179121479125786First_Children__s_Encyclopedia

Water mammals Seals bark like dogs! Otters of the sea The sea otter is the smallest sea mammal. It has luxurious, thick fur that ...

What is the world’s smallest bird? The living world 134 Only a few animals in the world are able to fly – insects, bats, and bir ...

The world of birds The smallest bird in the world is the bee hummingbird.^135 Flight A bird can fly because it has wings and a v ...

What is the longest snake in the world? The living world 136 Reptiles are egg-laying animals that have a tough skin covered in s ...

The world of reptiles The reticulated python can reach lengths of 10 m (33 ft).^137 Become an expert 138-139 The world of amphib ...

What is the world’s most poisonous frog? The living world 138 Amphibians are different from reptiles in that they have smooth sk ...

The world of amphibians The most poisonous frog is the bright-yellow poison-dart frog.^139 A choice of home Frogs and toads can ...

Apart from honey, what else does a bee produce that we can use? The living world 140 A huge majority of creepy crawlies are inse ...

The world of insects and their poison is used as medicine. Bees produce wax^141 Become an expert 142-143 The world of non-insect ...

How big can spiders grow? The living world 142 There are many creepy crawlies scuttling around our planet that are not insects. ...

The world of non-insects Some spiders can grow as big as dinner plates!^143 Molluscs Slugs, snails, squids, and oysters, are mol ...

Which fish is the slowcoach of the sea? The living world 144 Fish have been around for 400 million years! They live in seas, riv ...

The world of fish The seahorse is the slowest fish that lives in the sea.^145 Scales Most fish are covered in hundreds of scales ...

146 Plants make their own food from the Sun’s rays. Most have leaves that reach outwards to capture sunlight, and roots that dig ...

147 What is a plant? Ferns Ferns love damp and shady areas. They have prong-like leaves and spread using spores. You can identif ...

148 Plants have an amazing system for making and transporting food to all their different parts. How plants work Are plants the ...

149 Wilting leaves On warm, sunny days, plants lose lots of water from their leaves. If they lose too much their leaves collapse ...

150 Mushrooms, toadstools, yeasts, and moulds are all kinds of fungi. Fungi are neither animals nor plants. They feed on living ...

151 Penicillin In 1928, Sir Alexander Fleming made an important discovery. He realised that the mould Penicillium notatum makes ...

Harmful bacteria Some bacteria can cause serious illnesses such as cholera and tetanus. Good sanitation and antibiotic drugs hel ...