Author: Lisa Mungovan

Today is World Radio Day. Before TV, families used to listen to radio shows together. It’s great for new music. But radio is important for more than entertainment. In 19 46, United Nations Radio was established to help connect the world. Radio still reaches parts of the world, that don’t have internet service or television signals.

Koalas have had a rough time in Australia, over the last 20 years. Bushfires, habitat loss, droughts, and diseases, have all hurt koala populations. There are only around 92,000 koalas left in Australia, so they’ve been officially added to the endangered species list. That will make it easier to pass laws to protect them.

Last year, astronomers spotted a huge comet. This week, they declared the Bernardinelli-Bernstein comet, is officially the biggest comet ever observed. It’s 85 miles wide! Scientists are excited to learn more about it, as it approaches Earth in 20 30. Don’t worry, it will never get closer than Saturn!

Today is Plum Pudding Day. Also called Christmas pudding, a tradition is for the whole family to hold onto a wooden spoon and make a wish while stirring the batter together. In the 17th century, raisins and other fruits were called plums, so don’t be surprised if your recipe doesn’t have plums in it!

In 18 88, Louis LePrince made the first motion picture. Roundhay Garden Scene was only 2 seconds long, just long enough to eat one piece of popcorn! It would be 7 more years before Auguste and Louis Lumière started the motion picture industry. Today is Global Movie Day, so have a movie marathon and watch all your favorites!

Find a penny, pick it up, all the day you’ll have good luck. It’s always lucky to find money! Today is Lost Penny Day. One year, a bronze penny from 19 43 sold for $200,000! Keep all the pennies you find in a little bank, and next year on Lost Penny Day, buy yourself a treat!

Last month, a sea lion in California was spotted several miles from the ocean, trying to cross a busy Interstate highway. He was picked up by the San Diego SeaWorld Rescue Team, to nurse him back to health. This week, the adventurous sea lion was safely returned to the ocean, back where he belongs.

Archaeologists always thought some ceramic containers found in Rome, were chamber pots. The 1,500-year-old vessels were found near latrines, so portable toilets made sense. They finally found a way to prove they’re right. One pot contained ancient eggs of a worm, that lives in the large intestine, indicating that they were indeed, poop pots.

Think about all the things you use every day. Someone invented them all, from light bulbs and televisions, to socks and forks. Today is Inventors’ Day, so look up the origins of your favorite objects. When was it invented? Try to make your own invention, and someday someone might be looking up your object!

Did you dump your drink and make a big mess? Don’t worry. It’s Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk Day. Just calmly clean up the mess, and carry on with your day. It’s no big deal! It’s also Get Out Your Guitar Day, so play a few tunes today. Is your guitar electric or acoustic?