Geography

Mysterious Cave Dwellings in New Mexico Now Open to Visit

by Sylvia Hoks, age 12

In the late 1200s, the Gila Cliff Dwellings in New Mexico were occupied by the Mogollon people who built their homes in natural caves. Seven hundred years later, these dwellings opened to the public in present-day southwestern New Mexico. People can now admire how these early Americans lived.

The cliff dwellings, which are located near Silver City, New Mexico, were built around 1280. The Mogollons made narrow canyons their homes, building the dwellings in caves and out in the open. Eight to ten families lived in the community for about one generation.

The Mogollon people tilled fields of corn, squash, and beans, which they traded with other communities. They also gathered plants and hunted game in the nearby forests. The cliff dwellers were well known for their pottery, including brown bowls with intricate black and white designs. [Read More]

As Scientists Watch, Underwater Volcano Set to Erupt Later This Year

by Oliver Zink, age 14

A volcano 300 miles off the coast of Oregon is nearing eruption, and no one may realize when it is happening. Scientists at the University of Washington have used a network of sensors on the seafloor to monitor the volcano. In late March and April, sensors detected more than 1,000 earthquakes every day. The volcano is slowly swelling, a sign that it is filling with molten rock. Scientists estimate that it will erupt between now and the end of the year.

It poses no threat to people as it is too far out from shore and a mile below the surface. If you were boating or swimming above it, you may not even notice it erupting. However, it would still be an amazing event with flows of lava 450 feet thick. [Read More]

The Aral Sea Is Disappearing Before Our Eyes

by Will DeFour, age 16

Conservation efforts in Kazakhstan continue to protect the remnants of what was once the world's fourth-largest lake, the Aral Sea.

At its prime, this sea lay between the two Asian countries of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. In the second half of the twentieth century, the Soviet Union sought to irrigate large plots of desert to grow cash crops such as cotton. These projects diverted water from rivers throughout central Asia. The largest canal constructed was the Karakum Canal. It drew on water from the Amudara River, a major tributary of the Aral Sea. The canal stretched over 800 miles and lost much of its water to evaporation and seepage into the ground. As these canals were constructed, the Aral began to shrink. Despite covering 26,000 square miles, it was a shallow lake with an average depth of 53 feet in 1960. By the turn of the century, satellite imagery showed the once-great lake splitting into three parts—the small Aral Sea to the north and two lobes, east and west. The far shallower eastern lobe disappeared completely in 2014, becoming the Aralkum Desert.

The desertification of the Aral Sea left devastating impacts not only on the environment but also on the people living there. Fishing towns that once sat on the shores of the Aral lost their source of trade and food. [Read More]

The Strange Arctic Landscape of Devon Island

by Kaleab Afeworki, age 13

Devon Island is the largest uninhabited island in the world. It is more than five times the size of Hawaii. This island is located in the Canadian Arctic.

Devon Island has two environments that are vastly different. The first environment, the polar desert, has a harsh climate that animals are unable to adapt to. However, there are tiny parts of this biome where there are richer ecosystems, more plants covering the area, and accessible water. The temperature on the island ranges from -16°C (3.2°F) in the winter to 8°C (46.4°F) in the summer. These rare areas, while typically dry, contain moisture throughout the summer.

The other environment on Devon Island is called Truelove Lowland. This polar oasis is located on the north coast of Devon Island. This biome contains a large variety of plants, a more diverse ecosystem than the polar desert, and has a rich habitat that different species can live in. During the summer, this biome rarely exceeds temperatures over 10°C (50°F) in a span of under two months. [Read More]

Australia Is Home to the World’s Deadliest Creatures

by John Agbo, age 14

Though it’s the world's smallest continent, Australia contains more dangerous creatures than any other continent. This island is home to a diverse array of unique and fascinating animals and plants, each with their own level of severe danger and eeriness.

The Stonefish has spines that contain a neurotoxin that will kill you in under 60 minutes. It is found in the Red Sea, French Polynesia, and Queensland, Australia. Their camouflage skills are so good that if they stay still, whether in the sand or a cluster of coral, they are nearly invisible. There are two types of Stonefish, and their eyes easily identify them: the Estuarine Stonefish’s eyes are relatively small and are slightly elevated on their heads within a pit, while the eyes of the Reef Stonefish are on top of their heads. They are known to hide in coral reefs, under rocks, and in the shallows under the sand. If you are not careful, it is very easy to step on one of their 13 highly toxic spines.

[Read More]

Mount St. Elias Remains One of North America’s Most Dangerous Peaks

by John Agbo, age 14

Despite being the second-tallest peak in both the U.S. and Canada, the treacherous Mount Saint Elias remains virtually untouched. Sitting on the border between Canada and Alaska, at a remarkable 18,008 feet, it is a unique terrain. Interestingly, more climbers have reached the summit of Mount Everest, at 29,032 feet, than of Mount St. Elias.

Mt. St. Elias is situated between Kluane National Park in Canada and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in Alaska which are a nationally protected land. Despite its high elevation, plant life – including lingonberries and arctic bell heather – and wildlife such as moose, beavers, caribou, and mountain goats, can be found up to around 10,000 feet.

Due to the subarctic climate and varying temperatures at lower elevations, along with prolonged periods of harsh weather and rocky terrain, there is no direct path to the summit. Additionally, small ice cap climate zones exist at higher elevations, with tundra climate zones covering most of the mountain. Ice cap zones are characterized by frigid temperatures, typically never rising above freezing temperatures. In contrast, tundra zones can experience higher temperatures, ranging from -30 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Mount St. Elias is also difficult to climb due to the region's irregular volcanic terrain, which is formed by some of the largest volcanoes in the area. These volcanoes are accompanied by massive ice fields, which contain the largest concentration of glaciers in North America, where violent snowstorms are quite common. [Read More]

Bizarre Discovery Off Japanese Coast Sparks Fierce Debate

by Mahalia Pearson, age 13

The Yonaguni Monument can be found under the sea, near the island of Yonaguni, Japan. The island is the westernmost part of Japan, so far west that it is only 111 km from the east shore of Taiwan and 2,000 km from Tokyo.

The person who discovered the monument was Kihachiro Aratake. The Yonaguni Monument was discovered in 1986. Before finding the monument, Aratake was already a well-known scuba diver who owned a scuba diving center called Sou Wes, located in Sonai, Japan, on the north shore. While looking for hammerhead sharks, Kihachiro stumbled across a strange structure. He called it “the underwater Machu Picchu.” The site is now called “Kaitei Iseki” (Japanese for “the Monument on the bottom of the sea”). People took an instant interest in the discovery, as its origin is unclear—nobody is sure if it was naturally formed or man-made.

A dive blogger named Florine Quirion wrote about the site. Quirion had learned about the site and wanted to visit it herself. Once she saw it, she was curious about what people thought of the monument, so she made an Instagram post to poll opinions. When the results came in, 67 percent thought the site was naturally made, while the remaining 33 percent thought the site was man-made. [Read More]

Enduring the Hottest Temperatures in the Expanding Sahara

by Edwin Torres, age 12

The Sahara Desert is already known as the biggest desert in the world, yet it is still growing. It sits in northern Africa and stretches 3,200 miles from Sudan and Egypt in the East to the Western Sahara and Mauritania in the West.

The vast area of the Sahara has every kind of desert terrain, such as barren rocky plateaus, scrublands, and geological formations. Most of the desert is inland, and the widespread winds dry the air. Mountain ranges between the desert and sea make clouds rain for long periods. Cloudless skies allow the heat to escape into the atmosphere when the sun goes down, letting the temperature at night drop below zero.

One of the hottest places in the Sahara Desert is the town of Kebili, located in Tunisia. There, the temperature is high because of the scorching hot sun and the Sirocco, a dusty, hot wind that blows from North Africa across the Mediterranean to southern Europe. [Read More]

The Mythical Southern Continent that Was Never Discovered

by Edwin Torres, age 12

Terra Australis, translating to “southern land” in Latin, was a hypothetical southern continent that for many years was thought to be real. People believed in this mythical continent despite the fact it was never actually discovered.

About 2,000 years ago in the first century A.D., explorers said a large southern landmass had to exist. So for centuries, everybody believed in a continent they called Terra Australis.

It was believed that the northern landmass had to be balanced by land in the Southern Hemisphere because Aristotle, a famous philosopher, theorized that the Earth needed to be stable. This hypothesis was applied to the creation of maps starting around 400 A.D. [Read More]

The History Behind America's Iconic Monument

by Ermiyas Abiy, age 8

Mount Rushmore is a monument meant to represent democracy and memorialize U.S. Presidents who led the country at different times. The granite cliff, located in South Dakota, depicts former presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.

Initially, the designer and sculptor planned for the monument to include the leaders down to their waists, but that didn’t happen due to low funding, Gutzon Borglum’s death, and the onset of World War II. Instead, sculptors Gutzon Borglum and his son, Lincoln Borglum, focused on carving only the heads.

Borglum, born in Idaho in 1867, was a famous artist. Building Mount Rushmore was a dangerous job due to the height of the monument and the tools used. Borglum and Lincoln directed miners and masons, who ultimately used dynamite to remove large portions of rock. Despite the use of dynamite for the rough work, chisels were employed to carve the finer details of the presidents’ heads. [Read More]

Göbekli Tepe Is the World's Oldest Temple

by Dayanara Flores Gonzalez, age 16

The Gobekli Tepe, also known as "Hill with a Navel" or "Potbelly Hill," is found ten miles northeast of Sanliurfa, an ancient city in southeastern Turkey. It was once named "Edessa" and is known as "The City of the Prophets."

Gobekli Tepe was discovered by a German archeologist named Klaus Schmidt, who formerly worked on a different ancient site that predated Gobekli Tepe. This site is the oldest man-made place of worship that has been discovered and dates back to 10,000 BCE.

These temples contained loft pillars with carved reliefs of different animals, such as snakes, foxes, and lions. Bones have been discovered on the site, which might have been used for ritual sacrifices and feasts. Gobekli Tepe was filled with numerous Neolithic flint tools, knives, choppers, and projectile points. [Read More]

Magellan's Expedition Was the First Circumnavigation

by Ayelen Flores Ruiz, age 13

In 1519, Portugal was the first country to circumnavigate the globe. Some parts of the world could, but most were not able to circumnavigate past South America. Some parts of the world had advantages that allowed them to build ships, but other parts of the world were incapable due to the lack of resources. However, there was one person who eventually was able to circumnavigate, Ferdinand Magellan.

Becoming the first to circumnavigate the globe was not something on China’s list. Although the country was powerful and had the resources, they were more focused on protecting their people. The Barbarian invasion threat made China create better protection on its northern boundaries. Improving their protection meant rebuilding and extending the Great Wall. China’s multistoried ships were large, compared to Western ships. What stopped its people from being the first to circumnavigate the globe was the anti-marine policy that was made in the 1500s, making it a crime to build a ship with two masts or bigger, and if disobeyed would lead to death. China created this policy so none of its people could be in danger.

Apart from China, Arab Muslims wanted to be the first to circumnavigate but they faced challenges. Individual Muslims navigated the Indian Ocean for centuries which helped them master the shifting direction of the moon. Navigating the Indian Ocean made them discover that another sea, south of Africa, was linked to the Indian Ocean. The Arabian Peninsula could not produce wood, resin, iron, and textiles which were the essentials to building a ship. Not having these products gave them the defeat they did not want. Arab Muslims, not having the supplies needed, gave Spaniards an advantage. [Read More]

Learn How Dinosaur Fossils are Formed

by Bruno Torres, age 8

When visiting dinosaur museums, one typically encounters large reconstructions of dinosaurs with what appears to be their bones. In reality, these structures aren’t bones but are called fossils. Fossils are features or remnants left behind after animals and plants die, typically dating back at least 10,000 years.

Fossils can include bones, teeth, footprints, skin impressions, burrows, nests, and even feces. There are two main types of fossils: body fossils and trace fossils. Body fossils are made up of preserved parts of an organism, like bones, teeth, and shells. Trace fossils are impressions or evidence of an organism's activity, such as footprints, burrows, or coprolites (fossilized feces).

