Many thanks to one of our parents who let us know about this very interesting website: www.naturesweb.ie Nature's Web Newsletter – Summer 2012 The Summer 2012 Issue of the Nature's Web Newsletter, an exciting newsletter for children, has been posted on the web. In this issue you'll find... The Joy of Fishing! Editor's Page: For the Love of Birds Bird Life: The Swift Aquatic Life: Sticking Around - The Wonderful World of Barnacles Animal Life: Pygmy Shrew Plant Life: Choking … [Read more...]
King William’s gauntlets, circa 1690
May 16, 2012 By
A history of Ireland in 100 objects : On the morning of July 14th, 1690, King William III presented these fine doeskin gloves to John Dillon, in whose home in Lismullin, Co Meath, he had stayed the previous night. The king had reason to be in a buoyant mood: he had won a major victory over his rival King James II at the nearby River Boyne two days previously. Gloves were often given as presents, but there is reason to think that William may actually have worn these at the battle, in … [Read more...]
The mystery of the Antarctic octopus
May 16, 2012 By
CLAIRE O'CONNELL SMALL PRINT: WHAT’S in an octopus? Not just brains to burn, but also significant new clues that could justify concerns about climate change. Recent research in the Southern Ocean, involving scientific input from NUI Galway’s Ryan Institute (NUIG), has found that populations of the Turquet’s octopus (pictured) living on either side of the Western Antarctic ice sheet share almost identical genes. On balance, this shouldn’t make any sense, given that the adult … [Read more...]
Torch for London Games lit in Greece
May 10, 2012 By
Greek actress Ino Menegaki, playing the role of high priestess, lights the torch held by Spyridon Gianniotis, Greece's world champion of swimming, during a torch lighting ceremony for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Photograph: Reuters The countdown to the London 2012 Games began in earnest today as the world watched the Olympic Flame being lit in ancient Olympia. The traditional ceremony took place under baking sun and tight security in front of the ruins of the Temple of Hera in Greece, … [Read more...]
Discover your genetic ancestors
May 4, 2012 By
A detail from Desmond Kinney's 1974 Táin Wall off Nassau Street in Dublin depicting Cúchulainn and Ferdia in single combat. New DNA technology means Irish people can trace their ancestry and while they obviously cannot trace a lineage to legendary heroes, the process can identify links to ancient royal Irish families. WHOSE BLOOD courses through your veins? Could you be a descendant of a Viking warrior or a Berber pirate? Or perhaps you are related to the Uí Neill chieftains or … [Read more...]
3 weeks old!!
May 3, 2012 By
Tunnock, a three-week-old meerkat, sits in a tea cup after being weighed at Blair Drummond Safari Park in England … [Read more...]
Tao Tao
May 3, 2012 By
A researcher watches as giant panda Tao Tao climbs into a crate at the Hetaoping Research and Conservation Centre in China’s Sichuan province. Staff wear panda costumes to minimise disruption to the animals. … [Read more...]
How long is a bee’s tongue, and why do ants protect plants?
May 1, 2012 By
It's all in the tongue: not all bees can reach nectar from the front. Illustration: Michael Viney ANOTHER LIFE THE TALLEST PLANTS in the tunnel just now are the thicket of broad beans (var Aquadulce) sown last autumn. Fired up by pelleted chicken manure and an early blast of sun, their whorls of bold black, white and pink flowers are swaying shoulder high, while the first pods are swelling from their shrivelled predecessors lower down the stems. I’ve never had such a promising crop – … [Read more...]
The Youngest Everest Irishman?
May 1, 2012 By
GERRY MORIARTY, Northern Editor Next summer, an A-level student from Belfast is hoping to become the youngest Irish person to reach the top of Mount Everest, but it’s not the record he is chasing, it’s the accomplishment MATTHEW TAYLOR, a Belfast A-level student, is aiming to become the youngest Irish person to achieve the summit of Mount Everest – a dream he has entertained since his early teenage years. Sometime in the early summer of next year he hopes to be on top of the world; … [Read more...]
We Are Because we Share!
April 27, 2012 By
There are more than 14,000 species of ants and they count for up to 15% of the weight of all terrestrial animal biomass. The ecological success of ants is only possible because they are able to adapt to and exploit their environment. Researchers at the Université Libre de Bruxelles are unlocking the secret lives of ants to understand how these complex societies work. As kids, we all have observed ants walking in line towards some sugary treat, like a drop of soda left quite intentionally on … [Read more...]
