Articles with 600-800 Words

Schools across the world are trying to come up with innovative solutions to keep students active and alert. Some are replacing conventional classroom chairs with exercise balls or standing desks. At Ward Elementary School in Winston, North Carolina students have adopted an innovative program that entails riding stationary bikes while reading....

On Wednesday, April 20, Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew announced that Harriet Tubman will replace Andrew Jackson, the seventh President of the United States, on the $20 bill. The former slave and abolitionist is the first African-American, and the first woman in over a century, to be featured on the face of U.S. currency. The last female represented on U.S. notes was Martha Washington, who appeared on the $1 silver certificate from 1886 to 1957, when the certificates were discontinued....

The fact that computers are getting increasingly smarter is evident. However, they still lack creativity and intuition and hence cannot learn, think and understand like humans — At least, that was the consensus until Google's AlphaGo computer algorithm beat 18-time world champion Lee Se-dol, 4 to 1 at the ancient Chinese game, Go....

For those that enjoy pranks, there is no better day than April 1. Also known as 'Fool's Day' it is the one day of the year when light-hearted tricks are not just accepted but welcomed! Nobody knows how this fun tradition started. Some think it began in 1582 when the world moved away from the Julian calendar, (that began the new year in April) to the current Gregorian calendar. Others think it was to celebrate the onset of spring....

Easter weekend is upon us! For most of you, that means going to an egg roll or two, meeting the Easter bunny, participating in parades and best of all binging on delicious foods like honey-baked ham and potatoes with friends and family. It turns out that not all countries celebrate this important Christian holiday with these traditions. They have their own rituals which may not include egg hunts and Easter bunnies, but are equally fun!...

Once underground mines have served their purpose, most are sealed and forgotten. The 2000-year-old Salina Turda Salt Mine in the city of Turda, Romania was no exception. The mine which is believed to have opened in the Middle Ages (as far back as 1075) was shuttered in 1932 after competition from neighboring mines rendered its operation unprofitable....

Sunday, March 13 marks the beginning of Daylight Saving Time (DST) in the United States. On this day, most Americans will move their clocks forward by an hour. This simple action allows residents to enjoy more daylight during the upcoming spring and summer months....

With no threat of predators or the need to hunt for food, shelter, or find a mate, zoo orangutans have an extremely comfortable existence. But this also means that the smart animals lack the critical challenges they need for their mental and emotional well-being. To ensure the curious mammals that share 97% of their DNA with humans do not get bored and depressed, zookeepers are always looking for new ways to keep them entertained and challenged....

On May 18, 1969, NASA astronauts Thomas Stafford, John Young, and Eugene Cernan blasted off from Cape Canaveral aboard the Apollo 10 lunar module, the fourth manned mission in the US Apollo Space program and only the second after Apollo 8 to orbit the moon. Its mission was to circle the moon and thoroughly test the components and procedures to pave the way for the first lunar landing. The mission went flawlessly and without incident — At least that's what everyone believed....