Forget spooky faces – this is Halloween pumpkin art with a science twist! Sunnyfields Farm in Southampton has created an enormous portrait of one of our favourite science heroes, Sir David Attenborough, using around 11,000 pumpkins and squashes!
The spook-tacular portrait celebrates the legendary wildlife fan and TV star, who turned 100 in May 2026. Sir David is most famous for his documentaries which have inspired generations of children and adults to explore the natural world and protect our planet.
A pumpkin masterpiece!
The giant portrait was designed by artist Andrew Bega and took a team of 18 people just five hours to assemble, with help from three JCB telehandlers. You can watch a video of the amazing artwork taking shape right here:
Every pumpkin and squash was carefully positioned to create the picture, using only their natural colours. The trickiest parts? Sir David’s eyes and mouth!
And here’s a fruity science fact: pumpkins and squashes are actually fruits, not vegetables! They belong to a group of plants called cucurbita.
Growing a Halloween giant
This year’s hot, dry weather made growing the pumpkins particularly challenging. Pumpkin plants need plenty of sunshine and water, but their deep-growing roots can help them reach moisture underground.
The farm even added 20 tonnes of soil to make its giant display bigger than ever!
Vanilla ice cream might be even more amazing than we thought! Scientists are investigating whether vanillin, the compound that gives vanilla its delicious flavour and smell, could help our bodies heal wounds.
But before you reach for a tub of ice cream, there’s a little more to the story!
What’s so special about vanilla?
Vanillin is the main compound responsible for vanilla’s familiar flavour and smell. It’s found naturally in vanilla pods and is also manufactured for use in foods, perfumes and other products.
Now, scientists are exploring whether this sweet-smelling substance could have some surprising medical uses.
Research suggests that vanillin has several useful properties. It may help fight certain bacteria, reduce inflammation (the redness and swelling that can happen when we’re injured) and protect cells from damage.
All three could be useful when it comes to helping wounds heal.
How could vanilla help heal a cut?
When you cut your finger or scrape your knee, your body immediately gets to work repairing the damage.
First, your blood forms a clot to stop the bleeding. Then, special cells help fight germs, clean up the damaged area and build new tissue.
Scientists are interested in whether vanillin could support some of these processes. For example, it might eventually be used in special wound dressings that help protect damaged skin while it repairs itself.
However, researchers still need to carry out more tests to find out how well vanillin works and whether it’s safe and effective as a treatment.
Does this mean eating ice cream helps wounds heal?
Sadly, no! There’s no evidence that eating vanilla ice cream will make a cut or scrape heal faster.
The research is about using vanillin in carefully developed medical treatments, not eating vanilla-flavoured foods.
Still, it’s a fascinating example of how scientists can discover unexpected uses for everyday substances.
Want more amazing science discoveries?
Whizz Pop Bang is the award-winning science magazine for curious kids aged 6–12, packed with fascinating facts, hands-on experiments and exciting discoveries.
Did you know that mushrooms can make their own amazing patterns on paper? With just a mushroom and a few things from around the house, you can create a beautiful spore print and discover some fascinating fungi science!
This easy science experiment is perfect for curious kids who love exploring nature.
Watch: How to make a mushroom spore print
You will need:
A flat mushroom (use one bought from a food shop)
Plain white paper
A sprinkle of water
How to make your mushroom spore print
Carefully remove the stalk from your mushroom to expose the gills underneath.
Lay your mushroom, gill side down, onto the paper.
Sprinkle with a bit of water
Cover it with a bowl to stop the mushroom drying out or being disturbed.
Leave it undisturbed for two days.
Remove the bowl carefully then lift the mushroom off the paper to reveal your spore print!
Here’s the science…
Did you know that fungi and mushrooms don’t have seeds? Instead, they release tiny spores that look like powder or dust. The cap of the mushroom opens up and releases them from its gills. The spores blow away in the wind to grow into new fungi. In this experiment, you can catch those spores and turn them into a beautiful print.
Keep the science adventures coming…
…with a subscription to Whizz Pop Bang, the award-winning science magazine for children aged 6 to 12. Every issue is packed with experiments, discoveries and activities to try at home.
Get ready for some sky high science! Whizz Pop Bang Issue 135: Flying High is packed with hands-on activities that explore the science of flight for kids. Make a parachute, fly stunt planes and explore aeroplanes, drones, pterosaurs and amazing flying animals.
To help your child get stuck into the experiments as soon as their magazine arrives, we’ve put together this handy science of flight experiment kit list. Gather these few simple supplies in advance and your young scientist will be ready to go as soon as the magazine hits the doormat.
We haven’t included everyday basics such as scissors and paper.
What you’ll need for the experiments in issue 135: Flying High:
There’s much more than experiments inside Whizz Pop Bang Issue 135: Flying High. Find out how aeroplanes overcome gravity, why wings create lift and how everything from helicopters and hot-air balloons to birds and pterosaurs take to the skies. Investigate gravity and air resistance by making a parachute, experiment with an aerofoil then make a fly your own stunt planes.
Want to join in with the Science of Flight fun?
