This week’s big news D I D YO U W ? A holiday for refugees Soldiers defend Odesa K N O in the south of Ukraine. indUenpioeUfnnrk od(rcmeaAoni nuuRcegneu ut dsfrssrieteoic as1ml) a9c o r9otenhn1d e.t2 r 4Sool lveide t Guests at the water park. Lots of individuals and organisations across the UK have been helping people who have left Ukraine because of the war. A charity called Love Bristol organised a week-long summer camp for a group of eight to 16-year-old refugees from countries affected by war. The camp was at Croft Farm Water Park in Gloucestershire, England, and activities included raft-building and kayaking. One of the guests, 15-year-old Vladelna, told the BBC, “I really love it. I’ve met a lot of people and I’m just so happy that I have this moment in my life. I think I’ll have many, many memories.” Six months of war in Ukraine On 24 August it was 31 years since Ukraine similar views) of 30 countries including France, What are people doing to help? became an independent country. It was also Germany, the UK and the US. Putin does not want to Lots of people are raising money to help people exactly six months since Russia invaded Ukraine. have a new NATO member so close to Russia. affected by the war in Ukraine. One of them is Sofiia Volovyk, a woman who fled Ukraine at the beginning What’s been happening in Ukraine? Who is helping the refugees? of the war and settled in Swindon, England. She On 24 February 2022, Russian forces invaded Ukraine. Several countries across Europe have special hopes to raise £100,000 with her fundraising Russia now controls many areas in the east of arrangements to help refugees travel challenge. She is going to walk 600 Ukraine, the part closest to Russia. Ukrainian forces through. For example, Ukrainians miles from Swindon to Ben Nevis have fought back hard to defend their country. More can use all public transport in in Scotland, which is the highest than 6.6 million refugees from Ukraine have gone to Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, mountain in the UK. Volovyk other European countries and thousands of people for free. Some countries are aims to split the money she have been killed. Every day since the invasion began, providing free healthcare to raises between charities Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has recorded refugees, including support for helping Ukrainian refugees video messages to give people the latest news about pregnant women. The United across the UK, and charities the conflict. In a speech on 24 August, Zelensky Nations Refugee Agency, an that are helping people still vowed to fight for Ukraine “until the end”. organisation that works to save in Ukraine. She began her lives and build a better future for walk on 24 August, Ukrainian Why did Russia invade Ukraine? refugees, has provided essential items Independence Day. Many readers President Russian president Vladimir Putin claims that Ukraine such as blankets and sleeping mats for of The Week Junior have undertaken Zelensky is part of Russia and shouldn’t be independent. In those who have left Ukraine and have not yet fundraising activities such as bake sales and 2014, Russia took control of Crimea, an area in the found a home. They are also helping people who are sponsored walks or bike rides. Charities helping south of Ukraine, and has kept it ever since. Putin still in the country but have been forced to leave their children affected by the war include Unicef, Save the is also opposed to Ukraine joining NATO, a military homes. The UK has welcomed more than 100,000 Children and Voices for Children. You can find out alliance (a relationship between countries with Ukrainian people in the last six months. more about their work on their websites. 2 The Week Junior • 27 August 2022 This week’s big news Storms flood homes Masai Graham in New Zealand with his award. The South Island of New Zealand had three times the average rainfall for this month in just four days. Roads were blocked, houses filled with water and hundreds of people were asked to leave their homes immediately. The government has said that there could be more heavy rain to come and it has set up a fund of more than £100,000 to help the people who have been affected. Officials told The Guardian O U T S I D E R S ngihbneoee nwtem Eonpselr epsdtseoha alwpeapmlrsehentare , hwgp r“oeeaWem driente kose t.ar o hs Erdafeel eeIf newwscdlttyoorri.oiarr”ckl y disiten,wy dig ane anatpnedstnd aqws wwueai aecmteayko rlthy hns ueausnrsop d eopwrxnleeip edr ecassar i htonnsafs tv oe TthuoFene o tiFsnhntrveii vnti thoageffieled a f csngritiadrnaol gr puEteeedp dr(isfne owwbdrughemrenege)nt.hd have warned of more heavy rain to come. The Indian Pasta joke wins at the Fringe government has set up camps for people whose homes have been lost. The heatwave in Europe ended with storms and floods in parts of Belgium, France, Italy and the UK. Comedian Masai Graham has won the award for The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is a Storms often happen after hot weather but these the best joke at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe festival of arts and