Category: Kids News

It’s Groundhog Day! The official weather-predicting groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, emerged from his burrow and saw his shadow. That means there will be 6 more weeks of winter. But Martinsburg Maxwell, a groundhog with a degree in meteorology, said, “Phil’s only right 20% of the time. It’s impossible to accurately predict weather that way!”

Bessie Coleman was the first Native American and Black female aviator. Bessie became a pilot in the 19 20’s in France, where women had more opportunities at the time. She returned to the US and amazed crowds with her stunt-flying. Brave Bessie is now the newest Barbie doll, in the “Inspiring Women” series.

A new robot, is light as a feather and fits on your fingertip. It’s called FAIRY, short for Flying Aero-robots based on Light Responsive Materials Assembly, and is based on dandelion seeds. The soft materials respond to light, and travel on streams of air. The filaments adjust like sails on a ship.

Back when Neanderthals lived, a green comet, named C/2022 E3 (ZTF), passed Earth. 50,000 years later, it’s passing our planet again. The comet is about 26,000,000 miles away, and tonight is your best chance to see it with the naked eye. The green color comes from gases it emits, as it passes the Sun.

Today is Serpent Day, which celebrates snakes. Out of 3000 species of snakes, only 1/8th are venomous. The longest species, the reticulated python, can grow to over 30 feet long, while the tiny Barbados threadsnake, is like a 4-inch long spaghetti noodle. Snakes smell the air with their flickering tongues. Can you do that?

Today is going to be yummy. It’s Dark Chocolate Day! The bittersweet chocolate will get your tastebuds ready, for Baked Alaska Day. The dessert is a layer of cake, topped with ice cream and meringue, and then baked. Since it’s also Decorating With Candy Day, you know what to do.

Visitors to the San Diego Zoo, briefly saw a red panda in the wild. Sort of. A 2-year-old red panda named Adira, climbed a tree, then escaped her enclosure by leaping to another tree. Zoo officials quickly cleared out visitors, lured Adira back into her habitat, and trimmed the branches to prevent future escapes.

Did you know that Brussels sprouts, kale, kohlrabi, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, are basically all the same plant? The wild cabbage was bred for different exaggerated traits. Kale and cabbage focuses on the leaves, broccoli is just the flower, and Brussels sprouts are the buds. It’s Eat A Brussels Sprout Day, so dig in!

Today is Inspire Your Heart With Art Day. Spend some time creating art, going to a gallery, or learning about famous artists. Did you know that Leonardo Da Vinci, who painted the Mona Lisa, wrote backwards? See if you can do it, for Backward Day! Wear your clothes backwards, and see if anyone notices!

Today is Scotch Tape Day. Invented in 1930, clear tape does more than seal packages. Artist Mark Jenkins, uses tape to make sculptures! You might be lucky enough to come across his figures in unusual situations, on the streets in your city. Learn how to use his tape-casting method at tape-sculpture.org, and make your own!