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IN THE NEWS: 3/2/2026:
Hunted by sailors, the giant tortoises of the Floreana Island were wiped out. Additionally, animals not native to the island came with the sailors, including cats ,rats and goats and also helped to wipe out the unique species of giant tortoises who lived on the island in the Galapagos. For a couple of years, scientists have been raising 600 baby tortoises, found on Isabela Island. They have a similar DNA to the Floreana tortoises. Last week, giant tortoises have once again returned to the island for the first time in 150 years.
Photograph from NewsforKidsMISSION IS ON HOLD. IT MAY BE RESCHEDULED FOR APRIL. NASA says that the Artemis 11 mission is tentatively scheduled for liftoff on March 6. Four astronauts will do a 10 day fly around the far side of the moon and return to Earth.It is hoped that 60 percent of the far side will be seen for the very first time. t will be the first time in 50 years that astronauts will travel to the moon. Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen(Canada) will be aboard the Integrity. With six windows, the astronauts plan to take LOTS of photographs.
Image from NASATaryn Smith has become the first female to solo the Atlantic Ocean. She completed her amazing voyage from La Gomera, African continent, to Antigua,a distance of 3000 miles in 46 days, 3 hours and 37 minutes. Taryn had never rowed or been in a row boat before she learned of the World's Toughest Row but decided she wanted to give it a try. She practiced a couple of years before setting off this past December. She averaged 10-12 hours of rowing each day. Taryn dealt with rough waters, storms and loneliness. Although she saw a shark, a marlin was more threatening, striking her row boat and making holes in the hull. Fatigue got her down. She said a group of dolphins befriended her and lifted her spirits. She documented her journey each day. She also had communication and spoke with her parents almost each day. Her "row" boat had a sleeping berth and she stocked the boat with enough food to last about 80 days. She listened to Harry Potter books on her headphones. Taryn hopes what she accomplished inspires young people, especially girls, to participate in sports and do things, big. Congratulations to Taryn!
Photograph from SunnyskiesHave you ever climbed a tree? Alex Honnold loves to climb, especially free solo. That means he doesn't use ANY safety gear or ropes. He only applies chalk to his hands and uses his hands to climb. A few years ago, he became the first to free climb El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. Last week, Honnold became the first to free solo the 101 skyscraper in Taiwan. It is the 11th highest building in the world.Standing 1667 ft, it took about 1 1/2 hours to successfully reach its summit. Usually, Honnold climbs rocks and this was the first attempt(carried live on Netflix) to climb a building made of metal and glass.
Photograph from NBC News(Getty Images)PAST NEWS STORIES
2/20/2026:Dejaycion(DJ )Moses, a 6th grader, from Honolulu, has been named the Kindest Kid in America. The award was given to DJ for his compassion, leadership and acts of kindness to others. His principal said that DJ seems to just know who needs a special friend .He is a role model on being kind to others. The school asked students to give examples of kindness and name someone in the school that displays such behavior. DJ was named the most and he was nominated to the Kindness Kid in America organization. DJ was surprised at his award saying that he was very surprised and just tries to be kind to everyone. What is something you can do today to show kindness to someone else?
Do you ever reach for a back scratcher when you have an itch you just can't reach? Veronika is a Swiss Brown cow and she was observed using her broom to do the same thing! Scientists say it is very rare to see animals other than chimpanzees using a tool to scratch an itch. Veronika ,who lives with her owners in Austria, is the first cow to be documented to do this. Veronika also uses different parts of the broom depending on where she is hoping to achieve her goal.
Photograph from Goodnewsnetwork2/1/2026:In a cave on one of the islands of Indonesia, a red hand print was found. It is thought to be the oldest cave art dating back 67,000 years. That would make the imprint found on the island of Muna about 15,000 years older than any previously discovered cave art hand print. Why do you think early humans stenciled their hands on cave walls?
Photograph from NDTVUnderneath the waters of a Wisconsin Lake called Lake Mendota, Archaelogists have made a new prehistoric discovery. Six canoes, one dating back about 5200 years were found. Since 2021, actually 16 dugout boats have been discovered. Made from red and white oak tree trunks and using tools including shells and stone, it is not known which group of people made the canoes. The people may have been relatives of the Ho-Chunk who were in the area dating about 800 AD. To preserve the canoes, only two have been removed from the water. The discovery shows that people have lived in North America much earlier than was originally thought. Imagine, canoes that are OLDER than the Great Pyramid of Egypt(about 4500 years old) found in North America!
Photograph from Daily Mail. A seven year old border Collie from Great Britain named Harvey is very bright. To date, he has learned to understand more than 200 words. When prompted with a toy such as Larry the Leek or Little Lamb, Harvey retrieves it. Sometimes, Harvey has difficulty if a word sounds similar such as his Postbox and Polar Bear toys. The effects to teach Harvey words began two years ago when his owner read about a dog in the United States that learned to understand over 1000 words.His name was Chaser.
Photograph from DailyMailA seven year old border Collie from Great Britain named Harvey is very bright. To date, he has learned to understand more than 200 words. When prompted with a toy such as Larry the Leek or Little Lamb, Harvey retrieves it. Sometimes, Harvey has difficulty if a word sounds similar such as his Postbox and Polar Bear toys. The effects to teach Harvey words began two years ago when his owner read about a dog in the United States that learned to understand over 1000 words.His name was Chaser.
Photograph from DailyMail1/25/26:Like all large cities,Paris, France, can be very busy with traffic. To help with people getting around, a new cable car system has gone into service as of December. The three mile route is the larges in Europe and is estimated that it will carry more than 11,000 people each day in its 105 gondolas.
Photograph from TimeCarpenters and archaeologists are working to restore a very unique boat. The 137 ft. boat once belonged to King Khufu of ancient Egypt , more than 4500 years ago! Khufu was the builder of one of the famous landmarks in the world, the Great Pyramid of Giza. The wealthy ancient Egyptians packed their beautiful possession with them when they died, believing they could use them again in the afterlife. Khufu buried two boats outside the Great Pyramid, both discovered in 1954. With more than 1650 pieces, it is estimated that the restoration will take about four years. It is being done at the Grand Egyptian Museum's exhibition hall so that visitors can watch the work being done.
Photograph from Yahoo NewsYou may not know about Barbara Rose Johns, who had a statue unveiled this week at the U.S. Capitol. In 1951, Johns, 16, wanted change for her poorly funded high school in Farmville, Virginia. During her time, her school was primarily a black school and did not receive the funding other schools for mostly white students received. She organized a strike and the attention given about segregated schools eventually reached the Supreme Court for a decision. The Supreme Court Justices, in 1954, determined separate by equal public schools were unconstitutional. Johns died in 1991. The statue of Johns includes the words, "Are we going to just accept these conditions, or are we going to do something about it?" Interestingly, her statue replaces Confederate Robert E. Lee, whose statue was removed a few years ago.
Photograph from Moton MuseumIf you use social media in Australia and are under the age of 16, a new law is going into effect. The country is the first in the world to ban Snapchat, YouTube, Facebook, TikTok and others to those under the age of sixteen. It is felt the law will protect young people from the possible negative effects of such platforms. Other countries including Malaysia and Denmark are considering similar bans. What do you think of this idea?
Illustration from Pixabay
1/16/2026:Scientists have made an amazing discovery in the country of Bolivia. Thousands of footprints made by dinosaurs were found near what was a coastal area. Most of the fossilized footprints were that of therapods. Theropods walked on two legs. They also had three toes. Dating back to 66 million years ago, it is estimated that 16,600 tracks were discovered in Toro Toro National Park.
Photograph from Earth.comThe northernmost town in the United States is Barrow, Alaska (now known as Utqiagvik).It is the 12th most populated city in the state of Alaska. Although Barrow is easier to say, in 2016, the residents approved the Inupiat name to support the heritage of the indigenous people of the area. On November 18th, darkness came and there will be no sunlight again until January 22! That means that the residents will not see sun for 64 days. Other areas in Alaska that will have little sunlight include Anaktuvuk Pass, Point Hope and Kaktovik. The northern most residents have something to look forward to in the summer when they will have 84 days of sun!
Photograph from UtgiagvikArtwork on the wall in the city of Pompeii was left in pieces after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. The jigsaw pieces are now being assembled by a robot. With two flexible hands, one larger than the other and the help of AI, the robot is putting the pieces back together! The robot's "eyes"(sensors) are capable of seeing patterns and colors which the human eye might not be able to spot.
Photograph from BBC
Photograph from KidadlSay goodbye to the penny! The last minted penny has been retired after a 230 year history. Presently, a penny costs about 3.69 cents to create so it just wasn't worth it to continue to make pennies. But, don't worry, the penny will be around for some time as it is estimated there are between 100-300 billion of the coins currently in circulation. Prices will most likely be rounded up making the "change" more expensive for the consumer.
Photograph from Texas A and MScientists found a cobweb in a sulfur cave found on the border of Albania and Greece. Not just any spider web, it may be the world's largest ever found. It stretches more than 1077 sq. ft., about the length of almost six average cars. Originally found in 2022, scientists have been studying the mega web, home to two species of spider, the barn funnel and sheet web spider.
Photograph from USA Today.
11/20/2025:The tallest church in the world is found in Barcelona, Spain. It is the Sagrada Familia. After 143, it is STILL not completed but construction workers just added the cross to the top of the center tower. The highest point of the Sagrada Familia stands 534.48 ft. The previous record height was the Ulm Minster, in Germany, which stands 530 ft. tall. The church as originally designed by architect Antoni Gaudi.
Photograph from BBCPaleontologist made an amazing discovery in Wyoming. They found a pari of mummies. Not the human type wrapped up in linen but those naturally created of two duck-billed dinosaurs. Thought to have died millions of years ago, in a muddy area, their bodies were quickly covered up by more mud. The clay helped create a mold around the dinosaurs known as Edmontosaurus annectens as the dinosaurs decayed. What remains are remarkable details of skin, feet (actually they are hooves) and spikes on their tail. The youngest of the pair, thought to be 2 years old, was nicknamed Ed Jr. with the older dinosaur, thought to be 5-8 years old, was named Ed Sr.
Photograph from BBC11/10/25:According to Crayola, the three most popular colors in their array of crayons are Ceruleon(shade of blue), Robin's Egg Blue and Wisteria(a shade of purple). Interestingly. The crayon named "robin's egg blue" was named by an eight year old boy from Vt back in 1992.
Photograph from goodnewsnetwork.The world's record for the most drones used in a display took place this week in China's "firework capital" of Liuyang, in the Hunan province. A total of 15,947 drones and 7,496 fireworks were used to create an amazing light show of color and amazing imagery including a tree with branches with feathers falling from its top, the Great Wall of China, a little girl holding a flower and butterflies, during the twenty minute show.
Photograph from AvinteractiveGood news for the Green Sea Turtle. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has removed the species from its Endangered status to Least Concern. This is an amazing comeback for the Green Sea Turtle. Efforts such as reducing illegal trade, using different types of fishing nets and protecting nesting female turtles have helped increase their numbers in areas such as Hawaii, Brazil, Mexico and the Ascension Island. Found in 80 different countries, the largest populations are found in Australia and Costa Rica. The Green Sea Turtle is the largest species of hard-shelled sea turtle and can weigh as much as 700 pounds! The Green Sea Turtles help keep coral reefs healthy as well as the seagrass meadows in the oceans. Learn about the Green Sea Turtle at this link: Green Sea Turtles
Photograph from Sunnyskies10/25/25:Scientists have discovered a new large white coral reef in the Mediterranean Sea in the Gulf of Naples. Found using a robotic submarine, the coral reef was found to have fossil remains containing important species."White coral" is the term for coral reefs that are predominately lacking of color.
Photograph from independent co.ukThe most visited museum in the world is the Louvre in Paris, France. It is also the world's largest museum with over 380,000 works of art. It was originally the royal palace of France, built in 1793. This weekend thieves, in the morning, were able to get inside and within seven minutes, get away with several valuable jewels from the days of French kings. Police are studying the CCTV camera footage and hope to find those responsible. Back in 1911, someone managed to steal the famous Leonardo daVinci painting, the Mona Lisa. Fortunately it was recovered two years later.
Photograph from People Magazine
10/15/25:Vultures can reuse the same nest over and over again. In Spain, archaeologists found some amazing things in twelve nests of bearded vultures. "Treasures" over 600 years were found in the nests including a pice of a slingshot, part of a sandal, part of a basket and several other things, used during the Middle Ages!
BBC NewsroundAn English primatologist,Jane Goodall, helped to change the attitudes people had toward animals, specifically the chimpanzee. Her method of studying chimpanzees involved living amongst them, for over 55 years. She was known as an anthropologist, humanitarian and writer. She worked for better treatment of animals in zoos and protection of the habitat of animals in the wild. Jane Goodall died this past week at the age of 91. She once said,"What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make."
If you are visiting Las Vegas, you may see a Zoox go by. In September, the new taxi service got up and running. The taxi service is unique because it is robotic, no human driver! The robotic taxis can travel up to 45 mph and have no steering wheel, driver’s seat or pedals.
Photograph from engineerine.comAn English primatologist,Jane Goodall, helped to change the attitudes people had toward animals, specifically the chimpanzee. Her method of studying chimpanzees involved living amongst them, for over 55 years. She was known as an anthropologist, humanitarian and writer. She worked for better treatment of animals in zoos and protection of the habitat of animals in the wild. Jane Goodall died this past week at the age of 91. She once said,"What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make."