culture that is held were unusually bad. Heavy rain disrupted transport in this year. He claimed 52% of the vote from an in the Scottish capital every year, and London and Paris, where some underground stations audience of 2,000 for his joke: “I tried to it is particularly famous for its comedy had to close and flights were delayed. steal spaghetti from the shop, but shows. This was its 75th year. the female guard saw me and I The festival has launched Floods affect couldn’t get pasta.” many careers, including Rowan New Zealand. Graham, who also won Atkinson, who is now famous the Joke of the Fringe award as Mr Bean. In 2017 it included in 2016, is from the West a play adapted from David Midlands in England. He is a Walliams’s book The First Hippo care worker who looks after on the Moon. The Week Junior’s severely autistic young adults, and art expert, Olaf Falafel, has won took time off to go to the festival. the Joke of the Fringe award in the Graham said the Edinburgh Festival Performers past, and two of his jokes got into this in Edinburgh. Fringe was his “spiritual home” and that he year’s top 10, including: “I spent the whole is “delighted” to win the award for the second time. morning building a time machine, so that’s four hours “This is getting pasta joke,” he said. of my life that I’m definitely getting back.” IT’S AN AMAZING WEEK FOR… TRAVELLING BY WHEELIE BIN A couple who pushed each other across WATCHING POKÉMON Wales in a wheelie bin have raised more than NS From 18 to 21 August, Pokémon fans £30,000 for a mental health charity. Craig W Y · S gathered for the Pokémon World Holmes and Aimee Bannister travelled 200 N A MP Championships in London. It was the first miles over 17 days. They went from Anglesey O C ON Pokémon World Championships to take place to the capital city, Cardiff. They faced very M É OK in the UK, and there were prizes on offer hot weather and hilly ground but said, “With P E MY · NINTENDO. UTTERSTOCK · TH worth thousands of pounds. bOabnye toufr tthlees . each other’s support we made it.” OCK · ALAO · REX SH A SEA TURTLE REVIVAL X SHUTTERSTCHEL MOLAN Fseoar tthuert filerss th taivmee h iant 7ch5e yde ainr st,h Kee Cmhpa’nsd reidleleuyr EA O.IE · RGES · R Islands in the US. They are the world’s smallest OA sea turtle and an endangered species. In 2010, ZM HE COVER: DUBLINHIS PAGE: GETTY I ChaTmhep Wionosrlhdi ps. tSchacelile etndutr ittshlteess wh waotercrkheiin nbgga td aolny r e“aesfftxeoccritetie ntdhg eb diyris ahcnao bvoeiitlra sytp” .ill. croThssee cdo Wupallee s. N TN T OO 27 August 2022 • The Week Junior 3 UK news S E A S I D E Restoring waterways N AT I O N Tmheiltrehesa anor fe1 icn, 5no t0eahas0etr lbaUye nK2ad.0c mh,0eo0sr0 e LWeavteerrn. One in five county councils across the UK have promised to restore natural habitats, including rivers and canals, to improve the environment. East Renfrewshire Council in Scotland hopes to reconnect the Levern Water river to its floodplain (land it spills into) and remove man-made barriers so that salmon can swim up the river to breed for the first A pollution protester on a beach in Cornwall. time since the late 19th century. UK beaches blighted by sewage Information from the Government’s the sewage monitors in England and check on how often this happens and how much water Environment Agency has shown that Wales either didn’t work or hadn’t has gone into waterways, but Sir Chris Whitty, the water companies aren’t properly been put in at all. Government’s chief medical officer, said in June, “It is checking up on how much sewage clear that water companies are not doing enough.” Why is sewage going (wee and poo) is put into the sea. into the sea? What is being done to solve the problem? The charity Surfers Against Sewage had already warned people not to go During the last few months, The Government has said that by September it will swimming at almost 50 UK beaches parts of the UK have had very have a plan to cut the number of sewage spills. because of sewage in the sea. little rain and the ground has A spokesperson from Southern Water, one of the dried out. If it gets too dry, it water companies in trouble, said that it will spend What did the information reveal? A sewage can’t absorb rain, so rainwater £145 million on stopping this type of pollution by Water management companies use special outlet pipe. pours straight into drains and sewage 2025. It will take a lot of money and effort. Hugo equipment to measure how much sewage is systems. If the systems fill up, they are Tagholm, from Surfers Against Sewage, said, “Water going into rivers and the sea. Members of the Liberal designed to let the extra water and sewage overflow companies are using our rivers and beaches as a Democrats (a political party) studied the information into rivers and the sea, to stop it from flowing into sewage dumping ground, compromising the health from the agency and found that one in eight of all streets or houses. Water companies are supposed to of the environment and people alike.” WORD WEEK THIS WEEK IN HISTORY OF THE London burning in 1666. 