Kids News - Science Articles

The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is known to be a crafty and fierce predator that devours anything it can snare. However, given that the reptile lacks salt glands, scientists had always believed that its diet was restricted to the fish and crustaceans that dwell in its freshwater habitat. Now, a new study suggests that the opportunistic beasts also gobble down saltwater inhabitants like crabs, sea turtles, stingrays, and even sharks....

On January 31, millions of stargazers around the globe will witness what promises to be a spectacular total lunar eclipse. While the celestial event is always special, what makes Wednesday’s particularly noteworthy is that it coincides with both a blue moon and a supermoon. Hence the moniker “super blue blood moon.” According to NASA, the lunar trifecta is the first of its kind in 35 years and will not occur again until 2037....

If Michael Strano has his way, homes and streets of the future will be lit up with “green” energy — literally — from glowing plants and trees. While that may sound like a lofty goal, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor of chemical engineering and his team are well on their way to realizing the dream with a luminescent plant, which they hope will someday replace your bedside or table lamp!...

Science fiction thrillers frequently feature accidents that cause astronauts to float away into space. Though this has yet to happen in the real world, it is a risk every astronaut is well-aware of when embarking on a spacewalk or Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA). To prevent the nightmare scenario, space explorers are not only tethered to the spacecraft but also fitted with a backup safety kit....

On January 4, the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search (GIMPS), a group of volunteers who use freely available software to search for Mersenne prime numbers, announced the discovery of a new “largest known prime number.” For those that need a refresher a prime number is a positive integer that can only be divided by itself and 1. Since they follow no set pattern, the numbers are hard to discover, which is probably why mathematicians are continually challenging themselves to find the next big one....

If you live on the US East Coast, you have probably already enjoyed several “snow days” due to this year’s extreme winter weather. Unfortunately, children in the remote Oymyakon village in Siberia, Russia are not as lucky. They do after all reside in the “coldest inhabited place on Earth,” where the town's sole school closes only when temperatures drop below -61.6 degrees Fahrenheit (-52 degrees Celsius)....

For the past 50 years, the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has been impressing Americans with innovative products created to enhance their lives. This year’s show, held in Las Vegas from January 8 to 12, was no different. Over 180,000 people flocked to view and test the thousands of gadgets that consumers can look forward to purchasing in the near future. Here are a few that grabbed our attention....

With fewer than 10,000 cheetahs left in the wild, the addition of even a single cub is hailed as a victory. Hence, you can only imagine the excitement caused by the January 3, 2018 announcement of the birth of eight cheetahs at the St. Louis Zoo in Missouri. According to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) which manages 12 cheetah conservation facilities — including the one at the St. Louis Zoo — this is the first time such a large, healthy litter has been born. Previously recorded births have averaged between three to four cubs....

For most people, the mention of glitter brings back fond memories of colorful preschool and kindergarten projects. However, the sparkly material is also prevalent in everyday grown-up products like makeup, decorations, and even iPhone cases. Unfortunately, while the fairy-dust-like substance is great for lifting our spirits, it is not so good for the environment, which is why one researcher is calling for a worldwide ban....