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@ Childhood Delight
Albireo begins her experience of Air!
Childhood Delight
Do you still play with bubbles? When washing the dishes and a bubble forms when you squirt the soap, do you laugh or smile in delight? Are you tempted to take some soapy mixture and go for a walk, leaving a trail of bubbles everywhere you go?

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@ Desert Dunes

Blue And Copper Egg
The first painted eggs came from Mesopotamia, and because eggs were forbidden food during Lent, people painted eggs while Lent was being observed—after Lent, they would eat the eggs on Easter Day.

Beautifully decorated eggs “pysanka” are associated with Ukraine, and the oldest painted egg that was unearthed in northern Ukraine is dated to the end of the 17th century.

Desert Dunes
These ridges in the sands are caused by the action of the wind and are called "dunes". The effect is similar to those found under the sea, where it is the waves that form the dunes. Most windblown sand on the Earth is composed of quartz but gypsum dunes are also found.

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@ Serene Swift
Albireo and Tilly shook paws, said “How do you do?” and posed for a souvenir photo. “Why am I always on the left?” grumbled Albireo. “Let’s change sides.”
“No,” said Tilly. “This is my best side.”
Serene Swift
A lone swift soars in solitude against a backdrop of atmospheric pastel cloud.

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@ Frozen Soap Bubble
"I'm going to buy that souvenir wind spinner, Peaksy," said Albireo. "It'll be a nice colourful addition to my garden!"
"That sounds like a lovely memento, Albireo!"
Frozen Soap Bubble
A study in patience and skill! A soap bubble frozen in the cold frost.

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@ Fun With Bubbles
The air in Earth’s atmosphere is made up of approximately 78 percent nitrogen and 21 percent oxygen. Air also has small amounts of lots of other gases, too, such as carbon dioxide, neon, and hydrogen.
Fun With Bubbles
Wintertime is a time to play outdoors and if it is cold enough you can make some soapy mixture and blow bubbles. Watch as ice forms and races around the interior of the bubble. These are delicate and won’t last long as cracks appear letting the air out and then the bubble is gone.

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@ Soapy Bubbles of Fun
"It says here that 'fire' is from the Old English fȳr, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch vuur and German Feuer," remarked Albireo.
"That's interesting!" responded cuddles.
Soapy Bubbles of Fun
The iridescence of a soap bubbles, which seem to contain a wealth of changing colour, stem from light striking the bubble from varied angles.

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@ Train In The Mist
"Wind direction is given by the direction from which the wind comes," said Albireo.
"That makes sense!" replied DAISY.
Train In The Mist
Who has dreamed of taking a train? Sitting in a swaying car—listening to the clatter of steel wheels on steel tracks. You watch the miles go by as you pass through tunnels and forests—and look down on rivers far below.

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@ Sunset Bubble
When it’s a hot, muggy summer day, you’ve probably heard the word “humid.” But what does that mean, exactly? Relative humidity is the amount of water that the air can hold before it rains. Humidity is usually measured in percentages, so the highest level of relative humidity—right before it rains—is 100 percent.
Sunset Bubble
The sunset is seen through the body of a bubble, slightly magnifying the setting sun.

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@ Playful Bubbles
When it’s a hot, muggy summer day, you’ve probably heard the word “humid.” But what does that mean, exactly? Relative humidity is the amount of water that the air can hold before it rains. Humidity is usually measured in percentages, so the highest level of relative humidity—right before it rains—is 100 percent.
Playful Bubbles
Burbling, gurgling bubbles rise, tickling the toes as you play in the water.

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@ Blue Glacier
"What two elements is water made up of, Albireo?" asked Squirrel.
"That's easy: hydrogen and oxygen!"
"Correct, Albireo! Two parts of hydrogen to one part oxygen, making the element name H2O."
Blue Glacier
Over many decades a vcontinuing build-up of snow results in the presence of a large enough mass of snow for the change from snow to glacier ice to begin. The age of the oldest glacier ice in Antarctica may approach 1,000,000 years old! Glacier ice is blue because the red (long wavelengths) part of white light is absorbed by ice and the blue (short wavelengths) light is transmitted and scattered. The longer the path light travels in ice, the more blue it appears.

