Assignments
Current Events for January 24, 2013Thursday, January 24, 2013 at 6:15 pm
Ms. WhittingtonIn your Science Notebook, first empty page complete the following:Name Date Name of Article Pick an articleRead your articleWrite a sentence stating the main ideaWrite a 3 sentence summary of the article.
The Competition For Title Of 'World's Smallest Dog' Heats Up!
Getting into the Guinness World Records is not easy. But never has the competition been so fierce as the current one faced by these small pooches - All vying for the coveted title of 'World's Smallest Dog'.
It Came, It Hit, It Destroyed! Frankenstorm Sandy Lives Up To Its Name!
On Tuesday morning, millions of people all over the world woke up to the horrifying images of the destruction caused by Frankenstorm Sandy that made its landfall on the shores of New Jersey on Monday night, a few hours earlier than had been expected. While it had been downgraded to a 'post' tropical storm by the time it arrived, Sandy proved to be as powerful as promised, flooding thousands of homes and businesses and leaving millions of people all the way from West Virginia to Atlantic City and Connecticut without electricity.
At Least New York's Pooches Got To Enjoy Halloween
While Frankenstorm Sandy ruined Halloween for the residents of New York, the dogs were not as unfortunate. That's because they were lucky enough to celebrate their holiday about ten days ago and show off their cool costumes at the country's biggest and most elaborate Halloween Parade for dogs.
An Elephant That Speaks Korean? . . . . . . Hmmmm!
Elephants have been known to do many things - Paint, calculate math problems, wash cars and in some cases even whistle and imitate sounds. But actually speak a language ? That is a first and until now thought to be impossible given that the mighty mammals cannot use their lips to make sounds like humans, because their upper lips and noses are fused together to form their trunks. However, one elephant in South Korea seems to be defying all logic and odds!
Scientists Create Transparent Soil To 'Spy' On Plants!
For many years, scientists have been trying to unravel the mystery of what really goes on in plants in the parts that are not visible to us - That is, around the roots that lie underground hidden by dense soil. Now, thanks to researchers from Scotland's University of Abertay Dundee, they may finally be able to solve this mystery that is as old as the Universe itself!
Astronomy Fans And Scientists Get Ready For 2012's Only Total Solar Eclipse
On November 14th, 2012, a very narrow corridor of the Southern Hemisphere will be treated to a special celestial event - The only total solar eclipse of 2012. The complete concealment of the sun will only be seen from Kakadu National Park and Cairns in Australia, parts of the South Pacific and a small area off the coast of Chile.
Wacky Human Powered Airshow Flugtag, Celebrates Ten Years In The USA
On Saturday November 10th, 2012, over 100,000 people gathered at San Francisco's McCovey Cove to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the US debut of Flugtag, a wacky airplane race in which hand built human-powered machines pit against each other to see how long they can 'fly' after leaping off an elevated flight deck.
3-D Printing Saves The Day (And Car) In Latest James Bond Thriller, Skyfall
3-D printers have come a long way since 1995 when MIT students Jim Bredt and Tim Anderson, modified an inkjet printer so that it extruded a binding solution onto a bed of powder, instead of ink on paper. Today, printed prototypes are used for things ranging from construction projects to Pixar characters and now it seems, even Agent 007 has discovered them!
Cobbler And Gobbler Escape Thanksgiving And Trot Off To Retirement!
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, the day when over 46 million turkeys will take center stage at dinner tables all over the USA. Missing from this impressive count will be two lucky birds - Cobbler and his even luckier spare Gobbler, who were today pardoned by none other than President Obama! Instead, they will happily cackle away their lives on George Washington's Mt. Vernon Estate in Virginia.
Video Of The Week - Psy's #1 Fan Maybe A . . . . Cockatoo!
After PSY's Gangnam Style video went viral on YouTube, many people have tried to recreate the South Korean singer's magic with their parodies. However, nobody can even come close to his latest fan - A cockatoo!
Lava From Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano Spills Into The Ocean
Hawaii's Big Island is home to some of the world's most active volcanoes. However, none are as dynamic or spectacular as the Kilauea, which has been erupting almost nonstop since 1983. However, its recent explosion was so large that for the first time ever, the lava has made a seven-mile journey right into the ocean, making for some stunning visuals!
Modern-Day Version Of Noah's Ark Has A Cinema And Restaurant!
If you have ever wondered what Noah's Ark, the ginormous boat that saved Noah, his family and two specimens of every animal genus that inhabited the earth may have looked like, you are in luck. That's because a Dutchman has created a life-size replica, with a slight modern day twist!
