‘For Kids’ Archives
Ahead of the wave
Bump a glass and any water inside might slop over the side. Splash in the bathtub and waves slosh. Toss a rock into a pond and ripples move outward in expanding rings. In each case, the water moves in waves. Those waves carry energy. And the more energy that gets [Read More]
Seal scientists
Climate scientists concerned about global warming keep a close eye on Antarctica. There, some of the ice shelves that extend from the continent into the ocean are melting, adding freshwater that boosts sea level. Like other scientists, Tore Hattermann of the [Read More]
Walking on Water
Almost anyone can tell the difference between a liquid and a solid. A liquid flows. A solid stays put. You pour a liquid and push a solid. The difference seems as clear as water and ice. But some stuff doesn’t fit neatly into either group, like the goop you get by [Read More]
The smell of old people
When most people talk about “old people smell,” they’re complaining about something unpleasant. But in a new study, scientists report that the scent of the elderly isn’t that bad. In fact, it’s rather pleasant, at least compared to the intense odor of a [Read More]
Candy on the brain
The next time you find yourself craving a sweet, irresistible piece of candy in someone else’s hands, remember this: You can’t help it. Your brain is built to covet. Read more at Science News for Kids. [Read More]
Worlds beyond the solar system
Once upon a time — about 20 years ago — kids in school learned about nine planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. The Nine orbited the sun, and they were the only planets that mattered. Any others existed in the imagination of [Read More]
Costs of missing sleep
Not all fruit flies are born equal. Some can skip 12 hours of sleep without missing a beat; others need their beauty rest to keep buzzing. In recent experiments on these two varieties of flies, scientists found that the bugs that skip zzzz’s pay a price to stay awake: [Read More]
No frostbite for dogs
When playful pups skid across an icy pond or romp in a snowdrift, their paws plunge into frosty places. If people go barehanded and barefooted in such cold places, their skin may freeze in a painful condition called frostbite. Dogs frolic without fear of frostbite, and [Read More]
Electronic skin
James Bond and his enemies would be interested in the goings-on at the laboratory of John Rogers. So would Batman, the Spy Kids, Darth Vader and their enemies. That’s because Rogers, a materials scientist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, mixes [Read More]
Self-cleaning clothes
Cleaning clothes usually requires soap and water to remove stains and smells, and a tumble in the dryer or an afternoon on the clothesline to dry. The time and energy needed to turn a heap of dirty laundry into a pile of clean clothes might make people wish for clothes that [Read More]
