Why We Celebrate Juneteenth

Why We Celebrate JuneteenthAI Tutor – Your Child’s Personal Learning Companion”],”HomeschoolAITutorDescription”:[0,”Enhance your student’s learning journey with individualized instruction, encouraging feedback and detailed explanations. Sign up for a FREE 7-day trial today and watch them excel!”],”LearnMoreAboutAITutor”:[0,”Learn more about AI tutor”],”ViewPlans”:[0,”View Plans”],”Ratings”:[0,{“Star0″:[0,”Not rated yet”],”Star1″:[0,”Did not like it”],”Star2″:[0,”It was ok”],”Star3″:[0,”Liked it”],”Star4″:[0,”Really liked it”],”Star5″:[0,”Loved it”]}],”Workbooks”:[0,{“GetTheWorkbook”:[0,”Get the Workbook for this article!”],”WorkbookContains”:[0,”Workbook contains:”],”WorkbookFeatures”:[0,”Article, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking Questions, Vocabulary in Context (+ answers), Multiple Choice Quiz (+ answers), Parts of Speech Quiz (+ answers), Vocabulary Game (+ answers)”]}],”ShareToX”:[0,”Share to {{site}}”],”ViewComments”:[0,”View Comments”],”Languages”:[0,{“Language”:[0,”Language”],”English”:[0,”English”],”Spanish”:[0,”Spanish”],”NotAvailable”:[0,”A translation of this article is not available.”]}],”TextMode”:[0,{“Normal”:[0,”Normal”],”Enhanced”:[0,”Enhanced”]}],”ReadingLevels”:[0,{“ReadingLevel”:[0,”Reading Level”],”Original”:[0,”Original”],”Simplified”:[0,”Simplified”],”NotAvailable”:[0,”A simplified version of this article is not available.”]}],”Standards”:[0,{“Alignment”:[0,”Alignment”],”ViewStandards”:[0,”View CCSS | NGSS”],”3rdGrade”:[0,”3rd Grade”],”4thGrade”:[0,”4th Grade”],”5thGrade”:[0,”5th Grade”],”6th8thGrade”:[0,”6th to 8th Grade”]}],”LearningActivities”:[0,”Learning Activities”],”LearningActivitiesPlusAITutor”:[0,”Learning Activities + AI Tutor”],”ViewLearningActivities”:[0,”View learning activities”],”Listen”:[0,{“Listen”:[0,”Listen”],”NumMinute_one”:[0,”{{count}} minute”],”NumMinute_other”:[0,”{{count}} minutes”],”SelectVoice”:[0,”Select a Voice”]}],”SignUpToAccess”:[0,”You need to sign up to read the rest of this article and access learning tools.”],”ClassroomActivities”:[0,”Classroom Activities”],”LowerGrades”:[0,”Lower Grades”],”UpperGrades”:[0,”Upper Grades”],”Quizzes”:[0,”Quizzes”],”MultipleChoiceQuiz”:[0,”Multiple Choice Quiz”],”ShortAnswerQuestions”:[0,”Short Answer Questions”],”Reading”:[0,”Reading”],”PartsOfSpeech”:[0,”Parts of Speech”],”Comprehension”:[0,”Comprehension”],”CriticalThinking”:[0,”Critical Thinking”],”ReadingQuiz”:[0,”Reading Quiz”],”PartsOfSpeechQuiz”:[0,”Parts of Speech Quiz”],”ShortAnswer”:[0,”Short Answer”],”ReadingComprehension”:[0,”Reading Comprehension”],”CriticalThinkingChallenge”:[0,”Critical Thinking Challenge”],”Vocabulary”:[0,”Vocabulary”],”VocabularyInContext”:[0,”Vocabulary in Context”],”VocabularyListAndGame”:[0,”Vocabulary List and Game”],”AssignmentAvailableShortly”:[0,”This assignment will be available shortly.”],”IdentifyPartOfSpeechHTML__”:[0,”Identify the part of speech of the AI Tutor – El Compañero de Aprendizaje Personal de tu Hijo”],”HomeschoolAITutorDescription”:[0,”Mejora el viaje de aprendizaje de tu estudiante con instrucción personalizada, comentarios alentadores y explicaciones detalladas. ¡Regístrate hoy para una prueba GRATUITA de 7 días y míralo/a sobresalir!”],”LearnMoreAboutAITutor”:[0,”Aprende más sobre el Tutor de IA”],”ViewPlans”:[0,”Ver planes”],”Ratings”:[0,{“Star0″:[0,”Aún no calificado”],”Star1″:[0,”No me gustó”],”Star2″:[0,”Regular”],”Star3″:[0,”Me gustó”],”Star4″:[0,”Realmente me gustó”],”Star5″:[0,”Me encantó”]}],”Workbooks”:[0,{“GetTheWorkbook”:[0,”¡Obtenga el libro de trabajo para este artículo!”],”WorkbookContains”:[0,”El libro de trabajo contiene:”],”WorkbookFeatures”:[0,”Artículo, Comprensión de lectura, Preguntas de pensamiento crítico, Vocabulario en contexto (+ respuestas), Prueba de opción múltiple (+ respuestas), Prueba de partes del discurso (+ respuestas), Juego de vocabulario (+ respuestas)”]}],”ShareToX”:[0,”Compartir en {{site}}”],”ViewComments”:[0,”Ver comentarios”],”Languages”:[0,{“Language”:[0,”Idioma”],”English”:[0,”Inglés”],”Spanish”:[0,”Español”],”NotAvailable”:[0,”Una traducción de este artículo no está disponible.”]}],”TextMode”:[0,{“Normal”:[0,”Normal”],”Enhanced”:[0,”Mejorado”]}],”ReadingLevels”:[0,{“ReadingLevel”:[0,”Nivel de Lectura”],”Original”:[0,”Original”],”Simplified”:[0,”Simplificado”],”NotAvailable”:[0,”Una versión simplificada de este artículo no está disponible.”]}],”Standards”:[0,{“Alignment”:[0,”Alineación”],”ViewStandards”:[0,”Ver CCSS | NGSS”],”3rdGrade”:[0,”3er Grado”],”4thGrade”:[0,”4to Grado”],”5thGrade”:[0,”5to Grado”],”6th8thGrade”:[0,”6to al 8vo Grado”]}],”LearningActivities”:[0,”Actividades de Aprendizaje”],”LearningActivitiesPlusAITutor”:[0,”Actividades de Aprendizaje + Tutor de IA”],”ViewLearningActivities”:[0,”Ver actividades de aprendizaje”],”Listen”:[0,{“Listen”:[0,”Escuchar”],”NumMinute_one”:[0,”{{count}} minuto”],”NumMinute_other”:[0,”{{count}} minutos”],”SelectVoice”:[0,”Seleccione una voz”]}],”SignUpToAccess”:[0,”Debe registrarse para leer el resto de este artículo y acceder a las herramientas de aprendizaje.”],”ClassroomActivities”:[0,”Actividades de clase”],”LowerGrades”:[0,”Grados Inferiores”],”UpperGrades”:[0,”Grados Superiores”],”Quizzes”:[0,”Cuestionarios”],”MultipleChoiceQuiz”:[0,”Cuestionario de Opción Múltiple”],”ShortAnswerQuestions”:[0,”Preguntas de Respuesta Corta”],”Reading”:[0,”Lectura”],”PartsOfSpeech”:[0,”Partes del Discurso”],”Comprehension”:[0,”Comprensión”],”CriticalThinking”:[0,”Pensamiento Crítico”],”ReadingQuiz”:[0,”Cuestionario de Lectura”],”PartsOfSpeechQuiz”:[0,”Cuestionario de Partes del Discurso”],”ShortAnswer”:[0,”Respuesta Corta”],”ReadingComprehension”:[0,”Comprensión Lectora”],”CriticalThinkingChallenge”:[0,”Desafío de Pensamiento Crítico”],”Vocabulary”:[0,”Vocabulario”],”VocabularyInContext”:[0,”Vocabulario en Contexto”],”VocabularyListAndGame”:[0,”Lista de Vocabulario y Juego”],”AssignmentAvailableShortly”:[0,”Esta tarea estará disponible en breve.”],”IdentifyPartOfSpeech”:[0,”Identifica la categoría gramatical de la palabra

June 13, 2025

By Emily Moulin – 418 words

Listen

Alignment

Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the US (Credit: State.gov/ Public Domain)

Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. The holiday is observed every year on June 19. On this day in 1865, the last enslaved people in America — a group in Galveston,Texas — learned they were free.

The origins of Juneteenth

The events leading to this historic day began with the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. The document — released during the American Civil War (1861-1865) — declared enslaved people in ten Confederate states, including Texas to be free. But the law did not apply to the enslaved people in the border states that had remained loyal to the Union. This included Missouri, Kentucky, Delaware, Tennessee, and Maryland. The 13th Amendment — passed by the US Congress on January 31, 1865 — closed the loophole and abolished slavery across the nation.

The Emancipation Proclamation abolished slavery in Confederate states (Credit: National Archives/ Public Domain)

However, about 250,000 enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, remained unaware of these laws until June 19, 1865 — two months after the end of the war. On that day, Union troops arrived and announced that slavery had ended. One year later, on June 19, 1866, the community marked the first anniversary of their freedom with cookouts, dances, and prayers. This began what would become the Juneteenth tradition.

Juneteenth celebrations

As the years passed, Juneteenth celebrations grew and spread. Also known as Emancipation Day or Freedom Day, the holiday was observed in different ways across the US. In 1980, Texas became the first state to officially recognize Juneteenth as a holiday. Over the following decades, more states gradually followed suit.

The growing recognition of Juneteenth was promising. But it was not enough for Opal Lee. The Fort Worth, Texas, resident had been pushing to make Juneteenth a national holiday since 1989. In 2016, at the age of 89, Lee led a symbolic walk from Fort Worth to Washington, DC. She walked 2.5 miles in each city along the way. The distance represented the nearly two and a half years it took for enslaved people in Texas to learn they were free. Her efforts helped bring Juneteenth into the national spotlight.

Former President Joe Biden signs the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law on June 17, 2021 (Credit: The White House/ Public Domain)

Lee’s dream finally came true on June 17, 2021, when former President Joe Biden signed legislation making Juneteenth a federal holiday. It was the first new national holiday in the US since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was established in 1983. Lee, now 98, hopes it will bring Americans together.

“Juneteenth is not a Black thing, and it’s not a Texas thing,” she says. “People all over, I don’t care what nationality, we all bleed red blood.”

Resources: nmaahc.si.edu, NPR.com, Wikipedia.org

“]}” ssr client=”load” opts=”{“name”:”PostBody”,”value”:true}” await-children>

The origins of Juneteenth

Juneteenth celebrations

“Juneteenth is not a Black thing, and it’s not a Texas thing,” she says. “People all over, I don’t care what nationality, we all bleed red blood.”

Resources: nmaahc.si.edu, NPR.com, Wikipedia.org

p, .article-body > div, .article-body > h1, .article-body > h2, .article-body > h3, .article-body > h4, .article-body > h5, .article-body > h6, .article-body > h7, .article-body > h8″],”canPlay”:[0,false],”singleSentenceMode”:[0,false],”setupTtsImmediately”:[0,false]}” ssr client=”only” opts=”{“name”:”TextToSpeech”,”value”:”svelte”}”>

Get the Workbook for this article!

Workbook contains:Article, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking Questions, Vocabulary in Context (+ answers), Multiple Choice Quiz (+ answers), Parts of Speech Quiz (+ answers), Vocabulary Game (+ answers)

Cite Article

Learn Keywords in this Article

Happy Friday The 13th!

