Articles for Grade 3

About 130 years ago, Harry Govier Seeley, a paleontologist trained in Cambridge, classified dinosaurs into two distinct groups, or clades, based on the shape of their pelvic bones. The “reptile-hipped” saurischians included carnivorous theropods like the Tyrannosaurus Rex (T-Rex), while the “bird-hipped” ornithischians comprised herbivores such as the Stegosaurus and Triceratops. As more dinosaur fossils were discovered, a third group, dubbed sauropodomorphs, was established. In 1887, Seeley concluded that the long-necked herbivorous sauropods, like the Brontosaurus, were related to theropods and classified them as saurischians....

Though 70% of the Earth is covered in water, only about 2.5% is fresh. Even worse, only 1% of the fresh water is readily accessible, the rest being trapped in glaciers or deep underground. It is therefore not surprising to hear that over 780 million people worldwide currently do not have easy access to clean water. The problems are only expected to get worse with climate change and the burgeoning world population. Though desalinating sea water is the most logical solution, current techniques are too expensive and cumbersome to deploy on a large scale....

All canine owners know that feeding their pets regular ice cream can result in serious health issues. Many dogs are lactose intolerant and consumption of dairy upsets their digestive systems. Moreover, just like in humans, eating large amounts of sugar causes dogs to become hyper and unfocused, and can also result in dental cavities, diabetes, and obesity. Now, thanks to Mauricio Montoya, some lucky dogs in Mexico City are finally able to enjoy the frozen treat without their owners worrying about any harmful side effects....

Single-celled amoebae, which resemble small blobs of jelly, are usually of interest only to the researchers that discover them. However, a new South American species is garnering significant attention from fans of the epic Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R.Tolkien. That’s because its unique shell, or carapace, bears a close similarity to the hat donned by Gandalf, the powerful wizard leader of the Fellowship of the Ring and the army of the West....

It is a well-known fact that plastic bottles, which take hundreds of years to decompose, are harmful to our environment. However, efforts by environmentalists to encourage consumers to switch to alternatives, like water fountains or reusable bottles, have not been very effective. The U.S. alone utilizes over 50 million plastic bottles annually, 80% of which end up in landfills....

Space travel is expensive, especially since every launch requires a new rocket. The biggest and most costly part is the booster that powers the spacecraft beyond the Earth’s orbit. Once the job, which takes a few minutes, is completed, it separates from the rest of the rocket and drops back into the ocean while the second stage engine takes over and delivers the payload to its destination....

New York City’s impressive skyline that includes iconic structures like the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building, may get even more interesting with the addition of the “Big Bend.” The tall and slender U-shaped residential tower is the brainchild of Oiio Studio, an architectural firm with offices in Manhattan and Athens....

Easter, which will be celebrated on Sunday, April 16 this year, offers many fun activities. But the one all kids look forward to the most is the egg hunt. However, in 2005 U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) special agent David Hyche realized that visually impaired children like his then 19-month-old daughter, Rachel, were unable to participate in this exciting event....

With our smart gadgets continuing to get increasingly powerful, battery power, of all things, is becoming of utmost importance. But amid the messy tangle of smartphone cords, unwieldy portable chargers, and the improbability of finding an electrical outlet, charging remains a challenge. Now, some brilliant scientists at Disney Research have created a room that can wirelessly charge all your electronic devices simultaneously....