Indholdsfortegnelse for Issue 258 i The Week Junior US

Two NASA astronauts have traveled back to Earth after spending 286 days at the International Space Station (ISS, a laboratory orbiting 254 miles from Earth). Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore were originally meant to spend eight days at the ISS for a test flight but ended up staying longer due to mechanical issues. The pair returned to Earth on a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule on March 18. Why were they delayed? Williams, age 59, and Wilmore, age 62, traveled to the ISS in June 2024 to test the Starliner spacecraft, which was built for NASA by the aerospace company Boeing. During the flight, Starliner leaked helium gas and had problems with its thrusters, which are used to reenter Earth’s atmosphere. NASA engineers were uncertain whether the craft could safely return…

A FUN DISCOVERY A baby beaver named Cypress has captured hearts on social media after discovering her own feet. In a video with more than 1.6 million views, Cypress squeals and plays with one webbed foot while rescuer Deborah Edwards says, “That’s just as cute as it can be.” CELEBRATING NATURE For the fourth time, a 300-year-old beech tree has won the European Tree of the Year Award. The tree, known as the Heart of the Dalkowskie Hills, displays its red leaves in a historic park in Dalków, Poland, where visitors toss peanuts into it and make a wish. A TUITION BREAK On March 17, Harvard University announced that students whose families make $200,000 per year or less will receive free tuition starting in the 2025–2026 academic year. Food and…

Paris, France More streets to be car-free Voters in Paris have approved a new law to ban cars from 500 city streets and remove more than 10,000 parking spots. Street space will be replaced with plants and trees to improve air quality and keep the city cool as the planet warms. City officials said they will work with residents to determine which streets will be transformed. Paris has turned hundreds of streets into green spaces in recent years. Khartoum, Sudan Army takes back presidential palace On March 21, the Sudanese army reclaimed control of the Republican Palace, the official residence of Sudan’s president. The army has been fighting a group called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023, when the RSF took control of parts of the capital. The…

Situated in southern Utah, Bryce Canyon National Park is famous for its hoodoos. Hoodoos are tall, thin, spindly rock formations. In Bryce Canyon, they’re vivid reds and oranges, and some hoodoos are higher than a 10-story building. In the park there are also several natural rock arches, some large enough to drive a car through. Utah prairie dogs, mule deer, mountain lions, and Uintah chipmunks live in the park, along with great basin rattlesnakes and short-horned lizards. At night, thousands of stars shine in some of the clearest, darkest skies in the entire US.…

“What is the biggest fish in the world?”Lincoln, 9, Virginia Sara Lesser Education supervisor, Aquarium of the Pacific The biggest fish in the world is the whale shark. They are about 40 feet long, which is as big as a school bus! These large sharks use comb-like structures in their gills to catch tiny plankton for food. Their spots are special too. They are unique to each whale shark, just like your fingerprints! Do you have a question for an animal expert? Send it to hello@theweekjunior.com. Find out more about the Aquarium of the Pacific at aquariumofpacific.org.…

There’s a new way for people with vision impairments to enjoy live sports. The OneCourt device uses haptic feedback to communicate what’s happening in real time so people can follow along. Haptic technology uses force, vibration, or movement to create a sense of touch. OneCourt has a raised map of the field or court, which vibrates as the action unfolds. Different vibration patterns mean different types of activity, like throws, kicks, hits, or runs. OneCourt users follow along with their fingertips, which is similar to how Braille is read.…

From March 21 to March 23, top track and field athletes, including several Olympic champions, competed at the 2025 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China. US athletes left with a total of 16 medals, the most of any country. On Day 1, American women won bronzes in the pentathlon and shot put. Day 2 featured one of the most anticipated races, the men’s 60-meter hurdles. One competitor was US star Grant Holloway, who won gold in the 110-meter hurdles at the Paris Olympics last summer. He had not lost a 60-meter race in more than 10 years and was vying to become the first person to win three straight World Indoor titles in the event. He did it, crossing the finish line in 7.42 seconds and beating silver medalist…

One of the most popular virtual worlds is coming to the big screen. A Minecraft Movie is a funny action-adventure based on the Minecraft video game and mixes live-action and computer-generated imagery (CGI). It arrives in theaters on April 4. The Minecraft game was released in 2011, and more than 300 million copies have been sold since then. In it, players use 3D blocks to create their own lands. “Minecraft is such an amazing world with totally original creatures and characters,” the film’s director, Jared Hess, told The Week Junior. “It’s the perfect place to go on an epic adventure.” In the movie, four humans (including one played by Aquaman star Jason Momoa) travel to the Overworld, the game’s primary dimension, and use their creative skills to battle Piglins, Creepers,…