n n

Resources: History.com, Wikipedia.org

n n

n”],”buy_link”:[0,””],”geo”:[1,[]],”plaintext_md5″:[0,”d47750102417cb24a9acee990fc88a4a”],”thumb”:[0,”https://cdn4.dogonews.com/images/592ee27e-295a-456d-b726-f8369993eb55/chatgpt-image-may-9-2025-01_13_26-pm.png”],”vocab”:[1,[[0,”abel”],[0,”advantage”],[0,”allegedly”],[0,”anxiety”],[0,”apostles”],[0,”attributes”],[0,”avoid”],[0,”bargain”],[0,”cain”],[0,”construction”],[0,”crucified”],[0,”crucifixion”],[0,”economy”],[0,”experience”],[0,”folklore”],[0,”forbidden”],[0,”fortune”],[0,”incomplete”],[0,”last supper”],[0,”legend”],[0,”mischief”],[0,”myth”],[0,”mythological”],[0,”negative”],[0,”nordic”],[0,”norse”],[0,”panic”],[0,”prone”],[0,”reputation”],[0,”signal”],[0,”suffer”],[0,”superstition”],[0,”theories”],[0,”theory”],[0,”unfounded”],[0,”viking”],[0,”zodiac”]]],”num_videos”:[0,1],”num_images”:[0,3],”word_count”:[0,464],”edu_tags”:[1,[[0,”ccss_ela_ngss”]]],”giveaway_url”:[0,””],”scope”:[0,””],”sponsor_thumb”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_color”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_url”:[0,””],”standards_ela_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ela_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_6_8″:[0,””],”summary”:[0,”For most people, June 13 — which falls on a Friday this year — will simply signal the start of another weekend. But for the over 20 million Americans — and many more worldwide — who suffer from paraskevidekatriaphobia, it will be the unluckiest day of the year. No one knows how Friday the 13th became so feared. But there are a few theories.”],”published_at”:[3,”2025-06-05T14:12:14.773Z”],”id”:[0,”6816b6ea421aa90011e83c1c”],”url”:[0,”/2025/6/5/is-friday-the-13th-really-unlucky-a-look-at-the-myths-and-facts”],”by_author_text”:[0,”By Kavi Dolasia”],”num_ratings_text”:[0,”0 ratings”],”num_reviews_text”:[0,”0 reviews”]}],[0,{“_id”:[0,{}],”takeover_priority”:[0,0],”overall_rate_count”:[0,0],”kids_rate_count”:[0,0],”librarians_rate_count”:[0,0],”audiences”:[1,[[0,”global”]]],”commentable”:[0,true],”draft”:[0,false],”status”:[0,5],”kind”:[0,0],”related_asins”:[1,[]],”system_ids”:[1,[]],”post_assignment_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ct_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_vc_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ac_count”:[0,0],”image_asset_count”:[0,6],”quiz_count”:[0,1],”published_quiz_count”:[0,-6],”quiz_count_en”:[0,3],”quiz_count_es”:[0,5],”quiz_count_en_mc”:[0,0],”quiz_count_es_mc”:[0,1],”quiz_count_en_pos”:[0,1],”quiz_count_es_pos”:[0,0],”comments_count”:[0,14],”kids_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”kids_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”expand_body”:[0,false],”blacklist”:[0,false],”sponsored”:[0,false],”show_related”:[0,false],”hidden_from_popular”:[0,false],”archived”:[0,false],”publish_to_msn”:[0,false],”has_comments”:[0,true],”has_kids_reviews”:[0,false],”has_librarians_reviews”:[0,false],”_type”:[0,”Post”],”name”:[0,”National Donut Day: A Tasty Tradition”],”user_id”:[0,{}],”categories”:[1,[[0,”total”]]],”slug”:[0,”national-donut-day-a-tasty-tradition”],”slug_date”:[3,”2025-05-30T00:00:00.000Z”],”author”:[0,”Kavi Dolasia”],”updated_at”:[3,”2025-06-11T15:00:57.065Z”],”created_at”:[3,”2025-04-14T21:01:25.274Z”],”_randomization_key”:[0,0.8898108540445078],”location”:[0,{“_id”:[0,{}]}],”audio_out_of_sync”:[0,true],”body”:[0,”

National Donut Day is celebrated on the first Friday of June (Credit: DOGOnews.com)

n n

Need an excuse to eat a donut? Then, you will be happy to know that June 6 2025, is National Donut Day. This makes it your civic duty to indulge in the fried treat. The sweet holiday is celebrated annually on the first Friday of June. It was created by the Salvation Army to raise funds for those in need.

n n

The Salvation Army’s connection to donuts began in 1917 during World War I. A group of female volunteers went to France to help American soldiers. To lift the spirits of the homesick troops, they used the limited supplies — flour, sugar, milk and lard — to make donuts.

n n

With no rolling pins or donut cutters, the women got creative. They shaped the donuts by hand and, according to popular accounts, fried them in a soldier’s helmet. The volunteers made just a few hundred donuts each day at first. But the smell of fresh donuts brought comfort to the soldiers.

n n

The original recipe used by the donut lassies (Credit: Salvationarmyhouston.org)

n n

Once fully equipped, the “Donut Lassies” made as many as 9,000 donuts a day. The treat became a lasting symbol of The Salvation Army’s support for American troops. The non-profit also used it to comfort soldiers during World War II (1939-1945) and the Vietnam War (1955-1975).

n n

In 1938, The Salvation Army’s Chicago branch held a fundraiser selling donuts made from the original WWI recipe. The goal was to help those affected by the Great Depression. The successful event led to the creation of National Donut Day.

n n

Today, many donut shops join the celebration by giving free or discounted treats. Chains like Krispy Kreme and LaMar’s Donuts usually give a free donut to every customer. Dunkin’ often offers a free donut with the purchase of a drink.

n n

The donut lassies served as many as 9,000 donuts daily (Credit: Salvationarmyusa.org)

n n

National Donut Day is not the only celebration for donut fans. There is also National Jelly-Filled Donut Day on June 8, Cream-Filled Donut Day on September 14, and Donut Appreciation Day on November 5. With so many chances to indulge, it is no wonder Americans eat over 10 billion donuts — about 33 per person — each year!

n n

Donuts are a beloved American treat, but similar fried sweets can be found around the world. In India, people enjoy jalebi, a syrupy spiral-shaped dessert. Tunisians have yoyos — pastries soaked in honey. Indonesia’s donut kentang is made with mashed potatoes and dusted with powdered sugar. That means you can celebrate the sweet holiday no matter where you live!

n n

Happy National Donut Day!

n n

Resources: Wikipedia.org, SalvationArmy.org

n n

n”],”buy_link”:[0,””],”geo”:[1,[]],”plaintext_md5″:[0,”be932345cd191be6f11333e581df467f”],”thumb”:[0,”https://cdn4.dogonews.com/images/681bbfa6-7585-4d14-87a5-4145fa1b7e39/chatgpt-image-apr-15-2025-03_01_08-pm.png”],”vocab”:[1,[[0,”according”],[0,”beloved”],[0,”celebrate”],[0,”celebrated”],[0,”civic”],[0,”comfort”],[0,”creation”],[0,”creative”],[0,”discounted”],[0,”equipped”],[0,”great depression”],[0,”homesick”],[0,”indulge”],[0,”lard”],[0,”limited”],[0,”popular”],[0,”powdered”],[0,”raise”],[0,”similar”],[0,”spiral”],[0,”spirits”],[0,”support”],[0,”symbol”],[0,”treat”],[0,”volunteers”]]],”num_videos”:[0,1],”num_images”:[0,3],”word_count”:[0,407],”edu_tags”:[1,[]],”giveaway_url”:[0,””],”scope”:[0,””],”sponsor_thumb”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_color”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_url”:[0,””],”standards_ela_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ela_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_6_8″:[0,””],”summary”:[0,”Need an excuse to eat a donut? Then, you will be happy to know that June 6 2025, is National Donut Day. This makes it your civic duty to indulge in the fried treat. The sweet holiday is celebrated annually on the first Friday of June. It was created by the Salvation Army to raise funds for those in need.”],”published_at”:[3,”2025-05-30T15:53:17.663Z”],”id”:[0,”67fd77a5421aa9001101cbbd”],”url”:[0,”/2025/5/30/national-donut-day-a-tasty-tradition”],”by_author_text”:[0,”By Kavi Dolasia”],”num_ratings_text”:[0,”0 ratings”],”num_reviews_text”:[0,”0 reviews”]}],[0,{“_id”:[0,{}],”takeover_priority”:[0,0],”overall_rate_count”:[0,0],”kids_rate_count”:[0,0],”librarians_rate_count”:[0,0],”audiences”:[1,[[0,”global”]]],”commentable”:[0,true],”draft”:[0,false],”status”:[0,5],”kind”:[0,0],”related_asins”:[1,[]],”system_ids”:[1,[]],”post_assignment_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ct_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_vc_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ac_count”:[0,0],”image_asset_count”:[0,5],”quiz_count”:[0,1],”published_quiz_count”:[0,-6],”quiz_count_en”:[0,3],”quiz_count_es”:[0,5],”quiz_count_en_mc”:[0,0],”quiz_count_es_mc”:[0,1],”quiz_count_en_pos”:[0,1],”quiz_count_es_pos”:[0,0],”comments_count”:[0,9],”kids_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”kids_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”expand_body”:[0,false],”blacklist”:[0,false],”sponsored”:[0,false],”show_related”:[0,false],”hidden_from_popular”:[0,false],”archived”:[0,false],”publish_to_msn”:[0,false],”has_comments”:[0,true],”has_kids_reviews”:[0,false],”has_librarians_reviews”:[0,false],”_type”:[0,”Post”],”name”:[0,”Chimpanzees Use Smart Tool Tricks To Catch Bugs”],”user_id”:[0,{}],”categories”:[1,[[0,”science”],[0,”environment”],[0,”total”]]],”slug”:[0,”chimpanzees-use-smart-tool-tricks-to-catch-bugs”],”slug_date”:[3,”2025-06-04T00:00:00.000Z”],”author”:[0,”Shariqua Ahmed”],”updated_at”:[3,”2025-06-13T18:10:28.446Z”],”created_at”:[3,”2025-03-29T18:50:36.163Z”],”_randomization_key”:[0,0.7691919982096288],”location”:[0,{“_id”:[0,{}]}],”audio_out_of_sync”:[0,true],”body”:[0,”

A Gombe chimpanzee using a termite fishing tool (Credit: Dr. Alejandra Pascual-Garrido)

n n

Chimpanzees are well known for their intelligence, especially in using tools to hunt and gather food. Now, new research on chimps at Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania, Africa, suggests these clever primates are not just tool users — they may also be natural engineers.

n n

The chimps at Gombe often feed on termites. These insects are rich in energy and protein, making them an important food source. But getting to them can be tricky, as they live inside mounds with long, narrow, winding tunnels. The chimps carefully draw them out using thin plant stems or twigs as tools.

n n

An artist’s rendition of a chimp thinking about the best tool to use (Credit: Dr. Alejandra Pascual-Garrido et.al)

n n

This behavior is impressive on its own. But what caught the attention of the team, led by Dr. Alejandra Pascual-Garrido at the University of Oxford was how selective the chimps were. Instead of grabbing any twig that lay close by, the apes looked for specific ones. This made the researchers wonder if the chimps had learned to pick flexible sticks that could move through the twisted tunnels without breaking.

n n

To test this idea, the team collected over 500 specimens from various plants and measured their flexibility. They found that the twigs or stems picked by the chimps were significantly more flexible than the ones they ignored. The chimps also trimmed the stems to match the tunnel size. On average, their “tools” were about 12 inches (30 cm) long and between 2 and 4 mm thick — ideal for termite fishing.

n n

A female chimp at Gombe eating termites using a tool alongside her infant (Credit: Dr Alejandra Pascual-Garrido)

n n

The tool selection and preparation were not unique to the chimps at Gombe. Apes living thousands of miles away used similar hunting techniques. The plant species varied depending on the chimps’ location, but they were all flexible enough to do the job. This suggests that tool-making skills may be deeply rooted in their culture. Scientists refer to this as “folk physics” — an instinctive understanding of how different materials behave and which ones work best.

n n

But it is not all instinct either. At Gombe, researchers observed young chimps watching their mothers fish for termites. They then copied what they saw and even reused tools left behind by others. Over time, these choices became part of how they learned and passed on knowledge.

n n

The researchers published their findings in the journal iScience on March 24, 2025. They wrote, “This finding has important implications for understanding how humans might have evolved their remarkable tool using abilities.”

n n

Resources: eurekaalert.org, Zmescience.com, Earth.com

n n

n”],”buy_link”:[0,””],”geo”:[1,[]],”plaintext_md5″:[0,”3222085a3c6b610580cdfdd4477a3ea5″],”thumb”:[0,”https://cdn4.dogonews.com/images/164ed2b8-fdd5-4ee4-ab0d-d8ed41eb804e/chimppublic.jpeg”],”vocab”:[1,[[0,”attention”],[0,”average”],[0,”culture”],[0,”draw”],[0,”energy”],[0,”evolved”],[0,”fishing”],[0,”flexible”],[0,”gather”],[0,”implications”],[0,”important”],[0,”impressive”],[0,”instinctive”],[0,”intelligence”],[0,”knowledge”],[0,”location”],[0,”materials”],[0,”measured”],[0,”mounds”],[0,”narrow”],[0,”natural”],[0,”observed”],[0,”preparation”],[0,”primates”],[0,”protein”],[0,”remarkable”],[0,”significantly”],[0,”specific”],[0,”specimens”],[0,”techniques”],[0,”termites”],[0,”unique”],[0,”varied”],[0,”winding”],[0,”wonder”]]],”num_videos”:[0,1],”num_images”:[0,3],”word_count”:[0,391],”summary”:[0,”Chimpanzees are well known for their intelligence, especially in using tools to hunt and gather food. Now, new research on chimps at Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania, Africa, suggests these clever primates are not just tool users — they may also be natural engineers.”],”edu_tags”:[1,[[0,”ccss_ela_ngss”]]],”giveaway_url”:[0,””],”scope”:[0,””],”sponsor_thumb”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_color”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_url”:[0,””],”standards_ela_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ela_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_6_8″:[0,””],”published_at”:[3,”2025-06-04T07:13:56.787Z”],”id”:[0,”67e840fc421aa9001142505d”],”url”:[0,”/2025/6/4/chimpanzees-use-smart-tool-tricks-to-catch-bugs”],”by_author_text”:[0,”By Shariqua Ahmed”],”num_ratings_text”:[0,”0 ratings”],”num_reviews_text”:[0,”0 reviews”]}],[0,{“_id”:[0,{}],”takeover_priority”:[0,0],”overall_rate_count”:[0,0],”kids_rate_count”:[0,0],”librarians_rate_count”:[0,0],”audiences”:[1,[[0,”global”]]],”commentable”:[0,true],”draft”:[0,false],”status”:[0,5],”kind”:[0,0],”related_asins”:[1,[]],”system_ids”:[1,[]],”post_assignment_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ct_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_vc_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ac_count”:[0,0],”image_asset_count”:[0,5],”quiz_count”:[0,1],”published_quiz_count”:[0,-6],”quiz_count_en”:[0,3],”quiz_count_es”:[0,5],”quiz_count_en_mc”:[0,0],”quiz_count_es_mc”:[0,1],”quiz_count_en_pos”:[0,1],”quiz_count_es_pos”:[0,0],”comments_count”:[0,25],”kids_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”kids_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”expand_body”:[0,false],”blacklist”:[0,false],”sponsored”:[0,false],”show_related”:[0,false],”hidden_from_popular”:[0,false],”archived”:[0,false],”publish_to_msn”:[0,false],”has_comments”:[0,true],”has_kids_reviews”:[0,false],”has_librarians_reviews”:[0,false],”_type”:[0,”Post”],”name”:[0,”World’s Shortest And Tallest Dogs Meet For A Playdate”],”user_id”:[0,{}],”categories”:[1,[[0,”world”],[0,”fun”],[0,”total”]]],”slug”:[0,”worlds-shortest-and-tallest-dogs-meet-for-a-playdate”],”slug_date”:[3,”2025-05-29T00:00:00.000Z”],”author”:[0,”Kavi Dolasia”],”updated_at”:[3,”2025-06-12T18:51:39.423Z”],”created_at”:[3,”2025-05-02T20:04:53.801Z”],”_randomization_key”:[0,0.7835000027680424],”location”:[0,{“_id”:[0,{}]}],”audio_out_of_sync”:[0,true],”body”:[0,”

