Innehållsförteckning för July/August 2025 från Muse: The magazine of science, culture, and smart laughs for kids and children

Goats don’t wear helmets. Beavers can’t carry fire hoses. But in some places, people are turning to animals for help. These animals may play a role in stopping the spread of wildfires. FIRED UP A fire needs three things to burn: fuel, heat, and oxygen from the air. Forest floors are covered in fire fuel. That includes dry grass, dead wood, leaves, and bark called duff. Duff is extremely flammable—it catches fire easily. Heat can come from a burning match. Or from a flash of lightning. Or a hot ember from a campfire. In the right conditions, the heat from one flaming leaf can set fire to its neighbors without even touching them. The burning leaves set fire to the whole tree. Then the fire jumps to nearby shrubs and…

Jessica Gardetto is a firefighter. Her father was, too. “I grew up with my dad coming home smelling like wildfire and covered in soot,” she says. To her, it seemed like a meaningful job that could help pay for college. When she started battling forest fires, she was one of only a few women in a crew with a hundred or more men. She was always treated with respect, but she faced challenges. For example, all of the equipment she had to wear and use was designed for men. “Women’s bodies are different,” she says. It’s hard enough for a man or woman to carry 45 pounds (20 kilograms) of water, food, tools, and other equipment in a pack. When the straps don’t fit right, that weight is even more…

Muse, your magazines are magnificently marvelous and quite magical to say the minimal. —Sans the Skeleton (October 2024) The more people who know and care about our warming planet, the easier it will be to deal with. —Zeke (January 2025) My favorite space destination is Earth’s Moon, because of its view of Earth. Seeing the full Earth is an unforgettable experience. —Abelia (February 2025) You know, the world isn’t just black and white, but I believe it isn’t just gray, either. —Janice H. (November/December 2024) HPBs [Hot Pink Bunnies] are one of the many random entities worshiped in my country. Could you send one? Or two? Or three? All of them? —Cate, Princess of Galaxy Cats (November/December 2024)…

Q: What is happening on your fingertips when they get all wrinkly in a hot tub? —Felix G., age 10, Montana A: When your fingertips are underwater for long enough, they start shrinking from the inside out. First, the blood vessels underneath your skin squeeze down and get narrower. That causes the skin above the blood vessels to bend into the extra space, creating wrinkles. But . . . why? Do prune-y fingers serve a purpose? A few years ago, some scientists came up with the idea that the wrinkles might act like little canals that help water flow off your fingertips. That could make your fingers less slippery and improve your grip underwater. (Car tires have grooves on them for a similar reason, so they don’t slide around on…

In nature, fire is sometimes destructive. Think of the wildfires you see in the news every year. What seldom makes the headlines, however, is that fire is also a natural phenomenon that has helped guide the evolution of plants and animals. Some people are actually using fire to restore wildlife and the places they need to live. As they do this, they are lessening the risk of catastrophic wildfires. These beneficial fires are called prescribed burns. Shan Cammack knows all about controlling fire. She is a fire safety officer for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Cammack’s responsibilities range from public safety to preserving Georgia’s natural heritage. But her focus is restoring habitat for native wildlife by setting fires. SO, WHAT IS A PRESCRIBED BURN? Prescribed burning is a safe…

>> INSECTS Butterfly Numbers Have Fallen in the United States Who doesn’t love to see a butterfly flutter by? But this experience could become rarer in the years ahead. According to a new, large study, butterfly populations are down 22 percent over a 20-year period in the United States. The biggest drops were noted in the Southwest. The results have alarmed scientists. Butterflies don’t just look pretty; they pollinate plants and crops, playing an important role in our ecosystems. A third of butterfly species studied showed large declines, while only three percent of species gained in numbers. The factors blamed for the downturn are shrinking habitats, climate change, and the growing use of pesticides since the 1990s. What if anything can be done? We can start by creating butterfly-friendly gardens…

>> UPDATE SUMMER FUN With two sets of contest winners in this issue, there’s no contest prompt this month. Instead, our challenge to you is to enjoy your summer in the ways that make you most happy. Maybe that’s playing with your dog, spending time with friends, playing a sport, going for a hike, creating something, or reading a book. We look forward to sharing a brand-new contest in the new, expanded September/October issue of Cricket! >> ANNOUNCING CONTEST WINNERS FOR MICRO CITY! In January, we asked you to map a body part, creating a handy (or footy) guide for your curious microbes. Take out your magnifying glass to explore some of our favorite infographics. >> ANSWERS PAGES 7-9 MUSE NEWS The false story is “Submersibles Can Be Powered by…