News
Queensland schoolgirl gets special 3D-printed ear
healthA 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
Dinosaur could be the biggest ever land animal
animalsPalaeontologists are digging up the massive 98-million-year-old fossilised skeleton of a titanosaur they now believe was the largest animal ever to walk on Earth
Bushfire Poetry Comp: author Jackie French’s five rules for writing a poem
artsAward-winning author Jackie French wants kids to discover the healing power of poetry. See her tips for writing a great poem
Latest
New name revealed for Coon cheese
Favourite Australian cheese brand Coon will be renamed Cheer after concerns the old name has a racist meaning
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
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
Listen to the sounds and music of space
You can now hear the sounds of space, according to a NASA project that has assigned musical notes and instruments to the goings-on of two supernovas and a colliding cluster of galaxies
Australian surgeons rebuild girl’s spine
Standing straight and walking tall for the first time in her life, 11-year-old Nichole Jamelo can’t wait to take on the world now that two 90-degree bends in her spine have been straightened out
Student solves poem clues, finds treasure chest
The identity has been revealed of the person who solved clues written into a poem, then found a famous gold-filled treasure chest hidden more than a decade ago in the wilds of Wyoming
‘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
Peace and goodwill enduring themes of Christmas
Mark Knight wonders how Santa’s operations might look in the 21st century with social media, job cuts, mass manufacturing and low-cost couriers. At least we can still aim for peace and goodwill
New height agreed for Mount Everest
China and Nepal jointly announced a new and slightly higher official height of 8848.86m for Mount Everest on Tuesday, ending a disagreement between the two nations
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”
Education drives Kirrah’s dream
Meet Kirrah Stothers, one of the stars of an inspirational documentary about young indigenous students following their dreams to change the world
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
Great Barrier Reef spawning shown on TV
In an Australian first, the annual Great Barrier Reef spawning has been shown live on TV in the hope the event will bring the country together in awe and inspire people to help protect the reef
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
Great Barrier Reef outlook now ‘critical’
Climate change is increasingly damaging UN World Heritage sites including the Great Barrier Reef, a new report warns, while 2020 is on track to be the second hottest year on record
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
Aussie telescope maps new atlas of the Universe
In under two weeks the CSIRO’s world-leading radio telescope in Western Australia has created a Google Maps-like atlas or map of our Universe, in the meantime discovering many new galaxies
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
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
China launches mission to the Moon
China has launched a spacecraft to collect rocks from the Moon for the first time in more than 40 years. It’s the country’s boldest space mission yet and could lead to a future crewed lunar landing
Dogs then cats top list of favourite pets
Australians love pets and our favourite pets are definitely dogs, according to the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey, which, for the first time, asked us about animals
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
Cricket star grows all out for charity
They might look a bit funny, but there’s a serious message behind the moustaches sprouting from some of our star sportsmen, including cricketer Moises Henriques
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
Like Superman: Aussies making diamonds in minutes
In nature, diamonds take billions of years, heat and pressure to form. Australian scientists have made diamonds at room temperature by squashing carbon with the weight of 640 elephants
Solving the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle
Ships and planes have disappeared without a trace in the Bermuda Triangle. But is there really anything strange going on? Kids News looks at the history of this fascinating phenomenon
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
Room to improve Australia’s recycling efforts
Australia is burying 67 million tonnes of garbage every year, equal to 2700kg for each person, a new report has found. That’s despite people saying they’re putting a lot of effort into recycling
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
‘Iso’ declared Australia’s word of the year
The Australian National Dictionary Centre has named ‘iso’ — slang for self-isolation — as the word of 2020 from both a year and a shortlist of words dominated by the coronavirus pandemic
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
New names for Red Skins and Chicos lollies
Red Skins will be renamed Red Ripper and Chicos will become Cheekies as Nestle scraps the old names over fears they are offensive
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
New technology beams sound into your head
Audio technology to be unveiled this week beams music, games or movie soundtracks directly into your head without headphones or wires, which the developers are calling “sound beaming”
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
Meet your two-million-year-old ‘cousin’
Australian researchers have found the skull of a big-toothed, small-brained ‘cousin’ of our species called Paranthropus robustus, which could help us understand human evolution
New push to change Australian anthem lyrics
The NSW Premier has called for a change to the lyrics of the national anthem to better acknowledge Australia’s proud Indigenous history but some say it’s not enough of a change
Vaccine maker ‘near ecstatic’ after study result
The Pfizer coronavirus vaccine has shown a 90 per cent effectiveness rate in tests, boosting global confidence. Australia last week ordered 10 million doses of this particular vaccine
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
Biden claims victory in US election
Joe Biden has defeated President Donald Trump to become the 46th president of the United States, saying he wants to unify the country
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
Astronomers find source of fast radio burst
Scientists — with the help of antennae made from actual cake tins — have solved the mystery of what causes fast radio bursts of energy that zip and zigzag through the universe
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
Aussie kids need less homework, more play
Homework headaches and “competitive parenting’’ are fuelling kids’ anxiety, Australia’s new National Children’s Commissioner warned, calling for kids to get more time to relax and play
US election: How does it work? What could happen?
