Monday, March 7, 2022

Walking on water

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3/7/22

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Coming Soon

Walking over water isn’t actually that big a deal. People do it all the time. How? Almost all the world’s liquid freshwater is stored beneath our feet as groundwater. That subterranean stash is often extracted for sanitation, farming and drinking — and it’s becoming a more critical resource as climate change dries out parts of the planet. That’s why the theme for World Water Day 2022, celebrated on March 22, is “Groundwater: Making the Invisible Visible.”

Science News for Students stories shine a light on the many risks to groundwater supplies (such as microplastics and sewage pollution), as well as new technology that could help purify this water. Another major threat to groundwater is overuse , which not only endangers creatures living in rivers and streams, but also may trigger more earthquakes in dry terrain. Satellite missions are helping map where groundwater lurks beneath Earth’s surface to keep an inventory of this precious resource.

World Water Day has been observed by the United Nations since 1993. Beyond this year’s groundwater theme, the event aims to raise awareness about the 2 billion people worldwide who lack access to safe water. So be sure to check out Science News for Students’ other stories about new tech that may bring freshwater to thirsty communities. Water you waiting for?

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Opportunity

In less than a week, the nation’s top 40 young scientists will compete for more than $1.8 million in awards at the 2022 Regeneron Science Talent Search, and you’re invited! Join them on March 13 from 2 to 4 p.m. ET for the virtual public exhibition of projects . Finalists will answer questions via chat and participate in exciting interviews on Instagram and Facebook Live. Make sure to also stay tuned for the awards ceremony livestream on March 15 at 8 p.m. ET to celebrate these incredible students and find out who will take home the top prize of $250,000.

Find out more about the resources available for using Science News for Students stories for learning. And if you like this newsletter, please share it with a friend or colleague. Did someone share this with you? Subscribe to this newsletter here. If you’ve got questions, suggestions or comments, email us at sns@sciencenews.org. Thank you for reading!