Emperor penguin adults and chicks at the Snow Hill Island rookery, Antarctica

© Martin Ruegner/Getty Image

Hey, you at the front!

For World Teachers' Day, here's a class of emperor penguin chicks listening to the wise words of some adults - or that's how it looks to us. The day has special significance this year. Teachers dedicate their lives to engaging minds and sparking curiosity about the world around us. But with normal classes curtailed due to the coronavirus pandemic, teaching methods had to adapt as remote learning became the norm. Thanks teachers, for all your efforts supporting pupils and parents through months of home schooling.

Speaking of remote, the penguins in this photo live in Antarctica at their breeding colony on Snow Hill Island. A group of chicks is called a rookery, but when mature, they become a waddle of adult penguins. About that distinctive walk: Penguins rock side-to-side to raise their centre of gravity and compensate for their wide feet and squat legs. You might think they spend a lot of energy getting around, but the percentage of energy retained per penguin stride, or recovery rate, is 80%. In comparison, the recovery rate for humans is a mere 65%. We’re sure the penguin chicks snoozing in today's photo already knew that.