Science Stories

I Have Diabetes
A courageous nine-year-old boy learns about his disease and how to take care of himself to stay healthy.

Stars and Sea Lions: Camping on the Galapagos Islands
Share in the experiences of a scientist's family as they camp on one of the Galapagos Islands.

Kids of Berivotra, The
Ever since scientists working in Madagascar raised money for a new school, life has improved for the village children.

Stroking Molecules
Is it possible to see "friction" under a microscope?

Laughing Matters
Ever wonder why people laugh? Dr. Provine found some answers.

Why Do People Smoke?
Find out what makes quitting smoking so difficult for people of all ages.

Slick Little Robot, A
This robot was designed to clean and inspect gigantic oil tanks.

Wildlife in Africa Then . . . and Now
A scientist compares the merits of conservation and preservation for people and animals in Burkina Faso, Africa.

		Alligators Are Really Shy A wildlife biologist gets down and dirty with alligators.				New Brothers, The Two brother cheetahs venture away from their mother and find a place of their own.
		Animal Colors Animals' colors help them to hunt, to stay safe, and to attract mates.				New Kids at the Water Hole The alien water buffalos cause Australia's native wildlife problems, forcing scientists to make tough decisions.
		Animals and Their Trainers: A Good Team Fun and rewards are key in animal training.				Nina the Gorilla Even after a year, Nina remembered the author and proudly showed him her new baby.
		Ants Come Marching, The How do ants know when their help is needed? Scientists have discovered the answer.				Noisy World of Dolphins, The By teaching dolphins games, scientists have learned much about how these mammals use sonar.
		Are Animals Inventors? Some animals make their own tools.				Not Just a Hole in the Ground A woodchuck's burrow is the perfect place to sleep, hide, and raise young.
		At the Hippo Pool Find out how a mother hippo protects her baby.				Octopus Mother, The An octopus mother battles a strong eel to save her tiny octopus eggs.
		Bald Eagles Up Close and Sassy Two biologists make a house call to an eagle's nest that sits a hundred feet above the ground.				One Chicken's Discovery This bird dug up an argillite spearpoint in a place far from where it was made long ago.
		Bear Essentials, The The Appalachian Bear Center in Tennessee rescues orphaned bear cubs.				One of the Slowest Races on Earth Go to a banana-slug derby to discover why slugs are important to redwood forests.
		Bells of Springtime, The What springtime sound is like the jingling of a thousand bells? Tiny tree frogs called spring peepers!				Open Wide and Say, "Roar!" This dentist has more than just kids' teeth to worry about.
		Bugs That Aren't, The These tiny creatures may look like bugs, but don't let them fool you.				Parrots That Eat Dirt Why do more than a thousand parrots come every day to eat the clay of a certain riverbank in the Amazon rain forest?
		Busy Birds, Busy Beaks Different beaks are tailor-made to gather the best food.				Partners of the Ocean Reef Sea creatures partner up to make life a little easier.
		Butterflies That Taste Bad Tasting yucky helps some butterflies stay alive.				Raiders in the Barley Fields A team of experts help Tibetan villagers save their barley crops and build their first school.
		Chatty Birds The author's pets are anything but boring.				Resting by the Water Hole Two scientists, asleep near a busy water hole, are awakened by animals, including ferocious lions!
		Cheetahs Are Fastest Scientists measure the speed of a cheetah.				Roadrunners' Nest, The The author shares her observations of a pair of roadrunners as they prepare a nest and rear their young.
		Cobra in the Garden, A When the author's family moved to Borneo, they shared their garden with a black spitting cobra!				Robot with the Right Bee-havior, A A tiny robot can talk to honeybees.
		Counting Elephants Scientists keep track of the elephant population in West Africa.				Roger the Guard Llama Find out why many sheep ranchers have decided to use llamas as guard animals.
		Cutest Sea Horse, The Try to find this pygmy sea horse, no bigger than a pea, that lives camouflaged on red coral.				Sandhill Cranes at My Door A family of cranes became regular (and demanding!) visitors at this house.
		Danger in the Meadow Occasional controlled fires actually help the Idaho ground squirrel to survive.				Sea Anemones Spend the day searching for strawberry anemones with Sherry.
		Danger on the Zambezi River River guide Leanne Agiotis takes the author on an exciting tour of the Zambezi River in Central Africa.				Sea of Stripes After a scare, Mifuo is lost amongst thousands of zebras while his father searches for him.
		Day with Wild Ponies, A Spend a day with the wild ponies that mysteriously appeared on Assateague Island.				Seal is a Sneaky Swimmer, The Why can harbor seals outswim humans?
		Dinosaur Mummy, The In 1908 Charles Sternberg and his sons discovered the first fossilized dinosaur wrapped in its own skin.				Seaside Hermits A coastal housing shortage has hermit crabs scrambling for real estate.
		Droppings of Mammoth Proportions Two paleontologists discover Mammoth droppings that date back to the Ice Age.				Skunks! A conservation officer cared for six orphaned baby skunks until they could live successfully on their own in the wild.
		Elephant Talk Using infrasound, scientist Katy Payne listened in on elephant talk.				Snake-Bit Bitten by a rattlesnake, Jennifer's survival depended on her horse.
		Face to Face with Barn Owls A photographer was lucky enough to discover owl chicks and watch them grow into adult barn owls.				Stars and Sea Lions: Camping on the Galapagos Islands Share in the experiences of a scientist's family as they camp on one of the Galapagos Islands.
		Fiddler Crabs to Rhinos The biologist traces his life from boyhood at the Jersey Shore to adulthood on the Serengeti Plain.				Summertime Feast, A Young bears bulk up with salmon for a long winter' s sleep.
