Author: Lisa Mungovan

Today is Martin Luther King Jr Day. Dr King was a minister, activist, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and leader of the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He used non-violent civil disobedience, marches and sit-ins to try to create racial equality in the United States. He was assassinated in 1968, but still inspires us to fight racism.

SpaceX is preparing for another test, of its latest unmanned Starship prototype. They will launch the 16-story spaceship thousands of feet into the air, then return it safely to the ground. The 8th ship exploded because it fell back to Earth too quickly. SpaceX’s founder, Elon Musk, hopes Number 9 can stick the landing.

The Cabazon Dinosaurs in California, love holidays. If you missed the giant T-rex dressed as Santa Claus, don’t worry. He and all his dinosaur friends, are decked out for Valentine’s Day. There’s also a gift shop in the massive dino Dinny’s belly, and a Wafflesaurus truck to feed your dinosaur-sized appetite!

If you’ve ever been to San Francisco California, you know the hills are very, very, very steep. Before cars were invented, horses often fell over, trying to pull carriages up the streets. 150 years ago, Andrew Smith Hallidie patented cable cars. The cars run on a railway, pulled by ropes overhead. Happy Cable Car Day!

Did you make any New Year’s resolutions? If you promised yourself you would change something in your life, and it’s working, congratulations! If you’ve failed, don’t worry about it, because it’s Ditch New Year’s Resolutions Day. Be proud of your broken resolutions for today, and you can start fresh again tomorrow.

On this day in 1706, Benjamin Franklin was born. Did you know he invented swim flippers when he was 12? That’s why today is Kid Inventors’ Day. Kids also invented popsicles, ear muffs, the trampoline, and Braille. Have you ever invented anything? Start writing all your ideas down. You might have the next great invention!

Bird-feeders are a great way to attract birds to your yard. But birds aren’t the only ones that love seeds. Squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons, and bears might also raid your feeder. Last week, a wildlife officer in Colorado, had to rescue a mule deer, that had gotten its head stuck in a bird feeder.

Soon there will be a trail for hikers and cyclists, that stretches all the way across the United States. The Great American Rail-Trail will connect with 145 existing paths, to complete a 3700-mile trail from Washington DC, to Washington state. Rail-trails are built on old railway tracks that are no longer used.

Glow-in-the-dark clothes are awesome. Even lizards know it! The web-footed gecko, found in the desert in Namibia, has glow-in-the-dark skin. They have skin cells called iridophores, that are filled with guanine crystals. Many reptiles also glow under ultra-violet light, and even have fluorescent bones! It helps them see each other over long distances.

Did you receive any gift cards, as holiday presents? Don’t let them get lost or forgotten. Today is Use Your Gift Card Day, so start spending! You can shop online, or order takeout, if you’re home because of the pandemic. It’s also Fig Newton Day. Eat the fruit-filled cookies while you shop.