Cutlery can influence taste of food say scientists

What colour spoon would you eat your breakfast with?

A team from Oxford University has been looking at how the cutlery we use can influence the flavours we taste.

The scientists found that cheese tastes saltier when eaten from a knife rather than a fork; and white spoons can make yoghurt taste better.

The findings from the study suggest the brain makes judgements on how a food will taste before you put it in your mouth.

More than 100 students took part in three experiments looking at the influence of weight, colour and shape of cutlery on how food tastes.

As well as colour, the size of the cutlery was also found to change flavour.

Food was reported to be sweeter when served on smaller spoons.

Dr Harrar, who lead the experiment, said: "Subtly changing eating implements and tableware can affect how pleasurable, or filling, food appears."

From CBBC News

Thousands of children are at risk after floods say charity

Thousands of children are at risk of disease after huge floods hit parts of northern India, according to Save the Children.

The charity are warning that thousands of people are still stranded in the mountains without access to clean water or medicines.

Ten days after the heavy rains first hit the state of Uttarakhand officials are worried that they are running out of time to get to survivors.

So far over 80,000 people have been rescued but bad weather and landslides are making it hard for the Indian army to get to everyone in need.

More than 600 people are now known to have died but officials fear the final number could be nearer to 1000.

Early monsoon rains in India this year are believed to be the heaviest in 80 years.

From CBBC News

Giant panda twins born in conservation centre in China

Who would believe these so tiny pandas are giant pandas?

It's strange that such big mothers give birth to such tiny cubs!

A giant panda has given birth to twins, thought to be the first pair of the endangered species to be born in the world this year.

The tiny creatures were born in a conservation centre in southwest China just ten minutes apart.

One of the cubs is female and weighs about 80 grams, which is less than an average smartphone.

The centre hasn't been able to tell the public about the second cub because its mother hasn't released it from her embrace.

The China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Sichuan province said the panda named Haizi gave birth to the two cubs 10 minutes apart on Saturday.

Staffers at the center, which is part of the Wolong Nature Reserve, say one cub is a female and weighs 79.2 grams (2.79 ounces). 

Giant pandas have difficulty breeding, with females fertile for only two or three days a year.

Pandas number about 1,600 in the wild, where they are critically endangered due to poaching and development. More than 300 live in captivity, mostly in China's breeding programs.

From CBBC and Huffpost Green

Blue jellyfish found in Newquay rock pool

A jellyfish usually found in colder waters has been discovered stranded near Newquay, Cornwall.

The blue jellyfish is usually found in the western Pacific around Japan or off the coast of Scotland

The unusual blue jellyfish was spotted by a group from the Manor House Activity Centre in St Issey.

The jellyfish, found by a teacher at Trevone Bay, has been given to the Blue Reef Aquarium in Newquay.

"We've seen several washing up over recent weeks but this is the first live specimen we've come across," Lee Charnock from the aquarium said.

"Full-grown specimens can reach up to 15 centimetres in diameter and have metre-long stinging tentacles which they use to catch their prey."

There are more than 200 known species of jellyfish.

The blue jellyfish is usually found in the western Pacific around Japan and off the west coast of Scotland.

Warning to cover up webcams after hackers caught spying

There's a warning to cover up and disconnect webcams when they're not being used - because hackers could be spying with them.

Childnet International also advises people not to leave webcams in bedrooms or other private areas.

An investigation by BBC Radio 5 live found websites exchanging pictures and videos taken from webcams without owners knowing.

Police have said that webcam hackers will be prosecuted.

Hackers can get access to computers by using a piece of malicious software (malware) called a remote access Trojan (RAT).

The investigation also found evidence of hackers selling access to victims' computers for small amounts of money.

But some experts have said that this problem isn't widespread - and anti-virus software is able to stop webcam hackers.

From CBBC News

Malala Yousafzai to lead first ever UN youth takeover

Pakistani schoolgirl, Malala Yousafzai, will lead the first ever youth takeover of the United Nations General Assembly.

The teenager will mark her 16th birthday at the big event, which takes place in New York City on 12 July.

She is expected to call for education to be a priority for girls across the globe, highlighting the needs of 'other Malalas' around the world.

Last October she was shot whilst on her school bus in Pakistan, after campaigning for girl's education there.

Malala now goes to school in Birmingham here in the UK, where she was treated for her injuries.

She has done a lot of work to promote education for girls for which she's been praised by movie star Angelina Jolie and even nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

The book, which will be called "I am Malala", will tell the story of the 15-year-old who was shot by Taliban gunmen after she became an campaigner for girl's education.

Malala said; "I want to tell my story, but it will also be the story of 61m children who can't get education. I want it to be part of the campaign to give every boy and girl the right to go to school. It is their basic right."

The book is due to be out later this year.

 What is the United Nations?

• The United Nations (UN) is made up of 192 countries from around the world.
• It was set up in 1945 - after the Second World War - as a way of bringing people together and to avoid war.
• The head of the UN is called the Secretary-General.
• The current head is Ban Ki-moon, from South Korea. He is the eighth UN Secretary-General and took charge on 1 January 2007.

From CBBC News

Inventors in Czech Republic create flying bike

Engineers in the Czech Republic have come up with a new way to avoid nasty traffic jams.

Three companies put their heads together and have designed a battery powered flying bike!

The flying machine is moved by a remote control and isn't quite ready for passengers just yet.

