Electricity, Insects, and Ice: What You Didn’t Know

1. Did You Know Monopoly Is Not Just a Game?
In business, a monopoly means one company controls an entire market. For example, if there’s only one electric company in a country, that’s a monopoly. While it may sound powerful, monopolies aren’t usually good for the economy because having several companies competing is better for everyone.

2. Did You Know Lightning Is Actually Electricity?
Lightning happens when clouds release static electricity. That sudden zap also creates thunder. Since light travels faster than sound, we always see the lightning before we hear the boom.

3. Did You Know Ice Can Keep Warmth?
Eskimos build igloos from big blocks of ice not just because it’s available, but because ice can actually keep warmth inside. A well-built igloo can be around 40 degrees warmer inside than outside!

4. Did You Know Which Caterpillar Disguises Itself as a Snake?
The caterpillar of a butterfly found in Mexico has a clever trick to scare away animals that might eat it. It puffs up part of its body to look like a snake’s head!

5. Did You Know Which Hammer Floats in the Sea?
The hammerhead shark gets its name from its unusual head shape. Its eyes and nostrils are far apart, giving it amazing vision and smell. That hammer-shaped head also helps it swim quickly and turn sharply in the water.

6. Did You Know the Strongest Creature in the World Is an Insect?
The rhinoceros beetle may be small, but it’s incredibly strong. It can lift 850 times its own weight! If a person could do that, they’d be able to lift a large passenger ship.

7. Did You Know Electricity Can Be Made from Water?
Flowing rivers have a lot of natural power. Hydroelectric power stations use this force to turn turbines and make electricity from water.