Author: Lisa Mungovan

The James Webb Space Telescope launched 2 weeks ago. On Tuesday, it deployed its massive heat shield, the size of a tennis court, but it just completed a final important step yesterday. The gigantic telescope unfolded a segmented mirror, 21 feet across. Webb is still traveling to its destination, almost 1,000,000 miles away.

In 17 93, the first balloon flight in North America took place, when the French inventor, Jean Paul Blanchard, demonstrated his hydrogen gas-filled balloon. He rode 1200 feet up into the air, astounding a crowd in Pennsylvania that included President George Washington! Balloon Ascension Day commemorates that event. Don’t release balloons to celebrate though. That’s littering!

Are you shocked to hear it’s Static Electricity Day? Static electricity is produced when the positive and negative charges of an atom become unbalanced. See static in action by rubbing a balloon against your head. It will stick! Shuffle around the carpet with rubber-soled shoes and try to zap someone. Yee-ouch!

A sea lion in California, got a little too adventurous. He was spotted several miles from the ocean, trying to cross the I5, a busy Interstate highway. Police kept an eye on the sea lion, until someone from the SeaWorld rescue program arrived. They’ll return him to the sea safely.

The Scottish Wildlife Trust is hiring a new Park Ranger, to work on Handa Island. The small island is home to 100,000 seabirds, and a cottage, where the ranger lives for free. It only takes 2 1/2 hours to walk around the whole island, and you have to visit the mainland for supplies. Interested?

Today is Earth’s Rotation Day. The Earth spins on its axis, like a globe. It takes 24 hours, or 1 day, to make 1 rotation, but the rotation speed can change slightly. In 18 51, Leon Foucault demonstrated how the Earth rotates, by hanging a heavy ball, and watching its path change. Watching a Foucault Pendulum swing, is fascinating!

Make time today for a nice long bubble bath. While you’re soaking, think of something neat to show off, and eat crispy English toffee! Apply soothing lotion, before getting dressed in diamond-patterned argyle socks. It’s Bubble Bath, Show-and-Tell At Work, English Toffee, Winter Skin Relief, and Argyle Day! Can you remember all that?

In 1981, Joan White decided to spread joy every January 8th. She thought happiness could be infectious, so she called it National Joygerm Day. Do something nice for someone, or write an e-mail or letter. Tell them you are spreading germs of joy and ask them to help you infect the world!

There’s a huge hairball rolling around, but a cat didn’t hack it up. The giant ball of hair, named Hoss, was started at the Blockers hair salon in Ohio, by Steve Warden. After Hoss attended the Orlando Comic Con, and added hair from attendees, the ball of hair broke the world record, at 225 pounds.

Have you ever tried charcoal underwear? Carbon is a natural odor neutralizer, so companies are creating underwear that uses charcoal to trap smells. Thank goodness, because today is Pass Gas Day. Fart all you want, and remember these wise words. Whoever smelt it dealt it, and whoever denied it supplied it!