Author: Lisa Mungovan

Cornell University Student James Webb, invented a vaccine for bees. Called Beemunnity, the pollen-sized microparticle will help protect bees, from the deadly pesticide Malthion. James is working on more vaccines, that will soak up other pesticides like a sponge, keeping the honeybees alive and well. The Earth depends on our tiny friends.

Ice that’s stayed frozen for thousands of years, can give scientists valuable information about the environment. They extracted ice core samples, that were 262 feet deep in the Alps. The ancient ice holds a record of climate changes over the last 10,000 years. The samples will be stored in Antarctica, to preserve them for the future.

Forget riding in the car. It’s Dump the Pump Day! Sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association, many cities across the United States will be offering free fare on public transit. See if your city is participating; your ride on the bus or subway might cost you nothing and cause less pollution!

Today is Eat Your Vegetables Day. One way to get excited about eating veggies, is to grow your own! It’s not too late to plant a summer garden. In the meantime, visit a farmer’s market. If you don’t like veggies, dip them in something yummy, or puree them and bake them into brownies!

Tessellations are geometric patterns with no gaps, where the same shapes are repeated over and over again. It’s Tessellation Day! You can find tessellations in nature, like honeycombs, or in sports, like on your soccer ball. Create your own tessellation out of tasty pastries, since it’s also Apple Strudel Day and Cherry Tart Day!

Plastic bottles litter the sides of roads and waterways everywhere. But in Nigeria, people are filling plastic bottles with sand, and building houses with them. The bottles are stacked in a lattice pattern, to build walls that can withstand earthquakes. The bottle-bricks are 10 times stronger than regular bricks, and a lot cheaper too!

Gunggamarandu maunala, or hole-headed river boss, is a newly named species of crocodile, that lived in Australia over 2,000,000 years ago. The giant prehistoric creature was a type of crocodylian, called a tomistomine. It may be the largest extinct species ever found in Australia. The only type of tomistomine living today, is the false gharial.

Do you like corn on the cob? YouTuber Joseph’s Machines puts ears of corn onto paint rollers, and serves them on paint trays filled with butter. He also uses a robot vacuum, to serve chips and dip, a power sander to grate cheese, and a drill to wind up spaghetti. His dinners are messy.

Today is World Sea Turtle Day. Sea turtles can stay underwater for hours at a time, diving deep in the ocean. Most species only come to shore when it’s time to nest. They lay eggs in clutches, and the temperature of the sand, determines if the hatchlings will be male or female.

Today is World Tapas Day. The bite-sized Spanish dishes are a great way, to sample lots of different foods. It’s like a meal made of appetizers. It’s also Fudge Day, and Fresh Veggies Day. You wouldn’t think they’d go together, but I think a hot fudge salad sounds pretty yummy. Bon Appétit !