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Trayvon Martin was 17 years old living in Florida when he was killed. He was going back home to his gated community when cops got a call about a “suspicious person”. He was holding a pack of skittles and a can of iced tea from the gas station he had just left. Zimmerman let the dispatcher know he was following him and they said they did not need him to do that. He continued anyway. Nobody is truly sure what happened, but witnesses said they heard a large commotion like arguing, then a gunshot. Zimmerman had a bloody nose when paramedics came and said that Trayvon attacked him. But when they ran the test, it showed only Zimmerman's finger prints on the gun. They checked Trayvon’s finger tips, but there were no signs of Zimmerman’s DNA. They found no evidence of Trayvon taking any part in criminal activity. He was charged with second degree manslaughter but was soon let out on bail. Zimmerman has been found not guilty. Afterwards he has been charged with domestic abuse, selling the firearm he used to kill Trayvon Martin on    Ebay, and showing support for restaurants that have the sign “No muslims allowed” on twitter.

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Humans are the only "animals" in the world that blush.

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Elijah McClain was a 23-year-old musician, dancer, and had a severe case anxiety when he was killed. He was walking home from the convenience store, when a woman called the police on him for "looking suspisious while wearing a ski mask and waving his arms". It was later found her had a skin condition that cause him to get cold easily, which was why he was wearing a mask.The woman even said he didn't look that harmful, but still called 911. Police arrived at the scene and Elijah asked what was the problem and "to please not touch him, it makes me uncomfortable". The cops proceeded to put him into a head lock that is banned in many states except for the one he was in. He cried out in pain and told them they didn't have to do this and he really appreciated them. He was held down for 15 minutes. They then injected him with 500 mg of ketamine which could kill a 200 lbs man, he was 109 lbs. Elijah then had a heart attack and died.

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Hair gets its color when two types of pigment called melanin combine. As we get older, our bodies produce less of this. That lets our hair turn grey. The timing of this is in our genes passed on from our parents.

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Surprisingly, majority of gray hairs are not from stress or anxiety. It is actually based on genetics. While some of the gray hair could possibly be blamed on stress, the biggest cause is based on genetics. When you are made, two types of pigments are combined, and based on proportions, that is the color of your hair. So a certain amount of pigments can cause one person to have more gray hairs a an earlier age than others.

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You asked us, does stress turn your hair gray?

Hair gets its color when two types of pigment called melanin combine. Different proportions create a variety of shades. We don't yet understand the mechanics behind it, but hair follicles the 100,000 or so pits on our heads that sprout our hairs produce less melanin as we age. The result is gray hair.

While we could probably point a finger at stress, the timing of this color change is mostly a function of the genes you inherited from your parents. Stress can definitely trigger a higher rate of hair loss, though. So if you're no spring chicken and your hair follicles are producing less pigment, chances are the new strands that grow in will be gray and you could be sporting a salt-and-pepper look before you know it.

OK. So to summarize on gray hair, one, blame your parents and two, try not to stress out.

For more stories like this, check us out every day at smithsonian.com.
Critical thinking challenge: Source URL: https://www.tweentribune.com/article/tween78/does-stress-turn-your-hair-gray/Why does it take 100,000 hair follicles to cover our heads?

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You asked us, does stress turn your hair gray? Hair gets its color when two types of pigment called melanin combine. Different proportions create a variety of shades. We don't yet understand the mechanics behind it, but hair follicles the 100,000 or so pits on our heads that sprout our hairs produce less melanin as we age.

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In Switzerland, an exploding snowman helps predict spring  Feb 24th, 2021

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In Switzerland, an exploding snowman helps predict spring  Feb 24th, 2021

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In the United States we celebrate the day ground hog day in which we find out what the weather is going to be like for the rest of the year. But in Zürich, Switzerland, the locals turn to the Böögg. It is an 11 foot snowman, stuffed with mounds of straw, cotton and dynamite. Folks gather in the town square to cheer when the Böögg is engulfed in flames. The belief is that the sooner the Böögg’s head explodes, the closer the townspeople are to spring.

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How the Guinness Book of World Records became an international phenomenon.

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How the Guinness Book of World Records became an international phenomenon.

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The Guinness Book of World Records is a famous book known by all. It shows all the amazing and sometimes bizarre accomplishments people have made. But how did it become as popular as it did today? The two founders worked very hard to create the book in the mid 50s and worked hard to get the name out by going to pubs and public places and posting ads all around. Slowly the name got out until they sold an amazing 50,000 copies and over time it got a reputation. Now it is an elite thing to have your name in that book and an amazing accomplishment.

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Anyone can make up their own weird or random holiday

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Anyone can make up their own weird or random holiday

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Did you know that every single day of the year pays homage to at least one—if not a handful—of bizarre holidays?  Some examples are Frog Jumping Day and I Forgot Day.  As well as some more serious holidays like World Elephant Day or World Cancer Day.  These holidays are to inform people about problems that they can try help solve.  My question for you is, what would your own holiday be about and when would it be?