2 September 1666 MAP Great Fire of London breaks out The word “map” came into Early on 2 September 1666, a fire broke out in the English language a baker’s house in Pudding Lane, London. The more than 500 years ago. summer had been hot and dry and most houses Its story began with the were made of wood and built close together, so the Latin mappa mundi, blaze spread easily. It was not easy to fight fires; which means “sheet of the people could only use buckets of water. By the time world.” Many early maps it was put out, four days later, the fire had destroyed were drawn on cloth or four fifths of London, burnt down 13,000 houses other fabrics. and made 100,000 people homeless. 4 The Week Junior • 27 August 2022 UK news Containers at Branded uniforms Felixstowe Port. can be costly. Port workers go on strike Staff at the Port of Felixstowe, England, have gone on strike (stopped working as a protest). Workers, including crane drivers and people who load and unload ships, are asking for more pay. The strike is due to last eight days and is the first at Felixstowe in 30 years. The port handles about four million containers from 2,000 ships every year. Containers ctoa rsrhyo tphsin agnsd li skuep feoromd,a trokyest sa mndig fhutr nbietu areff,e scote sdu.pplies W H AT A WA S T E BaTyh eco Caasrtd tiogdaany . 1s.t4chh rmoyoeoiwlalli nour nnian iwwf toaheryema reUsav Kbae.lrreey Uniform rules relaxed to cut costs An ew law will be passed in England this The new law means that parents will have more Lost Welsh land may be real September that should make school uniforms choice about where they can shop. As schools relax more affordable and help families with the rising their rules a little, parents will be able to buy cheaper, Am edieval map has revealed that a mythical cost of living. unbranded uniforms from places like supermarkets kingdom, supposedly lost to the sea off Cardigan Under the new law, schools need to make sure and at school swaps or second-hand shops, where Bay in west Wales, could have actually existed. uniform costs are “reasonable”. State schools must people donate used uniforms that they no longer Stories about the sunken land of Cantre’r Gwaelod limit the number of branded items (with a need or have grown out of. have been told for 700 years. Now, researchers have school badge or logo on them) it has on There are other ways to save money found evidence of two islands on a 13th century map. its uniform list, such as blazers, ties on school clothes. For example, Professor Simon Haslett says it is “extraordinarily or PE kit. This is because parents some uniforms have adaptable accurate”, and could show that the islands appeared have to buy these items from waistbands and hems, so clothes ALL after the Ice Age and then disappeared again. H particular shops and that can cost can be let out to fit the wearer as N E R A a lot of money. According to The they get taller or bigger. K Y · M Children’s Society, a charity, the Also, if uniforms are labelled A AL ES · average cost of a school uniform with names, there is less chance G A M is £315 for primary school pupils of losing them and having to spend Y I ETT and £337 for secondary school pupils. more money replacing them. Nadhim G K · Uniform items in OC Some families are already struggling Zahawi, the Chancellor of the Exchequer RST a supermarket. UTTE to pay for household essentials because (the person in charge of the country’s H X S Volunteers help prices are going up. The cost of basic things such as money), said that uniforms are important. “School E R Y · the whale. food and clothes has increased. A new survey by the uniform provides a sense of identity and community R A R O LIB Whale saved by community supermarket Asda has found that 90% of parents for children and young people. It should be a real HOT worry about the cost of school uniforms. With several source of pride, but it must never be a burden for P E NC As tranded minke whale was saved by an island children in a family who all need uniforms, the cost of parents or a barrier to pupils E CI CIL · S community in Shetland, off the north-east coast all the kit can quickly add up. accessing education.” N OU of Scotland. Reports of the stranded whale were C HIRE received at 7am on 17 August. When marine experts THE WEEK’S SILLIEST HEADLINE WS RE arrived, they were surprised to find the animal was NF E AST R still breathing. With the help of volunteers, they “Seal breaks into home, traumatises GES · E moved the young whale back into the sea using a cat and lounges on couch” MA plastic sheet. Marine mammal adviser Karen Hall said Newsweek Y I ETT it was an “absolutely phenomenal effort”. G 27 August 2022 • The Week Junior 5 Around the world Gérardmer, France Republic of Ireland Protester drills holes in hot tubs Police get new look Someone in the French town of Gérardmer has been On 15 August the Republic of Ireland’s drilling holes in hot tubs around the town, allowing all the police force, the Garda Siochána, water to escape. According to notes left at the scenes of unveiled a new look. Their old the crimes, the culprit is angry about water being wasted uniforms of formal shirts and ties during the country’s