Not all ancient animals will become fossils because many are scavenged or decompose naturally when they die. However, remains that are not eaten and are buried under the right conditions can be preserved for millions of years. Most fossilization occurs when organisms are rapidly buried by sediments like sand, mud, or silt, which protects the remains from rotting. As soft parts of the body decay, harder parts like bones and teeth are left behind. Over millions of years, minerals in groundwater can seep into these hard parts, gradually replacing the organic material in a process called permineralization, leaving behind a solid “rock copy,” or fossil. [Read More]

The Asiatic Lion Is One of Earth’s Rarest Big Cat Species

by Mahalia Pearson, age 13

When people envision lions, they typically think they are from Africa, but lions can be found in different geographical areas around the world such as India, one example being the Asiatic lion. The Asiatic lion is one of the rarest types of cat species. Not only is it called an Asiatic lion, but it is also referred to as the Persian lion.

The coat of this carnivore consists of many colors such as black, dark brown, sandy, and gray. The Asiatic lion is smaller than the well-known African lion and has a short, sparse, and dark mane that makes its ears more visible compared to the African lion. Another distinction is that the Asiatic lion has a longitudinal fold of skin that goes along its belly.

The Asiatic lion lived in habitats ranging from Turkey and across Asia to Eastern India. Unfortunately, this creature has been hunted down to the point of near extinction. Currently, these lions are prone to diseases, disaster, and potential poaching. They also have to deal with the consequences of a growing population of humans and cattle. With larger human populations that demand more land for agriculture and settlement, the habitats of these lions are slowly disappearing. [Read More]

Ancient Human Footprints Found in White Sands National Park Raise Questions

by Dani Garduno Martinez, age 11

Many people usually imagine mammoths, dinosaurs, and ancient beasts when considering fossils. However, a large majority of people miss an important category: human fossils. A recent discovery was made in White Sands National Park in New Mexico.

Many people down by the White Sands National Park have been buzzing with excitement because of the discovery of the human footprints. They were found and began to be studied in 2021. According to archaeologists, these fossils may be one of the oldest fossils that affirm humans originating from North America. Archeologists have been able to strengthen this argument since recent data shows that footprints have been there for 21,000 to 23,000 years ago. Yet some archeologists wonder if these fossils may really be from our ancestors from the Americas.

These human fossils may not be as old as they seem to be. Archeologists and scientists debate whether ancient seeds of aquatic plant life may have absorbed old carbon, making their original reported age invalid. In the process of finding fossils, they also found a big cluster of quartz grains and conifer pollen, which they used to confirm the original statement. [Read More]

Machu Picchu Provides a Glimpse Into Past Inca Life

by Marco Gonzales, age 9

During the 20th century, Machu Picchu was rediscovered. At first, researchers thought it was Vilcabamba, a village where Incas were known to survive when the Spanish took over. However, this theory is now considered wrong; instead, Machu Picchu was likely an important ceremonial and religious site. Though the exact date of Machu's construction is unclear, it likely grew during the rapid expansion period of the Inca Empire at the end of the 15th century.

Machu Picchu was a site that contained gardens, terraces, ceremonial buildings, and palaces. Hundreds of steps connected the terraced gardens with aqueducts, fountains, and bath buildings throughout the land. Skeletons excavated from the site show that the female-male ratio was 10:1, which led to the belief that Machu Picchu was a site of sun worship and sanctuary for women, known as the Virgins of the Sun. Furthermore, there is evidence of a stone structure known as Intihuatana (Hitching Post of the Sun), which is thought to have been a device for calculating dates and solstices.

The sun was an essential element of culture in this community. Solar observations appeared to be hosted at the Tower of the Sun, constructed with unique windows oriented to capture the sun's sun at winter solstice. Inti Raymi, an Inca sun festival, is known to have occurred at this location during solstices.   The most remarkable aspect of Macchu Picchu is its impressive stonework on which white granite blocks are laid without mortar. The stones are locked together in an intricate way where their edges connect perfectly to fit into one another. This has allowed the buildings to stay strong and stand to this day. [Read More]

Arizona’s Beautiful and Mysterious Apache Trail

by Mahalia Pearson, age 12

The Apache Trail was completed through the Superstition Mountains in 1911, but construction began in 1904. These two landmarks are located in Arizona. The roughly 40-mile trail was used for stagecoaches by the Mexican, Spanish, and American settlers. The settlers learned the trail from the Native Americans who resided in the area. The trail was named after the Apache Native Americans and other Native American tribes.

The Apache Trail, also known as Route 88, is hard to drive on due to the poor conditions of the road. While driving on the road, people experience deserts, sharp turns, and steep hills. Visitors should be cautious of possible landslides or cliffs that may make it easy for one to fall off.

The trail is currently closed and has been closed for three years due to fires, floods, and landslides. The Woodbury fire burned down 120,000 acres of land and left a burn scar. That part of the trail has been closed because of the risk of having another landslide. Since the trail is closed, drivers must take another route that takes two times longer to reach their destination. [Read More]

Rare Black Leopard Discovered in East Africa

by Allison Torres, age 14

Leopards are one of the most fascinating big cats from Africa. They are one of the strongest climbers and can kill prey even larger than themselves. It is very rare to see black leopards in desert areas of Africa. Scientists say only about 11% of leopards around the world are black. All leopards have spots, no matter what color they are. But, that is what makes black leopards special: their spots are hard to see.

It is more common to see black leopards in tropical areas of Asia and Africa, where several sightings have been reported. Recently, conservationists from the Institute for Conservation Research and specialists from the Loisaba Conservancy have confirmed the existence of black panthers (also known as black leopards) in East Africa. These animals were recently spotted due to a study in Laikipia County in Kenya. The scientific team used remote cameras to observe them. Africa has a few reported observations of these species. What makes this more interesting and highlights the uniqueness of the black panther, is that there has only been one confirmed sighting in over 100 years. [Read More]

Who Created These Mysterious Pillars in Ireland?

by Jonah Smith, age 14

Strange pillars reside in County Antrim, Ireland. They have an unusual shape that appears to be man made. These tightly wedged pillars descend in tiers, in a staircase all the way down to the sea. These columns are mostly hexagonal, though the number of sides these structures have may vary. Although their shape implies that they are manufactured, the complete opposite is true.

There are similar structures such as the Giant’s Causeway in Scotland or Devil’s Tower in Wyoming. With having so many of these unexplained structures around the world, myths for how they were made arose. For the Giant’s Causeway, it is said [locally] that the Irish giant, Finn Mac Cool, drove the columns into the sea one by one so that he could walk to Scotland to fight his rival. These exciting stories theorizing their construction adds new life and attractiveness to these beautiful structures.

The creation of these abnormalities is way more complex than it might seem. During the period where North America and Europe recently split up, the new North Atlantic Ocean in between the two was still a developing feature. The northern area of both Europe and North America was in place, but the body of water still had to form the edges of these continents. The western coast of Greenland separated from Canada around 80 million years ago, but the southwestern coast was still firmly attached to the opposing northwestern coast of the British Isles. 20 million years later, these coasts began to separate and there were major volcanoes in place of a few Scottish islands. [Read More]

Low Mississippi Water Levels Expose Artifacts and History

by Owen Ayite-Atayi, age 15

The Mississippi River is the second longest river in the United States and is 2,340 miles long. Although the Mississippi River is a majestic river, there are still many mysteries in this river, especially regarding its artifacts.

The Mississippi River was discovered by an explorer named Hernando De Soto. He was the first ever Spanish conquistador to see this river. Currently, the Mississippi River is suffering from low water levels that impact drinking water. This has created terrible situations for farmers throughout the basin, causing the river to become exposed to its sunken past.

Relic hunters are people who hunt for artifacts and memorabilia from decades and even centuries ago. Most relic hunters use metal detectors to spot these artifacts. Riley Bryant is a full-time relic hunter. Bryant also works for History Seekers and the American Digger Magazine. He is also known as “Relic Riley” because of his amazing relic hunting skills. He started relic hunting at around the age of eleven, when he got his first metal detector. Now, at the age of twenty-one, Bryant started his own TikTok account, posting mainly about finding artifacts around the Mississippi River. Around 397.5 thousand people on this platform followed the many discoveries Bryant made in 2022. One artifact in particular, a Civil War-era cartridge box plate that carried ammunition, was a highlight of his relic hunting. He posted his discovery on TikTok and his video reached more than four million people. [Read More]

Exploring the Largest Lake in Africa: Lake Victoria

by Juan Esteban Palma Zuluaga, age 10

Africa is known for its many beautiful landscapes, animals, and lakes, one being Lake Victoria. Lake Victoria is known to be the biggest tropical lake on Earth, and is the second largest freshwater lake on Earth by land area, following only Lake Superior.

Lake Victoria is about 255 miles long and 155 miles wide. It is only 276 feet deep. Being in the East of Africa close to the equator and between the countries of Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania, Lake Victoria is one of the most well-known water sources for the Nile River. Other smaller rivers and streams, like the Kagera River, flow into this lake.

Lake Victoria provides help to millions of people that live close by. Its water helps with farming and growing a habitat for the animals. Fishing is also a great source of livelihood, because it keeps over three million people working as fishermen. However, this is becoming a problem, because too many fish are being killed – around 750,000 metric tons per year. The people overfish different species, including catfish, marbled lungfish, and elephant fish, which is causing them to disappear from the lake. Aside from overfishing, climate change and drought also affect the fish population. [Read More]

Explore the Mighty Congo River in the Heart of Africa

by Sol-Saray, age 10

Africa is home to many great rivers. One of them is known as the Congo. In Africa, the Congo is only slightly shorter than the Nile in length, and is just as important to the people who live along the river.

The Congo has been very efficient for the people of Africa when it comes to transporting goods like food, medicine, clothes, and other items to people living along the river. It is also used for fishing and irrigating crops like peanuts, cotton, and sugarcane.

In the river, there are over 30 waterfalls and many other islands. It is near the equator, meaning it can get very hot and wet. The river receives around 90 inches of rain annually. There are 200 species of fish that live on the river. Many animals eat the tall grass that grows along the river, including buffalo, antelopes, zebras, gazelles, and giraffes. [read more]

Rare Zebra Species Struggles to Survive Drought in East Africa

by Allison Torres, age 14

In September 2022, Kenya experienced one of its worst droughts in the last four decades. This was a direct result of climate change.

The drought has especially impacted the East African country’s wildlife, affecting even the most drought-resistant animals, such as the camel, which is known to survive relatively long periods of time without water. Suze van Meegen, an emergency response manager for the Norwegian refugee council in East Africa told CNN, “Camels are a valuable resource for many people in this region.” [Read More]

Cruise Ship in Alaska Collides with Iceberg

by Aissata Bah, age 13

Who would've thought history would repeat itself! Similar to the crash that sank the Titanic, an accident occurred in Alaska. [Read More]

Navigating the Dangers of the Sea

by Daileni Torres-Cruz, age 10

Being at sea can be a wonderful experience, however, it can also take an unexpected turn for the worse. There are many dangerous occurrences in the sea. High winds during storms or volcanoes make big waves in the middle of the ocean that can cause ships to swerve off their courses. Ships may also collide with large icebergs, similar to what occurred on the Titanic in 1912. The Titanic was the newest and most luxurious boat at the time. The iceberg ripped a hole in its exterior, which caused it to sink to the bottom of the ocean. It was known as one of the worst accidents at sea.

Waterspouts are formed when tornadoes land in the sea. They suck up a lot of seawater into a big dark cloud. Boats floating on the sea can be sucked into waterspouts. [Read More]

The Unique History of Lake Ivanhoe, Wisconsin

by Josepha Da Costa, age 18

This past summer, Lake Ivanhoe was one of 40 new historical markers to be designated in Wisconsin. It became only the 8th marker, out of 600, in the state to feature Black History. Peter Baker, a current resident who grew up in Lake Ivanhoe, “the safest place and the coolest place” he’d ever been in his life, played an important part in the process of celebrating this history. His tireless efforts for over 20 years finally made this commemoration possible. [Read More]

Volcano Explosion Shoots Water into Space

by Theodore Morrison, age 15

A volcanic eruption that occurred in the Pacific Ocean on January 12, 2022 reserved itself a spot in history when it ejected its water vapor into space for the first time in recorded history. [Read More]

The Dead Sea's Lifelessness, Ancient Wealth, and Healing Wonders

by Kevin Chen, age 15

Though the Dead Sea sounds like a scary place, the same reasons this body of water can not support plant or animal life made it a valuable resource in the ancient world. Back in the Roman era (476 C.E.), salt was considered highly valuable, so much so that Roman soldiers would be paid in salt, instead of money. The Latin word “salary” came from the word “salt”.