Pearl and Reggie on their playdate (Credit: Guinness World Records/ CC-BY-SA-2.0)

n n

At first glance, Reginald (Reggie), the world’s tallest living dog, and Pearl, the world’s smallest dog, seem like an unlikely pair. The seven-year-old Great Dane from Idaho Falls measures 3.3 feet (1 m) tall, while the four-year-old Chihuahua from Florida stands just 3.59 inches (9.1 cm) high. But a recent playdate showed that when it comes to friendship, size does not really matter.

n n

The fun meet-up, organized by Guinness World Records officials, took place in early April 2025. To spare Reggie the hassle of flying, Pearl and her owner, Vanesa Semler, traveled to Idaho Falls. Reggie’s owner, Sam Johnson Reiss, was apprehensive about how the dogs would react to each other. But she need not have worried. Reggie and Pearl hit it off right away, tails wagging as they sniffed each other in greeting.

n n

The dogs spent the day exploring the house and backyard (Credit: Guinness World Records/ CC-BY-SA-2.0)

n n

To help the dogs adjust, Sam placed both on a couch. Reggie quickly flopped down to Pearl’s eye level in a gentle, friendly gesture. Once the formal introduction was done, the dogs were let loose. The pair spent the day exploring the house and backyard, with Pearl dashing back and forth around Reggie’s massive legs. At the end of the day, the exhausted pooches settled back on the couch with their owners and promptly fell asleep.

n n

Meanwhile, Sam and Vanesa compared notes and realized their pets had more in common than expected. Pearl is definitely a fashionista. According to Vanesa, she picks her daily outfits, which include dresses, two-piece sets, designer jackets like Gucci, sparkly collars, sunglasses, and hats. She even travels in a Louis Vuitton bag and gets her nails painted. But Reggie is no slouch either — he also loves dressing up and has a few favorite sweaters.

n n

Pearl loves to dress up (Credit: Guinness World Records/ CC-BY-SA-2.0)

n n

The Chihuahua and the Great Dane share another trait — they are both high maintenance. Despite her tiny size, Pearl is vocal and opinionated, often “telling” her owner exactly what she wants. She eats only premium foods like chicken and salmon and loves being the center of attention.

n n

Reggie comes with his own unique demands. He is equally vocal about his needs. The Great Dane eats exclusively from a custom-raised bowl over two feet (61 cm) off the ground and drinks only from his own dedicated sink.

n n

Reggie has his own dedicated sink for water (Credit: Guinness World Records/ CC-BY-SA-2.0)

n n

In the end, both owners agreed their extraordinary dogs are not just pets. They are cherished, irreplaceable members of the family.

n n

“You can see through the photos and the videos the love we have for our pets. They are a part of the family,” said Vanesa. “And they are incredible, truly amazing.”

n n

Resources: Guinness World Records, Washingtonpost.com

n n

n”],”buy_link”:[0,””],”geo”:[1,[]],”plaintext_md5″:[0,”eec314a5634f3ce822d75fc788679af9″],”thumb”:[0,”https://cdn4.dogonews.com/images/0b6bd7e3-e8b3-43a3-aff8-ab4f85a6da00/tallest-smallest-dogs-header.jpeg”],”vocab”:[1,[[0,”adjust”],[0,”apprehensive”],[0,”attention”],[0,”cherished”],[0,”chihuahua”],[0,”dedicated”],[0,”designer”],[0,”exclusively”],[0,”exhausted”],[0,”extraordinary”],[0,”fashionista”],[0,”formal”],[0,”forth”],[0,”gesture”],[0,”great dane”],[0,”greeting”],[0,”hassle”],[0,”incredible”],[0,”introduction”],[0,”massive”],[0,”organized”],[0,”premium”],[0,”promptly”],[0,”slouch”],[0,”trait”],[0,”unique”],[0,”vocal”]]],”num_videos”:[0,1],”num_images”:[0,4],”word_count”:[0,428],”edu_tags”:[1,[[0,”ccss_ela”]]],”giveaway_url”:[0,””],”scope”:[0,””],”sponsor_thumb”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_color”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_url”:[0,””],”standards_ela_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ela_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_6_8″:[0,””],”summary”:[0,”At first glance, Reginald (Reggie), the world’s tallest living dog, and Pearl, the world’s smallest dog, seem like an unlikely pair. The seven-year-old Great Dane from Idaho Falls measures 3.3 feet (1 m) tall, while the four-year-old Chihuahua from Florida stands just 3.59 inches (9.1 cm) high. But a recent playdate showed that when it comes to friendship, size does not really matter.”],”published_at”:[3,”2025-05-29T07:17:39.254Z”],”id”:[0,”68152565421aa90011e4a7c5″],”url”:[0,”/2025/5/29/worlds-shortest-and-tallest-dogs-meet-for-a-playdate”],”by_author_text”:[0,”By Kavi Dolasia”],”num_ratings_text”:[0,”0 ratings”],”num_reviews_text”:[0,”0 reviews”]}],[0,{“_id”:[0,{}],”takeover_priority”:[0,0],”overall_rate_count”:[0,0],”kids_rate_count”:[0,0],”librarians_rate_count”:[0,0],”audiences”:[1,[[0,”global”]]],”commentable”:[0,true],”draft”:[0,false],”status”:[0,5],”kind”:[0,0],”related_asins”:[1,[]],”system_ids”:[1,[]],”post_assignment_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ct_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_vc_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ac_count”:[0,0],”image_asset_count”:[0,3],”quiz_count”:[0,1],”published_quiz_count”:[0,-4],”quiz_count_en”:[0,3],”quiz_count_es”:[0,5],”quiz_count_en_mc”:[0,0],”quiz_count_es_mc”:[0,1],”quiz_count_en_pos”:[0,1],”quiz_count_es_pos”:[0,0],”comments_count”:[0,10],”kids_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”kids_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”expand_body”:[0,false],”blacklist”:[0,false],”sponsored”:[0,false],”show_related”:[0,false],”hidden_from_popular”:[0,false],”archived”:[0,false],”publish_to_msn”:[0,false],”has_comments”:[0,true],”has_kids_reviews”:[0,false],”has_librarians_reviews”:[0,false],”_type”:[0,”Post”],”name”:[0,”Student-Built Robot Shatters Rubik’s Cube World Record”],”user_id”:[0,{}],”categories”:[1,[[0,”science”],[0,”fun”],[0,”total”]]],”slug”:[0,”student-built-robot-shatters-rubiks-cube-world-record”],”slug_date”:[3,”2025-06-09T00:00:00.000Z”],”author”:[0,”Emily Moulin”],”updated_at”:[3,”2025-06-12T14:19:49.774Z”],”created_at”:[3,”2025-06-03T19:04:09.340Z”],”_randomization_key”:[0,0.9829551250506142],”location”:[0,{“_id”:[0,{}]}],”audio_out_of_sync”:[0,true],”body”:[0,”

A robot set a new record for solving the Rubik’s Cube (Credit: Purdue University)

n n

A robot built by undergraduate students from Indiana’s Purdue University has solved a Rubik’s Cube in an incredible 0.103 seconds. This is about twice as fast as an average human blink. Named “Purdubik’s Cube,” it claimed a new Guinness World Record for the “Fastest robot to solve a rotating puzzle cube” on April 21, 2025. The previous record was held by a robot built in Japan by Mitsubishi Motors engineers in 2024. It completed the task in 0.305 seconds.

n n

The robot’s record-breaking speed can be attributed to powerful hardware combined with clever programming. Purdubik’s Cube sits in a custom 3D-printed case that keeps it locked in place, while six strong motors twist the sides with speed and precision. The cube is reinforced to handle the rapid movements without cracking.

n n

The Purdue team that built the robot (Credit: Purdue University)

n n

On the software side, the robot uses a cube-solving algorithm that lets it turn multiple sides at once, shaving off precious seconds. Two high-speed cameras scan the cube’s colors in just 10 microseconds. Instead of analyzing full images, the robot reads raw color data, helping it plan its moves even faster.

n n

The team, led by Matthew Patrohay, initially created the robot in December 2024 for the Spark Challenge, a design competition at Purdue’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. After winning the event, they decided to optimize its performance further and try for the world record. The rest, as they say, is history.

n n

“I always say that my inspiration was a previous world record holder,” said Patrohay. “Back in high school, I saw a video of MIT students solving the cube in 380 milliseconds. I thought, ‘That’s a really cool project. I’d love to try and beat it someday.’ Now here I am at Purdue—proving we can go even faster.”

n n

Resources: NBCnews.com, engineering.purdue.com, guinnessworldrecords.com

n n

n”],”buy_link”:[0,””],”geo”:[1,[]],”plaintext_md5″:[0,”e7bff373693f255d85cb277eb27d5966″],”thumb”:[0,”https://cdn4.dogonews.com/images/1ddc179c-d49d-4fe3-b76a-ddad5f795694/purdue_rubiksbot1.jpeg”],”vocab”:[1,[[0,”algorithm”],[0,”attributed”],[0,”average”],[0,”blink”],[0,”cracking”],[0,”custom”],[0,”data”],[0,”hardware”],[0,”incredible”],[0,”initially”],[0,”inspiration”],[0,”microseconds”],[0,”multiple”],[0,”optimize”],[0,”performance”],[0,”precious”],[0,”precision”],[0,”previous”],[0,”programming”],[0,”project”],[0,”rapid”],[0,”raw”],[0,”reinforced”],[0,”solve”],[0,”twice”]]],”num_videos”:[0,1],”num_images”:[0,2],”word_count”:[0,294],”summary”:[0,”A robot built by undergraduate students from Indiana’s Purdue University has solved a Rubik’s Cube in an incredible 0.103 seconds. This is about twice as fast as an average human blink. Named “Purdubik’s Cube,” it claimed a new Guinness World Record for the “Fastest robot to solve a rotating puzzle cube” on April 21, 2025. The previous record was held by a robot built in Japan by Mitsubishi Motors engineers in 2024. It completed the task in 0.305 seconds.”],”edu_tags”:[1,[[0,”ccss_ela_ngss”]]],”giveaway_url”:[0,””],”scope”:[0,””],”sponsor_thumb”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_color”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_url”:[0,””],”standards_ela_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ela_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_6_8″:[0,””],”published_at”:[3,”2025-06-09T15:08:59.527Z”],”id”:[0,”683f4729421aa90011893a31″],”url”:[0,”/2025/6/9/student-built-robot-shatters-rubiks-cube-world-record”],”by_author_text”:[0,”By Emily Moulin”],”num_ratings_text”:[0,”0 ratings”],”num_reviews_text”:[0,”0 reviews”]}]]],”topArticlesMonth”:[1,[[0,{“_id”:[0,{}],”takeover_priority”:[0,0],”overall_rate_count”:[0,0],”kids_rate_count”:[0,0],”librarians_rate_count”:[0,0],”audiences”:[1,[[0,”global”]]],”commentable”:[0,true],”draft”:[0,false],”status”:[0,5],”kind”:[0,0],”related_asins”:[1,[]],”system_ids”:[1,[]],”post_assignment_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ct_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_vc_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ac_count”:[0,0],”image_asset_count”:[0,3],”quiz_count”:[0,1],”published_quiz_count”:[0,-6],”quiz_count_en”:[0,3],”quiz_count_es”:[0,6],”quiz_count_en_mc”:[0,0],”quiz_count_es_mc”:[0,1],”quiz_count_en_pos”:[0,1],”quiz_count_es_pos”:[0,0],”comments_count”:[0,34],”kids_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”kids_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”expand_body”:[0,false],”blacklist”:[0,false],”sponsored”:[0,false],”show_related”:[0,false],”hidden_from_popular”:[0,false],”archived”:[0,false],”publish_to_msn”:[0,false],”has_comments”:[0,true],”has_kids_reviews”:[0,false],”has_librarians_reviews”:[0,false],”_type”:[0,”Post”],”name”:[0,”The Ice Bucket Challenge Returns With A New Purpose”],”user_id”:[0,{}],”categories”:[1,[[0,”science”],[0,”world”],[0,”total”]]],”slug”:[0,”the-ice-bucket-challenge-returns-with-a-new-purpose”],”slug_date”:[3,”2025-05-08T00:00:00.000Z”],”author”:[0,”Kavi Dolasia”],”updated_at”:[3,”2025-06-13T17:32:03.610Z”],”created_at”:[3,”2025-05-08T17:33:42.157Z”],”_randomization_key”:[0,0.33925217520686535],”location”:[0,{“_id”:[0,{}]}],”audio_out_of_sync”:[0,true],”body”:[0,”

