Author: Lisa Mungovan

Today is Virus Appreciation Day. What? Viruses are pretty amazing, the way they spread so quickly between people, or computers. Show them you respect how dangerous they are, by washing your hands! To prevent computer viruses, keep your computer up to date, don’t open unexpected email attachments, and use anti-viruses and malware scanners.

An alligator has been spotted wandering around Belle Isle, an island in Detroit Michigan. As it is far from its natural habitat, the gator was likely a pet, that someone released when it got too big. Officials from Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources will try to find the alligator a more appropriate home.

The results are in, for Katmai National Park’s “fattest bear” competition, and 1200-pound Chunk, was the big winner. The brown bears have a few more weeks to stuff themselves, before they start to hibernate for the winter. You can still watch them catch salmon, on explore.org’s Brooks Falls bearcam.

Sargassum seaweed can blanket coastlines, leaving smelly decay that releases harmful carbon. A robotics company designed robots shaped like manta rays, to keep that carbon from reaching the air. The robots collect sargassum floating on the surface, and deposit it deep, where the lack of sunlight will cause it to die and sink.

Today is Smarties Day. The sweet-and-sour candy tablets, were introduced in 1949. Put some in your pockets, and be a Smartie-Pants. It’s also Poetry Day. Read your favorite poem to someone, or write your own! Here’s a poem from 10-year-old Declan, titled “Something.”

It’s Salty. It’s Spicy. It’s Sour. It’s Vomit.

What’s your car’s name? You ride in a car all the time, but you don’t even have a name for it? Well, today is Name Your Car Day, so pick a good one! It’s also World Farm Animals Day. Visit a farm with a pumpkin patch and cows, chickens, and goats just for fun!

Let’s celebrate Fire Pup Day, by recognizing canine firefighters. It’s also Black Dog Day, and International Raccoon Appreciation Day. They’re all cute and fuzzy, but don’t put them in a room together! Speaking of fuzzy, don’t forget Hair Day. Did you know sea otters have super-fine hair? Their fur has 1,000,000 hairs per-square-inch!

It’s Balloons Around The World Day! Tie a helium balloon to your wrist, to follow you around, or blow one up, and rub it on your hair. Static electricity will make it stick! Ambush your friends, with water balloons, or take a hot air balloon ride. Remember, never let balloons fly away. That’s littering!

Get a 4 by 6 piece of construction paper, and draw a picture. Now turn it over, and stick a stamp on it. Add an address and a little note. You just made a postcard, for World Postcard Day. Maybe you could send it to your grandparents, in honor of Older Persons Day.

Today is Pumpkin Spice Day. The favorite fall flavor is in foods from cereal to ravioli. There’s even a pumpkin spice latte engagement ring! It has a center diamond shaped like whipped cream, surrounded by orange sapphires in a cup-shaped setting. You can wear your favorite coffee drink, while you smell the scented box.