		Finding Cloud Rachel is thrilled to see a famous stallion during her visit to the wild-horse range near Billings, Montana.				Tale of Tails, A Many animals depend on their tails for protection, balance, and warmth.
		Gobble! Gobble! Wild turkeys in North America have made a comeback from near-extinction to more than five million birds.				Talking with Horses Learn the lingo of a horse's body language.
		Gorilla's First-Aid Kit, The Gorillas lead scientists to plants that may contain medicine for humans.				Tell-Tail Wag, The What's in a wag? Scientists learn something about dogs in <iLink>The Tell-Tail Wag</iLink>.
		Healing a Horse A true story about a veterinarian’s first case.				The Horseshoe Crab: A Living Fossil Kids learn about sea creatures that have been on Earth for 300 million years.
		Heat-Wave Snake Jennifer remembers a sweltering June morning when a rattlesnake visited her studio looking for water and a place to sleep.				Things Wings Do, The Flying is not the only thing wings can do.
		Hide-and-Seek Blending in can help a creature survive.				This Little Piglet A baby warthog is introduced to her extended family.
		High-Tech Fish Electric fish help scientists study the human nervous system.				Tickled by a Butterfly Why would a question-mark butterfly feed on this scientist's hand?
		Home for Wildlife, A A ranch in Africa has made life better for people and wild animals.				Tiger Cubs on the Move At the Sikhote-Alin Reserve in Russia, scientists are working to save tigers and their cubs.
		Horse Called Sunshine, A A young girl learns how to handle a new colt of her very own.				Tracking the Elephants Did you know how smart and sneaky elephants can be?
		How a Sea Star Gets Its Clam Clams, look out! Sea Stars are excellent hunters.				Tracking the Wandering Albatross Largest of the seabirds, the albatross spends most of its life on the wing.
		How Do You Count Grizzly Bears? Scientists snag tufts of fur to learn more about the grizzly population.				Treasure Hunter Why does the carrier snail glue objects to its shell?
		How Does the Ants' Garden Grow? Leaf-cutter ants use weed-killing bacteria to raise crops of fungus.				Walking like a Dinosaur See what creature struts like a dinosaur.
		How the Chickadee Weathers the Winter This tiny bird is well equipped for the coldest season.				Warm-Blooded Fish? Fish are cold-blooded, but some know how to keep themselves warm.
		Insect Farmers Forget about picnics. These ants grow their own food.				Watching A Beekeeper Joan makes friends with thousands of bees!
		Jumping Spiders These spiders don't wait in a web to trap food; they hunt for prey and pounce on it--sometimes leaping twenty times their own body length.				Whale of a Patient, A Marine mammal trainers at Marine World Africa USA have taught killer whales how to behave during a medical checkup.
		Kiwi the Spotted Dolphin A stranded dolphin is helping scientists learn about her species.				What Good Is That Long Neck? How could something as awkward as a very long neck be useful?
		Leaving Home Eight unwelcome lionesses struggle to survive without their mother's pride.				What's for Dinner After Dark? Some animals use amazing senses to hunt for food at night.
		Living Near Lions The author shares his memories of growing up side by side with Africa's famous meat eater.				What's For Dinner? Keeping animals happy and healthy makes dinner time in the zoo kitchen hectic.
		Living near Whales Ann visits the home of the mysterious whales to help save them from extinction.				When a Bowerbird Seeks a Mate To attract a mate, this bird sings, dances, and builds a bower decorated with colored feathers, flowers, and snail shells.
		Living with Pigs The Eberly sisters help raise pigs on their parents' farm.				Whiskers at Work Whiskers help cats whisk happily through their days and nights.
		Lobster Grows, A Learn how a lobster grows a new shell every time it needs one.				Who Eats Whom? An island in Michigan offers a clear picture of a food chain.
		Magnetic Sense, The Scientists have proved some animals have built-in compasses.				Who Is There? Eggs lie hidden in the springtime woods.
		Manatee Ranger Wayne Hartley became interested in manatees as a boy; now he is an authority on this endangered species.				Who Needs a Family? Animals bind together with their families for protection, food, and other needs.
		Manny the Praying Mantis Chris makes friends with the helpful praying mantis, Manny.				Why Catch Bats? Scientists catch bats in nets--but only to protect them.
		My Adventure with Clyde A desert visitor learns that camels are great transportation.				Why Do Birds Sing? Do you speak Bird? Birds communicate with each other through their song.
		My Own Dinosaur A famous paleontologist makes Dino Don's childhood dream come true.				Why the Puffins Came Back to Egg Rock After one hundred years, puffins have returned to this Maine island.
		My Puppy's Journey Track a puppy's development from birth to two months of age.				Wildebeests on the Move Thousands of Wildebeests move across the plain each year during the rainy season.
		My Three Days with Gray Whales The author traveled to the Baja peninsula to meet these friendly giants.				Wildlife "Mug Shots" Wildlife biologists need special ways to recognize individual animals that they are studying.
		Mystery of the Big Bugs, The More than three hundred million years ago, extra oxygen in the atmosphere made possible the evolution of giant insects.				Wildlife in Africa Then . . . and Now A scientist compares the merits of conservation and preservation for people and animals in Burkina Faso, Africa.
		Mystery of the Wet Lizards, The Learn how desert lizards "harvest" rainwater that has fallen on their backs.				Wounded Mastodon, The A scientist solves the mystery of a wounded Ice-Age creature.
		Natural Armor Certain plants and animals have built-in suits of armor to protect them from predators.

