1 . Students to Compete in 34th National Science Bowl

Thousands of students from middle and high schools across the country have committed themselves to extra study hours as they prepare to compete in the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s)34th National Science Bowl(NSB). These students are hard at work now to win their regional competitions, hoping to advance to the final competition.

The first regional event will take place on January 13th with high schools from the D. C. /Maryland area. Teams will face off in a fast-paced, question-and-answer format, and their knowledge in all areas of science and mathematics will be tested. Regionals will continue weekly until mid-March.

The winning team from each qualifying regional competition will be qualified to compete in the National Finals to be held in Washington, D. C. , from April 25-29, 2024, with all expenses paid by DOE. The national event consists of several days of science activities and sightseeing, along with the competitions.

In the National Finals, the top two teams will earn $5, 000 for their schools’ math and science departments. Schools ranking in the top 16 will receive $1, 000 for their science departments. But to many, the ultimate prize is simply the honor of winning the National Championship.

Today, the NSB annually draws more than 10, 000 middle and high school competitors. Since the first competition in 1991, approximately 344, 000 students have faced off in the NSB Finals. The 2024 competitors will follow in the footsteps of previous NSB contestants and will blaze a trail for students in science, math, and engineering. For more information, please visit the Office of Science website.

2 . Do you know the next space explorer or climate change hero? Got an idea that will transform people’s lives? Inspire inquisitive minds to think big, challenge facts, ask questions and invent solutions with the UK’s top annual science and engineering competition. The Big Bang Competition is open and will close for entries on 27 March 2024.

The Big Bang UK Young Scientists & Engineers Competition is free, and is open to young people in the UK aged 11 to 18 in state-funded secondary education, who are home educated or who enter as part of a community group.

Competitors can only enter one project into The Competition, either as an individual or as part of a team. Project entries for The Competition can cover any topic in the field of STEM and competitors can find inspiration in The Big Bang Project Gallery online, which is home to past projects, with topics ranging from improving well-being to creating sustainable solutions. Entry into The Competition is through the online heat only.

The Big Bang Competition offers a fantastic opportunity for young people to win amazing prizes in recognition for their hard work. Prizes range from generous cash prizes to prestigious(有声望的) titles, and may change a bit from year to year.

3 . The time invested in kids learning how to cook is time well spent! From mixing and baking cookies to making and cooking fresh pasta, kids will be led by a professional chef throughout the entire class. With safety at the forefront, your chef will turn the kitchen into the classroom as kids learn valuable life skills, such as critical thinking, creativity and cooperation.

In this interactive cooking class designed for kids, Chef Jordan will teach fundamental kitchen skills, including the art of pasta making, while creating a classic spaghetti dinner. This class is recommended for ages 5-15.

Explore the art of pasta-making in this hands-on cooking class for kids. Chef ShaSha will guide you by using fresh ingredients and authentic techniques to make a handful of kids’ favorite dishes. This class is recommended for ages 8-18.

In this hands-on cooking class intended for kids, Chef Christmas will guide you in making non-traditional sushi. The rolls you make will have the authentic taste and texture of traditional sushi, but with a unique shape! This class is recommended for ages 5-15.

In this hands-on baking class with Chef Adolf, your kids will be on their way to feeling like the finest of chefs. Chef Adolf will show them how to mix, beat and fold ingredients into eats that everyone will love at a kid’s birthday party. This class is recommended for ages 8-15.

5 . A popular short video series titled Escape From the British Museum has captivated millions of viewers and sparked a renewed call to repatriate (遣送) unlawfully taken relics. The three-part series tells the story of a jade teapot that comes to life and embarks on a journey from the British Museum back to China. With over 340 million views and nearly 2 million comments on Douyin, a short-video platform, the series has had a significant effect.

In the story, the jade teapot transforms into a young woman and escapes from the museum. She meets a Chinese journalist named Zhang Yongan in the United Kingdom and implores him to take her back to China. Upon returning home, she not only travels across the country but also carries “letters” written by other artifacts in the museum to their respective families in China.