Photograph from NBC newsA unique pink bumpy snailfish has been found swimming in the deep waters off the California coast. The beautiful blue eyed fish, discovered at 10,700 ft, in what is called the Monterey Canyon, even has a beard! Researchers from Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute first discovered the new species in 2019. Interesting, the snailfish have something like suction cups on their body that helps them cling to surfaces such as rocks or even other creatures, if they want a ride!
Photograph from MBARI Scientists at Kings College, London, Great Britain, have come up with an unusual use of sheep wool. They made toothpaste! No, you aren't brushing with the actual wool but a protein found in it called Keratin.Not only does the toothpaste clean your teeth, it works to build up teeth that have lost enamel, repairing teeth. Keratin is found in your nails , hair, rhino horns, even feathers! It is hoped that the Keratin toothpaste will be on the market in a couple of years.
Photograph from Kings College London
9/28/2025:This week, the world's first robotic olympics were held in Beijing, China. Sixteen countries participated including the United States. Twenty-six events included soccer, boxing, kung fu and a 100 meter hurdles highlighted robotics and AI. There were over 500 bipedal robots competing. Some non-olympic events included sorting medicine and cleaning. There was even an opening ceremony where robots marched and wavered flags. Some incidents occurred including a robot colliding with a human, another robot's head popping off and some falling or not finishing their event. Still, it was an interesting display of technology!
Photograph from Smithsonian9/5/2025: In addition to the destruction of their habitat, rhinos are endangered because of people wanting their horns. In South Africa, a new idea is being tried to save the rhino. Scientists are placing radioactive isotopes into the horns of rhinos. The small amount is not harmful to the rhino BUT it is hoped to stop poachers as the horns will set off radiation detectors. Every year, it is estimated that about 500 rhinos are killed for their horns in the country of South Africa.
Photograph from Cbc.CA
Do you know what a haboob is? It is a huge dust storm. This week,Phoenix, Arizona, had such a massive dust storm. With gusts of wind up to 94 mph, a moving wall of dust dropped visibility to zero. The dust covered an area of 50 miles! Trees were uprooted, electric poles were toppled causing mass electric power outages. It lated about one hour.
Photograph from AZcentralDo you like to skateboard? Brooke Johnson ,29, has become the first woman to skakeboard across the entire United States. Covering a distance of about 3100 miles, Brooke did not use anything but her skateboard to proper across the USA. Starting in CA, she just reached VA this weekend after 119 days. She raised more than $50,000 for spinal cord research.
Photograph from: DailyPress8/20/25:The recent flooding in Texas has revealed dinosaur footprints! At least 15 footprints, dating back 115 million years were found as volunteers were cleaning up debris. The footprints, perhaps of a meat-eating Acrocanthosaurus, were about 20 inches in size. It appears to be several dinosaurs that made the tracks. Actually, the area of Texas is known for dinosaur remains. This discovery was about 200 miles from Dinosaur Valley State Park!
Photograph from LiveScience
Something that happened in 2017 has gotten a new look thanks to better technology.In that year, a lighting strike dazzled the sky in the USA, stretched across Texas to Kansas City.In 2025, using orbital satellites, the strike has been recorded as the world's longest lightning strike! The distance of the lightning strike was about the size of the country of Great Britain. The lightning strike's distance was measured at 515 miles The previous world record lightning strike was 477 miles (in 2020). 
Photograph from clipart-libraryMove over Three Gorges Dam. The title of world's largest dam will be going to another dam which when completed will provide China with three times more energy! Begun in 2025, China is planning on a new and bigger dam to be built in Tibet. Actually, it will be five dams! As with the building of the Three Gorges, there is concern about destruction of habitats and eroding of riverbeds. Another concern is the dam is on a geologic fault line. Could the huge dam trigger earthquakes? Additionally, the river(Yarlung Tsangpo) in Tibet, continues to flow into both Bangladesh and India(where it is called the Brahmaputra River). These countries are very concerned about how this huge dam will affect the water flow into their countries. Concern is that the dam will stop the water from flowing into their countries! The Motuo Hydropower Station is expected to be completed in 2033.
Photograph from MSNA complete handprint was found on a clay object that is estimated to be 4000 years old! The very rare handprint, of an ancient Egyptian craftsmen, was found on a soul house. A soul house was a piece of pottery where it was believed a deceased soul could live. Food, such as bread, could be left in the area that was open.A complete handprint was found on a clay object that is estimated to be 4000 years old! The very rare handprint, of an ancient Egyptian craftsmen, was found on a soul house. A soul house was a piece of pottery where it was believed a deceased soul could live. Food, such as bread, could be left in the area that was open.
8/5/2025:Scientists, in Australia, have noticed that some dolphins, in Shark Bay, have been sporting sponges on their snouts! Dolphin, who are very intelligent, seem to use the sponges as a "tool" to protect their sensitive noses while moving sand around on rocky seabed in search of food! The behavior has been called "sponging".
Photograph from BBC(Newsround)A piece of rock has just sold for an amazing 5.3 million dollars. It isn't just any old rock but a very rare rock from the planet Mars! Called NWA 16788, the rock, a meteorite, was discovered in the country of Niger back in 2023. The auction house, Sotheby's ,who auctioned the Mars rock said it weighed 54 pounds and was about 15 inches in length. A meteorite is a chuck of rock from rocks in space that come through the Earth's atmosphere. The buyer of the Mars rock is not known. Interesting, there have only been an estimated 400 Mars rocks that have been discovered on our planet! With 70% of Earth being water, most meteorites do not land on land!
Photograph from CNNThe Bayeux Tapestry, actually an embroidery, was made more than 900 years ago, depicts the famous 1066 Battle of Hastings. For the first time, in the fall of 2026, the tapestry will be on display at the British Museum in London, England, due to an agreement between the countries of France and Great Britain. The French are loaning the tapestry as a gift to honor the upcoming 1000 birthday of William the Conqueror. Artifacts will be loaned to France in the exchange. Made up of six pieces of bleached linen, the tapestry is about 230 ft. long and includes 626 humans(of which 4 are women), 202 horses, 41 ships, 33 buildings, 49 trees and 55 dogs! The tapestry gives a wealth of information on the period of time including the types of ships used, the clothing worn, architecture, hair styles and lots more. Halley's Comet is also woven into the embroidery as it was in the sky during the battle. The tapestry was almost destroyed when it was used to cover military wagons in the French Revolution(1792). Later, it was almost cut up to decorate a float! Realizing the historical importance of the Bayeux Tapestry, it was eventually placed in a safe place during World War 1 and World War 2. Today, tapestry is hanging in the Musee de la Patisserie de Bayeux, in Bayeux, Normandy, in the country of France. While the tapestry is in Great Britain, the French museum will go through a renovation.
Photograph from Bayeux Museum.
7/15/2025:Imagine reaching the summit of Mt. Everest. Kami Rita Sherpa has not only done it once but holds the record for the most ascents of Mt. Everest, doing it 31 times! His latest summit was on May 31st. Kami, of Nepal, is a member of the Sherpas who are world famous for the mountaineering abilities and for bringing others up the dangerous mountain. Mt. Everest, is 29,032 ft. high. It is the highest mountain on the Earth. The first successful summit of Mt. Everest was done in 1953 by Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay.
Photograph from Seven Summit Treks/ FacebookThe Race Across American(RAAM)starts June 10th. Cyclists from all over the world will participate in the 3000 mile race across 12 states. Beginning in Oceanside, California, the cyclists will race through forests, mountains, plains and desert areas of the United States. Unlike the Tour de France, the RAAM is a non-stop event. There are individuals as well as team competitors in the race.First started in 1982, it was originally called the Great American Bike Race. In addition to John Marino, the organizer there were 3 other competitors.Women can participate in the RAAM. Cyclists have 12 days to complete the race with most finishing in 11 days.Last year, the winner, Jimmy Ronn,(Sweden) completed the race in 8 days, 18 hours and 11 minutes averaging about 22 hours of cycling per day!
Photographs from Race Across America.Scientists in Japan have created an artificial blood which is amazing but what makes it every more impressive, anyone can use it as it works for all blood types. Additionally, the blood doesn't need any refrigeration and can be used up to one year. The artificial blood was developed using red blood cells and platelets that were grown in a lab. The cells were placed in man-made bubbles so the cells can continue functioning. People needing blood currently need to get their specific blood type and the blood must have been stored in a cold place. The artificial blood will go through a period of trials and may be available in a couple of years.
Photograph from MSN6/3/25:
There is a very cool place in Northern Ireland. It is called the Giant's Causeway. The basalt rock formations are really amazing. However, for some reason people have begun placing coins between the stones. The coins rust from the sea spray and are causing damage to the 40,000 columns so the National Trust, that cares for the area, is asking people to stop doing this. A project has begun to remove the wedged coins from the area. Do you know the story about the Giant's Causeway and Finn McCool? Click here:Story of Finn McCool
Photograph from earth trekkersScientists at the University of Science and Technology in China have developed contact lens that enables the wearing to see in the dark! The lenses were created using nanoparticles, absorbing light that we can't see and converting it into visible wavelengths. One of the uses may be to help people who are color blind be able to distinguish colors.What could be the uses of being able to see in the dark?
Photograph from Livescience
An island in the Caribbean is playing to power their island with an unusual power source, volcanic energy! Dominica, with a population of about 66,000 people, has started to build a power station using geothermal energy(hot water)created from the volcanic energy on the island. It is hoped that the island will be ready for volcanic energy by the end of 2025. Learn about the country of Dominica: Learn about Dominica
This week, the 267 Pope of the Roman Catholic Church was elected. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has become Pope Leo XIV. History was made with this selection as Pope Leo XIV is the very first American born Cardinal to become Pope. Pope Leo can speak FIVE languages and is said to like the puzzle game, Wordle. He also watched the recent movie, Conclave,about selecting a Pope.
Photograph from CNA5/20/2025:A new Disney park is to be build in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It will be built on Las Island and will open in a couple of years. In addition to the United States, you can walk around with Mickey Mouse at Disney theme parks in Japan, China, Hong Kong, and France!
Photograph from PixabayScientist has discovered a new color but don't look for it in any crayon boxes as you can only see it using a laser. That is because the color is beyond the normal range of the human eye. Called "olo" , only five people has yet to see the blue-green color, similar to the color, teal. The new color was discovered at the University of California Berkeley, using a technique called OZ(from the Wizard of Oz). Interestingly, scientists say that the human eye can see almost 10 million shades of colors!
Photograph from Scientific AmericanAn unusual marathon took place in Beijing, China, this week. In addition to humans, robots participated! It was called the world's first humanoid robot half-marathon. Instead of needing water stations, the robots had stations where they could get technical help and batteries. The over 10,000 humans did not race in the same area as the 21 robots, they had their own running track. None of the robots crossed the finish line before the human participants but Tiangong Ultra did well for his group of robots crossing the finish line in about 2 hours and 40 minutes.
Photograph from Asia Times
5/10/25: For the first time, a colossal squid was not only spotted but photographed! Colossal squids are very rare and are named because they can grow up to 23 ft. in length! They also can be as much as 1100 pounds! Found near the South Sandwich Islands, at the tip of South America and Antarctica, in the Atlantic Ocean, scientists believe the squid to be very young. It wasn't very large, just about one foot in length. Colossal squid are amazingly transparent but as they age, they lose some of the their see-through appearance.
Photograph from USA TodayScientists at King's College In London, Great Britain, have grown a TOOTH in a lab. Using stem cells, it is the first time a human tooth has been grown. It is thought that one day, there will be no need for fillings or crowns, you just will have a "custom" grown tooth created for your mouth. The question for scientists is WHERE would you grow a new tooth, in your mouth or in a lab?
Photograph from first post
4/20/2025:Near the Ryukyu islands off Japan, marine archaeologists have discovered an underwater pyramid. The structure of stone, believed to be over 10,000 years old is just 82 ft. Actually discovered in 1986, the almost 90 ft. tall may actually be OLDER than the pyramids of Egypt! The area called Yonaguni was recently in the news when scientists discussed the area and its origins.Some scientists question whether it is indeed a man-made structure but rather natural sandstone rock formations. Others say that the steep stairs look to be carved. What do you think?
Photograph from DailymailTo celebration the 2026, 250th birthday(called the semquincentennial) of the United States, students in grades 3-12 can enter a contest to win a trip to a historical place in the country. Sponsored by America250, the America's Field Trip Contest involves writing a response to the questions, What does America mean to you? Deadline for entering the contest is April 16th. Learn more at American250 Contest
Archaeologists have found clay puppets inside the largest pyramid in San Isidro, El Salvador. Five puppets, four women and one man, were discovered. It is estimated the puppets, called Bolinas, date back about 2400 years! About 4 to 12 inches in length, the heads, with faces that have very detailed expressions, could be moved by strings. Even their mouths could move open and closed.
Photograph from LivescienceIf you travel outside the country, you need a passport. What you might not know that if your four legged family member travels with you to anywhere in the European Union, they need one, too! The passport is required for dogs, cats and even ferrets! The document contains health records, microchip ID, and contact information for your pet’s vet. Why does the EU require pets to have a passport? It is to help people more easily travel with their pets but also to help reduce and hopefully eradicate (end)diseases especially rabies.
