Read this article at:  or watch at: https://youtu.be/WQRs-r1iqRc

Summary: Researchers wanted to find out if living in a multilingual country can help people stay mentally and physically active as they grow older. 

Abstract: Have you heard about brain training? That might bring to mind crossword puzzles, Sudoku, or brain teasers. Learning new languages is another powerful way to stimulate the brain. Activities that challenge the brain can help us stay healthy and sharp for longer. So, we wanted to see whether living in multilingual countries is associated with slower aging. We interviewed a large number of people about their cognition, health, and lifestyle. We estimated their age from their answers. Next, we compared their real age to this estimated age. With statistics, we found some interesting things. People who live in countries that speak more than one language tend to be more mentally and physically fit. For people living in monolingual countries, it’s the opposite. They are more likely to age faster. Also, living in a country with more spoken languages offers greater protection against age-related decline over time.

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Summary: Researchers showed how the Eurasian jay uses metacognition to solve tricky puzzles and seek out their favorite food.

Abstract: What do you do when you’re asked a tricky question in class? Do you take a guess or wait for an easier question? The capacity to answer this question is called metacognition. It describes the ability to assess what you know and make good decisions from that information. Lots of mammals show metacognition. We wanted to know if birds do, too. We tested Eurasian jays with a food puzzle. We hid their favorite food under one of two cups. Then we moved the cups around once (easy) or three to four times (hard). The jays could take a guess at where the food was. Or they could opt out and choose their second favorite food under a third cup. Some of our jays were very successful in assessing their choices. They only chose the hard task when they knew where the food was. This means that these individuals showed metacognition! In the wild, this is important as it can help them find and store food for the winter. 

You are one of half a million educators in the U.S. who use our articles and videos in class. All our content is FREE, no paywalls, no need to subscribe. 

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Summary: A team of scientists went on an expedition to a river in Alaska to find out why the river suddenly turned bright orange.

Abstract: The Salmon River in Alaska’s Kobuk Valley National Park is wild and scenic. Recently, scientists were surprised to find many of the streams in the park turning a bright, rusty shade of orange. What could cause such a change? One possibility is thawing permafrost. Permafrost is ground that normally stays frozen all year long. When it thaws, water can reach rocks that were inaccessible in the frozen ground for thousands of years. The water reacts with minerals in the rocks, making acid. The acidic groundwater carries certain metals, like iron, to streams. We traveled to the headwaters of the Salmon River and rafted down the river. We took measurements along the way. Our data showed that the water quality has become worse since the streams turned orange. We found toxic levels of iron, aluminum, and cadmium in the water. This may be to blame for the lower numbers of salmon returning to the area in recent years.

You are one of half a million educators in the U.S. who use our articles and videos in class. All our content is FREE, no paywalls, no need to subscribe. 

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Summary: Scientists created a new device copying the remora fish's natural ability to hitchhike on other animals.

Abstract: Have you ever wondered how small animals survive in a giant ocean full of danger? Remora fish attach to sharks, whales, turtles, boats, and even divers to survive. We studied remoras to figure out how they attach themselves using a disc on the top of their head. We wanted to find out if we could copy the disc to make suction devices that can work in other wet environments. Using our findings, we created a device that can attach to a variety of surfaces. It also worked under a variety of conditions. For example, it stayed attached inside the stomach of live animals for almost 3 weeks! This device could help us track conditions and deliver medicine inside the human body. It could also help us track the environment around us.

You are one of half a million educators in the U.S. who use our articles and videos in class. All our content is FREE, no paywalls, no need to subscribe. 

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Summary: Scientists engineered cyanobacteria to remove microplastics and extra nutrients from wastewater.

Abstract: Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic that end up in rivers and oceans. They are hard to remove because they are so small. We wanted a better way to clean them up. We used genetic engineering to change cyanobacteria, a type of algae-like microorganism. We made the cells produce limonene, a natural oily chemical. Limonene made the outside of the cells more water-repellent. Many plastics also repel water. When we put our cyanobacteria in water with microplastics, the plastic stuck to the cells. The cells and plastic formed heavy clumps. The clumps sank to the bottom. We found that our cyanobacteria removed over 91% of the plastic in one hour. We also found a way to turn the leftover cells and plastic into new, useful materials.

You are one of half a million educators in the U.S. who use our articles and videos in class. All our content is FREE, no paywalls, no need to subscribe. 

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Summary: Researchers observe spectral bats with a wildlife camera to learn about their parenting and social behaviors. 

