Author: Lisa Mungovan

As the Earth warms up, parts of Siberia that were permanently frozen, called permafrost, are melting. It’s giving Russian scientists the chance to study Paleolithic viruses. Samples taken from a 4500-year-old horse, as well as mammoths and other prehistoric animals, can help them learn about virus evolution.

Today is Cabbage Day. It’s a good day to try cabbage soup, fried cabbage, or coleslaw. Think about growing cabbage in your garden. You can start the seedlings inside, and plant after the last frost. Maybe your cabbage will beat the world record, held by Scott Robb’s 138 pound green cabbage in Alaska.

If you see someone with a dirt smudge on their forehead today, it’s probably not because they’re messy. Today is Ash Wednesday, the start of the Christian period of fasting before Easter, called Lent. Some people wear ashes as a sign of repentance. You still have to wash your face!

Get your smiles ready, because it’s Random Acts Of Kindness Day! Give someone a flower or a compliment, or help out around the house without being asked. Write a nice note to a friend, or hold the door open for a stranger. It’s so easy to be kind. Let’s just do it every day!

Frank Rothwell is the oldest man to have completed the annual race, known as the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge. After 18 months of training, the 70-year-old rowed a boat, unassisted, across the Atlantic Ocean. He raised over $1,000,000 for Alzheimer’s research, while rowing the 3000 miles from the Canary Islands to Antigua. The trip took 56 days.

NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover, is scheduled to touch down on the planet, on February 18th. The rover will have traveled 292.5 million miles, in order to explore the Jezero Crater on Mars. You can watch the landing on NASA.gov, while eating doughnuts from Krispy Kreme, that are decorated to look like the Red Planet.

Today is Paczki Day, Fastnacht Day, and Pancake Day. Paczki is a Polish jam or custard-filled doughnut, and fastnacht is a German pastry. IHOP restaurants will celebrate by giving out coupons, for free pancakes! If you don’t like pancakes and pastries, you can celebrate Almond Day. Today is going to be sweet!

You can call today Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Day, Carnival, Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday. The day before Ash Wednesday, the start of a Christian period of fasting called Lent, is a good excuse for parties and overindulgence. New Orleans, Rio de Janeiro, Venice, Niece France, and Goa India, have the best parades and celebrations.

Do you know someone that’s always kind of grumpy? Do something nice for them, because it’s Do A Grouch A Favor Day. Maybe it’ll make them less grouchy! It’s also Tim Tam Day. The biscuits covered in chocolate are a favorite in Australia, but the rest of us might have to buy them online.

Jon Hughes was checking on his dad’s house in Utah, and discovered an intruder. A mountain lion had broken into the basement! The cougar had crashed through the glass door, eaten some aloe vera plants, and was wandering around the house. Luckily, the big cat had no interest in the man, and quickly left.