drought. The holes are thought to have been replaced with comfortable have cost the owners a total of £67,000 to repair them. modern clothing such as polo shirts and waterproof jackets. Although the Hot tubs use Garda uniform has had some changes a lot of water. since the force was set up 100 years Garda officers ago, this is the first time it has been in new uniforms. completely redesigned. Cáceres, Spain Stone circle reappears A 5,000-year-old stone circle called the Dolmen of Guadalperal has reappeared as the water level in the Valdecañas reservoir fell during the drought. The circle is being called “Spain’s Stonehenge”. It was first found in 1926 but has been under water since 1963. Archaeologists are keen to study it before the water levels rise again. The stones are exposed. Venice, Italy Surfers make mayor angry After a video of two motorised surfers speeding down the Grand Canal in Venice was posted online, city mayor Luigi Brugnaro offered a free dinner to anyone who could identify them. Surfing is illegal on the canal, and the pair – whom the mayor called “overbearing imbeciles” – have Nigeria been fined £1,300 each and banished from the city. Electricity is turned off Workers want better treatment. On 17 August, electricity workers in Nigeria shut down the country’s power in protest over their pay and working conditions. After a meeting with the E B Minister of Power, they restored U UT O electricity supplies and agreed to RS · Y E suspend (delay) their protest for two UT E R weeks while they try to reach an A.IE · D R agreement. Power cuts are common in A G It is illegal to surf on Nigeria and many homes use their own GES · the Grand Canal. MA generators when the power goes out. Y I ETT G 6 The Week Junior • 27 August 2022 Around the world Pakistan Guangzhou, China Families reunited Art teacher gets compensation During the Partition of India in 1947, Luo, an art teacher who was fired from her job because many families were split up. Now, her cat appeared during an online lesson, has been given YouTuber Nasir Dhillon is using his £5,000 after a court ruled she was treated unfairly. Luo’s channel Punjabi Lehar to reunite them. cat had jumped at her camera five times during her Dhillon and Bhupinder Singh Lovely lesson, after which her school fired her for taking part in (who runs the channel with him) have “non-teaching” activities during working hours. set up virtual and in-person meetings. The channel became famous in January when a video was released showing the meeting of two brothers who had Nasir Dhillon been separated as children. Luo’s cat jumped at the camera. Philippines Students return to school On 22 August, children in the Philippines attended schools for the first time since 2020, when they were closed at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Many pupils had struggled with home schooling because at least 80% of homes do not have internet access. One teacher told Reuters news agency, “I am very happy to see the children face to face.” Pupils must wear masks at school. Australia Battery farming to be phased out Animal rights groups in Australia have persuaded egg companies to phase out battery farming for egg-laying chickens by 2036. Battery farming is a method that keeps chickens very close together. The head of the Australian Mount Kilimanjaro, RSPCA charity, Richard Mussell, described it as “a win for Tanzania the millions of layer hens confined to battery cages”. Internet reaches new heights Climbers on the slopes of Africa’s highest mountain can now share their achievements on social media. Mount Kilimanjaro’s high-speed internet service was launched on 16 August. It’s hoped it will improve safety for people climbing the 5,895-metre mountain. Wi-Fi is not yet available on the summit View from Battery chickens have (top), but it should be possible to post the top. very little space. from the peak by the end of this year. 27 August 2022 • The Week Junior 7 The big debate Should idleness be encouraged? Feeling bored and lazy might not be as bad as you think. C H A N G I N G M E A N I N G W pMhleoanstt typ eoyof opdliesut hr aanctteei obenosrd etod otkmeoe a pkn idtn athot ebwraey .a re I“ne1 mO0lptsdhot y Emc”ne egonholrtia nus“vheruye s“w eiiatdlh edjlooese ”bsds ”.mci.d rIeinnba ’tetnh d te Consoles, games, handheld devices and television – as well as music and films on demand – all mean that humans can fill every moment with entertainment. Being idle – hanging around, not doing anything – can be boring. Generally, people prefer an activity over twiddling their thumbs, and those who sit idle are often accused of laziness. Researchers have found that when people don’t just sit staring at a screen, but let themselves feel bored, their Doing nothing minds think more creatively. can spark ideas. Yes – boredom breeds creativity No – why waste time? Children’s author and illustrator Lauren Child thinks modern society doesn’t allow enough time for Thanks to modern technology, human beings now People hate being inactive – it makes them sad. idleness. She believes the world is full of distractions, have a shorter attention span – shorter