Author: Lisa Mungovan

Today is Parents’ Day! I guess it’s for kids who forgot Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. It’s also Aunt And Uncle Day. You might be an aunt or uncle to someone older than you! An aunt or uncle is your mom or dad’s sister or brother, or a nickname for a special family friend.

Ashrita Furman has broken over 600 world records. His latest feat, which took place in Malaysia, involved slicing watermelons using a machete, on his friend’s head! In one minute, Ashrita chopped through 50 watermelons balanced on Homagni Baptista’s head, to set a new world record. Then they made a big fruit salad. That’s one trusting friend!

There were lots of interesting ideas to reduce plastic packaging, at the BeyondPlastics Awards. The Item Bag 2.0, is a plastic-like bag that dissolves in boiling water. Coolpaste is a cardboard toothpaste tube, that needs no extra packaging. Shell Homage uses nut and egg shells, to create combs or jewelry. Can you invent something?

Some giant pandas in a South Korean zoo, enjoyed the extra privacy during the pandemic. They had a baby! The panda cub was born on Monday, weighing 7 ounces, about the size of a stick of butter. The mom and dad, Ai Bao, and Le Bao, are doing their part to save pandas from extinction.

NASA is preparing to send a new telescope, 24 miles up into the stratosphere. The Astrophysics Stratospheric Telescope for High Spectral Resolutions Observations, is called Asthros for short. The 8.4-foot telescope will be launched, on a balloon the size of a football stadium. Asthros will be able to observe far-infrared light, that’s invisible to humans.

Are you ready to ride around in circles? It’s Carousel Day! Your merry-go-round might just have horses, or it could have tigers and ostriches. Pick your favorite, listen to the calliope music, and wave to everyone! Afterwards, celebrate Hot Fudge Sundae Day. Ice cream tastes better topped with gooey chocolate, whipped cream, and a cherry!

17-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg, was awarded the Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity. She will donate the 1,000,000 euro prize, to organizations that are defending nature, and helping people facing the worst environmental impact. Greta started fighting against climate change, by going on strike from school every Friday. Today marks her 101st School Strike for Climate.

How would you like a tiny working piano? There’ll soon be a new LEGO kit, so you can build your own! The LEGO Grand Piano contains 3,662 pieces, and even comes with music. It has a keyboard with 25 keys, and internal working hammers, although the sound comes from a LEGO Powered Up app. Encore!

Today is Cousins Day. The kids of your mom and dad’s brothers and sisters, are your cousins, but you might also have step-cousins and half-cousins. You could have cousins once-removed, like your cousin’s kid, or second cousins, like your dad’s cousin’s kid. Confuse yourself, by figuring out who would be your 3rd cousin, twice-removed.

Today is Amelia Earhart Day. She was the first woman to make a solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean, in 1932. In 1937, she planned to fly around the world. She completed 22,000 miles, but disappeared without a trace somewhere over the Pacific Ocean. Amelia Earhart’s writings continue to inspire people today. “Adventure is worthwhile in itself.”