The inventors say they want to improve its battery power, which at the moment is only strong enough to keep the bike in the air for five minutes.

For now, the flying bike is still in development and is controlled remotely, but its designers hope that it will eventually be piloted by the rider.

They also hope battery technology will advance to make the invention marketable. At present the bicycle is only capable of five minutes of flight before the batteries need to be recharged.

"Because the capacity of batteries doubles about every ten years, we can expect that in the future the capacity would be enough for the bike to used for sports, tourism or similar things," said Milan Duchek, the technical director of Duratec Bicycles.

Designed using French 3D software with a frame resembling a small motorcycle, the flying machine has six propellers, two the front, another two at the back and one on each side, that allow it to fly.

These are powered by six engines, all, in turn, powered by electric batteries.

From CBBC and The Telegraph

Hay fever guide - tips for beating pollen this summer

There are fears that this summer could be extra bad for millions of hay fever sufferers because of the cold spring.

Hay fever is a common allergic reaction to pollen, a fine powder released by plants.

At the moment there is no cure for hay fever but most people are able to relieve their symptoms with medication.

But here are some quick tips for beating pollen in the summer:

Wear wraparound sunglasses to stop pollen getting in your eyes when you are outdoors.

• Change your clothes and take a shower after being outdoors to remove the pollen on your body.
• Try to stay indoors when the pollen count is high (over 50).
• Avoid playing or walking in grassy areas, and camping.
• Rub a small amount of Vaseline inside your lower nostrils. This can help stop pollen getting in your nose.

Hay fever is a common allergic reaction to pollen

• Don't keep fresh flowers at home.
• Keep your home pollen free by regularly vacuuming and dusting with a damp cloth.
• Keep pets out of the house - if your pet does come indoors, wash them to remove any pollen from their fur.
• Keep the windows closed when riding in a car.

From CBBC News

Giant climbing frame sculpture opens in London

A giant climbing frame sculpture has been built in London's Kensington Gardens

It's an annual project where the Serpentine Gallery asks an architect to design a pavilion for its gardens.

The Serpentine Gallery Pavillion by the Portuguese architects

 Alvaro Siza e Eduardo Souto de Moura/ with C Balmond /2005

Japanese architect, Sou Fujimoto, is the thirteenth and youngest person to design a sculpture for the gardens.

He has created a giant, cloud-like structure, that looks a lot like a climbing frame! It opens to the public this weekend and is free to visit.

The sculpture takes up over 350 square metres of grass and is made of 20mm steel poles.

Unlike normal exhibitions, visitors are encouraged to go inside and interact with the Pavilion, which will be there for four months until October.

From CBBC News

Queen's Coronation anniversary

Sixty years ago the Queen was crowned in Westminster Abbey and today a service will be held there to mark the anniversary.

The Queen was 27 years old at the time and people travelled to Westminster from all over the country. Some bought TVs for the first time to watch it.

Two thousand people are expected to attend the event today some of whom were at the Coronation in 1953.

More than 20 members of the Royal Family will also be there.

From CBBC News

50 facts about Queen Elizbeth's II 's coronation

Beyonce in Sound of Change concert for girls' rights

Beyonce has headlined a star-studded concert in London to raise awareness of girls' rights.

Jessie J, Rita Ora and Ellie Goulding also played at the Sound of Change gig at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday.

They were doing it for Chime for Change, a campaign to promote education, health and justice for girls and women across the world.

"There a lot of people who just don't think about it, that just don't talk about it," Beyonce said.

"We don't want to [put up with it] anymore. And I think that's why we're here. It starts with change, it starts with now."

From CBBC News- Entertainment

Escaped ostrich causes traffic chaos in China

An ostrich has out-run the law, and his keepers, after escaping from a zoo in southern China.

Caught on a CCTV camera in China's southern Fujian province, the brave bird made it almost four miles before he was caught by police and zoo workers.

Despite being hit by a car on two separate occasions, the animal escaped unharmed.

From CBBC News

Schoolboy's 35-mile cycle fundraiser for horse friend

A schoolboy has cycled a whopping 35 miles to raise money for an animal rescue charity that cares for his best friend - a horse called Tom!

Alfie and his horse best friend Tom

Alfie, aged 8, biked from Devizes in Wiltshire to Bristol earlier this month, raising £1,200 for HorseWorld.

He told Newsround: "I found it quite exciting. I was a bit hyper.

"The ride went really well. The day after my wrists were aching because I was holding onto the handlebars!"

Tom used to pull carts with deliveries

Alfie befriended Tom after seeing the shire horse pulling carts with deliveries to pubs in his local area.

But Tom had to retire after developing arthritis in his shoulders.

So Alfie went to visit him at HorseWorld - and decided to raise money to help Tom and his horse friends.

The hardest thing about the ride? Alfie said: "There were a few hills - most of them were fine, but I struggled one or two of them.

"We had to dodge a lot of people, including a triathlon. I had to use my bell lots. My thumb went all tingly!"

Alfie at the finish

"I enjoyed the end bit the most because they had Tom in the yard. He had a sign round his neck saying, 'Well done Alfie'. We had a party afterwards with all my friends from school."

In 2011, Alfie did a shorter bike ride as well as an abseil to fundraise for Tom.

Alfie joked that he wants to do a bungee jump next, but his mum doesn't like the idea!

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