Foldscope: The World’s First Paper Microscope
Have you ever heard of a Foldscope? It’s a paper microscope that costs just under $2 to make. These inexpensive microscopes are changing the way that everyone from students to scientists can see the world. Here, btw takes a “closer look” at how it came to be . . .and why this little invention may […]
Notre Dame Cathedral Reopens After Fire Repairs
On April 15, 2019, the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral–one of the world’s most famous churches–was partially destroyed by a fire. Five years and nearly $1 billion later, the 800-year-old World Heritage Site will reopen to the public this month. Here, btw takes a closer look at what it took to restore the landmark and what […]
Native American Heritage Month: Kuwohi
Each year, millions of American and international tourists visit the over 400 National Park Service sites around the United States. The most popular park is Great Smoky Mountains National Park, located on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina. (Other popular national parks include Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona; Zion National Park in Utah; […]
Ancient Woolly Rhino Fossil Discovered
Imagine a rhinoceros that is: six feet tall and sixteen feet long; is covered in fur; and has a horn the length of a human child. That’s the woolly rhino–a creature that roamed northern Asia during the Ice Age, tens of thousands of years ago. Recently, a very rare woolly rhino fossil specimen was discovered […]
A New Ancient Tomb Found in Egypt
This fall, archaeologists from Egypt, Germany, and the United States made an astonishing discovery: a 4,000-year-old tomb on the banks of the Nile River in Egypt. Here, btw takes a closer look at why this discovery is so special, what the tomb contained, and what this could mean for Egypt’s tourism industry. The Discovery Egypt […]
President Formally Apologizes for U.S. Native American Boarding School Program
On October 25, President Joe Biden visited the Laveen Village near Phoenix, Arizona. He spoke at the Gila River Crossing School in the Gila River Indian Community. This is the home of the O’odham and the Pee-Posh Native American people. In his speech, President Biden apologized to the Native American community for the government’s Indian […]
Native American Inventions
November is Native American Heritage Month in the United States. It is a time to recognize, honor, and celebrate Native Americans’ contributions to culture and history. When you think of Native American inventions, you might think of pottery, instruments, or jewelry. But Native Americans are responsible for inventing many things that are still widely used […]
India’s Farmers Struggle with Climate Change
Climate change is altering weather patterns around the world and conditions like rainstorms and dry periods are becoming more extreme. These sudden and dramatic shifts are affecting many industries, especially farming. Farmers in the Asian nation of India have been especially hard hit. Too Much Rain, Too Little Weather in the southern regions of India […]
Sri Lanka’s New President
The people of Sri Lanka, the island country located southeast of India, elected a new president: Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Dissanayake has vowed to end government corruption and strengthen the country’s economy. Who Is Anura Kumara Dissanayake? Dissanayake was born in 1968 in Galewela, a town in central Sri Lanka. Dissanayake attended college and acquired a […]
China Increases Worker Retirement Ages
China’s legislature recently approved a policy that raises the retirement age for workers. The new policy raises the retirement age of men from 60 to 63. The retirement age changes for women are based upon the type of work they do. The retirement age for women with professional careers will change from age 55 to […]