Kids News - Articles with 400-600 Words

The 2020 Summer Olympics torch relay is finally underway. The Olympic flame, which was kindled in Olympia, Greece, on March 12, 2020, and transported to Japan on March 20, 2020, spent a year at the Olympic Museum in Tokyo after the Games were postponed due to the coronavirus. It began its 121-day journey from Fukushima to Tokyo's National Stadium — the venue for the opening and closing ceremonies — on March 25, 2021....

A 200,000 metric ton cargo boat blocking the Suez Canal for six days has finally been freed, clearing the way for over 300 ships waiting to cross one of the world's busiest waterways. The Japanese-owned Ever Given has been wedged sideways into the sandy banks of the 120-mile-long (193-kilometer-long) and 78-feet-deep (24 meter-deep) channel since March 23, 2021. It was dislodged on March 29, 2021, by a fleet of tugboats that worked all night to take advantage of the king tides — high tides that occur during a full moon when the Sun, Earth and the Moon are aligned....

On most days, pulling a harmless prank, or two, on family members would result in a time-out. However, on April 1st, aka April Fools' Day, lighthearted tricks are both expected and welcomed. The origins of the tradition are hazy. Some believe the fun began in 1582 when the world transitioned from the Julian calendar — which ushered in the New Year on the last week of March — to the current Gregorian calendar. Those unaware of the change, or refusing to accept the January 1st start date, were often pranked on December 31st. Others maintain the ritual began as a joyful way to welcome spring....

India is home to a wide variety of festivals, each of which is celebrated with much gusto. However, few are as exciting or as anticipated as Holi, the spring festival of colors. The fun holiday, observed annually on the last full moon day of Phalguna — the 12th and final month of the Hindu year — falls on March 29th this year....

A well-known Chinese proverb states: "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." On March 27, 2021, millions of people worldwide will take the first step towards reversing climate change by turning off all lights and electronics from 8:30 - 9:30 PM local time. The hour-long voluntary rolling blackouts, also observed by landmark structures such as the Eiffel Tower and the Empire State Building, are more than symbolic gestures. They are catalysts for urgent change....

Though it is not unusual to find marine animals thriving under the Antarctica seafloor, researchers had always assumed that all life would become less abundant farther away from open water and sunlight. However, the discovery of filter-feeding organisms — 160 miles (260 km) away from the open ocean, with temperatures of −2.2°C and under complete darkness — suggests that life in the world's harshest environment may be more adaptable and diverse than previously thought....

King penguins, the second-largest penguin species, typically sport a distinct black-and-white coat with a yellowish-gold dash of color on their collar. However, one young penguin in the South Atlantic appears to have missed the memo on the dress code. It decided to forgo the black feathers and retain just the bright yellow plumage....

The over 48,000 orange trees that permeate all corners of Seville, Spain, not only fill the city's air with the pleasant smell of azhar, or orange blossoms, in spring; they also yield over 16,500 tons of fruit every winter. Though that gives the capital of southern Spain’s Andalusia region the bragging rights of being Europe's top orange-producing city, the fruit is too tart to be consumed fresh. While some of the produce is used to make marmalade and orange liqueur, most of it ends up in Seville's landfills. However, that may change soon thanks to an ingenious idea to use the oranges to produce clean energy....

The 1984 discovery of the Whydah Galley — the only fully verified and authenticated pirate shipwreck of the Golden Age of Piracy (1650-1720) ever found — has yielded an enormous treasure trove of artifacts. However, any evidence of its legendary captain Samuel, or "Black Sam," Bellamy has proved elusive. That may change soon thanks to the recent discovery of six skeletons found embedded in the ancient wreck's compacted masses of matter....