Photograph from TravellingwithadogThe two astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, are finally home! A trip to the ISS, beginning on June 5th, that was supposed to be for about a week turned out lasting nine months! There were concerns about the safety of the space craft so they had to wait, wait and wait for a vehicle to bring them back to Earth. Now home, on March 18th, the two astronauts will be spending a bit of time in the hospital to check out their health after such a long time in space. Long periods without gravity can do harm to bones and muscles.During their time at the ISS, both Wilmore and Williams assisted in maintenance at the ISS, did a spacewalk and worked on experiments. Interestingly, when the space capsule splashed into the ocean, a pod of dolphin came to greet their return! What would you miss the most being away for such a long time?
3/1/2025:Not since the discovery of King Tut's tomb in 1922, has a tomb of a pharaoh of ancient Egypt been discovered. Thutmose 11's tomb was discovered near the Valley of the Kings in 2022 but was just determined to be that of the ancient king. Sadly, it flooding happened soon after the tomb was completed. The tomb was discovered to be completely empty! Archeologists think Thutmose's mummy and artifacts were removed and placed somewhere else, WHERE is still unknown. Thutmose was married to Hatshepsut, who is believed to be the first female pharaoh of ancient Egypt. There is a large mound near the tomb. Archeologists are thinking it might be a good place to dig. Could the pharaoh's mummy and belongings be underneath all the rubble?
Photograph from egypt-museumImagine being on a kayak and a humpback whale surfaces and swallows you! That is what happened to a man in Chile while in the Strait of Magellan. Adrián Simancas and the kayak were sucked into the mouth of the whale and the whale dove back into the waters. Fortunately, a few seconds later, the whale resurfaced and released both Adrian and his kayak. An expert on humpback whales thinks it was an accident and Adrian was in the path of the whale searching for a meal. Additionally, for the whale to swallow Adrian and his kayak would have been very difficult as a humpback whale only has a throat the size of a human's fist. As for being a "tall tale", Adrian's father witnessed the terrifying moments and captured it on camera.
Photograph from MauiNews>
Illustration from LiveScienceThe second highest mountain in New Zealand, Taranaki Mounga, will be given PERSON status. The law making body in New Zealand, the parliament, passed a bill giving personhood to the mountain. The mountain, sacred to the aboriginal people, Maori, will have rights just like all adult humans of New Zealand. Actually, this isn't the first geographic area in New Zealand to earn this consideration. The Te Urewera Park and the Whanganui River also have person status!
Photograph from Terra, Encyclopedia of NZTigers, long classified as an endangered species, have made a comeback in the country of India. Today, more than 75% of the world's tigers can be found in India. In ten years, the tiger popular has doubled! Conservation efforts including protecting their habitats, a crackdown on poaching for their fur and working with communities where people sometimes kill the tigers to keep their livestock safe, have all helped.
Photograph from NPRScientists have unearthed nearly 200 dinosaur footprints in the country of Great Britain. Estimate to date back 166 million years, the tracks were originally discovered in 2023 while getting clay out off a quarry in Oxfordshire. Tracks of Cetiosaurus (long-necked dinosaurs) and Megalosaurus were identified. One of the pathway of tracks, of which there are several, is about 492 ft. in length! Paleontologist are calling the path of tracks, a dinosaur highway!
Photograph from Natural History MuseumScientists from Utrecht University, in the Netherlands, say that there are TWO mountains that have been discovered that are taller than Mt. Everest. These newly discovered mountains are thought to be 100 x taller! If you are wondering why no one has discovered this peaks before, the reason is they are INSIDE the Earth, estimated to be 1200 ft. below the surface! It is thought that the mountain peaks may have been created during the formation of the planet. The discovery was made measuring seismic shockwaves which occur during earthquakes. The "rippling" of an earthquake causes sounds(tones) which scientists use to measure what in beneath the Earth. One colossal mountain is located under the Pacific Ocean and the other is found under the continent of Africa beneath the Eart's core and mantle.
Picture from PiabayScientists discovered a humpback whale that has made a whopper of a trip swimming a distance of more than 8100 miles traveling in three different oceans. First spotted in the Pacific Ocean, in 2013, it was later sighted, in 2017, near the country of Columbia. It was again tracked ,in 2022, where it was found in the Indian Ocean, near the country of Zanzibar. Artificial Intelligence was used to identify the whale’s fluke, which like fingerprints are unique to each whale. The whale was tracked on a database called HappyWhale.com.
Photograph from newsforkids.2/1/25: Scientists from Utrecht University, in the Netherlands, say that there are TWO mountains that have been discovered that are taller than Mt. Everest. These newly discovered mountains are thought to be 100 x taller! If you are wondering why no one has discovered this peaks before, the reason is they are INSIDE the Earth, estimated to be 1200 ft. below the surface! It is thought that the mountain peaks may have been created during the formation of the planet. The discovery was made measuring seismic shockwaves which occur during earthquakes. The "rippling" of an earthquake causes sounds(tones) which scientists use to measure what in beneath the Earth. One colossal mountain is located under the Pacific Ocean and the other is found under the continent of Africa beneath the Eart's core and mantle.
Picture from PiabayScientists discovered a humpback whale that has made a whopper of a trip swimming a distance of more than 8100 miles traveling in three different oceans. First spotted in the Pacific Ocean, in 2013, it was later sighted, in 2017, near the country of Columbia. It was again tracked ,in 2022, where it was found in the Indian Ocean, near the country of Zanzibar. Artificial Intelligence was used to identify the whale’s fluke, which like fingerprints are unique to each whale. The whale was tracked on a database called HappyWhale.com.
Photograph from newsforkids.Since January 7, California has had horrible wildfires affecting the very populated area of Los Angeles. With very dry conditions from lack of rain, Santa Ana Winds gusting to 100 miles an hour and problems with enough water, the catastrophic wildfires have destroyed more than 1200 homes and business at this point. Over 180,000 people have been displaced. Sadly, the fires are far from being contained. Countries such as Mexico and Canada are sending firefighters and equipment to help fight the horrific fires.
Photograph from Yahoo.1/25/2025:
When you think of the United States, the bald eagle is usually the symbol that comes to mind. This week, President Joe Biden made it official, signing the legislation correcting the United States Code which never stated it was the national bird. The bald eagle, native to North America, has for over 240 years been unofficially the the bald eagle. Now, with the legislation being signed by the President,the bald eagle is indeed the national bird of the United States.
Fun Fact: Did you know that Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird?
Photograph from Dailynews. Learn more about the bald eagle: Bald Eagle Fun FactsMarine Archaeologists think that a ship found off the coast of the country of Kenya MAY be that of the famous Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama. In 1497, da Gama sailed around the tip of Africa (Cape of Good Hope) and found a route to India. He went on to do several more voyages. It is his 1524 voyage where the Sao Jorge sank. Since da Game died on this voyage, the exact location of the ship was lost to time. The ship is just 20 ft. below the surface of the ocean and copper and elephant ivory and other items have been removed from the ship. Studying some of the few pieces of ship wood that remain will help date the age of the wreckage. Even if it isn't one of explorer Vasco da Mama’s ships, it is still a very old ship dating to the 16th century.
Photograph from Goodness Network1/15/2025:In a backyard near Orange County, New York, the owner noticed something that looked like teeth sticking out of the ground. Turns out it was the jaw of a mastodon, a prehistoric mammal that roamed North America thousands of years ago. Staff from both SUNY Orange and the New York State Museum came to unearth the fossil remains. Interestingly over 150 mastodon fossils have been found in New York State!
Photograph from New York State MuseumA
A stone tablet was found in the country of Georgia. Being stone, carbon testing doesn't work but it is estimated to be about 14,000 years old. Making the tablet so interesting, is the language written on the stone. The symbols, made of lines, dots and shapes, carved into the stone, are not like any symbols seen before. Whatever the message, it will remain a secret unless the language can be decoded.
Photograph from DailyMail1/1/2025:When you are watching a commercial about food or a cooking show, have you ever wondered about their taste? Scientists at the City University of Hong Kong are working on a virtual reality tasting device which could give a viewer the ability to taste the foods they are seeing.The device, shaped like a lollypop, contains different flavoring packs and when licked gives off different flavors.
Photograph from daily mailAn unusual satellite was recently launched into space. Called LignoSat, it is made mostly of wood. Created by scientists at Japan's Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry, it is hoped that wood might be the material of the future for space. Metals, when burned up on reentry into the Earth's atmosphere, release chemicals that can harm the ozone layer. Wood does not produce these chemicals making it more environmentally friendly. The lifespan for LignoSat is six months. If successful and the wood can survive the harsh conditions of space, researchers think that wood could eventually be harvested from trees grown on Mars and the Moon to develop future satellites.
Photograph from CNN
So many plastics find their way into our oceans where they can cause harm to marine life. Many plastics can take hundreds of years to break down. Some of the millions of tons of plastic that get into our oceans each year, do break down. Microplastics, tiny pieces of plastic, are even more hazardous to marine life. Scientists in Japan have developed a plastic that dissolves when introduced into sea water. They are also working on a plastic that would break down in the soil. Thus, far, researchers at the Riken Research Institute have found that their plastic totally breaks down in days when in contact with sea water and the plastic placed in dirt breaks down in about 10 days. Wow!
Photograph from Pixabay12/5/2024: An amazing discovery was made in the permafrost area of Siberia, Russia. A 35,000 year old saber-tooth cat was found. It is in such good shape, the kitten(about 3 weeks old), has its brown fur, toes and even whiskers! It was originally discovered in 2020 and is the first time such a species has been studied. It is also the first mummy of a sabertooth cub known to have been discovered.
Photograph from NPR
Photographs from BBCAn emperor penguin has made an amazing journey. He arrived on Ocean Beach, Denmark,Australia, having traveled over 2200 miles from Antarctica. Scientists say it may be the first time an emperor penguin has made such a journey to Australia. Brought to a facility, the penguin, about 39 inches tall, who appears quite malnourished from its epic swim, is being given lots of TLC . At this time, returning the penguin to its home in Antarctica, has not been determined.
A robot painted a picture and the painting has sold for over one million dollars. It is the very first painting created by a humanoid robot. Named, Ai-Da, the robot, made to look like a woman, is named for Ada Lovelace, the first computer programmer. Using cameras in the eyes of the robot, a robotic arm and AI, Ai-Da created the painting, a tribute to Alan Turing, WW2 mathematician and pioneer in AI technology.
Photograph from Smithsonian
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In 2024, a Norway Spruce tree, from Stockbridge, MA, has been selected as the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. It is 74 ft. tall and is 43 ft. Wide. The tree is estimated to be about 70 years old. Head gardener for Rockefeller Center, Eric Pauze, has been selecting the tree for 30 years. Trees usually arrive by flatbed truck, with a BIG sign saying it is the Rockefeller Center Tree. Sometimes the tree has arrived by other methods including by a barge and a helicopter. The tree will go up the Wednesday after Thanksgiving and will be taken down at the end of the twelve days of Christmas, January 7th. The tree will eventually be donated for lumber to build homes for the organization, Habitat for Humanity. Photograph of tree before it left the NYC is from Rockefeller Center. Learn fun facts about the famous tree at this link: Learn about the history of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
Kali McMillin, 12, of Salem, Ohio, grew a pumpkin, a really big one. At the local Canfield Fair, her pumpkins weighed in at 1951 pounds and broke the fair's record previously held by her father,from two years ago. Growing pumpkins is in the family. Kali's pumpkin ,which was 4 ft. wide, earned her a trophy and certificate. Currently, the world record for a pumpkin is 2749 pounds!
Photograph from Salem News Nima Rinji Sherpa, 18, of Nepal,is from a family of mountain climbers. His father was the youngest to summit Mt. Everest, without additional oxygen, at the age of 19! Starting at the age of 16, Nima began climbing the tallest peaks in the world. This fall, Nima became the youngest person to summit ALL fourteen of the tallest mountain peaks in the world, including Mt. Everest! Nima joins a small group, just 50 people, to have accomplished this task. Congratulations to Nima!
Nima's Facebook page10/31/2024:The five day celebration, known as Diwali, will be a bit different this year, in the capital city of India. The holiday celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs, held October 29th-November 3rd this year, will not have any festive firework displays in Delhi. Fireworks and firecrackers are very popular during this holiday. Diwali or Deepavali meaning "Festival of Lights" is a joyous time. People pray, give gifts, light lamps, eat special foods such as sweet treats called laddus (sweet wheat balls with nuts and fruits) and Karanjis (flour friend dumplings with coconut and sugar). It is a time to get together with family and friends.However, this year, the government has banned fireworks due to increased pollution concerns. Learn about Diwali at this link: Learn about Diwali
Artificial Intelligence(AI) was recently used over the Nazca Desert in Peru and an amazing discovery was made. More than 303 additional geoglyphs of different creatures were found. There were at least 430 previously known geometric designs, birds and animals. What makes these amazing designs very interesting is they can only be seen from the air! Many of the designs are estimated to be more than 2000 years old.