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Animals ~ The Earth ~ Outer Space ~ Science in Action ~ Thinkers and Doers

		Alaska's Tough Wild Flowers Three tough wild flowers survive the freezing Alaskan temperatures.				Magic Tooth and the Dinosaurs Edward Cope led a dangerous expedition that uncovered many new species of dinosaurs.
		Battle for the Earth, A Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring influenced people to work harder at protecting the environment.				Partners of the Ocean Reef Sea creatures partner up to make life a little easier.
		Drilling in the Ocean Floor Scientists visit the oceans of the world to study what is beneath the sea floor.				Peas to Peas The cycle continues every spring.
		Hot Lava Under My Feet Discover why Kilauea is different from other active volcanoes.				Quicksand That Ate My Shoes, The Eleven-year-old Jennifer gets into quicksand.
		Hot Spots Under the Sea Dr. John Baross and his colleagues search for new life forms miles beneath the ocean surface.				River to the Sea Learn about the life and course of Vermont's West River.
		Lichens: The "Tough Guy" Plants A dynamic duo that survives in places most plants would die.				Up Close to Hubbard Glacier The author sees firsthand how glaciers "calve" and drift out to sea.
		Locusts on My Windshield A swarm reminded the author of the power of nature.				Walking for My Life A wrecked truck and a forced hike across the desert give Jennifer the chance to appreciate the beauty of the wild.
		Lost in the Everglades Two friends get lost in the Everglades with the alligators and snakes!				What Good is a Salt Marsh? Spend a morning at the New Jersey shore to learn why tide marshes are important.
		Maggie and the Volcano Instead of running away from volcanoes when they erupt... Maggie runs toward them!				What’s So Hot About Spices? Spices make our food tastier, but do they preserve it as well?