The Dead Sea, actually a lake, has had different names throughout history such as the Salt Sea and the Sea of the Plain. It is one of the four saltiest bodies of water in the whole world, containing up to 10 times as many minerals and salts as most oceans. Due to its high salinity, there are not any plants or animals that inhabit the Dead Sea. This excessive amount of salt and mineral concentration is because of the warm climate which causes water to evaporate. This drastically reduces the water-to-salt ratio in the lake. The lake is so salty that people can float on it.

The Dead Sea has also been known to have healing powers. The salt and minerals in the lake can be beneficial for skin diseases. The oxygen rate is 5% higher than most places on Earth, which can also help those with asthma and arthritis. The black mud found around the Dead Sea was once used as soap in ancient Greece because it could penetrate pores and nourish the skin. Now, multiple hotels around the Dead Sea provide an opportunity to try the benefits of the world’s first health resort. [Read More]

Volcanic Eruptions Cause Birth of a New Island in the Pacific Ocean

by Kaleab Afeworki, age 11

The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano had one of the most powerful underwater explosions and still holds unbreakable records. This volcano has erupted several times in the last decade and scientists continue to study its activity.

It erupted in 2014 near the South Pacific Island Kingdom of Tonga. The cause of the eruption was due to a submarine volcano, an underwater vent where magma erupts and explodes. It left vast amounts of ash, rock, and mist in the air, settling into a tiny island with a 400-foot summit.

The volcano remained active until its recent eruption in 2022, which produced a tsunami so great that it touched the coasts of Japan and South America. This eruption was so intense that it injected water vapor that managed to touch space – a feat that has never been observed with any other volcanoes on Earth. Additionally, the event created the greatest concentration of lightning and energy strong enough to damage undersea fiber optic communication cables. [Read More]

Teotihuacán, Mesoamerica’s City of Gods and Pyramids

by Edwin Torres, age 12

Teotihuacán was an ancient city in Modern-Day Mexico that was once known as Mesoamerica’s biggest city; the city was even bigger than Rome. Teotihuacán is an Aztec name meaning “place of the gods.” The population was around 50,000-100,000 people and the city covered an area over eight square miles. It was a sophisticated city, with religious buildings, wide streets, and private houses. According to local legend, it has been said that the sun and the moon were born in Teotihuacán. Not a lot is known about the daily life and customs of its people. However, we do know that the people of Teotihuacán praised certain gods. The rain god and the jaguar were two important figures for them. That was discovered by studying the engravings on religious temples. This civilization was advanced because of how carefully the city was built. They had a grid system that controlled the access to water. [Read More]

This Wild Cat Is Part of Africa’s History

by Abigail Gezae, age 11

There is a species of wild cat that lives in Africa called the serval. The serval is a type of cat with extremely long legs.

The serval is a medium-sized cat. The cat has a small head, large ears, and a golden-yellow coat that is spotted and striped with a short black-tipped tail. This big cat species lives in many regions of Africa across different countries. In ancient Egypt, people would keep them as pets. In Kenya, farmers will use serval cats to keep animals or rodents out of the field and barn.

Serves mostly hunt rodents. They are not picky eaters, like some other types of wild cats. Unlike other wild cats, Servals are not scavengers and scientists believe this is due to their successful hunting skills. [Read More]

The Great Wall of China

by Encheng Zhuo, age 10

The Great Wall of China runs through Beijing and extends into the Gobi Desert. It is a historical site to China, and the longest man made structure in the world.

The Wall was not easy to build, as many workers who died were buried inside the cement walls. According to legend, a “Wizard” told Qin Shihuangdi to bury wan, or 10,000, bodies in the Wall. The emperor misinterpreted and killed a man named Wan, and buried his body in the Wall instead. It is estimated to have been under construction for over 2,000 years with Qin Shihuangdi commanding over 300,000 workers.

Back then, the wall was constructed as a way to protect China from neighboring threats. An official measurement of the Wall is said to be 3,946 miles. However, in 1990 the distance was reported to be more than anticipated. A Chinese walker reported from his pedometer that the distance was 4,163 miles. [Read More]

Beneath Antarctica’s Ice, Giant Lake Vostok Holds Marine Life

by Dulce Vazquez, age 18

On a world map, Antarctica appears to be a wasteland of snow and ice. But this mysterious southern continent holds some of the most unique geological features on Planet Earth. For example, Lake Vostok is one of the largest freshwater lakes on Earth.

Lake Vostok is just one of the hundreds of subglacial lakes located in Antarctica. Located 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) beneath East Antarctica’s ice, Lake Vostok is approximately 150 miles (240 kilometers) long and 30 miles (50 kilometers) wide. This makes Lake Vostok about the same size as North America’s Lake Ontario.

Marine life in the lake suggests that Lake Vostok may once have been connected to the ocean. Scientists estimate that ice covered Lake Vostok for 15 to 20 million years. Over these millions of years, Lake Vostok developed a unique microbial community. In the 1960s, a Russian geographer and pilot, Andrey Kapitsa, discovered Lake Vostok while observing the surface ice of Antarctica. [Read More]

After a Nuclear Disaster: Scientists Study the Wild Dogs of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

by John Agbo, age 15

The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, at that time in Russia but now located in northern Ukraine exploded in April of 1986. The environmental damage was so great that 40 years later, the Chernobyl area is still uninhabitable by humans.

Animals in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, which is about four times the size of New York City, are being studied by scientists and biologists to see how years of radiation exposure might have changed their anatomy.

The DNA of around 302 wild dogs found in and around CEZ, were examined by scientists from the National Humane Genome Research Institute and the University of South Carolina. Scientists conducted the study in 2023, and it showed that Chernobyl dogs exhibited genetic differences when compared to dogs from other nearby areas. [Read More]

Iceland Is Full of Natural Wonders

by Delia Moreno, age 8

Iceland is extremely cold, making it largely uninhabited; when winter arrives, temperatures drop below freezing and conditions become almost unbearable.

The population of this island is only around 262,000, mostly concentrated in the capital, Reykjavik. Iceland is a volcanic island with no native building materials, but the land is still being built by nature. Lava continues to pile sheet after sheet of land around the island through the long eruptions. This provides a foundation for the active volcanoes today, even though 102,797 square kilometers, or 39,690 square miles, is covered by ice caps and glaciers, which is about 11.5 percent.

About 60 million years ago, Greenland began to separate from Scotland, giving rise to the territories that make up Iceland. The oldest rocks in Iceland are less than 60 million years old, but the island continues to grow. Although Iceland had a lot of heat, it was covered by a sheet of ice, and those remains form the icecaps and glaciers seen on the island today. In this country, almost all forms of vegetation are found on the southern coast. In the southeast of Iceland, Vatnajokull is the largest ice cap in Europe. [Read More]

Lalibela: The Churches in Ethiopia Carved from Solid Rock

by Ermiyas Abiy, age 10

Lalibela, a town known among Ethiopians, is located in the mountainous terrains of the heart of Ethiopia. It is 645 kilometers from its capital, Addis Ababa, where 11 churches were carved by hand into a monolithic rock. One of the churches, Biete Giyorgis (House of Saint George), was famously carved in the shape of a cross.

There are two main groups of churches that form Lalibela, including the North of the Jordan River group, which contains Biete Medani Alem (House Of The Savior Of The World), Biete Mariam (House Of Mary), Beite Maskal (House Of The Cross), Biete Denagel (House Of Virgins), Biete Golagotha Mikael (House Of Golagotha Mikael). Biete Giyorgis is north of the river, but is carved from a separate rock from to the other north-side churches.

The group to the south of the Jordan River contains Biete Ammanuel (House Of Emmanuel), Biete Queddus Mercoreus (House Of Saint Mercoreus), and Biete Gabriel Raphael (House Of Gabriel Raphael). [Read More]

How Did a Nebraska Cougar Find its Way to Wisconsin?

by Evelyn Jakubczak, age 13

A male cougar was recently found dead near a railroad track in Adams County, Wisconsin. Wildlife officials tracked the big cat on its journey from Nebraska to Wisconsin.

The incident was reported in February of 2026 by a railroad worker. Officials believe that the cougar was hit by a train. The Wisconsin Department of National Resources examined the animal to determine the cause of its death. Experts say it is a classic case of a male cougar leaving its home range in search of a mate.

The cougar was a two-year old male that was collared and ear tagged in Nebraska. Even though its GPS tracker stopped transmitting data, biologists were able to track it due to its common appearance and frequent sightings across states. It was photographed many times on its journey from Nebraska. In early January 2026, it was seen in northwest Wisconsin. By February, the cougar had traveled through Marathon and Portage counties before arriving in Adams County. [Read More]

A Massive Meteorite Exploded over Russia in 1908

by Joseph Zheng, age 11

On June 30, 1908, at around 7:15 a.m., a large fireball-like object was spotted in far eastern Russia. It soared across the sky until it made contact with the ground, creating an explosion that caused trees to fall like dominoes. The impact sent small objects flying as forest fires began to spread across the crash site. This event in history is called the Tungunska event.

The asteroid was as large as a football field, 300 feet in diameter. After the collision, it sent shockwaves hundreds of miles away and released gases, causing bright skies during the starry night. Although the outburst was huge, no one explored it until about 20 years later due to its remote location.

Only a few farmers were able to watch the explosion. There were three possible related deaths, however, if there was a city nearby at the time of the event, damage and casualties would have been severe. Due to World War I, the investigation of this event was delayed. [Read More]

Another Moai Statue Discovered on Easter Island

by Niko Sayu, age 12

Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, is an iconic landmass about 2,000 miles off the South Pacific coast of Chile, and is widely known for its massive ancient Moai statues. Scientists and researchers thought they had logged every statue on the island, but another has now been discovered in an unexpected place.

Moai statues were constructed by the island’s native people hundreds of years ago. They are made from tuff—a material composed of soft, compressed volcanic ash, which was easy to shape with the inhabitants' large stone tools. These statues were built to honor important people who had passed away.

The statues were mostly constructed in the island’s statue quarry on its south side, raising questions about how the statues were moved around the island. One of more popular theories is that the vast majority of the Moai statues were built on the south side of the island before being transported by 15 to 18 people across the island to where they stand today. Contrary to popular belief, the Easter Island statues are not just heads; in fact, many of them are mostly, if not fully exposed bodies in some parts of the island. [Read More]

The Island in Michigan Where Cars Are Banned

by Sylvia Hoks, age 11

Mackinac Island (pronounced "Mak-e-naw") may be one of the most famous and strangest locations in America. Not only is it the number one favorite island in the United States, and its second national park, but it also has an interesting backstory.

Mackinac Island sits in the eastern straits of the Great Lakes, where Lakes Michigan and Huron meet. The island was formed around 13,000 B.C., when the glaciers that covered it melted during the last ice age. Scientific artifacts also indicated that Indigenous peoples called Mackinac Island home, dating back to around 900 A.D.

In the mid-1600s, the ownership of Mackinac Island changed many times. In 1671, the first European settlement was founded when Jacques Marquette formed a mission there. He was attempting to spread Christianity worldwide. The mission relocated twice, later staying in Mackinaw City. Afterwards, Mackinac Island went into the hands of the British, following their win in the Seven Years’ War. The British built a fort called Fort Mackinac, thinking it would be vital during the American Revolution, but was ultimately unnecessary. After the war, the Treaty of Paris then switched the ownership of Mackinac Island to the United States. [Read More]

The Search for Cleopatra's Lost Tomb

by Gerard Sanchez Ramirez, age 11

Cleopatra's tomb has remained undiscovered for over 2,000 years. Explorer Kathleen Martinez, has become close to cracking the mystery. She suspects that Cleopatra's tomb is a sunken port.

Kathleen Martinez has been searching for Cleopatra's tomb since 2005. In 2022, she and her team found artifacts in the ruins of an ancient town named Taposiris Magna. Martinez believes these artifacts are connected to Cleopatra.