Photographs from goodnewsnetwork
There is a LOT of trash on Mt. Everest. Last year, almost 94 tons of trash was taken down from the famous mountain. That is amazing! Nearly 60,000 people try and make it to the base camp each year. Each climber pays a $4,000 fee and it is only refunded if the climber brings down at least 17.6 pounds of trash. Still the trash continues to grow.Now, drone technology is planned to help lift trash left on the slopes! The drones can carry up to 515 pounds every hour, much faster than local Sherpa guides can do. Interesting piece of Mt. Everest history. Climbers(in 1924),Andrew Irvine and George Mallory, never returned from their trek up Mt. Everest. This week, a boot, with a sock inside with the name of Andrew Irvine,was discovered. Did these two men summit Mt. Everest before Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norway? (1953) The search will continue in the area of this discovery for more remains and their camera.
Picture from PixabayPreserved in the permafrost of Siberia, a four year old woolly rhino was recently uncovered with most of its skin, brownish fur and organs.Such a discovery is very rare. It was found near the Tirekhtyakh River and is estimated to be 32,000 years old.
Photograph from Live Science10/15/2024:Pesto, the penguin, is a bit tubby. The giant King Penguin, at the Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium, Australia, has become popular for visitors to see. The brown nine month old penguin weighs 49 pounds, even more than his parents...combined. Pesto eats about 25 fish each day! The staff at the aquarium aren't concerned about the whopper sized penguin who will eventually shed his thick coat. Learn more:Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium
Photograph from Sunnyskyz.comDo you like doing jigsaw puzzles? If you are, you are a dissectologist! Did you know there is a annual World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship? Since 2019, the four day event has been held in Valladolid, Spain. This year, the competition took place between September 17-22. Over a thousand people competed from 68 countries. There were individual puzzlers, teams and even kid categories.The winner this year, for individual speed puzzler, Kristin Thug, Norway, completed her puzzle in 37 minutes. Did you know that the very first jigsaw puzzle was made by a cartographer (mapmaker) named John Salisbury, in 1767? Avid puzzlers say the key to solving a puzzler quickly is by sorting the puzzle pieces by color. The very first purpose of jigsaw puzzles was to teach geography!
Illustration is from PixabayImagine finding a musical composition of famous composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, more than 250 years after he died. That is exactly what was discovered this week in a library in Leipzig, Germany. Called Serenade in C, the 12 minute composition is believed to have been written when Mozart was just a teenager. Before Mozart died, at the age of only 35, he had written more than 600 works of music.
Photograph from Smithsonian. Learn about Mozart at this link: Learn about Mozart!
Although most of us will not be able to see it, the earth will have a second moon from September 29th until November 25th. Actually, the visitor is an asteroid, called 2024 PT5, which will be caught in the gravitational pull of our Earth. You will need a professional telescope to see it but, still, it is pretty cool to have this happen.
Photograph from Pixabay 9/25/2024: Clingman's Dome, named after a Confederate general, has been the name of the highest peak in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park, for over 150 years. Now, the park's department has restored the original name, Kuwohi. Considered a sacred place for the Cherokee people, the park, located between North Carolina and Tennessee, is one of the most popular national parks.The name, Kuwohi, means "mulberry place" in the Cherokee language. 
Photograph from GSMNP
Paleontologist have discovered some amazing footprints of dinosaurs in both Africa and South America. What makes this discovery more interesting, the footprints, estimated to be about 120 million year old, appear to be a match on both sides of the Atlantic! Such a discovery is another piece of the puzzle to the Continental Drift Theory. At one time, the continents were one giant land mass known as Pangea. Eventually, areas broke apart, creating the different continents we have today. If you look at a map of the world, you can see where some land masses look like they would fit. South America and Africa were once part of a super continent called Gondwana that eventually broke apart. The dinosaur footprints, about 260, were found in both the countries of Brazil and Cameroon.
Photograph from CNNBirds chirping, frogs croaking, bees buzzing but did you ever thing SOIL made noise? Scientists in Australia (Flinders University)wanted to see just how noisy things are in healthy soil. Microphones were planted and the "soundtrack" created was quite amazing. Seems that land that is cleared is definitely NOT as noise producing as land that is natural. Called Ecoacoustics, scientists hope that listening to soil and its crackles,pops and clicks,(soundscapes) may help its ecosystem that includes, ants, beetles, earthworms and more. It is estimated that 75% of the earth's soil has been harmed from overgrazing, deforestation and habitat destruction.
Oyster shells are finding a new use. A company in Taiwan is recycling the shells into fabric! An estimated 200,000 tons of oyster shells are produced each year in Taiwan. The shells produce smelly odors and give homes for mosquitoes to breed.So, finding uses for this large amount of shells is important. Some of the uses for oyster shells include being used for insulation in homes and for water purification.Now, the oyster shells are being repurposed into "sea wool" to create clothing! Clothing made from this material is very similar to natural wool and is lightweight and...odorless!
For the first time in United States history, a woman of color was officially selected the Democratic candidate for the presidency at the Democratic National Convention this week in Chicago, Illinois. Kamala Harris, the first woman of color to become the Vice President with Joe Biden, was selected to be on the top of the ticket, when President Joe Biden announced he would not seek a second term of office. VP Harris select as HER VP running mate, Governor Tim Walz. At her acceptance speak, VP Harris said that she promises to "chart a new path forward" and lead "for all Americans" if elected in the fall. Harris/Walz are running against Republicans Donald Trump and JP Vance. The election is November 3rd.
Photograph from Yahoo
Photograph from Pixabay.Scientists at Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute have come up with a plan to try and save the different wildlife for future generations, a modern day Noah's Ark. Frozen cells of species including birds, mammals and reptiles would be taken to the MOON. With the frigid temperatures on the moon, there would be no need for electricity or other methods to keep the cells cold. Should there be some horrible catastrophe on Earth, the cryopreserved (frozen) cells could be eventually used to clone the creatures so they could be reintroduced back on Earth. With an estimated seven million animal species, it would be an amazing undertaking to collect the samples. How do you think scientists might go about determining which creatures to save for the future? The idea was sparked by a seed bank in Svalbard, Norway, where different seeds of plants from around the world are frozen and stored in an underground vault.
Illustration from Daily Mail8/15/2024:A Vanessa card butterfly species, more commonly called painted ladies, were found to have flown an amazing journey of 2600 miles across the Atlantic Ocean. The butterflies traveled from West Africa to French Guiana in South America. They did this unbelievable journey in just about a week. The study also suggested the butterflies may have actually started in Europe before getting to West Africa, making the actually journey more than 4,340 miles!
Photograph from Daily MailDo you like to draw? Well, Fola David, of Nigeria, is a doctor who also likes to draw. He is hoping that his recent drawing will set a new Guinness World Record as the largest drawing created by only one individual. David created his drawing in a Lagos stadium. It is 16,145.86 sq. feet in size and took David six days to complete. It required a drone to photograph the drawing, called Unity in Diversity. David's drawing features two large hands holding up the map of the country of Nigeria.
Archaeologists have discovered an ancient temple and theater at an archaeological place called La Otra Banda, near Chiclayo, in the country of Peru. Thought to be over 3500 years old, it is one of the oldest man-made structures, older than the famous Machu Picchu! Found only six feet below the surface, the remains of a large temple and theater have been discovered. The remains of the theater include a staircase, raised platform and a backstage area. Carving of birds were found on some of the stone slabs. Large painted murals were also found which will enable archaeologists to use radiocarbon dating to help determine the age. At this point, who built the structures is unknown.
Photograph from CBSScientists in China have discovered a moss, which lives in extreme environments such the Mojave Desert and the polar region of Antarctica. The researchers say their work has found that the moss, syntrichia caninervis, could actually thrive on the planet Mars. The "Red" planet has some pretty harsh conditions including extreme cold, dry conditions and levels of radiation that might make most plants unable to survive in such an environment. It is hoped that the moss can eventually be brought to either the moon or Mars for further study. Having plants that can live on Mars will make future manned missions to Mars more possible.
Photograph from Pixabay
Learn more about the rhino at this link: Fun Rhino Facts! Photograph from pixabay
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What may be the OLDEST cave drawing ever found show a pig and three humans. Found in a cave in on the Indonesian island of South Sulawesi, the painting are estimated to be over 51,000 years old! That is over 5000 years older than the oldest cave previously found.
Photograph from BBC News
It has been over 5000 years since cattle has roamed an area of Sudan, in then Sahara Desert. Recently, some amazing rock carvings were found in an area called Atbai that show cattle. At one time, this area of the Sahara had grasslands and enough water that cattle could survive.
From Goodnews networkTwo Frenchmen, Nicolas Barrioz and David Peyrou, biked into the Guinness World Records with the tallest rideable bike. The 25.5 inch high bike, took two years to construct . The rider, David, had to maintain a speed of 9-12 mph in order to keep his balance. Attached to a harness attached to a zip wire, David had to ride for 100 meters(328 ft.), not an easy thing, to qualify for the record bike ride. The event took place in Clermont-Ferrand, France, during a recent bicycle festival.
Odditycentral6/30/2024:
Probably never thought about having a third thumb but imagine what you might be able to do if you did have one! Scientists in London have developed a 3D robotic thumb that can be printed and used to help people, especially those with disabilities, extend the capacity to carry things. The extra thumb straps around the wrist and uses tiny motors to help operate. What do you think?
Photograph from Nicenews
Learn about the flamingo: Bao Li(means treasure and energetic) and Qing Bao(meaning treasure in green mountains) will be coming to the United States sometime before the end of the year. The China Wildlife Conservation Association says the two year olds will signal a new "era of pandas diplomacy" between the two countries. Currently, three pandas that were in the United States (Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and cub Xiao Qi Ji),were sent back to China a few months ago causing lots of very disappointed children and adults. Bas Li and Qing Bas will find a new home at Washington's National Zoo, in Washington DC.The Giant Panda, native to only China, first came to the USA, in 1972 ,as a gift after President Nixon became the first president to visit China.
Photograph from Pixabay6/20/2024: A record breaking dive was done by a tagged leatherback turtle swimming in the waters near the Solomon Islands, in the Western Pacific. According to the Nature Conservancy, the turtle managed to dive 4409 ft. down into the ocean! A previous record dive for a turtle was 4,199 ft. In comparision, the deepest a human has dived is 1,099 ft.
Photograph from LiveScience
Photograph from Tampa Times
5/25/24:A very well preserved kangaroo fossil(more than 71% or more than 150 bones) has been found in a deep cave in Australia. Thought to be an extinct species of kangaroo, called a Simosthenurus Occidentalis, the short-faced kangaroo hopped the Australian continent about 50,000 years ago. Originally found between boulders in a cave, it has taken ten years for the remains to carefully be removed. The team of paleontologists had to deal with spiders, bats and tight conditions to do their work.
Photograph from Museums VictoriaScientists observed an orangutan with a wound on its face use a tropical plant to help heal himself. Called Rakus, the orangutan living in the wild in Indonesia, picked the leaves of a medicinal plant and chewed up the eaves and then using his fingers, placed the juices onto the wound. Rakus then used part of the plant as a type of bandage placing it onto the wound! Although rare, It isn't the first time a primate has been spotted making a medicinal ointment to heal themselves.
Photograph from NPR Much of the coral reefs are endanger from pollution, overfishing and climate change. To help protect coral, a zoo in Netherlands, called the Burgers' Zoo, has started a "Noah's Ark" for coral species. Divers are collecting coral samples to preserve them as a back up. Coral grow extremely slowly so it will be years before the samples would be large enough to survive in the wild. Should there eventually be a need to replace coral which has become extinct, the coral growing in the "ark" could then be reintroduced to the oceans . There are similar seed banks in the world.
Photograph from MSNPaleontologists have unearthed the fossilized vertebrae of a snake that lived about 47 million years ago in the country of India. From the size of the pieces of its 27 vertebrae, it is estimated the snake was about 50 ft. long, about the size of a school bus. Yikes! Originally found in a coal mine, back in 2005, excavation continued and the results have recently be released. Similar to the python and boas of today, the extinct snake is called Vasuki inidicus(the name for the serpent which is coiled around the Hindu god Shiva). As big as this ancient snake was, it isn't the record holder. Another snake fossil, called the Titanoboa, found in the country of Columbia, is believed to have been a bit larger. Personally, I am very happy that neither of these species of giant snakes are slithering around in my backyard.
Photograph from CNN5/1/22:NASA is working on creating a time zone for the MOON. The next mission manned mission to the moon is scheduled to take place in 2026 and that is when the new time zone needs to be created. Called LTC(Coordinated Lunar Time), it isn't yet known whether there will be more than one time zone on the moon. Did you know that time moves a bit faster on the moon than on Earth? That is because of the lower gravity that exists on the moon. It is a tiny difference of 58.7 microseconds. Having a LTC would be helpful with future manned missions to the moon.
Photographs from WpclipartBacteria that cause teeth to decay has been found on two teeth. It would seem that this isn't really newsworthy as all of us have bacteria on our teeth. Brushing our teeth helps to limit the amount of bacteria living on our teeth. However, these two teeth are about 4000 years old. The molars belonged to a man from the Bronze Age and were found in a cave in the country of Ireland. Interestingly, scientists say the bacteria(called streptococcus mutans) was still living after all these years!
Photograph from BBC4/5/24:A total social eclipse is coming on April 8th. Fifteen states should be able to see some parts of the event when the moon passes in front of the sun starting around 3:30(EST) in the afternoon. A total social eclipse is an especially rare event. If you miss this one, you will have to wait until August 23, 2044, to see the next one! Learn more about the eclipse:Learn about a solar eclipseREMEMBER, never LOOK directly at the eclipse!