The 2014 Ice Bucket Challenge raised awareness and funds for ALS (Credit: Hot Gossip Italia/ CC-BY-SA-2.0/ Flickr)

n n

In the summer of 2014, millions of people worldwide dumped buckets of ice water over their heads and challenged others to do the same. But this was not just for fun — they were taking on the Ice Bucket Challenge. The campaign, which went viral on social media, aimed to raise awareness and funds for ALS research, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. It raised an impressive $115 million for the ALS Association in just a few months.

n n

Now, a group of students from the University of South Carolina has revived the challenge with a new purpose. Called #SpeakYourMIND Ice Bucket Challenge, it aims to raise awareness and funds for mental health support and education.

n n

“It started as a random idea, inspired by the original ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and how powerful that movement was,” said Wade Jefferson, founder of the college’s MIND (Mental Illness Needs Discussion) club.

n n

Many children and adults in the US suffer from mental health issues (Credit: Nami.org/ CC-BY-SA-2.0)

n n

Just like the original challenge, the #SpeakYourMIND campaign has gone viral since its launch on March 31, 2025. Celebrities such as former NFL player Peyton Manning and Today show host Jenna Bush Hager have already done it and challenged others to do the same. As of May 8, 2025, Active Minds, a nonprofit focused on youth mental health, has raised over $400,000, and the total continues to grow.

n n

Mental health refers to our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. The World Health Organization estimates that one in seven teenagers worldwide experiences a mental health condition. Common issues include anxiety, depression, and attention problems. These can affect school, friendships, and self-confidence. Hopefully, the #SpeakYourMIND Ice Bucket Challenge will help more young people realize they are not alone and encourage them to seek assistance.

n n

“Just as the original Ice Bucket Challenge did for ALS, this version is turning awareness into action. Beyond the buckets and the contagious videos, it’s about breaking stigma, building community, and making mental health a visible, valued part of everyday conversation,” said Jefferson.

n n

Resources: Guardian.com, support.activeminds.org, Forbes.com

n n

n”],”buy_link”:[0,””],”geo”:[1,[]],”plaintext_md5″:[0,”6302f9a44e6f9cee1a01f0fbbafc5af2″],”summary”:[0,”In the summer of 2014, millions of people worldwide dumped buckets of ice water over their heads and challenged others to do the same. But this was not just for fun — they were taking on the Ice Bucket Challenge. The campaign, which went viral on social media, aimed to raise awareness and funds for ALS research, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. It raised an impressive $115 million for the ALS Association in just a few months.”],”thumb”:[0,”https://cdn4.dogonews.com/images/68dc4ca5-ec43-4c1b-82aa-0487a5a996a3/15038945225_a24fdacb7d_z.jpg”],”vocab”:[1,[[0,”action”],[0,”affect”],[0,”anxiety”],[0,”assistance”],[0,”attention”],[0,”awareness”],[0,”challenge”],[0,”community”],[0,”confidence”],[0,”contagious”],[0,”conversation”],[0,”depression”],[0,”encourage”],[0,”former”],[0,”impressive”],[0,”purpose”],[0,”random”],[0,”realize”],[0,”revived”],[0,”social media”],[0,”stigma”],[0,”version”],[0,”viral”],[0,”visible”],[0,”youth”]]],”num_videos”:[0,1],”num_images”:[0,2],”word_count”:[0,323],”edu_tags”:[1,[[0,”ccss_ela_ngss”]]],”giveaway_url”:[0,””],”scope”:[0,””],”sponsor_thumb”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_color”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_url”:[0,””],”standards_ela_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ela_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_6_8″:[0,””],”published_at”:[3,”2025-05-08T19:00:40.319Z”],”id”:[0,”681ceaf6421aa90011900abb”],”url”:[0,”/2025/5/8/the-ice-bucket-challenge-returns-with-a-new-purpose”],”by_author_text”:[0,”By Kavi Dolasia”],”num_ratings_text”:[0,”0 ratings”],”num_reviews_text”:[0,”0 reviews”]}],[0,{“_id”:[0,{}],”takeover_priority”:[0,0],”overall_rate_count”:[0,0],”kids_rate_count”:[0,0],”librarians_rate_count”:[0,0],”audiences”:[1,[[0,”global”]]],”commentable”:[0,true],”draft”:[0,false],”status”:[0,5],”kind”:[0,0],”related_asins”:[1,[]],”system_ids”:[1,[]],”post_assignment_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ct_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_vc_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ac_count”:[0,0],”image_asset_count”:[0,3],”quiz_count”:[0,1],”published_quiz_count”:[0,-6],”quiz_count_en”:[0,3],”quiz_count_es”:[0,5],”quiz_count_en_mc”:[0,0],”quiz_count_es_mc”:[0,1],”quiz_count_en_pos”:[0,1],”quiz_count_es_pos”:[0,0],”comments_count”:[0,41],”kids_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”kids_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”expand_body”:[0,false],”blacklist”:[0,false],”sponsored”:[0,false],”show_related”:[0,false],”hidden_from_popular”:[0,false],”archived”:[0,false],”publish_to_msn”:[0,false],”has_comments”:[0,true],”has_kids_reviews”:[0,false],”has_librarians_reviews”:[0,false],”_type”:[0,”Post”],”name”:[0,”Oops! Kentucky 2nd Grader Accidentally Orders Over 70,000 Lollipops!”],”user_id”:[0,{}],”categories”:[1,[[0,”world”],[0,”fun”],[0,”total”]]],”slug”:[0,”oops-kentucky-2nd-grader-accidentally-orders-over-70000-lollipops”],”slug_date”:[3,”2025-05-16T00:00:00.000Z”],”author”:[0,”Kavi Dolasia”],”updated_at”:[3,”2025-06-12T15:55:47.613Z”],”created_at”:[3,”2025-05-07T21:11:01.662Z”],”_randomization_key”:[0,0.3034313003731207],”location”:[0,{“_id”:[0,{}]}],”audio_out_of_sync”:[0,true],”body”:[0,”

Eight-year-old Liam LaFavers ordered thirty boxes of Dum-Dums from Amazon by mistake (Credit: Holly LaFavers)

n n

Like many kids, Liam LaFavers sometimes gets to use his mom’s phone as a treat. But instead of watching shows or playing games, the eight-year-old likes browsing Amazon for carnival supplies. He often fills the checkout cart with decorations and prizes, but never buys anything. That changed in early May when Liam accidentally pressed the “buy” button after adding 30 boxes of Dum-Dums to the cart. For those curious, that is over 70,000 lollipops!

n n

Liam’s mistake came to light on May 4, 2025, when his mother, Holly, noticed an Amazon charge for over $4,000 on her account.

n n

“I had just gotten paid, and so when I looked at my bank account and it was in the red, I just immediately panicked,” she told ABC News. “And then looked to see what was causing that, and I saw the $4,200 charge to Amazon. And so immediately looked over at Amazon [to] see what had happened.”

n n

22 boxes of Dum-Dums were delivered before Holly could reject the shipment (Credit: Holly LaFavers)

n n

Holly contacted Amazon to cancel the order, but the shipment was already on its way. She was told to reject the delivery to get a refund. However, the driver dropped off 22 boxes without notifying her. Fortunately, Holly managed to return the remaining eight boxes, which arrived two hours later.

n n

She shared the story on Facebook in an effort to sell the lollipops. To her surprise and delight, people in her hometown of Somerset, Kentucky, stepped up. Within two hours, she had sold all the boxes to local banks and doctors’ offices. But in the end, Holly donated the lollipops instead. Shortly after the story went viral, Amazon reached out and refunded her the full amount.

n n

“We’re glad we were able to work directly with this customer to turn a sticky situation into something sweet,” the company told ABC News.

n n

Holly has changed her phone settings to ensure she never gets a surprise like this again. She also has some advice for parents who find themselves in a similar situation.

n n

“Don’t panic. And I panicked, I can say now that I’m on the other side of it, don’t panic,” she says. “Everything will eventually work out. Just have faith that everything will be OK, because it will be fine, and make sure you lock your phone.”

n n

Resources: goodmorningamerica.com, People.com, Facebook.com

n n

n”],”buy_link”:[0,””],”geo”:[1,[]],”plaintext_md5″:[0,”00ef80da1191a6280bec84cd193499ba”],”thumb”:[0,”https://cdn4.dogonews.com/images/ea9a4a16-7d16-4b49-9c0d-ef1bc5f7b4b9/dum-1-ht-er-250506_1746565316170.jpeg”],”vocab”:[1,[[0,”accidentally”],[0,”account”],[0,”advice”],[0,”browsing”],[0,”cancel”],[0,”curious”],[0,”delight”],[0,”eventually”],[0,”immediately”],[0,”lock”],[0,”mistake”],[0,”panic”],[0,”panicked”],[0,”refund”],[0,”reject”],[0,”return”],[0,”similar”],[0,”surprise”],[0,”treat”]]],”num_videos”:[0,1],”num_images”:[0,2],”word_count”:[0,373],”edu_tags”:[1,[[0,”ccss_ela”]]],”giveaway_url”:[0,””],”scope”:[0,””],”sponsor_thumb”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_color”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_url”:[0,””],”standards_ela_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ela_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_6_8″:[0,””],”summary”:[0,”Like many kids, Liam LaFavers sometimes gets to use his mom’s phone as a treat. But instead of watching shows or playing games, the eight-year-old likes browsing Amazon for carnival supplies. He often fills the checkout cart with decorations and prizes, but never buys anything. That changed in early May when Liam accidentally pressed the “buy” button after adding 30 boxes of Dum-Dums to the cart. For those curious, that is over 70,000 lollipops!”],”published_at”:[3,”2025-05-16T14:40:46.531Z”],”id”:[0,”681bcc65421aa90011905973″],”url”:[0,”/2025/5/16/oops-kentucky-2nd-grader-accidentally-orders-over-70000-lollipops”],”by_author_text”:[0,”By Kavi Dolasia”],”num_ratings_text”:[0,”0 ratings”],”num_reviews_text”:[0,”0 reviews”]}],[0,{“_id”:[0,{}],”takeover_priority”:[0,0],”overall_rate_count”:[0,0],”kids_rate_count”:[0,0],”librarians_rate_count”:[0,0],”audiences”:[1,[[0,”global”]]],”commentable”:[0,true],”draft”:[0,false],”status”:[0,5],”kind”:[0,0],”related_asins”:[1,[]],”system_ids”:[1,[]],”post_assignment_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ct_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_vc_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ac_count”:[0,0],”image_asset_count”:[0,5],”quiz_count”:[0,1],”published_quiz_count”:[0,-6],”quiz_count_en”:[0,3],”quiz_count_es”:[0,5],”quiz_count_en_mc”:[0,0],”quiz_count_es_mc”:[0,1],”quiz_count_en_pos”:[0,1],”quiz_count_es_pos”:[0,0],”comments_count”:[0,21],”kids_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”kids_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”expand_body”:[0,false],”blacklist”:[0,false],”sponsored”:[0,false],”show_related”:[0,false],”hidden_from_popular”:[0,false],”archived”:[0,false],”publish_to_msn”:[0,false],”has_comments”:[0,true],”has_kids_reviews”:[0,false],”has_librarians_reviews”:[0,false],”_type”:[0,”Post”],”name”:[0,”Thriving Ecosystem Discovered Beneath Antarctic Ice”],”user_id”:[0,{}],”categories”:[1,[[0,”science”],[0,”environment”],[0,”total”]]],”slug”:[0,”thriving-ecosystem-discovered-beneath-antarctic-ice”],”slug_date”:[3,”2025-05-15T00:00:00.000Z”],”author”:[0,”Shariqua Ahmed”],”updated_at”:[3,”2025-06-05T14:47:22.536Z”],”created_at”:[3,”2025-04-10T17:31:14.224Z”],”_randomization_key”:[0,0.0280014299803103],”location”:[0,{“_id”:[0,{}]}],”audio_out_of_sync”:[0,true],”body”:[0,”

The seafloor beneath the iceberg was teeming with marine animals like this octopus( Credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute)

n n

For centuries, the world beneath Antarctica’s thick ice shelves remained one of Earth’s greatest unknowns. No one knew what, if anything, lived there. That changed when a massive iceberg, roughly the size of Chicago, unexpectedly broke away. This rare event gave scientists a once-in-a-lifetime chance to explore a part of the planet that had never been seen before.

n n

The iceberg, named A-84, broke off from the George VI Ice Shelf — a vast floating glacier connected to the Antarctic Peninsula — on January 19, 2025. Fortunately, a team of international scientists was in the area aboard the research vessel Falkor (too) on a different mission. They quickly changed course to study the calving event.

