddhist goddess of fire called Fuchi.
  6. You can climb Mount Fuji only in the months of July and August. However, climbing Mount Fuji is not an easy job! The temperatures at the summit are extremely low and may go down below –35 degree Celsius.
  7. An anonymous Buddhist monk was the first one to climb Mount Fuji.
  8. It was forbidden for women to climb Mount Fuji until 1912.
  9. Mount Fuji is surrounded by five beautiful lakes called Kawaguchiko, Yamanakako, Saiko, Motosuko and Shojiko.

Niagara Falls Facts

8 Interesting Facts about Niagara Falls

  1. The Niagara Falls hold the reputation of being the second largest waterfall in the world.
  2. They are located on the border of Ontario, Canada and New York, USA.
  3. The Niagara Falls are made up of 3 waterfalls: the American Falls, the Bridal Veil Falls and the Horseshoe Falls.
  4. The three waterfalls merge together to produce the highest flow rate of any waterfall on earth.
  5. The Niagara Falls were created by glacier activity thousands of years ago.
  6. At the current rate of erosion, scientists believe that the Niagara Falls will be gone in around 50000 years. Luckily, you still have time to see them!
  7. The water of Niagara Falls almost completely stopped and froze in the winters of 1848 for 30-40 hours, because of an immense ice blockage at the mouth of Lake Erie.
  8. Niagara Falls is one of those unique places where you can witness two types of rainbows: the common rainbows or the solar bows that are visible in the day time and also the lunar bows that are created in the night by the moonlight shining on the mist created by the Falls.

Kalinga War Facts

13 Interesting Facts About Kalinga War

  1. The Kalinga war is the most famous war fought between the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka the Great and the State of Kalinga.
  2. Kalinga was a feudal republic state now known as Odisha.
  3. This war was the last battle which Ashoka the Great ever fought.
  4. Bindusara, the father of Ashoka had made some attempts to conquer Kalinga, but had been defeated.
  5. The war began in 261 BC which was the 8th year of the reign of Ashoka.
  6. The king of Kalinga was Raja Anantha Padmanabhan during this time.
  7. After Bindusara’s death, Ashoka took complete charge to annex Kalinga.
  8. By taking ammunitions to protect their land, the brave and loyal people of Kalinga fought fiercely against the armies of The Mauryan Empire.
  9. However, it turned into an infamous bloodshed battle.
  10. Around 100,000 Kalinga civilians and more than 10,000 of Ashoka’s own warriors died during this battle.
  11. The bloodshed in the war was so much that it is said, the Daya river running next to the battle field turned red with the blood of the slain.
  12. Ashoka felt that he was the cause of this destruction which made him devote the rest of his life to Ahimsa (non-violence).
  13. After the Battle of Kalinga, Ashoka ended his military conquest of expansion of his empire, and he ruled his historic empire for more than 40 years with peace, harmony and prosperity. This is how he got the title, Ashoka The Great.

For more such interesting General Knowledge articles and videos, visit: General Knowledge for Kids.

Cellular Jail (Kala Pani)

10 Things you don’t know about the Cellular Jail (Kalapani)

  1. It is located at Port Blair in the Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. It was constructed by the British Government during 1896 to 1906.
  2. The Jail once served a colonial prison and was also known as Kaala Paani or ‘black water jail.’ The jail was called Kaala Paani because all around the jail was sea and hence no prisoner could hope to escape.
  3. Cellular Jail was especially used by the British to exile political prisoners to the remote archipelago, during the struggle for Indian Independence.
  4. Many notable freedom fighters of the great Indian freedom movement  such as Batukeshwar Dutt and the renowned Veer Savarkar, were imprisoned here during that time.
  5. It was taken over by Japanese troops in 1942 during WW II, and in a surprise turn, saw many British troops as inmates.
  6. The Cellular Jail tells the story of infamous cruelty meted out to Indian political prisoners by Britishers. The prisoners were made to labor under extreme vagaries of nature without food and water.
  7. The Cellular Jail used to be one of the biggest jails in Asia. Today this place is a famous national monument.
  8. The main attraction of this place is its museum, that exhibits the prison life and hardships faced by great Indian political prisoners.
  9. You can also see the sound and light show that narrates the historical events regarding this place.
  10. Cellular Jail is one of the darkest chapters in Indian history during the British colonial rule.