than that of a Boredom makes us tired and has been linked to which affect people’s creativity. “Ideas are only formed goldfish, according to some studies. Researchers have different types of depression. Idleness is nothing when you have time to be idle, to think alone and be found that the average person can only concentrate more than laziness. Every minute in the day counts bored,” she says. Child wants schools to have lessons in for eight seconds. People’s attention spans have got and can be put to good use. With so much to see and idleness. Studies agree with her and have found that shorter since the year 2000 – around the same time do, why would anyone waste any of those precious minds need peace, quiet and, yes, boredom to get that mobile phones became widespread. Now, think seconds sitting around? In the olden days, people creative. By the age of 11, 90% of UK children have a of your favourite book – it wasn’t dreamt up in eight spent large amounts of time twiddling their thumbs phone – often with access to fun and distracting apps seconds. That’s because proper thought takes time. – but that’s because they had nothing better to do. or the internet. Ofcom, an organisation that regulates Idleness gives our minds quiet, peaceful spaces in There’s no good reason not to take advantage of the communication services, has found that people aged which to think, plot and plan. Boredom allows us time opportunities for fun and distraction that society gives eight to 11 spend an average of four and a half hours a to be more imaginative and creative – think up a us today. Besides, idleness inevitably leads to day in front of a screen. So what do you think – is being story, draw a picture or invent a game. Free from mischief; bored people will do anything to distract idle a positive thing or a dull waste of time? distractions, an idle mind is capable of anything. themselves – even cause trouble. Scan the QR code Three reasons why encouraging Three reasons why encouraging YES NO to hear both sides idleness is a good idea. idleness is a bad idea Junior SH W of this debate on our podcast. 1 Technology has given us an attention 1 Idleness is laziness. Deliberately span shorter than that of a goldfish. wasting time for no reason is wrong LAST WEEK’S POLL People need to be idle, with no when there’s so much to experience. distractions, to get some focus back. 2 T echnology gives people the chance to Last week, we asked if 2 B oredom stimulates creativity; when make every minute fun – or productive. workers should go on people have nothing to do, their minds Why wouldn’t we take advantage of strike. Most of you 36% help them by thinking up great ideas. that opportunity? think that going on NO 64% strike is a fair way for 3 Being constantly distracted stops 3 “The devil makes work for idle hands” YES workers to fight for people from thinking more deeply goes the saying. Keeping busy keeps more pay or better about things. It’s also tiring and leaves people out of trouble – and helps working conditions. you unable to finish tasks properly. humans get creative. WHAT DO YOU THINK? Now that you’ve read a bit more about it, tell us what you think by voting in our poll at theweekjunior.co.uk/polls GES A M Vote YES if you think idleness is worthwhile, or NO if you don’t. We’ll publish the results next week. Y I ETT G 8 The aim of the Big debate page is to present two sides of an issue fairly and objectively, in order to stimulate discussion and allow our readers to make up their minds. The Week Junior • 27 August 2022 The views on the page do not reflect those of The Week Junior, and the page is not funded by third parties. The page is created in association with the English-Speaking Union, an educational charity helping young people discover their voice and realise their full potential. For more information, please see esu.org People From spaceship to studio star Tim Peake blasts off to the big screen and beyond. The Pixar film Lightyear tells the reflect the diversity of today’s space story of Toy Story space ranger Buzz missions. Peake points out that Lightyear, but there’s another character the European Space Agency (ESA) in the cast who really knows about life is encouraging women, people of in space. British astronaut Tim colour and people from different Peake spoke to The Week backgrounds to apply and Junior about his latest is also searching for a mission – as a voice “para-astronaut” with a in Lightyear. physical disability. More at home Peake says that on a spaceship than science-fiction films in a studio, Peake are important for hadn’t done any the next generation acting since school. of space explorers. The astronaut drew on “I remember being S PA C E his experience of voicing LigBhutzyze ar inspired by movies like S P R I N T itahnanicsudl gbuB thodeetoesl lihks da inLem siesmt wohPiroet cylwaeh wksa tesero,,al Llwcc ifotgohenhrirct starhy osn ehul aahacruhid’sds a vicesoa nfiscectele l o. w FwcauhntuoL br iwegeS,h a”tt tahthycreeeh W as sLpraai gayirshscs e.,ot yEH ure.aTeta n. n hrago o ne“wpwdrse oiB slonla tft chDhtkhaii nsettn ok pfe uettyhhto+ueepr y le