Author: Lisa Mungovan

Today is World Lindy Hop Day. The Lindy Hop is a dance from the 19 twenties. If you don’t know anyone that can teach you, look it up and try it! Eat some cheesecake while you dance, because it’s also Blueberry Cheesecake Day. Dessert while dancing sounds sweet.

Today is Sally Ride Day. In 1983, she became the first American woman in space. At the time, the 32-year-old was also the youngest person traveling in space. Sally studied physics in college, before working for NASA. Would you like to be an astronaut? It’s also World Redhead Day. Celebrate your beautiful hair!

Break out your cape and plastic fangs, because today is Dracula Day! The famous vampire drank blood, but you can celebrate with fruit punch instead. It’s also Paper Airplane Day. Make a whole fleet of folded aircraft, and see which designs fly straightest, farthest, or loopiest. Find directions for different planes at Foldnfly.com!

Today is Memorial Day in the United States. Previously known as Decoration Day, it honors those who have died while serving in the military. The holiday also marks the beginning of summer, when pools and amusement parks open. Some lucky students have even finished the school year by now!

Have you ever sat in a room that was so quiet, you could hear yourself swallow? A room in Minnesota called the Anechoic Chamber, is so quiet, you can even hear yourself blink. The steel box is suspended on springs, and lined with fiberglass ridges, that neutralize all soundwaves.

The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race takes place today, where Formula One race cars make 200 laps around a track. The fastest Indy 500 time was 2 hours, 37 minutes, and 19 seconds. Helio Castroneves was averaging 190.6 miles-per-hour! The first Indy 500, in 1911, was much slower. The winner averaged only 74 miles-per-hour.

Today is International Plastic Free Day. If you go to the store, bring reusable bags, or carry it without a bag. Count all the things in plastic containers at your house. Are you recycling them when you’re done? It’s hard to go plastic free, by try to do it for at least one day.

Today is Tap Dance Day, but don’t worry if you don’t have tap shoes. You can make your own, using hot glue, and 20 pennies! Glue 6 pennies to the bottom of each shoe on the toe area, and another 4 to the heel. Let them dry for an hour, and you’ll be ready to tap!

A towel is the most important thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have, according to “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” Today is Towel Day! Don’t panic, just carry a towel. It’s also Geek Pride Day. For example, be proud of being a Star Wars geek who knows the name of every single character!

Diamonds are formed naturally, when carbon atoms bond under intense heat and pressure, over millions of years. Artificial diamonds are made using high heat and pressure in a lab, in weeks. But chemists in South Korea, have been growing artificial micro-diamonds, in 15 minutes, using only graphene, silicon, gallium, iron, and nickel. That’s amazing!