Humpback Whales That Can Spout Fires And Rainbows? Hmm . . . . .
This stunning image of a fire emanating from the spout of a humpback whale may seem like a cleverly photoshopped picture or better still, a new awesome species of the mammal. However, it is neither - Instead it is an optical illusion created by a scientific principle that you may all have heard of - Refraction.
Is Harry Potter's Invisibility Cloak Finally A Reality?
Ever since J.K. Rowling planted the idea of an invisibility cloak in her blockbuster Harry Potter book series, scientists have been falling all over themselves to create a material that can not only camouflage people, but also, buildings. Now a Canadian company claims to have won that race with a magical textile that it aptly calls 'Quantum Stealth'.
Dinosaur Era Lizard Gets Named After President Obama
President Obama already has bragging rights to a fish (Ethiostoma Obama) and lichen (Caloplaca obamae). Now, he can add one more exotic animal species to this list - A lizard that inhabited the earth 65 million years ago, during the era of the mighty dinosaur.
Can We Refreeze The Arctic? This Scientist Certainly Thinks So
Thanks to global warming, the ice in the Arctic Ocean is today about half of what it was in the 1980's. Given that the situation can only get worse and governments are unable to come to a consensus about how to reverse the trend, one scientist is proposing a radical solution - To use modern technology to repair the damage.
Cardboard Bike Helmet Proves To Be Surprisingly Safe!
All of a sudden, cardboard seems to be showing up in the most unlikely products - First there is the cardboard bike and now, a helmet to go with it. What's surprising is that it is apparently much safer than that ones currently on the market that all use Expanded Polystyrene Foam (EPF).
Chips, The Bobcat Who Is Just Too Nice!
Chips is like any other bobcat. She has black-tipped pointed ears, yellow eyes with black pupils, sharp hearing and vision and can even climb trees, as well if not better, than any other member of its species. But, she has one big problem - She is just too nice to be a bobcat! While that may be a good thing in most other species in her case, it is a kiss of death!
Coming Soon To A Bookstore Near You - 500 New Fairytales!
If you like most of us, have read and perhaps even seen all the old and new reiterations of Cinderella, Snow White and Rapunzel a zillion times, you are in luck. That's because a cultural curator in Germany has discovered a treasure trove of 500 new fairy tales that have been tucked away in the archives for over 150 years!
Photographer's Quest To Seek Out Nature's Best Camouflage Artists
With their almost perfect camouflage, these animals are some of the Earth's best masters of disguise. However, while they can hide from their predators they cannot escape the sharp eyes of American photographer Art Wolfe, who has been on a quest to capture them on camera, since the early 1990's
Australia's Wild Dolphins Come Bearing Gifts For Their Human Friends
The fact that dolphins are one of the smartest living creatures on earth has been known for many years. Now it turns out that these magnificent animals are quite generous too! At least the ones that live in the waters around Australia's popular Tangalooma Island Resort who apparently love to swim to shore bearing gifts for the staff that have been feeding them daily, since 1992.
Elusive Giant Squid Finally Caught On Camera
Giant squids, the kind referred to in Jules Verne's 1870 novel, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, have been known to exist for many centuries. However, finding the world's largest invertebrate in its natural habitat had proved a little elusive. Now, thanks to some patient Japanese researchers, we can all finally get a glimpse of this magnificent cephalopod!
YAY! Japan's Rare Black Amami Rabbits No Longer Endangered!
After many years on the endangered list of animals, Japan's Amami Black rabbit can finally breathe a sigh of relief - That's because this year, the rare animal that is believed to be the only living remnant of the ancient rabbit that once inhabited Asia, is no longer in danger of being eradicated!
2013 Australian Summer May Be One For The Record Books
While summers in the world's driest inhabited continent AKA Australia can get a little uncomfortable, this year seems to be starting out a little more extreme than usual. On Monday January 8th, the Australian meteorological dept reported an average continent temperature of 104.6°F (40.33°C) - Surpassing a record set in 1972. And, the forecast for the rest of the season looks even worse.
Emperor Penguin Colony Welcomes First Human Visitors
In December 2012, three men braved Antarctica's treacherous and remote Princess Ragnhild Coast to seek out a colony of Emperor Penguins that has hitherto just been suspected to exist. They were not disappointed!
Ireland's Loughareema Lake Plays Mind Games By Randomly Vanishing
You may have encountered instances when you could have bet your life about something you had seen or done, but yet when you revisited, either the thing has vanished or the chore, left undone. If you happen to visit Ireland you may encounter the same feeling at the Loughareema Lake - However, in this case it is not your mind playing games with you, but the lake itself, which seems to sporadically appear and disappear.