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The way colors affect our moods is based on experiences and what you were feeling when you saw a certain color. For many people colors mean different things. When you associate a color with a mood, someone else might be associating that same color with a different mood. Take the color white for example, some associate white with purity and some with mourning.

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If we don't need an appendix, why is it there?

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If we don't need an appendix, why is it there?

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For a long time people believed the appendix was a leftover organ from when humanity hunted and gathered. However, it was recently found that it's not what the appendix can do, rather what it can hold. The appendix is where good bacteria can be stored when we are sick. When we get over our sickness the good bacteria can reemerge safely. Finally, sewage systems have improved and made it safer for our appendix to be removed.

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New Zealand's glaciers are beginning to melt

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New Zealand's glaciers are beginning to melt

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New Zealand has been known for its beautiful scenery and glaciers, attracting thousands of tourists from around the world.  Some of the most famous, the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers are beginning to melt at a rapid rate, so much so that it has become dangerous for tourists to hike on them from the valley floor. Because of the warm weather starting to appear this year, scientists see "no sign of turnaround". Experts say this is just another sign of dangerous global warming.

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If we don't need an appendix, why is it there in the first place?

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If we don't need an appendix, why is it there in the first place?

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It's important to know just because you don't NEED an appendix doesn't mean it's totally useless. Our bodies are full of bacteria, tons of it. The bacteria in our gut helps us digest food, strengthen our immune system, and much more. Bacteria in our bodies helps our bodies fight other bacteria. And if it doesn't... well we get sick, really sick. The appendix acts as a reserve, aa place where good bacteria can hunker down until the sickness is over. Modern medicine has taken care of many of these bad bacteria issues, but your appendix will always be a backup.

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If we don't need an appendix, why is it there in the first place?

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If we don't need an appendix, why is it there in the first place?

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The race to save the world's great trees by cloning them

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The race to save the world's great trees by cloning them

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Rats have been on a rampage in the elegant gardens of the Louvre Museum over the past few months. Because of the smaller amounts of new tourists to the Louvre, the vacancies and smaller amounts of people have been one of the main reasons to attract the rats. Sanitation workers across the gardens have been working hard to pour actual poison into the holes that these rats emerge from, which hasn't helped. People in charge of the upkeep of these fields are still working to get rid of these rats, but haven't been successful yet.

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On May 16, 2010, a murder themed reality TV show was trying to catch a muderer. After getting a home number from a suspect, Officer Weekley conducted a raid. At 12 in the morning. Little did they know, they were about to enter into the wrong house. Not the house of a murderer, but the house of a family. They threw in a flash bang grenade, that burned the blanket of sleeping 7 year old Aiyana, then proceded to bust into the already unlocked door, and "accidentally" fired a shot that killed the 7 year old girl, about 5 feet away. They said to not know a child was present, though there were toys sitting in the front yard. As the officer, cried on the steps, they pronounced the young girl dead. When taken to court, his charges were dissmissed. He walked free and came back to his job 5 years later. He is still a cop today. And Aiyana is still dead, her family still mourning.

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The augmented reality app that lets you experience the moon landing

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The augmented reality app that lets you experience the moon landing

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Everyone was amazed by the first humans landing on the moon and many longed to experience it themselves. Well, now you can, virtually. The Smithsonian Channel launched an app where you can see what it looks like to be in space. The no gravity, stars, and space suit can be seen and felt from your iPhone! I think this is so cool and would love to try it out myself.

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The Animals that helped win World War 1 Feb 23rd, 2021

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The Animals that helped win World War 1 Feb 23rd, 2021

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In World War 1 many animals such as dogs, camels, bears, and other beastly animals were used to fight and win the war. These animals didn't just serve as emotional support, but actually carried out many important tasks. For instance, many of these animals helped lug around cargo and materials, some sniffed out bunkers and mines, and some carried out important messages between military units.

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Scientists at the USDA are trying to create a food wrapper you can eat. It is a milk film that will go over foods such a cheese sticks. It appears to be significantly more effective at blocking oxygen than plastic wraps.

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Scientists find that dogs understand what you're saying

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Scientists find that dogs understand what you're saying

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In Hungary, scientists watched dogs' brains while their trainers were speaking to them. First, they recognized praise if the message and tone was positive. Meaningless words spoken in that same praise tone didn't have the same result.

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The stories behind "Toy Story's" beloved characters

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The stories behind "Toy Story's" beloved characters

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Slinky dog's inspiration for the design came from a 6 year old who wondered what his slinky would look like if it had wheels on it.

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Fun fact: elephants cannot actually jump. They cannot because of how heavy they are. Elephants often weigh over 16,000 pounds, making it impossible to get all 4 legs off the ground at the same time.

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Is it true that elephants can't jump?

Is it true that elephants can't jump?

Assign to Google Classroom

You asked us if it's true that elephants can't jump, and yes, it's true. Adult elephants just aren't built to jump because they often weigh 16,000 or more pounds. They're just too heavy to make the leap.