Finding ’Ohana PG (Netflix) “This movie is about a girl named Pili, who spends her summer in Hawaii with her family. At her grandfather’s house, she finds an old journal that belonged to a sailor who helped hide treasure on the island. After realizing her grandfather cannot pay off his house bills, Pili goes on an adventure with her friends and brother to find the treasure and use it to pay the bills. The group goes into a cave and has to jump over lava pits, survive spider bites, and even walk through tombs. I loved the movie’s Hawaiian music and beautiful scenery. It made me feel like I was in Hawaii as well.” Laila, 11, New Jersey Do you have a film or TV show to recommend to other…

By Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud (Graphix) Makayla daydreams about writing comics all the time. She’s zoning out in math class when another student, Howard, hands her a note with a sketch of their teacher. Makayla bursts out laughing, and the teacher asks them to stay after class. Howard apologizes for getting them in trouble. He tells Makayla that he loves to draw but finds writing stories difficult. Makayla shows Howard her notebook filled with ideas. They decide to try teaming up to create a comic. At first, their words and pictures don’t go together. Then they ask their school media specialist if they can start a cartoonists club in the library, and two classmates, Art and Lynda, join. As they begin creating their own minicomics, they apply for an…

Libraries are incredible! You can stay all day while you soak up knowledge and escape into other worlds. Whether you visit regularly or you’re new to using libraries, you might be surprised to learn how much they can do for you—beyond letting you borrow amazing books for free. All you need is a library card, which is available to you—at no cost—at the library. Here are some of the many things the library has to offer. Research and recommendations Librarians can help you research a school project or paper, show you how to do an internet search, and guide you to reliable sources of accurate information. They can also help you find a book you’re looking for, even if you can’t remember the exact title. Librarians can also make great…

National Pet Day is April 11. You may already give a pet love and affection, but this holiday serves as a reminder to show your friend a little extra appreciation. If your pet enjoys social interaction, you can plan to spend more quality time together. You might take your dog for a longer walk in a favorite park or give extra belly rubs. You could also talk to your family about treating your pet to a small gift. Maybe your cat would like a feather wand to play with or your hermit crab would like a coconut shell. Of course, the best way to show your pet love is to provide consistent care—which includes fresh food and water, playtime, and a clean living space—year-round.…

I have very fond memories of visits to my local library when I was growing up. It was a small building in the center of my town, run by a kind librarian named Mrs. Roberts. I spent hours there, searching through the shelves for books that captured my interest, and always went home with a towering stack I could barely carry. I didn’t realize it at the time, but the wonder I experienced in that magical place was one reason I became an avid reader and, eventually, an editor. I bet you have a fantastic library near you as well. And in this week’s issue, we highlight the many ways you can use that amazing resource (p24). Libraries often lend more than books, for example. You might be able to…

The World Happiness Report was published on March 20, with Finland named the happiest country in the world for the eighth year in a row. The report has been compiled by an international team of scientists every year since 2012. Researchers asked people from more than 140 countries to rank their satisfaction with their lives on a scale of 1 to 10. Contributing factors included the economy, government, personal freedom, and social connections. People in the happiest countries were found to have high levels of social supports like accessible healthcare and education, and a strong belief in the kindness of others, such as expecting that someone will return a lost wallet. Denmark and Iceland were the second and third happiest nations. The US was 24th, its lowest ranking since the…

The nation’s court system is facing a challenge to its authority from President Donald Trump’s administration. Experts say the controversy is significant because it challenges the Constitution’s principle of three equal branches of government. The branches—executive (the President), legislative (Congress, which makes laws), and judiciary (the courts)—are meant to have the same power and to respect the other branches. How did the disagreement begin? On March 15, the administration ordered two planeloads of people mostly from Venezuela to be deported (forced out of the country for legal reasons) from the US and sent to a prison in El Salvador. The same day, two organizations filed lawsuits (legal disputes) at the federal (national) level seeking to block the deportation of five Venezuelans who were believed to be wrongly included in the…

We encounter abbreviations every day, in all kinds of places. Here in the US—which of course is an abbreviation for the United States—we call our space agency NASA, rather than the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, because it’s easi1er. And what was once known as the Scholastic Aptitude Test is now just the SAT, which is a college admissions exam (that’s short for examination!). Many abbreviations are so common that we say them without thinking. Some people feel they make talking, reading, and writing easier, but others find shortened words or phrases confusing. What do you think? Should we use abbreviations? Yes—they simplify life Language is constantly changing and has been ever since humans began to speak. If it didn’t evolve, we would still be saying“thine” instead of “yours” and…