For more such interesting General Knowledge articles and videos, visit: General Knowledge for Kids.

Taj Mahal Facts

12 Interesting Facts about the Taj Mahal

  1. The Taj Mahal was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, in loving memory of his beautiful wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
  2. The construction of the Taj Mahal started in 1631 and it took 22 years to build this historical monument.
  3. The architecture of the Taj Mahal is a combination of Persian, Islamic and Indian Architecture Style.
  4. The construction cost of this masterpiece monument was around Rs. 320 million.
  5. Around 20000 people worked day and night for 22 years. Ustad AhmadLahauri was the architect of the Taj Mahal.
  6. Around 1000 elephants were employed for the transportation of construction material.
  7. 30 different varieties of semi precious and precious stones were used to make the Taj Mahal more beautiful.
  8. The Taj Mahal is perfectly symmetrical in every way, except for one thing–the two tombs inside are not equal in size. This is because the male tomb had to be larger than the female tomb.
  9. At different times of the day, the Taj Mahal appears to be in a different color every time. It appears pink in the morning, white in the day and changes its color to golden in the moon light.
  10. Many types of marbles were used in the construction of the Taj Mahal. They were brought over from many different states & countries including China, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Arabia.
  11. In recent times, different studies suggest that the Taj Mahal is sinking in the Yamuna river.
  12. Every year, the Taj Mahal attracts around 3-4 million tourists, with a huge number of international tourists.

Read here The Reign of Shah Jahan, visit: https://mocomi.com/shah-jahan/

North Pole Facts

11 Interesting Facts about the North Pole

Here are some of interesting North Pole facts for kids.

  1. There are two North Poles. The north terrestrial pole is the fixed point that forms the axis on which the Earth spins. The north magnetic pole, to which compass needles point from all over the Earth- changes daily.
  2. There is no land beneath the ice of the North Pole. The Arctic ice cap is a shifting pack of sea ice which is 2-3 meters thick, floating above the 4,000 meters deep Arctic Ocean.
  3. During the winter, the Arctic ice pack grows to the size of the United States. In the summer, half of the ice disappears.
  4. While Arctic ice is always dynamic— increasing during winter and shrinking during summer— during recent decades the ice cap has been shrinking in both area and thickness, due to global warming.
  5. The tiny Arctic tern undertakes the world’s longest migration—traveling nearly from pole to pole. The bird breeds in the Arctic Circle, but migrates during the Northern Hemisphere winter to the edges of the Antarctic ice pack. The annual journey is around 35,000 kilometers, nearly equal to flying all the way around the world.
  6. Robert E. Peary was the first person to reach the North Pole, on April 6, 1909. He travelled to the North Pole on dog sled.
  7. On May 9, 1926, Richard Byrd and Floyd Bennett became the first people to reach the pole by airplane.
  8. The U.S. atomic submarine Nautilus became the first vessel to cruise under the North Pole, in 1958.
  9. The legend of the unicorn is alive in the Arctic. The Narwhal is a smaller whale that lives most of its life north of the Arctic Circle. One of the Narwhal’s two teeth grows into a distinctive tusk, which can reach 10 feet in length— earning the animal the name, the “unicorn of the sea.”
  10. July is the North Pole’s warmest month, when the mean temperature rises to a freezing 0 degrees Celsius. In February, the average temperature is -35 degrees Celsius.
  11. There is a North Pole marathon every year since 2002, with an average wind chill temperature of 22 degrees below zero.

