Readable, teachable news.
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Heather Gill-Frerking is a Canadian scientist who loves working with mummies.
Mummies are the preserved bodies of humans and animals.
Gill-Frerking is the director of science and education for the “Mummies of the World” exhibition at the Buffalo Museum of Science.
A popular American late-night talk show will have a new host, likely next year.
The Late Show with David Letterman is on every weeknight starting at 11:35 p.m. in most North American cities.
Letterman is a comedian who interviews celebrities. Musicians often play during his show, and sometimes it features funny skits.
Canada’s only basketball team in the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Toronto Raptors, are generating some excitement.
For the first time in six long years they have made the playoffs.
Of the 30 teams in the NBA, only 16 make it to the playoffs. There will be eight teams from the Eastern Conference and eight teams from the Western Conference. The Raptors play in the East.
In the playoffs, each team competes in a best-of-seven series. The first team to win four games moves on to the next round. A team has to win three rounds to make it to the finals. Then, the lone surviving team from the East plays the lone surviving team from the West.
A new study answers a question people have long asked themselves about the animal kingdom: Why do zebras have stripes?
If you want to try guessing the answer, stop reading now.
Have you guessed? OK, start reading again.
According to a new study, a zebra’s stripes most likely help to keep annoying, biting flies off them.
Scientists have thought that might be the reason.
However, they also had other theories: that the stripes provide camouflage to help them hide from enemies; to confuse their enemies; to help them stay cool; or for a social reason such as to attract a mate.
Some toy companies have recently introduced new lines of toy weapons designed especially for girls.
While the toys are a hit with girls, some adults object to them. Some people say the toys encourage violence and aggression among girls. Others say they are too feminine, and promote old-fashioned stereotypes.
Last fall, Nerf introduced its Rebelle line, which includes bows and guns that shoot foam darts or spray water. The weapons have names like the Heartbreaker Bow Blaster and the Pink Crush Blaster gun. They are brightly coloured in mostly pinks and purples.
A program introduced by Toronto’s Transit Commission this year is helping disabled people travel more easily.
The new program allows disabled people to have a support person ride with them on transit for free.
The name Ziauddin Yousafzai may not be familiar to you. But you likely know his famous daughter.
Malala is known all over the world. She became famous in 2012 when she was injured by some people because she spoke out in favour of girls’ education.
Now her father is becoming famous for the same thing. He was in Vancouver last week telling people it is the right of every girl in the world to be able to have an education.
A husband and wife struck gold last month… in their backyard.
The man and woman were walking their dog on their property in California when the woman noticed a strange looking, rusty can in the ground.
They started digging, and eventually uncovered eight metal cans. The cans were full of gold coins–1,427 of them.
It turns out that the coins are very valuable. In fact, they’re worth more than $10-million.
Video game designer Dong Nguyen created a popular game App called Flappy Bird.
Last Sunday was Hollywood’s big night.
The annual Academy Awards (known as the “Oscars”) recognize the best movies, actors and movie-makers of the year.
Four of the top awards are Best Picture, which went to the movie 12 Years a Slave; Best Actor (Matthew McConaughey, who starred in Dallas Buyers Club); Best Actress (Cate Blanchett, who starred in Blue Jasmine) and Best Director (Alfonso Cuaron for Gravity).
