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Archaeologists find ancient chariot near Pompeii
historyA 2000-year-old ceremonial carriage made of iron, bronze and tin has been unearthed from the outskirts of Pompeii, the city buried in the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD
Warners are good sports with spelling
spelling beeSport isn’t the only thing going on in the Warner household. Reading, writing and spelling are right up there. Watch the family have some fun in one of our celebrity spelling bee videos
Orang-utans get helicopter ride back to the wild
animalsFive males, a mother with two babies and two other female critically endangered orang-utans have been released into the wild in the Indonesian part of Borneo island
Latest
Mars rover’s parachute carried secret message
The huge parachute used by NASA’s Perseverance rover to land on Mars contained a secret message in binary code, thanks to a crossword lover on the spacecraft team having fun
PM urges kids to sign up to Spelling Bee
Prime Minister Scott Morrison knows spelling isn’t always easy — just watch him try to spell hippopotamus — but it can be lots of fun, especially with competitions like the Spelling Bee
Olympics 2032: Dream is on for young and old
Brisbane has been named preferred candidate by the International Olympic Committee to host the 2032 Olympic Games, great news for Australian Olympians of the past, present and future
Mount Etna’s spectacular volcanic eruption
Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano, has awed even experienced volcanologists, pumping out spectacular displays of lava, ash and volcanic rocks for more than a week
Plastic Bag Store opens as plastics ban begins
On March 1, South Australia will become the first state to ban single-use plastic, less than a week after the opening of a shop in Adelaide in which everything is made out of single-use plastic
Make some noise Mars, we’re listening
A microphone on NASA’s Perseverance rover has recorded for the first time the sound of another planet. It’s hoped there will be more to hear from Mars soon as the rover gets to work
Animals lend a helping hand at the zoo
Melbourne Zoo’s oldest residents have shown no one’s ever too old to learn. Elephant Mek Kapah and tortoises Wilbur, Little John and Jean are all involved in their own health checks
Space capsule reveals its treasures in Aussie outback
Australia is set to play a bigger part in international space missions as scientists reveal the treasures collected from a Japanese capsule that returned to Earth near Woomera
NASA rover touches down on Mars
The Perseverance rover has successfully landed on Mars in its mission to look for signs of ancient life on the red planet
Koala teeth used to create archaeology map
Australian archaeologists are studying ancient koala teeth and bones to create a map that will show how people and animals moved across the continent through history
Big thrill when coronavirus vaccine arrived
Health Minister Greg Hunt was so excited when Australia’s first vaccine delivery arrived he was doing cartwheels — at least in cartoonist Mark Knight’s imagination
The search for Australia’s healthiest lunchbox
Healthy Harold has been looking for Australia’s healthiest lunchbox and he’s found some pretty impressive options. Check out the winning lunches
Cruising sharks photo wins best underwater award
A stunning image of sharks and seagulls at sunset has won the Underwater Photographer of the Year 2021 award from 4500 images entered by photographers from 68 countries
COVID maths: All the world’s virus in a drink can
All the COVID-19-causing virus in the world right now could easily fit inside a single soft drink can, according to a fascinating calculation by a mathematician
Calling all kids: our wildlife needs your help
Wildlife warrior Robert Irwin talks to Kids News about how kids can be community leaders in protecting the environment and wildlife and how every little thing we do helps
Chinese and UAE spacecrafts enter Mars orbit
It’s getting busy around Mars, with two spacecraft recently entering the red planet’s orbit and another about to arrive
Welcome to the Year of the Ox
Millions — perhaps billions — of people around the world are preparing for a very important annual celebration — Chinese or Lunar New Year. Here’s what you need to know to join the fun
How to be a junior wildlife photographer
Teenager McKinley Moens knows a thing or two about taking great shots of wildlife in their natural habitat. Here are her tips
When a wombat on the tennis court is normal
In a world turned upside down by the coronavirus pandemic, we have to expect the unexpected, even when the unexpected comes in the form of Ash Barty’s wooden wombat tennis trophy
Big roos to help Kangaroo Island bounce back
A mob of roos is about to be moved off the front lawn of an Adelaide school, but it’s not because they’re eating too much grass. It’s all to help raise money for bushfire recovery
Huge discovery of tiny chameleon
Scientists from Madagascar and Germany say a newly discovered species of chameleon that fits on a human fingertip is a contender for the title of world’s smallest reptile
Warner girls are great all rounders
Star batsman David Warner’s girls love cricket — and quite a few other sports too. And their mum, Candice, wouldn’t have it any other way
Robert Irwin urges kids to go wild in their own backyard
You don’t need to go to the outback to see animals in their natural habitat. Take a look in your own backyard
Friends first for young Aussies in Kids News survey
Aussie kids are most looking forward to spending time with their friends this year after an interrupted 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to the results of a survey by Kids News
Do you have a question for Healthy Harold?
