The speedy spread of COVID-19 around the globe has left many of us feeling out of control and helpless, so we asked Dr Naomi Thompson, Consultant Microbiologist for the NHS, what can we do about this coronavirus crisis?
“Washing your hands is the best way we can all help prevent the spread of infections, including coronavirus.
Wash all parts of the hand, including under fingernails, for 20 seconds – the time taken to sing happy birthday twice, or sing this song to the tune of ‘Row, row, row your boat’ twice instead:
Wash, wash, wash your hands, Thumbs and fingers too, Rinse and then make sure they’re dry, That’s the thing to do!”
Naomi and her team are currently extremely busy keeping COVID-19 testing running at Chesterfield Royal Hospital. Thank you all for your hard work!
But why is plain old soap and water such a powerful tool against the spread of coronaviruses? Professor Pall Thordarson explains in The Guardian:
“The short story: because the virus is a self-assembled nanoparticle in which the weakest link is the lipid (fatty) bilayer. Soap dissolves the fat membrane and the virus falls apart like a house of cards and dies – or rather, we should say it becomes inactive as viruses aren’t really alive.”
Looking for a fun home science experiment that demonstrates why it’s important to wash your hands? This free science activity is brilliant! You just need three slices of bread, some grubby hands (soon to be washed!), a bar of soap, some sealable plastic bags and some spare time…
The most obvious germs you’ll grow are mould and bacteria. COVID-19 is caused by a virus, not a bacterium, but this is a great demonstration of how a simple bar of soap can get rid of any nasties lurking on our skin. One to do with the kids while we’re all busy washing our hands as well as we can!
You will need: A bag of sliced bread 3 sealable plastic bags A permanent marker pen Soap and a nail brush Clean tongs (optional)
What you do: 1. Label the three bags ‘control’, ‘clean hands’ and ‘dirty hands’. 2. Transfer a slice of bread into the ‘control’ bag without touching it with your hands and seal. 3. Take another slice out and rub your hands all over it, then put it in the ‘dirty hands’ bag and seal. 4. Wash your hands really well using warm water, soap and a nail brush. 5. Take out a third slice of bread and rub your hands on it, then seal it in the ‘clean hands’ bag. 6. Place the three bags somewhere warm and check them every day.
You should find: After 5-7 days, colonies of bacteria and mould will be visible on the bread. This should happen sooner in the ‘dirty hands’ bag, as you transferred more mould spores and bacterial cells onto the bread. The control bag allows you to compare your experiment with bread that hasn’t been touched at all.
Throw away the bags without opening them, as some of this bacteria could be nasty.
What do your slices of bread look like after 5-7 days?
This is a fantastic science activity that demonstrates the power of a bar of soap. Hand-washing is so important in fighting the spread of the new coronavirus disease, COVID-19.
Did you know that your body contains more bacterial cells than human cells?! There’s a whole world of microbial wonders to discover inside this bug-tastic edition of Whizz Pop Bang – Make crazy bacteria squishies, read about how antibiotics were discovered, pull out and play bacteria trump cards, cultivate edible bacteria by fermenting your own yoghurt and view the effects of hand-washing in an invisible germ experiment!
Hooray, it’s British Science Week from 6th – 15th March! To celebrate, our friends at Learning Resources have given us three pairs of GeoSafari® Jr. Kidnoculars® Extreme™ to give away.
See what you hear, with Kidnoculars Extreme. Magnify your world with these awesome 3x no-focus binoculars and amplify the nature around you with a built-in microphone.
Just answer this question in the comments to be in with a chance of winning:
Where can the tympanic membrane, cochlear and auditory ossicles be found?
a. In the nose b. In the ear c. In the eye
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Anxiety-busting tips for chatting to children about the virus spreading across the world.
It’s not just dominating the news – talk of the spread of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is also filling the playground. While we know that the number of people affected so far is relatively small, that the death rate is low and that children are less likely to be affected, it’s natural for us all to feel anxious about new and uncertain situations like this one.
While adults stock up on food, wonder about work arrangements and debate changing travel plans, how is this affecting our children’s mental health? Childhood mental health expert Dr Naira Wilson says,
“It’s normal for us all to feel anxious about this sort of event. New risks make our brains feel more concerned as we try and figure them out. If you’re a generally anxious person, and with the pace of our media, it’s easy to get wrapped up in it all.”
Is your child worried about coronavirus? Here are Naira’s top tips for how to handle it:
1. Ask your child how they’re feeling
Don’t wait for your child to approach you, because they might not know how to bring it up. It’s better to have an open conversation.
2. Be honest
As parents, it’s better to say, “We’re all concerned by the news, especially as we don’t know everything yet, but we need to balance our worries with the facts we know.” Try to be matter of fact and show them that you’re not overly anxious, which is the best way to teach your child not to be anxious.
Don’t over-talk about coronavirus. When you’ve shared your worries, the facts, and validated how your child feels, help them to gently move back to every day life by doing what you would normally do to have fun as a family. You could distract them by going for a walk in nature (which is such a great healer), or watching a funny film. Say, “Let’s just get on with what we do know!”
5. Look out for signs of anxiety
If you notice your child asking about coronavirus a lot, unusual repetitive behaviour, sleeping less or regressing in other ways, they may be feeling stressed. It’s really important to ask them how they’re feeling about things as soon as you can.
6. Look after yourself
It can be tough looking after the mental health of yourself and that of a child. Sleep is so, so important. Make sure you stay active, plan enjoyable social activities and build in time for rest and relaxation. It’s important to model self-care to your young people.
