The Mystery Issue by HIP 2B2

February 2011/Issue 36

think. what you can be

he u see t can y o icture? p hidden

info See pg 2 for

WIN Gadgets games & more

the mystery issue

investigating • Vampires • Aliens • Werewolves

• Mermaids • Mummies • Teleportation • Love • The future

ed’s letter

A new year. A new grade. And a brandnew issue of Welcome to th HIP2B2. e Mystery Issu e, packed wit stories and fr h strange eaky facts th at’ll really bo Where did th ggle your min e legend of va d. mpires begin? page 24. Wha t does a hair Get some an less cat have swers on Find out on pa to do with an ge 11. Does ancient riddle that cute girl quiz on page ? or guy really 16 and maste li ke you? Do th r the mystery asking questi e of love. Life ons and stretc is all about hing your brai That’s what th n to find answ is issue is he ers. re to do. So, go where no ar e you ready to learner has go ne before? I am … - jann

IMAGES: jan ras, Jacques Stander; FLICKR/Guillaume Brialon; flickr/Brooks Elliott; flickr/ una cierta mirada. Cover: Rune Skovbo Johansen/runevision.com

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n, once he moo t n o n the t ma onder is 2 nts the firs w , d g n n a o r r wa mst nde Neil Ar .’ HIP2B ates wo d e n r a c t y s r r rld yste unde the wo said, ‘M sire to about s an’s de u m tive, io f r o e be cu be cr a basis , o x t o u b o e th ire y velop ink out to insp rally de h u t t a o t n , you kills aths, these s around ou do m y … n s e m h it w roble owing solve p jects. ven kn e u o ed sub y t t la u e r o after h y wit t to do nolog n h a c t e w t u d an he bes t yo orry! T science tly wha w c a ’t x n e o d g kin t– know by wor If you ut if no ations reat! B d g n u r ’s o t f a v th olid hate e school, is lay s u for w o o d y e n r a a n rep ou c you g needs thing y is will p y h r T t our n l. u o r co ve in y scho life. Ou u belie o hard at in y , o lp d e in to h y do g oose to ’re here ou enjo e y you ch w t a d e h n a tw his n w reneurs k abou ls for t in a h o T g ! entrep t e som uccess. illian … set th to s o be br a f t o p y g m it a il in re ab inn o you d on a w what d ou’ll be y d n a year yn

by ered a pioneworth, is Square , ² B HIP2 Shuttle ned by B Ltd. Mark mark ow ns (Pty) trade unicatio Comm

.• ) Ltd 2011e ions (Pty in municat t of the magaz n om C re t BSqua ted, the conten ons Attributio copyrigh is e no omm IONS • ©Unless otherwis r the Creative C ew a copy of th r CONDIT & S M r furthe d unde R 2.5. To vi TE is license e, South Africa by-sa/2.5/za/. Fo ember em ns ike Lice s.org/licenses/ • SMS RULES: R d at R1 on Share Al . ge mercial /creativecomm ww.hip2b2.com l SMSs are char rules, om C on :/ w N Al tion visit http se, visit ur SMS. competi license, ion on this licen surname in yo formation on content and the in d r at or an he -f rm e rt id m fu NTENT: info arks, pa y. • For e your na com. CO to includ inutes don’t appl (Pty) Ltd trademsit www.hip2b2. ply: • Not all ap vi ns s m io le se ga – free Communicat aways, plea ing ru thr by makin e follow - ca BSquare reviews and give work to us, th e under 18 then sion of your is ur ar rules on bmission of yo hed. • If you have the perm the publisher is to u On the su ons will be publ enting that yo on. • You grant yalty-free es submissi on you are repr e the submissi irrevocable ro magazine e ak an si th m d is in Lt to ty) apt ion subm Editor Janna Joseph | Group art director Jane Eagar | Managing editor Lindy-Joy Dennis | guardian publicat ations (P ght to ad parent or re Communic for purposes of l include the ri se your ua al Copy editor Anthony Sharpe | Publisher Helena Gavera | Educational consultants Wordwise | Magazine published on k en Sq sh wor -lic ch re ur hi and B ns w to yo ea n, e m us is atio ws to us behalf of BSquare Communications (Pty) Ltd by New Media Publishing (Pty) Ltd New Media House,19 Bree Street, license gital communic and which allo license. What thYou shall s e, di Cape Town, 8001; Tel 021 417 1111; Fax 021 417 1112 Advertising Head office Cape Town 021 417 1111 | and for for this purpos ative Common us a license. • to another re the work on under any C pyright but give lly similar work 12 National advertising director Aileen O’Brien 021 417 1228; aileen.obrien@newmediapub.co.za | submissi u still own the co or a substantia , for a period of e all Digital editors Jill Cicero and Angela Aschmann, Pixelink24 | Digital publisher Gillian Loos, Pixelink24 | k ed yo or We read people is that it the same w ted or web-bas • You will mak in all k. bsquare communications (Pty) ltd HIP2B2 General manager Cathryn Treasure | Brand manager Louise Day | not subm n, whether prin ion of your wor you is accurate pied io at co production & circulation Production manager Shirley Quinlan | Circulation manager Neilton Adams 021 417 1214 | publicat ter the public k submitted by own and not af ur en taken or s w yo th at be th ill mon k has be s as w re Reproduction New Media Repro | Printing Paarl Media, Paarl | For all New Business enquiries contact Bridget McCarney at 021 417 1111 | or d su w te en it ur forts to All work subm that where yo other source ef Finance manager Mark Oaten | Editorial director Adelle Horler | Creative director Crispian Brown | Production director Lucrezia Wolfaardt | pt .• om ed. respects r sources, exce ation taken fr ust be mention rm Executive directors Editorial development director Irna van Zyl | Business development director John Psillos | Managing director Bridget McCarney | from othe based on info w, all sources m is la While precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of information, neither the editor, publisher, New Media from or d by copyright Publishing nor BSquare Communications can be held liable for any inaccuracies, injury or damages that may arise. permitte

ABC 98 542

Email: thinkoutloud @hip2b2.com

Visit our website: www.hip2b2.com

community of hip: Your news, your views ...... 4

Join our Facebook page (search HIP2B2)

smart news: Killer bugs and Tweeting dogs ........ 6

To find us, hit Tradepost, then Entertainment, then Mag Rack

what’s inside: A digital camera? ............. 8

Wanna talk to us?

Out of this world: Places of mystery ........ 10

Valentine quiz: Do you understand the laws of love?..... 16

cracking careers: Get a job solving mysteries ........ 18

to the future (& beyond): What life will be like in 2100 .... 20

Making magic: Are you the next David Copperfield? ............. 22

vampires & werewolves: Where the legends began ........ 24

pop culture: For your entertainment ..... 30

it’s puzzle time: Train your brain – and win! ..... 32

smart style: Funky gadgets and freaky fashion ...... 28

that y e new and be I am th to make sure nk, ask why i . This h e r t he you things nd g n i t i and I’m that makes c a ex munity nfo 2 ew and fresh i over n e HIP2B com e to catch c s i d o p th dt le. I ho – even inspire o grow possib hope t s or a t e i s w X r e M r, yea soon! learn or on y n e a g a m event p s n k a a o h t o c a b ce ce rea our Fa e to fa you on meet you fac e g uis – to - lo at I sin better e is th m t e u h t o both act ab A fun f d, and I play PS: n a . no ck b and pia in a ro guitar

ure the hidden pict can you seethe ? cover on n loads of

Photograph: Ilonka Gray

hello hip2b2: Meet our new Brand Ambassadors ..... 9

contents

ers!t HIP2B , t s p i H o HellBrand Manager aou get loads of

to page 29 to wi – If you can, turn yet, don’t worry you can’t see it If e f! th uf in st t e in om po awes at a eyes and stare just relax your conds. A shape se 20 to 10 r fo e ur ct pi e – keep staring middle of th t of the pattern ou p m ju to ntact t ar will st : If you wear co it clearly. Note e se e n or ca m u e yo Th out. until lp to take them s, tip e or m r lenses, it may he Fo . e easier it gets .com. b2 p2 you practice, th hi w. ww ver’ on search ‘mag co

SMS ‘HIP’ and your thoughts to 32976

R1/SMS. Ts & Cs on pg 1.

Fax: 021 461 9742

PO Box 440, Green Point, Cape Town, 8051

find crazy facts at the bottom of every page, starting right here: No English word rhymes with silver, orange or purple.

Hey Karabo Thanks for your email. It’s always cool when you realise how something in your everyday life works! Keep applying what you knows learn to the world around you and who a (Ed) Jann … day one with up e com what you’ll

YOU SMSED 0 TN I DN T, U 0 B MY U N 2SY CK T WA LY RO YS... REA LD GU M R N WO UP. 4R ABO I H G I T B Y DD RU UNDA NGA C SE MALA U MP

TED I D E U O Y or) nna (the Edit ners joined Ja

cky lear help These five lu 2 ber 2010 to ce in Decem fi of left 2B om Fr IP H e. at the this issu mba, t to put into ge ha w an ur de ag ci M de her e: Tendai ov ab o ot ph e rt, to right in th , Janeal Delpo , Janna (Ed) an m ie N n ia W e. Lauren Buckl Jaydey Sass, ed! ck ro u yo ys … Well done, gu

Your news, your views

of HIP

WIN!