A temple to the Egyptian goddess Isis is located in Taposiris Magna. There, Martinez's team found a tunnel 40 feet underground and partly sunken in seawater, In the Tunnel they found a ceramic jar which Martinez said it was created when Cleopatra was alive. [Read More]

How the Horse Returned to the American Great Plains

by Elim Eyobed, age 14

Domestic horses have become very popular in American culture. This has led researchers to ask: how did horses become pets? Horses have traveled full circle around the world to get to where they are now.

Horses evolved in North America. They then spread to Eurasia using the Bering Land Bridge. The were domesticated by humans in Eurasia long after they had gone extinct in North America.

The Spanish brought domesticated horses back to the Americas, and bred them to fit the local environment. Some of these horses escaped, and became what today we call the mustang. [Read More]

Ancient Egyptian Fortress Uncovered in the Sinai Desert

by Ruben Becerril, age 13

Recently, a large military fortress was uncovered in the Sinai Desert, near the town of Sheikh Zuweid in Egypt.

The fortress included defensive towers and traces of ancient ovens. Its thick curving walls were constructed around 3,500 years ago, likely during Pharaoh Thutmose I’s reign. It spans about 8,600 square feet, making it among the largest defensive structures ever discovered in eastern Egypt. Studies show the fortress went through several phases of repair and redesign. The southern wall of the structure is almost 350 feet long and eight feet thick.

Excavation has revealed the remains of 11 different defensive towers and a zigzagging wall on the western side, which is almost 250 feet long. Hesham Hussein, the undersecretary for Lower Egypt and Sinai archaeology, says the pattern “helped the fortress endure harsh desert climates by reinforcing its stability and reducing the impact of wind and sand erosion.” This wall forced the fortress to split into north and south sections. The wall also served as a division between the fort and a residential area where soldiers may have resided. On the outskirts of this residential area, researchers found ovens that may have been used for domestic activities in the fort. They also found fossilized dough near the ovens. [Read More]

Could a Skull Discovered on a Remote Island Change the Future of Antarctica?

by Dayanara Flores, age 17

How do remains found in Antarctica affect our future? The Antarctica Treaty system was first signed in 1959. Later on in 1998, a protection was added which classified Antarctica as a “natural reserve dedicated to peace and science.” This also prohibited any mining activity unless it’s related to scientific research.

Most people don't know there is a much darker side to Antarctica. In 1985, a skull was discovered on Yamana Beach at Cape Shirreff on Antarctica's South Shetlands Islands. This skull was discovered by Chilean biologist, Dr. Daniel Torres.

The skull found is believed to have belonged to an indigenous female. Dr. Torres was able to identify she was female due to her skull being as small in comparison to an adult skull. Archeologists don't know if she was in her early 20s, but she seemed to have died between 1819 and 1825. This finding is especially interesting because there is no verifiable explanation for why a young woman would be in Antarctica during that period of time. [Read More]

The Dramatic Hognose Snake Likes to Play Dead

by Coraline Esme Simkins, age 10

There is a snake species considered to be very dramatic. This species is known as the hognose snake. The Hognose's scientific name is Heterodon platirhinos. Hognoses are very popular for their theatrical defense. When they are threatened, they flatten their heads and wiggle their tails to resemble a rattlesnake. The hognose might even strike, but they won't actually bite. Although they are mildly venomous, they only use their venom to hunt.

If acting like a rattlesnake doesn't work, hognose snakes will flip over, open their mouth, and stick out their tongues to play dead. They can even throw up their food and release a putrid odor. Sometimes they will pop a blood vessel to look like they are bleeding. The hognose will stay there and wiggle until it knows you are not a threat.

A female hognose lays a clutch of 15 to 27 eggs, which can take up to two months to hatch. They can grow up to 20 or 30 inches long, and some can reach 46 inches. [Read More]

Hannibal Barca: The Carthaginian General who Terrorized the Roman Republic

by Ruben Becerril, age 13

Hannibal Barca was a Carthaginian general known for fighting against Rome in the Second Punic War. He is considered one of the greatest generals, as well as the first general to cross the Alps with a full army.

Hannibal was born in 247 B.C.E and died around 183 B.C.E. Son of the legendary Carthaginian general Hamilcar Barca, he was taken to Spain by his father at a young age. At the Temple of Baal, his father made him swear eternal hostility to Rome. Throughout his life, Hannibal faced constant struggle against the Roman Republic.

Hannibal’s first commands in the military came from General Hasdrubal the Fair, his brother-in-law and the successor to Hamilcar. Hannibal was such a successful officer that when Hasdrubal was assassinated, the government had Hannibal take his place. [Read More]

The Bison Is an Iconic Symbol of the American West

by Bruno Torres, age 10

The American bison is a popular animal in North America characterized by its strong body, humps, horns, and coat.

Bison live in many unique places such as the high plains of North America and Alaska. There are also many bison located in the Rocky Mountains of Canada. Bison consume grass, herbs, leaves, shoots, and bark. Their hoof is a big hand that helps them pick up small food. The bison can weigh between 1,000 and 2,205 pounds, which is comparable to the size of a car.

Bison have huge, bulky forequarters, massive heads and lean hindquarters. They are good at running at high speed. The hump is a thick pad of body tissues covering bony outgrowths from the spine. Both genders have big horns that are sharp and can defeat other bulls. The bulls have thick fur to help them stay warm during winter. During the summer, their fur sheds. Some bulls have to fight over females when the breeding season comes around [Read More]

Ethiopia: An African Nation Rich in History and Culture

by Arsema Biruk, age 9

Ethiopia is one of the oldest countries in the world. Ethiopia is a land-locked country in Eastern Africa, surrounded by Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, South Sudan, and Sudan.

Ethiopia is mostly grassland, but has a variety of landscapes with highlands in the north, and lowlands in the south. The highlands have more rain and they are cooler with an average of 60 degrees fahrenheit. The lowlands have less rain and is warmer.

In Ethiopia, Amharic and Oromo are the most common languages. Ethnic groups include Oromo, Amhara, Somali, and Tigray. [Read More]

Massive Earthquake Causes Tsunami Across the Pacific Ocean

by Niko Sayu, age 11

On Wednesday, July 30th, an enormous megathrust earthquake located underneath the Pacific Ocean struck off the eastern coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Russian Far East. It was one the largest earthquakes of the past 200 years and Tsunami warnings were raised in many coastal areas.

The strong 8.8 magnitude earthquake caused warnings in multiple nearby countries including Russia and Japan. Several U.S. states including Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, California, and Alaska also issued tsunami warnings.

Then, after many places had lifted their warnings, Chile raised its warnings to the highest level and strongly cautioned residents to stay away from rivers and the Pacific coast. Elsewhere in the Southern Hemisphere, New Zealand was in a similar situation and government officials warned the first waves may not be the largest and to act as if the real threat is still to come. [Read More]

History of Rome

by Thea Kaufman, age 10

Although Rome left behind many important legacies, their capabilities at warfare were quite impactful.

Rome was founded in 735 B.C. by twin brothers named Romulus and Remus. They were said to be the God of War, and the Sons of Mars. Legend says, they were left in the Tiber River, then found and raised by a she-wolf. When they grew older, they built a city together, unfortunately Romulus killed Remus in a fight and became king. Later on, the city was named after Romulus.

Rome expanded quickly, which led to many wars, most notably, the Punic Wars. The country fought against Carthage, a city inside of Northern Africa. In the final war, Rome defeated Carthage and acquired the land. Rome separately gained control of Greece and other lands in Europe and Asia. Through this, the Romans learned about Greek culture, which influenced their own culture. [Read More]

On Lake Superior’s Largest Island, a Timeless Drama of Predator and Prey Unfolds

by Owen Ayite-Atayi, age 17

Isle Royale is a large and uninhabited island surrounded by the vast waters of Lake Superior. For many years, the island was a hunting ground for Native Americans from Canada and Minnesota. It more recent years, it has become an island of research.

Isle Royale isn’t just filled with remarkable landscapes, it also has unique wildlife habitats and self-sustaining populations of moose and wolves. The moose and the wolves of Isle Royale are isolated here and linked in a historical drama of predator and prey. It’s a drama that scientists have been watching and analyzing for over 60 years.

Today, the island is designated for scientific research. The location has become an important laboratory for the study of wolves and moose. The ongoing predator-prey relationship between the two species provides unique insights for wildlife scientists. Although the island is now known for scientific research, it has also hosted various human activities throughout its history. [Read More]

Stannard Rock Lighthouse Is “The World’s Loneliest Place”

by Dayanara Flores Gonzalez, age 17

The Stannard Rock Lighthouse watches over what was once known as one of the deadliest places on Lake Superior. This structure was built on rocky reefs that damaged passing ships, causing them to sink. Stannard Rock has warned approaching ships of danger for over 100 years.

The reef was a severe hazard because it was near busy shipping traffic. The lighthouse was completed in 1882 to prevent severe collisions. Stannard Rock is 24 miles away from the nearest land, the farthest lighthouse from shore in the U.S. Stannard Rock was given a couple of nicknames throughout the years: “The Loneliest Place in the World,” “The Rock,” and what it is known as now, “The Loneliest Place in North America”. The lighthouse is named after Captain Charles Stannard of the American Fur Company, who discovered the reef in the 1800s. [Read More]

How a Meteorite Helped Create One of North America’s Largest Lakes

by Sofia Zapata, age 16

An asteroid created one of North America's biggest lakes, known today as Lake Manicouagan. This 214 million-year-old circular lake is visible on any map of Canada and is known as the “Eye of Quebec.”

About 214 million years ago, a meteorite crashed into Earth, creating a big crater in northern Quebec, Canada. At the time, it was part of the ancient continent of Pangaea. The meteorite was three miles wide and traveled over 30,000 miles per hour, causing a 350-meter-deep hole. It’s only in very recent history that this massive crater became a lake.

The reservoir was created in 1968, when humans constructed the Daniel-Johnson Dam to produce energy. After the dam was built, it blocked the Manicouagan and Outardes Rivers, which filled the crater. [Read More]

From Deserts to Forests, Animals Adapt to Habitats

by Gerard Sanchez, age 11

Habitats are environments that provide animals with water, shelter, food, and space to live.

There are different habitats such as ice caps, savannas, deserts, and rainforests. Sometimes habitats do not have everything animals need, which can result in their death.

Animals sometimes evolve or adapt to help them survive in their habitats. For example, polar bears have thick layers of fur and fat to survive frigid polar air. Porcupines have long quills to defend themselves from other animals in their habitat. [Read More]

The Black Sand Beach Where Waves Can Surprise You

by Marco Flores, age 11

Reynisfjara Beach is one of the most dangerous beaches in the world.

This beach is located outside the town of Vík, Iceland. It is a tourist attraction because of its beautiful cave, waves, and land. One special feature in particular is the black sand, which comes from Iceland's volcanic eruptions, making it a unique place to visit.

This beach is very dangerous due to its powerful “sneaker waves” that appear unexpectedly. These waves are not the tallest in the world, but they can surge far up the beach without warning. Because of their strength, it is easy to get swept away, and it is almost impossible to be rescued once pulled into the cold Atlantic waters. Visitors need to be cautious when visiting and pay close attention to the warning signs posted along the shore. [Read More]

How the Bering Land Bridge Shaped Human Migration

by Camila Cruz, age 17

Thousands of years ago, humans used the Bering Land Bridge, a large strip of land connecting Siberia and Alaska, to cross from Asia to North America. During this time, sea levels were significantly lower, since much of the Earth's water was contained in massive glaciers. Due to this, land that is now underwater used to be above water, including this bridge of land stretching between two continents.

For roughly 25,000 years, this bridge served as a route for human migration into North America. The Bering Land Bridge, which allowed humans to move between continents, opened about 35,700 years ago. This information is supported by new research from Princeton University. A study suggests the time of the bridge’s appearance aligns with genetic evidence showing that ancestral Native American populations began separating from Asian populations. This suggests humans may have crossed the bridge as soon as it appeared.

