Kids News - Environment Articles

On April 1st, California's Governor Jerry Brown did what his predecessors have been doing for over 65 years - trek to Echo Summit in the Sierra Nevada Mountains to measure the snowpack. The only difference? Instead of ski gear he was wearing a light windbreaker and hiking shoes. That's because for the first time since the tradition began there was no snow to ski upon....

Plants typically use one of three methods to disperse seeds - wind, water, or animals. Not the Erodium cicutarium or as it is often called "stork's bill." This dynamic plant uses a powerful mechanism called "ballistic dispersal," to transport its seeds over 500 yards away. Though that is certainly impressive what happens after, is even more so....

Most of us could probably survive without spinach, kale, or broccoli, but a world without chocolate? Now that would be hard! But if some of the world's largest candy manufacturers are to be believed, it could happen if we don't act soon....

Today the world will celebrate Earth Hour. This means that millions of people across twenty-four time zones and six continents will switch off all lights and turn off all electronics for an hour, from 8.30-9.30 pm local time. While it may seem trivial, this small action will make more than a symbolic difference in our battle against climate change....

For humans seeing butterflies fluttering around with their beautiful brightly colored wings is a joyful sight. However not for their natural predators like lizards, spiders, and birds. To them, the vibrant hues are a reminder of a bad-tasting species that are best avoided. For those not easily duped, some butterflies also have eyespots on their wings. According to researchers, this tricks would-be predators into thinking that the insect is a larger animal, like an owl....

Honey, the rich gold liquid that we all love is the miraculous creation of industrious honey bees. However, while the delicious sweetener has been used for over 8,000 years, extracting it is still a laborious process that is stressful for both humans and bees....

Most animals that hibernate during cold winter months have thick coats of fur or layers of fat to protect them. However, the Rana sylvatica species of the wood frog that can be found in Alaska and the Arctic Circle has neither. Therefore this tiny amphibian has adapted by freezing and thawing itself depending on the external temperature....

Researchers have long suspected that hippos evolved from a family of plant-eating, semi-aquatic mammals called anthracotheres. The ancient animals that roamed freely all the way from North America to Asia inhabited Earth about 40 million years ago. However, scientists could never verify the theory since the only fossils of ancient hippos discovered thus far, dated back just 15 million years. Now thanks to Fabrice Lihoreau, there is finally some proof....

While whiteboards are great tools for educators and other speakers to use when explaining a concept, they can be distracting. That's because instead of paying attention to the speaker, the audience is often busy jotting down what's on the board before it is erased. Now, thanks to the ingenious Equil Smartmarker, the notes can be digitally captured and transmitted to a smart device, enabling the audience to focus their full attention to what's being said....