Kids News - Articles with 400-600 Words

At sundown on December 2, 2018 Jewish families worldwide will mark the first day of Hanukkah by lighting a candle on a special menorah. The eight-day celebration, which will end on December 10, is observed annually on the 25th day of Kislev, the ninth month of the Hebrew calendar, which falls anywhere from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar....

Most dog owners are convinced that their four-legged friends know exactly what they mean when they use certain words like sit, stay, or treat. However, researchers have always wondered whether canines really understand human speech or if they rely on other clues to deduce the meaning. For example, does the word “fetch” conjure up an image of a stick or ball in the dog’s mind, or does the pooch retrieve the object based on cues such as the owner’s tone or gesture? A new study by scientists at Atlanta’s Emory University seems to indicate that “man’s best friend” is not faking it – he/she does indeed know what the owner is saying....

The residents of Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin are no strangers to wild turkeys. However, “Smoke,” a lone bird who has been a fixture in the town since spring this year, is like none other they have encountered before. The renegade turkey pursues moving vehicles, “controls” traffic flow by parking himself in the middle of the road, and even chases after children as they descend from school buses. He is also known to boldly approach residents and gobble at them, as though sharing some pertinent information....

Over the last couple of decades, astronomers have identified thousands of planets outside our solar system. However, they have been unable to find confirmation of a moon revolving around any of the distant worlds, mainly because the generally smaller satellites are harder to spot. Now, some researchers from Columbia University believe they have found evidence of an alien moon orbiting a gaseous exoplanet, which lies almost 8,000 light years away....

US gymnast Simone Biles, who has dominated the sport since the 2013 World Championships, is often described as “the greatest gymnast of all time” and “superhuman.” The 21-year-old phenom proved herself worthy of both labels at the recently held World Championships in Doha, Qatar when she won a medal in every discipline, including four golds, while battling a painful kidney stone....

The Black Sea MAP (Maritime Archaeological Project) was established to survey the floor of the Black Sea to determine the impact of sea-level changes on early human settlements at the end of the last ice age. The search for answers has led to an unexpected bonus for historians – ancient shipwrecks which provide invaluable information about civilizations of the past. Since the project began three years ago, over 67 old vessels, most from the 14th to 19th centuries, have been found. On October 23, 2018, the team of international sailors and researchers led by University of Southampton Professor Jon Adams announced their most exciting find yet: an intact shipwreck that dates back over 2,400 years!...

While the start of a new school year is always exciting, this year was even more so for some elementary school students in Auckland, New Zealand. They became the world’s first kids to be “taught” by a digital teacher. Before you start imagining a human-like robot walking around the classroom, Will is just an avatar that pops up on the student’s desktop, tablet, or smartphone screen, when summoned....

Veterans Day, celebrated annually on November 11, is a federal holiday to honor the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces. This includes everyone who has served in the US Army, Navy, Marine Corps, National Guard, Air Force, and the Coast Guard. The holiday often gets confused with Memorial Day, which is observed on the last Monday of May....

This year’s Halloween experience was elevated by several spooky surprises from nature. First, there was news of the “Death Comet’s” November 11 Earth flyby . Then, on October 23, 2018, scientists aboard the E/V Nautilus stumbled upon a white octopus with translucent “wings’ that looked more like a ghost from outer space, than the eight-legged mollusks we are accustomed to seeing....