Nicknamed “unicorn of the sea,”: Narwhals are a species of whale famous for its long ivory tusk.  Growing up to nine feet (2.5 meters) long, its tusk has millions of nerve endings, which may help narwhals find food. –wwf.ca

You read it first in The Factory in Guide magazine.

Have you ever been to the ocean?  Many have not. The water is very salty and has a fishy smell. Those who have been there may have had the privilege to swim or snorkel in it, as well.   You can float much better in the ocean, than in freshwater. 

Some people like to go fishing in the ocean.  Oceans have very different kinds of fish than rivers and lakes, and usually fish that are much bigger in size.  When people fish in the ocean they may want to catch things like tuna, swordfish, mackerel or sailfish. These would be really neat to see!

One of the most amazing ocean dwellers that I would want to see is the narwhal.  They belong to the whale family and live in the arctic waters. They have a long tusk growing out of their mouth.  This tusk is actually an overgrown tooth that grows in a spiral. And a special feature of this tusk is that it can bend up to 1 foot (0.3 meters) in all directions.

The narwhal has two teeth, both at the tip of the upper jaw. In males, usually only the left tooth develops. The resulting tusk can grow to about 10 feet (3 meters) long. It has spiral grooves on the surface. The right tooth in males and usually both teeth in females remain undeveloped. Some females, however, have one tusk. On rare occasions two tusks may develop in either males or females. That would be really neat to see as it is very uncommon!

Large male narwhals can grow to a length of 15 feet, and weigh up to two tons. A female can give birth once every three years, after a pregnancy of 15 months. At birth, the baby narwhal is about five feet long and weighs about 180 pounds. That’s a pretty big baby!

It was originally believed that males used their unique tusks to hunt prey and to compete for mates. However, scientists have discovered that the tusks are covered with sensory nerve endings. Through the nerves they are able to detect variations in the water, including temperature changes and salt levels. It is believed that their special tusk helps them to find food, as well, and/or for channeling and amplifying sonar pulses (which they emit). They like to eat things like shrimp, squid and fish.

Narwhal can dive deep into the sea to around 800 meters (just under half a mile), but can also sometimes dive up to 1,500 meters. This makes them one of the deepest diving sea mammals. Narwhals typically live about 25–50 years in the wild. However, some may live to more than 100 years.

God’s creatures are amazing!  And, if anyone asks if you have ever seen a unicorn, you can show them a picture of a narwhal! A real creature with a very long tooth!

This reminds me of Psalm 104, which says, “O Lord, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions - this great and wise sea, in which are innumerable teeming things, living things both small and great.” Psalm 104:24-25

—Carol Lyons, Assistant
Discovery Mountain

Scripture taken from the New King James Version, Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Low-light Lions: Housecats aren’t actually nocturnal (most active at night), as commonly believed. Truth is, they are crepuscular - which means they’re most active during the low light hours of dawn and dusk. –cattitudedaily.com

You read it first in The Factory in Guide magazine.

Many of my friends have pets.  Some are fierce dog lovers, while others prefer their cats the best!  I had always heard that cats are nocturnal, which means they would be most active at night. But, recently I read in Guide magazine that cats are actually crepuscular.  

Crepuscular is a term used to describe animals that are primarily active during the twilight. Twilight hours as opposed to diurnal and nocturnal. (diurnal - active during the day/nocturnal - active during the night). Crepuscular animals may also be active on a bright moonlit night. 

Deer are definitely crepuscular. When living in Minnesota, we would often see the deer feeding in the fields at dawn and dusk. And if they were going to run out in front of you to cross the road, that would be the time it happened. We had to watch very carefully.

Crepuscular mammals include the common mouse and rat. (Since the common mouse and rat are active in the twilight hours, perhaps that’s why cats are too!) It makes sense that animals would be most active at the time the food is most plentiful.

So, if cats were out hunting and living on their own and forced to provide for themselves, they’d hunt during twilight because A: it limits their risk of being seen by predators, and B: because they’re genetically designed to hunt at this time due to their eye structure. Those eye slits are a big reason for that, too.