India Gate Facts

13 Historical Facts about India Gate

  1. India Gate is one of the largest war memorials in India.
  2. The monument was designed by Edwin Lutyens, the chief architect of New Delhi.
  3. The foundation stone of India Gate was laid by the Duke of Connaught, on 10th February 1921.
  4. It took approximately 10 years to complete the construction work on the monument, which came to an end in 1931.
  5. The walls of India Gate have been inscribed with the names of the Indian soldiers who died in World War I and the Afghan Wars.
  6. The monument rises to a height of 42 meters and has many important roads spreading out from it.
  7. The arch of India Gate houses a shrine, inside which is the ever-burning Amar Jawan Jyoti.
  8. Amar Jawan Jyoti was unveiled on January 26, 1972, by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
  9. The flame of the Jyoti burns day and night, to remind the nation of soldiers who died in the Indo-Pakistan War of December 1971.
  10. The shrine has a black marble cenotaph with a rifle placed on its barrel, crested by a soldier’s helmet.
  11. It is customary for the President and the Prime Minister, as well as visiting Guests of State, to pay homage at Amar Jawan Jyoti, on ceremonial state occasions.
  12. India Gate stands surrounded by lush, green gardens and is flanked by the clean waters of a lake.
  13. India Gate serves as the venue of the Republic Day parade, which takes place on 26th January every year.

For more such interesting General Knowledge articles and videos, visit: General Knowledge for Kids.

Facts about Mars

14 Interesting Facts about Planet Mars

  1. Mars is also called the “Red Planet.” It is the second smallest planet and fourth planet to the sun in our solar system. It has an average distance of 227,936,640 km from the sun.
  2. Mars has an orbital period of 687 earth days.
  3. It got its name after the Roman god of war. It is called the “Red Planet” because it looks orange–red in colour due to the iron oxide present on its surface.
  4. Of all the planets in the solar system, Mars is the one that people believe is most likely to contain or to have contained life.
  5. Mars has a thin atmosphere. The rotational period and seasonal cycle of Mars is similar to that of the Earth. Like the earth, its tilt causes seasons.
  6. The largest volcano in the solar system is on Mars. It is called Olympus Mons. It is the tallest mountain in the solar system too-it rises 27 kilometers above the surrounding plains.
  7. Mars has the longest, deepest canyon in the solar system- the Valles Marineris canyon. It stretches 4,000 km along the equator of Mars, and can be as deep as 7 km in places.
  8. Mars has polar caps like Earth, although Mars’ polar caps contain mostly frozen carbon dioxide instead of frozen water.
  9. The sun appears about half the size on Mars as it does from Earth.
  10. The first space probe to take pictures of Mars’ surface  was Mariner 4 in 1964.
  11. Mars is the most studied planet of the solar system. There are three spacecraft down on the surface of Mars, NASA’s Spirit and Opportunity rovers, as well as the Phoenix Mars lander. And there are three orbiters watching from orbit: NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Mars Odyssey and ESA’s Mars Express.
  12. Rocks from Mars have landed on Earth, from meteorite impacts blasting debris through space. These also help scientists in studying Mars.
  13. In the future, there could be airplanes and balloons, subsurface explorers, and maybe even sample return missions, to bring a little piece of Mars back to Earth. One day, humans will finally step foot on the Red Planet. Maybe even within our lifetime.
  14. On September 28, 2015, NASA announced that they had found conclusive evidence of hydrated brine flows on recurring slope lineae, based on spectrometer readings of the darkened areas of slopes.

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How To Draw An Airplane

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw an Airplane in a simple and interactive way. You just need a red pen and a paper to start drawing a Airplane in the next 2 minutes!

18 Steps to draw an Airplane

  1. First make a curve.
  2. Extend it with a dotted line for the body.
  3. Add detail to the body to make it look real.
  4. Add wheels. There will only be a couple, the other two will be hidden.
  5. Erase lines as shown.
  6. Add lights, front and back.
  7. Draw a windshield and windows.
  8. Make the glass at the back of the car.
  9. Shade the wheels.
  10. Make a white circle in the middle of the wheels to make it look real.
  11. Draw lines to show doors and handles.
  12. Get inside the windows and draw seats.
  13. Draw a steering wheel.
  14. Shade the seats.
  15. Draw yourself driving the car with a big smile.
  16. Draw a line in the background.
  17. Draw buildings and a cloud.
  18. Add detail to the road so that it looks real. Now you’re all set to go for a spin.

For more such cool How To Draw videos go to our Drawing for kids page.

How To Draw A Snail

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw a snail in a simple and interactive way. You just need a red pen and a paper to start drawing a snail in the next 2 minutes!