e” . farsHTetiecem osr traP dnme faiaotk rroea rnt uhh anoo nltndri nesin agt dh stpemh ae icl le. . Tim Peake space ranger Alisha Hawthorne, to and DVD. A simple call for help THEY SAID IT! An 11-year-old boy in Brazil became a national hero after he called emergency services for help “When I was because he was desperately hungry. Miguel Barros little, I would phoned the police when his family had nothing to eat draw hearing except flour made from corn mixed with water. When aids onto my the police asked why he was calling, Barros replied, “Mr Policeman, it’s because there’s nothing to eat at Barbie dolls my house.” The officers bought supplies for the family to make them from a nearby shop, but when a journalist shared the look like me.” story, the family were flooded with donations of food from Brazil and beyond. The family have shared their Actor and dancer Rose Millie Bobby well-stocked cupboard with others in need. Ayling-Ellis talks about Brown the new inclusive range Acting to inspire others of Barbie dolls, which have the character wearing hearing aids. Whatever it takes, I want to act,” said Millie Bobby Brown at the age of eight. Now aged 18, Brown, who stars in Stranger Things, has spoken about her choice of career. “I always struggled with EL self-identity and knowing who I was,” she said. ATT M “There was something about acting that made me B/ B WE feel powerful, impactful and like I could inspire N O M people.” In an interview with US magazine Allure, the GES · SI British actor and producer says she knows that she A M Y I has become a role model for millions of people and ETT Y · G said, “People can look at it as scary, but I think that’s Miguel Barros E N DIS the most exciting part of my job.” 27 August 2022 • The Week Junior 9 Animals and the environment Fat, blind and fabulous Meaning “truly fat and blind”, eulipotyphla is a group of pointy-nosed mammals that includes hedgehogs, shrews and moles. This group is thought to have a lot of “hidden” species in it. For a long time, for example, animal experts thought that the North American water shrew was just one species but they now realise there are four. Scientists expect to find even more types of water shrew. O N E F O R A L L Teshxineisg tfileerd sct eo fllrinlvos iE.mn Aag rlt ltht hlhei fiwsene gee. srve ot hjlvuaestt d Water shrews The greater also live in the UK. horseshoe bat. New mammal species discovered Arecent study shows that there could be far more Research published in New Scientist magazine rodents (a group that includes beavers, kangaroos types of mammal on Earth than we had thought, shows that groups of animals can be divided into and rats) and eulipotyphlans (see panel). and many unidentified species could be right in front more species than we had thought. Professor Bryan Carstens predicts that about 20% of mammal of us – we just don’t know it. Carstens, of Ohio State University in the US, species have not yet been identified. His team used At the moment there are more than looked at 4,310 types of mammal to artificial intelligence (computers that can “learn” how two million species listed. However, see if he could find hidden species to do things that usually require human intelligence) scientists believe that between 90% among them. His team used a to look at 33 million facts about the mammals they’d and 99% of all species haven’t yet system to identify the animals’ studied. Identifying animals and knowing where they been identified. In the past, genes (the instructions for how live can help experts to protect them, especially in scientists would decide which living things develop and areas like Southeast Asia, which is a real hot spot for category an animal belonged to by grow), then did further research finding new species. studying its physical features. based on those results. They Carstens believes it’s not just mammals that are However, this method is not always found a possible 2,000 new hiding new species – it could be even tiny creatures. reliable because it depends on the Southeast Asia is species. There were particularly high “There are mites that live on mites – and probably a species hot spot. scientist’s own ideas and point of view. numbers of new species among bats, mites that live on the mites that live on mites.” U R T E Green tiger beetles are hunting A S N P Y A bright and colourful bug, the green – anywhere with bare batches of sun-baked earth. tiger beetle is also a ferocious and agile It eats ants, caterpillars and spiders, and is a fast predator, most likely to be seen between April and nimble hunter, running on its long legs and and September when the Sun is out. grabbing its prey in its ferociously strong It has a large, shiny green body with jaws. If disturbed, it will often fly a cream spots, purple-bronze legs short distance before running off. and goggle eyes. Found all over The larvae (younger versions) of the UK, this mini-beast favours the green tiger beetle hatch in One of the UK’s grasslands, heath, sand dunes burrows, and wait for prey to fall brightest bugs. and abandoned corners of cities in so they can eat them. 10 The Week Junior • 27 August 2022