ASK!

Depends on who you ask?

Seriously, scientists have done studies to find factors that make something or someone (like babies) cute.

Generally, if someone exhibits extreme youth, vulnerability, harmlessness and need, well, they are considered ‘cute’ – human beings, in the Darwinian sense, are wired to attend to these needs to ensure the survival of our species (think of how helpless our babies are).

I’m cute! Now, take care of me!

Visual cues are equally important. Scientists have found that bright forward facing eyes set low on a big round face, a pair of big round ears, floppy limbs and a side-to-side, teeter-totter gait, among many others give the impression of cuteness to others.

When we look at the anatomy of a baby, babies have unusually large heads as humans have unnaturally large brains. This head continues to grow throughout the first months of their lives. To accommodate the development of the head, the skull and bone structure of the head remain flexible. If you observe the eyes and ears, they are located far down the face and skull as they only move upwards once the development of the cheeks and jaws begin.

Another salient feature are their eyes. They are forward-facing. Now, if you look at many Disney characters, characters such as ducks and mice have forward-facing eyes when in actual fact, their eyes are on the sides of their heads.

Baby movements are also clumsy and jerky (read ‘cute’) as they are still learning to coordinate their body.

Contributed by Zulkifli Amin

Source:

Angier, N. (2006, Jan 03). The cute factor. New York Times. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/433272047?accountid=12691

A big Marimo in a glass vessel (left) decorated with small shells. [Image source: Etsy.com]

Mostly found in Lake Akan (Japan) and Lake Mývatn (Iceland), the number of Marimos has been decreasing rapidly. As such, they are declared protected species in Japan and Iceland. Japan has also declared Marimo its national treasure in 1921, and thereafter “special national treasure” in 1952.

Find out more about this ultra-cute ball of moss!  Read more »

Throughout history, man’s inventions have brought many benefits to us all. From the simple pencil to the modern mobile phone, inventions make our daily lives easier.

Many of us form images of learned scientists, wearing laboratory coats and going about their experiments whenever we think of inventions. The truth is, many inventions are created by people from all walks of life. In fact, the following innovations we enjoy today came from the great minds of children.

Popsicle^TM

Popsicle

There is nothing like a Popsicle^TM to cool us down on a hot and humid day. The Popsicle^TM was invented by an 11 year old boy named Frank Epperson. He accidentally left his cup of soft drink mixture with a stirring stick in it at the front porch of his house on a cold winter night. The next morning, the mixture was frozen. Frank Epperson did not think much of it until 18 years later, in 1923, when he decided to apply for a patent for his discovery.

Thanks to him, millions of Popsicle^TM are sold worldwide today and we can all enjoy these cool treats without messing up our fingers with melted ice.

Read more »

Did you know that they are different?

Both are titles used to address women.

Both are pronounced ‘miz’.

Ladies, which one are you?

Well, it all boils down to your marital status.

Ladies who are not married would use ‘Miss’, while the title of ‘Ms’ is regardless of your marital status. The use of ‘Ms’ was first introduced in the 1970s by the women’s movement as something akin to ‘Mr.’, whereby the marital status of a man does not matter.
Read more »

For those of you who’ve been living under a rock, or too young to remember, here’s a quick recap of the British spy known as Bond, James Bond, courtesy of the Encyclopædia Britannica:

“(F)irst conceived as a Cold War-era operative. Trained in intelligence and special forces, the superspy always used the latest gadgets, thwarted Soviet agents, brought international gangsters to justice, and inevitably bedded a beautiful woman. An enthusiastic gambler, he was nearly as loyal to his signature vodka martini as he was to the British crown and his Scottish roots. Although Bond radiated charisma and style, he was also intensely solitary and virtually friendless, despite his many trysts.”

The many faces of Bond

As we celebrate the 50^th anniversary of James Bond films, how much do you actually know about the roots of this pop culture icon?

Read more »

Ever thought about writing a novel but not really sure where to begin? Check out the following tips to get your creative juices flowing!

