Science News for Kids articles

Recent articles from Science News for Kids

Brain cells take a break.
May 27, 2009... Scientists have long wanted to know what happens inside the human brain when deep asleep. You may be unconscious, but your brain cells are busy with activity. Neurons, brain cells that conduct electricity, keep your mind humming even while your body is resting. In a new study, a team of...

World's largest lizard is venomous too.
May 27, 2009... If you're looking for a new pet, don't even think about a Komodo dragon. These reptiles are the world's largest lizards and can grow to be 10 feet long and weigh more than 300 pounds. (Roughly the weight of two or three eighth-graders.) Komodo dragons run fast and eat almost any kind of meat,...

New eyes to scan the skies.
May 20, 2009... Four hundred years ago, an Italian scientist named Galileo Galilei became the first person to see the craters on the moon. Galileo, who also observed four of Jupiter's moons and the rings of Saturn, was one of the first people to use a telescope to study the sky. Since then, telescopes have...

Puberty gone wild.(animal development and behavior)
May 20, 2009... Breakouts, mood swings and sudden growth spurts: Puberty can be downright awkward. Even if you're not of the human species. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Puberty is a period in which humans move from childhood to adulthood. During this transition, the body goes through many physical and...

Taking the sting out of scorpion venom.
May 20, 2009... About as long as a human finger, the Arizona bark scorpion is small enough that most people probably don't even notice it. Unless they happen to step on one--and that's a different story. The scorpion's sting contains a poison so powerful that it can seriously harm or even kill a child. Every...