Author: Lisa Mungovan

The number pi, represents the ratio of a circle’s circumference, to its diameter. The exact number is 3.141592, followed by an infinite number of digits. That doesn’t stop people from trying to be as precise as possible. Swiss researchers used a supercomputer, to calculate the mathematical constant, to 62.8 trillion figures. It took 108 days!

I’d like you to get out a number 2 pencil. Don’t worry, it’s not for a test. It’s just Number 2 Pencil Day! The number indicates how hard the graphite core is. Softer number 1 pencils are used by artists for drawing, and harder number 3 pencils, are used by architects and engineers.

Today is Black Cat Appreciation Day. Black cats are least likely to be adopted. One ridiculous reason, is that they’re not as photogenic! Consider giving a black kitty a good home. It’s also Thrift Shop Day. Be good to the Earth, and reuse what other people no longer need. Plus, it’s a bargain!

The next time you have 4 hours with nothing to do, try balancing a field hockey stick, on your finger. Maybe you can break Raj Gopal Boi’s world record. The Indian man just set the record, after balancing a field hockey stick upright on his index finger, for 3 hours and 35 minutes.

A man in South Korea bought a used kimchi fridge online, and was surprised to find $130,000 in cash, taped to the bottom. He reported it to the police, to try to find the rightful owner. Because of low bank interest rates, some South Koreans started storing their money in refrigerators, instead of banks.

Before 11-year-old Max Woosey’s neighbor Rick died, he gave Max his tent, and told him to have an adventure. Max decided to honor Rick’s memory, by camping out every night for a year, to raise money for hospice, and help other terminally ill people. Max just completed his 500th night, and has raised $700,000!

A bunch of volcanoes in Alaska, just came to life. The Great Sitkin, Mount Pavlov, and Semisopochnoi, are all volcanoes on the Aleutian chain of islands, that are spewing ash or lava. Mount Cleveland and Atka volcanoes are also showing signs of activity. It’s uncommon to see so many rumbling, at the same time!

Knock knock. Who’s there? Interrupting duck. Interrupting duh-Quack-quack-quack-quack-quack! Ha ha ha! It’s Tell A Joke Day! You can ask me to tell you a joke, so you can learn some good ones! It’s also Rollercoaster Day! Are you brave enough to ride the Steel Vengeance? It has a 90 degree drop. That’s straight down!

Refrigerated trucks are getting a new upgrade. In order to cut emissions, truck roofs can be covered with solar panels. Refrigerated trucks need to keep idling, in order to keep electricity going to the cooling systems. With solar power, truckers can turn off their diesel engines, and release less carbon into the atmosphere.

When sunflowers are young, they turn their faces toward the Sun as it crosses the sky. Older sunflowers however, stiffen their stems, and keep their heads facing east. They soak up warm morning sun, which helps them release pollen and attract more bees. Experiments show east-facing sunflowers, grow bigger and brighter than west-facing sunflowers.