Not only do they not jump, elephants never get all four feet off the ground at once, and that is even when they are charging at full speed. So, technically, I guess, elephants don't actually run, they power walk.

And why should they jump? The great leapers of the animal kingdom often evolved that skill as a way of avoiding predators, but nothing in an elephant's environment, at least in their recent evolutionary past, required them to hop around.

So, despite what you may have heard, believe me when I say, elephants are earthbound.
Source URL: https://www.tweentribune.com/article/tween78/it-true-elephants-cant-jump/
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTION

Why did elephants never need to learn how to hop?

Write your answers in the comments section below

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Is it true that elephants can't jump? Is it true that elephants can't jump? Assign to Google Classroom You asked us if it's true that elephants can't jump, and yes, it's true. Adult elephants just aren't built to jump because they often weigh 16,000 or more pounds.

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Anybody can basically create any holiday. It can be just for them or for their friends and them. Sometimes towns create their own holidays. If your holiday even gains enough attention and enough people celebrate it, it can become an official holiday.

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Calvin Graham was twelve years old when he enlisted to go into the navy. He was able to forge his mother's signature and get past the tests. He was on a ship called the "South Dakota" when the Japanese attacked it. He was manning his gun when a piece of shrapnel hit his jaw. He also suffered flash burns from the hot guns. After this, he helped his comrades get out to safety. He was awarded a purple heart and a Bronze star. He was later thrown is prison and relieved of his awards after they figured out his true age. He was released and became the youngest war veteran in the U.S. ever.

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We sneeze because water droplets or mucus gets in our nose. A sneeze is an auto reflex that we cannot stop. When we sneeze we sneeze up to 100 mph. So when you sneeze tons of germs come out of your nose. That's why people need to sneeze in their elbows to help stop spreading germs

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Berlin zoo unveils name of latest polar bear cub

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Berlin zoo unveils name of latest polar bear cub

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The 4-month old polar bear cub was named Hertha.  The cub is named after the Berlin soccer team, that is sponsoring the aforementioned cub.  The club's mascot, a brown bear, gave the little cub a ball with the team's name on it, and the bear subsequently played with it.  The photographers there also witnessed the ursine creature evidently lose its ball to a moat, but his mother, in a motherly fashion, retrieved it for him.

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The History of trick or treating is weirder than you thought Feb 22nd, 2021

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The History of trick or treating is weirder than you thought Feb 22nd, 2021

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The idea of halloween started as a celtic tradition. They thought to end the year as dressing up as evil spirits. They believed that dressing up as these evil spirits was a defense mechanism and that there are real demons roaming the earth and if you dressed up as one they would think that you were one of them.

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Great Bear rainforest in British Columbia has been largely protected from logging by an official agreement with environmental groups. This rainforest is 16 million acres, the agreement protects 7.7 million of these acres from logging. 20 years ago 90% of the forest was opened to logging. Many local tribes also helped with the agreement. The agreement also helps protect bears and their habitat

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No, they can't. Adults can weigh over 16,000 pounds, and they are way too heavy. They can't even get all 4 feet off the ground at once, even at full charge.

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Thermoregulation. Thermoregulation is the process in which it allows your body to maintain its core internal temperature. They tend to stand like this when they are in water and the water is very cold. It is also mentioned that this stance is also likely to decrease the risk of exposure to fungus and parasites from the water.

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Why do flamingos stand on one leg?

(Thinkstock)

Why do flamingos stand on one leg?

Assign to Google Classroom

You asked us, why do flamingos stand on one leg?

Although they're not the only birds to balance precariously on a single limb, flamingos are probably the best known for this yoga-like pose.

Researchers have been scratching their heads trying to figure out the reason behind this soloed stance and now they think they have an answer . . . thermoregulation.

What they found is that flamingos tend to do a lot more one-legged lounging when they are standing in water and when the temperatures are on the colder side. Which makes sense if the birds are trying to maintain their body temperature.

You see, a long naked leg exposes lots of skin to cool temps and water, which sucks away heat faster than air. But, if flamingos tuck that same leg up into their down parka of a body, it stays toasty warm.

It's likely the behavior also reduces the birds' exposure to things like fungus and parasites in the water.

Nice! I mean, Namaste.
Source URL: https://www.tweentribune.com/article/teen/why-do-flamingos-stand-one-leg/
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTION

What's one reason that flamingos stand on one leg?

Write your answers in the comments section below

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Why do flamingos stand on one leg? (Thinkstock) Why do flamingos stand on one leg? Assign to Google Classroom You asked us, why do flamingos stand on one leg? Although they're not the only birds to balance precariously on a single limb, flamingos are probably the best known for this yoga-like pose.

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Students turn food into non-perishable powder

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Students turn food into non-perishable powder

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Students from Sweden are working on turning food to powder. They are doing a good job so far and have succeeded in turning several types of food into powder. They call it FoPo Food Powder. They decided on spray drying it, then crumbling it. This food is non-perishable, meaning it won't go bad. It also tastes good. However, some of the vitamins do not make it through the process. All in all, this is a great way to help along food conservation and world hunger.

