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Why doesn't the water flow away?
Rivers are formed over a large number of years by the movement of water over and through land.
The river forms so that the water will have somewhere to go.
Floods happen when more water tries to fit into a river than there is space for. The river bursts its banks. |
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What is flooding?
Over half of the world is covered with water, we need it to stay alive. When there's too much water, or water in the wrong place, it's a problem we call flooding
In the UK people are sometimes forced out of their homes when lots of rain has fallen in a short space of time and caused a flood. |
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WORLD - Last Updated: Wednesday January 26
Mount Everest getting smaller?
The world's tallest mountain, Everest is to be re-measured after a recent survey suggested the summit is getting smaller because of global warming.
In March, a Chinese climbing team will use satellite and radar technology to find out its actual height.
The size of Everest has been in debate since it was first measured in 1856 as 8,839 metres tall.
But in 1954 an Indian survey recorded 8,848m but in 1999 a US study suggested it was two metres higher.
Whatever the team discovers, the movement of the earth's tectonic plates, means Everest's height changes a little each year.
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Last Updated: Friday January 11
First man to conquer Everest dies
One of the most famous explorers ever, Sir Edmund Hillary, has died at the age of 88.
Sir Edmund was the first person to climb Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world, on 29 May 1953.
Conquering the 8,850 metre (29,035ft) peak made Sir Edmund a national hero in New Zealand, where he was from.
The Prime Minister of the country said he was the best-known New Zealander to have ever lived, and the whole country would be sad about his death.
Sir Edmund was born in Auckland in 1919, and began climbing mountains when he was a teenager.
He attempted Everest as part of a group of climbers, but only two actually made it to the top - Sir Edmund and a Sherpa, or mountain guide, called Tenzing Norgay.
The two men only stayed on the summit for 15 minutes because they were low on oxygen.
Mount Everest
Sir Edmund took photographs of the scenery and of Tenzing waving flags of Britain, Nepal, the UN and India.
After his Everest success, Sir Edmund led expeditions to the South Pole, and devoted his life to helping mountain guides called Sherpas in an area of Nepal called the Khumbu region.
His Himalayn Trust helped build hospitals, clinics, bridges, and nearly 30 schools.
Sir Edmund's health had been getting worse since April, when he suffered a fall during a visit to Nepal.
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Wildlife 'must move to survive'
Climate change will mean that some UK bats, butterflies, birds and mice will have to move in order to stay alive.
The Wildlife Trust is warning that rising temperatures will force some wildlife and even plants to move to find more suitable places to live.
Wildlife made a similar move in search of food and homes following the last Ice Age, the trust said.
The charity says that some species are already moving, but buildings and loss of habitat is stopping others.
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19/12/2007 Scientists decode dolphin speak
Scientists claim they have learned the language of dolphins.
Researchers identified 200 whistles the creatures make to communicate.
The study of wild bottlenose dolphins in Australia saw how the sounds varied with situations and behaviour.
One was used only when dolphins were alone.
Dr Liz Hawkins told New Scientist: "That whistle is definitely, 'I'm here, where is everyone?' "
Others were identified as "hurry up" or "there's food over here".
The mammals are said to be closer to humans than previously realised.
in MIRROR.CO.UK
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Kids in poor nations get laptops
Computers can be pricey, but kids in poor countries are testing out a laptop aimed at helping them get a better education which costs less than £100.
The laptop has been designed by a team in America to be super-tough so it will work in extreme environments.
It can run on a battery so you don't need electricity, and eventually it will have a crank so you can wind it up!
The keyboard is waterproof and the screen can be seen in bright sunlight.
Kids in several other countries - including Uruguay, Peru, Mexico, Ethiopia, Haiti, Rwanda and Mongolia - are also expected to be among the first to get involved with the scheme.
But not everyone's on-line with the plan.
Some experts reckon that poor countries would be much better off spending the money on lower-tech things - like improving classrooms and hiring more teachers.
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Beverly Cleary had trouble learning to read as a child.