A cat’s retina is very different from ours. They have a low concentration of cone receptors with a high concentration of rod receptors, and they do not possess the muscles necessary to change the shape of their eye lenses. Because of this they see very well during low light hours, and with the help of their whiskers picking up vibrations they are able to hunt or get around very well in the lower light hours.

Some species have different habits in the absence of predators. For example, the Short-eared Owl is diurnal on those of the Galapagos islands that do not have buzzard species, but crepuscular on the others.

Many animals that are casually described as nocturnal are in fact crepuscular. These animals include rabbits, ferrets, ocelots, bobcats, deer, and African wild dogs.  As well as squirrels, possums, wombats, bear, stray dogs, foxes, moose, skunks, spotted hyenas, and many more.

Jodi Ziskin, a pet coach in Northern California says, “In the wild, this is their hunting time. Cats tend to exert a whole lot of energy during these hours: pouncing, playing, and even getting ‘the zoomies.’ It’s a great time to play with your cat and then reward them with a meal.”

So, the next time your cat unmercifully wakes you up, just remember that’s the way he/she is wired. And if you are a morning person, that works out perfectly! Otherwise, be thankful you can at least get to see the sunrise!

—Carol Lyons, Assistant
Discovery Mountain

Scripture taken from the New King James Version, Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Feeling blue? Thanks to the presence of hemocyanin in their blood, most spiders have blood that’s colored blue. –a-z-animals.com

You read it first in The Factory in Guide magazine.

Disclaimer: Most people have no problem talking or reading about this subject. However, there are about 15% of people who faint at the sight of blood. So if you are one of those people who get queasy even read about it, you may want to pass on this one. 

Early on in life we learn that our blood is a dark red color. We either take a tumble or get hurt at the playground and have to find our mothers for a bandage, or maybe even an emergency room visit.  Yikes!  

Healthy blood is a dark red color because in it there is a protein called iron. Iron helps us to stay strong and feel good. Without enough iron, we would be anemic and feel tired all the time. The iron mixes with oxygen and circulates through our whole body by our hemoglobin. 

But did you know that there are some creatures that have other colors of blood?  For instance, New Guinea is home to multiple lizard species from the skink family with lime green blood. (Consequently, their tongues, muscles and bones are all various shades of green.)

Like humans, the reptiles have hemoglobin-rich red blood cells. Such cells do not last forever, and when they break down (in our bodies as well as the lizards'), the green-pigmented waste product biliverdin is made. 

Most vertebrates filter this stuff out of their circulatory systems. For them, excess biliverdin can harm cells, neurons and DNA. Yet the lizards have a level of biliverdin in their veins that would kill a human. Moreover, the pigment is so densely-concentrated that it overrides the hemoglobin and makes their blood look green.  Scientists are still researching why this color is dominant for the skinks.

Then there are the crocodile icefish who have no red blood cells or hemoglobin at all!  Because of the extreme cold, dark water where they live, regular blood would get too thick and clog. But the colder water is richer in oxygen. Crocodile icefish absorb some of this oxygen directly from the ocean and send it into their blood streams. The blood itself is a colorless liquid. Amazing!

Octopi and spiders have blue blood. Instead of hemoglobin with iron, they have what is called hemocyanin which contains the protein copper. When this is mixed with oxygen, it causes their blood to be blue.

Peanut worms, duck leeches, and bristle worms, all of which live in the ocean, use the protein hemerythrin to carry oxygen in the blood. Without oxygen, their blood is clear in color. When it carries oxygen, it turns purple!

God has created some very amazing creatures with some amazing creative detail!  As we learn about these creatures, we learn that there is an amazing Creator behind it all and He loves us very much!!

Jeremiah 10:12 says, “He has made the earth by His power. He has established the world by His wisdom…”

—Carol Lyons, Assistant
Discovery Mountain

Scripture taken from the New King James Version, Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Better known as “Nightmare Fuel”: The Harpy Eagle of Central and South America has a wingspan of up to 6.5 feet. The top predators in their food chain, their diet includes opossums, sloths, and monkeys.--audobon.org

You read it first in The Factory in Guide magazine.

