Author: Lisa Mungovan

Cupcakes are so yummy, but it’s hard to choose a favorite flavor. Don’t worry about choosing today, because it’s Vanilla Cupcake Day! You can eat one while watching Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, Cookie Monster, and their friends, since it’s also Sesame Street Day. The children’s TV show was first broadcast in 1969.

A cat named Panda, took an unexpected road trip, after he wandered away from his home in Washington state. He apparently hitched a ride on a mail truck, went nosing around in a shipping container at the transit center, and ended up 2,500 miles away, at a Home Depot in Alaska! He’s home safe now.

Everyone knows smoking is bad for you, but what else could you do with tobacco plants? How about making flu vaccines! Scientists are testing 2 new influenza vaccines, developed from tobacco plants. So far, they’re working as well as current vaccines, that are made from chicken eggs or lab-grown cells. Time to harvest some vaccines!

Most living things wouldn’t have a chance, surviving unprotected in space. But a bacterium called Deinococcus radiodurans, just spent a year living outside the International Space Station. The microbes survived freezing and boiling temperatures, radiation, and zero gravity. They adapted to accommodate the extreme conditions, but are doing just fine.

Australia’s greater gliders, are kind of like a cross between a koala and a flying squirrel. They are marsupials with pouches, that eat eucalyptus leaves, and can glide 300 feet through the air, from tree to tree. After studying their DNA, scientists have discovered that greater gliders are actually 3 separate species. Hooray for 2 new mammals!

The world is a busy place, and waiting for the perfect moment to do something may never come. Just embrace the craziness, on Chaos Never Dies Day! Today is also World Freedom Day, commemorating the fall of the Berlin Wall. Learn about the history of East and West Germany, and be thankful for freedom!

A chameleon in Pennsylvania was either working on his high-wire circus act, or was frozen because he was afraid of heights. The exotic lizard spent 3 days clinging to a power line. Animal rescuers were called to help him down, and find his family. They believe he’s someone’s pet, since they are native to Africa.

Does playing outside, help you to not get sick? A study in Finland showed that preschoolers had a stronger immune system, after outdoor gardens were added to the playgrounds at daycare centers. Grass, plants, and soil, hold microbes and bacteria that can help the body fight disease. Playing in dirt is good for you!

The United States has finally declared the results, of their presidential election. Joe Biden will become the 46th president, when he’s sworn into office in January. When the Bidens move into the White House, they’ll bring their dogs, Champ and Major. Major is a rescue dog, who never dreamed he’d be a president’s pup!

Today is Cappuccino Day, a delicious version of coffee made with espresso and foamy steamed milk. Speaking of steam, it’s also National STEAM Day, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. The day was created to inspire kids to explore those subjects, for possible careers in the future.