Meteor shower lights up the night sky
spaceFireballs from Halley’s comet are lighting up the Australian night sky this week as the Orionid meteor shower reaches its peak, putting on a show we can see without a telescope
Quick steps for world’s fastest ant
animalsScientists have found the fastest ant in the world — the Saharan silver — which takes 47 steps a second to cover about 90cm, the equivalent of a human running 579kmh
Media unites in fight against secrecy
civicsAustralia’s major media organisations have taken the unprecedented step of uniting to fight for press freedoms and the public’s right to know what’s going on in this country
Sweet dreams and a good night’s sleep in a carpark
humanitiesOne man’s big plan to help Australia’s homeless people have a good night’s sleep is a step closer to becoming a reality after a trial turned an empty carpark into pop-up accommodation
Meteor shower lights up the night sky
spaceFireballs from Halley’s comet are lighting up the Australian night sky this week as the Orionid meteor shower reaches its peak, putting on a show we can see without a telescope
Quick steps for world’s fastest ant
animalsScientists have found the fastest ant in the world — the Saharan silver — which takes 47 steps a second to cover about 90cm, the equivalent of a human running 579kmh
Media unites in fight against secrecy
civicsAustralia’s major media organisations have taken the unprecedented step of uniting to fight for press freedoms and the public’s right to know what’s going on in this country
Sweet dreams and a good night’s sleep in a carpark
humanitiesOne man’s big plan to help Australia’s homeless people have a good night’s sleep is a step closer to becoming a reality after a trial turned an empty carpark into pop-up accommodation
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Spelling Bee
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Mysterious creature called The Blob unveiled
scienceA Paris zoo has unveiled a mysterious new organism, nicknamed The Blob, that looks like a fungus, acts like an animal, eats porridge, can move and can heal itself if cut in half
Female astronauts make “herstory” on a spacewalk
spaceNASA astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir have completed a seven-hour spacewalk to do important repairs, leaving the four male astronauts back in the ISS
The most amazing wildlife photos of the year
animalsA gripping action shot that captures “the perfect moment” between a Tibetan fox and a marmot has won its photographer the title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Swapping footballers is a game for all ages
sportIn our weekly series, award-winning cartoonist Mark Knight remembers the joys of footy swap cards in the schoolyard and how it mirrors the competitiveness of AFL trade week
Wanted: a real human face for robots
technologyA technology company has begun a global search for a real face to replicate on its personal assistant robots, offering the chosen human a payment of $190,000
Meet a champion racehorse and his best friend
animalsIt’s a lot of work to ready a horse for Australia’s richest race, The Everest. We explore the special bond between two-time winner Redzel and his strapper ahead of his attempt to win again
Rye straw could replace plastic straws
environmentAustralian farmers are growing millions of natural, no-waste alternatives to plastic drinking straws every year, yet few people know about this centuries-old invention
Out-there plan for 13-minute journey to Mars
spaceA NASA scientist has designed a rocket that could reach close to the speed of light without using any fuel, going to the Moon in just over a second and putting distant stars within reach
Quest to end child poverty wins Nobel Prize
humanitiesThe Nobel Prize in economics has been awarded to three people working on solving child poverty. One of the winners is the youngest ever and only the second woman ever
Banish mould lurking in lunch boxes
healthA child health specialist is urging parents and kids to properly clean and inspect lunch boxes, drink bottles and toys for hidden mould after the revolting results of a parent survey
Scientist becomes world’s first full cyborg
technologyA world-renowned roboticist with motor neurone disease is transforming himself into a robot to extend his life, with plenty more upgrades and updates planned for the future
Meet Australia’s real Willy Wonka
historyAustralia had its own Willy Wonka long before Roald Dahl wrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the real one every bit as eccentric and a genius as the fictional version
Australian soldiers leave their mark in graffiti
historyGraffiti scrawled by Australian soldiers on underground cave walls in France more than 100 years ago has been preserved as a time capsule of life in the First World War
Mystery of the 7m python skin in the park
animalsWildlife officials believe a giant python skin may have been smuggled into Australia after it was found in a Queensland park, while in NSW the search is on for a boa constrictor on the loose
Kid-watching home spy invention on way
technologyGoogle has legal permission to develop technology that monitors where children are at home and what they are doing, eating and saying, raising concerns about privacy and children’s rights
First-ever diamond inside a diamond
scienceMiners have unearthed an ultra-rare diamond with a second diamond loose inside it, believed to be the first example of such a diamond ever found
Protesting extinction is as old as the dinosaurs
animalsIn our weekly series, award-winning cartoonist Mark Knight looks at the Extinction Rebellion protests in Australia and around the world and wonders what the dinosaurs would have thought
Astronomers find 20 new Saturn moons
spaceScientists have found 20 new moons around Saturn, giving the ringed planet a total of 82. The finds put Saturn ahead of Jupiter’s 79 moons — though none as massive as Ganymede
Space burgers coming right up!
scienceAstronauts have grown beef in a laboratory up on the International Space Station by 3D printing meat from cells harvested on Earth and sent up into orbit on a rocket
Paralysed man walks with exoskeleton
technologyA man paralysed from the shoulders down has walked using a four-limb robotic exoskeleton controlled by signals sent from sensors implanted in his brain
The mystery of the human belly button
explainersThere are more than 7.7 billion human belly buttons on Earth, yet few of us know much at all about this funny-looking squiggle on the middle of our middle. Kids News explains belly buttons
Head outdoors for ‘playlight savings’ fun
healthEven families in states without daylight savings need to adopt “playlight savings” to make the most of summer’s longer days and improve their health by being outside
Gender-neutral friends for Barbie and Ken
humanitiesBarbie and Ken have new friends, but, unlike feminine Barbie and masculine Ken, these dolls are gender neutral and are “designed to keep labels out and invite everyone in”
Rare orange monkey born at Australian zoo
animalsOne of the world’s rarest and most endangered monkeys has been born in Australia. The baby’s distinctive bright orange hair is making him a standout at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo
Hunt for $1 coins with pies, footy and boomerangs
moneyThe biggest release of $1 coins will feature 26 Australian animals, food and cultural items including meat pies, didgeridoos, Weet-Bix and thongs. Can you find them all in the Great Aussie Coin Hunt?
Fossilised ‘Iron Dragon’ found in the outback
historyThe fossilised bones of a winged reptile — nicknamed the Iron Dragon — which flew above Queensland during the age of dinosaurs has been uncovered in the outback
Roosters win back-to-back NRL premierships
sportThe Sydney Roosters have held off an attacking Canberra Raiders to win historic back-to-back NRL titles, but the referees are copping criticism over a mistake just before the winning try
Colourful dreams of a sleeping octopus
animalsFilmmakers have recorded the dramatic colour changes of a sleeping octopus, suggesting it is dreaming about preying on a crab, catching it and then settling down to eat it
Grab some popcorn, it’s school holiday movie time
just for funIt’s school holiday time which means Kids News is taking a short break. But you should grab some popcorn and see one of the great movies on the big screen. Here’s our guide to the best
Harriet the monkey visits the Queen
just for funA toy monkey from an Australian kindergarten has had an unexpected big adventure at Buckingham Palace, getting lost, then found, then going to work with palace staff
How long do Aussie banknotes last?
moneyWhat is the lifespan of Australian banknotes? Like most things, our polymer money has a use-by date and the answers for how long each note lasts might surprise you
Teens guzzling too much soft drink
healthOne in six Australian teenagers consumes at least 5.2kg of sugar each year from sugary drinks, according to a new health survey. Though that’s an improvement, it’s still too much sugar
