Author: Lisa Mungovan

Today is Chess Day. Learn how to play this classic game, and you’ll soon be saying, “Checkmate!” It’s I Love Yarn Day too. You could play with a yarn-ball like a kitten, or learn to knit or crochet! Then, if your chess partner is taking too long to move, you could knit a scarf.

A couple in France thought they were buying a Savannah kitten, which is a cross between a domestic cat and an African serval. Savannah cats are big, but the couple soon realized their kitten would be quite a bit larger. It was actually a Sumatran tiger. Authorities arrested the sellers for animal trafficking.

When you want a snack, you might forget the carrots in the fridge, but remember the candy bar you stashed in your pillowcase. Scientists call it the optimal foraging theory. Your brain remembers where the high-calorie foods are located, as a survival skill. Our hunter-gatherer ancestors would’ve known, potatoes were more filling than lettuce.

Did you dress up for Halloween last year? Is your costume sad because you never wore it again? Make your costume happy, by having a costume swap! Everyone gets a new costume for free. You don’t have to wait for Halloween to dress up. You can wear your costumes anytime. Happy Costume Swap Day!

Today is World Porridge Day. It’s great to have hot cereal on a chilly morning! It’s Hug A Drummer Day too. Tell them thanks for always keeping the beat! It’s also Cake Decorating Day, so practice your icing techniques, or learn to sculpt with fondant. Decorate a cake to look like a drum!

15-year-old Jackson Oswalt was finally officially awarded, the world record he set at age 12. He was the youngest person to achieve nuclear fusion. He built a nuclear fusion reactor, at his home in Tennessee. Jackson accelerated 2 atoms of deuterium together, forming helium-3 and releasing a neutron. I’ll bet he won his Science Fair!

You might know the Tasmanian Devil from Looney Tunes, but the real-life animal is not so ferocious. It’s an endangered species, that vanished from Australia because of dingoes. Disease killed 90% of the remaining marsupials on the island of Tasmania. This year, the Aussie Ark released 26 devils in Australia, in hopes of repopulating the country.

Archaeologists in Norway, found the remains of a 1200-year-old temple to the Old Norse gods. The Viking religion worshiped gods like Thor and Odin. The wooden god house, as they’re called, would have stood 40 feet high and 45 feet long, and been the site of worship and sacrifices. It’s the first temple found in Norway.

Today is Fire Prevention Day. This year’s theme is, “Serve Up Fire in the Kitchen.” Have a family meeting about fire safety, then have a fire drill! It’s also Moldy Cheese Day. Not all mold is bad. Varieties of cheese like Gorgonzola and Camembert, are encouraged to grow mold. That’s what makes them delicious!

Did you know it’s Curious Events Day? Celebrate all the strange things in the world, like how it’s impossible to sneeze with your eyes open, or historical events, like when meat fell from the sky in Kentucky. It’s also World Post Day, so send someone a postcard or letter. Don’t forget an interesting stamp!