Each year, the MacArthur Foundation chooses a list of fellows. The fellows are artists, scientists, and other creative people who are making a difference. Each fellow wins a $625,000 grant, so this award is often called the “Genius” grant. Gene…
The Waorani tribe lives in the Amazon in South America. They are knowledgeable about the green anaconda, a type of large snake that lives in the Amazon. The Waorani are experts at catching these snakes. They partnered with the Center…
Both of the major US political parties have officially nominated candidates for the 2016 presidential election. The candidates were announced at the parties’ national conventions, which were held in July. Donald Trump is the Republican Party’s candidate, and Hillary Clinton…
A solar-powered airplane landed in California on Sunday, completing a trip across the Pacific Ocean that began last year. A team of pilots and scientists are attempting to fly the airplane, called Solar Impulse 2, all the way around the world.…
Buzz Aldrin in 1969 became the second human to walk on the Moon, and now he believes humans could walk on Mars as soon as 2040. Achieving that goal would be a huge challenge. The journey would be complex and very…
Most people have eaten a baby carrot. After all, the short, orange vegetables make up 70 percent of all carrot sales. But did you know that baby carrots are just big carrots chopped down? It's true. A farmer named Mike Yurosek invented…
Lions are now protected in the United States under the Endangered Species Act. One subspecies will be listed as "endangered" and another as "threatened." These lions live in Africa and India. This decision comes after a study showing that lion populations could decrease…
On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed a law that created the National Park Service. It was designed to manage and care for the U.S. national parks. At that time, the United States had 35 national parks and monuments.…
Everyone knows what happens if you get stuck standing under a mistletoe around Christmas time. You get a big smooch! But did you know that people have been telling legends of this fascinating plant for thousands of years? They thought it could cure diseases, ward…
Emperor penguins protect themselves from the cold by huddling together in large groups. Scientists recently noticed that these groups are constantly changing shape. Penguins on the outside of the groups are hit with cold Antarctic winds. At the same time,…