This year’s presidential election is one of the most watched in US election history – regardless of whether Donald Trump or Joe Biden is the winner. Here’s a guide to what will and could happen
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
Study reveals benefits of all-girls schools
Girls at single-sex schools outperform their peers at co-ed campuses, new research shows. There is less bullying and less skipping class and fewer friendship fights at single-sex schools
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
‘Bionic spine’ brings hope to people with disabilities
Melbourne scientists and surgeons have given patients with disabilities the power to work computers with their mind in a world-first “bionic spine” breakthrough
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
Gut bacteria could help control allergies, asthma
There are positive signs in new research that hay fever, asthma, eczema and other allergies — which affect one in three Australians — could be controlled by improving your gut health
Plentiful water found on surface of Moon
NASA has announced the discovery of surface water on the Moon in more places and in larger quantities than expected, providing drinking water and rocket fuel for future astronaut base camps
Teen boys more confident than girls, study shows
Smart girls suffer a fear of failure even when they beat boys at school, a new global study of 600,000 reveals. The study also found that girls are better than boys at conflict resolution
What is dyslexia? Is there a cure?
Dyslexia is the most common cause of reading, writing and spelling difficulties. But the good news is dyslexia is not a disease and you can have dyslexia and be really good at lots of things
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”
Signal troubles on Earth? Move to the Moon
If you’re struggling with dodgy phone or internet, there’s a chance you’ll soon be better off on the Moon as NASA awards Nokia the job of building the first lunar mobile network
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
NASA attempts to snatch asteroid rubble
UPDATED After almost two years circling the asteroid Bennu hundreds of millions of kilometres away, a NASA spacecraft has attempted to collect a sample from the treacherous, boulder-packed surface
Kurt the cloned horse kicking up his heels
In a world first, scientists have cloned a rare, endangered Przewalski’s horse. They used cells taken from a stallion 40 years ago and fused them with an egg from a domestic horse
Record fast flight to International Space Station
A new crew has arrived at the International Space Station in less time than it takes to catch a plane flight from one side of Australia to the other
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
Wanting the Premier to hit the right target
There are lots of complex numbers in news about the coronavirus pandemic. Mark Knight explains how he created a drawing to show what’s happening in Victoria in a simple way
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
Australia agrees to new rules for the Moon
Eight countries have agreed to NASA’s new set of Moon rules — banning fighting and littering — based on the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, by which celestial bodies can’t be owned by one country
Short story competition winners revealed
Congratulations to everyone who took part in this year’s short story competition and especially to the amazing young writers who caught the eye of the judges. Read their winning stories here
Rat wins top bravery award for landmine work
Magawa, a giant African pouched rat, is the first rat ever to win a British charity’s top civilian award for animal bravery, receiving the honour for searching out unexploded landmines in Cambodia
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