Wanna brush up on your English, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Afrikaans, Sesotho, Setswana or Sepedi? Then you need one of these interactive dictionary CDs, which use games to teach you over 3 000 words in any of these languages. To win one, SMS ‘HIP’ followed by ‘language’ to 32976. R1/SMS. Terms and conditions on pg1.

On MXit Jill’s Jabber If you’re terrified of that drilling sound you often hear at the dentist, no need to fear anymore. A new gadget has been developed to cancel out that awful sound. A group of scientists in London have developed a device that not only cancels out the sound, but also allows you to listen to your own music. The gadget contains a chip that analyses the incoming sound wave and produces an inverted wave to cancel out the unwanted noise. Patients hook up their MP3 player to the device, then plug in their headphones…and voila! Do you think this will help people overcome their fear of going to the dentist? – Jill, Online Ed. No. I don’t think it makes fear go away because the pain will still be there – from Mac Maine

images: flickr/steve shroeder; flickr/john watson:flickr/Xbeckie Boox; flickr/pete simon; jan ras/nmp photography

YOUR SPACE

YOU EMAILED

Hi HIP2B I’d like to share a cool fact with you: When you are travelling in a vehicle, you are moving at the same velocity as the vehicle. When the vehicle suddenly slows down, you’ll continue to move forward at your original velocity due to your inertia. So you better buckle up! Kind regards KARABO NGWATO 2

WANNA BE THE NEXT LEARNER EDITOR? We need five new learners to help us make the next issue. If you’d like to be one of them, email your name, school, grade and contact number to thinkoutloud@hip2b2. com, with the subject: ‘HIP editor’.

FACT FILE: Sound doesn’t travel in a vacuum, because it needs a medium through which it can travel, like air or water. That’s why you

YOU FACEBOOKED

BRAND AMBASSADOR NEWS

HIP2B2: If aliens were to visit our planet, what’s the one thing you’d want to show them?

r u online?

To check out the winning mag , see the ‘Magazine’ section on www.hip2b2.com.

Edgar Oarabile Ntsonyana A way back home James Green I would show them the effects of our sicknesses and disease, perhaps they could help Msawenkosi DeclaratioNs Hlatshwayo I would show them who’s the boss. Dean Tino Maponga kfc!!! Keleabetswe Mickey Tshidi I wud tak dem hom as my guests nd den shw dem my twnshp!!! Sharan Deepa if they endanger me in anyway, il show them my dogs. Ryan Neill Mockey I would show them my planet and ask what can we do 2 save it from a disaster waiting 2 happen Thabo ‘Konvict’ Rankoe I wld show them hospitality an hope dat they’l do da same 4 us in their home planet. Cameron Geldenhuys I would show myself :) and ask them if they can take me with!!! (“,) Ryan Erasmus id show them my car and say “wanna trade’’? lol

Wanna chat to us and other HIP2B2 fans? Search ‘HIP2B2’ on Facebook.

YOU won!

Last year, we asked you to make a magazine and send it to us, and the learners at Harmony High, 2Free State, answered our call. Here they are with their HIP2B prizes. Well done, guys!

Limpopo’s ba Genevieve Botha goes green – in style This is a dress I made for Miss Limpopo Teen 2010. We had to make our own dresses out of recyclable material, so I chose garbage bags and playing cards. The pageant took place on 4 December, 2010. I was in the top five and won Miss Photogenic Teen 2010. It was one of the best experiences ever, and it’s definitely something I’d like to do again.

Pass it on!

The very first smiley By Pulsar

Ever wonder when the first smiley was typed? Who invented it and why? Well, big thanks to Scott E Fahlman, the man who invented the first ‘emoticon’, more commonly known as a smiley. He invented it to help people know when a remark was meant to be humorous. The Computer Science community at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, USA, was the first to use this smiley system: at the time they used ‘:-)’ which meant that the text was not to be taken seriously and ‘:-(‘ which meant it was serious. This was his original post: “19-Sep-82 11:44 Scott E Fahlman :-) I propose the following character sequence for joke r us like markers: ‘:-)’ Read it sideways.” Wanna write fo 2b2.com .h w w ip And thus the smiley was born. Pulsar? Hit w INK.crew. th Can you invent a new one? and join e TH

YOU WROTE

can’t play your favourite tune on the moon! (fact sent by Karabo Ngwato).

Help us spread the word of HIP2B2! Read this magazine, then give it to at least four friends to read. Then send us all your names, email addresses and the story that each of you liked best in this issue and you could win a Nintendo DS console and a copy of Professor Layton and the Unwound Future, a mystery puzzle game. You can enter by post (HIP2B2, PO Box 440, Green Point, Cape Town, 8051), by email (thinkoutloud@hip2b2.com) or by fax (021 461 9742).

Got a cool fact for us? Email thinkoutloud@hip2b2.com.

our wired world

smart news I KNOW WHAT YOU WANT

SPIDER-HUNTING, THE LAZY WAY

You can find just about anything you want online. But how do you know Assassin bugs (Stenolemus bituberus) are smart spider-killers. They that something you’d like is out there if you don’t, well, know it’s out can sneak up to one, stab it with dagger-like mouthparts and chow there? That’s where Hunch (www.hunch.com) comes in. Kind of like a cross between a social network and a search engine, down. But just like you get takeaways when you don’t feel like going Hunch is really good at finding stuff you’d like. But how does it out, these bugs know how to get their meal delivered. They just sit know? Well, first it asks you tons of questions about yourself. on a web and pluck the threads, and the spider comes to get eaten. Then, it compares your answers with those of other people What brings the spider over? The assassin bugs produce short, who are similar to you, and uses this info to collect things that would appeal to you. high-pitched, fairly weak vibrations, like those of a moth moving It can tell you things you never knew about weakly in the web. They don’t copy the impact of a large yourself (did you know, for example, that insect struggling to free itself, because that kind if you believe in UFOs, you’re more of vibration makes the spider rush over with likely to prefer Pepsi to Coke?), In 1917, two young girls in Cottingley, killing on its mind … and the bugs prefer and it can help you find all England, caught fairies (the tiny winged sorts of stuff you’d like to know their victims a little less on guard. Nothing creatures) on camera in their garden. about, buy or do. And we have a The photos looked so real that they even like the element of surprise, right? hunch you’ll like it … convinced Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator

did you know

scIENCE CENTRE UPDAT E

of Sherlock Holmes, that fairies existed – war of the websites he wrote a book called The Coming of the Google and Facebook are the biggest, Fairies. Decades later, the women admitted most-used websites in the world. And now it was a hoax – the ‘fairies’ were just they’re just not friends anymore. paper cutouts pinned to bushes in the Until recently, Google gave Facebook free garden. access to its info – which is why you can import

If you live in Cape Town and you want to expand your mind, you’ll probably go to the MTN Sciencentre at Century City. But you won’t find it there any more … No, don’t wor ry, the centre’s not closin g down – it’s just moving to Upper Main Road, Obs ervatory. The newly named Cape Town Science Centre will have its own building, and it’s going to be more mind-boggling than eve r! There’s still a lot of work to be done but, if all goes well, it should be open by September 2011. But the centre could use all the support Got a smart idea you don’t it can get – so tell your friends, want anyone else to copy? your parents and your cou sin’s Search for ‘trademark’ on roommate’s best friend’ s uncle www.hip2b2.com to find that the Science Centre needs their out what you can do. help. Email julie@mtnscie ncentre.org.za.

protect your ideas

your Gmail contacts into Facebook. But now, Facebook has struck a huge deal with Microsoft’s search engine, Bing, and they’ve limited Google’s access to user data. In response, Google is now blocking Facebook’s access to its contact lists. If you’ve seen The Social Network, you know how messy online battles can get. And this one is just beginning – Facebook keeps launching services that compete with Google’s, and Google is planning to create a social network. Ouch!

FACT FILE: The most venomous spider in the world is the Brazilian wandering spider, or Phoneutria nigriventer. Phoneutria is the Greek

Just hang up already!