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@ Swift in Flight
Albireo was very happy to meet Kalila here! They both swapped tales of their experiences of their tour of the art gallery wings so far!
Swift in Flight
Soaring through the grey clouds, this swift has the freedom of the sky to itself.

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@ Make a Wish Puffballs
"The Great Fire of 1666 started in London, on Pudding Lane, in a baker's shop. The baker believed he had put the fire out but in the middle of the night the fire grew and his house was in flames. Pudding Lane is still there today. If you want to visit it, Monument is the nearest tube station. The place where the fire started is also marked by a monument topped by a fiery gold ornament," said Albireo.
"It makes it sound like it's the only monument in London, Albireo!" chuckled Bolly.
Make a Wish Puffballs
Golden dandelions in bloom are a lovely sight (especially for bees!). Eventually, all those beautiful flowers turn into white globes of exposed seeds that are often called puffballs. Dandelions are so success at growing because their puffballs disperse their seeds over long distances in a stiff breeze. Some dandelions don't need to wait for the wind, though. As dandelions turn to seed, perhaps you will pick them, close your eyes, make a wish, and blow the seeds into the air!

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@ Cruising Cranes
"After the Great Fire of London in 1666, businessmen started house insurance companies. They had to be careful because if another fire started they could lose a lot of money. To get around this, they ended up hiring their own fire brigade just in case a fire did start! This is when the first brigade started."
"It sounds a bit hit-and-miss, Albireo!" remarked Flicka.
"It was, yes. Any of the insurance companies' fire brigades weren't allowed to put out a fire of a house which was insured with a different company!"
"They'd just watch it burn, then, Albireo?"
"Well—I guess that was how it went, Flicka, yes!"
Cruising Cranes
The crane is a graceful, elegant bird. It plays an important role in Japanese symbolism, representing positive change and associated with the New Year in various cultures. Crane symbolism focuses on the need for balance and living in harmony with others.

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@ Strawberry with Bubbly
The four elements were even used to described the four temperaments a person could have, and Hippocrates used the four elements to describe the four “humors” found in the body. These theories stated that the temperaments and humors needed to be in balance with each other in order for a person to be well both mentally and physically.
Strawberry with Bubbly
Imagine a ripe, luscious strawberry dropped into a tall glass of sparkling wine or champagne, imparting a subtle fruity flavour into every delicious sip!

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@ Cloud Walking
Oh look ... you won a pet!
Cloud Walking
These clouds are so inviting, fluffy and soft. I wonder how it would feel to walk upon the clouds. Would the feet sink deep into the cloud or would your feet skim lightly across the top? Would you become tired like you do if you walk for a long time on the ground, or would you be able to walk and never tire, no matter how far you went?

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@ Two Heart Kites
When humans and animals breathe, we give off an odorless gas called carbon dioxide, or CO2. Plants use this gas, along with sunlight, to make food—and oxygen too! This process is called photosynthesis.
Two Heart Kites
Two red hearts flying high are a joyful sight, and flying kites is always such a fun pastime. The day is clear, and the breeze is steady—let’s join these happy people and fly some kites of our own.

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@ Diving Polar Bear
Air pollution is measured with the Air Quality Index, or AQI. The lower the AQI, the cleaner the air is. However, if you are outside when the AQI is over 100, it’s about the same as breathing in exhaust from a car all day! Things that cause poor air quality are forest fires and cities with lots of car traffic. If the AQI is higher than 100 you shouldn’t spend too much time outside.
Diving Polar Bear
Polar bears are of course very good swimmers and they have excellent eyesight when underwater. A polar bear will stay in a dive underwater for as long as it can hold its breath, which will usually be about a minute but can be up to three minutes! Their fur is made of hollow hairs, which helps them stay afloat when swimming.

