Kids News - Current Events

Total solar eclipses, during which the Sun briefly "disappears" in the daytime, occur about every 18 months. However, unlike lunar eclipses, which can be seen worldwide, the celestial phenomenon can only be observed within a narrow, approximately 100-mile-wide, path of totality. Moreover, total solar eclipses occur at a specific location, on average, about every 360 years. This means that the chance to observe one in real-time is truly rare and special....

China’s Chang’e 5 spacecraft, tasked with bringing lunar rock samples to Earth, successfully landed on the Moon on December 1st, 2020. The 18,100-pound (8,200 kg) spacecraft, launched from China’s Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on November 23, 2020, entered the satellite's orbit on November 28th, 2020. Soon after, it deployed its lander and ascender modules to the Mons Rümker, an isolated volcanic formation on the Moon's near side....

Mention goldfish, and the image that comes to mind is that of small, colorful creatures swimming in circles in fish bowls or home aquariums. However, the one recently discovered by biologists conducting a fish survey at a South Carolina lake was no ordinary goldfish - it was a 9-pound, 15-inch-long behemoth!...

Over the years, Marvel has enthralled fans with heart-stopping tales of superheroes saving the world from devastation. However, the graphic novel unveiled on December 3, 2020, is the most exciting one yet. Entitled, The Vitals: True Nurse Stories, it depicts factual accounts from the world's real-life superheroes — nurses who risk their lives daily to save strangers from the deadly COVID-19 pandemic....

At sundown on December 10th, 2020, Jewish families worldwide will commemorate the first night of Hanukkah, by lighting a candle on a hanukkiah or menorah. Often called the Festival of Lights, Hanukkah, which means "dedication" in Hebrew, is an eight-day celebration observed annually on the 25th day of Kislev — the Jewish calendar's ninth month. Though the exact date varies, the holiday always occurs sometime between late November and December....

On December 1, 2020, the United Kingdom (U.K.) became the first western country to give emergency approval for a COVID-19 vaccine. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) officials announced they would begin distributing 800,000 doses of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine to 50 British hospitals as early as next week. The initial vaccines will be administered to some of the nation's most vulnerable citizens — nursing home residents, health workers, and the elderly....

Over the years, the caretakers at the Southern Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (SPWRC) in Lubbock, Texas, have sheltered hundreds of species of orphaned and injured animals, ranging from birds to reptiles. However, the hairless baby opossum, dropped off at the center in mid-October by a concerned resident, was unlike any animal they had encountered before....

With much of our world automated, many experts believe that coding should be a core part of modern education. Yet, only 20 US states offer high school students access to computer science courses, and just 8 of those make the subject accessible to kids in lower grades. However, thanks to Seattle-based Code.org's Hour of Code Challenge, learners of all ages and backgrounds can now get exposure to this all-important subject....

While Black Friday and Cyber Monday are all about finding the best deals on holiday gifts for yourself and family members, Giving Tuesday serves a more altruistic purpose. Observed annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, it encourages people to help those in need by making financial donations or doing good in their local community. The “Global Day of Giving” was started in 2012 by New York City nonprofit 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation....