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 […]
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 […]
Hemen Bekele Wins TIME’s Kid of the Year for 2024
TIME has named Hemen Bekele TIME’s Kid of the Year for 2024 for inventing a skin-cancer fighting bar of soap. Bekele is a 10th grader from Fairfax, Virginia. Bekele’s passion for skin cancer research traces back to his early years in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, before his family moved to the United States. In Ethiopia, Bekele […]
Widespread Northern Lights Delight Many
In mid-May 2024, many people in the United States and around the world enjoyed a rare opportunity to view the spectacular, colorful night skies of the aurora borealis, commonly known as the northern lights. While the northern lights are commonly visible at the northern latitudes of Canada and Alaska in North America, the viewing areas […]
India’s Landmark Lunar Success
India now has a place in lunar history with its August 23, 2023, landing of a spacecraft on the Moon. This was the country’s second attempt to make a landing as a part of its Chandrayaan program. The word Chandrayaan comes from Sanskrit, the sacred language of Hinduism. In Sanskrit Chandra means moon and yāna […]
New Theory on the Vikings’ Disappearance from Greenland
In April 2023, scientists from Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania proposed a new theory for why the Vikings abandoned Greenland in the fifteenth century. The Vikings’ disappearance has puzzled scientists, historians, and archaeologists. The new research, which was published in a scientific journal, shows that sea-level rise and flooding may have contributed to […]
Powerful NASA Telescope Discovers New Exoplanet
Is there life outside of Earth? That question has fascinated people for thousands of years. Books, movies, television shows, and radio programs have theorized and fantasized about the existence of life on other planets and in other galaxies. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) scientists hope that the powerful James Webb Space Telescope gets them […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Native American Leader Dies at 85 Clyde Bellecourt, a co-founder of the American Indian Movement died last week in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was 85 years old. The American Indian Movement (AIM) is a worldwide advocacy group that fights for indigenous people’s civil rights. Currently, it represents more than 375 million indigenous people around the globe. […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Barbados Elects First President The Caribbean island of Barbados was a British colony until fifty-five years ago, when the country first announced its independence. But it remained in the British commonwealth and Queen Elizabeth remained the ceremonial head of state. In 2020, Barbados declared its plans to become a republic. This meant replacing Queen Elizabeth […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Coral Reefs Show Damage From Climate Change Coral reefs are important for many reasons. They support about one-fourth of all fish species on Earth. They also help protect and shield coastlines from storms. But coral reefs are dying off at an alarming rate. The Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network recently published a report analyzing data […]