Pretty much everywhere you go, people are talking. On the bus, on the train, on the taxi, at the mall, at the next table in the restaurant. Normally we don’t even notice. But when someone starts jabbering on their phone in public, it can quickly get on your nerves. And hearing one side of a conversation is now so common that it’s got its own name: the halfalogue. Now researchers have found out why the halfalogue really bugs you. It seems your brain has to work harder when processing less predictable information, so you’ll find this kind of info harder to ignore. A monologue (one person talking) is pretty simple for your brain, and two people talking isn’t much tougher. But when you hear a halfalogue, your mind works overtime to fill in the gaps and decide whether it’s important. Nobody likes to hear only half …

OF THE OCEAN SNAKES: FORTUNE TELLERS

BY Nicklaus Kruger; images: flickr/Donald Hobern; flickr/ Andrew Stawarz; flickr/ earthhopper/flickr/ -eye. contact!; flickr/ Rebekah Pavlovic; mtn scieneccentre

d on. octopus has passe Paul the psychic gdom an the animal kin But that doesn’t me … dicting the future is giving up on pre Island in Taiwan. passed over Orchid In 2009, a typhoon e the snakes there befor been counting sea Researchers had d afterwards. An a counted them again y the d an , on ho typ counting during the zy) scientists went few hardcore (or cra ted typhoon, they coun fore and after the Be . elf its on ho typ ys of crazy weather, But during the da about 20 snakes. ’t very happy). snake (and it wasn they saw only one hoon? The akes avoid the typ So how did the sn re air pressure, the mo that the higher the nd fou ers rch ea res s drops when there’ . And air pressure snakes they found y the air get thin, the en the snakes felt wh So . on ho typ a s ir underwater home to slither off to the knew it was time rm to pass. and wait for the sto

word for ‘murderess’.

DID YOU KNOW?

These snakes may live in the sea, but they only drink fresh water (or very diluted salt water).

THE PRINTABLE CAR We can download music and movies with a few clicks. So why can’t we do the same with cars? Well, maybe some day we will … Canadian engineering company Kor Ecologic and American 3D printing company Stratasys have joined forces to create the Urbee, the only car to have its entire body made using a 3D printer. But we’re not talking about ink and paper here. This printer slices a computer image of the car into 2D layers. Then, it prints the separate layers on top of each other to form the shape of a 3D car. But unlike a normal printer, which sprays out ink, this printer sprays out droplets of the materials that make up a car. It’s still in its early stages, but imagine what else you’ll be able to print one day …

DOGS CAN TWEET! Dogs are very social creatures, but they just don’t seem to get the whole social networking thing. At least, they didn’t until now. The Canine Twitterer dog tag has a built-in motion sensor and microphone that ‘interprets’ your pet’s activities and chooses from 500 doggy-appropriate tweets (like ‘Rover is taking a nap’). The tweets are sent to a USB receiver, which should be plugged into an internet-connected computer within a 30 m radius. And just like that, your pup will be posting his thoughts (or what the Canine Twitterer thinks are his thoughts) online! And let’s face it: he’ll probably be a whole lot more interesting than Paris Hilton.

FAST FACT

The New Guinea Singing Dog is no ordinary pooch. It can climb trees like a cat and it can even sing! http://tinyurl.com/singdog

On average, 247 billion emails are sent every day – that’s 2,8 per second. And about 80% of them are spam.

deconstruction

a digital camera? Ghosts. Fairies. The Loch Ness Monster … Many great mysteries have been captured on camera. But how does this technology turn a sighting into a snap? Well, when you press the shutter release button (1), the shutter – a metal window behind the lens (2) – opens, letting light enter the camera. Inside, it hits a light-sensitive surface – film in an old-fashioned camera or a sensor in this modern model. Digital cameras use one of two sensors: either a CCD (charge coupled device) (3), which takes better-quality photos, or a CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor), which isn’t as good but uses less power (you’d probably find this in your cellphone camera). Shutter release button (1)

The sensor is made up of millions of tiny To download electrical devices called photodiodes (4). a digital version of These get charged by light – the brighter it is, the this page, search more charged each photodiode gets, and the brighter ‘deconstruction’ on that spot (or pixel) on the final photo will be. www.hip2b2.com. Photodiodes only measure brightness, so you’d charge end up with a black and white photo if it wasn’t coupled for the Bayer filter mosaic (5). This is a grid of device (3) Colour red, green and blue filters (the human eye can filters Light only pick out these three basic colours), which from scene cover the photodiodes. Each pixel takes on the colour of the filter covering its photodiode, and the camera uses nearby pixels to work out what each pixel’s final colour should be. Phew! And you thought taking a photo was easy … Photodiodes (4) Focus-assist light (helps Bayer filter mosaic (5) camera focus when Microphone there’s dim lighting) Shooting-mode dial (to choose the type of pic you want, eg action or portrait)

Camera body

DID YOU KNOW?

Those tiny cameras that surgeons use to see inside your body (called endoscopes) work in a similar way to this camera. In fact, some of them contain up to three CCDs, while this camera only has one! The first medical endoscope was created in 1806, and was basically just a candle attached to a thin tube. Ouch!

USB output port (to download your pics) Flash capacitor (powers the flash) Viewfinder (the part you look through)

Lens (2)

Charge coupled device (3)

Flash diffuser (softens the light from the flash)

FACT FILE: The word ‘camera’ originally comes from the Latin ‘camera obscura’, which means ‘dark chamber’ in English.

illustration and text: bruce farthing

Electronic camera flash

hello HIP2B2

meet your new brand

Ambassadors!

Vishaal Singh Maritzburg College, Pietermaritzburg, KZN

Mbali Mbunda Durban Girls High, KZN

Kaylin Samlaal Heather Secondary School, Pietermaritzburg, KZN Valerie March St George’s Grammar School, Cape Town, Western Cape

Dumisani Zitha Florapark Comprehensive High School, Polokwane, Limpopo

Trent Marescia St George’s Grammar School, Cape Town, Western Cape

Christoff Coetzee Pietersburg Hoërskool, Polokwane, Limpopo

Edward Reynierse Goudveld Hoërskool, Welkom, Free State

Kirsten Porter Harvest Christian School, PE, Eastern Cape

Joyce Mokhobo Eunice High School, Bloemfontein, Free State

Elijah Djan Ferdinand Postma High School, Potchefstroom, North West

Gemma-May Grotepass Pretoria High School for Girls, Gauteng

After catching more than 20 flights, travelling over 6000 km, reading 850 application forms from 250 schools in 9 provinces, interviewing 350 learners and drinking 116 cups of coffee, we have chosen your 20 new HIP2B2 Brand Ambassadors for 2011. Look out for these faces at a school near you!

Refilwe Mkhwanazi B.A. Seobi Secondary, Potchefstroom, North West Thokozile Malaza Pretoria High School for Girls, Gauteng Ngozi Olojede Roedean School, Johannesburg, Gauteng

TALK 2 US

Wanna know more about us? Visit our profiles at www.hip2b2.com or chat to us on Facebook or MXit.

FACT FILE: A pigeon has more neck vertebrae than a giraffe.

Mbali Hlangani Victoria Girls High School, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape

Tsholofelo Ndlovu Kimberley Girls’ High, Northern Cape

BW Oosthuizen Hoërskool Sentraal, Bloemfontein, Free State Theunis van der Merwe Barberton High School, Mpumalanga

Kurt van Staden Grey High School, PE, Eastern Cape

Got a cool fact to share with us? Email thinkoutloud@hip2b2.com.

The missing mummy mystery In 1903, two mummies were found in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. At first, nothing seemed special about them – they were buried in a simple tomb and didn’t have any fancy treasures. In fact, while one of the mummies was in a coffin, the other was just lying on the ground. But two things caught archaeologists’ eyes: the mummies were found near the royal burial place, and the one on the ground had her left arm crossed over her chest and her fist clenched – the way royals were buried.

So who was she?

For decades, scientists argued about who this mummy could be. Some thought she was a servant, but others thought they had finally found the body of Queen Hatshepsut, a powerful pharoah who ruled Egypt about 3 500 years ago. The final piece of the puzzle was hidden inside a small wooden box, which was found in a separate tomb, close to Hatshepsut’s temple. An inscription said it contained the queen’s mummified – or preserved and dried – liver (eugh!). But it also contained something else … A CT scan of the wooden box showed that an ancient tooth was inside, and this turned out to be the key to the mystery of the missing mummy …

The whole t(r)ooth To find out who the tooth in the box belonged to, scientists scanned the mummies’ mouths … and the mummy with her arm crossed over her chest was missing that exact tooth. Queen Hatshepsut had been found. But if this really was the queen’s body, then why was it buried like that of a servant? Well, it turns out Hatshepsut’s stepson, Thutmose III, didn’t really like her. So, when Queen Hatshepsut died, Thutmose did everything he could to erase the legacy of his stepmom. There were even rumours that he had her murdered! But foul play has now been ruled out: Hatshepsut’s scan showed she probably died of bone cancer. Sjoe! And we thought soap operas only happened on TV …

BY Linda Pretorius; photographs: flickr/vic deLeaon; flickr/ akira ohgaki; flickr\ian robertson; flickr/ jerome bon; flickr/gisela giardino; flickr/mihal s. Dr Zahi Hawass/ www.drhawass.com

mysterious PLACES

Egyptian mummies, disappearing ships, sea creatures in the desert. Let’s explore some of the strangest places – on land, at sea and beyond.

