(This article has been simplified for young children) Turns out it really depends on culture, history and even religion – not so much on science! Imagine looking at Earth from space. The world’s not necessarily ‘this’ way up – it may not be the North Pole. As far as astronomers can tell, there really is no ‘up’ or ‘down’ in space. Which way is earth facing? Humans have a long …
(This article has been simplified for young children) The Spinning Earth Did you know that the Earth spins at about 1,600 kilometres an hour? That’s supersonic, about 3 times faster than a flying jet plane. That’s how fast the Earth has to turn to make a complete rotation every day. So why don’t we feel it, or feel giddy, or queasy? After all our stomachs get queasy even when we …
(This article has been simplified for young children) How Ships Can Produce Unlimited Fuel of Their Own. Scientists have discovered a process to turn seawater into hydrocarbon fuel. (Related article: ‘Salt Water Fueled Sports Car’: https://thebalancedchild.com/sports-car-runs-salt-water/#more-5973). Since 2014 they have made the process energy-efficient and affordable enough to use on a large scale out at sea. The basic idea of seawater fuel is simple. Ships collect seawater to convert to …
(This article has been simplified for young children) Scientists with the non-profit Project Vesta say their special green sand could help remove a ton of carbon dioxide from the air, helping to reverse climate change. The family of greenish minerals called Olivine will help turn beaches and waves into captured carbon rocks. When waves wash over volcanic rocks such as olivine, the water sets off a tiny chemical reaction on the surface …