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George Washington's Beautiful Hair. (Even better than Joey's)

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George Washington's Beautiful Hair. (Even better than Joey's)

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It is commonly said that George Washington had a wig. In reality, he probably didn't have one. During his life, wigs were starting to go out of style. Even if he did wear a wig, he powdered it daily. This powdering was hard to do. It required a robe to protect your clothes and a cone to protect your face. It turned out well, because his hair is well remembered to this day.

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Churchill, Manitoba a town off of Canada's Hudson Bay is known for their polar bears! Every fall, hundreds of polar bears make their way through the town. The town is known as the Polar Bear Capital of the World. These polar bears have been caught doing lots of funny things. I think it would be fascinating to visit this town and be greeted by so many polar bears!

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The story behind the phone toy in Toy Story.

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The story behind the phone toy in Toy Story.

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This character is based off the real life toy from the 1960s. It is full model from the real life toy, even down to how the eyes creepily move up and down

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This is definitely a tough task to make.  The engine and pieces and parts of the car would be difficult to product and add to the car, but experts are still very hopeful.  "In as little as 10 years, products could be on the market that revolutionize urban travel for millions of people," said Zach Lovering, the leader of Airbus' project to develop an autonomous flying taxi called the Vahana.

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A New Jersey elementary school class has a new pet lizard after one was discovered in a student's lunch. The lizard had been found cold and lifeless in the student's lunch but was soon heated and brought to life in teacher Mark Easturn's classroom. Over the past few weeks, the lizard has been studied in Eastburn's class and is believed to have come from the South; states like Florida and Texas. Eastburn says that the lizard has been a perfect way to study wildlife in his science classes.

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the boy who became a world war two veteran at 13 years old

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the boy who became a world war two veteran at 13 years old

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Calvin Graham joined the Navy after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1942, at twelve years old. He was in sixth grade and lied about his age to get in. When his teeth were examined, the dentist knew Graham was twelve, but after some badgering, let him through. He boarded the ship the South Dakota, which was bombed soon after. He fought in the battle of Gudadalcanal and was injured by shrapnel. He fought for a bit longer but was soon detained after his mother revealed his true age. He was given a dishonorable discharge and stripped of his medals. He went back to school but dropped out at 14, got married a year later, divorced, and enlisted in the marines at the proper age. He hurt his back before he could be drafted, though. In 1978, Ronald Reagan restored his medals and disability benefits. Two years after Graham died his Purple Heart was restored.

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In St. Petersburg, Florida, at a drive through Starbucks. At around 7 in the morning a woman paid for her drink and the woman in front of hers. This chain lasted and by 1:30 pm, 260 people had participated. Many people said it made them feel good to continue the favor and be able to help out. The customers would order their drink, by the time they got the the window the servers would explain the act of kindness and ask if they wanted to continue it. This happened 378 times before customer 379 took off and didn't pay it forward.

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They're set by personal experience. I mean, you could imagine some universal associations between say, a feeling of tranquility and the calm blue of the sky. Colors and mood are also connected through cultural ideas and where your roots have come from.

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A pen was invented that does not require ink - instead it causes the paper to become oxidized, which is the process that causes paper to yellow as it gets older. The effect is a pencil-like color of 'ink'.

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How A Pizza maker changed the world of kite making

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How A Pizza maker changed the world of kite making

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A pizza maker who was also into kites was accepted to the Kite Association. HE then became a very famous person for changing kites. He changed how they were made

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Gulliver's Gate is a museum located just off Times Square in NYC. In this museum you will find 100 landmarks in miniature form. These landmarks include the Eiffel Tower, the pyramids, and the Taj Mahal. These mini structures are incredibly detailed. The name Gulliver's Gate came from a novel called "Gulliver's Travels" where a man was shipwrecked on an island inhabited by tiny people.

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Studies have shown that Elephants have their own religion!

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Studies have shown that Elephants have their own religion!

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They don't worship, pray or believe in gods of any kind, but they do perform ritualistic behaviours, prompting some to speculate that animals could have a spiritual side. A study was done observing African elephants. Researchers found that elephants preformed certian rituals depending on the phase the moon is in. For example, they would bathe during the new moon.

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Junk food in inexpensive, tastes good, and makes us want more. This is because it is high in things like salt, sugar, and fat. These things make us happy, and therefore, we always want more.

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For a long time people believed that it was hurting the dogs. Many scientists think it dates back to dogs ancestors, the wolves. They howl to communicate. Do, this can trigger a response from a dog.

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Students turn food into non-perishable powder

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Students turn food into non-perishable powder

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Globally, we waste a third of the food we produce. So, a group of Swedish graduates are trying to fix that statistic by saving produce that is about to go to waste, and also reach people who have limited access to food. These students have found ways to turn different types of produce into a powder that can eventually be reversed back into a solid meal. Studies are still being conducted, but something like this will hopefully to be available to the public soon.

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What will happen if the volcano under yellowstone erupts? 

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What will happen if the volcano under yellowstone erupts? 

