Make a tornado in a bottle
Make a tornado in a bottle FACT: England holds the world record for the most tornadoes per square kilometre. It’s true! According to Guinness World Records, between 1980 and 2012, there were 2.2 tornadoes per year per 10,000 km2 in England. Most of the tornadoes struck in the Thames Valley. It’s England’s own Tornado Alley! […]
Why are flamingos pink
Why are flamingos pink? The animal kingdom is full of incredible colours. Birds in general sport some outrageous and beautiful feathers, but few are so iconic as the flamingo. It’s almost impossible to hear the word ‘flamingo’ without a flash of pink exploding in your brain, isn’t it? Pretty in pink Very few animals are […]
Top 7 Weirdest Things on Earth
It’s a Weird World! Top 7 Weirdest Things on Earth Planet Earth is full of strange and fascinating wonders, from bizarre animals to incredible natural formations. Here’s a look at some of the weirdest things that exist on our planet! 1. Aye-aye Aye-ayes (Daubentonia madagascariensis) are the weirdest nocturnal primates! With their oversized eyes, bushy […]
Top life-changing books
Top Books That Changed My Life If there is anything we know for sure at AQUILA HQ, it’s that books (and magazines) can revolutionise your outlook on the world. With that in mind, we asked our favourite poets, authors, comedians, and most excellent AQUILA people what their favourite books are. Charlotte’s Web by E.B White. […]
The Linguistic Genius of J.R.R. Tolkien
The Linguistic Genius of J.R.R. Tolkien: Inventing Languages for Middle-earth ‘In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit…’ begins Tolkien’s epic adventure The Hobbit. But where did the word hobbit come from? (An old English word for hole dweller? It sounds real, that’s for sure.) The word is in fact a neologism – a newly […]
Exploring Orphans in Literature
Orphans in literature From Harry Potter to Alex Rider, where would children’s stories be without orphans? Katherine Rundell – winner of the Blue Peter Book Award for best story – examines this popular archetype. There are good reasons for the wealth of fantastic, gutsy orphans in children’s stories. Parents, with their concern for safety and […]
Anansi and the Box of Stories: A West African Folktale and the Art of Storytelling
HOW TO TELL TALES Have you heard the West African story about a trickster-spider man, called ‘Anansi and the box of stories’? It’s all about how Anansi endured many trials set by the sky god, Nyame. In order to be granted the box of stories, Anansi has to bring Onini the mighty python, Osebo the […]
Let’s Celebrate World Book Day
Let’s celebrate World Book Day! Ten Terrific Ways to Celebrate Hooray! World Book Day is 30 years old. Being held on Thursday 6 March 2025, the event is funded by UNESCO as a charity to encourage young people and adults to read more and enjoy reading. Dressing up as a favourite character from a book has […]
Cast a footprint
Step on it – forensic footprint casting Footprints are often vital evidence in a criminal case, and how they are processed is changing. Professor Matthew Bennett and his team at Bournemouth University are using geoarchaeological methods to help the police analyse crime scene footprints. Their technique uses digital photographs taken from different angles around the […]
BERNARD SPILSBURY BRITAIN’S ‘FATHER’ OF FORENSIC SCIENCE
BRITAIN’S ‘FATHER’ OF FORENSIC SCIENCE Sir Bernard Spilsbury, generally regarded as the ‘father’ of forensic science in Britain, was so meticulous in his research into murder cases that on one occasion he almost caused a tragic death himself! Well, that doesn’t sound like a great start. What happened? Ed Brides in the bath The case […]