SEPTEMBER 2024 ISSUE
Rubik’s Cube Crossword
Read “Fifty years of solving the Rubik’s Cube” (page 25) in our September 2024 to complete our latest crossword.
Superfast: Champion cuber
Ten-year-old Wang Yiheng is a Rubik’s Cube world record holder. In official competitions, each round consists of five solves. The fastest and slowest solves are not included. The average times of the middle three solves is calculated to decide who wins. At the Philippine Championship 2024, Yiheng scored an average speed of 4.36 seconds, beating the previous record (also held by him) of 4.69 seconds. Watch him in action below.
Superslow: Snail racing
You don’t have to be fast to be exciting, say fans of snail racing. Read about this unique competition in our September issue.
AUGUST 2024 ISSUE
Wooden Robots Crossword
Read “Bringing wooden robots to life” (page 24-25) to complete our latest crossword.
Longest road-and-rail tunnel
Our August 2024 issue has a story on page 23-25 about the world’s longest road-and-rail tunnel being built in Europe. This video shows how this mega-project is being carried out.
JULY 2024 ISSUE
Takhi Horse Crossword
Read “Bringing the takhi back to the steppes of Central Asia” (page 8-9) in What’s Up July 2024 to complete our latest crossword. If you liked our story, you will probably also enjoy the short video below. “Przewalski” is the European name for what Mongolians call the takhi horse.
JUNE 2024 ISSUE
Lunar Water Crossword
Read “The quest for lunar water” (page 16–17) in What’s Up June 2024 to complete our latest crossword.
MAY 2024 ISSUE
Theme Parks Crossword
Read “Theme parks: Clash of the Titans” (page 14–15) in What’s Up May 2024 to complete our latest crossword.
APRIL 2024 ISSUE
Olympics Countdown Crossword
Read “River of Olympic dreams” (page 26) in What’s Up April 2024 to complete our latest crossword.
MARCH 2024 ISSUE
Growing Peace Crossword
Read “Words of war” (page 12-13) and the animal stories in What’s Up March 2024 to complete our latest crossword.
FEBRUARY 2024 ISSUE
Taste in Music crossword
Read “Why people have different tastes in music” (page 26, What’s Up February 2024) to complete our latest crossword.
Maria Hertogh crossword
Our special online section on Maria Hertogh is out this month. Read it, then try this crossword.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year
We hope you love our February issue cover photo of a tired young polar bear resting on a little iceberg. It was a People’s Choice award winner in the annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition organised by the Natural History Museum in London. Below is the photo again, plus two more stunning People’s Choice winners. Our March issue will show you two other amazing wildlife photos from the competition.
A young male polar bear that was swimming in the freezing sea off Norway climbed on top of a small iceberg and used his strong paws to carve out a bed for himself before drifting off to sleep. – Photo by Nima Sarikhani.
Starlings are little birds that fly together in giant flocks. They make patterns in the sky that sometimes resemble familiar shapes. After observing them for many days, the photographer shot them forming the shape of a giant bird. — Photo by Daniel Dencescu.
Below, moon jellyfish floating in the sea in Norway. Above, the spectacular natural lights of the aurora borealis. On their own, each is beautiful. Together, they create a truly magical scene. — Photo by Audun Rikardsen.
JANUARY 2024 ISSUE
Fortress crossword
Read our story about fortresses on pages 12-13 to complete our latest crossword.
Prehistoric sea monster
On page 16, we report on the discovery of a pliosaur skull. Here, you can watch a five-minute New Scientist video about this amazing find, followed by a three-minute clip from a BBC documentary.
OCTOBER 2023 ISSUE
Debunking myths crossword
Read the truths about four big myths on pages 20 to 24 to complete our latest crossword.
SEPTEMBER 2023 ISSUE
OUR NEW PRESIDENT
Tharman Shanmugaratnam was elected President on 1 September 2023 to take over from Halimah Yacob. Our September issue tells you more about him and what he cares about. Here is a preview of our articles, in time for the new President’s swearing-in on 14 September.
Respect For All Crossword
After reading the stories about our new President, try this crossword.
JUNE 2023 ISSUE
Pages 2-3 and 27 have gone online here.
Women’s World Cup Crossword
Read our stories on the Women’s World Cup on pages 1 and 26 to complete our latest crossword.
Cycling in the sky
Our June 2023 issue has a story about this unbelievable stunt, on page 27.
MAY 2023 ISSUE
Sea Creatures Crossword
Read our World Ocean Day stories and poster on pages 13–17 of our May 2023 issue to complete this crossword.
How Wolbachia helps combat dengue
This short video explains the Wolbachia strategy, which we write about on page 8 of our May 2023 issue.