8 Steps to draw a Snail

  1. First, draw a long rectangular shape.
  2. Next, draw a curve attached to the first shape, for the snail’s body.
  3. Now, draw a pointy lying down triangle after the body.
  4. Draw the snail’s tentacles, eyes and mouth.
  5. Draw a spiral in the snail’s body. Add detail for a realistic effect.
  6. Erase lines as shown.
  7. Shade the body.
  8. Watch your snail move slowly away in the video. Hit pause and draw and keep doing so until your drawing is complete. If you don’t understand a step, go back, erase a line and do it again. Happy drawing!

For more such cool How To Draw videos go to our Drawing for kids page.

How To Draw A Boat

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw a boat in a simple and interactive way. You just need a red pen and a paper to start drawing a boat in the next 2 minutes!

15 Steps to draw a Boat

  1. Draw a boat shape and make a line at an incline to complete it.
  2. Draw a rectangle in its middle.
  3. Draw a small, slightly longer rectangle above it.
  4. Draw a small rectangle above this.
  5. Similarly, make a small, slightly longer rectangle over it.
  6. Draw a slightly curved line from the rectangle to the front end of the boat.
  7. Erase lines as shown.
  8. Draw a partially hidden rectangle on the boat’s front end.
  9. Draw a circle within a circle for a porthole in the boat’s middle. Shade the smaller circle.
  10. Draw details on the boat for realism.
  11. Shade the top of the boat too.
  12. Add lines in the hull.
  13. Make waves in the background.
  14. Draw a cloud.
  15. Watch your ship sail away!

For more such cool How To Draw videos go to our Drawing for kids page.

How to Draw An Elephant

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw an elephant in a simple and interactive way. You just need a red pen and a paper to start drawing an elephant in the next 2 minutes!

15 Steps to draw an Elephant

  1. Draw a boat shape and make a line at an incline to complete it.
  2. Draw a rectangle in its middle.
  3. Draw a small, slightly longer rectangle above it.
  4. Draw a small rectangle above this.
  5. Similarly, make a small, slightly longer rectangle over it.
  6. Draw a slightly curved line from the rectangle to the front end of the boat.
  7. Erase lines as shown.
  8. Draw a partially hidden rectangle on the boat’s front end.
  9. Draw a circle within a circle for a porthole in the boat’s middle. Shade the smaller circle.
  10. Draw details on the boat for realism.
  11. Shade the top of the boat too.
  12. Add lines in the hull.
  13. Make waves in the background.
  14. Draw a cloud.
  15. Watch your ship sail away!

For more such cool How To Draw videos go to our Drawing page.

How to Draw A Sheep

In this simple step by step guide learn how to draw a sheep in a simple and interactive way. You just need a red pen and a paper to start drawing a sheep in the next 2 minutes!

13 Steps to draw a Sheep

  1. How do you get started?
  2. First of all, draw an oval.
  3. Next, make the sheep’s eyes and mouth.
  4. Draw wool on top and make its ears.
  5. Make a wooly body.
  6. Add detail to its body for realism.
  7. Make long thin rectangles, front and back, for its legs.
  8. Add trapezoid shapes with a little curve to them for its hooves and shade them.
  9. Draw a line in the background.
  10. Make some blades of grass.
  11. Your sheep’s all set to go Baa! Baa!
  12. Colour it for added fun.
  13. You can display it in your room for everyone to see, once you’re done.

For more such cool How To Draw videos go to our Drawing page.

Panchatantra: The Foolish Lion and The Clever Rabbit

Once upon a time there lived a ferocious lion in the forest. It was a greedy lion and started killing animals in the forest indiscriminately. Seeing this, the animals gathered and decided to approach the lion with the offer of one animal of each species volunteering to be eaten by the lion everyday. So every day it was the turn of one of the animals and in the end came the rabbits’ turn. The rabbits chose an old rabbit amongst them. The rabbit was wise and old. It took its own sweet time to go to the lion.

The lion was getting impatient on not seeing any animal come by and swore to kill all the animals the next day.