But that didn't stop her from becoming one of the best-loved children's authors of all time. Over the years, she's brought many popular characters, like Ramona Quimby and Otis Spofford, to life. Her books have earned her many prestigious awards, including the 1984 Newbery Medal for Dear Mr. Henshaw.ming one of the best-loved children's authors of all time. Over the years, she's brought many popular characters, like Ramona Quimby and Otis Spofford, to life. Her books have earned her many prestigious awards, including the 1984 Newbery Medal for Dear Mr. Henshaw.
TFK: What advice would you give to kids who are having trouble learning to read?
Cleary: Just keep trying! It will all come to you suddenly, as it did with me.
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Ratatouille has been named the best animated film at this year's Golden Globe awards.
The cartoon movie about Remy the rat who dreams of becoming a chef in Paris beat off competition from Bee Movie and The Simpsons Movie.
The Golden Globes are probably the world's biggest awards ceremony after the Oscars.
But this year, the stars stayed at home and the glitzy ceremony was cancelled because of the writers' strike.
Since last November, TV and film writers in Hollywood have been refusing to work because they want better pay.
Stars who were up for awards at the Golden Globes said they would not go to a ceremony in support of the writers.
Award bosses decided to cancel the showbiz bash after TV channels threatened not to screen the ceremony if there were no big celebs there.
Instead, the names of the winners - including Johnny Depp for his latest film - were read out at a news conference. |
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Emily Dickinson grew up in a prominent and prosperous household in Amherst, Massachusetts. Along with her younger sister Lavinia and older brother Austin, she experienced a quiet and reserved family life headed by her father Edward Dickinson. |
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Today, Dickinson is regarded as one of America's greatest poets, but when she died at the age of fifty-six after devoting most of her life to writing poetry, her nearly 2,000 poems--only a dozen of which were published anonymously during her lifetime--were unknown except to a small numbers of friends and relatives.
Dickinson was not recognized as a major poet until the twentieth century, when modern readers ranked her as a major new voice whose literary innovations were unmatched by any other nineteenth-century poet in the United States.
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"Hope" is the thing with feathers
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"Hope" is the thing with feathers—
That perches in the soul—
And sings the tune without the words—
And never stops—at all—
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And sweetest—in the Gale—is heard—
And sore must be the storm—
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm—
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I've heard it in the chillest land—
And on the strangest Sea—
Yet, never, in Extremity,
It asked a crumb—of Me.
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Ever serene and fair, |
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And there is another sunshine, |
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Though it be darkness there; |
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Never mind faded forests, Austin, |
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Never mind silent fields - |
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Here is a little forest, |
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Whose leaf is ever green; |
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Here is a brighter garden, |
| Where not a frost has been; |
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| In its unfading flowers |
| I hear the bright bee hum: |
| Prithee, my brother, |
| Into my garden come! |
She was an American Poet
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" I get lots of poems sent to me by kids - I love receiving them
so this is a space specially for you..."
OUTERNET KIDZ
READ POEMS AND SEND YOURS to
Benjamin Zephaniah.
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Prince prepares to earn his wings
Prince William's dreams of learning to fly are about to come true as he gets ready to start training as a pilot. From Monday, he'll be taught how to fly planes and helicopters during a four-month attachment with the Royal Air Force in Lincolnshire. RAF pilot training normally takes up to four years, but a shorter course has been designed just for the Prince. As he'll be head of the armed services when he's older, he's trying to get experience with all three services.
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"Music is the language that uses common vibrations which are present in all humans and other living beings.
Let's enjoy that possibility and concentrate on what unifies, rather than what separates us."
Peter Whiterose
As a self made artist Peter Whiterose makes music in a rather intuitive way.
He plays electric and acoustic guitars.
But you could have found him a few times performing on bass guitar or keyboard also.
Peter composes music on guitar and keyboard and records on the Mac.
Additional recordings, mixing and mastering are done in external studios, like Chain Gang studios, Ekzakt studios, Nightingale studios, Sonare studios, Swan studios.
He learned himself playing guitar and composing music mostly by practicing and refining the skills.
Peter is currently working on a new album due for release in 2007.
GENRES: pop, rock, reggae, latin, lounge, nu-jazz, acid jazz, smooth jazz, new age, ambient, film music, dance, classical ...
Listen to the New Age song "Horizon of Freedom" (5MB) as MP3.
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