FACT FILE: At about 400 m below sea level, the Dead Sea between Israel and Jordan is the lowest place on Earth. The water contains about

ELF DO IT YOURS

Pyramid power It’s said that pyramid shapes have special powers, and that food placed under a pyramid will take longer to go off. But don’t take our word for it – test it out for yourself:

The Riddle phinx of the S be the most

hinx may The Egyptian sp es but sphinx figur famous example, the in found elsewhere are also actually e to mythology, th world. According Thebes of the Greek city sphinx guarding e, to solve this riddl asked travellers ’t: dn ul co le them up if they and would gobb es on in the morning go ‘Which creature in the day on two, and four legs, at mid e ree, and the mor evening upon th ?’ be aker it legs it has, the we e t th answer? Can you work ou

fast fact

The Sphynx – spelled with a ‘y’, unlike Egypt’s famous statue – is a rare hairless cat breed.

Answer: Man (crawls as a baby, walks as adult and in old age walks with a cane).

R1/SMS. Ts & Cs on page 1.

The Sahara Sea?!

What is a CT scan? A CT or computerised tomography scan is a detailed X-ray image. Normal X-rays show a body part from one angle. But a CT scan takes X-ray images from several angles and puts them together to form one 3-D image.

33% salt – much more than normal sea water.

Cut four triangles out of cardboard, each with a base of 9,5 cm and two sides of 9 cm. Join them together to make a miniature pyramid with the same proportions as Egypt’s Great Pyramid of Giza – your model’s height will be about 6 cm. Cut a 5 x 5 cm hole in one side, so air can flow in and out. Place a piece of fruit underneath the pyramid, on a box about 4 cm high, so the food is two thirds up from the pyramid’s base. Put another piece of the same fruit at the same height outside the pyramid. This is the height where the pharaohs’ tomb chambers apparently were in real pyramids. Leave both pieces for the same amount of time. Did the covered fruit last longer? Email a photo of the two pieces and your explanation to thinkoutloud@hip2b2.com, or MMS a photo to 32976.

The desert is not the best place to look for seashells or whales. But you’d find both – or what’s left of them – in an area close to the Egyptian Sphinx. The limestone from which the Sphinx has been carved is layered with the shells of ancient sea animals. And in 2005, palaeontologists – who study ancient life forms – found the skeleton of a 40 million-year-old whale-like creature in the desert not far from the Sphinx site. This means that what we know today as the Sahara desert was once a sea.

seeing is believing

To watch this easy DIY experiment, visit the ‘Video’ section on www. hip2b2.com.

Octopi are the best colour changers in the animal world, but they can’t see in colour.

wave warrior

Some people run from monster waves. South African Chris Bertish rides them . . . get on the surfboard with him at http://tinyurl.com/ surfwithchris. Strange things happen at sea. You’ve heard of the Bermuda Triangle, where ships disappear, but did you know there’s a similar place called the Dragon’s Triangle, somewhere between Japan, the Philippines and Taiwan? According to Japanese legend, a sea dragon guards the area and destroys any ship that passes through. Several ships have been lost there, and after sending out a research vessel in 1952 – which never returned – the Japanese government declared the area a danger zone. (Hint: your clue for the cover is in this paragraph.)

photographs: flickr/Scott Robinson; courtesy echo caves

Sea dragons? Seriously?!?

Mythical dragons aren’t the likely culprits. The Kuroshio current between Taiwan and Japan’s east coast is a hot spot for freak waves, which can be more than 20 m high. They can develop almost from nowhere in seemingly calm seas, and they can disappear just as quickly.

But why do the ships disappear?

‘If a ship plunges into a wave, the water pushes down on the front,’ says Dr Marten Grundlingh, oceanographer at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Cape Town. ‘Because it’s made to float, the ship will push up against the water. Under a big wave, the front panels will be pushed outwards – like a banana being squashed.’ If a ship gets pulled underwater, you’re unlikely to see it again. The sea around this area is on average 3,5 km deep. But even at 100 m, the water is so dark that it’s hard to see anything. This could explain why ships ‘disappear’.

Turning wave power into brain power Big waves may be scary, but they also contain lots of energy. This can be used to generate electricity, usin g huge, slinky-like generators that float on the surface of the water. Whe n a wave pushes against a generat or, the movement drives motors that produce electricity. But Doug da Costa, a Durban inventor, has an even better idea . Unlike other generators, Doug’s desi gn of crossbars between two floating tubes allows energy to be collecte d from a few points at once, increasi ng the amount of electricity generat ed. He’s already had his invention patented and tested. His advice to young inventors: ‘Keep dreaming … and when an idea hits, keep working on it until it wor ks.’ For more info on Doug’s invention, search ‘waves’ on www.hip2b2.com .

In the early 1920s, a farmer in the Limpopo Province went searching for some cattle. Instead, he found a huge cave system, which contained something far more interesting than cows: stalactites, which are limestone spikes hanging from the roof. And when a specific stalactite in one of these caves is tapped with a stick (who knows why he did this), it creates a sound that echoes through the 40 km-long cave and can even be heard outside. Scientists have found evidence that local tribes used the caves for shelter hundreds of years ago, and think they used the stalactite as a ‘drum’ to sound the alarm when danger approached. No-one knows where the caves actually end.

FACT FILE: According to the United Nations, the global fishing industry will collapse by the year 2050 because of over-fishing.

IS THERE LIFE IN OUTER SPACE? Earthlings have been scanning space for signs of life for ages. But we’ve never found much to get excited about … until one day in 2003. It all happened thanks to an online project called SETI@home. SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) is an organisation that sifts through radio signals from telescopes around the world, searching for life in space. This requires serious computer power, which is where SETI@home comes in. Basically, this project links ordinary people’s home computers to form a mega-network that scans the signals. Users just download a screensaver, and it does the research when no one’s using the PC.

In 2003, three computers picked up a weird signal from Puerto Rico. The frequency belonged to no man-made communication, and it came from an area where there aren’t any obvious stars or planets within 1 000 light years. The frequency also drifted between eight and 37 hertz per second, which you’d only get from a transmitter rotating 40 times faster than Earth. Sure, there might be a totally boring, un-alien explanation, like a man-made signal being reflected back onto a telescope from the ground, or some natural phenomenon we just don’t know about yet. For now, though, we can only wonder …

galaxy? me all solar r u o in s n e li re re the a ain, if we assu

We asked Mark Shuttleworth What was it like to go into outer space? It was part adventure, part work, part making sure I did my own laundry! The flight itself was a challenge – I needed to stay focused on the task at hand despite the incredible adrenaline rush of a rocket launch. And being in space was wonderful, like a camping trip with a few very smart friends in the most surreal environment possible. What was your most memorable moment? There were many moments I’ll never forget! But seeing Cape Town from space was the most moving. It was just at sunset, the clouds around Table Mountain were magnificent, and the bay was crystal clear from 400 km up.

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http://tinyurl.com/pioneerplaque to see what they looked like.

FACT FILE: Saturn isn’t the only planet with rings. Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune also have them – they’re just darker and harder to see.

photographs: flickr/cnc photos; nasaimages.org

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FACT FILE: In the 13th century, a French king brought a rose bush back from a crusade to give to his wife. This was the first recorded exa

5a. Oxytocin is released when couples cuddle and makes them feel closer to one another. It is also released during childbirth, when it helps mom to feel closer to her new baby … even though she is going through a serious amount of pain at the time.

6a. Feelings of love involve chemicals in the brain, and have nothing to do with the beating muscle in your chest. Maybe we should give brain-shaped chocolates instead of heart-shaped ones …

7a. You can trick the brain into feeling romantic by doing new things together. Something that excites you will raise your level of dopamine, a feel-good hormone, triggering romantic feelings at the same time. This is why people fall in love all over again when they go on holiday to a new place.

8b. Studies have shown that men will unknowingly choose women with symmetrical faces – which means that the left side looks very similar to the right side – even if these women aren’t as thin as some of the others. So weight isn’t as important as you thought!

9a. People often date the same type of person over and over again. Researchers believe we develop a love map as we grow up, which tells us what we find attractive. So choose your first love wisely, and make a point of choosing a different kind of partner if you chose the wrong person last time!

In ancient times, an ivy leaf was the symbol of eternal love. It was drawn as a heartshaped leaf, and this is said to be where the association between love and a heartshape began.

10b. It helps to know how to spot a real smile, so you can tell if someone really likes you. Fake smiles are the ones we put on to be polite. Real ones express true happiness. You can spot a real one by the creases next to the eyes and the way the corners of the mouth curve upwards.

DID YOU KNOW?

e for How long does it tak sh cru on you? someone to have a 90 seconds. a. Between 30 and nds se b. Between 90 co . tes nu mi and four

for Are you more likely to go you, to ilar sim someone who looks te? osi opp te or your comple e! Just a. Opposites attract for sur nds. frie girl r’s fne He gh look at Hu b. Someone who looks similar is better.

ins f the bra Which o ’? e v lo ‘in above is .? b a. OR

qUIZ

Do you understand

Someone you like leaves their PE bag at your house. What should you pa y closer attention to? a. Their dirty T-shir t. b. Their new iPod.

Take our quiz to find out if you’re ready for Valentine’s Day . . . Give yourself one point for each correct answer, then check your score.

Which chemical is known as the ‘cuddle hormone’? a. Oxytocin. b. Adrenaline.

Which of these statements is more accurate? a. I love you with all my brain. b. I love you with all my heart.

How did you score?