1. National Novel Writing Month (NanoWriMo)

If you’ve even thought for a moment about being an author, but had absolutely no impetus to start writing, why not join NanoWriMo? It will give you a push in the right direction, and perhaps even more.

Read more »

In the past week, the Nobel Foundation has just announced the winners of 2012 Nobel Prize in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature and Peace. If you are like most people, you probably know that the Nobel Prize is a prestigious international award. But, beyond that, do you know who started the Nobel Prize? What exactly is it that the winners have won?  And… wait a minute, is it called the Nobel Prize or is it the Noble Prize? Hmm… Read more »

Basically, a terrarium is “a collection of compatible plants grown in an enclosed, or partially enclosed, clear container…Your choice of containers is only as broad as your imagination. There are many ready made terrariums available, or you can use bottles, jars, aquariums, fishbowls, or even brandy snifters…”

For more information, you may refer to the following:-

1. Web Resource

Source: http://www.thegardenhelper.com/terrarium.html

Title: Terrariums – The Garden Helper

Link:http://www.thegardenhelper.com/terrarium.html

Description: Nov 27, 1999 … Step by step guide to creating and planting an indoor terrarium garden.

Last accessed date: 23 September 2011

2. Web Resource

Source: http://www.terrariums.com/

Title: Terrariums – Welcome to Terrariums.com!

Link: http://www.terrariums.com/

Description: Welcome to the place to be to get acquainted with terrariums. You’ll find loads of terrarium talk here, from how-to to history and everything in between. …

Last accessed date: 23 September 2011

3. Web Resource

Source: http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/activities/crafts/miniature-garden/

Title: Grow Your Own Miniature Garden — National Geographic Kids

Link: http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/activities/crafts/miniature-garden/

Description: Grow your own terrarium in six easy steps with this fun activity from National Geographic Kids.

Last accessed date: 23 September 2011

4. Web Resource

Source: http://www.essortment.com/build-set-up-terrarium-22773.html

Title: How To Build & Set Up A Terrarium – Essortment Articles

Link: http://www.essortment.com/build-set-up-terrarium-22773.html

Description: Instructions on building, designing, and maintain a terrarium including choosing a container, the types of soils, suitable varieties of plants and animals.

Last accessed date: 23 September 2011

5. Book

Title: The complete encyclopedia of terrarium Eugene Bruins.

Author: Bruins, Eugène

Publisher: Lisse, Netherlands : Rebo Publisher, c1999.

Call No.: English 639.3703 BRU

Description: “This 2nd edition reprinted in 2006.” “This 2nd edition reprinted in 2006.”

Visit our online catalogue at http://catalogue.nlb.gov.sg to check on the availability of the books.

Original replied by Norah Ismail
Posted by Norah Ismail, Librarian, YIPL

At the very basic level there is no real difference between solid soaps, liquid soaps, and shower gels with respect to the cleaning power. All types of true soap are composed of the same essential components — alkali salts of fatty acids and detergent properties. The detergent in soap, which is called a surfactant, allows oil and dirt to mix with and be washed away by water.

Liquid soaps usually contain moisturizers which is good for the skin compared to bar soaps. Which type of soaps to use depends on individual preference, skin condition and suitability.

Please refer to the following sites and books for more information about soaps.

WEBSITES

1.  Bar Soap versus Liquid Soap

http://www.drversus.com/science/bar-soap-versus-liquid-soap.html

2.  Dr Bronner’s Magic All-One FAQs on Soaps

http://www.drbronner.com/faqs_main.html

BOOKS

All Rights Reserved: Interweave Press, c1997.

1.  Soothing soaps for healthy skin

Author: Sandy Maine

Publisher: Loveland, Colo. : Interweave Press, c1997.

Call No.: 668.124 MAI

All Rights Reserved: Greenwood Press, 2005.

2. Chemical composition of everyday products

Author: John Toedt

Publisher: Westport, Conn. ; London : Greenwood Press, 2005.