n n

The iceberg broke off on January 19, 2025 (Credit: NASA)

n n

“We seized upon the moment, changed our expedition plan, and went for it so we could look at what was happening in the depths below,” said Dr. Patricia Esquete, the expedition’s co-chief scientist.

n n

The team used a remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) to explore the newly exposed area. Over the course of eight days, the ROV collected extensive video footage and data from depths of up to 4,265 feet (1,300 m).

n n

The footage revealed a surprisingly rich ecosystem. The seafloor was teeming with deep-sea life, including giant sea spiders, icefish, octopuses, and a distinctive “helmet” jellyfish. There were also slow-growing cup corals and large sponges. The researchers suspect that some of these animals may be new to science.

n n

“We didn’t expect to find such a beautiful, thriving ecosystem. Based on the size of the animals, the communities we observed have been there for decades, maybe even hundreds of years,” said Dr. Esquete.

n n

A large sponge, a cluster of anemones, and other life thriving on the ocean floor (Credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute)

n n

How these creatures survive under such extreme conditions remains a big mystery. The ice above is nearly 490 feet (150 m) thick, blocking sunlight. It also prevents food from drifting down from the surface. The scientists suspect that ocean currents or melting ice may be transporting nutrients into the area. However, they are not sure of the exact process.

n n

Dr. Esquete and her team, who unveiled the findings on March 20, 2025, are still analyzing the collected data. They believe it will help our understanding of how life can survive in such isolated and extreme environments. These insights could offer clues about where life might exist on icy worlds within our Solar System.

n n

A giant phantom jelly was one of many creatures found in the ocean beneath the iceberg (Credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute)

n n

The newly exposed Antarctic seafloor also allowed researchers to gather data on the George VI ice shelf. This ice shelf has been steadily shrinking and losing mass over the past few decades because of climate change. The data could help scientists better understand how melting ice may affect future sea level rise.

n n

“The ice loss from the Antarctic Ice Sheet is a major contributor to sea level rise worldwide,” said the expedition’s co-chief scientist, Dr. Sasha Montelli.

n n

Resources: Phys.org, Livescience.com, schmidtocean.org

n n

n”],”buy_link”:[0,””],”geo”:[1,[]],”plaintext_md5″:[0,”914683551f574fb79607d382eb469a41″],”thumb”:[0,”https://cdn4.dogonews.com/images/95b37c5c-ef82-44bc-8f1b-74b8326289fd/fkt250110-s0794-20250205t182751z.jpeg”],”vocab”:[1,[[0,”aboard”],[0,”affect”],[0,”analyzing”],[0,”antarctic”],[0,”blocking”],[0,”calving”],[0,”centuries”],[0,”communities”],[0,”contributor”],[0,”course”],[0,”data”],[0,”decades”],[0,”distinctive”],[0,”drifting”],[0,”ecosystem”],[0,”environments”],[0,”exist”],[0,”expedition”],[0,”explore”],[0,”extensive”],[0,”extreme”],[0,”footage”],[0,”insights”],[0,”isolated”],[0,”mass”],[0,”massive”],[0,”rare”],[0,”shrinking”],[0,”solar system”],[0,”suspect”],[0,”teeming”],[0,”thriving”],[0,”unexpectedly”]]],”num_videos”:[0,1],”num_images”:[0,4],”word_count”:[0,461],”summary”:[0,”For centuries, the world beneath Antarctica’s thick ice shelves remained one of Earth’s greatest unknowns. No one knew what, if anything, lived there. That changed when a massive iceberg, roughly the size of Chicago, unexpectedly broke away. This rare event gave scientists a once-in-a-lifetime chance to explore a part of the planet that had never been seen before.”],”edu_tags”:[1,[[0,”ccss_ela_ngss”]]],”giveaway_url”:[0,””],”scope”:[0,””],”sponsor_thumb”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_color”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_url”:[0,””],”standards_ela_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ela_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_6_8″:[0,””],”published_at”:[3,”2025-05-15T14:34:17.902Z”],”id”:[0,”67f80062421aa9001125a84d”],”url”:[0,”/2025/5/15/thriving-ecosystem-discovered-beneath-antarctic-ice”],”by_author_text”:[0,”By Shariqua Ahmed”],”num_ratings_text”:[0,”0 ratings”],”num_reviews_text”:[0,”0 reviews”]}],[0,{“_id”:[0,{}],”takeover_priority”:[0,0],”overall_rate_count”:[0,0],”kids_rate_count”:[0,0],”librarians_rate_count”:[0,0],”audiences”:[1,[[0,”global”]]],”commentable”:[0,true],”draft”:[0,false],”status”:[0,5],”kind”:[0,0],”related_asins”:[1,[]],”system_ids”:[1,[]],”post_assignment_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ct_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_vc_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ac_count”:[0,0],”image_asset_count”:[0,5],”quiz_count”:[0,1],”published_quiz_count”:[0,-4],”quiz_count_en”:[0,3],”quiz_count_es”:[0,5],”quiz_count_en_mc”:[0,0],”quiz_count_es_mc”:[0,1],”quiz_count_en_pos”:[0,1],”quiz_count_es_pos”:[0,0],”comments_count”:[0,31],”kids_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”kids_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”expand_body”:[0,false],”blacklist”:[0,false],”sponsored”:[0,false],”show_related”:[0,false],”hidden_from_popular”:[0,false],”archived”:[0,false],”publish_to_msn”:[0,false],”has_comments”:[0,true],”has_kids_reviews”:[0,false],”has_librarians_reviews”:[0,false],”_type”:[0,”Post”],”name”:[0,”Philadelphia Zoo Celebrates Birth Of Critically Endangered Tortoises”],”user_id”:[0,{}],”categories”:[1,[[0,”science”],[0,”environment”],[0,”total”]]],”slug”:[0,”philadelphia-zoo-celebrates-birth-of-critically-endangered-tortoises”],”slug_date”:[3,”2025-05-06T00:00:00.000Z”],”author”:[0,”Alvaro Aragon”],”updated_at”:[3,”2025-05-29T07:02:38.688Z”],”created_at”:[3,”2025-04-14T16:39:25.529Z”],”_randomization_key”:[0,0.488539941755204],”location”:[0,{“_id”:[0,{}]}],”audio_out_of_sync”:[0,true],”body”:[0,”

Four Western Santa Cruz Galápagos tortoises were born at the Philadelphia Zoo (Credit: Philadelphia Zoo)

n n

On April 23, 2025, the Philadelphia Zoo introduced four female hatchlings of the critically endangered Western Santa Cruz Galápagos tortoises to the public. The new arrivals were named Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia — after characters from the iconic television series The Golden Girls. They are the first of their kind to be born at the zoo in its 150-year history. Prior to this, there were only 44 Western Santa Cruz tortoises in US zoos, including three at Philadelphia.

n n

The tortoises are the offspring of two of the Zoo’s most senior residents, Mommy and Abrazzo, both nearly a century old. Mommy is also the oldest-known first-time mother of her species. Fittingly, the hatchlings made their public debut on the 93rd anniversary of her arrival at the Zoo.

n n

The tortoises are the offspring of Abrazzo (left) and Mommy (right) (Credit: Philadelphia Zoo)

n n

“Mommy arrived at the Zoo in 1932, meaning anyone that has visited the Zoo for the last 92 years has likely seen her. Philadelphia Zoo’s vision is that those hatchlings will be a part of a thriving population of Galapagos tortoises on our healthy planet 100 years from now,” said Zoo president & CEO Dr. Jo-Elle Mogerman.

n n

Mommy weighed just 40 pounds (18 kg) when she arrived from the Galápagos Islands. Today, at around 97 years old, she tips the scales at 284 pounds (128.8 kg). She is considered to be one of the most “genetically valuable” tortoises since her origins can be traced back to her native habitat. Abrazzo, now 96, arrived at the Zoo in 2020 as part of a breeding program and was introduced to Mommy soon after.

n n

The hatchings are the first of their kind to be born at the Zoo (Credit: Philadelphia Zoo)

n n

Since 2023, Mommy laid three clutches of eggs, but none hatched. She finally had success with her fourth clutch of 16 eggs laid in November 2024. The gender of Galápagos tortoise hatchlings is determined by incubation temperature. To ensure a mix, Zoo staff set half the eggs below 81.86° F (27.7° C) to produce males and the other half above 88.8° F (31° C) to produce females. The first egg hatched on February 27, followed by three more. All four hatchlings so far are female.

n n

The young tortoises will remain at the Zoo for at least five years. After that, researchers will decide whether to send them to the Galápagos Islands or other zoos. This will depend on whether there are suitable mates at another zoo. As for Mommy, she may live another 100 years — so more hatchlings could still be in her future!

n n

Mommy has been living at the Zoo since 1932 (Credit: Philadelphia Zoo)

n n

Galápagos tortoises are the largest living species of tortoise. Males can reach 6 feet long (1.8 m) and weigh over 500 pounds (226 kg), while females average around 250 pounds (113 kg). Native to the Galápagos Islands, these gentle giants can live to be between 100 and 200 years old.

n n

Once found in abundance, Galápagos tortoise populations have been decimated by habitat loss, overhunting, and the introduction of predators. Today, 13 species comprising about 20,000 individuals live on the islands. This is a big improvement from the 1970s, when only about 3,000 remained. One of the rarest is the Western Santa Cruz tortoise, with only around 3,400 living in the wild. It is no wonder that the addition of four hatchlings is such a cause for celebration.

n n

Resources: Smithsonianmag.com, Philadelphiazoo.org

n n

n”],”buy_link”:[0,””],”geo”:[1,[]],”plaintext_md5″:[0,”519e4157dfda273c360d031239566c4a”],”thumb”:[0,”https://cdn4.dogonews.com/images/703e8579-53a4-4c3d-880e-40efd3488365/tortoisew9999.jpeg”],”vocab”:[1,[[0,”abundance”],[0,”addition”],[0,”arrival”],[0,”average”],[0,”celebration”],[0,”century”],[0,”characters”],[0,”comprising”],[0,”critically”],[0,”debut”],[0,”decimated”],[0,”depend”],[0,”determined”],[0,”endangered”],[0,”ensure”],[0,”gender”],[0,”genetically”],[0,”gentle”],[0,”habitat”],[0,”hatchlings”],[0,”iconic”],[0,”improvement”],[0,”incubation”],[0,”offspring”],[0,”origins”],[0,”predators”],[0,”prior”],[0,”scales”],[0,”senior”],[0,”species”],[0,”suitable”],[0,”thriving”],[0,”tips”],[0,”vision”]]],”num_videos”:[0,1],”num_images”:[0,4],”word_count”:[0,532],”summary”:[0,”On April 23, 2025, the Philadelphia Zoo introduced four female hatchlings of the critically endangered Western Santa Cruz Galápagos tortoises to the public. The new arrivals were named Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia — after characters from the iconic television series The Golden Girls. They are the first of their kind to be born at the zoo in its 150-year history. Prior to this, there were only 44 Western Santa Cruz tortoises in US zoos, including three at Philadelphia.”],”edu_tags”:[1,[]],”giveaway_url”:[0,””],”scope”:[0,””],”sponsor_thumb”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_color”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_url”:[0,””],”standards_ela_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ela_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_6_8″:[0,””],”published_at”:[3,”2025-05-06T14:14:34.094Z”],”id”:[0,”67fd3a3d421aa900119653e8″],”url”:[0,”/2025/5/6/philadelphia-zoo-celebrates-birth-of-critically-endangered-tortoises”],”by_author_text”:[0,”By Alvaro Aragon”],”num_ratings_text”:[0,”0 ratings”],”num_reviews_text”:[0,”0 reviews”]}],[0,{“_id”:[0,{}],”takeover_priority”:[0,0],”overall_rate_count”:[0,0],”kids_rate_count”:[0,0],”librarians_rate_count”:[0,0],”audiences”:[1,[[0,”global”]]],”commentable”:[0,true],”draft”:[0,false],”status”:[0,5],”kind”:[0,0],”related_asins”:[1,[]],”system_ids”:[1,[]],”post_assignment_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ct_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_vc_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ac_count”:[0,0],”image_asset_count”:[0,4],”quiz_count”:[0,1],”published_quiz_count”:[0,-8],”quiz_count_en”:[0,3],”quiz_count_es”:[0,6],”quiz_count_en_mc”:[0,0],”quiz_count_es_mc”:[0,1],”quiz_count_en_pos”:[0,1],”quiz_count_es_pos”:[0,0],”comments_count”:[0,30],”kids_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”kids_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”expand_body”:[0,false],”blacklist”:[0,false],”sponsored”:[0,false],”show_related”:[0,false],”hidden_from_popular”:[0,false],”archived”:[0,false],”publish_to_msn”:[0,false],”has_comments”:[0,true],”has_kids_reviews”:[0,false],”has_librarians_reviews”:[0,false],”_type”:[0,”Post”],”name”:[0,”Sharks May Not Be Silent After All!”],”user_id”:[0,{}],”categories”:[1,[[0,”science”],[0,”environment”],[0,”total”]]],”slug”:[0,”sharks-may-not-be-silent-after-all”],”slug_date”:[3,”2025-05-01T00:00:00.000Z”],”author”:[0,”John Woo”],”updated_at”:[3,”2025-06-12T15:55:54.902Z”],”created_at”:[3,”2025-04-02T21:31:53.839Z”],”_randomization_key”:[0,0.8581513135127293],”location”:[0,{“_id”:[0,{}]}],”audio_out_of_sync”:[0,true],”body”:[0,”