Do you like eagles?  They are very majestic birds indeed! Maybe that is why several countries like to use their likeness on official emblems.  

For instance, for the United States, the American Bald Eagle is considered the national bird and a symbol of power, strength and freedom. The Harpy Eagle is not only the National Bird of Panama, it is also the emblem of the Colombian Air Force, the Ecuadorian symbol of biodiversity, and could be found on the Venezuelan 10 bolivares bills.

There are a variety of eagles. One of the biggest known is the Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja), and  is considered one of the most powerful and largest raptors globally. These birds are colored with grey heads, black backs and white bellies. Their talons are yellow, beaks are dark grey, and their eyes can be grey, brown or red.

The Harpy can stand up to 3.5 feet tall. In addition to its large body and broad wingspan (up to 7.5 feet), it has massive talons, and legs that can be as thick as a human’s wrist!

The length of the rear talons is about 4 to 5 inches, just the same as a grizzly bear's claws. The males can weigh anywhere from 9 - 11 pounds, and the females, who tend to be larger, can be upwards of 13 - 25 pounds or more.  Adult female harpies regularly grab large male howler or spider monkeys or mature sloths weighing 6 to 9 kg (13 to 20 pounds) in flight and fly off without landing - an enormous feat of strength. 

Their food consists mostly of tree dwelling mammals like opossums, sloths, and monkeys, but can also include other large birds like macaws and parrots; and even reptiles like iguanas, tegus and snakes. In very rare cases, they will take domestic livestock like chickens, lambs, goats and young pigs.

This eagle is a silent predator that glides across the forest like a stealth drone;...still it won’t fly long distances. It prefers to conserve energy and strength…instead, it sits and patiently waits until the prey comes to them.

The Harpy Eagle’s facial disk feathers can be lowered or lifted at will like an owl. This process helps them direct sound waves to their ears to improve hearing.  Its eyesight is 8 times better than humans, and when locked on a potential meal, they fly below the forest canopy and swoop in to catch their prey.

God’s creatures are fearfully and wonderfully made!  Perhaps that is why God liken’s those who hope in the Lord to eagle’s strength: Isaiah 40:31 reads, “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

Gain your strength from the Lord as you continue to exercise your faith!

—Carol Lyons
Discovery Mountain Team Member

Scripture taken from the New King James Version, Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Twigbrushes: The first known devices for brushing teeth date back to ancient Egypt, where people used frayed twigs to clean their teeth.  Some have been found preserved in Egyptian tombs. –bshm.org.uk

You read it first in this week’s The Factory in Guide magazine.

Did you know that in 2003, the toothbrush was selected as the number one invention the American public could not live without? The toothbrush has become an indispensable tool for our oral hygiene. 

If I go camping and I forget my toothbrush, oh how good it feels to finally have a toothbrush to clean my mouth again!! But, have you ever wondered how the ancients kept their teeth clean? Twigbrushes, of course!

Most historians agree ancient Babylonians and Egyptians created the first 'toothbrushes' from frayed twigs between 3500-3000 B.C. We know this because ancient Egyptians meticulously preserved items in their tombs, including these "chew sticks."

Chew sticks are twigs or roots of certain plants that are chewed until one end is frayed. This end can be used to brush against the teeth, while the other end can be used as a toothpick. According to Wikipedia, here is a partial list of tree species that can be used twigbrushes, and some have better cleansing properties than others:

• Salvadora persica.
• Sassafras.
• Gumtree.
• Lime tree (Citrusaurantafolia)
• Garcinia mannii in West Africa.
• Orange tree (Citrus × sinensis)
• African laburnum (Cassia sieberiana)
• Tea tree.

In Europe and North America, the tree species that can be used for twigbrushes are apple, pear, bamboo, fig, common walnut and willow, to name a few.