Call No.: R 543 TOE

All Rights Reserved: Atlantic Pub. Group, c2011.

3.   The complete guide to creating oils, soaps, creams, and herbal gels for your mind and body : 101 natural body care recipes

Author: Marlene Jones

Publisher: Ocala, Fla. : Atlantic Pub. Group, c2011.

Call No.: 668.55 JON

To check the availability of the titles, please visit our online catalogue.

Posted by Mr Kweh Soon Huat, Adult and Young People’s Librarian.

According to Philip Ardagh’s book of absolutely useless lists for absolutely every day of the year:
1. The Titanic                 

On her first voyage on 14 April 1912, the White Star liner hit an iceberg which ripped a 75 m hole in her hull. 1503 people died as there weren’t enough lifeboats. The wreck of it was only discovered on 1 September 1985, 2.5 miles below the surface, 323 nautical miles off Newfoundland.

2. The Lusitania

The finest ship in the Cunard fleet, it sunk when sailing from New York to Liverpool on 7 May 1915 when a torpedo hit it. The torpedo was fired from a U-boat, a German submarine off Ireland. The ship sank in just 18 minutes, leaving 1201 dead. The site of the wreck was discovered in 1935 and one of it’s huge quadruple screws can be seen on the quayside at the Merseyside Maritime Museum today.

3. The Bismarck

The German navy and Britain’s wartime prime minister Winston Churchill, had admired the Bismarck greatly. However on the warship’s first voyage on May 1941, she sank. It was chased across the Atlantic in battle and the torpedo fires caused it to sink, leaving 2085 people dead and 115 survivors. The wreckage was found 380 miles south of Cork in Ireland. The site wreck has been officially transformed to a German war grave today.

4. The Belgrano

This Argentinian warship suffered two torpedos on 2 May 1982, fired from a British nuclear submarine during the Falklands War. 323 men were killed while the rescue operation saved 770 crew members. Despite a joint expedition done in 2003 by the Argentinian navy and the National Geographic Society to locate the wreck of Belgrano, the wreck is yet to be found.

5. The Mary Rose

Built between 1509 and 1511, Henry VIII described the Mary Rose’s unique design as ‘the fairest flower of all the ships that ever sailed’. On 19 July 1545, the Mary Rose set sail at Southsea in the king’s presence. The overladen ship capsized, its lower gun ports which are the open portholes that canons fire through, had taken in too much water. 660 men are thought to have drowned, with less than 40 survivors. The wreck was investigatd closely in 1960 and raised in 1882. The raising was broadcasted on televsion, with an estimated 60 million people watching live. Today the wreck is displayed behind glass screens at Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard, where it is constantly kept moist using a  special preservative spray.

Reference:
1. Ardagh, P. (2008). Philip ardagh’s book of absolutely useless lists for absolutely every day of the year. . London : Macmillan Children’s:

If you want to read more on the topic, here are books that you can check out at our library.

 All Rights Reserved,Random House, 2002.

Titanic : a nonfiction companion to Tonight on the Titanic  by Will Osborne and Mary Pope Osborne       
Publisher: New York : Random House, 2002..
Call No.: J 910 OSB  
Click here to check for item availability

All Rights Reserved,Minn. : Capstone Press, c2010.

Exploring Titanic : an Isabel Soto history adventure by Agnieszka Biskup 
Publisher: Mankato, Minn. : Capstone Press, c2010.
Call No.: J 910.91 BIS
Click here to check for item availability

All Rights Reserved,Scholastic, c2010.

The sinking of the Titanic, 1912 by Lauren Tarshis 
Publisher: New York : Scholastic, c2010.
Call No.: JS TAR
Click here to check for item availability

All websites are last accessed on June 2011. Please refer to the terms and conditions on the homepages for use.
For the availability of the above book titles, please check the library catalogue.

Originally Answered by Ms Judy Kong Siew Choo
Children’s Librarian
Children’s Services