Author: Lisa Mungovan

18,000 years ago, someone found a conch shell, and turned it into an instrument. French scientists said the tip of the shell, which was found in a cave, had been intentionally formed into a mouthpiece. A musician blowing through the hole was able to create 3 different notes, on the world’s oldest wind horn.

In the United States, today is Presidents Day. It honors the first president, George Washington, and the 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. They were both born in February, so their birthdays are celebrated right between the 2. Do you have a February birthday also? If you become president, we’ll celebrate you on Presidents Day too.

Do you know who Spongebob Squarepants is? Then you’ll know what to do, on Annoy Squidward Day. Squidward’s grumpy, but Spongebob doesn’t let that stop their friendship. It’s also Gumdrop Day! Percy Truesdell was the Gumdrop King, perfecting the candy in 1915. The sugar-coated gelatin drops are often flavored with allspice, clove, mint, or licorice.

Hippo Happy Day. I mean, Happy Hippo Day! Did you know, hippopotamuses give pink milk? Another crazy fact is, they can’t swim! They just walk underwater. They might look slow and harmless, but be careful; they kill around 3000 people a year. Also, they fling poop with their tails, to mark their territory.

The Venus flytrap is an amazing carnivorous plant. Its leaves have hairs, that trigger them to close if an insect crawls on them. Scientists have discovered, that the Venus flytrap actually generates a magnetic field, when the leaves snap shut! It may help the plants send electrical signals to each other.

A family in Massachusetts was shocked, when they noticed someone watching them from their fireplace. It was a big barred owl! Barred owls like to nest in cavities, so the chimney probably looked like a cozy spot to lay eggs. Wildlife rescuers released the bird safely outside, and suggested installing a screened chimney cap.

Today is Cream-Filled Chocolates Day. Since you might get a box of chocolates on Valentine’s Day, it’s the perfect time to figure out the secret to what’s inside, before you bite into them. Some boxes have a map, to find your favorites. Many candy makers use a specific swirl on top, for each flavor.

The 18 93 World’s Columbian Exposition featured an exciting new ride, invented by George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. He created the first Ferris Wheel! Jake “Paco” Navarro holds a world record, for riding one for 53 hours straight. The tallest Ferris wheel ever, is being built in Dubai. It’ll be 689 feet high! Happy Ferris Wheel Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day! Saint Valentine was a priest put to death in the third century, but legends vary as to the reason why. His feast day evolved into a celebration of love in the Middle Ages. The best reason to celebrate today is to show appreciation to people in your life. And to eat chocolate!

How do you feel about turnips? A Canadian farmer must really love them. He grew 3 record-breaking turnips last year! The previous record was a 39-pound turnip. Damien Allard’s turnips weighed 50, 53, and a whopping 63.9 pounds! The world’s heaviest turnip might not be so tasty, as they’re best when they’re 2 to 3 inches in diameter.