Subscribe to Whizz Pop Bang and your child can enjoy a new science adventure delivered through the letterbox every month.
Get ready for some brain-bending science! Whizz Pop Bang Issue 134: Brain Power is packed with hands-on activities that explore how our amazing brains work, from testing memory and making a brain-training game to investigating how younger children think.
To help your child get stuck into the experiments as soon as their magazine arrives, we’ve put together this handy Brain Power experiment kit list. Gather these few simple supplies in advance and your young scientist will be ready to experiment!
We haven’t included everyday basics such as scissors and paper.
There’s much more than experiments inside Whizz Pop Bang Issue 134: Brain Power. Kids can discover how billions of neurons help them think and remember, meet super-smart parrots, try clever memory-boosting tricks, explore the science of sleep and tackle plenty of brain-bending puzzles and riddles.
Want to join in with the Brain Power fun?
Subscribe to Whizz Pop Bang and your child can enjoy a new science adventure delivered through the letterbox every month.
Learn how to make dirty coins shine with this easy chemistry experiment for kids! Using vinegar and salt, discover the science of oxidation in just a few minutes.
Have you ever wondered why old coins lose their shine?
With just vinegar, salt and a few grubby coins, your child can become a mini chemist and discover the science behind oxidation in just a few minutes.
This quick experiment is perfect for curious children and uses everyday kitchen ingredients to reveal an amazing chemical reaction.
Watch the experiment
Watch our short video below to see the gleaming coins experiment in action.
You’ll need
A glass jar
200ml white vinegar
1 teaspoon of salt
Some grubby 1p or 2p coins
Paper towels
Running water
What happens?
When copper coins are exposed to air over time, they react with oxygen to form a dull layer called copper oxide.
Mixing vinegar (a weak acid) with salt creates a solution that dissolves this oxide layer, revealing the shiny copper underneath.
It’s a brilliant way to introduce children to the idea that chemistry is happening all around us—even on the loose change in your pocket!
The science behind it
Copper naturally reacts with oxygen in the air.
This reaction forms a coating called copper oxide, which makes the coin look brown and dull.
The acetic acid in vinegar helps loosen this layer, while the salt speeds up the reaction. Once the oxide has dissolved away, the shiny copper beneath is revealed.
Although it looks like magic, it’s actually chemistry!
Questions to ask your young scientist
Can you predict which coin will become the shiniest?
Why do you think older coins look dirtier than newer ones?
What happens if you leave the cleaned coin out in the air again?
Can you think of any other metal objects that change colour over time?
Safety
This experiment should be carried out with adult supervision.
Wash hands after handling coins and avoid drinking the vinegar solution.
Keep the science going!
If your child loved this experiment, they’ll love Whizz Pop Bang magazine.
Every month is packed with exciting experiments, fascinating facts, puzzles and hands-on STEM activities designed for children aged 6–12.
Imagine going back to work after a few weeks away, only to discover that thousands of wasps have moved into your office!
That’s exactly what happened to Eilish Rothney, a nature reserve manager at the Norfolk Wildlife Trust. While she was busy carrying out wildlife surveys, a colony of wasps quietly built an enormous nest around a bookshelf inside her office.
By the time she returned, the nest had grown to around one metre tall and wrapped itself around boxes, shelves and ring binders.
Instead of trying to destroy it, Eilish decided to let the wasps carry on with their important work.
The Norfolk Wildlife Trust protects wildlife and wild places across Norfolk while helping people discover and enjoy nature.
If you’d like to explore more incredible wildlife stories, visit the Norfolk Wildlife Trust website and discover why every creature — even wasps — has an important role to play.
Curious about nature?
Whizz Pop Bang is the award-winning magazine for curious children aged 6–12. Every month it’s packed with amazing science news, experiments, wildlife, engineering, space, puzzles and hands-on activities to inspire the next generation of scientists.
What does it take to become a real outdoor explorer? That’s exactly what your child is about to discover… because the latest Whizz Pop Bang is packed with survival science, hands-on experiments and wild adventures.
This month, scientists-in-training can: 🏕️ Build a survival shelter 🔥 Learn how to build a campfire safely 🧪 Test which materials conduct heat best 🍌 Make bonfire-baked chocolate bananas 🫓 Cook campfire quesadillas And so much more!
Here’s a kit list to help you get ready for Whizz Pop Bang 133. As ever, there’s so much science fun to be had, even if you don’t have every single thing on the list. There’s one you can print out below, too!
Looking for ways to keep curious kids busy this summer? We’re giving away two fantastic Summer Holiday Bundles, packed with science, activities, experiments and screen-free fun!
We’ve teamed up with our sister magazine, Hoopla, to give two lucky families the chance to win a bundle.
Two action-packed Whizz Pop Bang science magazines
A copy of Hoopla magazine, packed with activities for younger children
A Science Cut & Create Activity Book
There are experiments to try, things to make, puzzles to solve and fascinating facts to discover – perfect for keeping curious minds busy at home, on holiday or while travelling.
The giveaway closes at midnight on Thursday 23rd July 2026, and the winners will be announced on Friday 24th July. Find full terms and conditions here.
