Kids News - Social Studies for Kids

52-Million-Year-Old Ankle Fossil Suggests Our Ancestors Were High Flying Acrobats

Biologists have long believed the common ancestor of all primates was a small, deliberate animal which used its grasping hands and feet to scamper along thin branches foraging for fruits and insects. They theorized that the leaping skills came later, after the proto-primate evolved into two distinct groups — wet-nosed primates like lemurs and dry nosed primates that include monkeys, apes, and humans. However, the discovery of a perfectly preserved 52-million-year-old fossil seems to suggest that the first primate might have been leading an impressively acrobatic lifestyle, leaping from one tree to another....

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52-Million-Year-Old Ankle Fossil Suggests Our Ancestors Were High Flying Acrobats

Tompkins Square's Annual Halloween Dog Parade Was Spooktacular

Halloween dog parades are a common sight across the US during this time of the year. However, none are as elaborate, or as competitive, as the one held in New York City’s Tompkins Square Park. The largest event of its kind, the annual parade attracts over 300 dogs and their proud owners, who often work hard and spend exorbitant sums of money to create unique costumes to win their pets the coveted “Best in Show” title. This year’s competition, which took place on Saturday, October 21, was no exception....

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Tompkins Square's Annual Halloween Dog Parade Was Spooktacular

2,363 Pound Gourd Sets New American Record At Pumpkin Weigh-Off Contest

October is pumpkin month in the US. For most people, this means devouring the various pumpkin-filled treats or visiting pumpkin patches to pick out the perfect gourd to carve for Halloween. However, for some, it means the chance to showcase their giant produce at pumpkin weigh-offs. Though there are numerous such contests held across the country, the “Super Bowl” takes place annually at Half Moon Bay, CA, aka “The World Pumpkin Capital.”...

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2,363 Pound Gourd Sets New American Record At Pumpkin Weigh-Off Contest