Science & Technology

Have you ever wondered what living in space would be like? Meet the Kellys who are identical twins and both astronauts for NASA. With one brother in space and the other on Earth, they are an experiment to learn how human bodies that share the same DNA are affected by living in space for a long time. What do you think NASA can learn from this twin science study?

Do you know that astronauts are not the only living beings who can travel through space? Our human microbes do as well! When human astronauts go into space and return, they bring the microbes inside their bodies with them! Learn what these organisms teach scientists and how they can affect the human body both in space and on Earth.

After a wizard, a witch, and a goblin all fail to transform a frog with their magic wands, two scientists need to explain the rules of reality. While you can't actually turn frogs into diamonds, there are plenty of magical things that science can do!

While Lydia and Ryan play hide-and-seek, they find animals that seem to disappear before their eyes! Learn about camouflage and the cool way it helps animals—and people, too!—blend into their surroundings. Will Ryan be able to find Lydia after she camouflages herself?

How smart can humans really be? According to a panel of expert canines, we're awfully confusing! We ignore the fact that we have a big water bowl in the bathroom, and don't even re-eat our vomit! Follow along and see why our pets might think we're a little silly.

During the rainy season in the marshlands, Alligator has almost nothing to eat. When the dry season comes, Alligator digs a hole in the pond and waits for the animals to return. Without Alligator and her hole, there would be far fewer animals living in the marsh.

Have you ever wondered what happens to your food when you drop it on the ground? Do you ever wonder why your toy doesn’t break when it falls to the ground? This story helps you learn about the different experiments that scientists have conducted over the last few decades to see what happens when something is dropped! From raindrops to pennies, this story answers any questions you might have about dropping things. You will finally be able to answer the question of whether the "5-second rule" really works!

What animal makes the best pet? A tiger? A grizzly bear? A T-Rex? A killer whale? Or a puppy? Learn why all but one of these animals make great pets and all the things you need to do to properly care for your special pet!

Take a ride on a rover with NASA as they explore the planet Mars. Learn how NASA explores Mars for evidence of life especially the existence of water. Scientists believe that life depends on water. Is it possible that Mars had life and why is it so different from Earth? Discover the tools, equipment and methods scientists use to uncover rock, water, and fossils to test as evidence of life.

Do you know why monsters always glow in your favorite science fiction stories? Well, real-life science and physics can explain why this happens! Learn how radiation, atoms, and the sonic boom interact with one another to create this mysterious blue glow named, Cerenkov radiation, by particle physicists. Science fiction can sometimes become reality!

Have you heard of the spidernauts? These two special jumping spiders were sent to space for a special mission—to see how they would adapt to microgravity. Would the spiders still be able to hunt for their food for their survival or would they starve? Learn how this experiment with insects was important to understanding microgravity and its effects on the human body!

Do you know what kinds of food astronauts eat and drink while on a space mission? Learn how NASA prepares, dries and packages different food so it lasts for the journey! Find out the different ways that astronauts cook and eat in space which has zero gravity so it doesn't float away. Discover how astronauts use a very different kind of bathroom toilet and what happens to human waste in space.

What does a light bulb require to burn bright? What happens when a light bulb burns out? Discover how filament, made of one of the heaviest metals, a mixture of two gases, a 60-watt light bulb, and electric currents make this bright idea more than just a bright light! The amazing science behind the light bulb awaits you!

What should you expect if you want to become one of the first inhabitants of a Martian colony? Humans have never lived on Mars so they will have many challenges to overcome in order to successfully stay there. Learn what the future lives of new Martians will be like and understand the obstacles they will need to overcome in order to build a new Martian society.

The nose helps your body do more than just sniff and smell yummy foods! Without your nose, your favorite foods won't taste as good, your lungs won't have the warm air needed to stay healthy, and germs from outside your body will have an easier route in! Did you know your body makes mucus to wash away germs that find their way in your body? Discover how fabulous your nose really is!

Did you know your eyelids close and open 10 to 20 times a minute! Your eyes have parts that work together. The pupil lets light into your eyes. The iris controls how much light gets in. The cornea, a bowl-shaped layer, covers and protects your eyeballs. Discover how hairs on your eyelashes protect your eyes from germs and dirt, and other ways your eyes help you see and keep you safe!

Do you know how your ears can hear? Did you know they’re responsible for other things, too? For one thing, they keep you balanced on your feet! Learn about the anatomy of your ear and how its structure allows you to hear all the different noises you experience every day.

Have you ever wondered how your body grows? Learn about how your cells and DNA help your bones and body grow into a healthy adult. See how our bodies grow the way that they do and how they know when to stop!

Have you ever wondered what it was like to live without electricity? Before the invention of the light bulb, people had to find ways to live and work around nighttime and darkness. From different sleep schedules to making candles, people found different routines to help illuminate the darkness they experienced each night. Would you have been able to live during this “dark” time in history?

What is a space archaeologist? After decades of leaving behind old pieces of equipment orbiting in space, scientists want to clean it up. An archaeologist determines what is important to save for the history of human space exploration. Learn about new efforts to identify and even retrieve old space equipment! How should scientists determine what should be preserved or what is junk?

"Houston, We have a problem"! During the Apollo 11 moon landing, as many as 400,000 people had jobs that were essential to the successful mission. Learn about aeronautics and the different jobs in the field that helped man take the first steps on the moon and expand our understanding of the solar system. Who was one of the first women to work at NASA and what role did she have?

Tensions continue to rise between the Soviet Union and the United States as they engage in a Cold War. One of these battles was the space race. Learn how both countries began engineering and scientific effort to be the first to travel into space and back to Earth and the technology necessary to operate in it. See how scientists fight for peace as they begin their efforts to explore the unknown.

Germs are everywhere and make your body sick. Never fear–the body is a germ-fighting machine designed to fight these intruders and keep you healthy. If you get a cut, blood clumps together to stop bleeding. Mucus, the sticky goo in your nose, catches germs to help you sneeze them out. Eyelashes and eyelids form tears that block some germs! Discover ways the body fights to keep germs out.

Have you ever been sick with strep throat? It's an illness caused by bacteria that gives you a painful sore throat! Learn how doctors can diagnose it by your symptoms and a test, and how medicine can cure strep throat so you can get better. Be sure to take all of the medicine until its gone if you have strep. You might even impress your doctor on your next visit with your new knowledge!

An article that describes the Apollo 11 Moon landing mission in July 1969.