Fixies go to Fixie schools And study to be masters.
There's so much they need to learn To save us from disasters!
There isn't one appliance That they don't know about
But if you meet a Fixie, please, Don't let their secret out!
The Suction Cup
Where is Professor Eugenius, did you see him?
Not yet.
Strange.
He told me he'd be here today to conduct some tests.
Grandpus, right here under the glass. There is a note!
“Dear Friends!”
That means the note is for us!
That's because Professor Eugenius can always count on us!
“I’m off for a conference today.”
So what should we do?
“While I’m away, please keep an eye on each of my tests."
"There's the wrist watch,”
And where is it?
It's right there!
Look!
How come the watch is in the water?
So the fish can know what time it is?
Nolik, don’t be silly.
This is the test he made for the watch.
You see? It says “Water resistant” right there on the back.
That means that water shouldn't get inside of it.
I see.
So the professor needs to check if it will work under water. Understand?
Yep, I got it.
The watch is working!
So now, the doorbell test.
We'll go look!
It’s over there!
What's that thing doing?
It tests the button to see how fast it wears out!
To check the quality of appliances, toys, sporting goods, or just about anything,
they need to undergo serious testing.
Take, for instance, telephones.
They need to be tested with both heat and cold,
because they have to work in places as hot as Africa and as cold as the Artic.
Computers are tested to make sure they can be shaken and rocked too.
That way you can be sure they'll work on a desk at home,
or outside in the park,
or while you're taking a ride.
Different kinds of products need different kinds of durability tests.
For example, athletic shoes and car tires are rubbed and squeezed over and over
to see how long they are going to last.
Yes, testing is very important!
Without testing, a machine or appliance could let you down at the very worst moment!
If guests come to visit once a week…
And once every month a hooligan comes, pushes the doorbell and runs.
Then I figure this door bell will last right around four hundred years!
That's long!
- The doorbell is still working! - That's very good!
“And also…”
What?
I don’t know! We need to turn the note over to read the end.
But how?
Oh! Raise the glass, that's all!
I can’t get a hold of it.
We should find a... suction cup!
A suction cup?
Suction cups are made out of rubber or other elastic materials.
When a suction cup is pressed against a smooth surface, the air inside is squeezed out.
The air outside wants to get back in, and so it pushes down on the cup.
The rubber edge of the cup won't let the air leak in,
so the outside air keeps pressing down and the cup keeps on sticking.
And that’s how a suction cup sticks to a surface by using the power of air.
Wait a minute!
I know where there is a really big suction cup that we could use!
That’s a huge suction cup, Nolik!
Tideesh! Tideesh! Tideesh!
Well done, Nolik!
Only we need to hurry before air gets under the suction cup and it unsticks!
My suction cup will never unstick!
Well, let's see what it says here.
Simka, you'd better hurry!
“And make sure nothing gets broken here in the laboratory while I'm away!”
And what could get broken around here?
The glass! Look out!
Yeah, so much for that!
And who is going to clean up all of this broken glass?
You don't know?
- Nolik! He told us to use that suction cup! - No! Simka! She was reading way too slow!
Listen, there is no need to fight.
I came up with the idea of the suction cup. I should clean this.
Come on now, Grandpus!
We'll clean up this mess.
Professor, I still think the suction cup was a great idea!
Can you believe that Fixies are Such itty-bitty creatures?
Even when they’re magnified It’s hard to see their features.
They’re tiny, infinitesimal, So small it makes you doubt.
But if you meet a Fixie, please, Don’t let their secret out!
The Globe
Ready,
Set,
Go!
Again I couldn’t do it!
I told you.
There's just no way to hold on when the globe is turning that fast.
But I know I can do it!
Give me that piece of rope there, would you?
Now you can’t throw me off.
Spin it!
Go on.
What are you doing?
Trying to learn a bit about the Earth’s gravity?
That's a globe, not the Earth!
Well a globe is a model of the Earth, isn’t it?
Hey, come on, Simka!
The globe looks like a ball.
But the Earth is flat. We walk on it.
The Earth also looks like a ball,
it's just a very, very big one.
It's not true!
If the Earth is really round like you say,
then it would throw people right off of it
like the globe does to me.
No! It’s just that the Earth pulls everyone towards it.
Are you sure?
The planet that we live on, the Earth, is a huge sphere.
The Earth revolves around the Sun,
and the Moon revolves around the Earth.
Do you know why they don't fly away from each other?
It’s because of a force called gravity
that pulls all objects towards each other.
The heavier the object, the stronger it's pull.
That's why people, rocks, air, and water
get pulled towards the Earth instead of floating up into space.
Thanks to gravity we are able to walk on the Earth.
Then why doesn't the globe pull on me like the Earth does?
Because this globe is very light.
Compared to the Earth, this globe is like millions of billions of times lighter.
Compared to the Earth, we're specks of dust.
He's right. Look, a speck of dust.
It sticks to the globe like we stick to the Earth.
Come on!
It's just because no one is turning it.
But the Earth is spinning and we stick to it.
What?! I just don’t believe you!
There is just no way the Earth is spinning!
You've really got no idea how the days all turn into the nights, do you?
Do too.
It's because the Sun goes up and then sets.
Watch this! Our Sun's here. And you’re over there.
On Earth.
Is is dark, Nolik?
It’s dark.
Then it's nighttime on your side.
And here it's day!
Alright, now will turn the Earth.
Hurrah! Now it's daytime for me!
And night for me over here.
Oh! My side got dark again!
And for me, it's a new day!
Alright, fine. You guys were right.
I believe you.
The Earth is spinning!
The Earth goes round and round like a tilted spinning top,
and as it spins the Sun shines its light
on whichever half of the Earth is facing it.
And as the Earth makes one full turn,
we watch how the night becomes day and the day becomes night again.
It takes 24 hours for the Earth to make one full turn.
But that’s not all.
The Earth is also traveling in space around the Sun.
It takes the Earth one year to make a full circle.
As it goes along its way,
the top and bottom of the Earth take turns being closer to the Sun.
That's because the Earth is tilted.
When the top half is closer to the Sun, it's summer there,
while at the very same time on the bottom half it is then winter.
And when when it is winter on the top half,
it is summer on the bottom!
Nolik!
Nolik, where are you?
I'm not sure.
Somewhere in Kazakhstan.
The force of gravity is super strong around here.
So go on, spin it!
You’re gonna fall off, Nolik.
Don't worry, just do it!
Go ahead and tilt it if you feel like it!
Told you!
And you were sure I was going to fall off of this globe!
That's strange.
Nolik, come on over here!
What for?
You'll see in a second.
I don’t want to!
You really don't want, or you can't?
Tom Thomas, take a look.
I get it.
He stuck himself to the globe, didn't he?
Yeah, with the chewing gum.
Isn't it time to go?
Uh-huh.
And me?
What about me?!
You've got to help me!
Don't leave me!
Should we help him?
I never would have thunk it!
But the pull of chewing gum is even stronger than the Earth's gravity!