Photograph from NASAPhotograph from NASA
Photograph from Kansascitystar
3/10/24: Early Happy April Fool's Day. A news story was posted the other day saying the famous landmark in England, a ferris wheel known as the LONDON EYE, was being dismantled. After about 25 years, the wheel was being relocated to Scotland, specifically Loch Lomand. There were even photographs of the famous landmark being dismantled. The article went on to say that a convoy, 2 miles long, would be transporting all the pieces of the ferris wheel up to Scotland. However, the story was a FAKE! It seems with Artificial Intelligence (AI), which can create amazing "real-like" photographs or even the voice of a famous person, it is getting harder to determine real from fake. How can you spot something that isn't true? When you see something that makes you say "really?",try checking for other stories to confirm or deny what you have read. Use some critical thinking powers. Do you really think the city of London would remove one of its most famous landmarks? Be careful what you read and hear and THINK before you share something before checking it out! More than 10,000 read the posting on Facebook and shared it with other people! And, if you are wondering, the photographs showing the dismantling of the ferris wheel, were actually taken in 1999 when the ferris wheel was first being ERECTED in London!
Photograph from Pixabay.About a million Joshua trees were destroyed in the fires(called Dome Fire) of 2020. Then, another mega forest fire (York Fire), in 2023, did more devastation. Since that time, Chico, Sully and Herbie have been volunteering their services to help in an effort to replant Joshua tree seedlings in the Mojave National Preserve. Unlike many of the volunteers lending a hand, these three are camels! The camels are transporting Joshua tree seedlings ,supplies and water into a very inhospitable terrain. The goal is to plant 4,000 trees with both human volunteers and the three camels taking on that challenge.
Photograph from Vox.com
2/25/24: Walking along a beach, you probably have come upon footprints in the sand. Archeologists found footprints, in the sand, on a Moroccan beach and they are estimated to be over 90,000 years old! Eighty-five human footprints were found, including those of adults and children. The footprints were studied to see if they were indeed human footprints. The prints had short toes, plantar arches and rounded heels, confirming they were indeed human footprints. It is suggested that the clay sediment and the location on a rocky area helped preserve the footprints until erosion recently exposed them. It is the first time such ancient human footprints have been discovered in North Africa.
Photograph from ABC AustraliaA Frenchman, Richard Plaud,has wanted to create a world record since he was a little boy. He recently fulfilled his dream , creating a replica of the famous Paris landmark, the Eiffel Tower. His structure, made from matchsticks, stands 23.5 ft tall. Using over 700,000 matchsticks(taking off the sulfur tips), and using about 51 pounds of glue, Richard worked nearly eight years to create his tallest structure of the Eiffel Tower made from matchsticks. He was just certified with the Guinness World Record for his efforts. At first, he was denied the record because he didn't use wooden matches that you could purchase in the store. Plaud started by buying matches and then taking time to remove the tips, very time consuming. He eventually contacted a company and asked if he could purchase the matches without the tips. After some consideration, the Guinness World Records agreed he deserved recognition for his amazing work of art! The previous record holder was from the country of Lebanon and made a replica of the Eiffel Tower with 6 million match sticks which stood 21.4 ft. tall.
Photograph from NPRTwo penguins at the Birdworld aviary in Surrey, England, have a very unique bond. Squid, a three year old African penguin, has cataracts which cause very poor vision. Cataracts create cloudy lenses on the eye making Squid partially blind. She has much difficulty getting around and especially at meal times, Squid has trouble finding her munchies. Another penguin, named Penguin, noticed the troubles Squid was having and decided to become her "guide bird." At meal times, Penguin lends a hand, making sure Squid doesn't go hungry. Penguin is also by Squid's side most of the day helping her "see" by guiding her around their living area. Interestingly, Penguin, wasn't named because he was such a sickly chick, the aviary staff didn't think he would live. Now, healthy, the name has stuck, and Squid and Penguin are close buddies. The aviary is home to more than 150 species of birds.
Photograph from BBC
Two penguins at the Birdworld aviary in Surrey, England, have a very unique bond. Squid, a three year old African penguin, has cataracts which cause very poor vision. Cataracts create cloudy lenses on the eye making Squid partially blind. She has much difficulty getting around and especially at meal times, Squid has trouble finding her munchies. Another penguin, named Penguin, noticed the troubles Squid was having and decided to become her "guide bird." At meal times, Penguin lends a hand, making sure Squid doesn't go hungry. Penguin is also by Squid's side most of the day helping her "see" by guiding her around their living area. Interestingly, Penguin, wasn't named because he was such a sickly chick, the aviary staff didn't think he would live. Now, healthy, the name has stuck, and Squid and Penguin are close buddies. The aviary is home to more than 150 species of birds.
Photograph from BBC
In Canada, the remains of a ship have washed ashore on the coast off Newfoundland (near Cape Ray). The ship is thought to date back hundreds of years due to the pegs used in its wooden and copper construction. Residents in the area have secured the wreckage so the tides don't return it to the sea with hopes that experts will be able to investigate the ship's remains to determine where the ship may have originated.
NYTimesScientists found the world's largest deep-sea reef about 100 miles from the coast of Florida. Stretching 6.4 million acres,(that’s about the size of the state of Vermont) the reef is the home of lots of marine species and several never before known species. The reef is basically white in color due to the cold temperatures at that depth. Algae and photosynthesis, found in warm water reefs, helps create reef colors.The reef can be found from around Miami, Florida, to Charleston, South Carolina! Originally discovered in the 1960s, it is only recently using today's technology(multi-beam sonar and submersibles) was the amazing find actually confirmed.Since I love the color purple, I am sharing a photograph of a purple fish found living in the reef. Interestingly, scientists say that only about 75% of the oceans have been mapped. Wonder what else will eventually be discovered as scientists continue exploring the world's oceans!
Photograph from Daily mail
2/2/2024:An old astronomical stone, of the night sky, thought to be 3000 years old, was found in Italy. It shows different star patterns, called constellations, including Orion and Cassiopeia. Interestingly, 28 of the 29 marking on the stone align with present day stars in the sky. However, one star is not in our present night sky. Scientists think that the missing star may have become a supernova and exploded. The purpose of the stone is unknown but it is thought to have maybe been a sort of calendar to determine the different seasons.
Photograph from GreekreporterDeep in the Ecuadorian Amazon, archeologists have found several clusters of ancient cities lost for thousands of years, hidden by plant vegetation and trees. It is considered the largest and earliest such settlement found in the Ecuador Amazon.Dating to about 2500 years ago, the city,(with buildings built from mud since stone was unavailable) was home to an estimated 10,000. The people that lived here were need Upano.It is thought to have been a thriving area with farming as well as an urban population living there. Discovered with laser mapping technology, called lidar, the remains of roads, drainage canals and houses have been uncovered.
Cecil , a seven year old Goldendoodle,was a bad dog. He found an envelope on the kitchen counter and started to munch on it. Inside the envelop, was $4000 dollars! The owners found shredded money on the kitchen floor but there was still a number of pieces of bills inside Cecil. For the next couple of day, the owners followed Cecil when he went outside to “collect” any deposits. It was stated that $3500 pieces were retrieved. Banks accept pieces of money as long as at least 50% of the bills can be found.
Photograph from MSN.com1/20/24:
How many countries have sent space vehicles to the moon? If you answered four, you are correct, for now. Japan is hoping to be the fifth country to send a space probe to the moon. Their mission to the moon, called the Hakuto-R (meaning "white rabbit" ) is scheduled for April.The other countries to successfully do this include the United States, Russia, India and China. To date, the ONLY country to successfully send astronauts to the moon is the United States.
Photograph from PixabayDo you play with a Rubric's Cube? The Guinness World Records for the the largest Rubric's Cube in the world was just created in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The twenty-one green, purple and blue fiberglass cubes weighs 660 pounds with each cube about 10 ft. Tall! The puzzle cube works so you can try and solve the huge cube while visiting the Dubai Knowledge Park. What do you know about Dubai? Learn about the United Arab Emirates
Happy Birthday to Jonathan! Celebrating 191 years, on December 4, the Seychelles giant tortoise is the oldest living land animal! Jonathan celebrated his birthday at St. Helena, an island in the South Atlantic, on the grounds of the governor's mansion. Jonathan has a couple of buddies-Emma, Fred and David. Guinness World Records also gave Jonathan the title of the world's oldest chelonian (grouping for tortoises, terrapins and turtles). Sadly, Jonathan has no sense of smell and is blind.
Learn more about the Seychelles giant tortoise: learn about the Seychelles Giant Tortoise1/4/2024: A quacking noise doesn't always mean a duck is in the area. In the country of India, researchers have discovered a species of music frogs that QUACK. The frog, found in north eastern India, was named the Noa-Dihing music frog due to its discovery by the Noa-Dihing River. The frogs make a two or three note pattern that sounds like a duck.
Photograph BBC
Photograph from MauinowTeddy Cottlel, of Oxfordshire, Great Britain, doesn't like the emoji of a nerd, a face with glasses and buck teeth. He is asking Apple to change the design to something that doesn't make kids wearing glasses feel badly. He has a petition he hopes others will sign to bring about the change and has even designed an emoji he hopes Apple might used instead.
Photograph from Msn.com12/10?23:p>Axolotls are unusual fish-like salamanders. They can actually regrow lost legs and even lungs and other organs. Now, that is very cool! Very endangered, the country of Mexico, where they are found, is hoping that people will participate in an adoption program. You don't actually get to own an axolotl but the money given helps to protect the areas they are being raised and help to pay for their food. You also receive an adoption kit and thank you note. Scientists say there are less than 1000 left in the wild, with the vast majority dying within the last couple of years. It is thought that water pollution and a fungus are the main cause for the axolotls becoming critically endangered.
Photograph from popular scienceWould you like your name to go into space? NASA has a Message in a Bottle program where you can get your name engraved onto a microchip (smaller than a penny). Deadline is New Year's Eve to submit your name for the upcoming Europa Clipper spacecraft which will travel past the planet Mars and to one of Jupiter's moon's, Europa. The journey will be about 1.8 billion miles! Click here to submit your name: NASA's Message in a Bottle
Illustration from NASAIceland is bracing for a volcano eruption and people, in the area of Grindavik, are having to evacuate. When the Fagradalsfjall Volcano erupted in 2021, it was the first time in 6000 years. Now, it appears ready to erupt, again. There have been numerous over 2000 small earthquakes, with over 800 just today! Iceland, called the "land of fire and ice", has 130 volcanoes,of which most are considered active. A very famous tourist site, the Blue Lagoon, has been temporarily closed due to the earthquake and volcanic activity. Learn more:Iceland Bracing for Volcanic Eruption Learn about the country of Iceland: Iceland, Fun Facts!
Have you ever heard of Meret-Neith? She is being called "the forgotten female king" of ancient Egypt. Archaeologists believe they have discovered her grand tomb in Abydos, central Egypt. Meret-Neith lived about 5000 years ago. Her tomb, actually discovered in 1900, has recently been excavated. Lots of artifacts for someone of a royal status, have been found. If, Meret-Neith indeed was the first female ruler, ruling around 2960 BC, she would be the very first female to have been "ruler" of ancient Egypt,
Photograph of her tomb from Daily Mail.
11/20/23:
A man in Minnesota has squashed the previous WORLD record for the biggest pumpkin ever grown. In 2021, a man in Italy grew a pumpkin that tipped the scale at 2703 pounds. Last week, a man in Minnesota, drove his giant pumpkin to the World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off, located in Half Moon Bay, CA. His pumpkin weighed in at a whopping 2749 pounds! Travis Gienger, a horticultural teacher, called his pumpkin, which he grew in his backyard, Michael Jordan! Gienger said it cost about $15,000 to care and feed his pumpkin.
Photograph from the WashingtonPost A whopper of a giant rough tail stingray was found off the coast of the state of Connecticut, in the Long Island Sound.It was captured by the Long Island Sound Trawl Survey team. The stingray weighed in at 400 pounds and the sea creature was 6 ft long and 5 ft.wide. After its weigh-in and some photographs were taken, the stingray was return to the sound where it swam away.
Photograph from Connecticut Fish and Wildlife FacebookSimeon Graham, 15, who used You Tube to teach himself how to juggle, just juggled himself into the Guinness World Records. The teen managed to break three records with the most juggling catches in one minute with 5, 6 and even seven balls! Simeon managed 378 catches(7 balls) in one minute, 423 (five balls) and 396(six balls)in one minute. He has even juggled up to 10 balls! From Great Britain, Simeon has been juggling since he was 7 years old . While home with the chickenpox, he decided to learn how to juggle.At the young age of 11, Simeon got to perform his craft at a performance of the Gandey Circus. He did such a great job that he was invited to work at the circus during his school breaks! Simeon can even juggle while he is on his knees and says he finds drums and bass instruments help him juggle.