Hummingbirds famously live alone and fight any other individual that enters their territory. So scientists were stumped when they found what appeared to be a colony of these tiny birds sharing a home high up in Ecuador’s Andes Mountains. Researchers spotted some Chimborazo hillstars, a subspecies of Ecuadorian hillstar hummingbirds, nesting together in a cave at the Chimborazo volcano. They counted 23 adult birds and four chicks in the group, which they think is the first documented example of hummingbirds peacefully living as a community. “It was mind-boggling,” said researcher Gustavo Cañas-Valle. At first, experts guessed that there were not enough nesting sites available for solo sleeping, but a look around the area revealed many places where the birds could have built solitary nests. Instead, they had formed six more…

A brick-shaped candy, sold with a colorful A dispenser, began as a breath mint. How did this sweet treat become a popular collectible? The history of Pez In 1927, Austrian businessman Eduard Haas III wanted to create a satisfying breath mint candy for adults. After he created small, round peppermint candies to be sold in tins, he needed a catchy name to attract attention to his new product. So he formed the word “Pez” from the first, middle, and last letters of the German word for peppermint, pfefferminz, and called his candies “Pez drops.” It would be a few years before Pez candy adopted the rectangular shape that is familiar today. A candy catches on To spread the word about Pez, Haas hired women to work in Pez uniforms and…

Viruses are known for making people sick, but scientists say the human body contains trillions of viruses that do not cause any illness. To find out more, researchers across the US are joining an effort called the Human Virome Program (HVP). A virome is the collection of all the viruses in one place, like our bodies. The majority of viruses in our bodies are probably not harmful, and many of them may even be good for us. No one can say for sure, however, because most virus research has been focused on the ones that make people sick. The HVP will focus on the “healthy” viruses, which do not cause disease, and how they may affect our immune systems and overall well-being. HVP researchers will gather samples including saliva, poop,…

This year’s NWSL (National Women’s Soccer League) regular season kicked off on March 14. It will run until early November, and the league’s 14 teams will each compete in 26 matches during that time. The eight teams with the most points (earned through wins and ties) will get a spot in the playoffs. The Orlando Pride are the reigning champions. One of the big changes this season is that several top players are no longer competing in the league. Veterans who retired at the end of last season include Alex Morgan and Kelly O’Hara, who played key roles in shaping the NWSL’s success. Additionally, standout defender Naomi Girma left the league to play for Chelsea FC, a top team in England. Chelsea paid $1.1 million for her, which was the…

Instructor’s Name: Katarina Wester Activity: Ballet “I am so lucky to be dancing at San Francisco Ballet and to have Ms. Wester as my teacher. She always inspires me to do my best and discover my purpose as a dancer. She is so caring and understanding, and she will come in early to give us a fun warm-up. This year, while she’s been my teacher, I’ve grown the most. I always look forward to class with her. She is the most incredible ballet teacher I’ve ever had, and I appreciate her tremendously.”Stella, 13, California To nominate a Coach of the Week, send your coach’s name, photo, sport, and team to hello@theweekjunior.com. Include your name, age, state, and a few reasons why your coach is great.…

Wreck-It Ralph In this 2012 comedy-adventure, a video game villain is tired of his job. He decides to leave his game to visit new worlds and prove he’s not a bad guy. A sequel was released in 2018. Space Jam: A New Legacy Basketball legend LeBron James stars in this 2021 film that mixes live action and animation. After an evil character pulls James’ son into a digital realm, he and a Looney Tunes team have to win him back in a game against digitized pros. Free Guy Guy is a bank teller who loves his life, so he is surprised to learn he is a character in a video game. When his digital world is under threat, he takes on a hero role. The funny 2021 action-adventure is rated…

Kids Baking Championship (Max) Season 13 of this competition series recently ended, so now all the episodes are streaming. This time, talented young bakers were challenged to create animal-themed sweets that included edible terrariums with insects, zoo cakes, and sea creature desserts. Wolf King (Netflix) Curtis Jobling’s Wereworld book series inspired this new animated fantasy adventure. It is set in a world where nobles shape-shift into animal-human hybrids. Lionlords rule, but Drew, the last of the Werewolves, is the true heir to the throne and sets out to unite the fractured kingdom. The Only Girl in the Orchestra (Netflix) Double bassist Orin O’Brien made history in 1966 as the first female musician in the New York Philharmonic. Her niece, filmmaker Molly O’Brien, made this film about her life and career,…

