Author: Lisa Mungovan

Denver Colorado finally saw its first snowfall of the season yesterday, after smashing an 87-year record. The latest first snow had been November 21st, back in 19 34. The snowstorm was hardly more than a flurry, leaving only 3/10 of an inch behind. Much of the Western US is still experiencing a severe drought.

Today is Have A Bagel Day. The dense and chewy bread can be toasted, and topped with anything you like! Take a bagel sandwich, to eat on a hike in the mountains. It’s International Mountain Day! You could ski down a mountain, draw a picture of a mountain, or sculpt one from mashed potatoes!

Airplanes are fun to fly in, but they aren’t very good for the planet. They emit high amounts of carbon dioxide, and add to global warming. United Airlines just made history, by carrying 100 passengers on a flight, powered by 100% plant-based jet fuel, made from agricultural waste like corn stalks.

Researchers determined, that most dogs understand an average of 89 words or phrases. Your dog probably knows commands like sit, come, leave it, or stay, even if they don’t follow them. They might also know treat, walk, leash, and toy. Dogs who understand 200 words, know as many as a 2-year-old human.

Today is Nobel Day, when the prestigious Nobel Prizes are awarded. The first Nobel Prizes were given out, 120 years ago, according to Alfred Nobel’s last wishes. Each year, people around the world win Nobel Prizes of 10,000,000 Swedish kronor, in the categories of Peace, Physics, Literature, Chemistry, Economics, and Physiology or Medicine.

Today is Dewey Decimal System Day. When you go to the library to look for a book, you’re probably using Melvil Dewey’s classification system, which he invented in 1876. You’ll see the number on the spine of the book, which lets librarians know exactly where to file it!

Are you missing any mittens? Is your hat in hiding? Today is Lost And Found Day, so try and track down all your missing items. Check the Lost and Found box at school or work, for your belongings. Clean under your bed, and you may find lost socks, library books, or spare change!

Shipping cold items is tricky and wasteful. When ice melts, it’s not reusable, and ice packs used in coolers and lunch bags can get moldy or leak. A new kind of jelly ice cube, stays cold for 13 hours, doesn’t melt, and can be rinsed off and refrozen. They feel like Jello cubes.

When a school in Texas started giving children four recess periods a day, the kids started learning more. Scientists decided to study exercise and brain activity, and found that running was especially effective. A10-minute run, helped people focus better, boosted their mood, and improved their health. Running around gets your brain ready to concentrate!

Today is Llama Day. The furry mammal is a camelid, related to alpacas. They are native to South America, and were domesticated as pack animals, 5000 years ago. Babies are called crias. Llama day celebrations in Canada, include dressing like llamas, sending llama-tines, carving llama- shaped butter statues, and going door-to-door for llama-shaped treats.