Photograph from Simeon's Website.Imagine having a dinosaur skeleton in your yard! A man in the country of Portugal was doing some remodeling when he came upon some bones that turned out to be that of a sauropod. It is believed to be the largest such dinosaur skeleton found in Europe, measuring 82 feet in length! Now that its ribs and vertebrae were discovered, paleontologists believe more of the dinosaur's skeleton will be unearthed on the property.Learn more about sauropods at this link: Sauropods
Photograph from Goodnews Network10/1/2023:A sea turtle took a very long adventure, a distance of 4000 miles, from Texas. Seems, back in 2021,Tally, a very rare Kemp's Ridley sea turtle, ended up in Wales! Scientists believe that Tally got into the sea current called the Gulf Stream which helped transport her so far from home. Weak and malnourished and not used to such cold water temperatures, Tally had been recuperating at the Anglesey Sea Zoo, in Wales. This week, Tally got an airplane ride back to Texas where she is being checked by the Houston Zoo to see if she is well enough to be released back into the Gulf of Mexico. If Tally is released into the waters, she will have a tracking device to keep check on her movements.
Photograph from MSN
Photograph from USATodayCould aliens be trying to send Earthlings a message? A stellar object, some 15,000 light-years away from planet Earth, appears to be sending a five minute pulse every 22 minutes. And, the pulsation has been going on for at least 33 years! Scientists are not sure what this could be but suggest it is coming from a magnetar called GPM J1839-10. Magnetars give off burst of energy due to their strong magnetic fields. Then,again, maybe, aliens are trying to contact us. Illustration from Pixabay
Frogs wearing little pants? Part of a study done by Stanford University(California), to determine the navigation skills and intelligence of three South American frogs,(dyeing poison frogs of French Guiana, diablito poison frogs of Ecuador and thighed poison frogs of French Guiana), teeny pants were used for an experiment. Approximately 300 frogs were fitted with hand-made pants which also included a tracking device. Taken from their homes, in the rainforests, in which they lived, the frogs were then released to see how long it would take for the frogs to find their way back. On average, it took a few days. One thing the researchers learned is that frogs are far more intelligent than originally believed! Once the experiment was completed, the pants were removed from the frogs.
Photograph from cbc.caDo you like to doodle? Seems the Vikings did, too. Recently, a 1200 year old drawing was found on a reddish colored clay stone in the country of Iceland. Archaeologists think it is a partly finished boat and may be the oldest drawing found to date in the country. Being an unfinished boat isn't unusual for Viking "graffiti"". Partially carved boats have also been found scratched by Vikings on wood and bones.
Photograph from ancientpages.9/1/2023:
Today is Juneteenth. In 1865, the last enslaved people (in Texas) learned that they were free people. Actually, the Emancipation Proclamation, of 1863, freed the enslaved people in southern states, but those in Texas didn’t learn about their freedom for TWO more years. June and the date, 19th, were joined to create the word,Juneteenth. In 2021, President Biden signed the legislation into law making Juneteenth a federal holiday.
Illustration from TpT Joseph Dituri has broken a record. He has spent 93 days under the Atlantic Ocean in the underwater research pod at the Jules' Undersea Lodge in Key Largo, Florida. The previous record holder spent a total 73 days under the water. Dituri plans to stay 100 days under the sea. One of the experiments conducted was the effect of long term pressure on the human body. Another study Dituri conducted was the effect of muscle mass loss, something scientists fear will be a concern on long a trip to Mars. His small underwater home included a bathroom, small kitchen and two bedrooms.
Photograph from CBSNews
Starting last week, bus riders in Scotland can hop a "driverless bus"". Said to be the first automated bus in the world, the robot bus, as it is also called, is operated with computers that monitor 10 sensors on the outside of the vehicle. The sensor detect obstruction in the road, when to turn, etc. However, a driver IS in the vehicle just in case there is a need to take over the driving of the bus.
6/15/2023:
Kirsten Neuschafer, from South Africa, has become the first woman ever to win a solo around the world race, completing the race in 235 days (actually 233 days, 20 hours, 43 minutes and 47 seconds). The race was 30,000 miles long and is considered the most difficult. It is nicknamed the "voyage for madmen"! With 16 starting the Golden Globe Race, Kirsten was one of a handful of competitors to complete the around the world race, she was also the only woman to compete. First held in 1968,(winner took 312 days), it was again held in 2018 and the most current, 2022. The race started in Les Sables-d'Olonne,France on September 4, 2022 and Kirsten was the first to finish on April 27th, 2023.
Without any modern navigation equipment or other assistance, Kirsten and the other competitors relied on celestial navigation. Everything needed for the journey needed to be on the sailboat(35 foot long boat called the Minnehaha) for the around the world journey and competitors were not allowed to set foot on land(or receive any assistance) during the around the world race. Rain water was caught for drinking purposes. Along the route, there were three race gates where competiors dropped off film but could not leave their sailing ships.At one point, one of the racers was in trouble Tapio Lehtinenboat's boat sank and he was in the water on a raft. Kirsten was told of his coordinates and rescued him.
Kirsten isn't new to adventures as she cycled from Europe to South Africa, a distance of 9000 miles!
Photograph from Kirsten's Facebook PageSpanish climber, Beatriz Flamini, may have broken a record for the longest stay in an underground cave, her own choice.She just emerged after 500 days, in a cave located in Los Gauchos(near Motril), 230 feet deep. She came out of the cave on April 14th.The purpose was to have researchers monitor her to see the effects on loneness and being under the ground for such a long time, how the brain responded to day-night cycles, circadian rhythms, etc. Bringing along 60 books, her painting supplies and her knitting supplies, Beatriz said that the time actually went quickly. She continued to exercise while inside the cave. Two cameras documented her time in the cave. She was in contact with her support team who removed waste and supplied fresh food. Beatriz was not allowed to learn of events in the world or personal tragedies.(A family member died while in the cave).Things such as perception of time was something Beatriz noticed shortly after being in the cave. She also said she did NOT talk outloud to herself during the time but did have lots of internal conversations. She said she never once thought about ending the experiment early.
Photograph from Washington A mound of dirt in southwest Norway, on the island of Karmoy, covers what archeologist say is a 1200 year old Viking ship. Using ground-penetrating radar, the outline of a ship, was detected, without disturbing the mound. It appears the Viking ship is at least 65 ft. long and buried about 100 ft. beneath the surface. If verified, it may be one of the largest Viking ships discovered. After further study, archaeologists may dig down to the ship this summer.
Photograph of the mound is Miami Herald. Learn about the Vikings: Viking Freebie
5/15/2023:Scientist may have found the oldest living vertebrate on Earth. A Greenland shark found in the North Atlantic Ocean is estimated to be 512 years old. This species of shark have been found to live hundreds of years. They live in the deep waters between Canada and Norway and the cold and their slow metabolism may be a factor in their longevity. With a thick grey body, small head and gapping mouth, this particular Greenland shark measures more than 18 ft. in length and weighs an estimated one ton. In order to calculate the age of the Greenland shark, scientists analyze the radiocarbon in the eye lens. Additionally, with an average growth of .4 inches each year, scientists can calculate its age by size.
Photograph from The SunA scoreboard, in excellent condition, was recently found in Mexico and may be about 1200 years old! The stone carving, found at the Chicken Itza's archaeological site, with hieroglyphic writing, is thought to have been used for a ball game called Pelota. Weighing 88 pounds, you can still make out the carvings of two players with decorative headgear. The ancient ball game, where teams tried to move a heavy rubber ball, was played by the Maya people and dates back over 3000 years.
Photograph from mexiconewsdailyScientists have filmed a fish. That might not sound newsworthy until you learn it was taken of a fish swimming FIVE miles below the surface of the Sea of Japan. It is the first time a fish, a snailfish, about 4.3 inches in size, was filmed at such a depth. With all the pressure at that depth, 800 times that at the surface, the gelatinous body helps the fish to live in such an environment. The video was taken using a sea robot.
Photograph from University of Western Australia.4/25/2023:Fossil fuels have long been the most used ways to produce energy. For the very first time, the use of coal, gas and oil to create energy, has dropped this past year. Researchers say it is not due to the world economies but countries turning to other sources of energy, such as wind and solar. One of the biggest users of fossil fuels is the country of China. They have helped bring the numbers down, worldwide, with their increased focus on turning to alternative sources to produce energy which are renewable(water, wind and sun). The study of 78 countries and their energy uses, says that 12% of electricity, world wide, is now created by renewable energy sources.
Photograph from PixabayIt's been more than fifty years since there has been a mission to the moon. In the fall of 2024, four astronauts, including the first woman, first person of color and an astronaut from Canada will travel around the moon but not do a moon landing. Called Artemis 2, the astronauts will test communication, support and navigation systems with hopes of a lunar landing mission in 2025. The next moon landing mission WILL include a walk on the moon by a woman and person of color. Learn more about the first lunar mission that including two men, Neil Armstrong and Bud Aldrin, walking on the moon in 1969 with this Reader’s Theater Script.Moon Landing: Man Walks on the Moon!Reader's Theater Script 
Photograph from Space
Dr. Joseph Dituri hopes to set a world record for staying under the ocean for 100 days. At a depth of 30 feet, Dr. Dituri hopes to study the impact of underwater living on the human body(and the impact of extreme pressure on the body). He also hopes to see some unusual things and has already seen a possible new species of marine life(a single-cell ciliate). A professor at the University of South Florida, Dr. Dituri, or Dr. DeepSea, as he is nicknamed, is continuing to teach while at the Jules' Undersea Lodge, 30 ft. beneath the waters of Key West, Florida. With his project called Neptune 100, Dr. Dituri hoping to create an interest in young people to marine environments and to encourage ocean conservation. He began his time on March 1st and is expected to complete his stay on June 9th. The current underwater record was 73 days and done by two biologists in 2014.
Photograph from IndependentPlant your Pants! Sounds like a great idea to get children to learning about soil. In England, each year, there is a Plant your Pants program where you are encouraged to find a pair of 100% cotton undies and bury them in about 6 inches of soil. After two months, you need to check your buried undies. If they have holes and look eaten away, that means your soil is healthy and different microorganisms are munching on them. If, your undies look pretty much like you last saw them, your soil needs better nutrients. Give it a try this growing season! Learn more at this link: Plant Your Pants!
Illustration from Country Trust4/10/2023:The BLOB is coming. Sounds like a sci-fi movie but a 5000 mile wide clump (or blooms)of sargassum seaweed(really 300 species of brown algae) is heading for Florida from the Gulf of Mexico! It is so big, that it can been seen from space and the gigantic blob of seaweed is GROWING. Estimated to include 13 million tons, the blob of seaweed is expected to reach the Florida coast by summer. It is a big concern as not only does the seaweed smell(think rotten eggs) and make a mess on the shore as the tides brings it in, the seaweed draws the oxygen out of the water which isn't healthy for marine life.
Photograph from YahoonewsThree King Penguins at a zoo in the country of Singapore got some badly needed surgery. Their eyes were very cloudy, affecting their vision. A veterinary ophthalmologist gave the penguins custom-made lenses to help their sight! It is believed to be the first time cataract surgery was done on penguins.
Photograph from CBSThree King Penguins at a zoo in the country of Singapore got some badly needed surgery. Their eyes were very cloudy, affecting their vision. A veterinary ophthalmologist gave the penguins custom-made lenses to help their sight! It is believed to be the first time cataract surgery was done on penguins.
Photograph from CBSPaleontologist say they have found the remains of a species of plant-eating sauropod dinosaurs in China that had a world record size neck. It is estimated that the neck of the maenchisaurus sinocanadorum was 10 ft. longer that a school bus! Although found in the late 1980s, the fossils, of three vertebrae ,were just recently studied and the determination made.
Illustration from CNNPompeii was a city destroyed when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. Since the city's rediscovery, about 250 years ago, archaeologists have been uncovering the city, buried in ash and stone, and have made some amazing finds. Learn about Pompeii at this link:Kids:National Geographic Weeds and grasses growing in Pompeii can damage the very old buildings so an unusual crew has been called in to help keep the grass and weeds down...sheep. About 150 sheep have been given the task of chopping to their hearts content. The sheep also supply fertilizer to the grounds adding needed nutrient to the soil. Interestingly, before the invention of lawnmowers, a family of sheep herders were employed to use their sheep for this very purpose. In fact, the same family, is supplying the sheep, today!
Photograph from CNN
3/15/2023:If you like ice skating, so did people who lived in China more than 3500 years ago. Archaeologists found ice skates dating back to the Bronze Age. Found in a tomb of a wealthy family, in western China, the bone pieces have holes for strapping to shoes and are the oldest skates ever found in China. Archaeologists suggest that the skates show a possible exchange of ideas between the cattle herders of western China and European people. That is because the earliest ice skates are credited with the people of Scandinavia(1000 BC), specifically the Finnish people.
Photograph from LiveScienceDon't you just hate eating ice cream in the summer heat and having it melt so quickly? Ben and Jerry's are developing an ice cream that may slow down the melting process of ice cream. A secret formula helps keep ice cream solid for much longer periods. Although it is a "secret" recipe, scientists say there are two ways to slow the melting process. One calls for less sugar and adding more starch. Changing the formula for these ingredients can affect the taste of frozen treats so there will be lots of taste testing before the less melting ice cream appears on store shelves. Slowing the melting of ice cream would help the environment as ice cream wouldn't need to be kept at current freezers temperatures.
Photograph from PixabayA 2400 flush toilet was unearthed in China, in the city of Xi'an (where the Terra Cotta Soldiers were found). Archaeologists say it could be the world's oldest flush toilet and may have been used by an emperor of ancient China. Servants probably supplied water to the toilet and such a toilet would have be a "luxury item", not used by most people at the time. Before this discovery, the oldest flush toilet was believed to have belonged to Queen Elizabeth of England (1500s). Now, a study of the inside of the toilet will hopefully provide information on what people ate during this time in ancient China!