Kungfu Nuns
Here is a short video about Nepal’s “kungfu nuns”, whom we write about on page 25 of our May 2023 issue.
APRIL 2023 ISSUE
Justice Crossword
“Rule of law” means that laws should apply to everyone equally. In the April issue of What’s Up, you’ll find two examples of even famous leaders not being excused. Read “Police arrest Donald Trump for secretly paying money to cover up his bad behaviour” (pages 1 & 28), and “Russia’s President Putin is wanted for war crimes” (page 12–13) to complete this crossword.
Flood rescue in Indonesia
In our story, “Coping with Jakarta’s sinkingground and rising watersground and rising waters”, we tell you about a group that is using technology to help disaster victims. This film creatively describes the work of the organisation.
MARCH 2023 ISSUE
Big Balloon Crossword
Read “Balloons are not just for fun” (page 14–15) to complete this crossword.
SailGP
Our story on page 22-23 tells you about the exciting SailGP yacht races. In this short video, you can find out more about the boat and how its crew operate it.
FEBRUARY 2023 ISSUE
Migratory Birds Crossword
Read “Nature’s long-distance travellers” (page 22–23) to complete this month’s crossword.
The Empty Quarter
Our story on page 26-27 tells us about the Empty Quarter — a vast desert region in Arabia. Watch this video about three brave women who crossed it on foot.
JANUARY 2023 ISSUE
Nuclear Fusion Crossword
Read our stories on pages 1 and 6 to complete this month’s crossword.
What is nuclear fusion?
This short video explains how nuclear fusion works. (The video was made before the breakthrough achieved in December, which our January issue described.)
Underwater cures
Marine creatures produce chemicals that could be used to treat diseases. Sam Afoullouss tells us more in this TED Talk. You can read it in our January issue.
OCTOBER 2022 ISSUE
Spectacular Sports Crossword
Read our special section on football’s World Cup 2022 (pages 11–17) to complete this crossword.
We hope you like our new-look What’s Up! From this month, Singapore’s newspaper for students goes bigger and brighter!
Our main photo on the cover is an outstanding entry in the London Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. Below are a selection of winning entries.
Above: A selection of winning photos from the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photgrapher of the Year 2022 competition.
1. Winner, Behaviour: Mammals
The great cliff chase by Anand Nambiar, India. Anand Nambiar captured an unusual perspective of a snow leopard charging a herd of Himalayan ibex towards a steep edge in the Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary, Himachal Pradesh, India. Snow leopards live in some of the most extreme habitats in the world. They are now classed as vulnerable. Threats include climate change, mining, and hunting of both the snow leopards and their prey.
2. Winner, 11-14 Years
Out of the fog by Ismael Domínguez Gutiérrez, Spain. Ospreys are winter visitors to the province of Andalucía. The many reservoirs offer these fish‑eating raptors shallow, open water that is clearer than many rivers and lakes. When Ismael arrived at the wetland in Embalse de Los Hurones, Cádiz, Spain, he was disappointed not to be able to see beyond a few metres. But as the fog began to lift, it revealed the opportunity for this striking composition.
3. Winner, 15-17 Years
The beauty of baleen by Katanyou Wuttichaitanakorn, Thailand. Katanyou Wuttichaitanakorn captured the contrasting colours and textures of a Bryde’s whale, which surfaced close to his tour boat in Upper Gulf of Thailand, Phetchaburi, Thailand. Bryde’s whales have up to 370 pairs of grey-coloured plates of baleen growing inside their upper jaws. The plates are made of keratin, a protein that also forms human hair and nails, and are used to filter small prey from the ocean.
4. Winner, 10 Years and Under
Battle stations by Ekaterina Bee, Italy. It was near the end of a spring day trip with her family in Pian della Mussa, Piedmont, Italy, that Ekaterina spotted this fight between two Alpine ibex. The two ibex clashed horns and continued to trade blows while standing on their hind legs like boxers in a ring. In the early 1800s, following centuries of hunting, fewer than 100 Alpine ibex survived in the mountains on the Italy-France border. Successful conservation measures mean that, today, there are more than 50,000.
SEPTEMBER 2022 ISSUE
Extreme Weather Crossword
Read “Countries are struggling with extreme weather” (page 1) to complete this crossword.
AUGUST 2022 ISSUE
Water Solutions Crossword
Read “Water solutions” (page 8-9) to complete this crossword.
Aquaponics in a Jar
Here is an activity you can try at home. Click the image to go to the full graphic guide.
JULY 2022 ISSUE
Migrant Work Crossword
Read “World Cup workers: Qatar aims to treat workers better” (pages 10-11) and then try our crossword.