The first brushes came from China, where the Chinese made them out of hairs pulled from the back of wild hogs. The kind of toothbrush we know came from William Addis in England around 1780. He worked on the toothbrush while he was in jail. First, he saved a bone from one of his meals and poked some holes in it. The prison guard gave him some bristles. William tied the bristles into little bundles, cut them to make them even, put glue on the ends, and stuffed them into the holes. The company he started still makes millions of toothbrushes every year. Of course, now the use of nylon bristles is the most popular.

Here’s one last interesting fact, but first a question. What color toothbrush do you think is the most popular?

According to  stellarkids.com, blue is the most popular color. Is that what you chose?!! Well, whether it was blue or pink, remember to take care of your teeth so that they will last you for many years to come! 

Ocean red: A “red tide”, also known as a harmful algal bloom, occurs when colonies of algae grow out of control.  The mass of plant-like organisms produce toxic or harmful effects on people, fish, shellfish, marine animals, and birds – and often turns the water red. –noaa.gov

You read it first in this week’s The Factory in Guide magazine.

Don’t you just love to go to the beach in the summer?!! I do! There’s nothing better than being at the beach when the sky is blue, the clouds are white, and the sun is warm! You can hear the powerful waves crashing onto the rocks, and the seagulls calling to each other. So relaxing!

But then you look at the water and suddenly it’s not so beautiful. All along the beach you see red water washing up on shore! And, not only water, but fish. Dead fish!  And then the smell!! Terrible! What is going on?  And then you see them!  There are signs up every so often along the beach warning you about the Red Tide, and not to go near the beach or the water. 

If you do not live near the ocean, you may not know about red tide. Red tide, simply put, happens when certain algae bloom in or near the water all at once in the right conditions. If there is nothing to compete with  or hold back this algae, then it takes over. Red tide is an ecological phenomenon, also known as harmful algal bloom, or HAB.

Certain algae, phytoplankton and marine seaweed give off toxins that are harmful to the air as well as the water. And if enough of it blooms it can overwhelm the water areas killing the fish and poisoning the creatures that live there; creatures like shellfish, shrimp, mollusks and muscles. This is why you may want to think twice before having these items on your menu. Sadly, if people or birds eat these poisoned creatures, or breathe the toxic air, they can be in trouble, too!

However, not all algal blooms are harmful. In fact, most algae are good for the ocean ecosystem as they are at the base of the food web, feeding organisms from tiny animals called zooplankton to small fish that, in turn, support larger animals such as sharks, tunas and sea lions.

Once found primarily in the coastal waters of the United States and Europe, red tides have become a global problem. Some scientists think pollution may have a big part to play. Pollution can throw off the ecosystem enough for these blooms to happen and go unchecked by nature.

The next time you are at the beach, be sure to thank God for the beauty around you, and try to keep it cleaner than you found it so we will always have a healthy beach and ocean to enjoy.

"This great and wide sea, in which are innumerable teeming things, living things both small and great".  Psalm 104:25

Scripture taken from the New King James Version, Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Cold Light Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus is the most reflective object in our solar system. Its icy surface reflects about 100% of the light that reaches it. Because it doesn’t absorb much sunlight, its temperatures reach about -201 Celsius (-330 Fahrenheit). –science.nasa.gov

You read it first in this week’s The Factory in Guide magazine.

What is your favorite planet in the solar system?  For many, it is Saturn because of its cool rings which are made up of ice, rock and dust. And maybe because Saturn has more than 140 moons that orbit the planet.  It certainly is beautiful!

One of Saturn’s moons is called Titan. Titan is even bigger than the planet Mercury!  It’s huge!

Another moon that is really spectacular is Enceladus; the sixth largest of Saturn’s moons, it’s a small, icy world that has geyser-like jets spewing water vapor and ice particles into space. And, as mentioned above, this moon is extremely bright because it reflects almost 100% of the light that reaches it.

Can you imagine being on a moon that is so cold, it could get to -330 Fahrenheit??!! I can’t!! Bbbrrrr!  How can anything live there?  And yet, that’s exactly what some scientists are saying about Enceladus. They say it because this moon has “key ingredients that…could encourage and harbor it [life]”. Being able to research samples of the vapor coming from Enceladus, scientists believe it has a global liquid ocean under a deep, frozen crust, and likely has hydrothermal vents releasing hot, mineral-rich water into its ocean.