Rig sharks make clicking sounds when handled (Credit: Paul Caiger/ CC-BY-SA-2.0/ University of Auckland)

n n

Sharks have always been considered silent swimmers. Unlike most fish, these top ocean predators lack sound-producing organs. But recent research suggests this might not be true for all sharks. At least one species produces noise, challenging our understanding of these stealthy hunters.

n n

Carolin Nieder stumbled upon this discovery accidentally while studying rig sharks at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. The marine biologist noticed the sharks would make clicking noises when she handled the animals between lab tests.

n n

“When I first heard the sound, I thought they sounded like electric sparks,” Nieder said.

n n

Curious to know more, Nieder and her team conducted an extensive study of ten juvenile rig sharks in a lab from May 2021 to April 2022. Each day, the researchers moved the shark individually between tanks fitted with recording devices. Each shark was held for 20 seconds. As the animals were being moved, they made short clicking sounds.

n n

Each click lasted just 48 milliseconds. But it was loud, reaching over 152 decibels. This is louder than a balloon popping near your ear! The sounds also spanned a wide range of frequencies, from 2.4 to 18.5 Kilohertz. Most clicks occurred during the first ten seconds of handling. Over time, the sharks stopped making noise entirely.

n n

The shark’s clicks are most likely produced by its teeth (Credit: Carolin Nieder et.al)

n n

“As the animals got used to the daily experimental protocol, they then stopped making the clicks altogether, as if they got used to being in captivity and the experimental routine,” Nieder told CNN. “This led us to consider that maybe we are observing a sound-making behavior rather than a strange artifact.“

n n

Since the sharks have no sound-producing organs, the researchers believe the clicks come from their strong, interlocking teeth snapping together.

n n

Interestingly, the sounds occur at frequencies far above the rig shark’s typical hearing range, which tops out around 800 Hertz. That suggests the clicks are not meant for communication. Instead, they might serve as a distress signal – a reaction to being handled during the experiment. The clicks could also be a defense mechanism. Several predators of rig sharks — like toothed whales — can hear these higher frequencies.

n n

Rig sharks swim in shallow waters (Credit: Lana Young/ CC-BY-SA-2.0/ NIWA)

n n

Nieder and her team published their findings in the journal Royal Society Open Science on March 26, 2025. They plan to continue their research to better understand why rig sharks make clicking sounds. They also want to investigate whether other shark species make similar noises.

n n

Rig sharks, also known as spotted smooth-hounds, are small, slender sharks found around New Zealand and southern Australia. They get their name from the faint white spots along their gray bodies. Unlike many sharks, rigs have flat teeth for crushing crabs, shellfish, and other bottom-dwelling prey. They often swim in shallow waters and are harmless to humans.

n n

Resources: Smithsonianmag.com, CNN.com, NPR.com

n n

n”],”buy_link”:[0,””],”geo”:[1,[]],”plaintext_md5″:[0,”a6166654ba41e05d3db1392c1fd84c3c”],”thumb”:[0,”https://cdn4.dogonews.com/images/efabbc3f-9a3f-4484-896f-2001b4b2cc5e/first-case-of-a-shark.jpeg”],”vocab”:[1,[[0,”artifact”],[0,”captivity”],[0,”communication”],[0,”consider”],[0,”decibels”],[0,”defense”],[0,”devices”],[0,”experimental”],[0,”extensive”],[0,”frequencies”],[0,”gray”],[0,”hertz”],[0,”individually”],[0,”interlocking”],[0,”investigate”],[0,”juvenile”],[0,”kilohertz”],[0,”mechanism”],[0,”organs”],[0,”predators”],[0,”prey”],[0,”protocol”],[0,”range”],[0,”shallow”],[0,”similar”],[0,”slender”],[0,”spanned”],[0,”species”],[0,”stealthy”],[0,”understand”]]],”num_videos”:[0,1],”num_images”:[0,3],”word_count”:[0,452],”summary”:[0,”Sharks have always been considered silent swimmers. Unlike most fish, these top ocean predators lack sound-producing organs. But recent research suggests this might not be true for all sharks. At least one species produces noise, challenging our understanding of these stealthy hunters.”],”edu_tags”:[1,[[0,”ccss_ela_ngss”]]],”giveaway_url”:[0,””],”scope”:[0,””],”sponsor_thumb”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_color”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_url”:[0,””],”standards_ela_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ela_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_6_8″:[0,””],”published_at”:[3,”2025-05-01T14:32:02.445Z”],”id”:[0,”67edacc9421aa90011fd6456″],”url”:[0,”/2025/5/1/sharks-may-not-be-silent-after-all”],”by_author_text”:[0,”By John Woo”],”num_ratings_text”:[0,”0 ratings”],”num_reviews_text”:[0,”0 reviews”]}]]],”topArticlesAllTime”:[1,[[0,{“_id”:[0,{}],”takeover_priority”:[0,0],”overall_rate_count”:[0,0],”kids_rate_count”:[0,0],”librarians_rate_count”:[0,0],”audiences”:[1,[[0,”global”]]],”commentable”:[0,true],”draft”:[0,false],”status”:[0,5],”kind”:[0,0],”related_asins”:[1,[]],”system_ids”:[1,[]],”post_assignment_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ct_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_vc_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ac_count”:[0,0],”image_asset_count”:[0,4],”quiz_count”:[0,1],”published_quiz_count”:[0,-4],”quiz_count_en”:[0,3],”quiz_count_es”:[0,5],”quiz_count_en_mc”:[0,0],”quiz_count_es_mc”:[0,1],”quiz_count_en_pos”:[0,1],”quiz_count_es_pos”:[0,0],”comments_count”:[0,203],”kids_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”kids_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”expand_body”:[0,false],”blacklist”:[0,false],”sponsored”:[0,false],”show_related”:[0,false],”hidden_from_popular”:[0,false],”archived”:[0,false],”publish_to_msn”:[0,false],”has_comments”:[0,true],”has_kids_reviews”:[0,false],”has_librarians_reviews”:[0,false],”_type”:[0,”Post”],”name”:[0,”Duct-Taped Banana “Art” Sells For Over $6 Million!”],”user_id”:[0,{}],”categories”:[1,[[0,”world”],[0,”fun”],[0,”total”]]],”slug”:[0,”duct-taped-banana-art-sells-for-over-6-dollars-million”],”slug_date”:[3,”2024-12-10T00:00:00.000Z”],”author”:[0,”Kavi Dolasia”],”updated_at”:[3,”2025-06-09T13:55:50.970Z”],”created_at”:[3,”2024-12-08T16:43:49.356Z”],”_randomization_key”:[0,0.3415346765193561],”location”:[0,{“_id”:[0,{}]}],”audio_out_of_sync”:[0,true],”body”:[0,”

A banana duct-taped to a wall sold for $6.2 million on November 20, 2024 (Credit: Sotheby’s/ CC-BY-SA-2.0)

n n

“Comedian,” a conceptual artwork featuring a banana duct-taped to a wall, fetched an astounding $6.2 million at a Sotheby’s auction on November 20, 2024. Bidding began at $800,000 and quickly surged to $4 million and then $5.2 million, plus $1 million in auction fees. The final price surpassed the $1.2 million pre-auction estimate for the artwork.

n n

Created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, “Comedian” sparked widespread controversy when it debuted at Miami’s Art Basel in 2019. Cattelan explained that the piece explored how society assigns value to everyday objects. He had initially thought of crafting a banana using resin or bronze. However, the artist ultimately chose a real banana to convey his message. The artwork gained even more fame after a visitor ate the banana, forcing officials to replace it with a backup.

n n

Its immense popularity drew large crowds. Concerned the visitors might damage other artworks”Comedian“ was eventually removed from public display. However, three editions of the artwork were sold at the time for prices ranging from $120,000 to $150,000 each. One of these was later donated to the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. It remains unclear which edition was auctioned on November 20.

n n

Regardless, five years later, Chinese-born entrepreneur Justin Sun paid over 40 times the highest original price for “Comedian“. The artwork’s value was not in the banana itself, which had been purchased earlier that day for just 35 cents. Instead, its worth lies in the certificate of authenticity. It grants Sun the right to duct tape a banana to a wall and call it “Comedian.” He also received installation instructions, including how to replace the fruit whenever it rots.

n n

Sun said. “[The artwork] represents a cultural phenomenon that bridges the worlds of art, memes, and the cryptocurrency community.”

n n

“Additionally, in the coming days, I will personally eat the banana as part of this unique artistic experience, honoring its place in both art history and popular culture.” he remarked.

n n

Sun made good on this promise by devouring the fruit in a press conference held in Hong Kong on November 29, 2024.

n n

“It’s much better than other bananas,” Sun told reporters. “It’s really quite good.”

n n

Since the sale, a kind Samaritan has helped raise over $19,000 to support the New York fruit vendor whose banana was used in the auction.

n n

Resources: NPR.org, Smithsonianmag.com, CNN.com

n n

n”],”buy_link”:[0,””],”geo”:[1,[]],”plaintext_md5″:[0,”cc07b92c9eb2f5210414727da02f55e9″],”thumb”:[0,”https://cdn4.dogonews.com/images/a17fefb8-1fb6-481d-9a10-7f07a5e43c26/84448401_173271226346388_r.jpeg”],”vocab”:[1,[[0,”astounding”],[0,”auction”],[0,”authenticity”],[0,”bidding”],[0,”bridges”],[0,”bronze”],[0,”community”],[0,”conceptual”],[0,”controversy”],[0,”convey”],[0,”damage”],[0,”debuted”],[0,”devouring”],[0,”display”],[0,”duct”],[0,”editions”],[0,”entrepreneur”],[0,”estimate”],[0,”eventually”],[0,”experience”],[0,”fame”],[0,”featuring”],[0,”immense”],[0,”installation”],[0,”phenomenon”],[0,”popular”],[0,”resin”],[0,”samaritan”],[0,”surpassed”],[0,”ultimately”],[0,”unique”],[0,”vendor”],[0,”visitor”],[0,”widespread”]]],”num_videos”:[0,2],”num_images”:[0,1],”word_count”:[0,384],”edu_tags”:[1,[[0,”ccss_ela”]]],”giveaway_url”:[0,””],”scope”:[0,””],”sponsor_thumb”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_color”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_url”:[0,””],”standards_ela_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ela_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_6_8″:[0,””],”summary”:[0,””Comedian,” a conceptual artwork featuring a banana duct-taped to a wall, fetched an astounding $6.2 million at a Sotheby’s auction on November 20, 2024. Bidding began at $800,000 and quickly surged to $4 million and then $5.2 million, plus $1 million in auction fees. The final price surpassed the $1.2 million pre-auction estimate for the artwork.”],”published_at”:[3,”2024-12-10T17:26:05.238Z”],”id”:[0,”6755ccc5421aa90011b3d8e0″],”url”:[0,”/2024/12/10/duct-taped-banana-art-sells-for-over-6-dollars-million”],”by_author_text”:[0,”By Kavi Dolasia”],”num_ratings_text”:[0,”0 ratings”],”num_reviews_text”:[0,”0 reviews”]}],[0,{“_id”:[0,{}],”takeover_priority”:[0,0],”overall_rate_count”:[0,0],”kids_rate_count”:[0,0],”librarians_rate_count”:[0,0],”audiences”:[1,[[0,”global”]]],”commentable”:[0,true],”draft”:[0,false],”status”:[0,5],”kind”:[0,0],”related_asins”:[1,[]],”system_ids”:[1,[]],”post_assignment_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ct_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_vc_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ac_count”:[0,0],”image_asset_count”:[0,9],”quiz_count”:[0,1],”published_quiz_count”:[0,-5],”quiz_count_en”:[0,3],”quiz_count_es”:[0,5],”quiz_count_en_mc”:[0,0],”quiz_count_es_mc”:[0,1],”quiz_count_en_pos”:[0,1],”quiz_count_es_pos”:[0,0],”comments_count”:[0,132],”kids_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”kids_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”expand_body”:[0,false],”blacklist”:[0,false],”sponsored”:[0,false],”show_related”:[0,false],”hidden_from_popular”:[0,false],”archived”:[0,false],”publish_to_msn”:[0,false],”has_comments”:[0,true],”has_kids_reviews”:[0,false],”has_librarians_reviews”:[0,false],”_type”:[0,”Post”],”name”:[0,”Moo Deng And Pesto Are Stealing Hearts Online!”],”user_id”:[0,{}],”categories”:[1,[[0,”science”],[0,”fun”],[0,”total”]]],”slug”:[0,”moo-deng-and-pesto-are-stealing-hearts-online”],”slug_date”:[3,”2024-09-30T00:00:00.000Z”],”author”:[0,”Marcela Bonet”],”updated_at”:[3,”2025-06-05T14:47:21.719Z”],”created_at”:[3,”2024-09-24T21:19:51.733Z”],”_randomization_key”:[0,0.38084461318226126],”location”:[0,{“_id”:[0,{}]}],”audio_out_of_sync”:[0,true],”body”:[0,”