Have you ever wondered how your body makes your heart beat or why face masks help protect us from COVID-19? Healthy Harold has the answers. Send him your questions
Young fire survivor pens poem about a day he’ll never forget
Memories of the Black Summer fires come back every time James smells smoke. Read the moving poem he has entered in the Kids News Bushfire Poetry Competition
Australia’s ‘word of the decade’ revealed
A phrase that was widely used in 2016 when Donald Trump first became US President has been crowned the “word of the decade”, outperforming “Karen”, the people’s choice winner last year
Bushfire Poetry Comp: have your poem published
Best-selling author Trent Dalton wants kids to help him tell the story of the Black Summer bushfires — and maybe have their poem published in a special book
Hanging out with Smudge at Antarctica
A curious emperor penguin nicknamed Smudge has made friends with an Australian Antarctic expeditioner undertaking the annual penguin census at the Auster and Taylor rookeries
Queensland schoolgirl gets special 3D-printed ear
A 10-year-old girl has become the first person to receive a patient-matched 3D-printed ear in groundbreaking surgery just in time for the start of the new school year
Seahorse dad gives birth
Rare footage has been captured of a male seahorse giving birth to dozens of offspring — yes, that’s right, a male having babies!
A year of wonderful news at our zoos
Zoos were closed for much of 2020 but the animals’ carers continued their important conservation work around Australia. Here are some of the year’s memorable moments
Saving the day with a gorilla named Gertrude
David Walliams introduces Code Name Bananas, in which an orphaned boy named Eric makes friends with a gorilla named Gertrude and they save the day! With activity sheets to download
Kids News launches Bushfire Poetry Competition
Share your experiences of last summer’s bushfires for a chance to have your poem published in a special book commemorating the Black Summer fires
Steve Smith shares his inside tips on batting and slips catching
Aussie cricket champ Steve Smith knows a thing or two about hitting a great cover drive and taking a spectacular catch. Watch his tips in our special How To video series
Guardian dogs saving bandicoots from extinction
Two very special dogs have a very special job as guardians of some critically endangered eastern barred bandicoots just released into a conservation reserve in western Victoria
How to talk to your parents about money
While some money lessons come from school, most kids get their financial knowledge from their parents. So it’s a good idea to start talking. Here are some conversation starters
How much sleep do I need?
Healthy Harold has lots of advice to help keep kids safe, happy and healthy. See his tips for getting a good night’s sleep and his answers to some of your great questions
‘Bat woman’ and other incredible wildlife pics
The Natural History Museum is inviting you to vote for your favourite among the finalist entries in this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award
US election, coronavirus top 2020 Google searches
It has been a year dominated by crises, from bushfires to coronavirus, yet neither were the most Google-searched terms in Australia. Instead, ‘US election’ was the most searched-for term
Breakdancing added to 2024 Paris Olympics
Breakdancing, skateboarding, surfing and sport climbing have been approved for inclusion at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in a bid to include sports popular among young people
Library book returned after 33-year voyage
A book that has travelled the world on yachts with sailors since 1987 has finally been returned to the Townsville library with a note that reads “we are sorry that this book is a little overdue”
BBL return marks summer of cricket fun
Big Bash cricket is back — but it will look a bit different this summer. Check out the new rules and download our fun activity sheets and BBL scoreboard
Asteroid sample lands safely in South Australia
In a mission described as perfect, a capsule containing a sample of an asteroid that could help unlock some of the mysteries about life on Earth has landed in the South Australian outback
Healthy Harold is here to answer your questions
Do you have a question about health and safety? Healthy Harold is here to help. Send him your question now.