The series was created by two young Chinese vloggers using the pseudonyms (网名) “Jianbing Guozai” and “Xiatian Meimei”. Zhang Jiajun, whose real name is “Jianbing Guozai”, graduated from Sichuan University of Media and Communications.

Inspiration for the series came from a netizen’s suggestion to create a cartoon series where artifacts come to life and return home for Chinese New Year. Zhang turned this idea into a video and spent three months researching the British Museum and crafting the storyline.

The videos have deeply moved netizens, with scenes like “writing brushstrokes on English newspapers” and intense dialogues among the artifacts striking an emotional chord. In the comments, many netizens expressed their desire for cultural artifacts overseas to return home with dignity and honor.

The creator of the series, Zhang Jiajun, expresses gratitude for the love the series has received and hopes that more attention would be paid to the issue of cultural relics located overseas.

9 . Are they just playing? Or getting an education? The kids can do both at these wonderful museums.

The Family Museum, Bettendorf

This museum offers so much to do. Kids can walk through the town of Fox Hollow where they can shop, make pizzas, sell ice cream and more. Or see what life on the farm is like by picking fruits and vegetables and getting them to the market. Or use real tools, materials and their imagination to create in the Think Shop! Open daily except major holidays.

Felix Adler Children’s Discovery Center, Clinton

It houses more than 20 exhibits. Kids can play with more than 10,000 KAPLA blocks, climb aboard the Brio Train Engine, make a bubble as tall as they are, play three holes of golf and more. Open Wednesday - Sunday.

Iowa Children’s Museum, Coralville

Kids are inspired to imagine, create, discover and explore through the Power of Play at the Iowa Children’s Museum in Coralville. Fifteen play areas give kids the opportunity to create what they want, build with Lego blocks, and play many kinds of musical instruments. Open Tuesday - Sunday.

Union Pacific Railroad Museum, Council Bluffs

Lots of hands-on, please-DO-touch exhibits mean parents can breathe easy as their kids explore the history of the Union Pacific Railroad in Council Bluffs. In the Building America exhibit, kids and adults can try their hands at driving a spike or explore timelines. The Lincoln Collection includes furniture from President Abraham Lincoln’s rail car, photographs, and more. Open Tuesday - Saturday.

10 . Reading on the go

A standard reading app for eBooks and audiobooks, FReader supports a variety of formats.The program is very pleasant to the eye and is adjustable to various spectrums (光谱). Apart from being a reading app, FReader has an integrated translator for five languages (English, Russian, German, French, and Ukrainian), making the app attractive to people across the world. You can also select a section of the page you are reading and share it via social networks, Bluetooth, SMS and other methods.

Cool features: Four themes, supports five languages, advanced 3D animations, scans the device for all existing formats, Text-to-Speech.

Business model: Free app. Only a standard free plan is available.

Although it can read every type of book, AlReader is specially designed for Sci-Fi lovers. The app doesn’t support iOS but you can open many book formats on your Android phone. This app has enhanced graphical (图解的) features and a wide range of customization options that focus on providing the best quality for fictional book reading.

Cool features: Text-To-Speech, external dictionaries, advanced adjustment of the visual supports E-Ink devices.

Business model: Free app. ASIReader doesn’t sell books, but you can simply purchase digital products elsewhere and upload them to the reading app.

Nook is strongly integrated with the online store Banes & Noble. You can buy you eBooks anywhere and they will automatically appear in the Nook library. The app supports most eBook formats.

Cool features: Wishlist, Article View, Parental Mode for children, customization of all the visual features.

Business model: Free app. With the partnership with Banes&Noble, you can find over a million free books on their website or purchase new titles for the price of as low as $0.99.

Scribd has come a long way from the document-reading app it was initially. Today, it is one of the most famous programs with over a million titles in its library. Upon registration, you get a 30-day demoaccount that lets you read all the books you want for free! Apart from books, Scribd provides comic books, audiobooks articles, scientific studies, court cases and uncommon genres that no other app offers. You can even publish your own book on this platform.

Cool features: Book sync across different devices, audiobooks.

Business model: 30-day free trial. The monthly subscription for unlimited access to Scribd’s available material is £8.99.