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TFK Library

What Is Bioluminescence?

August 24, 2018

Fireflies twinkle in a field. Mushrooms illuminate a dark forest. Colorful sea creatures light up the ocean. These natural light displays come from bioluminescent creatures. Bioluminescent organisms can produce their own light. Bioluminescence is a chemical reaction. It takes place…

United States

Animals Go Free

August 22, 2018

Do you pay attention to the packaging of your favorite foods? Many people do. Sometimes, they see things they want to change. Take Nabisco’s popular Barnum’s Animals Crackers. The snack company began making the crackers in 1902. For more…

TFK Library

What Are Magnets?

August 21, 2018

What do compasses, fans, and high-speed trains have in common? They all use magnets to function. Magnets are rocks or metals that create an invisible field around themselves. This field attracts other magnets and certain metals. The presence of a…

World

Korean Reunions

August 20, 2018

Dozens of elderly South Koreans are crossing the armed border between the Koreas this week. They are meeting for three days with relatives in North Korea. On August 20, a South Korean woman named Lee Keum-seom, 92, met with her…

Health

This Hospital Soars

August 17, 2018

Elisa Urruchi is a nurse at an eye hospital. It has top-quality equipment. It also has a classroom for doctors and nurses. But what makes the hospital truly special is that it is inside an airplane. The Orbis Flying Eye…

Video

TFK Library

What Are Storms?

August 16, 2018

A storm is a powerful disturbance of the atmosphere. Thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes are types of storms. Storms are a common event here on Earth. They occur on other planets, too. There are about 16 million thunderstorms worldwide each year.…

Video

TFK Library

What Are Volcanoes?

August 14, 2018

Take a bottle of soda. Shake it really hard. Gas bubbles will form inside, causing a buildup of pressure. Twist the cap off. Pressure will release from the bottle. Soda will shoot everywhere. A volcanic eruption works much the same…

Video

Environment

Penguins in Peril

August 13, 2018

The world’s largest colony of king penguins has shrunk by 90%, researchers say. Thirty years ago, there were some 2 million king penguins on France’s remote island of Ile aux Cochons. It is located in the Indian Ocean, between Africa…

Time Off

A Magical Swap

August 10, 2018

In the Disney Channel movie musical Freaky Friday, actress Cozi Zuehlsdorff plays a messy teenager named Ellie Blake. Ellie couldn’t be more different from her super-organized mother, Katherine. They can’t see eye-to-eye and often bicker. “At the start of the…

Environment

Help for Earthquake Victims

August 8, 2018

Rescuers are working to help victims of a powerful earthquake on the Indonesian island of Lombok. The earthquake struck Lombok on August 5. It left 131 people dead. That’s according to Sutopo Purwo Nugroho. He is the spokesperson for the…

Science

Into Space

August 6, 2018

NASA has selected nine astronauts to ride the first commercial capsules into space. These astronauts will travel to the International Space Station. They will ride in capsules built by two private companies. The company SpaceX is developing a capsule…

Time Off

A Beloved Bear Returns

August 3, 2018

Author A.A. Milne introduced the sweet and lovable Winnie-the-Pooh to readers more than 90 years ago. The four books in the Winnie-the-Pooh series follow the adventures of the honey-loving bear and his friend, a boy named Christopher Robin. The adventure…

TFK Library

Lyndon B. Johnson

August 2, 2018

President Lyndon B. Johnson (August 27, 1908—January 22, 1973) advanced equality through civil rights law and programs to help the poor. He is also remembered for increasing U.S. military involvement in the Vietnam War. Lyndon B. Johnson became president after…

Technology

France Makes the Call

August 1, 2018

French children 15 and under will no longer be allowed to bring smart devices to school. Lawmakers in France voted July 31 to ban cell phones, tablets, and other Internet-connected devices from school grounds. The ban will start in September. …

TFK Library

Alexander Hamilton

August 1, 2018

Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757—July 12, 1804) is one of America’s most influential Founding Fathers. In his short life, he served as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, was the first U.S. secretary of the treasury, and established…

Science

Celestial Sight

July 30, 2018

People around the world witnessed a total lunar eclipse on Friday, July 28. Known as a blood moon for its deep-red color, the eclipse was visible in Australia, Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America at different times throughout the…

Time Off

Teen Heroes Take Hollywood

July 27, 2018

In Teen Titans Go! To the Movies, five young superheroes have big dreams. Robin, Beast Boy, Starfire, Cyborg, and Raven want to be featured in a Hollywood film. But a leading movie director (voiced by Kristen Bell) rejects the idea.…

TFK Library

Lin-Manuel Miranda

July 26, 2018

Lin-Manuel Miranda is a writer, singer, composer, songwriter, rapper, and an actor. He is best known for creating and starring in the Broadway musicals In the Heights and Hamilton. Lin-Manuel Miranda was born on January 16, 1980, in New…

Video

Health

Snack Recall

July 25, 2018

Say goodbye to certain kinds of Goldfish, Swiss Rolls, and Ritz crackers. The snacks have been recalled. This is due to possible salmonella contamination. People infected with salmonella often have nausea, fever, and abdominal pain. Why were the products pulled…

United States

Space History for Sale

July 23, 2018

On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon. He was commander of NASA’s Apollo 11 lunar mission. “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” he famously said as he…