CALLING ALL QUIZ FANS!

If you’re losing that loving feeling with someone, what’s the best thing you can do to get it back? a. Start a new hobby together. b. Send them a rose on Facebook.

For another fun love quiz, head to the THINK.tank section on www.hip2b2.com.

ater the gre ne? s y la p ink omeo o you th ttracted to s d t a h W are. u’re a hen yo t or thin they t role w fa ig r w ir h a. Ho ilar the im s w o b. H to their side is e. left sid

You’ve ju st broken your boy up with /girlfrien d (*sniff* are you m ). Who ost likely to date n a. Someo ext? ne just li ke them. b. Someo ne who’s the complete opposite .

4a. In 1995, researchers asked a group of women to smell unwashed T-shirts worn by different men. When they analysed the shirts each woman chose they found that, without knowing it, the women preferred the smell of men whose immune systems were different to theirs. In terms of evolution, this makes sense – by avoiding partners with similar immune systems, we’re making sure our babies will be able to fight off a wider range of diseases.

By Michelle Ainslie

3b. The brain in option ‘a’ represents the love of a mother for her child. The one with less activity, shown by the orange areas, is actually the one that is in love. So maybe all these feelings aren’t as complicated as we think …

of a rose being a symbol of love.

b 2b. Ever noticed how many couples look similar to each other? Studies show we’re more attracted to people who look like ourselves. When you go home, measure any couple’s middle finger lengths, ear lobe lengths, overall ear sizes and neck and wrist circumferences. People in a relationship usually have similar measurements for these features. They often even have similar lung volumes … but don’t even try to measure this one at home.

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1b. Psychologists have shown it takes someone 90 seconds to four minutes to decide if they like you. And you don’t eve need to say much. According to studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, 55% of the decision is based on your body language, 38% on your voice, and only 7% on what you say. So much for pick-up lines …

Think you can spot a fake smile every time? Put your skills to the test at www.bbc.co.uk/ science/humanbody/ mind/surveys/ smiles.

ese ne of th Which o -toy p l, hap is a rea e il sm ? see-you a. OR b.

It’s time to find out if you’re a love machine or a love mole. Add up your total score to see where you stand in the wacky world of love:

Love Machine

Wow, you really do know your stuff. You aren’t likely to get fooled by love and you’re the one to watch on February 14. Now all you need to do is stop worrying about the facts and start having fun!

Love Mouse

You may get stuck in the love maze every now and then, but you always find your way around. You know enough to be able to spot real love when you see it. Respect.

Love Mole

If it feels like you’ve been underground when it comes to romance, don’t stress. Just like you don’t need to know how a phone works in order to use one, you don’t need to know how love works in order to let it work for you. Just relax and see what happens …

Only 3% of mammals will stick with one individual all their lives – and we’re one of them.

careers

Cracking codes, solving crimes, making new discoveries . . . You don’t have to be in a movie to get a job like Sherlock Holmes.

The Digging Detective In 2010, archaeologists uncovered a stash of stone tools in Sibudu Cave, KZN. They still had bits of blood and bone on them (gross!), and seemed to be really old. But when the scientists dated them, they were in for a shock: the tools were over 64 000 years old, making them the earliest evidence of man-made stone-tipped arrows. According to this discovery, humans were using ‘bow and arrow’ technology HOW CAN YOU BECOME ONE? nsic 20 000 years earlier than In 2001, a woman was murdered. Fore solving? e that Not squeamish? Good at problemwe first thought! scientists found footprints on the scen need at ll You’ you. for This may be the job ies. could only come from one brand of takk ce – Scien ical Phys and s least 50% in Math broken WHAT DO They killer had also cut himself on a a do can you so – er bett the the higher, ARCHAEOLOGISTS DO? window, leaving some blood behind. istry hem Bioc , istry Chem l ytica BSc in Anal A year later, police tracked down a man Archaeologists unlock the in and Genetics. Or you can do a diploma ies. takk of type t righ the and mysteries of time, digging deep into the Earth for with a motive info, Forensic Investigations. For more stored answers. Sometimes, they even get to track stolen Evidence from a crime scene can be check out www.dnaproject.co.za. DNA treasure! Anglo American Research Laboratories in for years, so they could compare his Jo’burg uses a process called gold fingerprinting with that of the blood from the to find out where any golden object comes from. windowsill. The two DNA samples Tiny samples are taken using a laser beam, matched and the killer was put then they’re compared to a database of info behind bars. Case closed.

Th e cr im e so lv er

on gold from around the world. Using this, researchers can work out exactly where the gold came from. Beat that, Captain Jack Sparrow! HOW CAN YOU BECOME ONE? If you want to be a real-life Tomb Raider, you’ll need a knack for Maths so you can handle lots of problem-solving. After school, you’ll need to do a BA in Archaeology, including Anthropology, which looks at how humans developed, and Sociology, which looks at how people interact.

WHAT FORENSIC SCIENTISTS DO Ever seen the TV show, CSI? Well, forensic scientists are real-life Crime Scene Investigators, examining crime scenes to find out what really happened. And thanks to modern technology, they’re better at it than ever before, analysing blood, hair, clothing, fibres and anything else to find likely suspects.

want more?

To find out more about these and other careers, check out the ‘Careers’ section on www.hip2b2.com.

FACT FILE: Tests that take a few seconds in the hit series, CSI, often take days or even weeks in real life.

Archaeologists use a GPR

The code cracker

The health hero

Cut two circles of cardboard, one a bit smaller than the other. Use a protractor to divide them into 26 segments (about 13,8 degrees each). Write a letter of the alphabet in each segment. Then place the smaller wheel inside the bigger one.

To create a coded message, rotate one of the circles so the letters don’t line up – ie ‘A’ in the big circle doesn’t line up with ‘A’ in the small circle. Then use the inside letters to write your coded message. For example, using the above wheel ‘HELLO’ would be written ‘AXEEH’. WHAT DO CRYPTOGRAPHERS DO? Cryptographers help create codes to protect valuable information. This is important for keeping data secure, so you won’t, for example, be able to sneak an early peek at your exam results. HOW CAN YOU BECOME ONE? You’ll need to get at least 50% in Maths, but the higher your marks, the better your chances. After school, you’ll need to complete a BSc in Maths. Computer Science also helps.

Can making codes make you successful?

Mark Shuttleworth was just a normal South African student when he started a business called Thawte, which used codes to help companies offer secure websites to their customers. An American organisation bought the technology, and today, it protects our private information.

WIN!

Solve a mystery with n d wi www.hip2b2.com an ch ar Se ! tch a Tomato wa ok bo ce Fa on ’ ‘HIP2B2 to check out the prize um in the ‘HIP Prizes’ alb n one. wi to w ho t ou d and to fin

Did you know?

In 2008 and 2009, hundreds of crocodiles died in the Kruger National Police codes mentioned on Park, and nobody could figure out why. the TV show, CSI – such as 419 – are real codes used After examining them, researchers by the Las Vegas Police found the reptiles had pansteatitis, a Department. A 419 means disease where fat in the body becomes a ‘dead person’. hard. But they still didn’t know what was causing the illness – it’s usually caused by eating dead fish, but they couldn’t find any in the river. So what was up with all the dead crocs? To solve the mystery, a South African veterinary pathologist named Dr Huchzermeyer examined living fish in the river. And that’s where he found the first clue: they had too much iron in their livers. Iron can cause poisoning, and this made the researchers wonder if the fish were killing the crocs. A few months later, hundreds of dead fish were found in shallow waters upstream, and the mystery was finally solved: the crocs were clearly eating the dead fish, which hadn’t been noticed before because they’d either sunk to the deep river bed or been Crack this gobbled up by a croc. WHAT DO PATHOLOGISTS DO? Pathologists analyse laboratory samples to work out what’s wrong with a person or animal.

code!

If HIP2B2 = IJQ3C3, then what does this say? TNBSU JT DPPM!

HOW CAN YOU BECOME ONE? You’ll need at least 50% in Maths and Physical Science, but most students only get accepted if they get over 80% because there’s limited space. After school, you’ll need to complete a degree in Medicine if you want to work with people or Veterinary Science to work with animals, then specialise in Pathology.

Crack this code! Answer: Smart is cool!

By Michelle Ainslie; Iimages: flickr/ Bernardo Borghetti; flickr/ Travis S; flickr/ una cierta mirada; flickr/ Morrissey; flicr/ Tambako the Jaguar; flickr/ Ian Britton

From 1966 to 1974, the Zodiac serial killer – who claimed to have killed 37 people – sent 20 letters to the police. Four of the letters were written in code, in which the killer claimed to reveal his identity. Only one code was solved. The killer was never caught. If you like solving puzzles, maybe you could one day help police crack this case. Meanwhile, practice your coding skills by making a code wheel like this one.

(ground-penetrating radar) device to help them find stuff. It detects objects underground so they don’t have to dig for no reason!

What will life be like when you’re your grandparents’ age?

TECH TIME

To the

getting around

l How will you trave in the future?