Great summer reading with our December book of the month
Top-selling children’s author Matt Stanton is back with a new book just in time for some summer holiday reading. Take a free sneak peek of The Odds
Triceratops coming to live in Australia
A very special dinosaur that roamed Earth 67 million years ago is moving to Melbourne. The one-tonne triceratops skeleton has been described as one of the most complete dinosaur fossils ever found
During fire season, we are all in this together
Mark Knight chooses a favourite cartoon from 2020 and explains the process of starting with a news event, gathering ideas and working towards a drawing to tell even more of the story
Meet Baby Charlie, the doll with Down syndrome
Kmart has added to its range of inclusive toys with the Baby Charlie with Down Syndrome dolls, just in time for International Day of People with Disability on December 3
Shiny metal thing disappears, another appears
Another mysterious triangular metal pillar has been found next to an ancient fortress in the city of Piatra Neamt, Romania, days after one vanished without a trace in the desert in Utah, US
Dinosaurs’ ferocious fight to the death
An Australian geologist is working to uncover the fossilised scene of a T-rex and a triceratops apparently locked in a ferocious duel, the teeth of the T-rex embedded in the other’s spine
Santa gets special permission to travel at Christmas
The coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt travel around the world but the Prime Minister has confirmed that no matter what happens to Australia’s borders Santa will be able to do his job
Rare baby earless dragons ready for visitors
Keepers at Melbourne Zoo have proudly introduced to visitors some baby grassland earless dragons. It’s been 50 years since the last confirmed Victorian sighting of the species in the wild
Young fundraisers’ crafty idea to save koalas
Watching the devastation of Australia’s koalas during last summer’s bushfires was too much to bear for these nature-loving kids — so they are doing something about it
Big idea kickstarts Grace’s future career
A young inventor can now bring her idea to life after it caught the attention of some of Australia’s brightest minds and scored her a big cash prize to help make it happen
Mystery shiny metal thing appears in desert
Deep in the remote, Mars-like landscape of Utah’s red-rock desert in the US, a helicopter crew counting sheep stumbled on a mystery: A giant, gleaming metal thing embedded in rock
Unmasked! Aussies’ great effort in the pandemic
With his relaxation on wearing masks outdoors it seems Premier Dan has saved Victorians yet again, this time not from coronavirus but from weird facial tanning outcomes
Australian towns star in Monopoly special edition
Instead of famous streets in far-off London, a new Monopoly board features 22 Australian towns and regions to raise funds for communities impacted by bushfires, floods and COVID-19
Fast bowler Brown named WBBL Young Gun
Adelaide Strikers’ super-fast bowler Darcie Brown has been named Young Gun of the WBBL as she completes her year 12 exams from inside a Cricket Australia player hub
Census to count every koala in bid to save species
The Environment Minister unveiled a $2 million koala count as part of government’s commitment to protect the endangered species, while scientists call for threatened status for the platypus
Study using AI to make scents of history
Scientists and historians will use AI to study and recreate what the world smelled like hundreds of years ago. Called Odeuropa, the pioneering study will build an online smell encyclopaedia
Predator-proof fence to create native wildlife haven
A 10km fence will be built at a Victorian national park to protect endangered species from predatory pests
Kids News kids’ survey: tell us about your year
The first ever Kids News kids’ survey is here! We want students to share their thoughts on 2020, a year like we’ve never seen before
Kids News teachers’ survey: tell us about your year
Because we can’t let the kids have all the fun, here’s the Kids News teachers’ survey so educators can have their say on 2020 too
Queensland wins Origin series
Underdog Queensland has scored one of its greatest State of Origin series wins after taking the decider in a 20-14 upset
Broomsticks for Muggles glide through the streets
Two men have been seen whizzing on broomsticks along the famously traffic-choked streets of Brazilian megacity Sao Paulo. The inventors’ goal is to create a new version of Quidditch
Huge find in Egypt’s ‘City of the Dead’
Archaeologists have unearthed 100 Ancient Egyptian painted coffins — some with mummies inside — plus 40 precious statues at the Saqqara necropolis near Cairo, Egypt
First-ever Aussie sighting of bigfin squid
Australian scientists have filmed five bigfin squid in the Great Australian Bight, the first time they’ve been seen in Australian waters. Little is known about these creatures of the deep
Indigenous design first for our men’s cricket team
Australia’s indigenous culture will be celebrated when the men’s cricket team takes to the field in the coming T20 series. Discover what the design represents
At work with a Sydney Harbour Bridge climber
Could Nick Hayes have the best job in the world? Or perhaps you think it would be the worst job. Find out what happens on a typical day for a climb leader on the Sydney Harbour Bridge
Time to wave goodbye to the peregrine chicks
As Melburnians stretch their wings after the lockdown, the city’s famous peregrine falcon chicks are also stretching theirs, hopping and flying backwards and forwards along their home ledge
Kids urged to open a favourite book for Australian Reading Hour
Reading doesn’t have to be a chore. Illustrator and children’s author Beck Feiner recommends trying a picture book or a book about a hobby you love. Also, download her colouring sheet and create your own Australia Reads logo
Hyperloop rockets passengers in levitating pod
The world’s first passengers have ridden a futuristic high-speed transport system known as a hyperloop. The technology uses electromagnets to push pods through a tube at up to 1000kmh
Gene study finds two new glider species
Australian scientists have discovered two new species of one of our cutest and most-loved native animals, the greater glider. What we previously thought was one species is actually three
Step up and step out for a kinder world
It’s World Kindness Day on November 13 and Fly High Billie — a charity to empower children to make a difference through kindness — is setting a challenge called Walk for a Kinder World
World unites for Remembrance Day
Millions will fall silent tomorrow for Remembrance Day to commemorate those who fought and died in World War I
Asteroid could be Moon’s long-lost twin
A huge space rock hidden behind Mars could be a chunk of the Moon, broken off in a cosmic collision
Aussies are living longer as boys close the gap on girls
A girl born today can expect to live to 85, while boys can expect to live to almost 81. But males are slowly closing the life expectancy gap on females
Gigantic iceberg on collision course with island
An iceberg the size of a small country is floating toward the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia, raising fears seal and penguin parents won’t be able to access food or get back to their young
Horse in a face mask another COVID normal?