The bridge emerged during the Last Glacial Maximum, a peak of the last ice age when ice sheets were at their largest and sea levels were at their lowest. Scientists previously believed sea levels had dropped steadily, but new data reveal that this drop and the growth of ice sheets happened much more abruptly. Surprisingly, these changes occurred even when global temperatures were relatively stable. Scientists started linking other factors, like changes in sunlight intensity, to ice sheet behavior. [Read More]

Apostle Islands Tell a Story Millions of Years in the Making

by Finnegan McGehee, age 10

The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore off the coast of Northern Wisconsin is well-known for its signature red cliffs and picturesque sea caves.

The sandstone making up the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and Bayfield Peninsula has been present and shaped by the waves of Lake Superior for over 660 million years since the Precambrian era. In 2024, over 250,000 people visited the archipelago. There are 22 islands off the coast of the Bayfield peninsula, but the national lakeshore only includes 21 of those islands, along with a 12-mile segment on the Northern Wisconsin coast.

People have lived on the islands for many years, and the impacts of humans can range from a lighthouse catastrophe to as small as trail erosion. Under the waters of Lake Superior, there have been many shipwrecks found, and some are still waiting to be discovered. All cultural sites, on land and underwater, are legally protected for the delight of all today and for future generations. [Read More]

Thousands of Years Later, the Great Pyramid Still Stands Strong

by Layla Calahan, age 12

In Giza, the Great Pyramid stands on the edge of the Egyptian desert, west of the Nile River. In the 26th century BC, when the Great Pyramid was built, it was believed it was for Pharaoh Khufu. In the 4th Dynasty, other kings built their own pyramids near the Great Pyramid. The three pyramids form the world’s best-known buildings.

A fascinating feature of the Great Pyramid is that it weighs over nearly seven million tons. The Great Pyramid has 2.25 million blocks of limestone, meaning each block weighs over 15.25 tons. The slaves that helped build the Great Pyramid did not have machinery like we have now; they only had their hands and strength. The workers built the pyramid with four nearly perfect right angles on the base forming a square. The pyramid was aligned with a compass meaning each individual four sides faced north, east, south, or west with accuracy.

There are many theories behind why these pyramids were built. Many speculate that these pyramids exist as tombs for pharaohs. There is a theory that the Great Pyramid was built for Pharaoh Khufu in 2589 BC. Years later, his son Khafre had a second pyramid built close to the Great Pyramid for himself. Almost 100 years later Mankaure, who may have been Khafre’s son, becomes a Pharaoh and adds the third and smallest pyramid. Strangely though, when a party broke inside the pyramid in the King’s Chamber, there was a stone coffin with no corpse and no sign of previous disturbance by any robbers. The purpose of these tombs remains a mystery to this day. [Read More]

Scientists Discover Two 7,000-year-old Mummies Deep in the Sahara Desert

by Elim Eyobed, age 14

After a recent discovery by various scientists, archeologists and researchers, two of the world's oldest mummies were found buried deep in the Sahara desert.

Located in the Tadrart Acacus Mountains of Southwestern Libya by the middle of the Sahara lies the Takarkon rock shelter, archeologists found fifteen mummies at this location. Out of the 15, two seem to have naturally mummified.

Natural mummification is a process where a body is preserved without intentional intervention primarily due to environmental conditions, especially dryness and lack of oxygen. This phenomenon helped with the overall preservation of their DNA. Researchers used the DNA to try to determine the mummies’ origins. Their genes indicated the people likely came from sub-Saharan Africa; however, they also contained neanderthal DNA. [Read More]

How One of South America’s Tallest Mountains Turned Deadly

by Edwin Torres, age 13

The Cordillera Blanca mountain range in Peru is one of the tallest and largest in the Andes. This region is recognized for its harsh climate and high peaks, including Mount Huascarán.

In the Cordillera Blanca, there are many peaks that rise higher than 19,000 feet. The ice and snow from these frozen mountains flow downhill, carving deep ravines. The region has glacial lakes that support vegetation and create spectacular scenery.

Mount Huascarán is one of the most recognized peaks in the Andes. It is the highest mountain in Peru and the fourth-highest in the Western Hemisphere, standing at approximately 22,205 feet (6,768 meters) above sea level. The peaks in the Cordillera Blanca are considered uninhabitable and dangerous due to extreme freezing temperatures. However, there are thriving villages at lower elevations. Water and fertile soil in these areas support agriculture. The region has been settled for thousands of years, with signs of farming, ancient dams, water canals, and roads left behind by early civilizations. [Read More]

How the Franz Josef Glacier Was Formed in New Zealand

by Lina Al Quarishi, age 10

The Franz Joseph Glacier is seven miles long and located in New Zealand. The national park has alpine mountains, which are high, snowy mountains. How did this region develop into what it is today?

More than 500 million years ago, New Zealand was a part of a supercontinent known as Gondwana, which was located 35 degrees north of the equator. Over time, this supercontinent drifted south towards the South Pole. This initiated the glaciation of different parts of Gondwana and the regions that soon became Australia and New Zealand. Gondwana continued to move throughout millions of years, taking New Zealand northward to warmer zones where its ice slowly disappeared. However, some glaciers and snowy regions remained in New Zealand and were later discovered by explorers.

The Tasman Glacier took the name of the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman, who was sent on expeditions in 1642. Captain Cook, who arrived in 1769, noted the existence of the Franz Josef glacier, but a century passed until geologist Julius Von Haast explored it. [Read More]

Cave Explorers Discover Underground Forest in China

by Estefania Garcia-Fox, age 12

In a giant sinkhole in Central China, a team of scientists has discovered a mysterious underground forest. This sinkhole turned out to be 630 feet deep. A team of speleologists, people who study and explore caves, rappelled into the sinkhole in 2022 and discovered three cave entrances and a forest of ancient trees that grew to be more than 131 feet tall, seeking the sunlight that came through the sinkhole entrance.

Zhang Yuanhaui, senior engineer at the Institute of Karst Geology, measured the sinkhole interior. The bottom is 1004 feet long and 492 feet wide. In Mandarin Chinese, the word for forested sinkholes such as this one is “tiankeng,” or “heavenly pit.”

“The bottom of the sinkhole did indeed seem like another world!” Yuanhaui said. [Read More]

The Climb on Mount Denali that Claimed Seven Lives

by Atisse Robbins, age 14

Mount Denali, also known as “The Great One,” is a mountain located in Alaska. It is 20,320 ft tall. The first group reached the summit in 1913.

In 1967, a group of men decided to climb the mountain. A group from Colorado consisting of four members was planning to make the trip; however, before they even made it to the mountain, one of the members got into a car accident, so the group was reduced to only three people. There was another group that planned to climb Mount Denali on the same day as the Colorado group; their group name was the Wilcox expedition. This group consisted of eight members, Joe Wilcox being the leader.

To climb the mountain, you need at least four people. Since the Colorado group had lost a member, park rangers decided that both groups should merge and make the trip up the mountain together. They all agreed, took a picture, grabbed all their gear, and began to climb. With the strenuous climb, some members of the group developed altitude sickness. As a result, some people decided to wait and rest for the day and continue to reach the summit the following day. [Read More]

Why the Great Wall Is More Than Just a Wall

by Ermiyas Abiy, age 9

The Great Wall of China is one of the most remarkable wonders of the world. It is a very well-known tourist attraction and a national icon in China.

The Great Wall was built in 221 B.C. and is most known for its tremendous length. The total length of this wall is approximately 21,000 kilometers long and 15-30 feet tall.

The initial purpose of the wall was to protect people from invasions. There are castle-like stands that intersect with the wall, which serve as watch and signal towers. These towers allowed soldiers to look out for potential threats and dangers. If you thought that the Great Wall of China was just one big wall, you are wrong. The wall consists of multiple walls that intersect with one another. During the campaign against the Xiongnu, a tribe from the area of Mongolia, the Chinese strengthened the wall due to conflict with the tribe. [Read More]

Wisconsin’s National Marine Sanctuary is a Museum Beneath the Water

by Elim Eyobed, age 13

Wisconsin is one of just 15 places in the nation to have a national marine sanctuary. This is because the state borders Lake Michigan and its coast is home to many shipwrecks.

Wisconsin's Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary was created in 2021 to protect abandoned shipwrecks and other marine discoveries. There are 36 known shipwrecks within the sanctuary’s boundaries and hundreds more in Lake Michigan overall. There are estimated 780 shipwrecks in Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan waters and about 250 have been discovered. The cold freshwater has helped preserve many of these shipwreck sites.

The Wisconsin Marine Sanctuary covers exactly 962 square miles of Lake Michigan bordering Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Sheboygan, and Ozaukee counties. The state of Wisconsin and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration work together to co-manage the sanctuary. [Read More]

Learn About Wisconsin’s Largest Lake

by Ermiyas Abiy, age 9

Wisconsin's largest lake is well known for hosting some of the state’s most popular fishing events.

Lake Winnebago is approximately 137,700 acres and the perimeter of the lake is about 88 miles. The depth of the lake reaches 21 feet, which is exactly seven yards deep.

Lake Winnebago formed after the Ice Age and after glaciers went away from Wisconsin. This giant lake formed from the remains of Glacial Lake Oshkosh 12,000 years ago, and Native Americans started to settle on the coast of Lake Winnebago. [Read More]

Shipwreck Hunters Reveal Secrets of Lake Michigan

by Jules Da Costa, age 16

Shipwreck hunters and maritime historians are fascinated by the history of shipping on the Great Lakes and their many shipwrecks. The Great Lakes of North America are some of the largest and deepest lakes on Earth. Thirteen shipwreck locations were identified in Lake Michigan alone last year, which makes 2023 a record year for these types of discoveries. The previous record was four shipwrecks discovered in 2016.

Lake Michigan is the second largest of the Great Lakes, and last year some of its most historic mysteries were uncovered. The amount of shipwrecks found in Lake Michigan in 2023 was quite unusual. In contrast, no shipwrecks were found in Lake Superior last year. One or two discoveries per year are typical. These lost ships were discovered by shipwreck hunters, divers, and even a little girl fishing with her dad. She pointed out a strange item at the bottom of the lake and it turned out to be the remains of the George L. Newman sailing vessel, which sank in 1871.

The reason for this record high of discoveries is speculated to be because of the dramatic water level changes in Lake Michigan. According to Adam Belche, a coastal engineer at Wisconsin Sea Grant, these changes in water levels move sand around, and the dramatic switch between the record low water levels in 2013 and the record highs in 2020 caused the sand bars to shift dramatically, revealing multiple lost shipwrecks. [Read More]

Hylton Castle Reveals Its Hidden Medieval Past

by Riya Adhikari, age 13

The Hylton Castle was a magnificent castle that dates back to the late Middle Ages. It is believed that a wealthy royal family lived there. Today, the castle lies in ruins and its worn-down state offers glimpses into its stored history.

The Hylton Castle was huge. Back when the castle was first built, size implied power and authority. Archaeologists state that the castle had a dining hall, kitchen, tall towers, private rooms, and more. As an addition to the castle, there was a huge courtyard and a gatehouse that could have been a private residence for the lord and his family. Additionally, other parts of the courtyard would likely contain a space for communal feasting and other sources of entertainment.

The Hylton castle was likely constructed by hand, reflecting the craftsmanship of its time. Stone roof tiles were constructed on the main hall, overlapping one another and forming a stable and weather-resistant structure. Floor tiles of the structure were larger and thicker than other tiles used in the English construction of churches, castles, and palaces. These tiles had no distinct patterns and were a single-color glaze. [Read More]

Construction Begins on New Bridge Across the Wisconsin River

by Will DeFour, age 15

After two decades of planning, construction on a $12 million pedestrian bridge begins this winter. When finished in mid-2026, it will allow thousands of hikers, cyclists, and snowshoers to cross the Wisconsin River to Sauk County and the Devil’s Lake area.

The Wisconsin River has crossings for cars, but few are safe for pedestrians. As one snowmobiler put it, “You go as far south as Spring Green and as far north as Wisconsin Dells to cross the river.”

The proposed bridge would connect Dane County to existing paths and trails in Sauk County, and eventually lead to Devil’s Lake. [Read More]

A Look at Devil’s Lake State Park’s Rich History and Trails

by Arsema Biruk, age 8

The largest state park in Sauk County, Wisconsin, spans 9,217 acres of rocky cliffs, water, and forests and is known as Devil’s Lake. The park is home to a beautiful 360-acre lake surrounded by dramatic bluffs, wooded trails, and scenic vistas.