The prehistoric baby was only about one year old when it died. Its fossilised skeleton is the most complete juvenile tapir skeleton ever discovered in Europe.
The amazing find could help scientists discover how prehistoric tapirs grew, developed and lived millions of years ago – as well as revealing more about what Europe was like at this point in history.
Where was the prehistoric tapir discovered?
The fossil was discovered at Camp dels Ninots near Girona in northeastern Spain.
This area is packed with fossils from the pliocene epoch and seven tapir skeletons have been found there so far. Scientists can tell that around four million years ago, this area looked very different to today. A warm, humid forest grew around an ancient volcanic lake, and large prehistoric tapirs lived near the water alongside many other plants and animals.
Over millions of years, special conditions at the bottom of the lake helped preserve the remains of animals that died there. “Camp dels Ninots functions as a genuine time capsule,” explains Dr. Oriol Oms, from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. “The geological and chemical conditions of the volcanic paleolake have allowed entire skeletons to be preserved with a level of detail that is highly unusual in paleontology,”
What did scientists discover?
Researchers uncovered the skeleton of a young tapir that was around one year old when it died. Finding such a young animal is extremely unusual.
Even more excitingly, much of its skeleton was still arranged in the same positions as when the animal died.
At many fossil sites, scientists find individual bones that have been scattered, damaged or moved by scavengers. At Camp dels Ninots, researchers have discovered several whole or nearly complete tapir skeletons.
Why is this baby tapir fossil so important?
The newly discovered skeleton is the most complete juvenile tapir ever found in Europe.
Scientists have now discovered the remains of seven tapirs at Camp dels Ninots, including animals of different ages and sexes.
This gives researchers an unusual opportunity.
By comparing the skeletons of young and adult tapirs, scientists can investigate how these extinct animals changed as they grew.
They hope to answer questions such as:
How quickly did prehistoric tapirs grow?
How did their skeletons change as they became adults?
Were young tapirs shaped differently from their parents?
What can their bones tell us about how they lived?
Finding fossils from different stages of an animal’s life could help scientists reconstruct the life cycle of this extinct species.
What did prehistoric tapirs look like?
The tapirs discovered at Camp dels Ninots belonged to an extinct species called Tapirus arvernensis.
They were large, strong herbivores with bodies similar to tapirs alive today.
Modern tapirs have rounded bodies, short legs and wonderfully flexible noses. Their closest living relatives include horses and rhinoceroses.
Scientists think the prehistoric tapirs living in Spain may have been closely related to modern Asian tapirs.
Why was the skeleton so well preserved?
Camp dels Ninots lies inside an ancient volcanic crater that once contained a lake.
Over time, layers of sediment collected at the bottom of the lake.
The geological and chemical conditions helped preserve animal skeletons in extraordinary detail.
Scientists have even suggested that some animals may have died suddenly near the lake, possibly because of gases linked to volcanic activity.
Instead of being eaten by scavengers or having their bones scattered, some of the animals sank into the lake sediments and remained there for millions of years.
How do scientists remove a four-million-year-old fossil?
Very carefully!
Researchers first uncover and document every bone.
They use high-precision recording and 3D scanning technology to record exactly where each part of the skeleton was found.
Experts also work to protect and strengthen the fragile fossils before moving them.
The young tapir skeleton will then be transported to the laboratory, where scientists can continue studying it.
Are there still tapirs alive today?
Yes! There are four living species of tapir. They are found in Central and South America and Southeast Asia.
Tapirs play an important role in forests because they eat fruit and spread seeds in their poo as they travel.
Sadly, all four living tapir species are threatened with extinction.
Discoveries like the Camp dels Ninots fossils help scientists understand the long history of these extraordinary animals and how they have changed over millions of years.
Amazing tapir facts for kids
🦴 Tapirs have lived on Earth for millions of years.
🐴 Their closest living relatives are horses and rhinoceroses.
👃 A tapir’s nose and upper lip form a short, flexible trunk.
🌱 Tapirs are herbivores and eat leaves, fruit and other plants.
🌳 By spreading seeds in their poo, tapirs can help forests grow.
🔎 Scientists have now discovered seven prehistoric tapirs at Camp dels Ninots.
What can this fossil teach us?
A single fossil can tell scientists something about an animal.
But finding several animals of the same species at different ages is much more unusual.
The extraordinary collection of prehistoric tapirs at Camp dels Ninots could allow scientists to piece together the story of how these animals were born, grew up and changed throughout their lives.
Four million years after this young tapir lived beside a volcanic lake, its skeleton is giving scientists a remarkable glimpse into Europe’s prehistoric past.
Inspire your young scientist with Whizz Pop Bang!
Whizz Pop Bang is the award-winning science magazine for curious kids aged 6–12.
Every month, young scientists can discover incredible science stories, try hands-on experiments, meet real scientists and explore the amazing world around them.
Packed with facts, activities, puzzles and competitions, Whizz Pop Bang makes science exciting, accessible and fun.
Subscribe to Whizz Pop Bang and give your child a new science adventure every month!