Photograph from CNN2/28/2023:The dodo bird lived on the island of Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean. The flightless bird, weighing over 40 pounds, had no enemies until sailors came to the island. Extinct since the 17th century, a group of researchers is hoping to bring back the dodo...sort of. Using its close relative, the Nicobar pigeon’s cells will be edited to be close to the dodo. It won't exactly be the dodo but similar. What do you think of this idea?
Photograph from PixabayScientists found the fossil remains of what may be the biggest penguin that ever walked the planet! Weighing over 340 pounds, the Kumimanu Fordyce, was remains of the penguin were discovered in New Zealand. About the size of an adult human, the penguin is said to have lived over 50 million years ago.
Photograph from CNET
Pasadena, California, has a bird problem, specifically PEACOCKS. During the Covid pandemic, the peacocks multiplied until their numbers are now in the hundreds. With less people being out and about using their cars ,the roads were much safer for the colorful birds. Noisy and creating a mess, the peacocks are now being rounded up and removed to less populated areas. Native to Central Africa and south Asia, the peacock is the national bird of India. Learn more about the peacock at this link. Peacocks!
2/15/2023:A tiny robot is very unique. About a millimeter in size, the metal robot can be melted and return to solid form. In an experiment, the MPTM(Magnetoactive phase transitional matter robot) was placed in a cage and melted its way out only to reform once outside of the cage.Scientists from Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania say such a shape shifting robotic could help get into tiny, difficult to reach areas, and might eventually help doctors with surgical procedures. See a video here: Shape Shifting Robot!
Photograph from BBCHekashepes was about 35 years old when he died more than 4300 years ago. His mummy was recently found in the country of Egypt. Archeologists say the mummy may be the oldest ever found in Egypt. In very good condition for his age, Hekashepes was found with lots of gold covering his body. His underground burial site was near the famous Step Pyramid of Djoser,the oldest pyramid found in Egypt(built 1279-1213 BC). To date, the oldest mummies to be found were found in the country of Chile. Some of the Chinchorro mummies are said to be 7000 years old! On the topic of mummies, some museums are now using the word "mummified person" in place of the word "mummy" saying the term adds more humanity to the human remains. What do you think?
A large amount of eggs were recently found in India. The eggs, 256, belonged to dinosaurs, specifically, titanosaurs! Laid millions of years in the past, scientists say the fossilized eggs may have been preserved when volcanic lava covered the eggs. Scientists uncovered 92 clutches(nests) of dinosaur eggs in an area of central India, called the Dhar.
Photographs from BBC
A large amount of eggs were recently found in India. The eggs, 256, belonged to dinosaurs, specifically, titanosaurs! Laid millions of years in the past, scientists say the fossilized eggs may have been preserved when volcanic lava covered the eggs. Scientists uncovered 92 clutches(nests) of dinosaur eggs in an area of central India, called the Dhar.
Photographs from BBC1/30/23: An unusual GREEN comet, discovered last year by astronomers, is coming into the Earth's area of the solar system. Scientists say it has been 50,000 years since it last appeared. Called C/2022 E3(ZTF), the comet will be closest to the Earth in the beginning of February.
Illustration from YahooThere are many places on the Earth where the internet doesn't exist or is very spotty. Do you utilize the internet each day? What are some of the things you use the internet?
Photograph from Pixabay
Molly Sampson, 9, Maryland, loves searching for fossils and asked for insulated chest waders for Christmas. Waders would enable Molly, who loves searching for fossils,to continue her hunt for a tooth of a Otodus megalodon(one of the largest giant sharks that lived 13 million years ago), even in the cold waters of winter. On Christmas Day, Molly got two gifts. First she got the waders and second, she found a whopper of an extinct shark tooth. After breakfast, Molly, wearing her new waders, went search near Calvert Beach, along with her dad and sister. The Christmas morning was COLD, only about 10 degrees but that didn't stop Molly from wading knee-deep in the low tide waters searching for a fossil tooth. She spotted what was a 5 inch "meg" tooth, the largest ever found in her area. It isn't her first fossil discovery. She's already found over 400 teeth but none the size of this discovery. Molly gave the tooth to the Calvert Marine Museum to confirm the identity of the tooth where the curator confirmed it was the tooth of an Otodus Megalodon that probably was about 45-50 ft. in body length. Molly wants to be a paleontologist when she grows up. She is off to a great start!
Photograph from mom's Facebook page.
1/15/23:The US Mint has released the first quarter in a new series to honor American Woman called American Woman Quarters. It went into circulation today and honors Bessie Colman. Bessie was the first African American female pilot in the U.S.A AND the first AMERICAN to receive an international pilot's license!
Learn more about Bessie Colman with this Reader's Theater Script: Bessie Colman, A Reader's Theater ScriptWhat may be the OLDEST pair of jeans just sold for $114,000! The minor's white heavy duty jeans were found in a trunk, in a shipwreck, found off the coast of North Carolina. The ship, the SS Central America, sank in 1857 in a hurricane while on route from New York to San Francisco.
Photograph from Yahoo NewsScientists at the California Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's National Ignition Facility say that a huge breakthrough has been made in developing energy with nuclear fusion. Something like harnessing the sun's power in a box, 192 lasers were able to heat a capsule to over 180 million degrees! It may be your children's clean energy source making the use of fossil fuels unnecessary to their generation and beyond.
Photograph from CNN1/1/2023:Thanks to a hurricane in Florida, the remains of a ship from the 1800s was found under the sands near Dayton Beach. Archaeologists think it may be a merchant seafaring vessel and measures about 80 ft. in length.The wooden ship is too fragile to dig up and remove so it will remain buried where it has been for many years.
Photograph fromThe Virginian-PilotA new species of dinosaur-type marine sea turtle has been discovered in the country of Spain. A hiker came upon some of the remains sticking out of the ground in the Catalonia area of Spain. Called Leviatanochelys aenigmatica, the body length was about 12 feet long, making it one of the largest turtle species every discovered! The dinosaur-type sea turtle lived about 83 million years ago and is thought to have only come ashore to lay eggs.
Illustration from Yahoo newsThe first "parastronaut" has been named by the European Space Agency. British medic, John McFall, lost a leg due to a motorcycle accident and will begin the two-three year study to see if someone with a physical disability can be part of a future space mission. McFall said of his selection,"ESA has the commitment to send an astronaut with a physical disability into space... This is the first time that a space agency has endeavored to embark on a project like this. And it sends a really, really strong message to humanity."
Photograph from MSNA new species of dinosaur-type marine sea turtle has been discovered in the country of Spain. A hiker came upon some of the remains sticking out of the ground in the Catalonia area of Spain. Called Leviatanochelys aenigmatica, the body length was about 12 feet long, making it one of the largest turtle species every discovered! The dinosaur-type sea turtle lived about 83 million years ago and is thought to have only come ashore to lay eggs.
Illustration from Yahoo newsGoldfish in the wild can get lots bigger than most people think. Called "The Carrot", a whopper of a goldfish was caught by a man in France. The goldfish weighed 67 pounds, about the size of a 10 year child. The goldfish was released after several photograph were taken. Goldfish in the wild can live up to 25 years! 
Photograph from CNN
12/5/2022:The school nurse has probably checked your head for lice at some point. Seems this pesky problem has been around for a LONG time. Israeli Archeologists have uncovered an ivory comb,dating back 3700 years that may have the oldest known sentence, written in a type of alphabet. Found in Lachish, Israel, the sentence says,"May this tusk root out the lice of the hair and the beard."" Interestingly, the oldest example of head lice was a louse egg found on the hair of a Brazilian mummy which was about 10,000 years old!
Photograph from CNNWOW! Imagine surfing a 115 ft. tall wave. Sebastian Steudtner, of Germany, has broken the record for the tallest wave ever surfed. He did this at Nazare, Portugal, known for their record waves.
Photograph from Forbes11/25/2022:
WOW! Imagine surfing a 115 ft. tall wave. Sebastian Steudtner, of Germany, has broken the record for the tallest wave ever surfed. He did this at Nazare, Portugal, known for their record waves.
Photograph from ForbesScientists observing bees say that they PLAY. Studying bumblebees in action, researchers from Queen Mary University of London, England, found bumblebees seem to like rolling wooden balls around. The bumblebees studied were not given any incentive (rewards) for doing this. The insects just seemed to have fun doing it!
Photograph from CTVnews
For the first time, Disney has introduced a short film that highlights its first plus-sized character. Bianca, of Reflect, is a ballerina, who deals with developing self-esteem.
Photograph from NPRDiwali, the Festival of Lights, begins on Monday, October 24th and last for five days.It's a happy time of year and is the biggest holiday in the country of India.Practiced mainly by people of the Hindu faith, many other people enjoy taking part in the festive holiday season, too. During the holiday, there will be gift giving, lighting lamps(Dipa lamps) special sweet treats including Laddus (sweet wheat balls with nuts and fruits inside) and Karanjis (flour fried dumplings with coconut and sugar), praying, getting together with family and friends and fireworks to help welcome the new year. Learn a bit about the country of India by clicking here:Learn about the country of India
Illustration from PixabayThis year a record was broken for a pumpkin grown in North America. Travis Gienger, of Minnesota, grew a pumpkin that weighed in at 2560 pounds! Hard to believe but that is NOT the biggest pumpkin ever grown. That honor goes to Stefano Cutrupi, of Italy, who set a new world record for a pumpkin the fall of 2021. Cutrupi's pumpkin smashed the scale at 2702 pounds replacing a pumpkin record of 2624 pounds grown by Matias Willemijns of Belgium.
Photograph of the World's largest pumpkin from guinnessworldrecords.comA new statue can be seen outside the headquarters of the CIA building in Virginia. The statue of Harriet Tubman,the famous Underground Railroad conductor, was also a spy for the Union during the Civil War. For the unveiling of the statue last month, Tubman's great-great-great grandniece, Michele Jones Galvin, was present.
Photograph from Auburnpub11/1/2022:
A canoe was retrieved from Lake Mendota, in the state of Wisconsin, that is very old. Estimated to be at least 3000 years old, it is actually the SECOND such canoe found by Tamara Thomsen, a marine archeologist. The canoes were both made from white oak and are about 15 ft. long and are believed to have been used by early Native American people that lived in the area. Both canoes will go through a two year preservation process.
Photograph from GoodnewsnetworkNASA successfully smashed a space craft, going at speeds of 15,000 mph, into a small asteroid, on purpose. It was part of a mission called DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) to see whether or not a massive crash could change the path of an asteroid. It has taken almost a year for the spacecraft to travel about 6.8 million miles to reach the asteroid called Dimorphos. The small asteroid travels with a large asteroid called Didymos. It will take some time before scientists know if the mission was able to push the smaller asteroid closer to the larger one. Although no known asteroids are on a course where they could hit the Earth, scientists want to be prepared to keep the planet safe should an asteroid be of concern in the distance future.
Photograph from newsforkids.netNASA successfully smashed a space craft, going at speeds of 15,000 mph, into a small asteroid, on purpose. It was part of a mission called DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) to see whether or not a massive crash could change the path of an asteroid. It has taken almost a year for the spacecraft to travel about 6.8 million miles to reach the asteroid called Dimorphos. The small asteroid travels with a large asteroid called Didymos. It will take some time before scientists know if the mission was able to push the smaller asteroid closer to the larger one. Although no known asteroids are on a course where they could hit the Earth, scientists want to be prepared to keep the planet safe should an asteroid be of concern in the distance future.
Photograph from newsforkids.net10/7/2022:German scientists say that experiments show that freshwater stingrays and some cichlids can be taught simple math. Shown cards of shapes, squares or circles, the fish learned that if they picked the card with more, they got rewarded with a treat. They were also able to figure out the card that had less and if their noses touched the proper card, they also got a treat. It appears the fish could distinguish between more and less. The highest number that the fish seemed to grasp was up to the number 5. The stingrays seemed to perform better than the cichlids.
Photograph from washingtonpostThe famous Nazca Lines in southern Peru has a new addition. Archaeologists have discovered a cat on the side of a hill. The "geoglyph"spider, joins a hummingbird, a a dog, a monkey, a condor and many others. The amazing drawings can only be appreciated from above. In fact, it was in 1927, when passengers in air planes, passing the area, started commenting on the shapes. Archaeologists think the Nazca drawings were made 500-2000 years ago.With little wind or rain in the area, the Nazca drawings have remained over all these years.
Photograph from Sunnyskyz
9/28/2022:Someone's tooth was found in the country of Georgia. Not just any tooth but a tooth believed to be over 1.8 million years old! The tooth, a molar, was found in an area called Dmanisi, where previous early human remains have been found. It is thought to be the oldest tooth found outside of the continent of Africa.
Photograph from DWWith the passing of Queen Elizabeth, of Great Britain,a long held tradition with the Royal bees was done this week. The official Buckingham Palace beekeeper went to the hives, placed black ribbon bows on them, and knocked on each hive. He then whispered that their queen had died and they now had a "new boss"and the 20,000 bees living in each hive were urged to behave for their new king.