Devil’s Lake State Park offers a variety of hiking trails totaling about 29 miles. Trails range from paved, handicapped-accessible paths to challenging routes for experienced hikers, as well as pet-friendly trails. There are three campgrounds in the park, with around 407 campsites available for overnight visitors.

Rock climbing is another popular activity at Devil’s Lake. The Stettner brothers, known as pioneers of climbing in the mid-20th century, helped establish challenging routes on the park’s famous cliffs. The local climbing scene has been influenced by groups of climbers who frequented the area in the 1970s and 1980s. With its smooth rock faces and towering boulders, Devil’s Lake remains a favorite destination for climbers, though it can be hazardous for the unprepared. [Read More]

The Great Rift Valley of East Africa

by Iliyan Hoskins, age 11

The East African Rift is a beautiful and astonishing region, home to some of the most spectacular animals on Earth. It also offers a unique glimpse into human evolution.

The East African Rift System (EARS) is a geological feature where tectonic plates are moving apart, creating new land. Tectonic plates are massive sheets of rock that cover the Earth's surface. The Great Rift is a vast crack in the Earth's crust that has been widening over millions of years. The rift stretches across several countries, including Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. This region features diverse landscapes such as grasslands, hills, and mountains, many of which are volcanic. The East African Rift System is approximately 4,000 miles long and 30–40 miles wide on average.

The rift system has a main branch, the Eastern Rift Valley (often called the Great Rift Valley), which runs the length of the rift. In the north, the rift includes the Jordan River, the Dead Sea, and the Gulf of Aqaba—part of the broader Syrian-African Rift. The rift continues southward through the Ethiopian Danakil Plain and includes notable lakes such as Lake Turkana, Lake Naivasha, and Lake Magadi in Kenya. The Nile River, which originates to the north of the rift, flows through Egypt but is not part of the East African Rift system. [Read More]

The Grand Canyon: A Natural Wonder Carved by Time

by Ermiyas Abiy, age 9

The Grand Canyon is a massive gorge located in southwestern North America. It is so vast that the main canyon is about 227 miles long and roughly 18 miles across at its widest point.

At the bottom of the Grand Canyon lies the Colorado River. The canyon was originally formed by the river's powerful erosive force. Over millions of years, the Colorado River cut through layers of rock, carving out the Grand Canyon we see today. This process began around 5 to 6 million years ago, influenced by the river’s flow, tectonic uplift, and natural weathering.

Before Europeans settled in North America, Native Americans knew about the Grand Canyon for thousands of years. Archaeologists have discovered ancient petroglyphs and pictographs on the walls of the Grand Canyon, created by Native American tribes such as the Ancestral Puebloans and Havasupai. [Read More]

On a Small Island Off the Coast of Japan, Cats Outnumber People

by Semaia Zerezghi, age 9

On a small island off the coast of Japan, there is a place where cats roam freely and play all around. This place is a cat lover's dream.

Many tourists visit Tashirojima, Japan, each year to make offerings to the island's cats. In Japanese culture, cats are seen as omens of good luck, and on this island, they are believed to be guardian spirits. According to legends, both humans and cats once lived together on the island. In one tragic incident, a local accidentally killed one of the good luck cats. To apologize, the humans agreed to care for the cats and give them a place where they could live freely.

Fishermen are said to have observed the cats' behavior to predict sailing conditions, while farmers believed the presence of cats brought good luck and protected their crops from pests. [Read More]

What Happened to the Aral Sea?

by Dulce Vazquez, age 15

The Aral Sea was once the fourth-largest lake in the world but is now practically gone. This sea is located in Central Asia, between southern Kazakhstan and northern Uzbekistan.

The Aral Sea is actually a saltwater lake, as it has no outlet to the ocean. It was formed by water flowing from various rivers and glacial melt. As one of the largest lakes, the Aral provided water and fish, which were crucial to the region. It supported farming, the fishing industry, and even tourism in the area, attracting people from surrounding regions.

However, the Soviet Union initiated a major water diversion project in the 1960s to irrigate cotton fields. Water from the rivers feeding the Aral Sea had been diverted for irrigation by the Soviet Union since the 1920s, but the 1960s saw the beginning of large-scale redirection. The Aral Sea, once deep blue and teeming with fish, had shrunk to half its original size by the end of the 1960s. The decline continued, and by 1987, the lake split into the Northern Aral Sea in Kazakhstan and the Southern Aral Sea in Uzbekistan. [Read More]

How Do Freshwater Lakes Exist Deep in the Sahara Desert?

by Oliver Zink, age 13

In the middle of Earth's harshest desert lies a group of freshwater lakes that get their water from a single underground aquifer. These lakes, known as the Lakes of Ounianga, were originally filled with water when the Sahara was a much wetter region. The lakes are located in northeastern Chad, within the Ennedi Plateau region, in a basin near the Tibesti Mountains. The site became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2012.

According to UNESCO, the lakes are in a scorching and arid desert that receives less than two millimeters, or much less than an inch, of rainfall per year. There are 18 lakes, divided into two groups: Ounianga Kebir (four lakes) and Ounianga Serir (14 lakes). The lakes vary in depth, chemical composition, and coloration.

The climate history of these lakes is connected to human migration that occurred at the end of the most recent ice age, around 11,000 years ago. During that time, large monsoons fed a massive lake, which diminished over time as the desert returned to the area around 5,000 years ago. This process left the lakes of Ounianga with their current size and appearance. [Read More]

Why Parts of New York City Are Slowly Sinking

by Sofia Zapata, age 15

New York City and other coastal cities are experiencing vertical land motion, with some areas sinking while others are rising. The regions that are sinking are facing a faster rate of subsidence compared to those that are rising. In New York City, specific areas such as lower Manhattan, southern Brooklyn, and Queens are slowly subsiding. Scientists have identified two primary factors contributing to this sinking. One potential cause is the alterations to the Earth’s surface due to construction and land modification, which make the ground less compact beneath buildings. Another cause traces back to the most recent ice age and the natural processes that followed. Around 24,000 years ago, a large ice sheet covered most of New England and upstate New York. After this ice sheet melted, the Earth's mantle has been slowly readjusting, leading to the gradual subsidence observed today. The land where New York City stands was once uplifted by the ice sheet, and as the ice melted, the land began to sink back down.

On average, the metropolitan area is subsiding by about 0.06 inches per year. However, in places like Queens and LaGuardia Airport, subsidence rates are higher, around 0.15 inches per year, and at Arthur Ashe Stadium, about 0.18 inches per year. Although these figures may seem small every year, they can compound over time and significantly increase the risk of local flooding, particularly in conjunction with rising sea levels due to climate change.

Some areas within New York City are rising. For example, East Williamsburg is rising by about 0.06 inches per year, and Woodside experienced a rise of about 0.27 inches per year between 2016 and 2019, though this area has since stabilized. [Read More]

How the Nile River’s Changing Waters Affect Life in Africa

by Sofia Zapata, age 14

The Nile River, one of the longest rivers in the world, is an important transportation and trade route, but in recent years it has faced new problems.

The river flows around 6,600 kilometers and empties into the Mediterranean Sea. It flows from south to north through eastern Africa, starting from rivers that flow into Lake Victoria. The Nile River runs either along the border or through ten African countries. The river also has provided a source of irrigation to help transform dry areas around it into lush, agricultural land.

The Nile River provided ancient Egypt with fertile soil and water for irrigation, as well as a means of transporting materials for building projects. The banks of the river contain rich soil, thanks to annual flooding that deposits silt. This silt builds up in a delta, which is the soil between the Nile River and the Mediterranean Sea. Every time the Nile River drains away, it leaves rich silt on the previously flooded plains. This makes the soil along the Nile River extremely fertile, enabling farmers to enjoy good harvests year in and year out. For thousands of years, Egypt’s food was cultivated in the Nile region. Ancient Egyptians created irrigation methods to support their communities and grow a variety of crops for storage and trade. Along with agriculture, Ancient Egyptians utilized the Nile River for bathing, drinking and recreational activities. [Read More]

How Jane Goodall Changed the World of Science and Conservation

by Sandy Flores Ruiz, age 18

Valerie Jane Morris Goodall is most famously known for her research with chimpanzees and her 1965 documentary “Miss Goodall and the Wild Chimpanzees”. Her research wasn’t easy. Goodall faced criticism for being a scientist without a college degree and a woman in a field that was primarily dominated by men. Nevertheless, she was able to make impactful discoveries and became a leader of the conservation movement.

Jane Goodall was born in England on April 3, 1934. At an early age, Jane loved animals and always talked about wanting to work with them in Africa. Unfortunately, her family couldn’t afford to send her to college, so they sent her to a secretarial school. With her secretarial degree, she was able to obtain a variety of jobs. She worked for Oxford University and a documentary film company before working for Louis S.B Leaky, a paleoanthropologist.

Working with Leaky changed her life forever. At first, Jane was hired to do secretarial work, but Leaky soon realized the potential she had for becoming a scientist. He arranged for her to study primates while he raised enough funds for her to conduct chimpanzee field research in Tanzania. Months later, Leaky confessed to her that he was in love with her. Jane was terrified of what this implied because she didn't feel the same way about him and she feared he would withdraw her funding. Despite this, Leaky kept his commitment and raised sufficient funds to enable her to carry out her fieldwork. [Read More]

Stewart Lake County Park is a Hidden Gem in Dane County's Driftless Area

by Samuel Garduño Martínez, age 17

Just west of Madison near the village of Mt. Horeb lies one of Dane County’s hidden gems—its first official park. Nestled in the Driftless Area, Stewart Lake County Park’s bluffs and valleys are a unique piece of Wisconsin. First and foremost, the topography is breathtakingly special. Unlike other regions in the Midwest, the Driftless Area escaped the flattening effects of thousand-year-old-glaciers.

This summer, students from Simpson Street Free Press embarked on several field trips to the Driftless Area. Our plans are to visit this still-preserved treasure and study its characteristics. On one recent trip, we learned that despite going through much change, Stewart Lake County Park is beloved by the people who use it and know it.

Stewart Lake County Park, formerly known as Lake Park, has been around since the early 20th century, but the site has beautifully carved over thousands of years. The park itself has undergone several drastic transformations since it was designated a park in 1912. [Read More]

How the Golden Gate Bridge Became a Symbol of San Francisco

by Lina Al Quraishi, age 10

Spanning one of the largest and safest harbors in the world, the Golden Gate Bridge is 1.7 miles long and has been in use for 87 years. The Golden Gate Bridge opened on May 27th, 1937, linking San Francisco with Marin County, California. The bright red color of the bridge, known as "International Orange," allows for easy visibility even during foggy or rainy weather.

The person who designed the bridge was Joseph Strauss, the chief engineer responsible for its construction. He was assisted by a consultant, Irving Morrow, who contributed to the bridge’s Art Deco design and the choice of its iconic color. Although the construction saw tragedy, with 11 men losing their lives, the project was notable for its safety innovations, including a safety net that saved the lives of 19 workers.

The bridge is incredibly strong, with each tower supporting 210 million pounds. Today, many people use the Golden Gate Bridge daily for commuting and travel. [Read More]

Itsukushima's "Floating" Shrine and Its Forbidden Practices

by Marco Flores, age 9

The island of Miyajima is a holy site in Japan so no one can be born here or die.

The island has a Itsukushima shrine, which was built in 1875. The Itsukushima shrine is 53 feet tall and is composed of red and black wood. It sits on a small bay on the island of Miyajima. The Itsukushima shrine is settled high above the water, making it appear as if it were floating.

The shrine honors three Shinto goddesses who were daughters of the storm god Susano. They were all part of the Japanese religion. These gods and goddesses were honored in the shrine and its temple. In the temple, there were halls where people could worship. [Read More]

Learn About Madagascar's Biodiversity and Landscapes

by Edwin Torres, age 12

There is a country off the coast of Africa with many national parks, plants, and animals that can’t be found anywhere else in the world: Madagascar. When Madagascar separated from Africa about 165 million years ago, plants and animals developed differently because they were on an island and lacked interactions with other species.

