Author: Lisa Mungovan

Today is Sneakers Day. The first rubber-soled shoes were introduced in the US, 130 years ago. Rubber soles are quieter than leather or wooden soles, so you can sneak up on people. It’s also Nautilus Night. The ocean-dwelling cephalopod has a spiraling shell, 90 tentacles, and swims using jet propulsion!

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!

Today is Fire Prevention Day. This year’s theme is, “Charge into Fire Safety, Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home” The batteries used in phones and laptops should never be used under pillows . It’s also Moldy Cheese Day. Not all mold is bad. Varieties of cheese like Gorgonzola and Camembert, are encouraged to grow delicious mold.

Today is International Top Spinning Day. How long can your top spin? The world record for a non-mechanical top, is 51 minutes. Mechanical tops, which have an electric gyroscope inside, can spin even longer. The record-breaking mechanical top spin, lasted more than 41 hours! The largest spinning top, is 6 1/2 feet tall.

Today is World Octopus Day! Octopuses have 3 hearts, and 8 arms, not tentacles. Tentacles only have suckers at the tips. Octopuses are extremely intelligent, masters of camouflage, and escape artists! Today is also Touch Tag Day. An octopus would be great at water tag! My favorite version is freeze tag. Tag, you’re it!

Today is Bring Your Teddy Bear To Work & School Day! Maybe your teddy will learn something new, and he’ll for sure make everyone smile! On your lunch break, be sure to eat with your parents, for Take Your Parents To Lunch Day. Your teddy bears can bring their parents too. Time for a picnic!

Have you ever had a peanut butter and Marshmallow Fluff sandwich? It’s called a Fluffernutter, and today is Fluffernutter Day! Have one for lunch, but celebrate Pierogie Day for dinner. The delicious dumplings are pockets of dough, often filled with mashed potatoes and cheese, or cabbage, but usually not Fluffernut.

Nanoplastics, are everywhere. The teeny-tiny bits of plastic are too small to pick up, blow through the air, and flow through nets in the ocean. Scientists in China, have developed a sponge made of starch and gelatin, that can trap the microscopic particles. The sponges could even trap nanoplastics from clothes, in washing machines.

Every fall, people in Polk County Oregon, get to see a huge smile from Mother Nature. The Hampton Lumber company helped a little, by planting larch trees in the shape of a giant smiley face. The larch trees are surrounded by evergreens, so when their leaves turn yellow, they really stand out!

October is a good month to see some meteors! The Draconid meteor showers are whizzing by this week, with a peak on Wednesday. The nearly-full moon will make it harder to spot them all. The Orionid meteor showers will be most plentiful on October 20th. Any clear night is good for stargazing!