Because of some other moons close to it and their gravity pulls, the planet is stretched in an elliptical shape, so Enceladus is sometimes closer and other times farther from Saturn, causing tidal heating within the moon.

Enceladus isn’t very wide; in fact at around 310 mi/500 km, it’s almost as wide as the state of Arizona. Enceladus blasts icy particles out into space and creates its own ring around Saturn as it circles, this is called the E ring.

​​On August 28, 1789, a man by the name of Sir Frederick William Herschel, a German-British astronomer, discovered this bright, shining moon in its orbit around Saturn. In his lifetime, he also discovered Uranus, infrared radiation and binary stars.

This reminds me of Psalm 19: “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. 2 Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge.”

There are all kinds of things to discover. As you grow and learn, keep exercising your faith and allow God to guide you in your discoveries!

Scripture taken from the New King James Version, Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Starfish Don’t Look Like Fish Starfish (which aren’t fish, but are invertebrates like urchins and sponges) can not only regrow lost or damaged limbs, they may even shed an arm to escape a threat.--natgeokids.com

You read it first in this week’s The Factory in Guide magazine.

Going to the aquarium can be fun! You can see things you would maybe never see otherwise, especially if you don’t live near the water.  While there, you can see a lot of fish and even something called a starfish  - which is actually not a fish at all!

Typical starfish have about 5 arms/legs coming together at a central disc. They come in a multitude of colors, anywhere from blue or ivory to pink or brown. They can live about 35 years in the wild. 

They are carnivorous, (that means they eat meat) and they have no gills, fins, scales or backbone. They are invertebrates, which means they do not have a vertebral column. In fact, there are about 1,600 different species of starfish in the waters around the world. There are quite a few other creatures that are invertebrates. Some include squid, crabs, sponges, sea urchins and a number of insects, too.

Did you know that starfish have no brain or heart? They also don’t have blood. Seawater is pushed through their body delivering vital nutrients. In order to eat, they do something very interesting. They have a stomach that can digest food outside their body so that it can fit in their mouth.  This allows the food to be further broken down inside their body.

The largest starfish ever recorded is the very fragile brisingid Midgardia xandaros. In 1968, a specimen was collected in the Gulf of Mexico by a Texas AM University research vessel The Alaminos. The starfish measured an astonishing 1.38 m (4 ft 6 in) from tip to tip!

As well as their tough, prickly, armor-like skin, some have striking colours that camouflage them amongst plants and coral, or scare off potential attackers. And check this out, too – these cool creatures are able to regrow lost or damaged limbs! If under attack, some starfish will even shed an arm to escape the predator. It may take several months, but their limb will grow back! Amazing!

“O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions— This great and wide sea, In which are innumerable teeming things, Living things both small and great.” Psalm 104:24-25

Scripture taken from the New King James Version, Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Proof that chickens can fly: The first hot air balloon passengers were a sheep, a duck and a chicken.  In 1783, France’s King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette watched as the Montgolfier brothers successfully demonstrated the first balloon passenger flight, traveling about two miles in eight minutes before safely landing.--space.com

You read it first in this week’s The Factory in Guide magazine.

Have you ever wished you could fly?  I think, as children, we all wish we could fly at one time or another. Some people even dream they can fly! How exciting!  Maybe they were inspired by the angels we can read about in the Bible.

Flight has always been an exciting possibility, and through the years people have never given up working on some type of flying machine or another. The balloon, for instance, has been a concept that hasn’t changed a whole lot through the years. In fact, unmanned balloons have been around in some form for thousands of years. Ancient China is where we first learn of using hot air to make objects float.

The first hot air balloon to carry a person was made by the Montgolfier brothers. On 19 September 1783, they demonstrated their invention for King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette at the French court in Paris. The passengers were a sheep, a duck and a rooster. They flew for 480 metres. 

