Author: Lisa Mungovan

There are around 7.8 billion people on the planet, but how many birds do you think there are on Earth? Researchers used data from citizen scientists, reporting their bird sightings on the eBird app, to estimate the world’s wild bird population, at approximately 50,000,000,000. By reporting the birds you see, you could help their future research.

There’s a dad on Instagram, who’s making fun art with his kids. Tom’s young kids, Al and Dom, draw animals, people, and other objects on paper. Then Tom recreates the drawings on the computer, as if they were real. You can see plenty of animals with goofy smiles, by visiting @ThingsIHaveDrawn.

If your name is May or Ray, this day is extra-special for you. As for everyone else, get outside in the sunshine and catch some rays! It’s May Ray Day! It’s also Devil’s Food Cake Day. Do you know how the chocolate cake gets so moist? The recipe calls for hot or boiling water.

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.

After a tough life working in the circus, 35 elephants are about to retire in Florida. Their new home will be at the White Oak Conservation Refuge, where they’ll get to roam 2500 acres of wetlands, forests, watering holes, and grasslands. They’ll become the largest herd of Asian elephants, in the Western Hemisphere.

When you write a letter on paper with a pen, your brain remembers the action. Scientists created a brain-computer interface, that uses that memory, to help paralyzed people mindwrite. A computer picks up the brain signals, as the user thinks of writing each letter, allowing them to quickly type, just by thinking about it.

Farmers place scarecrows in fields, to scare birds away from their crops, but have you ever heard of one in the water? Conservationists developed an aquatic scarecrow called the Looming Eyes Buoy, to prevent seabirds from diving into fishing nets, and getting trapped. It’s basically a big pair of googly eyes, on a pole.

One of the hardest things during the coronavirus lockdown, was not being able to see all your relatives. As more people get vaccinated, it’s safer to visit. Since today is Visit Your Relatives Day, have a reunion in person, video chat using Facetime or Zoom, or just call them on the phone!

Today is No Dirty Dishes Day. First things first: clean all the dishes in the sink! Then don’t use any dishes, utensils, or cookware all day. Try cooking things on a stick, over a fire. It’s also Museum Day, so take a virtual tour online, of an art gallery or natural history museum.

Would you play video games all night, if your parents let you? A man in Canada, set a world record after playing all night, and all day, and all night. Bobby Gamache’s World of Warcraft marathon lasted 44 hours, 44 minutes, and 44 seconds. He livestreamed on Twitch, and chatted with his viewers to help stay awake.