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Though it is extremely unlikely for a huge super explosion to occur, a smaller explosion is more likely. If a super explosion did occur, slow moving lava would destroy everything in it's path. Also, areas all throughout the United States would be affected. The ash would make it's way all over and kill many crops in the process.

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Get out your binoculars—birds are making their annual trek north

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Get out your binoculars—birds are making their annual trek north

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Every year birds migrate north in the Spring.  It is also the perfect time for birdwatching.  The birds are most vibrate colored and their is mass flocks of them. There is also much diversity in types of birds and a suggestion from a birdwatcher is try and find two of the same species every day.

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The history of trick or treating is weirder than you thought 

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The history of trick or treating is weirder than you thought 

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Trick or Treating began with the Celtic tradition of celebrating the end of the year by dressing up as evil spirits. The Celts believed that, as they moved from one year to the next, the dead and the living would overlap, and demons would roam the earth again. So dressing up as demons was a defense mechanism and if you encountered a real demon roaming the Earth, they would think you were one of them.

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In this article I learned that there were many animals, including, camels, dogs, bears, and others, who were made beneficial in the Great War.  Animals such as these could sniff out land mines, broken lines, and also deliver messages.  The creatures, of course, also provided moral support, which was very much needed in times of crisis such as WWI.  One canine in particular, by the name of Rags, did many important jobs for the Allied forces, and was mainly taken care of and worked with James Donovan.  However, after a short career of military service, an incident happened where Rags was injured by shrapnel and exposed to toxic gas while delivering a message.  Donovan and he were transported to an Army medical hospital, where he eventually survived while his master failed to.  He went on to live the rest of his 20-year existence with a military family who was willing to take in another member.

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The puppeteer who brought balloons to the Thanksgiving Day Parade

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The puppeteer who brought balloons to the Thanksgiving Day Parade

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This article shows the story of the man who introduced the idea and actuality of the originally oxygen-filled balloons to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  This man was a German puppeteer who combined his puppeteering skills and craftmanship to create large marionette-like balloons for the parade, which started a great tradition of continuing success.  It was then developed that after the parade, they would release the balloons into the air and give rewards for their capture, but that stunt was soon stopped due to an airplane accident.  The parade also originally ended by stopping in front of the Macy's store, and the unveiling of elaborate window displays, also designed by this man.

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What is the Anthropocene and why does it matter?

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It's in the name! Microwaves use certain "micro-waves". This spectrum of waves ranges from infrared lights to x-rays. Right when you press the start button on your microwave, it immediately fires a blast of microwaves at your food. This releases water molecules from your food, which vibrate and then create heat that cooks your food. As described in the article, microwaves are perfect when it comes to cooking your food because they exert the exact amount of energy needed to keep your food edible and warm at the same time.

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A tiny uninhabited island in the middle of the pacific was discovered by researchers. They were shocked when they found 38 million pieces of trash on the island. The millions of pieces of trash consisted of toothbrushes, dominos, and toy soldiers. The density of trash was the highest reported of anywhere in the world. The trash weighed an estimated 17.6 tons. 

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A tiny uninhabited island in the middle of the pacific was discovered by researchers. They were shocked when they found 38 million pieces of trash on the island. The millions of pieces of trash consisted of toothbrushes, dominos, and toy soldiers. The density of trash was the highest reported of anywhere in the world. The trash weighed an estimated 17.6 tons. 

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Spotted in Kenya: a baby zebra with polka dots

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Spotted in Kenya: a baby zebra with polka dots

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In the September of 2019, a wildlife reserve in Kenya discovered a baby zebra with a brown coat and white polka dots. Scientists have finalized that the cause of this irregularity is called pseudomelanism, which causes abnormalities in stripe patterns, but sometimes causes the melanin in the fur not to come out as stripes. Some experts say that the stripes are fly repellent, the patterns making it hard for a fly to find a place to land, but when something happens like this zebra's condition, the efly could land no problem, and exert a disease fatal to zebras. May God help this little equestrian, and keep him from harm.

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This map lets you plug in your address to see how it’s changed over the past 750 million years

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This map lets you plug in your address to see how it’s changed over the past 750 million years

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A scientist has made a map that you view how the landscape has changed over time. Washington DC was at one point connected to east africa.

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Shakespeare's skull is missing, but the alleged time of this theft is confusing - "There wasn't a huge fashion for robbing literary graves in the 18th century," says the director of shakespeare's institute.

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How emojis could help people with food allergies

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How emojis could help people with food allergies

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A Google engineer, submitted a proposal to add a range of new icons to the  emoji library that could help those with food allergies understand what they are eating anywhere in the world.

“Emoji should cover characters representing major food allergens,” Komatsu wrote in his proposal. “It enables people to understand what [ingredients] are used in foods even in foreign countries and safely select meals.”

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Though many think mummifying happened only in Egypt, it also happened in many other places around the world. The Chinchorro of Chile and Peru skinned and took apart the bodies and then would paint them. The Inca also had another way of mummifying bodies. It was in many weird, gross ways but it was the norm for their time.

