Kids News - Articles for Grades 6-8

With the Memorial Day long weekend fast approaching, chances are you looking for somewhere to go. Here's a suggestion - Find a location that takes you away from bright city lights, one where you are able to see the clear dark skies and shining stars. That's because on May 24th, you might be able to witness a never before seen meteor shower....

This post is sponsored by Quirk Books, publisher of the Nick & Tesla Series. We have all enjoyed the first two 'electrifying' adventures of Nick and Tesla, the 11-year old fraternal twins who live with their Uncle Newt, an eccentric but brilliant scientist. With today's unveiling of their third adventure: Nick And Tesla's Secret Agent Gadget Battle, we thought it was time to sit down with Science Bob, one of the masterminds behind this fun series and get him to reveal some insights about the book series and what lies ahead for the young scientists. Curious? Read on . . ....

While access to clean water is something we all take for granted, such is not the case for some people in developing countries. According to non-profit organization, Water is Life, one in five children that live in the rural areas of most third world regions die from water borne diseases, before they turn five. In order to raise awareness of the dire situation, the organization has created numerous campaigns including a poignant video about a four-year-old living out his bucket list. However, their latest effort is going beyond that by actually helping the residents solve the problem - one page at a time! Introducing, the 'Drinkable Book'!...

A fisherman trawling for shrimp in the Gulf of Mexico, south of Key West, Florida, got the surprise of his life when he pulled up the nets on April 19th - Intermingled with the tiny shrimp was a giant shark, the kind that one would only expect to encounter in a horror movie! What was even scarier, was that the shark was alive and menacingly trashing around the deck, trying its best to escape....

Beverage manufacturer Coca Cola sure likes to keep their fans happy. In 2012, they delighted the students at the University of Singapore with a soda machine that dispensed drinks in exchange for hugs. Now, they are doing the same for the people of Bangladesh with this gaming arcade that shuns cash in favor of empty coke bottles....

If you have ever had to decide on an outcome with a friend, chances are you have done it by playing rock-paper-scissors, the fun hand game where players simultaneously form one of the three shapes with an outstretched hand. Like most people, you probably thought that the game is designed for a random outcome, one in which neither player has an advantage. Turns out you were wrong. According to scientists from China's Zhejiang University, there is a method to this madness - one that can be easily mastered so that you never lose a rock-paper-scissors duel again....

While most scientists are focused on creating vaccines for life threatening mosquito-borne diseases like dengue fever and malaria, British biotech firm Oxitec is taking a unique approach. They want to nip the problem in the bud or should we say larva, by killing the dengue-carrying mosquitos with the help of genetically modified laboratory versions....

Though humans may think they are the masters of deception, some of the world's best con artists appear to be birds. First there is the cuckoo finch that tricks other birds into raising its offspring and now, Africa's fork-tailed drongo that sends out false alarm signals, just so that it can steal food from other birds....

In 2013, Dutch designer Daan Roosegaarde made headlines when he teamed up with Heijman's Infrastructure to build the world's first 'Smart Highway' in The Netherlands. Now, a British company called Pro-Teq has invented a product that can transform mundane sidewalks into 'Starpaths' - public paths that project a star-like glow, alleviating the need for street lights....