DRIVERLESS CARS One day soon, your car will be able to drive around without your help. How? By using laser sensors and GPS – which relies on satellite data – to navigate the streets and avoid obstacles. WHEN’S IT GONNA HAPPEN? Around 2030

ELECTRIC CARS

BULLET TRAINS Slow, noisy trains with grimy wheels are so last century. Maglev trains – which use magnetic forces to float above the track – can travel at 500 km/h, and they can do it supersilently. They already exist in a few countries, but they’re expected to connect every major city in China, Europe and America soon. WHEN’S IT GONNA HAPPEN? Around 2050

Imagine if you co uld plug your car in to charge like a cellp hone. Well, someo ne in South Africa imag ined it too, and no w they’ve gone and created one! At th e 2010 Geneva Motor Sh ow, a Cape Town -based company called Op timal Energy unve iled the Joule: a car that runs on battery po wer, can drive for 300 km on one charge, an d gives off zero carbon em issions. Kobus Me iring, the CEO, says turn ing a smart idea into a reality is al l about believing in yourself: ‘confi dence is a key ingredient to any successful project .’ Visit www.optimal energy.com to see the Joule in action.

SPACE TRAVEL FOR ALL So far, 517 people have gone into space, and they’ve all been either lucky or rich. But soon we’ll all be doing it, thanks to Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic. A ticket on their first commercial flight (due to take off this year) will cost R250-million, but it’ll get cheaper, so watch this … erm … space. WHEN’S IT GONNA HAPPEN? Around 2080

TELEPORTATION The idea of being able to disappear in one place and reappear somewhere else sounds crazy, right? Well, don’t be so sure – in recently leaked documents, China’s University of Science and Technology claims they have ‘already succeeded in single-particle quantum teleportation and are now trying to conduct dual-particle quantum teleportation’. Translation? They’re working on teleportation technology. Awesome! WHEN’S IT GONNA HAPPEN? Around 2110

staying alive

medical problems How will doctors fix in the year 2050?

to see the

com www.futurecars. click on are coming up with! rs ne sig de r ca ts ncep crazy co

AIRPLANES Today’s airliners carry about 800 people. But imagine if you could fit your whole school on one flight. The WB-1010 concept aeroplane could seat over 1 500 people, and would be light enough to fly at 1 000 km/h. Oh, and it’ll land vertically, so it won’t need a runway. WHEN’S IT GONNA HAPPEN? Around 2095

IF SOMEONE LOSES A BODY PART … doctors will be able to harvest a new one in a lab and implant it in the person’s body. American biotech company Organovo has already developed a 3D ‘printer’ that can build body parts from scratch. Researchers reckon they’re about 40 years away from growing entire human limbs.

FACT FILE: Only about 15% of the energy from the fuel in the average car is used to move the vehicle. How could you get more energy out

) d n o y e b (and

chilling out

dge ay’s cutting-e d to l il w tertainment tools? w o H tech replace everyday en

BY: will sinclair; Illustrations: rob hooper

MICROPAPER Have you ever read a sports magazine and wished the pictures could … y’know … move? That’s the trouble with ink and paper – everything stays pretty still. Now, Sony’s technicians are developing a computer screen that’s only 1,6 mm thick (about double the thickness of this page). So instead of turning pages, you could turn screens instead! 3D TV Did you watch Avatar or Toy Story 3 in 3D? You’ll soon be able to do the same thing at home (without those lame glasses), as entertainment companies race to see who can bring 3D technology to TV screens first.

IF someone’s PARALYSED ... doctors will hook them up to a brain-computer interface, which will help them move and talk. A computer will monitor the part of the brain that controls movement and use the person’s thoughts to operate machines like a wheelchair or mechanical limbs. But this system won’t just be able to download info from the brain; it’ll also be able to use nanorobots, or really tiny robots, to upload data directly to a person’s brain cells. Eish.

even if someone is healthy … doctors will use DNA testing to find out which diseases they may get in the future. And by mapping their entire genome (DNA sequence), the docs will be able to figure out which medicines will and won’t work on them.

Did you know?

Japan’s unsuccessful bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup included a proposal to beam every game of the tournament live in 3D to stadiums across the world – so you could’ve sat in Jo’burg’s Soccer City and ‘watched’ the action in Japan!

virtual KEYBOARDS Your plug-in keyboard (with bits of last year’s lunch stuck between the keys) will be replaced by a virtual keyboard. Here’s how it’ll work: the computer will project a pattern of a keyboard onto a flat surface (like a table or the floor), and an invisible infrared sensor beam will then detect which ‘keys’ you’re pressing.

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IF SOMEONE NEEDS COMPLEX SURGERY … they won’t use a surgeon. No human could match the accuracy of a nanorobot. According to Professor Nader Jalili of Northeastern University, USA, a surgeon’s instruments can’t get to within a millimetre of a tumour, but a nanorobot will be able to get to a very specific location, right down to the nanometre. One nanometre is about one 80 000th of the width of a human hair.

of fuel? Hint: regenerative brakes, like the ones in hybrid cars, are a good start.

MOBILE MICROSCOPE

Ever heard of a microscope made from a cellphone? Go to www.hip2b2.com and search for ‘microscope’.

Bones make up about 14% of your body weight.

MODERN MAGIC

Do it yourself

Use your brain to baffle your buddies.

Pull a cloth off a table … without disturbing the plates!

What to do: It’s lame when fake magicians in rented tuxedos do it. When you do it using your mom’s plates, it’s awesome (although Mom won’t agree if you get it wrong). Place a tablecloth, which – and this is very important – must not have a hem, on a table and put the plates on top of the tablecloth. Now quickly pull the tablecloth down and out from under the eating utensils. You may have to practise this trick a bit, so Stick a needle use old/plastic plates until you get it right! through a balloon … Why it works: According to the laws of without popping it! loon, and tie physics, objects that aren’t in motion will What to do: Inflate a bal skewer in ab keb n clea resist being moved. This is called inertia. the end. Dip a ugh the top thro in it h pus n the e, When you pull the tablecloth out quickly, Vaselin plastic is the end of the balloon, where the inertia of the cups and plates is stronger ugh the thro in aga darkest. Push it out than the frictional force between the cloth the end. tied you re whe to bottom, next and the objects. burst! Ta-daah! The balloon doesn’t Watch it: http://youtu.be/PLpav01H_60 made are ns Why it works: Balloo rubber of ngs stri like om .c up of tiny chains, on www.hip2b2 very ed tch stre are ch whi Search ‘tricks’ spaghetti, . n d ate fu infl agic tight on the sides of an for more DIY m and top the at so balloon, but less wer ske a as, are se the bottom. In snapping can slide through without These tricks are done uces red e the chains. The Vaselin at your own risk, and it as wer ske the friction of the adult supervision is recommended. In pierces the balloon. /IblTdF638XY other words, Watch it: http://youtu.be

Note

BE CAREFUL!

Light a candle … without touching it!

What to do: Light a candle with a lighter, and keep the lighter burning. Blow out the candle, and immediately put the lighter’s flame into the candle’s smoke, without touching the wick. Hey presto! The flame teleports through the smoke and reignites the candle! Why it works: The flame doesn’t really travel through the smoke; it travels through an invisible cloud of vaporised candle wax. Watch it: http://youtu.be/DSCjLR4TCgg

Turn water into bubbling acid What to do: Fill up a plastic container with 400 ml of water. Add a teaspoon of universal indicator, which is the stuff you use to measure the pH of a swimming pool, and stir. Using gloves, drop a few pieces of dry ice into the mix – you can buy dry ice at a supermarket. Within seconds, the liquid will start bubbling and the water will turn red. Why it works: The dry ice makes the water acidic, causing the universal indicator to change as the pH level gets lower. Watch it: http://youtu.be/ku6WMlaFQME

Suck a boiled egg into a bottle … without breaking it! What to do: Boil an egg and remove the shell. Place the egg above the neck of a bottle to demonstrate that the neck is narrower than the egg. Now take the egg off, set a small piece of paper alight and drop the burning paper into the bottle. Place the egg on top again, and watch as the egg gets sucked into the bottle! Why it works: The small fire in the bottle burns all the oxygen, creating a difference in air pressure and making a vacuum that sucks the egg inside. Watch it: http://youtu.be/_JBOX116Pzw

FACT FILE: In 1901, an Italian inventor named Guglielmo Marconi held the first wireless conversation across the Atlantic Ocean.

