Extraterrestrial Metal Found On Earth!

For the first time ever, extraterrestrial plutonium was discovered at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean! Hundreds of atoms of the radioactive substance, embedded in rock, were excavated by a Japanese oil exploration company, about a mile down on the ocean floor. This led to some fascinating insights by scientific researchers who examined the samples. Let’s take a look at how elements are formed, how they get to the Earth, and the “out-of-the world” research and its findings. How Elements Are Made Believe it or not, just moments after the big bang only three light elements were born - hydrogen,...

Finding A Home For Hvaldimir

Back in 2019, a beluga whale appeared in the waters off the coast of Norway. This was odd since beluga whales usually inhabit the Arctic where the water temperature is colder. What was even more strange was a harness attached to the whale. The harness had a camera attached and letters, “Equipment St.Petersburg” etched on it. According to an investigation by Norway’s domestic intelligence agency, “the whale was most likely a part of the Russian research programme.” The whale was rescued and named Hvaldimir. A few months later, he became a free-swimming whale, feeding independently. Regina...

The World Through Chalk Art!

We have all been stuck at home for the past year, wishing we could travel to visit places, friends, and families. Fourteen-year-old Macaire Everett and her nine-year-old little brother Camden found a way to do so from the comfort of their homes! The siblings have been creating giant-scale art in their driveways to entertain themselves and also their entire community. Through this art, they have traveled from London to Hawaii and even outer space, fed giraffes while on a safari, and even hugged a dinosaur! A Family Affair! Macaire loved art and the pandemic gave her an opportunity to develop...

Do Trees Talk To Each Other?

Did you know that trees can communicate with each other? Suzanne Simard, a professor of forest ecology at the University of British Columbia, has conducted research into the cooperative and social behavior of trees. Growing up in the lush forests of Canada, Simard observed how logging companies would cut down diverse forests and replace them with a single tree species. Loggers believed that by removing competition, the newly planted favored trees would thrive, as they would receive more space, water, and sunlight. However, Simard noticed that these trees were actually more prone to disease...

Can The Human Heart Shrink?

Is it possible for the human heart to shrink and if so, how does this change impact the human body? Recently, scientists have discovered an unexpected similarity between long-distance swimming and spending a long duration of time in space -- both can cause the human heart to shrink over time! These findings were based on the experiences of astronaut Scott Kelly, who spent 340 days in space in 2015, and Benoît Lecomte, an athlete who in 2018 swam 1753 miles (2,821 km) across the Pacific Ocean in 159 days. The Similarity The absence of gravity in space means that the heart does not have to work...

The Problem With Electric Car Batteries

Electric vehicles (EVs) have been long advertised as environmentally friendly vehicles. This is true, to some extent. EVs do not produce any carbon dioxide in the environment, unlike conventional cars. But scientists foresee a new problem. Cars run on batteries, and electric cars are no different. So once the battery uses up all its power, what will be done with it? As the number of electric vehicles in use increases greatly, scientists must discover an effective recycling method for EV batteries. The Functions of EV Batteries While electric cars and gas-powered cars essentially function the...

A Greener Jet Fuel

Did you know that 1.8 billion people traveled by plane in 2020! This is down by 60% compared to 2019 due to the effects of the pandemic. But 1.8 billion still seems like a high number, especially considering the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by planes. Indeed, airplanes today run mostly on fossil fuels which release high amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the air. Greenhouse gases like CO2 trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute heavily to global warming. So what’s being done about the greenhouse gases generated by aviation? Some believe that people should fly less overall to...

Harriet Tubman's Cabin Discovered

Archaeologists have discovered the site of Harriet Tubman’s family cabin. The home was owned by Ben Ross, the father of Harriet Tubman. This site was discovered in Dorchester County, Maryland. Archaeologists knew the approximate area of where this cabin was placed but could not find the exact remains of the cabin. Along with the remains of the cabin, a few artifacts like coins, nails, and buttons were found. Harriet Tubman was born in 1822 to slave parents. She had eight siblings but was forced to separate, a reality for slaves back then. From a young age, Harriet went through emotional and...

Good News For Nepal's Rhinos

Did you know that the current population of one-horned rhinos in Nepal is greater than it has ever been in 20 years? In the latest count by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, the number of one-horned rhinos was at 752, as compared to 645 in 2015. The majority of the rhinos were found in Chitwan National Park. The species headcount took 3 weeks and required 350 trained forest managers to travel the territory on domesticated elephants to count each individual rhino. Let’s dive into the decline and revival of the one-horned rhino population in Nepal. What Led to the...

A Green Win In Greenland's Elections

With the recent elections, Greenland has taken a decisive step towards preserving the environment. The Inuit Ataqatigiit, a left-wing environmentalist party, has won against the incumbent center-left Siumut party. The Inuit Ataqatigiit heavily campaigned against the construction of a rare earth metal mine, a project whose development has been contested for years. The project would give the mine the “potential to become the most significant Western world producer of rare Earths” according to the Australian company behind the project, Greenland Minerals. However, it comes at the expense of...

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