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Today marks four years since the first woman was appointed as a full-time NFL coach

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Today marks four years since the first woman was appointed as a full-time NFL coach

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In January of 2016, Kathryn Smith was the first woman hired as a full-time assistant coach in the National Football League. Connie Carberg, an NFL scout since the 1970s, spoke about her excitement for the young Smith. "It caught me totally by surprise, I was like, 'Wow!' I just got really excited. I think it's a great opportunity for women." Currently, Smith is the special teams quality coach for the Buffalo Bills.

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Junk food is so yummy and delicious but why? Junk food is also super bad for you so shouldn't we just not eat it? The answer is that junk food has a lot of energy in them but only lasts for a period of time. Our brain likes that feeling of energy and wants more of it. That is why we love junk food

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Teenage climate activist was nominated for a nobel peace prize.

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Teenage climate activist was nominated for a nobel peace prize.

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Many children were inspired when she was nominated. She encouraged people (kids) to attend protests that may conflict with school.

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Seattle removes a million pieces of gum from their wall. 

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Seattle removes a million pieces of gum from their wall. 

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The "gum wall" in Seattle is a tourist attraction where visitors can stick their chewed gum. The millions of colorful pieces create a kaleidoscope. The Pike Place Market, where the gum wall resides, has made the executive decision to take it down using steam cleaners. Although it is a popular place, they are taking it down due to the fact that it draws rats.

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Ocean heat waves are threatening marine life, biodiversity

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Ocean heat waves are threatening marine life, biodiversity

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Ocean heat waves are extreme temperatures lasting 5 days or more in the oceans. These have become increasingly popular in recent decades. These waves pose a serious threat to marine ecosystems. These temperatures damage forests, seagrass, meadows, and coral reefs. These species create shelter for many other creatures which is extremely dangerous. Stationary plants are the most affected because obviously they cannot move. However, tropical fish are luckier in the sense they can shift habitats to cool themselves.

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Junk food gives us joy, through tasting it. It makes our brain release chemicals that overwhelm us with joy too so we want more. Even though we know its bad, we still want because of this overwhelming chemical released.

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How emojis could help people with food allergies.

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How emojis could help people with food allergies.

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Companies are putting emojis on food that contain allergens. This is so the people who are allergic to different foods can easily differentiate which foods they can or can't eat.

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How do you mummify a body? Feb 2nd, 2021

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How do you mummify a body? Feb 2nd, 2021

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To mummify a body you must pull out all the insides of the body besides the heart. They you dry the body using salt, and then put strips of linen all over the body. Then secure it in the coffin in a cold spot. After emptying the organs and insides many egyptians put the insides in jars to preserve them. Yuck.

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African Elephant are the largest land mamals on the planet. They don't like peanuts. They are very smart creatures. They can recoginse themselkves in a mirror. They can get sunburned, and have evolved a sixth toe.

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The Library of Congress has a new librarian

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The Library of Congress has a new librarian

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The longtime chair of Baltimore's library system has been nominated to serve as the next librarian at the Library of Congress. It is considered a rare pick. This position is usually held by scholars in various fields. If confirmed by the Senate, Carla Hayden will be the first woman and African-American person to hold this position.

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The main reason the tootsie rolls became so popular was because they didn't melt in the summer sun. They were made differently than other chocolate, and therefore they kept their shape. They were also very cheap and were a great candy for during the depression. They were also used as energy bars during WWI. The soldiers could enjoy these tiny treats whenever they wanted because they never melted.

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Oh the Places You'll Go! Dr. Seuss museum opens its doors

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Oh the Places You'll Go! Dr. Seuss museum opens its doors

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In 2017 Dr. Seuss's hometown opened up a Dr. Seuss museum.  It's filled him characters and scenes from his books, like Horton the elephant and the Lorax.  They even have streets like Mulberry street.  This is an amazing way to remember and celebrate Dr. Seuss.

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Old cameras had longer exposure times, up to 15 minutes. So holding a smile was harder than it is today. Also, the pictures back then were really expensive, so you probably only got your picture taken once or twice your whole life. Which means your picture had to represent you. If you were all happy in your picture, it might look bad. So people just held straight faces until the picture was taken.

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You asked us, why don't people smile in old photographs. Technology is partly to blame.

The Daguerreotype, the first widely used photographic process, was invented in 1839. The exposure time in those early days was really long, sometimes lasting up to 15 minutes or so. Way too long to hold a smile.

But that timing was cut down pretty quickly, so there was more at play here than just the tech.

Although it was less expensive than having your portrait painted, getting your picture taken still wasn't cheap. Some people had just one photo snapped their whole entire life. That made the event a pretty important and formal deal.

Unlike portrait painters, photographers weren't trying to capture an instant in their subjects' lives, but more of an ideal of that person. Plus, back in the day, the classy just didn't say, cheese."

So, picture equals sourpuss.

It wasn't until the turn of the 20th century when cameras became portable and easier to use, that pictures turned into casual snapshots, and smiles became more common.