Where

res don’t like gend that vampi le e th en Ev e. isn’t tru ss – the food ted with this illne llen, no ar Cu st rd ve wa ha Ed ay to could m The legend: Thanksed. But just in case you’re not garlis conce believed to contain a chemical thatsproved. ed wa been di introduction is ne s. This has also being bitten, rsen the symptom re human before wo we mpires came s va re pi of . m ht nd va ig , sure ere the lege d avoid sunl wh an s be ng ay fa m ve is ha Th rphyria aren’t d, they crave bloo r: people with po … but remembe m fro be nice, okay? ‘vampire ly vampires, so ost well-known The illness: The mrphyria. It’s a very rare blood actual d po e is no cure. uction of disease’ is calle : At this stage, therdi on ti lems in the prod lu ob so pr e by Th ed sease to avoid us ca is disorder, me. ople with th he pe d se lle vi ca ad d d s oo ist bl nt the Scie or sunscreen, an a red pigment in a very high fact ar we d or an , n ts su e th e like carro of in beta-caroten h th certain kinds ric wi s d le od oo fo op Bl t . Pe in ea s: sk The symptom sensitive to sunlight, as it can to eet potatoes, which help protect the nebo ry sw d f, an porphyria are ve r short-term relie ses it can cause transfusions offe in. In severe ca results. But od ok lo go h d et ha te damage their sk ve e nsplants ha s, making th tra m w gu re … ro ng ar di m ce re find a miracle cu thought red lips and u’ll be the one to people may have yo e, be ag st ay e m on At like fangs. ase, but this uld help the dise drinking blood co

Vampires

MEDICAL MYSTERIES

Edward Cullen, Jacob Black, Professor Lupin, the little mermaid . . . Mythical creatures are everywhere. But where did these legends come from? We found some strange diseases that may hold the truth.

werewolves The legend: Thanks to Professor Lupin in Harry Potter and Jacob Black in Twilight, you probably know the basics of what it means to be a werewolf. According to the legend, these powerful creatures are shape-shifters that turn into wolf-like beasts, often when there’s a full moon. During the werewolf hunts in the 16th century people believed that werewolves turned their skin inside out to hide their hair and return to human form. The interrogation process therefore involved

cutting and pulling back a person’s skin to see if there was fur underneath. Ouch!

The illness: Called the ‘werewolf

syndrome’, hypertrichosis is a genetic disorder, which means it is caused by a problem in a person’s DNA. It causes hair growth in unusual areas, even on your face.

The symptoms: Hair growing everywhere – and lots of it! Other symptoms include imperfect teeth, which add to the wolf-like appearance.

The solution:

A person with this disease will have to visit a cosmetician every week, or even every day. Unwanted hair can be shaved and plucked, and thanks to the things you learn in Physical Science, there are also more advanced treatments, such as small charges of electricity – called electrolysis – or laser beams that kill the hair follicles. There’s no known cure yet – but it’s out there for someone to find …

FACT FILE: Back in 1845, teens were hooked on their own version of the Twilight series. It was called Varney the Vampire.

A newborn

began

rapunzel’s hair of steel

mermaids

The legend: Mer m

aids are sea creatures wit The symptom h the head an s: No big surprise d torso of a gorg The baby is bo here. eous girl and rn with legs th We all know the story at ar to e a ge jo fis th ined h-like tail. Mak er, giving the of Rapunzel, the princess with appearance of ing m er a an m ai ap d’s tail instea pearance in Gr the long, golden hair that was d of two sepa eek rate legs. and Roman m strong enough for the prince to ythology, The solution: they are know climb like a rope. But how strong The legend m n for ay be fun, but this is ac attracting sailo is your hair really? Search ‘hair’ tually a pretty rs with se rio us disease th at doesn’t just their beautifu on www.hip2b2.com to affect the legs l singing, . re Fo as th r this on, babies wit en leading th find out! e men to h sirenomelia have a very slim chance of a rocky death. survival. Whi ch makes it even more am azing that do ct ors managed The illness: Sire to save the liv es of two babi nomelia, ze e e tw , m es e with the or ‘mermaid sy disease. A who We grow th em, wax ndrome’, is a le team of sp th ec ck ia lists, lu ve in cluding traum ry rare diseas them, p e caused by a surgeons, pl – but why m e th e as y ti d su a , c rgeons, heart disruption in why them the normal surgeons, neur ave hair, and r h n ve e ol og or e bl w ists ne ood supply w rve specialists do ou hile the , gynaecolog in areas on ists and paediatricians baby is in the only in certa ttp://tinyurl. – who work w womb. it h ith children – was needed to bodies? Vis ut. o d n fi to sa ve them. th u com/hairytr

By Will Sinclair; iimages: flickr/melanie cook; flickr/Len Radin; flickr/Jared Shelburne; flickr/L. Whittaker; nu metro; wikipedia

s e v r a w d giants om Jack and e, fi, fo, fum! Fr Fe : nd ge le e Th ves and the the Seven Dwar the Beanstalk to d dwarves e Earth, giants an hobbits of Middl many of our eir way through have stomped th and fairytales. favourite fables g ism occurs durin The illness: Gigant the at d an gl a pea-sized childhood, when gland, ry ita tu pi e n, called th base of the brai e. This h growth hormon releases too muc organs to uscles and many causes bones, m under a watching them grow as if you’re d. Dwarfism, s, in fast forwar magnifying glas ed nd, can be caus on the other ha rent conditions, by over 200 diffe s agree that but most doctor mutation – or a a it’s caused by DNA inside the change – in the g. the mother’s eg father’s sperm or

person who has The symptoms: A2,13 metres or

lly gigantism is usua e measurements es th gh taller, thou or ing to sex, age can vary accord th wi on rs pe nd. A ethnic backgrou cm 7 14 s re su ea m dwarfism usually ter. or sh or – gh hi rs – about five rule though there’s The solution: Evene two conditions, thes no quick fix for d ways ntists have foun ie sc d doctors an them. who suffer from to help people r dwarfism on treatment fo y and The most comm acement therap is hormone-repl me tre ex in y rger reconstructive su ion at ic ed m , ism cases. For gigant e release of the that inhibits th e has had growth hormon . lts su positive re

DID YOU KNOW?

Robert Pershing Wadlow of Illinois, USA, was the tallest person in recorded history. At the age of 22, when he died, he measured 2,72 m tall and weighed 220 kg. He never stopped growing, right up until the day of his death in 1940.

baby has over 300 bones, while an adult has only 206. What happens to the other 94? Certain bones fuse together as we grow up.

fashion, accessories & gadgets

Feeling tricky You don’t have to be Harry Potter to make magic. You just need your very own box of Zee-trix. Follow the instructions and you too can ‘read’ minds and be an expert illusionist. You could even perform the tricks at kids’ parties and make some extra cash! www.zee-trix.com

smart style Want a little magic and mystery in your life? Check out this supernatural stuff . . .

Foretell the future

Will you ace your next Maths test? Does that person you have a crush on like you back? Find the answers to all of life’s questions with a quick shake of the Magic 8-ball – the window at the bottom will reveal what fate has in store for you. At the end of the day, though, you’re the master of your own destiny, so don’t take this too seriously, okay?

www.cardies.co.za

Need luck for 2011? Many African cultures use these bright red beans, known as African lucky beans, to create lucky charms, necklaces and earrings. Now, you too can banish bad forces and draw in good energy with your own goodluck necklace. It’ll also add colour to your outfit.

www.luckyfriday.co.za 28

Viking vibes

Vikings may be the stuff of legends, but now they’re also the stuff of music, thanks to these wicked Skullcandy headphones. Celebrate the power of the Vikings while you rock to your favourite tunes.

www.skullcandy.com; www.revolutiononline.co.za

Poster perfect

In Twilight, hottie Edward Cullen watches over Bella while she sleeps. Put this poster on your wall and he can watch over you too. Who knows, he may even come to life … Careful what you wish for!

www.cna.co.za

FACT FILE: Ever been told that peeing on a jellyfish sting will help soothe the pain? It actually makes it worse. Vinegar is much more

win

wanna THESE ITEMS?

Tell us what’s hidden on the cover of this mag and you could win a hamper of Smart Style stuff, including the viking headphones, gory treasure box and light-up laces! Email your answer – along with your name and contact details – to thinkoutloud@hip2b2.com or SMS it to 32976. We’ll reveal the answer and winner (and how this cover works) on 14 March, on www.hip2b2.com and our Facebook page. R1/SMS. Ts & Cs on pg 1.

Tainted treasure

Is that a flying horse?

You won’t find a fortune inside this treasure chest – say hello to a bloody, butchered hand that squirms around to eerie ghost music. It’s the perfect prop for a horror-themed party or crazy practical joke. Just be sure your victim can handle your sick sense of humour…

Ever heard of Pegasus, the mythological horse with wings? In reality, horses don’t come with wings (too bad), but at least you can get one on your T-shirt.

www.xupa.co.za

www.surf.co.za

Spaceman specs

Want to look out-of-this-world? Slip on a pair of these futuristic Lundun sunglasses and set a new spaceman trend. If there really are aliens among us, you’ll make them feel right at home … http://tinyurl.com/

poppatrunks

BY Lindi miti; images: Shavan Rahim/nmp photography

Light-up laces Put Mr Lacie’s glow-in-the-dark shoelaces in the light for 20 seconds, and they’ll give off an eerie green glow when the lights go out. Anything that charges this quickly has got to be magic. Can anyone say ‘freakalicious’?

www.shelflife.co.za

Message from Mars Whether you believe in extraterrestrials or not, you’d swear there’s one in your room with this totally out-there alien lamp. Just make sure you can hide under the blankets if you spot a UFO outside your window …

www.xupa.co.za

effective (and much less gross).

