Kids News - Articles for Grades 8-8

The summer of 2014 was all about people pouring orange buckets of ice water over their heads and challenging others to do the same. But as fun as it was, the individuals were not just goofing off. They were rising to the Ice Bucket Challenge that encouraged people to either douse themselves or donate $100 USD towards ALS research. The dare that went viral globally enabled the Foundation to raise an astounding $115 million USD in a few short months. Now, just a year later, the generous donation is helping facilitate new breakthroughs in the disease that currently has no cure....

On September 2nd, Canberra's Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) received news of a woolly creature roaming around in the Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve on the outskirts of the city. When the officials arrived to investigate, they discovered a barely visible ram buried under a giant ball of beautiful merino wool....

The octopus has long fascinated scientists. The intelligent cephalopods have been known to use coconut shells for mobile homes and armor, disable their suckers to avoid becoming a tangled mess, plot escapes from aquarium enclosures, and even predict World Cup soccer game outcomes....

With childhood obesity rates on the rise, schools are going all out to encourage students to become more active and make healthier food choices. Some have added standing desks; others have revamped their cafeteria menus. In Dillwyn, Virginia, the educators have gone one step further - They have designed a school that incorporates movement and healthy eating....

What's better than a scoop of ice cream on a hot summer day? How about one that doesn't melt into a sticky puddle within minutes? That, believe it or not, could soon become a reality thanks to the ingenious scientists at the Universities of Edinburgh and Dundee....

Queen Nefertiti, the wife of King Akhenaten who ruled from 1352 to 1336 B.C., was one of ancient Egypt's most influential and beautiful queens. Historians maintain that she played a significant role in the political and religious reforms that resulted in numerous changes including the establishment of Aten as Egypt's supreme god. Many even believe that the powerful queen served as pharaoh for a brief period following her husband's death and the accession of his 9-year-old son King Tutankhamun (Tut), to the throne....

Freestyle motocross maestro Robbie Maddison is well-known for his heart-stopping stunts. In 2008, the Australian daredevil wowed the world with a leap over the 164-feet tall Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France. In 2014, he performed several back flips over stationary airplanes at the military service aircraft graveyard in Tucson, Arizona. However, neither compare to his latest stunt - "Surfing" a wave on a slightly modified KTM dirt bike....

While vending machines have a bad reputation generally, they are particularly frowned upon in schools. That's because most are filled with foods that are deemed unhealthy for both kids and adults. However, no one will have any objection to Jet Blue's vending machines. That's because they dispense free books!...

An agricultural experiment called Nemo's Garden is taking farming to a new level - about 20-feet below the ocean's surface! The endeavor is the brainchild of Italian entrepreneur and scuba diving enthusiast Sergio Gamberini who wanted to combine his passion for diving and farming to create a sustainable food source without disturbing the underwater ecosystem....