In the western part of Madagascar lies a national park named Tsingy National Reserve of Bemarha. Here, limestone points, a type of rock composed of animal shells, rise 100 feet into the air above an area of 60 square miles. While these features are intriguing, residents state that there is a lack of safe flat land to walk around the rocks.

South of the national park lies Morondova. There, rain falls for four months a year. Six species of baobab trees grow in this place. The trees have adapted to the weather conditions of Madagascar by absorbing water during the rainy season and then surviving on the reserves for about eight months until it rains again. In other areas, baobab forests are in danger due to human population growth, and the forests are hard to fix once damaged. In addition, animals damage the forests as well. One animal in particular is the giant jumping rat. They live in western Madagascar and eat the seedlings of the baobab trees. [Read More]

The Cold and Arid Landscape of the Patagonia Desert

by Mahalia Pearson, age 13

Patagonia is located between Chile and Argentina and measures more than one million square kilometers. The Patagonian Desert is part of the region and is one of the biggest deserts in the world.

The Patagonian Desert’s temperature is fairly cold. It barely exceeds 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and the average temperature is only 37 degrees Fahrenheit. The desert experiences four months of winter and five months of summer. With the desert's temperature being so cold, one may think that there would be snow, but due to its dry climate all year around, it is very rare to see snow or rain.

Rain shadows are the primary reason precipitation is rare. Rain shadows occur when mountains or hills prevail over a desert to the point that they take most of the water, resulting in deserts being dry. Nearby Andes Mountain and the South Pacific influence the desert's temperatures. [Read More]

Journey Along the Grand Canal's Historic Waters

by Aubrey Bevenue, age 13

The beauty of Venice comes from its buildings and water. The buildings date back to ancient times and are still used today. Additionally, many sculptures provide context about Venice and its rich history.

Venice is located in Italy. It was built on many islands and with millions of wood piles, a creative construction style.

Venice is fairly wealthy. The city was a great commercial empire built on maritime trade. Historically, it earned its money from trading while also benefiting from tourism. [Read More]

Africa’s Donkeys are Being Slaughtered for Medicine in China

by Owen Ayite Atayi, age 16

China’s demand for a traditional medicine known as e-jiao is fueling the slaughter of millions of donkeys every year, say animal welfare groups and veterinary experts. E-jiao, which is made using collagen extracted from donkey hides, is the vital ingredient in food and beauty products believed by many Chinese consumers to enrich the blood, improve the immune system, and prevent diseases. Reuters spoke to more than a dozen experts, including veterinarians and academics, to examine how demand for e-jiao is rippling across communities in Africa, which rely heavily on the donkey, and how the trade in hide continues to boom despite efforts by some African nations to restrict it.

Traditionally, e-jiao was a luxury product. It gained favor among elites during the Qing dynasty that ruled China from 1644 until 1912. Its popularity has surged in recent years due partly to its use in the Chinese television series ‘Empress in the Palace’, which started airing in 2011. The rise in demand has also been fueled by China’s growing middle class and rising elderly population. Its price has leapt 30-fold in the past decade from 100 yuan per 500 grams to 2,986 yuan ($420), according to Chinese state media. The e-jiao industry requires an estimated 5.9 million donkey skins annually, which has put unprecedented pressure on global populations, according to a report released in February by The Donkey Sanctuary, a British charity devoted to the animal’s welfare. China’s donkey population has fallen more than 80% to just under 2 million from 11 million in 1992, prompting its e-jiao industry to source donkey skins from overseas.

The consumption boom for e-jiao has led to international commodification of donkeys, says Lauren Johnston, an expert on China-Africa relations who published a study in January last year called “China, Africa and the Market for Donkeys”. As Africa has the world’s largest donkey population, it has emerged as the key source of donkey skins. [Read More]

Explore the Diverse Wildlife Species of Patagonia

by Oliver Zink, age 13

There is a vibrant ecosystem in the southern half of South America called Patagonia, which is home to many different species. The landscape has some of the most beautiful land in the world, with frozen mountain peaks, deserts, and little woodlands in valleys. The diverse terrain in Patagonia not only makes it an attractive adventure spot but also a home for various species.

There are a large variety of birds in Patagonia. Most of them are predatory and carrion species, which are mainly scavengers. Some birds are the Andean Condor, the vulture, and the falcon. The region is well-suited for birds because it has bountiful food. The area has unique birds, including the Lesser Rhea, which are similar to the ostrich. Other birds in the southern regions of Patagonia include woodpeckers, geese, ducks, and even penguins.

Some mammals that live in the region are foxes and pumas. The puma is a mountain lion, but the native people call it a puma, and it has become popular. The puma is very adaptable and can live anywhere in the Americas. Their favorite prey is the guanaco, the wild forebearer of the domesticated llama. Wherever you find guanacos, you will probably find a puma nearby. [Read More]

Discovering Aztalan, Wisconsin's Hidden Ancient Civilization

by Aria, age 13

Aztalan was an ancient civilization located in what is now southern Wisconsin. It was discovered in the 1820s by American settlers, who named the hidden civilization but did not explore its origins.

Then came Increase A. Lapham, a natural scientist from Wisconsin. He revisited Aztalan in 1850 after the settlers. Lapham couldn't tell what used to be there. He studied and made detailed drawings of the area. These maps helped future researchers see what Aztalan was like before much of it was turned into farmland.

In 1919, Samuel Barrett, the founder of the Milwaukee Public Museum, did detailed research under the surface of Aztalan. At first, he thought the hills and bumps were effigy mounds from the Native Americans. Later, Barrett discovered that the Crawfish River cut a ravine through some of the land. He was excited because this revealed more tools, bones, and other artifacts. Later in his studies, he could tell that it was a very advanced civilization from things like structures or pottery. [Read More]

How Local People Maintain the Great Mosque of Djenne in West Africa

by Dayanara Flores Gonzalez, age 16

Djenne is one of the oldest towns in sub-Saharan Africa. Dating back to 250 BC, it grew as an essential connection in the trans-Saharan gold trade and is described as the "Twin City" of ancient Timbuktu. Djenne's rich past is an integral part of Islamic history. It was a center for the spread of Islam in Africa in the 15th and 16th centuries. Djenne continues to be a representative of Islamic architecture in sub-Saharan Africa.

Ancient architecture in West Africa uses Earth elaborately. It is home to an abundance of clay houses that blend into its natural surroundings and is the largest earthen mud structure in the world. Every spring, there is a festival that brings the entire town population together to celebrate faith and heritage. This festival is called the Crepissage or the "plastering."

The residents of Djenne work together every year to replaster the Great Mosque. Like the town's traditional clay homes, the mosque contains earthen mud walls coated with adobe plaster. The Sudano-Sahelian architecture, the original structure of the mosque, is believed to have been built around the 13th century. The mosque has been reconstructed at least twice. [Read More]

Explore Lake Nakuru, Kenya's Wildlife Oasis

by Malak Al Qurasihi, age 13

Lake Nakuru in Kenya is one of the world’s greatest wildlife spectacles. It is part of the Rift Valley lakes in East Africa, which vary significantly in saltiness and altitude. Despite its salty water, which limits aquatic and plant life diversity, Lake Nakuru is known for its remarkable wildlife, particularly its bird species.

The lake is famous for hosting over 100 bird species, including storks, spoonbills, and African fish eagles. These species rely on the lake as an essential feeding site during their nesting seasons. Due to the hypersaline environment, the lake sustained no fish species. However, in 1953, a salt-tolerant fish species of Tilapia was introduced to the lake. The species had to be reintroduced a couple of times since the lake went through a cycle of drying up and reflooding in the following years. The introduction of fish resulted in an increase in fish-eating bird species.

Along with birds, six species of phytoplankton have been recorded in this lake. The most common is the tiny blue-green alga called spirulina platensis. This alga occurs in vast numbers, turning the water a dark green and forming a slimy texture. This phytoplankton species is the foundation of Lake Nakuru’s food web. Five species of zooplankton, four species of water boatmen, midge larvae, and calanoid copepod from the rest of this lake's aquatic animal life. Together, the marine species in Lake Nakuru provide food for several dozen bird species – the most notable being flamingos. [Read More]

Exploring the Architectural Wonder of Istanbul's Blue Mosque — by Mahalia Pearson, age 13

The Blue Mosque is located in Istanbul, Turkey. It is an architectural masterpiece constructed and preserved since the Ottoman Empire. Its unique design, both structurally and within its interior, makes it an attraction for people worldwide. [Read More]

Learn About the Mississippi, One of the Longest U.S. Rivers — by Dani Garduño, age 12

When people imagine rivers, they typically think of famous ones like the Nile or Amazon Rivers. However, one of the world's largest river systems runs right along Wisconsin: the Mississippi River. It greatly impacts the United States and its population and continues to show its benefits to mankind every day. [Read More]

Exploring New Zealand's Southern Alps and Glaciers — by Edwin Torres, age 12

The Southern Alps is a mountain range located on the South Island of New Zealand. The western area of this island is known for its famous glaciers. The highest point is on Mount Cook, which reaches altitudes of about 12,349 feet. It is only 20 miles from the summit westward across the coastal strip to the Pacific Ocean. Toward the east side of where the glacier is located, the land descends about 80 miles across the Canterbury Plains. The winds that blow from the Tasman Sea are loaded with moisture, and when the damp air rises against the mountains, it drops big snowballs. The three most known glaciers are the Fox, Frans Josef, and Tasman. However, they are facing threats of melting due to climate change. [Read More]

History Tells New Story of First Black American to Reach the North Pole — by Aubrey A Bevenue, age 12

Robert Peary is recognized as the first person to set foot on the North Pole. While he did not get a lot of recognition at the time, the African-American explorer, Matthew Henson was also ultimately recognized. [Read More]

The “Mataafa Blow” of 1905 was Lake Superior’s Greatest Storm — by Will DeFour, age 13

Lake Superior has sunk over 500 ships, claiming an estimated 30,000 lives. This lake's ability to sink ships is primarily attributed to the terrifying storms that terrorize its mountain-like waves. With hail storms, frigid waters, and winds reaching 70 miles an hour, it's no wonder this lake has taken so many lives. Some ships have become famous, such as the Edmund Fitzgerald, but one legendary storm sank almost 20 boats in just two days. [Read More]

Chichen Itza Blends Maya and Toltec Civilization — by Kimberly Rodriguez, age 11

In the tenth century AD, the Maya civilization lived in Chichen Itza. Located in Mexico, it was an important site to the Mayans and later to the Toltec warriors. [Read More]

Oceania, A Diverse Region of Islands and Cultures — by Santiago Rosero, age 13

There is a place in the Pacific Ocean that is full of islands named Oceania. This region is located between Asia and America, and its definition can vary. Some islands are excluded, such as the Ryukyu, Kuril, and Aleutian islands, as well as the Japan archipelago. Some countries like Indonesia, Taiwan, and the Philippines, were also eliminated because their cultures are more related to those on the Asian continent. Oceania has more than 10,000 islands, including Papua New Guinea and New Zealand – Australia is not one of them. [Read More]

Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula Faces Largest Volcanic Eruption in Decade — by Valeria Moreno Lopez, age 17

Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula has suffered its fourth and largest volcano eruption of the decade. The signs of volcanic activity started on Dec. 18, 2023, in the town of Grindavik, which is best known for its popular geothermal spa, the Blue Lagoon. Following weeks of thousands of earthquakes before the 18th, Grindavik and nearby towns evacuated more than 4,300 people. [Read More]

Hanno the Navigator Explored Africa's Coast in Ancient Times — by Aissata Bah, age 14

Hanno the Navigator, from Tunisia, Africa, was one of the most important explorers of the 5th century B.C. His journey down the coast of Africa, took him thousands of miles, as he mapped new landmarks. [Read More]

CN Tower in Toronto Is “Canada’s World Wonder” — by Jonah Smith, age 13

One of the world's tallest freestanding towers can be found in the city of Toronto, Canada. This large tower was made in collaboration with the Canadian National Railway and the Canadian Broadcasting Company in the 1970s. The people of Canada treasure this tower and fondly call it “Canada’s World Wonder.” [Read More]

Rare Black Bears from Mexico Move into South Texas — by Aria, age 13

Scientists have found that East Mexican black bears are moving from Mexico to southern Texas. Although these creatures are at risk of extinction, there is hope because their numbers are increasing, leading to bears spreading into Texas. [Read More]