Divine inspiration Scientists have proven that the power of positive thinking relieves stress and can improve your health. So relax your mind, pick a card and reflect on a message from your very own guardian angel.

www.wisdomtonourish.com Justin Bieber, Angelina Jolie, Eminem, Oprah Winfrey, Julia Roberts and Lady Gaga are left-handed.

What to expect from Taylor’s latest album:

Taylor Swift: Speak Now

music

se It was just one of tho ke things: one day I wo up and decided to y cut them off. I reall m, the g enjoyed havin point – g kin tal a they were uldn’t wo y all rm no people I start get to talk to would . me conversations with

You used to have dreadlocks. Why did you get rid of them?

nity to have Getting an opportu sic. people hear my mu very Without Idols, it’s s to ian difficult for music re. the t ou get their music

car, the cash, the Of all the prizes – the – what was the record deal, the fame Idols? ing best thing about winn

Elvis Blue

minutes with

Bouncy teen-pop tunes 17% Cool country twangs 15% Melodramatic rock choruses 13% Gentle acoustic-guitar riffs 7% Bold and fearless attitude 23% 9%

FACT FILE: If you’re a kick-ass professional musician, you might want to take a break when you’re 27 – Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, by nikki benatar; images: Kalahari.net; flickr/ una cierta mirada

Angry lyrics (‘Dear John’ is about being dumped by John Mayer: ‘Don’t you think I was too young to be messed with/ The girl in the dress/ Cried the whole way home’.)

16%

‘Mine’ and ‘Back To December’

Our best tracks

R1/SMS. Ts & Cs on page 1.

Want to rock to your favourite tunes with a Hello Kitty docking speaker set? It’s purr-fect for playing music off your cellphone, MP3 player or laptop and it even comes with an infrared remote. To stand a chance to win one, SMS ‘HIP’ followed by ‘Hello Kitty’ and your name, grade and school to 32976.

win

nd! Some Stonehenge in Engla how those re. I just don’t get please help me he t, scratch hinks a bit.] In fac rocks got there. [T t ‘women’ there. Stonehenge and pu

ined mysteries do Which of life’s unexpla to? sw an er you wish you knew the body, anybody –

es Th Bob Dylan’s ‘The Tim powerful song; ry a-Changin’ is a ve ’s ‘The Rising’ and U2 Bruce Springsteen’s ’ me Na Have No ‘Where The Streets t. ian ill are also br

you’d written? What song do you wish ey Are

mbaz Ladysmith Black Ma ourite One of my other fav listening to them. m of ea dr a always been bands is U2 – it’s m. the ge with mine to share a sta

music, games, movies, books with any artist, living If you could perform be? s or dead, who would it o. I get goose bump

Sensitive subject matter (On ‘Innocent’ she forgives Kanye West for his outburst at the 2009 VMAs; on ‘Back to December’ she apologises to Twilight hearthrob Taylor Lautner.)

POPCULTURE

Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain and nearly 40 other famous musicians died at age 27. This movie is absolutely hilarious. It’s based on a man who worked at an orphanage and everybody thought was a loser … until he proved them wrong. He became a wrestler and suddenly he was very popular, travelling from country to country. I think this is a great movie that’s not only funny but meaningful as well. It taught me how selfconfidence is so important, and how everything can change in the blink of an eye!

Reviewer: Brand Ambassador Keamogetswe Mogosetsi

Knucklehead

out the ‘Careers’ section on www.hip2b2.com.

Take an all-boys boardin g school, throw in gorgeous girls, weird teachers, Hell’s View and a group of crazy boys, and what do you get? A hys terical, witty comedy based on Joh n van de Ruit’s first novel, Spud. Joh n Milton, AKA Spud, experiences ups and downs, initiations, first love and new friends in his first year at Michae lhouse High School. Fatty, Spud and Ram bo had the audience in stitches, not to mention the ‘Guv’ (John Cleese) with his hidden alcoholic problem. All in all, a We chatted to author wonderful movie for John van de Ruit about a friends’ or family his awesome job. Check night out.

Reviewer: Brand Ambassad or Gabriella Camara

Spud

movies

ador Nicholas Xbox has just co Rawhani me out with ‘K inect’, its new button-le ss, controller-le ss motioncontrol system . The tech is aw esome! The voice reco gnition combine d with motion co ntrol lets anyo ne feel comfortab le using it. I played Kinect Sports and it rocked. Not re ally for hardco re gamers but fu n to play with your friends. Al l in all, Kinect is pretty impres sive but there’s lots of room for improvement. Hopefully the games will soon catch up with the awesome ha rdware.

REVIEWER: Bran d Ambass

Xbox 360 Kinect

games

I approached this book wit h skepticism as I’m not the greatest fan of autobiographies, but the easy-to-read form at got me hooked. Conversations with Mysel f is not the average autobiography wh ere politicians try to make themselves look great. Instead, it’s an honest collection of Ma ndela’s letters to friends, and interviews wit h other parties, which offer a heartfelt vie w into his thoughts from before he was impriso ned to today. This book offers a simple guide to South African politics over the years, while at the same time tell ing the story of Nelson Mande la in a way that’s far simple r to read than The Long Walk to Freedom. For anyone inte rested in the man who changed thousands of South Africa ns’ lives, this is a must-read !

Reviewer: Brand Ambassad or Nicole Bolton

Conversations with Myself by Nelson Mandela

biogra I enjoyed this showed , because it tly rs reasons. Fi n’t fail n that you do me once agai condly, trying. And se until you stop written. e way it was because of th y who about the gu We all know l this el North Pole. W swam at the inded m re t him, and it book is abou sh pu rtant it is to me how impo ing through. ver you are go te ha w had h ug ro th down once I fficult to put ok to anyone bo is th d It was very di recommen ld ou adventure, w I d an or great st y of started it who enjoys a success. hardship and

d Ambassador Reviewer: Bran orius Reghardt Pret phy for two

impossible Achieving the on Pugh by Lewis Gord

books

Beyoncé Knowles is allergic to perfume. 31

If you travel to Mexico, you ’ll find the ancient Mayan pyramids, which have enormous steps on each side. In the stepped pyramid on the left, each two neighbouring building blo cks can either be added together or sub tracted from each other to give the num ber in the block above them. Using the numbers 1 to 9, complete the pyram id. In each row, a number cannot be repeated.

We’re all elltiemre szones, timwoerld-tisrdiaviv ded into of

de itu lat

How old?

es The g the Earth’s lin which run alon north to south pole). m rth longitude (fro s around the Ea Every 15 degree ange of one hour me ch represents a ti east, ur if you travel ho an (you gain ). you go west and lose one if Jo’burg is about 28º of e ud it The long d Greenwich to a town calle on ti la re n (i east ude of 0º). ch has a longit in England, whi g at 9 am on Monday and Jo’bur So, if you left 20 hours later, llowing cities fo e the nearest arrived in th ounded off to (r e m ti d an y what da ination? be at your dest hour) would it (77º W) a) New York, USA lia (151º E) ra b) Sydney, Aust y (13º E) an c) Berlin, Germ

James and his sister share a birthday, but the y’re not twins. Every year, they each get their own birthd ay cake. This year, the total When y number o worked u’ve of candles (from bo th cakes) ‘HIP’ fo it out, SMS is 17, and James’s ll cake has answer, owed by ‘Ma rio twice as many cand y les as his school to our name, gr ’ and the ade an 3 sister’s did two ye 2 976 d win Su ars ago. per Ma and you could How many candles r i R o 1 /S G MS. Ts are on alaxy 2 & Cs on ! page 1 her cake today? .

avers en time-s Broktabl e alongside, the names of

In the us six common technologies that save into en brok n loads of time have bee the pieces. The start of each word is in the first column, the second piece is in in second column and the last bit is es piec t righ the the third column. Put s. together to reveal the six item

1 2 3 veh eph il mi tl le em ic pier ket crow one tel toco e pho a ave

What’s the time?

Can you work out what time it should say on the sixth clock?

Timenigma

For a weekly ery brainteaser, catch us What occurs once ev , on as se a in on MXit! Tradepost > second, twice y? ur nt ce a in r Entertainment > but neve Mag Rack.

By Ellen Cameron-Williger; images:flickr/judith; flickr/ Horia Varlan; flickr/ plenty.r; flickr/ una ciertamirada; wikimedia commons

longitu de

Ancient pyramid

ese Train your brain with th time-related puzzles.

ANSWERS pm (seven hours : a) Monday, 10 e travellers Tuesday, 4am We’re all tim urs ahead). c) sday, 1pm (8 ho d: Go to www.hip2B2.com behind). b) Tue mi Ancient pyra y, hit www. ’re not sure wh (1 hour behind) e? 13:24 (if you : vehicle, microwave, What’s the tim avers Broken time-s pier How old? You’ve got hip2b2.com) co ephone, photo a: The letter ‘s’ email, kettle, tel t yourself to win! Timenigm e ou to work this on

brain busters

It’s about

FACT FILE: Whoopi Goldberg’s real name is Caryn Elaine Johnson. She named herself Whoopi after a Whoopee Cushion. ’Nuff said.