The rabbit then strode along to the lion by sunset. The Lion was angry with him. The wise rabbit was calm and slowly told the lion that it was not his fault. He told the lion that a group of rabbits were coming to him for the day, when on the way, an angry lion attacked them all and ate all the rabbits but him. Somehow he escaped to reach safely. He said that the other lion was challenging the supremacy of his lordship the lion.

The lion was naturally very enraged and asked to be taken to the location of the other lion.

The wise rabbit agreed and led the lion towards a deep well filled with water. Then he showed the lion his reflection in the water of the well.
The lion was furious and started growling and naturally its image in the water, the other lion, was also equally angry. Then the lion jumped into the water at the other lion to attack it, and so lost its life in the well. Thus the wise rabbit saved the forest and its inhabitants from the proud lion.

For more interesting Panchatantra stories for kids, go to : https://mocomi.com/fun/stories/panchatantra/
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Panchatantra: The Geese and The Tortoise

There once lived three great friends- a pair of geese and a tortoise. Once summer, the scorching sun rays dried up their lake, and they decided to leave and look for a new lake.

But the tortoise could not fly, so, the geese thought of an idea, where the tortoise would have to bite on to a stick, which would be carried by the two geese. The only condition was that the tortoise should not open its mouth, or it would meet a terrible fate.

Soon, the geese rose into the sky, with the tortoise holding firmly onto the stick. “Remember! No talking!” said the geese to the tortoise. On witnessing this, animals on the ground started laughing at the unusual sight.

“A flying tortoise!” they shouted. Unable to control his anxiety, the tortoise spoke out. “What’re you all laughing about? Oh no! I’m falling!” screamed the helpless tortoise.

And so, the poor tortoise came crashing to the ground, only to be saved from death by her thick shell. “If only I would’ve kept my mouth shut, I would be in a new lake with my friends,” thought the tortoise, as she slowly began her journey to go find her friends.

For more interesting Panchatantra stories for kids, go to: Panchatantra stories

For other interesting stories for kids, browse though our huge collection of short stories here: Stories for Kids

Panchatantra: The Story of the Blue Jackal

Long ago, there lived a cunning blue jackal. One day, driven by hunger, he strayed into a village in search of food. On seeing him, a group of dogs ran after him.

Terrified, he dashed into the house of a dyer and accidentally fell into a tub of blue dye. The jackal was stained blue from head to toe.

Later, when he got back to the jungle, all the animals stared at him in shock. They had never seen such a strange and beautiful animal before. Seeing everyone confused, the jackal thought of an idea.

He proclaimed that he was sent to rule over the animal kingdom and guard its animals. The animals fell for it and proclaimed him king.

The jackal, as king, then appointed the lion as his advisor, the tiger as his guardian, and the elephant as his doorkeeper. But, his work was not done.

For fear of being recognized, he drove all the jackals out of the forest. The new king then ordered his subjects to hunt for him and do his bidding. The animals used to bring all kinds of fruit and meat for him and the blue king lived a life of luxury.

One day, as the blue king was enjoying himself, a pack of jackals passed by and began howling. Unable to control his natural instinct, the blue king rose up and howled to glory.

Hearing his cry, the jungle animals realized that they had been fooled. At once, they chased the traitor out of the forest and the cunning jackal never returned again.

For more interesting Panchatantra stories for kids, go to: Panchatantra stories

For other interesting stories for kids, browse though our huge collection of short stories here: Stories for Kids

The History of the Greek Language

Greek Language History and Origin

Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. It holds the distinction for being the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history.

Greek holds an important place in the history of Europe and Christianity. It was also the language in which many of the foundational texts of Western philosophy, such as the Platonic dialogues and the works of Aristotle, were composed. The New Testament of the Christian Bible was also written in Greek.

Greek was widely spoken once upon a time in the Mediterranean world. In its modern form, Greek is the official language of Greece and Cyprus and is included in the 23 official languages of the European Union. The language today is spoken by at least 13 million people in Greece, Cyprus and other diaspora communities around the world.

Greek roots are often used to come up with new words for other languages, especially in the field of science and medicine. Greek and Latin both, are the predominant source of the international scientific vocabulary. Over fifty thousand words are derived from this language.

The Greek alphabet is derived from the Phoenician alphabet with a few minor modifications. It is still used today.

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