Photograph from DailyMailNicole Aunapu Mann will be the first Native American female to go on a mission into space to the ISS, early in October. Mann, with a heritage of the Wailacki of the Round Valley Indian Tribes, will take with her a dreamcatcher, a gift from her mom when she was a young girl. A dreamcatcher is a symbol of protection and unity.Mann has also been training for the Artemis mission, the first return to the moon in over 50 years. She is one of the finalists to become the first woman to walk the moon when the mission blasts off in 2025. Currently 12 men have walked the moon's surface.
Photograph from ABCnews
With many areas having a drought, river and lake areas are low and in Texas, an amazing discovery was made. Massive dinosaur tracks were found in the exposed river bed of the Paluxy River, part of Dinosaur Valley State Park! Thought to be the footprints of sauropods and theropods, the tracks may have been made 113 million years ago. 
Photo from Dinosaur Valley State Park
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Recycled plastics have been used to make the first all plastic bicycle.Called the Igus:bike, the bike uses about 36 pounds of single-use plastic in its construction. The bike will go on sale in 2023 and has a pricetag of about $1400. A version made from plastic but not RECYCLED plastic will also be available and will cost a bit less.
Photograph from Designnews
Photograph from BCCNewsroundDid you know that 11 men have walked on the moon beginning in 1969 with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin? In 2024, NASA hopes to have a mission return to the moon and a woman astronaut will make history doing a lunar walk. At this time there are 9 women candidates for the Artemis moon mission. Learn more about the different female astronauts at this link:Female Candidates for 2024 Moon Walk
Photo from DailyMailA farmer in Great Britain has made an amazing discovery on his property. He found a fossilized fish(thought to be a Pachycormus) so very well preserved that it still looks like a fish. Scientists say that about 183 million years ago, his farmland was part of a tropical ocean. When scientists came to the site, many additional bones, including two ichthyosaurs were also unearthed.
Photograph from DailymailResearchers have developed eyeglasses(called XRAI Glass) which can do a remarkable thing for those who are deaf. The glasses can instantly project audio into captions onto the lenses. Pretty amazing!
Photograph from DailymailNorth American Monarch butterflies are in trouble. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, the population of monarchs has dropped so much that they have listed the butterfly on the endangered list. Just in the past 10 years, it is estimated their numbers have gone down 70%. A source of food for many North American birds, the monarchs are important pollinators helping to grow our different crops. Pesticides, loss of habitat and climate change are the cause for the dwindling number of these beautiful orange and black butterflies.
Photograph from wpclipartJane Goodall,famed primatologist, has just been recognized with a Barbie doll! Part of their series , Inspiring Women, Goodall's doll is made from recycled plastic and has Goodall’s blond hair(in a ponytail). Wearing khaki shorts and shirt, the likeness Barbie doll also is wearing binoculars and is holding a notebook. Goodall has helped to change the attitudes people had toward animals, specifically the chimpanzee. Her method of studying chimpanzees involved living amongst them, for over 55 years. She is also known as an anthropologist, humanitarian and writer. She has worked for better treatment of animals in zoos and protection of the habitat of animals in the wild.
Photograph from CNN.com8/1/2022:
This week, a statue of Mary McLeod Bethune(educator, journalist, civil rights advocate),replaced a statue of a Confederate general in the National Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol. The hall has 100 statues, two from each of the states.Representing the state of Florida, Bethune's statue is the first African American(male or female) honored in the hall. Note:There are other statues for the contributions of African Americans(Sojourner Truth, Rosa Parks, Frederick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr., but they are not in the National Statuary Hall of the U.S. Capitol Building.
Photograph from CNN
Photograph from BBC
The Mayflower sailed again this summer and just arrived at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts, having left England on April 29th. The 50 ft. replica of the ship that brought 102 Pilgrims over from Plymouth, England, in 1620, retraced the similar 3500 mile journey. This time, instead of passengers, the ship was powered by robotics and had no crew. Along the way, the autonomous ship collected information about microplastics pollution, whales and other scientific studies. It is thought to be the largest ship to make a sailing across the Atlantic with only robotic power.
Photograph from DailyMailScientists say a Cambodian fisherman may have caught the world's largest freshwater fish. Measuring 13 ft.long, the stingray topped the scale at 661 pounds! Nicknamed,"Boramy" or "full moon"", the fish was caught in the Mekong River. The stingray was released BACK into the river after first being given a tag so its behavior can be monitored.
Photograph from DailyMail7/1/2022:The world's oldest tree, called "Methuselah"", in California, has competition. The Great Basin bristlecone pine was holding the record of about 4800 years old. Now, scientists have found a tree in the Chilean Andes, called "Gran Abuelo"(Spanish for Great Grandfather) which is estimated to be 5400 years old. An alerce tree, scientists used a computer modeling program to date the tree. Using dendrochronology, counting the tree's rings, which is the usual method of determining the age of a tree, is currently being done to determine which tree is truly the OLDEST tree in the world.
6/7/22:Add algae power to solar and wind as sources of energy. Scientists at the University of Cambridge, in Great Britain, have powered a small computer using algae. The only thing the algae needs to survive and create energy is water and light, a process called photosynthesis. The algae, called Synechocystis, has provide the device electrical current for a year.It is thought the technology of using algae power might be used for small devices such as cell phones,,smart watches and more.
Photograph from BBCScientists say they have discovered the world's largest plant. About 3x larger than the city of Manhattan, the seagrass was found off the coast of western Australia. Using genetic markers, the scientists determined it is actually ONE plant and is estimated to be 4500 years old!
Back in 2018, while excavating for a future industrial park, workers found a giant stone. As they continued to dig, the ruins of a well preserved ancient Mayan city. Located on the Yucatan Peninsula, near Merida, Mexico, the city dates back to 600-900 AD and was the home for more than 4,000 people.It was announced this week that archaeologists have found the ruins of pyramids, palaces and plazas in the site named Xiol (meaning "spirit of man" in Mayan). Additionally, a burial ground was also discovered.
Photograph from WhtcA new type of flying reptile has been unearthed in the Andes Mountains of Argentina. Called the "Dragon of Death"", it is estimated that the reptile(pterosaur) lived about 86 million years ago. It was a HUGE creature with a body about the size of a school bus! Stretching about 30 ft. in length, the flying reptile (named Thanatosdrakon Amaru or Death Dragon) flew in the sky using its wings to hunt for food.
Illustration from USAToday
Ringling Bros. announced that their circus performances will resume in 2023. The circus shut down in 2017 due in large part to concerns about animals being used in their performances, especially, elephants. The return of the Ringling Bros.Circus will include lots of clowns and acrobats but will have NO live animals.
Picture from WPClipartFor the first time, plants have been grown from soil samples taken from the MOON! It took more than 11 years for the researchers to be able to obtain a bit of lunar soil from NASA.(previous requests were turned down) That's why the experiment has only recently been conducted. The lunar soil, like on earth, varies, but the samples(from Apollo Missions 11,12 and 17) were able to sprout seeds, although the plants were not as robust as plants grown with earth soil. The success of this experiment means that on future trips to the moon, astronauts might be able to grow food and not have to bring everything with them for long durations on the lunar surface.
Photograph from NASA
05/20/2022:A little boy in Great Britain was looking for shells with his dad when he made an amazing discovery lying in the sand and pebbles. Sammy Shelton, 6,found a HUGH tooth of a megalodon. The giant carnivore, the largest sea shark ever to exist, became extinct over 65 million years. It is estimated that the megalodon could have measured 60 ft. in length.The black tooth is about 4 inches long and could be over 20 million years old! An evolutionary biologist at the University of East Anglia,Norwich, Great Britain, Ben Garrod, confirmed the discovery. Sammy has been showing the tooth to his friends and likes to sleep with it near his bed at night.Garrod said it is quite rare to find a tooth of a megalodon, especially along the coast of Great Britain. 
Photograph from BBC
Archaeologists have discovered the longest known painting done by Indigenous Americas. A 10 ft.long diamond rattlesnake, dating back 1000 years, was found with other drawings, including human figures, in a cave in the state of Alabama. Scientists say the cave art is also the largest such collection of cave art created by Indigenous Americans. Carved into the rocks, the drawings have all but disappeared. Originally found in 1998, the paintings were made clearer using technology called photogrammetry. The location of the cave is being kept a secret.
So much plastic litter the land and waters. It is estimated that less than 10% of all plastics are recycled. Scientists at the University of Texas(Austin) has developed a "Pac-Man" protein that munches on plastic, breaking them down, potentially helping to eliminate the growing plastic pollution problem. Specifically, the protein eats PET(polyethylene terephthalate) found in many products made with plastic. The scientists say that the protein actually broke down the plastic is less than one day!
Recently, a hologram of a NASA Flight Surgeon was beamed up to the International Space Station. The technology called "holoportation" allowed Dr. Josef Schmid to talk with the astronauts, "shake" hands with a French astronaut and even take a selfie with the astronauts. Scientists hope this technology will be another way of bringing people together. Dr. Schmid was able to travel about 250 miles above the Earth, to the ISS, which is traveling 17,500 mph, without leaving his office at NASA!
PhotographPhotograph from CNETUsing ground penetrating radar, scientists have discovered an old Viking ship dating back to possibly 793-1066 AD. The 30 ft. long by 5 ft. wide ship was big enough to hold six men. It is approximately 30 feet under the ground. It was found in western Norway. It is thought that the "boat grave ship" was the resting place for a very important person due to the size of the ship. When excavated, scientists are hoping to also find treasures belonging to the individual. The location of the ship is where a highway is planned to be construction.
Photograph from DailyMailScientists are doing trials to see how teeny robots injected into the body might be able to treat areas that are difficult to access, specifically, cancers of the brain.Magnets are used to move the robots, only a few millimeters in length, to the needed area. Once at the location of a tumor or cyst, the robot burst the growth. Today, most treatments using radiation and drugs, effect the entire body.The technology has been given permission for human trials after being tested on pigs and sheep.Many years ago, writer Isaac Asimov wrote about scientists reduced in size traveling inside the human body in a tiny space vehicle. His books was called Fantastic Voyage.
Photograph from Dailymail
In 2022, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson made history as the first African American female being confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court. There have been 115 Supreme Court justices as of 2021! Justice Jackson becomes only the 7th woman to become a Supreme Court Justice. It is also the FIRST time there will be four women, out of the nine justices, on the Supreme Court! Learn more with this freebie:Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson
A new guard is on the patrol at the historic area of Pompeii, Italy. Spot's job is to work the night shift after the ancient city is closed to visitors and keep a lookout for thieves searching for artifacts they can steal, Spot is a robotic guard dog. Spot is capable of climbing stairs and opening doors. With a camera, Spot can send video to humans of what it sees. Additionally Spot can inspect the areas for tunnels of thieves who might be trying to sneak into the city. In 79 AD, a volcano, Mt. Vesuvius, erupted and the ash and stone from the eruption covered the city. Today, visitors can come to the excavated city and walk the streets and visit the shops and homes.
Photograph from dailymailWhat are being called world's oldest pants were found in China, in a desert region called the Tarim Basin. Discovered in 2014, the pants are more than 3000 years ago and were worn by a horseman or herdsman called Turfan Man. The pants have been studied since being unearthed. It appears that the pants were woven from the wool of sheep or other animals and not "cut" from fabric.
Photograph from science news.orgChanging our clocks forward an hour in the spring and back an hour in the fall may be ending. The Senate voted to make Daylight Savings time, permanent. The bill needs to go to the House for a vote. If passed, President Biden will have to decide whether to sign the bill into law or VETO (say no).Currently, Arizona is the only state that doesn't change their clocks twice a year. This isn't just an America custom. At least 70 countries have Daylight Saving Time, to get more sunlight in the evening hours. The downside is that during the winter months, many would have an extra hour of darkness. What do you think?
4/25/2022: A new guard is on the patrol at the historic area of Pompeii, Italy. Spot's job is to work the night shift after the ancient city is closed to visitors and keep a lookout for thieves searching for artifacts they can steal, Spot is a robotic guard dog. Spot is capable of climbing stairs and opening doors. With a camera, Spot can send video to humans of what it sees. Additionally Spot can inspect the areas for tunnels of thieves who might be trying to sneak into the city. In 79 AD, a volcano, Mt. Vesuvius, erupted and the ash and stone from the eruption covered the city. Today, visitors can come to the excavated city and walk the streets and visit the shops and homes.
Photograph from dailymailWhat are being called world's oldest pants were found in China, in a desert region called the Tarim Basin. Discovered in 2014, the pants are more than 3000 years ago and were worn by a horseman or herdsman called Turfan Man. The pants have been studied since being unearthed. It appears that the pants were woven from the wool of sheep or other animals and not "cut" from fabric.
Photograph from science news.orgChanging our clocks forward an hour in the spring and back an hour in the fall may be ending. The Senate voted to make Daylight Savings time, permanent. The bill needs to go to the House for a vote. If passed, President Biden will have to decide whether to sign the bill into law or VETO (say no).Currently, Arizona is the only state that doesn't change their clocks twice a year. This isn't just an America custom. At least 70 countries have Daylight Saving Time, to get more sunlight in the evening hours. The downside is that during the winter months, many would have an extra hour of darkness. What do you think?
4//15/2022:What are being called world's oldest pants were found in China, in a desert region called the Tarim Basin. Discovered in 2014, the pants are more than 3000 years ago and were worn by a horseman or herdsman called Turfan Man. The pants have been studied since being unearthed. It appears that the pants were woven from the wool of sheep or other animals and not