The engaging dialogue and detailed comic panels of The Cartoonists Club will grab you from the first page. You can also learn how to create your own comics. Here are questions to get a conversation going with others who have also read the book. Why do you think the club members work together so well? How does Makayla help Lynda feel included? Which minicomic was your favorite? Why? Is there a part of the process of making comics that surprised you? Some popular graphic novels are included in the comic panels. Did you recognize any favorites? If you were to write a comic, what would the title be? How does a reader’s imagination play a role in enjoying a comic? JOIN THE WEEK JUNIOR’S BOOK CLUB Watch videos that Raina…

Word ladder To change the word LONG into the word LIST, use each clue to fill in a word that is only one letter different from the word before it. If you get stuck, try solving from the bottom up. STEPPING STONES Each figure hides the name of a seven-letter thing you fold. To find each one, start anywhere and move in an unbroken path through letters that share a border (no jumping!), using each letter once. (NEED A HINT? Check the bottom of the page.) DO NOT ENTER Draw one continuous path from START to END that goes through every box except the ones containing obstacles. Your path may not cross itself, and there is only one solution. Crossmath Fill each empty box with a number or a mathematical…

“When I participated in The Week Junior’s Junior Council program in 2021, I wrote my first article about composting. Since then, I have revived my high school newspaper and become an intern at the The Manchester Journal, where I’ve published more than 10 articles. I am either assigned a topic by my editor or allowed to write about what I choose. I report about anything from artificial intelligence transforming how we communicate to in-depth political stories. I love having the ability to go outside the classroom and explore because everyone has their own story and perspective to share.” Have you done something interesting or raised money for a cause you care about? Whatever you’re up to, we want to hear about it at hello@theweekjunior.com. JOKE OF THE WEEK When is…

“We made the everything bagel pasta. It was so good we all cleaned our plates!”Charlotte, 10, Michigan “I like The Week Junior so much that I framed one of the issues!”Eli, 10, California “I am an ice skater, and when I read about the figure skaters who died in a plane crash, I donated to the victims’ families.” Annie, 10, North Carolina…

1 What was the first Pez flavor? a) Lemon b) Peppermint c) Strawberry a ☐ b ☐ c ☐ 2 True or false? In the book The Cartoonists Club, Howard loves writing stories but finds drawing hard. True ☐ False ☐ 3 Which species of sea turtle was seen “dancing” when food was expected? a) Green b) Hawksbill c) Loggerhead a ☐ b ☐ c ☐ 4 What is the name of the special oven scientists have developed for cooking food in space? 5 A city in which country hosted the world’s largest dachshund dog walk? a) Germany b) Guatemala c) Greece a ☐ b ☐ c ☐ 6 Zendaya is joining the cast of which animated film franchise? A) Despicable Me b) Shrek c) Toy Story a ☐ b…

Cookbook author Mark Bittman has spent years helping people learn to cook. Now he is helping kids gain confidence in the kitchen with How to Cook Everything: The Kids’ Edition, an adaptation of one of his best-selling cookbooks. Bittman, age 75, grew up in New York City, surrounded by a variety of cuisines—from Chinese to Italian. He has always loved food, but he did not start cooking until he was in college. Attending Clark University in Massachusetts, he was disappointed with the cafeteria food, so he taught himself to cook. After college, Bittman turned his love of food into a writing career, starting at a local Connecticut newspaper. He went on to become a New York Times food columnist for 25 years and wrote more than 30 books. He is…

Young loggerhead sea turtles do a particular “dance” when they are expecting to find food. Recently, this behavior helped scientists make an important discovery about how these creatures navigate the world. Loggerhead sea turtles are known to travel thousands of miles during their epic migration journeys. Despite this globe-trotting behavior, they often return to the same locations, such as feeding sites, again and again. Earlier research has shown that the turtles can sense Earth’s magnetic fields and use them as a navigational guide, like using a compass to find which direction is north. Now a new study has found that loggerheads can also recognize specific areas by learning the magnetic signals associated with them—creating a sort of magnetic map. Kayla Goforth, a researcher at Texas A&M University, worked with a…

Chel snakeheads Researchers have confirmed the existence of a rare fish that was thought to be extinct. Several brightly colored Chel snakeheads were discovered in India’s Chel River—the first sighting of the species in about 85 years. Marsican brown bears A study found that Marsican brown bears have developed an impairment inside their cells that reduces their energy levels. About 50 bears from this endangered subspecies remain in central Italy, and experts are trying to help them survive.…

The fossil of a prehistoric bird that lived 150 million years ago is likely the oldest bird ever discovered and changes the timeline of bird evolution, a new study found. Called Baminornis zhenghensis, it was discovered in 2023 in China. B. zhenghensis is only the second bird known to have lived during the Jurassic period. The first, called Archaeopteryx, was discovered in 1862 in Germany. Archaeopteryx was half bird and half reptile and had a long, narrow tail similar to a velociraptor’s. In fact, it had so many dinosaur-like features that it helped scientists determine that birds had evolved (changed very slowly over time) from dinosaurs. For more than 150 years after Archaeopteryx was found, however, no other birds from that period were discovered. That left scientists with a gap…

