The Week Junior US

On March 27, after more than 10 years of service, the star-mapping space telescope known as Gaia was shut down by the European Space Agency (ESA). The ESA is an international organization based in France (see box at right). What is the Gaia telescope? Gaia (pronounced “guy-uh”) is an acronym for Global Interferometer for Astrophysics. The ESA launched the telescope in December 2013 with a mission of making the largest and most precise 3D map of the Milky Way ever created. It orbited the Sun about 930,000 miles from Earth. Gaia had two telescopes, three scientific instruments, and the largest digital camera ever put into space, which created images with nearly 1 billion pixels. By comparison, smartphone cameras take pictures with about 10 million pixels. Gaia was so powerful that…

Muslims (people who follow the religion of Islam) around the world began celebrating Eid al-Fitr on March 30 to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan. During Ramadan, Muslims fast (do not eat or drink) from dawn to sunset. Eid al-Fitr celebrates the end of the fasting period. It begins after the waning crescent moon is sighted. The Eid al-Fitr festival lasts one to three days and begins after dawn with a prayer service. Traditions typically include eating something sweet, attending prayers, then visiting family and friends and exchanging sweets and gifts. These treats vary around the world. For example, a pudding called sheer khurma is prepared in South Asia, while a shortbread cookie called maamoul is made in Syria and Jordan. A greeting during Eid al-Fitr is…

In what is believed to be the first documented case of a shark actively producing sounds, scientists recorded rig sharks making clicking noises. Experts had previously believed sharks to be silent. Carolin Nieder, a researcher with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, is the lead author of a new study describing the sounds. She made the discovery while working on her PhD (highest educational degree) at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. Nieder was studying sharks’ hearing abilities when she noticed rig sharks making crackling sounds when she handled them. To confirm her observation, Nieder’s team placed 10 young rig sharks in a tank with recording equipment. They handled the sharks for about 20 seconds each. When they did so, each shark made about nine short, high-frequency clicking sounds. Most…

A TALL TAIL A 2-year-old Maine Coon cat in Minnesota officially has the longest tail of any living pet cat. Mr. Pugsley Addams, who is named after a character in The Addams Family, loves to swish his 18.5-inch-long tail in the air and often swats his owner, Amanda, in the face with it (unintentionally, of course). Pugsley is mischievous but “just a great little guy to be around,” she said. BODY ART The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City has teamed up with Band-Aid to create adhesive bandages showing works of art from its collection. The art, by Katsushika Hokusai (above) and William Morris, is intended to “spark curiosity and joy,” a museum spokesperson said. A TASTY TRIBUTE A new gelato flavor honors Pope Francis, the head of…

The American Library Association (ALA), the largest and oldest organization of its kind in the world, is celebrating National Library Week from April 6–12. This year’s theme is “Drawn to the Library,” which communicates the idea of drawing people into libraries to enjoy what they offer. What is National Library Week? National Library Week honors the contributions of libraries, highlights their importance to the communities they serve, and advocates for their support. The event came about in the 1950s, when research showed that Americans were more interested in enjoying radio and television programs than they were in reading books. The ALA decided to create a week to promote reading. This year marks the 67th National Library Week. How is it being observed? The ALA has designated days for specific celebrations…

A bill that passed 54–2 in Georgia’s state senate bans the use of phones or electronic devices by students in grades K–8 during the school day. Governor Brian Kemp said he would sign the bill into law. Nine other states, including Florida and Ohio, previously passed bans, and New Mexico, Utah, and other states are drafting similar legislation. Jason Anavitarte, a Georgia state senator, said the law was important for improving students’ well-being.…