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Animals ~ The Earth ~ Outer Space ~ Science in Action ~ Thinkers and Doers

		"Apollo's Moon Rocks" Rocks brought back to Earth by astronauts of the Apollo program give clues about the Moon's violent beginning.				Milky Way, Our Home, The How do scientists know that our galaxy is a pinwheel of stars?
		Catch a Shooting Star What are Perseids, and why is August 12 the best night to see them?				New Worlds Scientists have been searching for signs of life on other planets. Have they finally found a clue?
		Catching Andromeda's Light The giant galaxy next door is a lot like ours.				Ocean on Europa, An Evidence of water on one of Jupiter's moons could lead to the discovery of new life forms.
		Chandra Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar formulated the theory of black holes.				Stars in Weird Orbits What would it be like to live in a world with two suns?
		Dr. Shannon Lucid Dr. Shannon Lucid dreamed of being a pioneer, and her dreams came true!				The Summer Triangle Following these easy directions, find picture-stars in the summer sky.
		Driving on Mars Brian Cooper explores Mars from Earth using a remote control robot.				Weird Lightning What causes red sprites and blue jets?
		Hubble Opens Our Eyes Since 1993, the Hubble Space Telescope has sent home amazing pictures of far-off galaxies, newly created stars, and beautifully colored nebulae.				What Will the Moon Do Next? Use a simple trick to discover what phase the moon is in.
		Hunting for Black Holes Astronomers try to unravel a mystery.				Zoo in the Sky Astronomers have discovered nebulae that look like familiar animals.
		Merry Christmas from the Moon! On December 24, 1968, the crew of Apollo 8 gave an unforgettable present to the people of Earth.

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Animals ~ The Earth ~ Outer Space ~ Science in Action ~ Thinkers and Doers

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Animals ~ The Earth ~ Outer Space ~ Science in Action ~ Thinkers and Doers

		Artificial Vision Surgeons and engineers have built a device that may make blind eyes see.				Mr. Bluebird Ray Briggs succeeded in bringing the bluebird back to New York State.
		Dr. Shannon Lucid Dr. Shannon Lucid dreamed of being a pioneer, and her dreams came true!				New Windows on Our Minds New machines can tell us how the brain works.
		First Computerized Sports Schedule, The Learn more about "the world's oldest computer"!				Prehistoric Refrigerators How leftover mastodon meat was kept "fresh."
		How Fast Did T. rex Grow? Scientists recently discovered that dinosaurs' bones can answer this question.				Reaching for the Sky Even as a young girl, Kim knew she wanted to be an architect.
		How the Brain Fools the Eye Learn about "change blindness"--how we can look at something but not really see it!				Scoop on Ice-Cream Headaches, The A young girl did her own research on this subject . . . and it was published in a medical journal!
		Kids of Berivotra, The Ever since scientists working in Madagascar raised money for a new school, life has improved for the village children.				Stars and Sea Lions: Camping on the Galapagos Islands Share in the experiences of a scientist's family as they camp on one of the Galapagos Islands.
		Lighter Than Air Learn how blimps are made and how they fly.				Structure That Never Sleeps, The From ancient Roman times to today, arches have served a useful and decorative purpose.
		Living near Whales Ann visits the home of the mysterious whales to help save them from extinction.				Treasures in a Pinecone Discover how and why pinecones protect and release seeds.
		Maggie and the Volcano Instead of running away from volcanoes when they erupt... Maggie runs toward them!				Watching A Beekeeper Joan makes friends with thousands of bees!
		Making Wire Cars Eleven-year-old Taurai Moyo's wire cars are all the rage in Zimbabwe.				What Dinosaurs Left Behind Find out what fossil footprints led two boys to discover.
		Measuring the Great Pyramid Learn how a Greek mathemathician solved this problem long ago.				What Made It Break? Why do bubbles pop, papers rip, sticks break? Too much strain!
		Microbes on Mars? A scientist studies microscopic life in the harshest places on Earth for clues to alien life on Mars.

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