Kids News - Science Articles

With a large part of the US currently under a winter storm warning, it may appear that the chilly season is upon us. But while meteorologists consider December 1 the start of the Northern Hemisphere winter, the astronomical first day of winter is December 21....

Sky watchers are treated to over thirty meteor showers throughout the year. However, most pale in comparison to the Geminids. Nicknamed the "900-pound gorilla of meteor showers" by NASA, they outweigh other dust streams by factors of between 5 to 500! The "shooting stars" have been active since December 4 and will continue until December 17, 2022. But their best showing will be on the night of December 13 into the morning of December 14, 2022, when up to 120 meteors will be flying through the sky every hour....

The Tyrannosaurus rex (T. rex) was one of the most ferocious dinosaurs that roamed Earth in the very late Cretaceous period — about 66 million years ago. Over the years, scientists have collected substantial information on the tiny-armed reptile itself. However, very little is known about how the vicious predator evolved. Now paleontologists at the Badlands Dinosaur Museum in North Dakota believe they may have found an essential missing link to the T. rex's lineage....

Bumble bees have a reputation for being industrious creatures. The insects are known to spend their days collecting pollen and nectar from flowers. But a new study from the Queen Mary University of London in the UK asserts that, like humans, the bees also enjoy a little playtime....

Burmese pythons are voracious eaters. The mighty predators — which reach over 18 feet in length and 200 pounds (90.7 kg) in weight — can swallow prey as large as a deer. Researchers previously believed that the reptiles' massive heads and bodies allowed them to achieve this incredible feat. Now, a new study asserts it is the size of the python's "gape" — how wide it can open its mouth — that determines the size of animal it can swallow....

The residents of Utqiagvik, (pronounced oot-kee-AAG-vuhk) Alaska, enjoyed the last sunset of the year on November 19th. America's northernmost city will next see a sun emerge above the horizon on January 23, 2023. For those wondering, that means 64 continuous days, or 1,536 hours, of no daylight!...

On December 24, 2021, NASA's InSight lander recorded a magnitude four quake on Mars. At first, scientists had no idea what had caused the tremor. However, that changed in February 2022 when the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spotted a new crater on the Red Planet's surface. Researchers connected the dots from both missions and realized that a meteoroid had struck Mars....

The Sun is getting excited about Halloween as well! On October 26, 2022, NASA's Solar Dynamic Observatory (SDO) caught the fiery star sporting a cheerful "smile." However, don't be fooled by the friendly "jack-o'-lantern" look. It could trigger a mild solar storm on Earth on October 29, 2022....

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common motor disability in children. The condition, which affects about 1 in 345 children, can make daily activities like walking, eating, or even lifting a cup difficult. A team of researchers from the University of California, Riverside (UCR) hopes to alleviate the daily struggles with robotic clothing that will allow kids with cerebral palsy to better control their arm movements....