Articles for Grade 3

Avid Pokémon video and card game fans were recently called upon to use their expertise for an unusual task – to help scientists understand the inner workings of the brain. Specifically, Weiwei Zhang, an assistant professor at the University of California, Riverside, wanted to learn the connection between the short-term — or working memory — and long-term memory....

NASA’s Near Earth Object (NEO) Observations Program has discovered and cataloged over 15,000 Near Earth Asteroids (NEAs) since they began scouring the skies in 1998. However, every now and again, one manages to escape their powerful telescopes and keen eyes. This was certainly the case with asteroid 2017 BS32, which was discovered on January 30 just three days before its close encounter with Earth....

As is the case every February 2, thousands of people gathered at Gobbler’s Knob in Pennsylvania early in the morning to witness legendary groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, predict the length of this year’s winter. Given the gloomy weather and scattered snow showers, it appeared highly unlikely that the animal would see his shadow, the indication of an extended winter....

On November 8, discouraged and upset by the outcome of the US election, retired lawyer Theresa Shook set up a Facebook event inviting women to stage a peaceful protest in Washington, the day after the Presidential inauguration. The Hawaiian resident wanted the Trump Administration to know on its first day in office that women’s rights are human rights. By the time she woke up on November 9, over 10,000 people had expressed their desire to attend the rally....

If you thought the captivating creatures in the movie adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, looked and acted somewhat familiar, you are not wrong. That’s because to create the mythical creatures, animators from three visual effects companies, Framestore, Rodeo FX, and MPC, drew inspiration from real-life animal physiology and behavior....

Though they have been around since the late 1990’s, emoji use has escalated sharply with the proliferation of smartphones. A survey conducted by digital start-up Swyft Media revealed that over six billion emoticons or stickers are sent around the world every day. The digital icons have become so ubiquitous that in 2015, the Oxford Dictionary selected the “Face with Tears of Joy” as its “word” of the year. Given their widespread use and popularity, it is not surprising that the tiny images are starting to intrigue researchers as well....

Harbin, the largest city in the Heilongjiang Province in Northeast China, that boasts winter temperatures of -13°F (-25°C) may not appear to be the ideal vacation destination. But don’t tell that to the millions of visitors who brave the area’s frigid weather annually, to experience one of the world’s biggest and most unique snow and ice festivals....

In 2015, while browsing at a market in Myanmar, Lida Xing, a paleontologist at Beijing’s China University of Geosciences, was offered a piece of amber. Believed to contain a preserved plant it was meant for use as jewelry. Suspecting that the semitranslucent precious stone was harboring something more valuable, the scientist convinced the Dexu Institute of Paleontology to purchase it....

Though 3D printing technology has been available for over two decades, it has not gone mainstream as hoped because of the high cost and slow print speeds. But that may change soon, thanks to German sportswear manufacturer Adidas. On December 15, 2016, the company revealed Adidas 3D Runners, stylish sports sneakers featuring a 3D printed midsole that provides athletes with the extra cushioning needed for optimal performance....