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@ On The Air
Air pollution is measured with the Air Quality Index, or AQI. The lower the AQI, the cleaner the air is. However, if you are outside when the AQI is over 100, it’s about the same as breathing in exhaust from a car all day! Things that cause poor air quality are forest fires and cities with lots of car traffic. If the AQI is higher than 100 you shouldn’t spend too much time outside.
On The Air
"You're on the air!" This familiar phrase from the world of radio broadcasting—or wireless broadcasting for those of us with very long memories!—is as familiar as the iconic red sign that lights up in the studio, to remind broadcasters that anything they say will be heard by their audience, be it local or around the world.

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@ Air Bubbles
Albireo was very happy to meet sammy here! They both swapped tales of their experiences of their tour of the art gallery wings so far!
Air Bubbles
Bubbles are fascinating, and they can teach a lot about elasticity, surface tension, chemistry, light, and even geometry. Not just pretty spheres that float in the air when playing with soap on a warm day.

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@ Bubbles Everywhere
Water expands by 9% when it freezes. Frozen water (ice) is lighter than water, which is why ice floats in water.
Bubbles Everywhere
Like a kid's dream of so many marbles. Whether these bubbles can be played with or put in the bottom of a fish tank, they look fun to run your hands through.

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@ Above It All
“Oh hello, Albireo!” cried George. “Didn’t we bump into each other at the Fiat racetrack in Turin last July? This is quite the change of scene, isn't it!”
Above It All
You are drifting along in a balloon high above towns, forests, and lakes. The sun is rising as mist rises from the ground. There is a sense of forever as the expanse of the sky goes on and on.

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@ Reflections In A Bubble
"Why do we get sea breezes, Albireo?" queried Audrey.
Albireo looked baffled. "I don't know, Audrey! We just do!"
Audrey read out from the brochure: " 'Sea breezes occur because heat from the sun takes longer to warm the sea than the land, creating a difference in air pressure.' So—there it is."
Reflections In A Bubble
Reflections distort the everyday, when seen through the swirling colours of a bubble, the whole becomes incredible.

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@ Blue Sky Aeroplane
"What unit of measure is used for wind speed, Albireo?" asked LoyaLloyd.
"Um—I don't know—miles per hour?" hazarded Albireo.
"No. The knot."
"Oh, LoyaLloyd, I thought that was to do with sailing?"
LoyaLloyd consulted the tour guide. " 'A knot is a unit of speed equivalent to one nautical mile per hour, used especially of ships, aircraft, or winds.' There you go."
Blue Sky Aeroplane
Up, up and away! Does this aeroplane carry groups of happy pets jetting off on holiday? Or perhaps businesspets going on international meetings? Whatever their destination, we wish them a safe journey!

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@ Red Arrows Daredevils
"Depending on their strength, winds can be known as a breeze, gale, storm or hurricane. Wind is caused by differences in air pressure. Air rushes from high pressure areas to lower ones," remarked Albireo.
"Mm-hmm?" responded Choose a name.
Red Arrows Daredevils
The Red Arrows team of the British Royal Air Force carry out a heart-stopping aerobatic display here!

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@ Royal Air Force Red Arrows Team
As Albireo's experience of "Air" comes to an end, she receives a wonderful gift!
Pine Tree, Blue, Overlay
You can use this wonderful overlay as a backdrop in your art slides, or in the foreground for your pets to scamper around. Trees, glorious trees, there is always room for more trees in your life and your art.

Royal Air Force Red Arrows Team
The famous Red Arrows aerobatic team provide an exciting show here in Newcastle on Tyne, England.
Albireo has completed her exploration of "Air"! Your review of the Elements is over now, but there will be more events in PnF soon!