Author: Lisa Mungovan

For the last few weeks, endangered right whales have been spotted along the Eastern Seaboard of the United States. A group made a rare appearance near Ponte Bedra Beach in Florida, and gave researchers a happy surprise. 2 20-year-old female whales, named Caterpillar and Blackheart, had new baby calves swimming alongside them.

Today is Bean Day, and also Technology Day. To celebrate, use dried beans to make a mosaic, then prepare a big bowl of 15-bean soup. Afterwards, use computer technology to find “Vegetable Soup”, a great kids’ television show from 50 years ago, on YouTube. You can enjoy it with your bean soup lunch!

Today is Apple Tree Day, which started as a celebration of a nearly 200 year-old tree. When you think about it, it’s pretty amazing that food just grows on trees. It’s also Shortbread Day, so start baking! You only need flour, sugar, and butter, to bake this delicious Scottish dessert.

The 12 days of Christmas have ended, and today is the Epiphany, or Three Kings Day. You could celebrate with king’s cake, a crown-shaped cake with candied fruit for jewels, and a baby Jesus doll inside. It’s also the day many people remove holiday decorations, known as Take The Christmas Tree Down Day.

Researchers in Australia, figured out a way to make concrete, even stronger. Just add coffee! After coffee grounds are heated to 660° Fahrenheit, they become biochar, and can be safely mixed into concrete, instead of adding sand. It could help recycle the 10,000,000,000 kilograms of global coffee waste each year.

George Washington Carver was an African-American scientist, inventor, and educator, that was born into slavery, during the Civil War. He taught farmers how to rotate crops for better soil, and found hundreds of uses for peanuts and sweet potatoes, including lotions, plastics, and even gasoline. Celebrate Carver Day, with your own peanut invention.

Today is Bird Day. There are around 18,000 different bird species! The largest non-flying bird is the ostrich, the kori bustard is the heaviest bird that can fly, and the wandering albatross has the largest wingspan, at up to 11 feet! The bee hummingbird is smallest at 2 1/4 inches long. The Australian lyrebird sounds like R2-D2!

Pie and hot chocolate are even better, with a tower of whipped cream sprayed on top! For Whipped Cream Day, try making your own. Simply put some heavy whipping cream in a jar, and shake it for a few minutes! Just don’t shake it too long, or it will turn into butter.

It’s finally the 12th day of Christmas. I hope you actually receive 12 drummers drumming, 11 pipers piping, 10 lords a-leaping, 9 ladies dancing, 8 maids a-milking, 7 swans a-swimming, 6 geese a-laying, 5 gold rings, 4 calling birds, 3 French hens, 2 turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree!

Kranthi Kumar Panikera, also known as Drill Man, put his tongue to the test to set a world record. The stuntman stopped 57 electric fans in one minute, using his tongue! He also holds records for pounding the most nails into his nose with a hammer, and pulling a vehicle with a swallowed sword.