At least 800 people have been killed by bushfires in Australia since 1851, including 33 during the 2019-2020 Black Summer fires. This is the “world’s most venomous snake”, based on experiments with rodents in the 1970s, when the venom from one bite w

Cool fact: Australia has one of the world’s largest volunteer fire-fighter services. In NSW alone they have 1996 brigades! Always have a fire escape plan in your house, and discuss it regularly. Keep it pinned on the fridge as a reminder. ■

Today we gaze in awe at the stunning images of far-distant galaxies from the Hubble Space Telescope, but the first ones were small, simple instruments that magnified objects just three times bigger. They’ve been used by sailors (and pirates!) and the

You’re a long way from home just now, based in America while you train for the surfing tour. What do you miss most about Australia? I miss everything about Australia. I miss the simple lifestyle, the beaches, and my friends. Your whole family is athl

Which two are identical? Which two are identical? Crab, dolphin, hermit crab, lobster, manta ray, octopus, seahorse, shark, squid, turtle, whale. Octopuses have three hearts! And they can navigate through mazes. Amazing! Answers: Sharp Eyes: 2 and 4.

Our planet is not simply a solid ball of rock. The inner core is solid, very hot, and made up of iron and nickel, the outer core is liquid, but is also comprised of iron and nickel, and the crust is made of vast rocky slabs called tectonic plates. Th

1 Swap instead of Shop. Start your own rotating books, games and dvds program with your friends. 2 Buying vintage clothes instead of new can save you money, and also gain you some super-cool looks. 3 Shake up your current sneaker selection by threadi

On what day do lions eat the most? Chewsday. Why did the spider go on the computer? To check his website. How well did the hammerhead do on his maths exam? He nailed it. What do you call a thieving alligator? A crookodile. What do you call a wolf tha

What is it like seeing a funnel-web spider up close? The thing that really stands out is their massive fangs! They have two downward facing fangs that can be 6mm in length. Not only are they really long, they’re also really strong – they can pierce t

What: Tree nettle. Where: New Zealand. New Zealand’s tree nettle (urtica ferox, or in Maori, ongaonga) is up to 3m tall, and has been known to kill dogs and horses. Its stinging hairs inject toxins into the skin. What: Cassowary. Where: Australia. Ca

Try out 50+ art activities with the smart Sketcher from Kmart, rrp $89. Emma, 10, loves reading (especially Harry Potter), baking, swimming and playing chess, and wants to be a vet when she grows up. Learn how to code with this clever robot! Stanley

We dream big at Explorers Magazine. You’ll go on adventures, learn how to survive just about anything, and come face-to-face with deadly animals and live to tell the tale! Nothing is impossible with us, and while saving the planet is very important w

When she was 12, Lisa saw Mars in the night sky, and it fascinated her so much that she dedicated her life to exploring the mysteries of the universe. “Mars was the first night sky object I saw,” Lisa says. “It just happened to appear really bright i

What impact do our awful bushfires have? Fires kill mature trees, rob ecosystems of their vegetation diversity, and reduce food resources for wildlife. Displaced wildlife forced to flee from fires are more likely to be hit by cars and be predated on.

In 1999, Gene Moe bravely fought off a ferocious bear in Alaska. Gene was out on a hunting trip, and had just taken down a deer. He was skinning it when a bear charged at him. Too far from his rifle to grab it for defense, Gene was left with only a s

Aussie skater Keegan scored a 95.83 to secure the top spot on the Olympic Games podium! And his dad Chris thought he’d lose his lunch with nerves while watching. 1 Keegan was born in the US, but spent his childhood on Queensland’s Gold Coast, masteri

What made you want to live in a tank underwater for 12 days? At 15, I saw the Great Barrier Reef and tried scuba diving for the first time. I was hooked! Dad always told me: “If you dream it, you can do it,” so I entered Australian Geographic’s Live

step-by-step Explorers Sadly, green turtles are endangered. Their main threats come from getting caught in fishing gear, being hunted for their meat and eggs, eating plastic, and loss of beach nesting sites. ■

When I was little I used to try to save cicadas from birds during summer. I’d try to nurse them back to health. I was washed in a bucket on the beach when I was a baby, and grew up in a tent! I did a voiceover for The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part’s