Author: Lisa Mungovan

Scientists are studying the possibilities of using mussels, to get rid of microplastics. That’s not muscles as in strong arms, but as in the clam-like shellfish. Mussels can filter the tiniest pieces of plastic from the ocean, without any harm to themselves. After eating microplastics mixed with plankton, they excrete droppings suitable for biofuel.

Have you ever seen a swarm of bees, just hanging out in a big clump? They were probably looking for a new home. When a hive gets too many bees, they make another queen, and create a second colony. If you see a bee swarm, call a beekeeper. They’ll happily give them a home!

Spring has sprung, and beautiful flowers are blooming. They’re lovely to look at, but did you know many flowers are also edible? Try making lilac, violet, or dandelion jelly. Turn forsythia, into a delicious syrup. Clover and lavender make tasty teas. Or pick some redbud flowers off a tree, and just eat them.

Electric boats have not been as successful as electric cars, because it takes more energy to push through water, than to push through air. A new electric hydrofoil boat, solves that problem. The foils on the Candela C-8 speed boat, lift the boat into the air, leaving no pollution, fuel leaks, noise, or wakes.

Raisinets have been around since 1927. Every hour, more than 1,000,000 of the chocolate-coated raisins are produced. How many do you think you could eat in an hour? Today is Chocolate Covered Raisin Day, so indulge yourself! You can pretend they’re a healthy snack. After all, they are full of fruit!

A section of a street in London England, is closed for toadwork. It’s been blocked for 3 weeks, to allow an annual migration of toads, to cross safely. Volunteers from a charity called Froglife, act as toad patrols, making sure toads can hop across the road to breeding ponds, without getting squished.

Antarctica and the Arctic, are both experiencing record-breaking heatwaves. In Antarctica, where Autumn is just beginning, it was 47° Celsius warmer than usual, and rain fell along the coast. Meanwhile, the Arctic, which is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world, is starting spring at 30° Celsius warmer than normal.

Today is Chia Day. Tiny chia seeds are full of nutrients, so you can add them to anything for a healthy boost. Plant them on clay shapes, and grow your own Chia-Pet! It’s also Tamale Day. Cornmeal dough, called masa, is stuffed with sweet or savory fillings, wrapped in leaves, and steamed. They’re delicious!

Don’t be surprised, if your teacher has some extra fun with mathematics today. It’s World Maths Day, so there are online math competitions for kids around the world. You could dress up as a famous mathematician, play math games, and practice equations using M&Ms. You can eat all the right answers.