Now, we can't get enough of those pearly whites.

For more stories like this, check us out every day at smithsonian.com
Critical thinking challenge: Source URL: https://www.tweentribune.com/article/tween56/why-don-t-people-smile-old-photographs/Why are you told to say "cheese" when your picture is taken?

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Why dont people smile in old photographs?

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You asked us, why don't people smile in old photographs. Technology is partly to blame. The Daguerreotype, the first widely used photographic process, was invented in 1839. The exposure time in those early days was really long, sometimes lasting up to 15 minutes or so. Way too long to hold a smile.

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1) We actually have way more that 5 senses! We have anywhere from 5-33 senses.
2) Sugar actually doesn't make kids go crazy it's more of a self-fulfilling prophecy.
3) We don't actually only use 10% of our brain, we use basically all of it and it is always active.
4) It is false that we lose most of our body heat through our heads. The amount of heat we lose depends on how much skin surface area is exposed to the cold, so, yes, you'll lose more heat through a bald head than a gloved hand, but the opposite is just as true.
5) Finally, it doesn't take seven years to digest swallowed gum. The base element of gum is pretty much indigestible, but it'll still pass through our system within a week if not faster.

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We have all wondered what makes our dog go crazy over sirens, and we've found the answer. For a long time people thought that it hurt the dogs ears. Dogs have very sensitive hearing so this made total sense. Upon closer examination dogs don't seem to be in any pain when they bark at sirens. The reason they bark has to do with wolves. Wolves don't bark to communicate they howl. This wolf-like response is wired into our dog's heads.

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Alaskan City invaded by multi color bears

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Alaskan City invaded by multi color bears

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Alaska is the home of many, many bears. In fact, only 204 square miles of Anchorage 1958 square miles are used. The rest of it, a national forest filled with bears. To bring attention to that, artists have been painting colorful life size statues. They have been created to spark conversations about bears. Also, it helps to remind the residents of certain rules. For example, throw away trash in a secure place, because bears should not eat human food.

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The noise of the sirens is so loud that it overcomes the dogs and they howl at it in pain. This is believed to be true but some also believe that dogs howl at a siren like wolves howl at the moon. It is just like a tribal instinct to them.

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At Le Cordon Bleu (translated meaning "the blue-ribbon chicken," students are grilling insects to try and find new flavors. In Thailand, a seminar was held in which sixty participants tried foods made with insects. The meal included ant-infused gin, cricket consomme, then cockchafer butter and herb crisps. The insects were not visible in order to keep participants from just eating a giant beetle. The participants did, in fact, like the dishes, saying that they had good aromas and different flavors.

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What you may not know about past presidents

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What you may not know about past presidents

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1. George Washington owned a profitable whiskey distillery.

2. James Madison held the first Inaugural Ball.

3. Gerald Ford was a fashion model in his youth (even appearing on the cover of Cosmopolitan).

4. Warren Harding had the largest shoe size.

5. Four presidents have received the Nobel Peace Prize including Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama.

6. William Howard Taft became a Supreme Court Justice after his retirement.

7. Theodore Roosevelt wore a lock of Lincoln’s hair during his inauguration.

8. Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first president to name a woman to his cabinet.

9. John Tyler had 15 children.

10. Abraham Lincoln attended séances at the White House.

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In Switzerland, an exploding snowman helps predict spring

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In Switzerland, an exploding snowman helps predict spring

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This tradition started in 1902. It includes an 11 foot tall snowman, full of flammable materials and dynamite.The sooner it explodes, the sooner winter will end.

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The wax-paper-wrapped sweet was produced in NYC beginning in 1905. It was the first candy to solve two confectionery issues. Although it had a chocolatey taste, the penny candy didn’t melt. And it was individually wrapped.

“The genius of Tootsie Roll was to create a summer candy that was a flavor never before seen in summer candies, the flavor of chocolate.” That's according to “Candy Professor” Samira Kawash. She also authored a book about the history of candy.

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The woman who invented green bean casserole. Feb 1st, 2021

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The woman who invented green bean casserole. Feb 1st, 2021

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Green bean casserole is a simple dish commonly eaten on thanksgiving every year. It is made from a can of Campbell's cream of mushroom soup and milk. It has soy sauce and black pepper. It also has green beans and crunchy fried onions. Dorcas Reilly created this dish all the way back in 1955, Dorcas worked as a supervisor at the home economics department of a Campbell's test kitchen in Camden, New Jersey. She was required to create a recipe when she made this dish for a class.

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Billions of pieces of plastic are spreading disease in coral reefs

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Billions of pieces of plastic are spreading disease in coral reefs

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Climate change has led to widespread coral bleaching throughout the years. A recent study has outlined yet another threat to coral reefs; plastic. These researchers looked in 124,00 corals in 159 different reefs, and saw plastic in every single one of them.  Among these materials are chip bags, water bottles, and even Q-Tips. It is estimated that at least 11 billion pieces of plastic are stuck in coral reefs, and it is believed that this number will continue to grow by 40% by 2025. It is still unknown exactly how plastic diseases coral reefs, but experts believe that corals are exposed to pathogens when they are sliced open by sharp plastic pieces.

