Author: Lisa Mungovan

Today is Letter Writing Day. Write a letter to someone on nice paper, and pick out a cool stamp at the post office. Use your neatest handwriting, and tell them about things you do every day. It’s also Trick Shot Day, so practice your best basketball moves, and describe them in your letter.

Today is Cotton Candy Day! Spun sugar has been around since the 15th century. It’s also known as fairy floss, or candy floss. Maybe that’s because confectioner John Wharton and dentist William Morrison, invented the first cotton candy machine. Don’t floss your teeth with cotton candy, or you’ll need to see a dentist!

Customers visiting an Ikea store in Denmark, got to really try out the furniture before buying it. 31 people got stranded at the store during a snowstorm, and had to spend the night. Luckily, Ikea had plenty of comfy beds, mattresses, and sofas to sleep on, as well as a restaurant to feed them.

Landfills are giant holes up to 500 feet deep, where garbage is dumped, with vents to release gas. Once they’re filled and capped with concrete, some landfills are getting a second life, as solar farms. The big open spaces, are covered with solar panels, and convert the Sun’s energy into electricity for the community.

Last week, much of the United States and Canada, experienced a record-setting heat wave. 72° Fahrenheit might not sound that hot, but that’s 35° higher than normal for December. In Montana and North Dakota, it was nearly 80°! Denver Colorado, has still not seen its first snowfall, the latest they’ve ever waited for snow.

Today is Put On Your Own Shoes Day. I think most of you already do that. If you have a baby in the house, give them a chance to put their own shoes on. They might surprise you! It’s also Microwave Oven Day. Have you ever microwaved a marshmallow? It’s really neat!

Today is Walt Disney Day. He started out as an illustrator, introducing the world to Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. Later, Disneyland opened, and Disney movies like Snow White and Mary Poppins, became popular. Now, the Disney corporation makes Star Wars movies, has its own TV channel, and works with National Geographic. They’re everywhere!

In the last 5 years, the state of Indiana built 256 traffic circles. The roundabouts cut down on traffic pollution, since cars don’t have to wait at red lights or stop signs at the intersection. They don’t need electricity, and they’re also much safer. Traffic circles reduced accidents at intersections, by 76%.

Many mammals who live in icy water, like whales and walruses, have thick layers of blubber, to keep them warm. But how do animals like otters survive, without the extra fat? One way they keep warm is with their dense fur. It has 1,000,000 hairs per-square-inch, to trap an insulating layer of air.

Last year, Comet Leonard was discovered near Jupiter. It was very dim, but it’s been getting brighter as it travels towards Earth. Leonard will be the brightest comet all year, and Monday morning will be the best time to catch it, although you may need binoculars. Look around 5 AM, near the star Arcturus.