Winning At All Costs . . . . . . A Good Strategy?
Late last week, Lance Armstrong, the winner of seven consecutive titles (1999-2005) of the world's most grueling bike race - The Tour de France, finally confessed to something many people had suspected for years - The use of performance enhancing steroids during most of his storied career, to get an edge over his competitors.
Hi-Tech Camera Snaps 3-Dimensional Pictures of Falling Snowflakes
While snowflakes - those fluffy conglomerations of frozen ice crystals may appear to be indistinguishable from one another, they are all unique in structure, and come in all kinds of really cool shapes and patterns. However, so far the only way to discover this has been by viewing them under a microscope, which means that only a select few have been able enjoy and appreciate their true beauty. But, things are about to change.
Distressed Dolphin Seeks Out Help From Human Divers
On January 11th, professional diver and excursion expert, Keller Laros and his team did what they do every night - Lead a group of tourist divers into the ocean off the Hawaiian island of Kona, to experience the stingrays, up close. While that in itself was a magical experience, what happened that night, was even more unforgettable!- Rj McDancyabout 11 yearsI love Ireland
- jared about 11 yearswhy did they put it back in the wild i think she could havr kept it for her own to love and hold until it dies now they have to make it mean when she has a frindly nature it just makes me mad snd sad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- kaylaabout 11 yearsthem dogs are so cute and small
- belle brownabout 11 yearskool
- lynseyabout 11 yearsi want all of them there soooo cute
- belle brownabout 11 yearsthats sad i know a person there
- Evan R.about 11 yearsyea he is pretty cool
- unknow person46about 11 yearsi am glad that they brought them back
- chris combsabout 11 yearsi like dophans
- Autum*about 11 yearsi have one just like that but it is black and just about as tiny as it is i love baby puppies
- hannahabout 11 yearsthat is soooo cool i did not know that could happen
- plop plop plopabout 11 yearspour dolfin
- Evan R.about 11 yearsi would prob. be able to see them if i didn't know they were there ( i hope)
- Jenningsabout 11 yearsHoly ... i want this
- Evan R.about 11 yearsthose are my kind of animals
- bailablejet40about 11 yearsthis is uninteresting
- cameronabout 11 yearsit is so weird but Awsome
- baileyabout 11 yearscool
- emmaabout 11 yearscute i want it as my pet
- emmaabout 11 yearsawesome that should be me
- emmaabout 11 yearsthat is wicked
- emmaabout 11 yearsthat was mean about them being endanger
- jamieabout 11 yearsso cute
- jamieabout 11 yearsboring
- hunterabout 11 yearsi do not think the legend of pele is really true
- Andrew about 11 yearsWOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EPIC
- hunterabout 11 yearscute i wish i had one
- bobabout 11 yearsi like it sooo much
- haemwabout 11 yearscool
- jared about 11 yearsthis is realy neat
- Jenningsabout 11 yearsI think They can do better than throwing things at dolpins becuase my dad's friend killed a dolphin by stabbing it with a rock (idk how he did that)
- belle brownabout 11 yearsthey are sooooooooo pretty i want one sooooo bad
- cLoCkWoRkabout 11 yearsTHey should do something about were they through things out like crab Traps in specific waters
- jacobabout 11 yearsthat is cool
- marieabout 11 yearsi think we could do something about it
- heatherabout 11 yearsthis are the smallest puppys i have ever seen they are adorable I <3 Them
- emmaabout 11 yearsjames bond is awesome
- alexyabout 11 yearsminecraft is the best
- emmaabout 11 yearsthat a cool name for a dinosuare
- Random Personabout 11 yearsVery Lucky that this one survived. Unlike most this one was saved. Truly Amazing.
- juanabout 11 yearsi like this ;)
- hunterabout 11 yearsminecraft is awesome
- Megan B.about 11 yearsNo i couldn't find them anywhere
- Megan B.about 11 yearsNO i couldn't find them anywhere
- nameabout 11 yearsthis is not real
- hunterabout 11 yearsand if someone was to dig into the so called drain they might find the cave
- Random Personabout 11 yearsI read the Jules Verne Novel, never did I think that that size of a giant squid would ever show up. Truly Amazing.
- hunterabout 11 yearsthe legend behind this kind of thing could be right but the most believable thing is if there is a underground cave that the water runs into there might be a slight chance that the person was sucked into the cave and could not find a way out and died down there over starvation and his ghost haunts the place because nobody ever tryed to look for him
- Random Personabout 11 yearsAwesome story but stuff like this happens every day, this dolphin is very lucky to have survived unlike so many others in the wild.
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