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68 innocent civilians died in the pearl harbor attack. 11 of these civilians were children. Some died because of enemy gunfire, and others because of friendly fire. Others witnessed the attack and lived to tell the tale. These children remember the day well and have shared their stories with the world

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Boys survive 7 hours trapped beneath snow

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Boys survive 7 hours trapped beneath snow

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A while ago, two boys were pushed underneath snow by a snowplow. They were trapped under it for 7 hours. Eventually, a neighbor found footprints and decided to start shoveling, and found the boys under the snow. They were almost hypothermic, and they had low oxygen levels. They are fine now.

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The inkless pen that lets you write forever. 

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The inkless pen that lets you write forever. 

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The inkless pen was invented because of the cost effectiveness from investing in one pen rather than 1,000 s over time. The pen uses is something called ethergraf to "indefinitely" write forever.

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Waldo has helped researchers better understand the fixational eye movements involved in visual search. In a 2008 study, participants searched for Waldo while scientists recorded their eye movements. “Results showed that the rate of microsaccades - tiny, jerk-like fixational eye movements - dramatically increased when participants found Waldo".

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The amazing companions that helped soldiers during World War 1 get little to no recognition. These dogs acted as loyal companion to the soldiers. They helped their moral support while they were fighting. Because they get no recognition, the National Archives completed a massive scanning project, digitizing 63,000 World War I photos, many containing these trusty dogs. It's great that they are finally getting the recognition they deserve.

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Yes, it's true elephants can not jump. Adult elephants often weigh more than 16,000 pounds so they are not built to jump. Actually, they never get all four feet of the ground at once. With this information technically elephants never run they just power walk.

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Leggings are a very common piece of clothing worn by girls. However, some schools have created limitations about which ones can be worn. Some have banned them all together and some have set different guidelines. Dress code is an issue everywhere as it can cause confusion as to what is allowed and what is not. So, in the end, I believe it to be the school's responsibility to create a clear code that helps everyone.

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First, one false fact is that we actually have 33 senses. Also, we use almost our whole brain and not only 10%. Finally, it does not take seven years to digest gum. It actually only takes a week.

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The broadway play the lion king can now be experienced in virtue reality. It takes place on a stage with 31 dancers and singers. In the orchestra pit fans are cheering them on. Go Pros are on the center stage circling the dancers and the singers so the viewers can have the full experience!

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Some of the goals of the junk food industry is to make it "fast and cheap." It is full of fat, salt, and sugar, three of the things that the brain is chemically "needy" for. They fill us with serotonin and dopamine, causing us to feel pleasure and happiness. They also fill foods with exaggerated flavors, which overflow the taste sensory centers in our brains, which leave us wanting that feeling of pleasure again.

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Using a material called casein, engineers have found a way to case cheese or milk products without all the plastic wrapping.  The material is an edible milk protein that actually gives you more protein, and healthier for you.  It can also be flavored to fit the food, like chocolate for an energy bar, or less sugar, like to coat cereal pieces, instead of sugar coating.  The casein would most likely have to have a different box or packet around it, but mainly used for the official case.  This idea has been accepted by 3 "major" companies already.

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Happy Leap Day! Brought to you by Julius Caesar

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Happy Leap Day! Brought to you by Julius Caesar

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Every 4 years, we add an extra day onto the end of February.  This is because when Julius Caesar was planning his solar calendar, he made it 365 days, which caused discrepancies since it is closer to 365 1/4.  A scholar told this to him, and he then changed it to fit this flaw.  Things were still a little off, and the calendar was going a couple minutes to fast.  To change this, Pope Gregory reset this calendar, placed the leap day on 2/29, and made it so that if the leap year fell on a year ending in 00, and it was not divisible by 40, it would skip the Leap Day.  This modified the calendar positively and fixed the discrepancy very well thus far.

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Edgar Allen Poe invented the detective story

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Edgar Allen Poe invented the detective story

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Poe wrote many detective stories. His main character in these is similar to shelock holmes. He provided the formula for modern detective stories.

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The children of Pearl Harbor Jan 29th, 2021

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The children of Pearl Harbor Jan 29th, 2021

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Pearl Harbor happened almost 80 years ago at dawn. Almost 150 ships and service crafts sunk that day in the harbor. 2,335 servicemen and 68 civilians were killed, many children. Countless children throughout Oahu also witnessed the attack. Eight-year-old Charlotte Coe was one of those children. Charlotte recounted her experiences that fateful morning as if they were a film that had been running continuously in her mind ever since.

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Jackie Robinson gets statue at Dodger Stadium

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Jackie Robinson gets statue at Dodger Stadium

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In 2017 the Dodgers finally put a statue of Jackie Robinson at there stadium.  The 77-inch tall bronze statue depicts Robinson as a rookie in 1947 stealing home. It weighs 700 pounds and is secured with a 150-pound steel rod. The racial barrier breaker and first ballot finally got a statue.