If you’re feeling very anxious about coronavirus, or are concerned about your child’s mental health, speak to your GP. Click here for the latest advice relating to coronavirus from the UK government. Click here if you think you may have coronavirus symptoms – do not go to your GP, hospital or pharmacy.
Whizz Pop Bang is a top-quality, gender-neutral, advert-free science magazine for families everywhere. Each issue is packed with experiments, activities, amazing facts, puzzles, jokes, riddles and more. Find out more here!
Dr Naira Wilson is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist who specialises in childhood mental health.
WWT (Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust) is a leading wildlife conservation charity dedicated to saving wetlands. Visit a WWT Wetland Centre to discover award-winning worlds where you can see amazing wildlife (including otters and flamingos), take exciting boat safaris through water meadows and reeds, hand-feed exotic birds and see some of the world’s most dramatic and rare birds all in one place. You’ll also find exhilarating adventure playgrounds, special events, waterside cafes serving delicious homemade food and shops with unique gifts!
We’re exploring watery worlds in the new edition of Whizz Pop Bang: SPLASH! It’s all about the science of ponds and, to celebrate, we’re giving away tickets to visit your local WWT Centre! Scroll down to find out how to enter.
Want to win a family ticket to a WWT centre? Two lucky winners will each win one family ticket* to a WWT centre and a Guess Who? Wetland Wildlife edition game!
To enter, simply answer this question in the comments:
What colour are flamingos’ feathers when they’re born? a. Pink b. Grey c. Yellow
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* A family ticket allows two adults and two children to visit a WWT centre for one day (choose from Slimbridge, Martin Mere, London, Arundel, Castle Espie, Caerlaverock, Washington, Llanelli or Welney). Travel and other expenses are not included in this prize. * Competition closes at midnight on 2 April 2020. Whizz Pop Bang’s competition terms and conditions are here.
Tiny water spiders spend their lives underwater, even though they need to breathe air! They collect large air bubbles from the surface and carry them underwater. The bubbles absorb oxygen from the water, meaning each can last more than a day! If you catch one pond dipping, look for a silvery air bubble clinging to its hairy body.
This water spider, or diving bell spider, has a nifty trick for breathing underwater!
Now that you’ve discovered how water spiders breathe underwater, why not show a friend and amaze them with this fascinating piece of nature?
Whizz Pop Bang reader Patrick, aged 7, asked a brilliant question: Why do bouncy balls bounce and don’t just stick on the ground like a rock?
Y the robot has the answer! Unlike rocks, bouncy balls are made of elastic materials, such as rubber. Elastic materials are flexible – it’s easy to change their shape. But they return to their original shape after being squashed or stretched. When the ball hits the ground, it is squashed out of shape. Some of its movement energy is changed into elastic energy, stored very briefly inside the ball. Once the ball has come to a stop, this elastic energy is released as the ball returns to its original shape. The ball pushes against the ground and the ground pushes back, sending the ball back up into the air. BOING!
Now watch a ball bounce in slow motion!
Find the answers to loads of science questions like this in every single issue of Whizz Pop Bang magazine!
Have you ever wondered what an ancient Egyptian mummy sounds like?
Scientists have brought the voice of an Egyptian mummy back from the dead with the help of a 3D printer. Nesyamun was an Egyptian priest whose mummified remains were scanned in a hospital CT scanner to measure the dimensions of his vocal tract. A team of researchers then made a 3D-printed copy of the vocal tract and used it with an artificial larynx to recreate the sound of Nesyamun’s voice. So far, they’ve only made one vowel sound but, with the help of computer models, the researchers hope to one day recreate full sentences.
This fascinating news story was featured in Whizz Pop Bang: Splash! Leap into the Science of Ponds which is on sale in our shop.
Want to know more about the science of Ancient Egypt? Then you’ll love issue 55, which is packed with the hidden science of mummies and pyramids!
Are you looking for science news for kids? Whizz Pop Bang features the latest science news, presented for children aged 6 – 11, every issue. Sign up here!
It’s World Book Day on 5 March 2020 and this year, it’s all about Sharing a Million Stories! Joining in is simple: just sign up and pledge to share 10-minutes of storytelling (which includes reading aloud, audiobooks, comics or lots more) as many times as you can throughout World Book Month (27 February – 29 March 2020).
You could win £1,000 of stories to share with your nursery or school during each week of the campaign, simply by sharing stories! Find out more here.
Looking for rainy day science activities? With Storm Dennis on his way, these wet weather science experiments will keep your scientists-in-training entertained and curious. What a great way to make the most of the weather, however wet and windy it gets!
Wondering how to entertain your family over rainy weekend and holidays? Whizz Pop Bang magazine is packed with super-exciting experiments and investigations every month. Sign up now!
Make a Robinson anemometer (wind speed measuring device)
Find out which way the wind is blowing with this simple weather vane activity. Will it stand up to Storm Dennis-strength winds? There’s only one way to find out! Click here for instructions.
If all this rain is prompting lots of wonderful questions, this activity could help you answer a big one: how does it rain? Use a glass jar, paper bowl, ice cubes and boiling water to investigate how rain is formed. Click here for instructions.
Make a rain gauge
The Met Office’s DIY rain gauge project uses an unexpected material to ensure that it takes accurate reading: jelly! Click here for instructions.
OK, so we’re really hoping there won’t be any real tornados this weekend – making a mini tornado in a jar is much more fun, and a great demonstration of this swirling extreme weather phenomenon. Click here for instructions.
