Kids News - Articles with 400-600 Words

Finding a rare or unusual coin in the spare change you receive from your local grocery store, gas station, or restaurant may sound a little far-fetched and even absurd. However, don't rule out the possibility, at least until the over one million collectible coins given to retailers across the country by US coin dealers in honor of the 96th National Coin Week (April 21, 2019 to April 27, 2019), have been discovered. Called the Great American Coin Hunt, this first-of-its-kind treasure hunt is designed to inspire a new generation of kids and adults to start coin collections of their own....

Paleontologists had long believed that ancient humans used land bridges to migrate from one country to another. Hence, Luzon, the largest of the 7,641 islands that comprise the Philippine archipelago in the Western Pacific Ocean, appeared to be entirely out of reach for our ancestors. Now, there is evidence that a previously unknown human species managed to overcome the ocean currents and settle on the island between 50,000 and 67,000 years ago — around the same time as our species, the Homo sapiens and our closest ancestors, the Neanderthals, dwelled on Earth....

Researchers have long known that the ancestors of the mighty whales were nimble, four-legged creatures that were comfortable both on land and in the sea. However, given that the only evidence of the early mammals had been found in present-day Pakistan, India, and parts of Africa, scientists were unsure of how the mammals had dispersed to the Western Hemisphere. Now, thanks to the aptly-named Peregocetus pacificus (P.pacificus), or "traveling whale that reached the Pacific," paleontologists finally have an answer to this all-important migration mystery....

Looking for a fun Earth Day activity? You may want to try plogging, or picking up litter while jogging. Odd as it may sound, the new "sport" is becoming extremely popular with runners worldwide, many of whom are posting images of themselves and friends holding bags of trash on social media....

After almost twenty years in space — thirteen of which were spent making extraordinary discoveries about the Saturn system, including its rings and natural satellites — NASA's Cassini spacecraft finally ran out of fuel. However, shortly before plunging into Saturn's atmosphere on September 15, 2017, the probe completed one final important mission: six close flybys of tiny moons located inside, or near, Saturn's rings....

Over the years, NASA has successfully deployed several rovers, landers, and orbiters to Mars. While the science laboratories continue to provide invaluable data about the Red Planet, their limited, or zero — as is the case with landers — mobility, restricts the space exploration vehicles to areas close to the original landing site. To obtain a more comprehensive view of Mars, the US Space Agency plans to send a fully-autonomous miniature test helicopter with the Mars 2020 rover, scheduled for launch in July 2020....

Termites are famous for their superior architectural skills. The mounds created by the industrious insects contain an elaborate network of tunnels with a series of chimneys that help regulate oxygen levels, temperature, and humidity to ensure the queen, who sits in a chamber underneath, is comfortable....

For pranksters and joke lovers, there is no better day than April 1. Often called April Fools' Day, it is the one day of the year when light-hearted tricks are not only expected but also welcomed by all. Some believe the fun holiday began in 1582 when the world transitioned from the Julian calendar, which celebrated the New Year on the last week of March, to the current Gregorian calendar. Those unaware of the change, or refusing to accept the January 1 start date, were often mocked and had jokes played on them on or around the old New Year. Others speculate the holiday began as a joyful way to welcome spring....

When a university intern stumbled upon a seven-foot fish washed up on the beach at the University of Santa Barbara's (UCSB) Coal Oil Point Reserve on February 19, 2019, scientists assumed it was the mola mola sunfish. One of the world's heaviest known bony fishes, the species, found in tropical and temperate waters around the globe, is common in the Santa Barbara Channel....