Moo Deng resides at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand (Credit: Khao Kheow Open Zoo/ Facebook/ CC-BY-SA-2.0)

n n

The Internet’s newest celebrities are two adorable zoo animals from opposite corners of the world. Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippo, resides in Thailand, while Pesto, an unusually large king penguin chick, calls Australia home.

n n

Moo Deng

n n

Moo Deng was born at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Si Racha, Thailand, on July 10, 2024. She is the seventh offspring of the zoo’s pygmy hippo pair, Jona and Tony. The young hippo, whose name means “bouncy pig” in Thai, captured hearts worldwide after zoo officials shared her playful antics on social media. Videos of Moo Deng nibbling on her zookeeper’s knee, mimicking her mother, Jona, and squealing during bath time have gone viral.

n n

Moo Deng’s playful antics have made her an Internet star (Credit: Khao Kheow Open Zoo/ Facebook/ CC-BY-SA-2.0)

n n

The young hippo’s irresistible charm extends beyond her playful nature. Her glossy skin and rosy cheeks have inspired several TikTok beauty tutorials. They even prompted cosmetics retailer Sephora to suggest how to “wear blush like a baby hippo” on social media.

n n

Her fame is bringing much-needed attention to the endangered pygmy hippos. The world’s smallest species of hippos were once found in abundance in West African countries such as Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Ivory Coast. However, their numbers have declined dramatically due to poaching and loss of habitat. As of 2015, only 2,000 — 2,500 adult pygmy hippos remained in the wild.

n n

n n n n

Pesto

n n

Pesto, a baby king penguin at Australia’s Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium, has gained worldwide attention for being unusually large. The nine-month-old weighs an astonishing 52 pounds (23 kg). This is more than twice the combined weight of his foster parents, Tango and Hudson, who each weigh about 24 pounds (10.8 kg). Standing at three feet tall (91 cm), Pesto is also taller than both of them. Michelle Smale, who has cared for the chocolate-brown bird since he hatched, says Pesto is the largest chick the aquarium has ever seen.

n n

Pesto weighs more than both his parents combined (Credit: Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium/ CC-BY-SA-2.0)

n n

It is normal for penguin chicks to gain weight during their early months. But Pesto’s growth spurt has been particularly dramatic. Jacinta Early, the aquarium’s marine biologist, credits Pesto’s giant size to good genes and a healthy appetite. His biological father, Blake, is one of the largest and oldest penguins at the aquarium, weighing around 39 pounds (17 kg). Pesto also devours more than 30 fish a day — twice as much as the average adult penguin. Most of his bulk, however, comes from his thick, fluffy coat of baby feathers.

n n

“If I poked him, my entire finger would completely [disappear] deep in his feathers,” Early said.

n n

In a few months, Pesto will begin shedding his fluffy coat. It will be replaced by the sleek black, white, and orange plumage typical of adult king penguins.

n n

“He’s going to start losing that adorable baby fluff,” says Early. “It might take him one to two months to fully shed it. Then he’ll be sleek and streamlined.”

n n

A large part of Pesto’s weight is due to his baby feathers (Credit: Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium/ CC-BY-SA-2.0)

n n

Aquarium officials expect Pesto to eventually slim down to around 33 pounds (15 kg). But they believe he will always be a “big boy,” towering over the facility’s other resident king penguins.

n n

King penguins typically weigh between 31 and 37 pounds (14 and 17 kg). Standing 33 to 37 inches (84 to 94 cm) tall, they are one of the largest penguin species, second only to the emperor penguin. In the wild, king penguins can be found on Antarctic and subantarctic islands. Ecologists estimate there are over two million breeding pairs of king penguins in the wild, and their numbers are steadily increasing.

n n

Resources: CNN.com, NBCnews.com, smithsonianmag.com, NPR.com

n n

n”],”buy_link”:[0,””],”geo”:[1,[]],”plaintext_md5″:[0,”4578f4777369e1663489d58bd3e1644f”],”thumb”:[0,”https://cdn4.dogonews.com/images/bfb9dde3-fc2b-49e1-bb75-c11955881cf6/gxnyjdsxcaaukkk.jpeg”],”vocab”:[1,[[0,”adorable”],[0,”antics”],[0,”appetite”],[0,”astonishing”],[0,”attention”],[0,”average”],[0,”biological”],[0,”bulk”],[0,”celebrities”],[0,”chick”],[0,”combined”],[0,”declined”],[0,”devours”],[0,”dramatic”],[0,”ecologists”],[0,”endangered”],[0,”eventually”],[0,”fame”],[0,”fluffy”],[0,”foster”],[0,”genes”],[0,”habitat”],[0,”inspired”],[0,”mimicking”],[0,”nature”],[0,”offspring”],[0,”plumage”],[0,”poaching”],[0,”resides”],[0,”sleek”],[0,”spurt”],[0,”streamlined”],[0,”tutorials”],[0,”viral”],[0,”weigh”]]],”num_videos”:[0,2],”num_images”:[0,4],”word_count”:[0,574],”summary”:[0,”The Internet’s newest celebrities are two adorable zoo animals from opposite corners of the world. Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippo, resides in Thailand, while Pesto, an unusually large king penguin chick, calls Australia home.”],”edu_tags”:[1,[[0,”ccss_ela_ngss”]]],”giveaway_url”:[0,””],”scope”:[0,””],”sponsor_thumb”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_color”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_url”:[0,””],”standards_ela_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ela_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_6_8″:[0,””],”published_at”:[3,”2024-09-30T16:48:34.408Z”],”id”:[0,”66f32cf7421aa90011b93b5d”],”url”:[0,”/2024/9/30/moo-deng-and-pesto-are-stealing-hearts-online”],”by_author_text”:[0,”By Marcela Bonet”],”num_ratings_text”:[0,”0 ratings”],”num_reviews_text”:[0,”0 reviews”]}],[0,{“_id”:[0,{}],”takeover_priority”:[0,0],”overall_rate_count”:[0,0],”kids_rate_count”:[0,0],”librarians_rate_count”:[0,0],”audiences”:[1,[[0,”global”]]],”commentable”:[0,true],”draft”:[0,false],”status”:[0,5],”kind”:[0,0],”related_asins”:[1,[]],”system_ids”:[1,[]],”post_assignment_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ct_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_vc_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ac_count”:[0,0],”image_asset_count”:[0,4],”quiz_count”:[0,1],”published_quiz_count”:[0,-6],”quiz_count_en”:[0,3],”quiz_count_es”:[0,5],”quiz_count_en_mc”:[0,0],”quiz_count_es_mc”:[0,1],”quiz_count_en_pos”:[0,1],”quiz_count_es_pos”:[0,0],”comments_count”:[0,104],”kids_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”kids_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”expand_body”:[0,false],”blacklist”:[0,false],”sponsored”:[0,false],”show_related”:[0,false],”hidden_from_popular”:[0,false],”archived”:[0,false],”publish_to_msn”:[0,false],”has_comments”:[0,true],”has_kids_reviews”:[0,false],”has_librarians_reviews”:[0,false],”_type”:[0,”Post”],”name”:[0,”44,000-Year-Old Mummified Wolf Could Reveal Secrets From The Past”],”user_id”:[0,{}],”categories”:[1,[[0,”science”],[0,”total”]]],”slug”:[0,”44000-year-old-mummified-wolf-could-reveal-secrets-from-the-past”],”slug_date”:[3,”2024-09-03T00:00:00.000Z”],”author”:[0,”Alvaro Aragon”],”updated_at”:[3,”2025-06-05T14:53:58.603Z”],”created_at”:[3,”2024-07-12T17:31:16.031Z”],”_randomization_key”:[0,0.8160206385188487],”location”:[0,{“_id”:[0,{}]}],”audio_out_of_sync”:[0,true],”body”:[0,”

A perfectly preserved Ice Age wolf was unearthed in Russia (Credit: North-Eastern Federal University/ CC-BY-SA-2.0)

n n

A mummified adult wolf could offer scientists valuable insights into the late Pleistocene era (129,000 to 11,700 years ago). The animal was buried in thick permafrost for over 44,000 years. It was unearthed by the residents of Sakha, Russia, in 2021. The specimen boasted well-preserved teeth, fur, and internal organs, including the stomach. It was the first complete adult wolf found from the late Ice Age.

n n

Nearly three years later, on June 25, 2024, Russian scientists announced they had completed the ancient animal’s autopsy. Preliminary dental analysis revealed that the wolf was a fierce predator. It probably hunted in a flat, cold environment full of animals like mammoths, wooly rhinos, and ancient bison.

n n

“It was a very active predator, one of the larger ones. Slightly smaller than cave lions and bears, but a very active, mobile predator, and it was also a scavenger,” said Albert Protopopov, a researcher at Russia’s Yakutia Academy of Sciences.

n n

The adult wolf is the first of its kind from the late Ice Age (Credit: North-Eastern Federal University/ CC-BY-SA-2.0)

n n

The scientists will next examine samples from the internal organs, particularly the stomach, for clues about the wolf’s lifestyle, diet, and possible cause of death.

n n

“His stomach has been preserved in an isolated form, there are no contaminants, so the task is not trivial,” said Protopopov. “We hope to obtain a snapshot of the biota of the ancient Pleistocene.“

n n

The researchers also plan to look for ancient microbes in the animal’s stomach. Certain bacteria and viruses can live for thousands of years when preserved in ice. If found, these microbes could lead to groundbreaking scientific discoveries.

n n

The wolf may provide clues about life during the Ice Age (Credit: North-Eastern Federal University/ CC-BY-SA-2.0)

n n

“It is possible that microorganisms will be discovered that can be used in medicine and biotechnology as promising producers of biologically active substances,” said team member Artemy Goncharov.

n n

This wolf autopsy is part of an ongoing extensive study of the remains of several other animals from the late Ice Age. They include ancient hares, an extinct horse, and a bear.

n n

Resources: Businessinsider.com, Livescience.com, CNN.com, NPR.org

n n

n”],”buy_link”:[0,””],”geo”:[1,[]],”plaintext_md5″:[0,”c57d8ba7d36f14b5d43fcc6c0549da3e”],”thumb”:[0,”https://cdn4.dogonews.com/images/86ec0811-cfc6-416d-a974-adcb88c2194a/angtrdkt8nzqq9wx5hjuh5-1200-80-j-1.jpg”],”vocab”:[1,[[0,”ancient”],[0,”autopsy”],[0,”bacteria”],[0,”biotechnology”],[0,”bison”],[0,”diet”],[0,”environment”],[0,”era”],[0,”extensive”],[0,”extinct”],[0,”fierce”],[0,”groundbreaking”],[0,”insights”],[0,”isolated”],[0,”mammoths”],[0,”microbes”],[0,”microorganisms”],[0,”mobile”],[0,”organs”],[0,”permafrost”],[0,”pleistocene”],[0,”predator”],[0,”preliminary”],[0,”preserved”],[0,”scavenger”],[0,”snapshot”],[0,”specimen”],[0,”trivial”],[0,”unearthed”],[0,”viruses”]]],”num_videos”:[0,1],”num_images”:[0,3],”word_count”:[0,311],”summary”:[0,”A mummified adult wolf could offer scientists valuable insights into the late Pleistocene era (129,000 to 11,700 years ago). The animal was buried in thick permafrost for over 44,000 years. It was unearthed by the residents of Sakha, Russia, in 2021. The specimen boasted well-preserved teeth, fur, and internal organs, including the stomach. It was the first complete adult wolf found from the late Ice Age.”],”edu_tags”:[1,[[0,”ccss_ela_ngss”]]],”giveaway_url”:[0,””],”scope”:[0,””],”sponsor_thumb”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_color”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_url”:[0,””],”standards_ela_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ela_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_6_8″:[0,””],”published_at”:[3,”2024-09-03T15:50:55.614Z”],”id”:[0,”66916864421aa90011c410de”],”url”:[0,”/2024/9/3/44000-year-old-mummified-wolf-could-reveal-secrets-from-the-past”],”by_author_text”:[0,”By Alvaro Aragon”],”num_ratings_text”:[0,”0 ratings”],”num_reviews_text”:[0,”0 reviews”]}],[0,{“_id”:[0,{}],”takeover_priority”:[0,0],”overall_rate_count”:[0,0],”kids_rate_count”:[0,0],”librarians_rate_count”:[0,0],”audiences”:[1,[[0,”global”]]],”commentable”:[0,true],”draft”:[0,false],”status”:[0,5],”kind”:[0,0],”related_asins”:[1,[]],”system_ids”:[1,[]],”post_assignment_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ct_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_vc_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ac_count”:[0,0],”image_asset_count”:[0,3],”quiz_count”:[0,1],”published_quiz_count”:[0,-6],”quiz_count_en”:[0,2],”quiz_count_es”:[0,5],”quiz_count_en_mc”:[0,0],”quiz_count_es_mc”:[0,1],”quiz_count_en_pos”:[0,1],”quiz_count_es_pos”:[0,0],”comments_count”:[0,96],”kids_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”kids_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”expand_body”:[0,false],”blacklist”:[0,false],”sponsored”:[0,false],”show_related”:[0,false],”hidden_from_popular”:[0,false],”archived”:[0,false],”publish_to_msn”:[0,false],”has_comments”:[0,true],”has_kids_reviews”:[0,false],”has_librarians_reviews”:[0,false],”_type”:[0,”Post”],”name”:[0,”Humpback Whale Accidentally Swallows Kayaker, Then Spits Him Out”],”user_id”:[0,{}],”categories”:[1,[[0,”science”],[0,”environment”],[0,”total”]]],”slug”:[0,”humpback-whale-accidentally-swallows-kayaker-then-spits-him-out”],”slug_date”:[3,”2025-02-18T00:00:00.000Z”],”author”:[0,”Kavi Dolasia”],”updated_at”:[3,”2025-05-14T15:28:40.018Z”],”created_at”:[3,”2025-02-14T20:14:58.957Z”],”_randomization_key”:[0,0.6558198054587805],”location”:[0,{“_id”:[0,{}]}],”audio_out_of_sync”:[0,true],”body”:[0,”

