Author: Lisa Mungovan

David Rush has set more than 250 world records, including most records held at the same time. He beat one of his own records, for most water moved by the hands in 30 seconds. He scooped 1.3 gallons of water from a tub with his hands, and transferred it into a pitcher.

On Saturday, a plant named Stink Floyd bloomed, at Iowa’s Reiman Gardens. Stink Floyd is a corpse flower that blooms once every 7 years. It smells like rotting flesh, which attracts flies to pollinate it, instead of bees. Corpse flowers can grow 10 feet tall, and the bloom only lasts 48 hours.

When you go to the store, you probably see 1 or 2 types of carrot, even though there are hundreds of varieties. There are over 1000 varieties of bananas, and thousands of different kinds of corn. Today is the International Day For Biological Diversity, so browse a seed catalog, or explore a farmer’s market.

Do you love solving a good mystery? Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created the most famous detective of all, Sherlock Holmes. For Sherlock Holmes Day, read or watch a case that he solved. Then have a family mystery day, and take turns being Sherlock, his sidekick Dr. Watson, and the nefarious Professor Moriarty.

Today is Buy A Musical Instrument Day! Maybe you’ve been renting an instrument and you’re ready to own your own. Or maybe it would be fun to play the nose flute or the kazoo! It’s also World Goth Day. Celebrate goth music, fashion and art. Listen to Bauhaus, wear black, and play goth nose flute music!

A wave of blue swept through Landerneau France on Sunday, as an official record-breaking 3076 people gathered, dressed as Smurfs. In order to be counted, all visible skin had to be blue. Gargamel was not welcome. I wonder if they all sang a happy song together. A new Smurfs movie comes out this July.

Sometimes you really have to dress the part, for your job. Workers at a wildlife center in California, wear bear costumes while they take care of a baby black bear. They don’t want the 2-month-old cub to bond with humans, so that he can grow up and be released to the wild.

Today is Numeracy Day. People that love mathematics can make today all about numbers. If you struggle with math, you can find fun games online to help you learn. It’s also Juice Slush Day. Crush fruits and ice in a blender, or stick your favorite juice in the freezer until it gets slushy.

Would you like a cup of tea? There are over 3000 different types of tea. It’s International Tea Day, so have a tea party, and try some new varieties. Captain Picard always orders tea. Earl Gray. It’s also Strawberries And Cream Day, which would be lovely with tea, especially topped with a biscuit!

Did you get the memo? It’s Memo Day! Short for memorandum, a memo is a note to give a group of people information. It’s also Talk Like Yoda Day, and World Meditation Day. Focus your mind to reach a calm state of being, like a Jedi Master. Then like this, you may speak.