This year we combined the race that stops the nation with the virus that stopped the world. Mark Knight explains how he came to do a quick sketch of a Melbourne Cup horse in a face mask
Bookings open for Titanic submarine tour
You can now explore the wreckage of the famous Titanic ship on a submarine tour, helping experts survey the site. The eight-day trip departing from Canada will set you back $175,000
Mystery of the mass butterfly invasion
Hundreds of thousands of caper white butterflies have blown into Southeast Queensland in a phenomenon that only happens about every six to 10 years. Scientists can only speculate why
Tell us about your favourite family holiday
Thanks to the kids who shared their family holiday memories with us as part of the Australia Go Get It campaign. Read our top picks
Special ‘covid stamp’ printed on toilet paper
A European postal service has printed a stamp on toilet paper to reinforce an important coronavirus message — as Australia releases its own pandemic-related stamp
First for top dog handler
Carmen Blyth — along with trusty dog Spec — has become the first female to win Tasmania’s Working Sheep Dog State Championships since the competition began in the 1940s
Found! New reef taller than a skyscraper
A new coral reef like an underwater mountain and taller than any building in Australia has been discovered in remote waters off Cape York, Queensland, its pinnacle about 40m below the surface
Relishing a delicious double-doughnut dinner
There were joyous scenes as Melburnians ate out at their favourite restaurants and cafes again after the long lockdown. Mark Knight could easily imagine what the Premier would order
A typical day in the life of a ballet dancer
To celebrate World Ballet Day, Kids News talked to Australian dancer Naomi Hibberd about what she loves and finds challenging about being a dancer, plus what her typical day looks like
Echidna puggle in good hands after bumpy start
Snatched from its burrow and dropped from the sky by a hungry bird, this little guy had a rough start to life. But things are looking up at Taronga Wildlife Hospital
Winners are grinners in Grand Final showdowns
Richmond and Melbourne Storm were crowned the 2020 AFL and NRL premiers in a historic weekend of Grand Final footy
Artist’s illusions transforming the streets
A self-taught graffiti artist is becoming famous around the world for his ultra-realistic murals that transform the mundane into the magnificent, earning him the nickname “The Illusionist”
Fox without socks takes a liking to shoes
In a twist on the Dr Seuss story, a cunning fox is collecting shoes — but not socks — from front verandas in Adelaide, spreading them around the streets and hoarding them in its den
2000-year-old cat found carved in desert
A huge cat carving has been unearthed on a hillside in southern Peru and is thought to be a 2000-year-old Nazca Line. Around 1000 have already been discovered
What type of saver are you?
Learning to save is a vital life skill and can help you get the things you want. Knowing what type of saver you are can help you reach your savings goals
Tree-hugging tiger photo wins wildlife award
Judges called this photo of a Siberian tiger a “scene like no other” and declared it the overall winning entry in the Wildlife Photographer Of The Year competition. See all the winning photos
Tardigrades found with glowing blue UV shield
Scientists have discovered a new species of tardigrade with a new superpower — a blue fluorescent coating — that protects them and other living things it is painted onto against extreme UV light
World Lego honour for Aussie schoolboy
Jack Berne is the boy who made news after launching fundraiser A fiver for a Farmer. Now, the 12 year old has been picked to contribute to a global Lego project called Rebuild the World
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