A humpback whale briefly engulfed a kayaker in Chile (Credit: Pixhere.com/ CC0/ Public Domain)

n n

A kayaker in Chile had the fright of his lifetime when he briefly found himself inside the mouth of a humpback whale. Luckily, the mammal had no interest in eating a human and quickly spat him out.

n n

The unexpected encounter occurred in the Strait of Magellan in southern Chile on February 8, 2025. Adrián Simancas was kayaking when he suddenly felt a force hit him from behind, lifting him into the air. Before he could react, a humpback whale emerged from the water and engulfed him and the kayak.

n n

“I thought it had already eaten and swallowed me,” Adrián later told The AP. “At first, when I thought I had died, it was, of course, a lot of terror because I thought, no, no, there was nothing I could do.”

n n

Fortunately, within seconds, both the kayak and its shaken passenger were back on the ocean surface. Adrián’s father, Dell, had started filming just minutes earlier and captured the entire incident in a now-viral video. He later said he was recording the massive waves around his son, unaware they came from the whale below.

n n

Humpback whales cannot swallow humans (Credit: Whalescientists.com/ CC-BY-SA-2.0/ Facebook)

n n

Adrián believes the whale may have approached him out of curiosity. However, Dr. Jooke Robbins, a humpback expert, suggests the kayaker was just in the way as the mammal was feeding on krill and small fish.

n n

“My guess is that the whale was just as surprised as the kayaker,” Dr. Robbins told NPR. “If something — or someone — else mistakenly enters their path, that can be unintentionally (and just momentarily) engulfed.”

n n

Dr. Iain Kerr, CEO of the whale conservation nonprofit Ocean Alliance, agrees with Dr, Robbins.

n n

“I’m sure it closes its eyes so it doesn’t get damaged by anything, and I think this is one of those one-in-a-million situations where the fellow seemed to be at the wrong place at the wrong time,” he said.

n n

He also believes Adrián was never at risk of being eaten. While humpbacks have large mouths, their throats are only about the size of a human fist. Trying to swallow a person could cause serious jaw injury.

n n

“They have no interest in eating us,[or] hurting us,” Dr. Kerr told NPR. “It’s not to their benefit.”

n n

Still, he hopes the video will inspire people worldwide to learn more about whales and support local conservation efforts.

n n

Resources: NPR.com, CNN.com, Livescience.com

n n

n”],”buy_link”:[0,””],”geo”:[1,[]],”plaintext_md5″:[0,”f75ba320a62d82042d1eef672efb05f2″],”thumb”:[0,”https://cdn4.dogonews.com/images/c78696fc-affd-4558-81d9-c693096cdff8/humpback_whale_breaching_jumping.jpeg”],”vocab”:[1,[[0,”approached”],[0,”benefit”],[0,”conservation”],[0,”curiosity”],[0,”emerged”],[0,”encounter”],[0,”expert”],[0,”fist”],[0,”fright”],[0,”incident”],[0,”injury”],[0,”inspire”],[0,”interest”],[0,”local”],[0,”massive”],[0,”momentarily”],[0,”react”],[0,”recording”],[0,”risk”],[0,”serious”],[0,”spat”],[0,”terror”],[0,”unintentionally”],[0,”viral”]]],”num_videos”:[0,1],”num_images”:[0,2],”word_count”:[0,385],”edu_tags”:[1,[[0,”ccss_ela_ngss”]]],”giveaway_url”:[0,””],”scope”:[0,””],”sponsor_thumb”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_color”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_url”:[0,””],”standards_ela_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ela_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_6_8″:[0,””],”summary”:[0,”A kayaker in Chile had the fright of his lifetime when he briefly found himself inside the mouth of a humpback whale. Luckily, the mammal had no interest in eating a human and quickly spat him out.”],”published_at”:[3,”2025-02-18T15:47:26.696Z”],”id”:[0,”67afa442421aa900118195ab”],”url”:[0,”/2025/2/18/humpback-whale-accidentally-swallows-kayaker-then-spits-him-out”],”by_author_text”:[0,”By Kavi Dolasia”],”num_ratings_text”:[0,”0 ratings”],”num_reviews_text”:[0,”0 reviews”]}],[0,{“_id”:[0,{}],”takeover_priority”:[0,0],”overall_rate_count”:[0,0],”kids_rate_count”:[0,0],”librarians_rate_count”:[0,0],”audiences”:[1,[[0,”global”]]],”commentable”:[0,true],”draft”:[0,false],”status”:[0,5],”kind”:[0,0],”related_asins”:[1,[]],”system_ids”:[1,[]],”post_assignment_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ct_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_vc_count”:[0,0],”post_assignment_ac_count”:[0,0],”image_asset_count”:[0,4],”quiz_count”:[0,1],”published_quiz_count”:[0,-6],”quiz_count_en”:[0,3],”quiz_count_es”:[0,5],”quiz_count_en_mc”:[0,0],”quiz_count_es_mc”:[0,1],”quiz_count_en_pos”:[0,1],”quiz_count_es_pos”:[0,0],”comments_count”:[0,51],”kids_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”kids_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_book_reviews_count”:[0,0],”librarians_movie_reviews_count”:[0,0],”expand_body”:[0,false],”blacklist”:[0,false],”sponsored”:[0,false],”show_related”:[0,false],”hidden_from_popular”:[0,false],”archived”:[0,false],”publish_to_msn”:[0,false],”has_comments”:[0,true],”has_kids_reviews”:[0,false],”has_librarians_reviews”:[0,false],”_type”:[0,”Post”],”name”:[0,”First Titanic Expedition Since 2010 Unveils New Findings”],”user_id”:[0,{}],”categories”:[1,[[0,”social-studies”],[0,”world”],[0,”total”]]],”slug”:[0,”first-titanic-expedition-since-2010-unveils-new-findings”],”slug_date”:[3,”2024-09-24T00:00:00.000Z”],”author”:[0,”Marcela Bonet”],”updated_at”:[3,”2025-05-21T20:50:44.405Z”],”created_at”:[3,”2024-09-03T00:05:23.026Z”],”_randomization_key”:[0,0.28371131394980087],”location”:[0,{“_id”:[0,{}]}],”audio_out_of_sync”:[0,true],”body”:[0,”

The Titanic sank in the Atlantic Ocean in 1912 (Credit: Francis Godolphin Osbourne Stuart/ Public Domain/ Wikimedia Commons)

n n

This summer, scientists returned to the legendary Titanic’s resting place in the Atlantic Ocean for the first time in 14 years. The 20-day-long remote imaging expedition ended on August 9, 2024. It was conducted by RMS Titanic Inc., the US company with legal rights to salvage the wreck.

n n

This was the company’s ninth trip to the Titanic since 1987. However, the more than two million images of the ship and surrounding areas captured by the state-of-the art high-resolution cameras and scanning equipment were unlike any taken before. They revealed new discoveries and evidence of increased damage to the wreck.

n n

“We haven’t been to the wreck since 2010. It’s been 14 years. So 14 years of technology, as we all know, is quite advanced from what we had back in 2010,” James Penca, a researcher with the RMS Titanic, told NPR. “What we were able to take down there, the cameras and the scanners, would make 2010’s expedition look like child’s play in terms of what we were able to learn from the wreck.”

n n

The expedition photographed the statue of Diana of Versailles for the first time in nearly 40 years,(Credit: RMS Titanic Inc./ CC-BY-SA-2.0)

n n

Among the most exciting finds was a two-foot-tall bronze statue of Diana of Versailles. The Roman goddess had once adorned a fireplace mantle in the Titanic’s first-class lounge. As the ship sank and the room tore apart, Diana was flung into the sea along with other debris. The artifact was photographed only once in 1986. The photo gave the researchers a rough idea of where to look. However, the location was undisclosed making the odds of finding the statue again in the pitch-black waters low. After weeks of effort, they finally spotted Diana on the last day, just 20 minutes before the expedition ended.

n n

“With just hours left on the final day of Expedition 2024, Diana was found and photographed,” the company said in a statement. They added that Diana “is still resting upright among miles of debris.”

n n

On a more somber note, a 15-foot (4.5-meter) section of the railing on Titanic’s bow has fallen. For reference, this is the spot where Rose declared “I am flying” in James Cameron’s 1997 movie based on the legendary ship. RMS Titanic, which revealed the discoveries on September 2, 2024, says the railing had been intact as recently as 2022.

n n

“Titanic’s bow is iconic,” the company said. “We are saddened by this loss and the inevitable decay of the Ship and the debris.“

n n

A 15-foot section of the railing on Titanic‘s bow has fallen (Credit: RMS Titanic Inc./ CC-BY-SA-2.0)

n n

The expedition’s primary goal was to extensively document the wreck and its debris to improve our understanding of the site. RMS Titanic plans to share the data with the broader scientific community. They hope to return as early as next year to recover historically important artifacts, like Diana, and preserve them for future generations.

n n

The Titanic

n n

Dubbed “The Ship of Dreams,” the Titanic was a luxury cruise liner unlike any other. Considered an engineering marvel in 1912, it was the largest ship ever to grace the seas and featured unmatched grandeur and amenities. Its first and only list of passengers included some of the world’s most powerful and wealthiest individuals. Tragically, the 50,000-ton behemoth sank after striking an iceberg just days after its launch. Over a century later, the iconic ship continues to captivate the interest and imagination of people worldwide.

n n

Resources: discovertitanic.com, NPR.org

n n

n”],”buy_link”:[0,””],”geo”:[1,[]],”plaintext_md5″:[0,”02b9af2516be53bbbcadc03229d068de”],”thumb”:[0,”https://cdn4.dogonews.com/images/59321792-3c17-40ae-9f04-8ece0583b199/1920px-rms_titanic_3.jpeg”],”vocab”:[1,[[0,”adorned”],[0,”advanced”],[0,”amenities”],[0,”apart”],[0,”artifact”],[0,”behemoth”],[0,”bow”],[0,”captivate”],[0,”community”],[0,”conducted”],[0,”damage”],[0,”debris”],[0,”decay”],[0,”engineering”],[0,”evidence”],[0,”expedition”],[0,”extensively”],[0,”generations”],[0,”grandeur”],[0,”iceberg”],[0,”iconic”],[0,”imagination”],[0,”inevitable”],[0,”intact”],[0,”legal”],[0,”legendary”],[0,”location”],[0,”odds”],[0,”powerful”],[0,”preserve”],[0,”primary”],[0,”railing”],[0,”reference”],[0,”remote”],[0,”revealed”],[0,”rough”],[0,”saddened”],[0,”salvage”],[0,”spot”],[0,”technology”],[0,”terms”],[0,”upright”],[0,”wreck”]]],”num_videos”:[0,1],”num_images”:[0,3],”word_count”:[0,546],”summary”:[0,”This summer, scientists returned to the legendary Titanic’s resting place in the Atlantic Ocean for the first time in 14 years. The 20-day-long remote imaging expedition ended on August 9, 2024. It was conducted by RMS Titanic Inc., the US company with legal rights to salvage the wreck.”],”edu_tags”:[1,[[0,”ccss_ela_c3″]]],”giveaway_url”:[0,””],”scope”:[0,””],”sponsor_thumb”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_color”:[0,””],”sponsored_post_url”:[0,””],”standards_ela_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ela_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ncss_6_8″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_3_5″:[0,””],”standards_ngss_6_8″:[0,””],”published_at”:[3,”2024-09-24T14:46:28.468Z”],”id”:[0,”66d652c3421aa90011c2bee0″],”url”:[0,”/2024/9/24/first-titanic-expedition-since-2010-unveils-new-findings”],”by_author_text”:[0,”By Marcela Bonet”],”num_ratings_text”:[0,”0 ratings”],”num_reviews_text”:[0,”0 reviews”]}]]]}” ssr client=”visible” opts=”{“name”:”PopularArticlesTabs”,”value”:true}” await-children>

Reading Level

Listen

Alignment

The origins of Juneteenth

Juneteenth celebrations

The origins of Juneteenth

Juneteenth celebrations

Get the Workbook for this article!

Cite Article

Learn Keywords in this Article

About The Author

JuneteenthToday

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Why We Celebrate Juneteenth

Reading Level

Listen

Alignment

The origins of Juneteenth

Juneteenth celebrations

The origins of Juneteenth

Juneteenth celebrations

Get the Workbook for this article!

Cite Article

Learn Keywords in this Article

About The Author

JuneteenthToday

Related Posts

A guide to explaining Juneteenth to your kids

Beyoncé fans in Paris to honor Juneteenth, singer with ‘Freedom’ surprise at June 19 show

Columbia plans Juneteenth grant application workshop

MCC holds voter registration drive, celebrates Constitution Day

Leave a reply Cancel reply