Kids News - Current Events

The Southeastern nation of Indonesia, which sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, is no stranger to earthquakes, many of which trigger tsunamis – powerful waves capable of immense destruction. However, the towering 18-foot wave that crashed into the island of Sulawesi on September 28, 2018 is one of the deadliest to hit the country in recent years....

Found all the way from New England to West Texas and northern Mexico, copperhead snakes, which get their name from their reddish-brown heads, are the most commonly seen snakes in North America. Hence, a sighting of the venomous reptile is not earth-shattering news, unless, of course, you happen to find one with two heads! Believe it or not, that is what a Woodbridge, Virginia homeowner stumbled upon while tending to her flowerbed on September 20, 2018....

Columbus Day, which is celebrated annually on the second Monday of October to honor the Italian explorer credited with “discovering” the Americas, has always been somewhat of a controversial holiday. That’s because while Christopher Columbus stumbled upon what we now call the Caribbean on October 12, 1492, he never set foot on the mainland – even on his subsequent three journeys. Besides, North America had already been “discovered” by the Native Americans, who had been living there for many generations....

While the volcanoes on Earth eject fiery lava, ash, and smoke, those on Ceres, a dwarf planet that orbits between Mars and Jupiter, have been spewing out ice throughout its history. The chain of events leading to the discovery began in 2015 when NASA’s spacecraft Dawn, sent to explore the asteroid belt where Ceres resides, captured some high-resolution images of its icy, rocky terrain. On the dwarf planet’s crater-covered surface, was a solitary 4km (13,000 feet ) tall mountain....

SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk has been pledging to send tourists to space ever since he started the company in 2002. On September 17, 2018, the visionary came one step closer to fulfilling his promise by signing up his first passenger – Japanese billionaire and entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa. If all goes according to plan, in 2023, Maezawa will become the first passenger and private astronaut to travel to the Moon. He will also join the elite group of just 24 humans who have been fortunate enough to see Earth’s satellite up close....

With over 350 million cubes sold since it hit toy stores in 1974, the Rubik’s Cube is probably one of the world’s most popular toys ever. However, while the iconic cube has an avid fan base, which regularly compete to be the fastest, the brain teaser is daunting for most. It is, therefore, not surprising to hear that even though the toy has been on the market for over 44 years, less than 6 percent of the world’s population is able to solve it. Now, Israel-based startup Particula is introducing GoCube, a hi-tech version of the classic toy that promises to make the puzzle fun and interactive for both beginners and experts....

Mention the word shark, and the first image that comes to mind is that of a ferocious carnivore circling helpless prey. However, while the bonnethead enjoys meat as much as any other shark, it seems to love its greens as well – so much so that about 50 percent of the shark’s diet is plant-based....

Every summer, the beautiful coastal city of Vancouver, Canada hosts a “Car Free Day” Festival. On this day, neighborhoods close their streets to vehicles so artists and local businesses can showcase and sell their wares to the thousands of fairgoers that flock to the event. At this year’s festival on June 17, 2018, visitors seeking something unique and healthy were in for a special treat – unfiltered hot dog water!...

3D printing has come a long way since Massachusetts Institute of Technology students Jim Bredt and Tim Anderson modified an inkjet printer to expel a binding solution on to a bed of powder. The technology, which works by “printing,” or laying down, successive layers of material until the object is created, has been used to build a wide variety of things – from electronic devices to jewelry to artificial organs. Now, 3D printing is escalating to a whole new level with the creation of homes, art installations, and even barracks for the U.S. Marine Corps....