The Destructive Nature and Ecological Benefits of Wildfires — by Aubrey Bevenue, age 12

Wildfires have very destructive powers. Powerlines, campfires, lightning strikes, and other sources can start wildfires. Grasslands and forests are the main areas where fires can occur. [Read More]

Kilimanjaro Is Africa’s Tallest Mountain — by Mahalia Pearson, age 13

Mount Kilimanjaro is found in Tanzania, Africa. Kilimajaro is 19,340 feet tall and is one of the tallest mountains in the world. The first known people to climb the mountain were Hans Meyer, a German geologist, Australian climber Ludwig Purtscheller, and Yohani Kinyala Lauwo, a local tour guide in 1889. One might think that the mountain does not have snow on the top because it is so close to the equator, only 205 miles away; however, believe it or not, it has snow because it is so tall. [Read More]

The Grand Canyon's Last Mule Mail Route — by Dulce Vazquez, age 17

A few people living in the Grand Canyon still receive mail through mules. This is most likely one of the last official mail through mule routes in the world, according to Daniel Piazza, the patron curator of philately at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum. [Read More]

Wolf Pack Dynamics: Leaders, Territories, and Survival — by Marco Gonzales, age 9

A male and a female alpha are the head of a wolf pack. They decide what to do for their packs’ survival. A pack is a group of wolves with six to 15 members who vary in age. The pack is blood related and they have offspring. [Read More]

Mysterious Golden Orb Found on Alaska Seafloor — by Dayanara Flores Gonzalez, age 16

A mysterious golden orb was recently discovered on the Alaska seafloor. Marine scientists have no idea what this orb might be, but scientists believe it might be an egg casing of a creature nobody has seen before. [Read More]

Enormous Dinosaur Footprints Discovered in Texas Riverbed — by Dakota Wilson, age 12

In Texas, recent droughts have exposed dinosaur footprints, each measuring several human hand lengths. These prints were uncovered in the Paluxy River, located within Dinosaur Valley State Park. [Read More]

Thorny Devils, Masters of Camouflage — by Ian Kosharek, age 11

Thorny devils are spiny, fierce-looking creatures native to the Australian desert, particularly favoring dry and hot climates in coastal areas of Australia. These creatures weigh up to three ounces and are approximately two centimeters in size, roughly the size of a hand. When they hatch, both male and female thorny devils are similar, but after a year, females become visibly longer, sometimes reaching twice the size of the largest males. Their lifespan ranges from 10 to 20 years. [Read More]

Lake Chad: A Vital Ecosystem and Historic Hub of Civilization — by Dayanis Torres-Cruz, age 13

Lake Chad is made up of 17,000 square kilometers of fresh water located at the midpoint of dunes that stretch across Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon. Lake Chad has a rich history, but scientists say that the lake's water level changes based on rain and dry seasons, and its habitat surroundings are changing. [Read More]

The Wrath of Mediterranean Volcanoes - From Vesuvius to Etna — by Emily Rodriguez, age 14

In the Mediterranean Sea, there are many destructive volcanoes. Two of the most well-known are Mt. Vesuvius and Mt. Etna. [Read More]

Muons Reveal Hidden Void in Egypt's Great Pyramid — by Alejandro Berrueta, age 11

A nebulous void has been discovered in Egypt's Great Pyramid of Giza with the help of muons. This void was first discovered in 2016 by scientists on the pyramid’s north face. The muons’ measurement helped identify the size and shape of this void. [Read More]

The Silk Road Paved the Way for Cultural Exchange and Prosperity — by Daileni Cruz, age 10

The Silk Road was an ancient trade route connecting the two great civilizations of Rome and China. They would trade wool, gold, silver, and silk along this road. [Read More]

Himalayan Glaciers Face up to 80% Ice Loss by 2100 Amid Rising Temperatures — By Valeria Moreno Lopez, age 16

Scientists believe that nearly a quarter of the world's population could face severe natural disasters by 2100 due to the alarming rate at which the Himalayan glaciers are melting. The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), based in Nepal, has warned that the glaciers could lose up to 80% of their volume if worldwide temperatures increase by 3 degrees Celsius or more. [Read More]

Canada's Vast & Mysterious Isle — by Aissata Bah, age 13

Between Greenland and Canada lies Baffin Island. It is a territory of Nunavut, in northern Canada. It’s 195,928 square miles, making it the largest island in Canada and the fifth largest island in the world. [Read More]

Understanding the Health Impacts and Controversies Surrounding Daylight Saving Time — by Ayelen Flores Ruiz, age 13

Although daylight saving time is very popular with many people, it may have negative health effects for humans, according to some scientists. [Read More]

Scientists Find T-Rex Ancestor in Montana — by Mariama Bah, age 16

"Fossils Unearthed in Montana: Potential Ancestors of the Mighty T. rex Discovered" [Read More]

Monaco: The Enchanting Playground of Wealth and Luxury — by Anissa Attidekou, age 13

Monaco is a small independent country located on the French Riviera in Europe. It is renowned for its ability to provide a luxurious lifestyle, stunning scenery, and status as a tax haven. Monaco has a long and storied history, and it is one of the most talked-about countries in the world. Although Monaco is close to the French, the country has its own currency and government. The principality has been a powerful and wealthy nation since the 13th century. It’s been ruled by the Grimaldi family for 700 years. [Read More]

Fun Facts About The Great Sahara Desert — by Amare Smith, age 19

Stretching across a wide range of North Africa with large dunes lies the world’s largest desert: the Sahara Desert. Temperatures in this region can rise to 131 degrees Fahrenheit. [Read More]

El Gran Valle del Rift de África Oriental — por Iliyan Hoskins, edad 11

El Rift de África Oriental es un lugar hermoso en el que habitan algunos de los animales más espectaculares de la Tierra. También es una de las mejores visiones que tenemos de cómo evolucionó el ser humano. [Read More]

Aprende cómo se forman los fósiles de dinosaurios — por Bruno Torres, 8 años de edad

Al visitar museos de dinosaurios, normalmente uno encuentra grandes reconstrucciones de dinosaurios con lo que parecen ser sus huesos. En realidad, estas estructuras no son huesos y se llaman fósiles. Los fósiles son elementos o restos que quedan después de la muerte de animales y plantas; por lo general, se remontan a al menos 10,000 años. [Read More]

Amateur Fossil Hunter Finds “Underwater T-Rex” — By Iliyan Hoskins, age 11

150 million years ago, an ancient apex predator roamed the ocean. The species was called a Pliosaur, and it possessed jaws more than twice as powerful as those of today’s saltwater crocodiles. It killed its prey with just one bite from its 130 long, razor-sharp teeth, earning it the nickname "underwater T-Rex." The underwater T-Rex existed 150 million years ago, spanning the early Jurassic to the Cretaceous periods. An adult Pliosaur was a 30-foot-long sea creature capable of traversing the ocean at high speeds. That’s why scientists bestowed upon it the name underwater T-Rex. [Read More]

Canada’s Great Northern Lake — by Ruben Becerril Gonzalez, age 10

Did you know that the Great Bear Lake is one of the coldest lakes on the planet? Also known as Sahtu, this lake was named by native people living in the area. [Read More]

The Ancient Library of Pergamum — by Hiba Al-Quraishi, age 14

The ancient library of Pergamum, located in what is now Turkey, was built in the third century B.C. by members of the Attalid dynasty. The library, constructed by a small kingdom that lasted only 150 years, is now one of the most famous libraries in antiquity. [Read More]

Mount Everest: The Colossal Climb — by Aarosh Subedi, age 10

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The Life of a Young Egypt King: King Tutankhamun — by Justin Medina, age 13

King Tutankhamun, better known as King Tut, was ancient Egypt’s youngest Pharaoh being only nine years old. He was largely erased from history until his tomb was discovered in the early 1900s. His tomb and mummy continue to be studied today using high-tech tools. [Read More]

Las especies más famosas del Amazonas — por Aarosh Subedi, 12 años

El río Amazonas es un lugar lleno de animales famosos, como el caimán negro, el delfín del río Amazonas, la nutria gigante y la anaconda verde. [Read More]

How Submarines Sparked Arctic Exploration — by Daniel Li, age 14

Built-in 1952, the USS Nautilus was the first submarine ever powered by a nuclear reactor and, coincidentally, also the first to ever reach the North Pole by traveling under ice. William Anderson, the commander of the Nautilus, wrote in his logbook, “Embarked following personage at North Pole: Santa Claus, affiliation: Christmas.” Spending multiple days underwater had not seemed to affect the commander’s sense of humor. [Read More]

Native Asian Moth Spotted in Washington State — by Justin Medina Ruiz, age 13

On July 7, 2022, a giant moth with a ten-inch wingspread was discovered in a garage of a home in the state of Washington. Thankfully, the moth species does not pose a public health threat. The Atlas moth originates from the tropical forests of Asia and has not been seen before in the U.S. [Read More]

Red Panda? More like Red Raccoon! — by Dalya Alquraishi age 10

The red panda is a cute and fuzzy animal that lives in China and the eastern Himalayas. It is commonly believed that these mammals are related to pandas, however red pandas are instead more closely related to raccoons. [Read More]

The Mysterious Story Behind America's Lost Snow Cruiser — by Jazmin Becerril, age 14

During the United States Antarctic Expedition Service of 1939, an amazing new vehicle – unlike any other – was used. The creator, Thomas Poulter, came up with the idea for a huge mobile vehicle base after experiencing a near-death situation in which he was stuck at an Antarctic base due to the weather. He sold his idea to the Research Foundation of the Institute of Technology in Chicago, Illinois in the mid-1930s which agreed to design the vehicle under Poulter’s supervision. [Read More]

How an Ancient Civilization Thrived and then Collapsed — by Emily Rodriguez, age 13

A mysterious ancient civilization on the island of Malta collapsed within two generations, despite surviving for more than a millennium. [Read More]

The Great Lakes of Africa: Lakes Victoria and Tanganyika — by Sofia Zapata, age 13

There are many lakes in the world, but do people know the important things about some of the African continental lakes? Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika are lakes located in Africa and they are two of the largest and deepest in the world. [Read More]

Eerie Double Aurora Lights Up Northern Sky — by Emily Rodriguez Lima, age 13

Two different auroras have appeared together at the same time with colors resembling a watermelon: green on the bottom and red on top. This phenomenon was seen by amateur astronomer Alan Dyers. Dyers was outside his house when he saw a beautiful display of the Northern Lights up in the sky. He took out his camera to record this unique image; his recording is the most complete recording of this special aurora. [Read More]

The Fire that Reached From Alberta to Pennsylvania — by Dyanara Flores-Gomez, age 14

In early June of 1950, a fire started in northern Alberta, Canada, and spread through northeastern British Columbia. It burned four million acres of land. This fire became the largest fire in North America and was named the Chinchaga fire. It was also known as the Wisp fire or Fire 19. [Read More]

How a Library Made Baghdad the World's Most Important Center of Learning — by Mariama Bah, age 15

When hearing about grand libraries, one might think of the Library of Alexandria or the Library of Congress. However a different library was established in the 9th century as one of the world’s greatest centers of science and learning. [Read More]

My Home: Colombia — by Jeronimo Rosero Perea, age 8

I was born in a beautiful country named Colombia! I want to tell you about my home. In my country of Colombia, there is a population of about 50 million people. The main language in my country is Spanish. Because this country is so big, there is a Capital city. The Capital of Colombia is Bogotǻ and the main religion practiced there is Christianity. [read more]

The Nile: Egypt's Most Important River — by Sol Saray, age 10

Did you know that the Nile River is allegedly the longest river on Earth? Historically, the Nile River was considered the longest river in the world, however, Brazilian scientists recently discovered that the Amazon River is longer than the Nile by 284 kilometers. [Read More]

Who is the Fastest Mover of Them All? — by Malak Al Quraishi, age 12

Many animals use their speed to catch their prey and others use their speed to escape predators. They all move in different ways. [Read More]

Ghost Towns and Glaciers: The Legend of Kennicot — by Anissa Attidekou, age 13

Despite the fact that ghost stories can be scary, they are always interesting. The tale of this ghostly Alaskan glacier might give you a chill, but it will also get you hooked with its unique story. [Read More]

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