However, the first flight carrying a person was on 15 October 1783. It carried Jacques-Etienne Montgolfier. The balloon was attached to the ground by a rope. The first free flight, without being attached to the ground, was a few weeks later, on 21 November 1783. It carried Marquis François d'Arlandes and Pilatre de Rozier. Can you imagine being on that first free flight?! To be able to see for miles in every direction must have been awesome! Unless, of course, you were afraid of heights, then it was probably not so fun.

So, how does the hot air balloon work? First, you have a large balloon known as the “envelope” made of some type of non flammable material. This is what holds the hot air. The hot air is created by some kind of heat source called a “burner” which makes an open flame that shoots the heat up into the balloon. The flame is usually a mixture of liquid propane gas and air. And because the air around the outside of the balloon is colder than the hot air inside the balloon, it rises upward and becomes buoyant. The top of the balloon usually has a vent which allows the pilot to control the speed of ascent/descent (along with the burner). As time went on, a large sturdy basket was added for people to ride in.

In 1999 Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones became the first balloonists to complete a nonstop voyage around the world. Three years later U.S. adventurer Steve Fossett became the first person to complete the trip alone.

In Albuquerque, New Mexico, and other locations there are annual hot-air balloon festivals featuring hundreds of colorful balloons. I am sure it is an amazing sight to see! Can you spy the cow balloon in the photo above?! If you ever get the chance, go see one of these festivals. Or be sure to put it on your bucket list!

Nutty behavior:  Squirrels can bury thousands of nuts for each winter, and studies show they both store nuts across dozens of locations, and organize nuts by type. –scientificamerican.com

You read it first in this week’s The Factory in Guide magazine.

Well it’s winter again! Do you ever find yourself eating more when it’s cold outside, as if getting ready for hibernation like some animals?  And it gets dark so early! Do you find yourself getting sleepy as soon as the sun goes down? I do! What’s up with that?!  Well, hopefully I am not the only one. And hopefully, these things are normal.  

In the fall, I watch the birds and squirrels as they are so busy getting ready for winter. They work on beefing up their nests in the trees, filling them with lots of dead leaves and other materials to help keep out the cold winds. And the squirrels collect as much food as they can. Somehow, they go around and hide it all (this is called caching) and in the middle of winter and snow, they know exactly where to find it again! Amazing!

Being able to find food in the winter is of utmost importance for their survival.  It makes sense, therefore, that some species are able to smell food under a foot of snow. The squirrel will then dig a tunnel under the snow, following the scent to their (or another squirrel’s) buried treasure. 

It is estimated that gray squirrels bury about 10,000 nuts per year, and can hide 50 nuts per hour. And they can usually recover between 50-85% of their cache. And as our top paragraph above states, some species of squirrels even organize their caches by type - seeds here, acorns there, and peanuts over there! Wow! God has surely created them in an amazing way!

Squirrels, of course, are famous for hiding nuts as a food supply for the winter. But they also have to protect their precious cargo from other squirrels or birds (25 percent of their hoard is lost that way). So how do they do this? A biology professor at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania found that sometimes squirrels engage in deceptive caching. A squirrel will dig a hole and cover it up, all the while holding a nut in its teeth and not depositing it. The squirrel sometimes repeats this behavior several times. 

Another researcher found that when she and her students uncovered these holes, the squirrels dug subsequent holes in locations that were harder to get to. By the way, squirrels don't uncover all the nuts they've buried in holes — many of those acorns and other nuts may grow into trees. Thanks, squirrels!

Squirrels have four front teeth that grow continuously throughout their lives, at a rate of about six inches (15 cm) per year. (That's about a 1/2 inch every month!) This helps their incisors endure the seemingly incessant gnawing, otherwise they'd quickly run out of teeth. Can you imagine if human teeth grew that much in a year?!!! Yikes!

All in all, squirrels are very hard working animals. Let’s be like the squirrel. As he works hard to store up his food, let’s work hard to store God’s Word and promises in our hearts!  Psalm 119:11, “Your word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

Scripture taken from the New King James Version, Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.