AGE: 20 SPORT: NORDIC COMBINED SKIING TEAM: USA Early years I started skiing when I was 2. I grew up in a big ski town in Colorado, so my parents put me on skis as soon as I could walk. Quickly after that, I joined the local winter sports club. I really like that skiing is an adrenaline sport. It’s fast and free, and there are a lot of different things you can do with it and ways to push your limits. Good example My biggest role model was Jessie Diggins, an American cross-country skier. She has a lot of grit and is super passionate about skiing and giving it everything you’ve got. She has a bit of an underdog story, too, which I think is really inspirational. Getting fit In…

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, is currently hosting a festival called Earth to Space: Arts Breaking the Sky. With a mix of films, performances, art exhibitions, and scientist speakers, it runs through April 20. One of the big events will be a special edition of Starmus, a global festival of science communication and art that is making its first stop in the US. It will take place on April 1 and April 2 and will have speakers that include NASA astronaut Nicole Stott, the first person to paint with watercolors in space, and Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, who filmed a music video of himself singing the classic song “Space Oddity” on the International Space Station. Another highlight is a new documentary by Aneeshwar…

Cuisineer is a new dungeon-crawling cooking game. It is available for the Cuisineer Nintendo Switch, PlayStation platforms, Xbox, and PC. The game stars an adventurous young woman named Pom, who returns to her home village of Paell to discover that her parents have gone missing and the family restaurant has been abandoned. The restaurant is also in debt, so Pom has to fix it up and get it running again. Pom knows how to cook, but she has to gather her ingredients in treacherous dungeons. As in Minecraft, the dungeons are split into biomes (environments) that include forest ruins, lava-filled caverns, frozen ice fjords, and swamps. You’ll be able to find different kinds of items in each one, which encourages you to explore. However, there are challenges along the way.…

When did the two of you decide to work together? Raina: I brought up the idea with Scott in 2019, when we were both attending Comic-Con in San Diego. Scott: I was on board right away! We’re both interested in how our brains turn pictures into stories. How did you collaborate on the book? Raina: We wrote every draft together. We went back and forth, sometimes daily, rewriting the story and redrawing each other’s panels. How did the story evolve? Scott: We made three versions. In the first one, we were characters in the story leading a class for kids. Which character is most like you? Raina: Lynda avoids revealing what’s inside her sketchbook because she doesn’t think it’s good enough. She becomes bolder after joining the club. That’s a…

Ingredients • 1 pound bag split red lentils• 2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed or vegetable oil• 1 onion, finely chopped• 2 cloves garlic, grated• 1 teaspoon cumin seed• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger• ½ teaspoon turmeric• 1 tablespoon tomato paste• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk• 1 tablespoon kosher salt• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper• Juice of 1 lemon l Parsley or cilantro, for garnish Instructions 1. Place the lentils in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Soak 20 minutes, then drain and rinse the lentils. 2. Return lentils to the pan and add enough water to cover them by ½ inch. Bring lentils to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until they are very soft, about 8 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, heat the…

Dino fossil hides in plain sight Dinosaurs have been lurking at Biloela State High School in Australia. About 20 years ago, a boulder from a nearby mine was donated for the school’s entryway. Students and staff passed by the rock every day until scientist Anthony Romilio examined it and found 66 fossilized footprints from 47 dinosaurs—the most ever seen in a single slab in the country. “My jaw dropped,” he said. Experts think the prints are from small, plant-eating dinos with two legs. Mayor Nev Ferrier said the area is“full of surprises.” Mysterious orange owl spotted Birdwatchers in Michigan are hooting with excitement over an extremely unusual bird. The spectacular snowy owl, which fans have nicknamed Rusty or Creamsicle, has reddish-orange feathers along its head and back. Snowy owls are…

Teacher’s Name: Mrs. Hinrichs School: Reeder Elementary “I think Mrs. Hinrichs is the best teacher. I am usually nervous on the first day of school, but when I came into the class, she made me feel comfortable by being very friendly, kind, and open. When we are learning math or spelling, she always makes it fun by playing games to test our knowledge. Mrs. Hinrichs always greets us with a warm smile. She is also patient and caring.”Kaia, 10, Nebraska Nominate your teacher for Teacher of the Week! Send your reason for the nomination, a photo of your teacher, and your school’s name and address to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

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