Cambodia’s stolen treasures
On pages 14-25, we tell you about the detectives who are hunting for stolen treasures in order to return them to the countries from where they belong. In this short BBC video, find out about some precious statues that the Cambodian government wants back.
JUNE 2022 ISSUE
World News Crossword
“News from everywhere” (pages 2-3, What’s Up June 2022) gives us some highlights of what is happening in various parts of the world. After reading it, try our crossword.
Following in the footsteps of great female explorers
MAY 2022 ISSUE
Cross-World Crossword
Read our story about the family that crossed the world together (“A family road trip that lasted 22 years”, page 15) then try our crossword.
APRIL 2022 ISSUE
Endurance Crossword
“Lost ship discovered in icy Antarctic waters” (page 8) tells a dramatic story of long-ago explorers, and how their ship has just been found. Read the story and complete this crossword.
Inspiring architect
Architect Diébédo Francis Kéré was named the winner of the 2022 Pritzker Architecture Prize. We write about him in our April issue. In this video, he explains why he loves architecture and what he hopes to achieve through it.
MARCH 2022 ISSUE
Buskers Crossword
Our story “Bringing entertainment to the streets” (page 22) is a glimpse into the world of local buskers. Read the story and complete this crossword.
Do you know “net zero”?
Watch this video to find out more about this very important idea. Read about it in our March 2022 issue.
EXTRA
A war in Ukraine
Everyone is talking about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Read our online story here.
FEBRUARY 2022 ISSUE
Wild & Wonderful Crossword
Inspired by the nature photos in our February 2022 issue? Explore a jungle of words in our latest crossword.
Ancient port of Quanzhou is now a World Heritage Site
Read our story about this city and its connection to Singapore in our February 2022 issue.
Refugees helping to green their camp
Read about how Rohingya refugees are looking after their surroundings in our February 2022 issue.
Preparing Artemis I for launch
In our February 2022 issue, we tell you about NASA’s next mission to the moon.
JANUARY 2022 ISSUE
Big News Crossword
Try our crossword based on the first three pages of the January 2022 issue.
OCTOBER 2021 ISSUE
Cave Lion Cub Crossword
Enjoyed our story about purring prehistoric predators? Next, try our crossword.
SEPTEMBER 2021 ISSUE
Kaeng Krachan Crossword
Read the story about a famous natural wonder in Thailand. Then try our crossword.
AUGUST 2021 ISSUE
Leopard Cat Crossword
Has our story made you a fan of leopard cats? Sink your claws into our crossword!
Refugees with disabilities
The Paralympic Games in Tokyo allows athletes with disabilities to impress with their extraordinary abilities. Far away in Jordan, meet these children whose determination is equally impressive.
JULY 2021 ISSUE
Wally Funk Crossword
Inspired by the new space heroine? Now, try our crossword.
How to use your eyes
Can you spot the hidden messages in this piece of art? Take a look.
JUNE 2021 ISSUE
Kampong Crossword
Try it out! Click here.
How to use your eyes
Our new series will make you smarter at understanding and appreciating art. Take a look.
The Great Green Wall
Our story on page 6 told you about this important environmental project in Africa. Watch the video to find out more.
MAY 2021 ISSUE
Because of home-based learning, our May issue has gone online. Enjoy our stories here.
APRIL 2021 ISSUE
Zero Waste Activity
Did you try the activity on page 23? If you are ready to check the answers, go here.
Ancient City Crossword
Read our page 1 story about the stunning archaeological discovery in Egypt. Then, try our crossword based on the story.
To help you understand the story better, here is a short video:
MARCH 2021 ISSUE
Myanmar Crossword
Read our page 1 story about the troubles in Myanmar. Then, try our crossword based on the story.
A dedicated teacher
Meet Ranjitsinh Disale, the winner of the Global Teacher Prize 2020. You can read about him in our March 2021 issue.
FEBRUARY 2021 ISSUE
Olympic events
We hope the Tokyo Olympics can be conducted safely this August. One of the most popular events is basketball. In this video, find out more about the Philippines’ passion for this sport.
Make stress your friend
Psychologist Kelly McGonigal says we can see stress as positive, and reaching out to others can help us cope. Read her speech in our February issue.
JANUARY 2021 ISSUE
Invasive Species Crossword
You have read make-belief stories about alien invasions. Now, read about real-life invasions by hairy crabs and other creatures in the story “Hairy crabs: meal or menace?” (page 21). Try completing this crossword to find out how much you have learnt. Visit the crossword page.
Pop star’s speech at the United Nations
Listen to this inspiring message from BTS. Read the story on page 6 of What’s Up.
Tips for better sleep
Champion skateboarder’s music video