Kids News - Articles with 400-600 Words

The polar vortex that greeted many Americans at the start of the year, served as a rude reminder of the detrimental effects that global warming could have on our weather patterns. The fact that something has to be done to reverse or at least halt climate change is obvious, but the question for most of us is what and how? Turns out, that it doesn't take much money or resources - Just some ingenuity and will, both of which the founders of U.K. based design firm Studio Swine, seem to have in abundance....

While powering personal devices with solar energy has become commonplace, harnessing wind energy to do the same has never been contemplated, because it would involve the arduous task of carrying around windmills. But what if the windmills could be reduced to a size so small that up to a thousand could fit comfortably inside the sleeve of a cell phone case?...

At most schools 'going green' means generating less trash or making a conscientious attempt to recycle. But at New York's Riverdale Country School, it means being encouraged to run and even jump in the hallway. That's because on January 7th, 2014, the school became the first American venue for the specially designed Pavegen floor tiles....

Water is normally thought to be the solution to extinguish fires, not ignite them. But when subjected to certain conditions, normal H2O can do the exact opposite. In order to create this magical liquid that scientists call 'supercritical water', it is first compressed at 217 times the air pressure found at sea level and then heated above 703°F (373°C)....

For those that have always wished for superhuman strength, here is some good news - A group of engineering students from the University of Pennsylvania have invented a way to make it happen instantly! And while it may not be enough to save a damsel in distress, it is guaranteed to impress your friends....

On Monday, January 6th, more than 140 million Americans woke up to frigid temperatures - ones that had not been experienced in at least 25 years. The Midwestern part of the country bore the brunt of the cold. Fort Wayne recorded a bone-chilling high of -13°F, while Chicago reported an even lower -16°F. And those numbers were without the windchill, (the effect the wind has on lowering the temperature), factored in....

The fact that Twitter, the social networking and microblogging site which enables users to send 'tweets' or 140 character messages to their followers is popular, is no secret. However so far the service was being used only by humans. Now it appears that some sharks that frequent the coastal regions of Western Australia have also joined the fray....

On December 23rd, Melbourne residents witnessed an unusual sight - A roadster made almost entirely from Lego bricks cruising down the streets. Assembled from 500,000 of the versatile bricks, the stunning black and yellow vehicle that is being hailed as a technical marvel, is the brainchild of 20-year-old Romanian student, Raul Oida....

With the holiday break coming to an end, students are bracing for the tough schedule that lies ahead. And it's not just the academic challenges they are preparing for, but also mundane ones like keeping up with constantly changing schedules and getting to classes in time. What if teachers could start the New Year by switching sides and experiencing what their students go through? That is exactly what some educators at Burr and Burton Academy, an independent high school in Manchester, Vermont, did and what they discovered, can only be described as eye opening....