Abstract: Working with others often makes a task easier. Whether at home, at school, or at work, humans collaborate to achieve shared goals. Studies show that other species also collaborate. Many animals work together to defend their territory or care for their babies. We wanted to know how bats work together to raise their young. We collected videos of a family of spectral bats living in a hollow tree in Costa Rica. We watched the videos of the bats. Then we categorized the behaviors we observed as social, feeding, or play. We learned that both parents take care of the pups. We also observed the adult bats bring the pups food. Providing food to the pups helps them transition from drinking milk to eating meat. These observations help us better understand the bats’ cooperative behavior. 

You are one of half a million educators in the U.S. who use our articles and videos in class. All our content is FREE, no paywalls, no need to subscribe. 

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Summary: Scientists retraced the steps of an expedition from 30 years ago to see how mountain birds are adapting to climate change.

Abstract: What do you do when it’s too hot? Do you sweat and stay where you are? Or do you go looking for somewhere more comfortable, like the shade under a tree? Climate change is making many places on Earth hotter. We wanted to know how birds in mountain forests are adapting to climate change. Are birds staying in the same parts of the forest? Or are they looking for cooler temperatures by moving higher up the mountain? We observed birds in old-growth forests in British Columbia, Canada. Then, we compared our findings to observations from 30 years ago. Most bird species today still live at the same range of elevations as they did before. On average, though, the elevation where birds are most common is getting higher. 

You are one of half a million educators in the U.S. who use our articles and videos in class. All our content is FREE, no paywalls, no need to subscribe. 

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Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/how-can-we-monitor-the-wildlife-trade/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/R7oWnWKMEZE

Summary: Researchers used databases to figure out the extent of wildlife trade and how to make it more sustainable.

Abstract: The wildlife trade is a threat to global biodiversity. But we don’t know how much of a threat. That’s because some countries don’t have strict regulations or collect data. And the databases from countries that do collect data about wildlife trading are hard to compare. We wanted to look at the databases to figure out how the data could be better. Could we improve them to help make sure the wildlife trade is sustainable? The United States keeps one of the most comprehensive databases. So we looked there. We also looked at a database that is smaller, but comes from a global authority. We found 29,445 species were traded between 2000 and 2022, with substantial numbers coming from the wild. We think this is an underestimate of the global wildlife trade and its threat to organisms in the wild.

You are one of half a million educators in the U.S. who use our articles and videos in class. All our content is FREE, no paywalls, no need to subscribe. 

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Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/where-do-whale-sharks-have-their-babies/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/JJHuWMotBgw

Summary: Scientists studied where baby whale sharks are found and discovered that they often appear near low-oxygen ocean zones. 

Abstract: Where do the world’s biggest fish have their babies? This question remains one of the ocean’s greatest mysteries. Adult whale sharks are easy to find. But newborns are not! We looked back over 50 years of sightings to connect the dots of this puzzle. Our team mapped the locations of 33 baby sharks that were discovered by chance. We also looked at the water temperature, food levels, and oxygen in those areas. We found that baby whale sharks do not appear in random areas of the ocean. In fact, most babies appeared near places called oxygen minimum zones. These areas have very little oxygen (which sharks and other fish need to breathe) deep in the water. They can also lead to more food bunched near the surface. These zones may play an important role in where baby whale sharks are found. Learning more about these hidden nurseries could help protect this endangered ocean giant.

You are one of half a million educators in the U.S. who use our articles and videos in class. All our content is FREE, no paywalls, no need to subscribe. 

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Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/how-can-viruses-wake-up-sleeping-cancer-cells/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/ksEuNI3AhXQ

Summary: Researchers discovered that viruses that infect the lungs can reactivate sleeping breast cancer cells 

Abstract: Have you ever had a virus like the flu or coronavirus? These viruses affect the lungs. They also activate the immune system to try and help you feel better. During the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, death rates from cancer rose. No one knew exactly why. We wondered if viral infections could “wake up” cancer cells that had been asleep for years. To find out, we studied mice with dormant breast cancer cells in their lungs. We infected the mice with influenza or a version of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. We also analyzed data from people in cancer remission who got COVID-19. We found that both viruses can reactivate sleeping breast cancer cells in mice. We also discovered that despite the virus-induced immune response, the growing cancer altered immune cells to prevent them from fighting the cancer. This suggests that viruses may pose extra risks for people who have had cancer.

You are one of half a million educators in the U.S. who use our articles and videos in class. All our content is FREE, no paywalls, no need to subscribe. 

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