Kids News - Articles for Grades 8-8

The Port of Astoria in Oregon is battling an unusual challenge - how to rid the area of the over 2,300 sea lions that have taken up residence on the piers, without harming them. That's because while the squabbling pinnipeds may be adorable to look at, they are a nuisance and extremely destructive, especially in such large numbers....

Lost Lake in Central Oregon is a mysterious natural wonder. During winter, it resembles any other large body of freshwater. However, as drier weather kicks in the water disappears, transforming the 85-acre 'lake' into a beautiful meadow. Turns out that there is a logical answer to this magical phenomenon - a tube or tunnel created by an ancient lava flow that drains out the water....

Memorial Day, a Federal US holiday that is observed annually on the last Monday of May signifies different things to different people. For some it's a reminder to firm up summer vacation plans, for others it's an excuse to lounge around the pool with friends. Then there are the shoppers who believe the day is all about hitting the malls for bargains. What often gets forgotten is the real purpose of the holiday - to honor and remember the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces that sacrificed their lives to defend our right to freedom....

The Opah is a striking fish species that can grow as large as 7-feet in diameter and weigh over 100 pounds. Also referred to as moonfish, the giants that can be found in both temperate and tropical seas reside at depths of 150 to 1,300-feet where the waters can be extremely chilly. Scientists have often wondered how the fish can withstand the temperatures given that they lack typical deep sea dweller characteristics like a large heart. Now thanks to some curious California researchers that mystery has finally been solved - The Opah has warm-blood!...

It was a chilly and gloomy Sunday morning. But that did not prevent thousands of Bay Area residents from making their way to San Francisco's beautiful waterfront to participate in the city's oldest and most iconic footrace - Bay to Breakers. Now in its 104th year, the 12 Km (7.45 mile) competition that spans across the city may not be the world's hardest or longest race. But it is the most fun!...

In the last 15 years, Yves Rossy has used his amazing jetpack wings to soar over the Grand Canyon, fly alongside an F-17 bomber and even circle Japan's Mt. Fuji. However, his latest flight in Dubai surpasses them all. That's because this time the adventurer joined forces with his protégé, 31-year-old skydiver and base jumper Vince Reffet, to do what no human has accomplished before - fly in formation!...

When researchers from the University of Manchester and Manchester Museum decided to take a peek inside some ancient Egyptian animal mummies using CT scans they expected to discover perfectly preserved remains. To their surprise, only one-third of the 800 specimens they examined actually contained complete skeletons. The rest housed partial animal remains, or even worse, just some mud, sticks, and eggshells....

Similar to humans, produce comes in different shapes and sizes. Yet, chances are you have probably never encountered a gnarly looking carrot or an apple with "character" at your local grocery store or farmers market. That's because any fruit or vegetable that looks different from what is considered "normal" is deemed undesirable and automatically tossed out!...

Creating a "green" or carbon neutral fuel to replace gasoline has been the holy grail for scientists for many years. However, while there has been some progress with inventions like electric batteries and biofuel, most options are either too expensive or not commercially viable to compete effectively with the fossil fuel. Now automobile manufacturer Audi is stepping up to the challenge with diesel made from carbon dioxide and water....