Kids News - Science Articles

Researchers from the University of Texas (UT) Austin recently announced the discovery of a new aetosaur species. These prehistoric relatives of modern crocodiles, which ruled the world before dinosaurs, came in many shapes and sizes. The heavily armored creatures went extinct around 200 million years ago. However, their fossils can still be found on every continent except Antarctica and Australia....

This past weekend, the Sun let its presence be felt by unleashing a series of massive solar flares. The resulting auroras were visible across the Northern Hemisphere and even parts of the Southern Hemisphere, treating stargazers to a rare and breathtaking spectacle....

A Sumatran orangutan named Rakus has stunned researchers by treating a cheek wound with a medicinal plant. The male primate, believed to be about 35 years old, lives in Gunung Leuser National Park in northern Sumatra, Indonesia. The protected rainforest is home to over 750 animal species, including 150 orangutans....

Sixteen US states, stretching from Maryland to Oklahoma and Illinois to Alabama, are bracing for the arrival of trillions of noisy cicadas. What makes the event especially rare is that two broods are emerging simultaneously. Brood XIX, comprising four species that surfaces every 13 years, and Brood XIII, consisting of three species that appears every 17 years. This unusual coincidence last occurred 221 years ago, in 1803, and won't happen again until 2245....

On April 21, 2024, the 10.5-mile-wide (17 km) Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, also called "Devil Comet," will make its closest approach to the Sun. As it comes near the star, the comet will brighten significantly and be visible in the western sky an hour after sunset. The icy rock will appear as a fuzzy glowing patch with a faint tail streaking behind....

Humans and chimpanzees share 98.8 percent of their DNA, so it's not surprising that they display similar behaviors and traits. They include communicating through gestures and vocalizations, and using tools to complete tasks. Now, new research reveals that chimpanzees employ human-like military tactics to evaluate risk and expand their territories....

Here is some exciting news for those who missed the solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. Between now and September, NASA predicts an even rarer celestial event — a nova outburst. Unlike the eclipse, this phenomenon can be observed from anywhere on Earth without using any special equipment....

In a world first, doctors at the Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass General) in Boston have successfully transplanted a genetically modified pig kidney into a living person. The March 21, 2024, announcement came just months after the successful completion of similar transplants in deceased individuals. The historic four-hour surgery took place on March 16, 2024. The 15-member transplant team included experts who had spent their entire careers working on organ research....

On April 8, 2024, millions of people across Central and North America will be treated to a spectacular total solar eclipse. The celestial event comes seven years after the "Great American Eclipse" of August 21, 2017 — the first total solar eclipse visible from coast to coast since June 8, 1918. For those who miss the April 2024 show, the next chance to see the spectacle will be August 12, 2045....