Extreme heat

Moon farming

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6/20/22 Thank you for subscribing to The Cheat Sheet, from Science News for Students. If you like this newsletter, share it with a friend or colleague. Did someone forward this to you? Sign up for our weekly updates. Got questions, suggestions or comments? Email us at sns@sciencenews.org and put “The Cheat Sheet” in the subject line. We’d love to hear from you. In the News  Over the last couple of weeks, the United States has been ravaged by record-breaking heat. Ironically, such “extreme weather” is becoming the norm as human-caused climate change heats Earth up. The last three decades have been the warmest on record in the United States, with summer heat waves getting more common as rapid warming in the Arctic weakens cooling summer storms.  Sweltering heat isn’t just uncomfortable — it can be deadly, and higher temperatures have been linked to health problems such as heart and lung diseases. Some strategies, such as planting more greenery in urban areas or coating rooftops in reflective materials could offer some relief. But finding ways to beat the heat is not enough, scientists say. Cutting greenhouse gas emissions is critical to keeping Earth livable.  Science News is a nonprofit. We depend on our readers to support our journalism. You can help by subscribing for as little as $25.   SUBSCRIBE NOW   Catch up with the latest from Science News for Students Let’s learn about amphibians: Amphibians are named after the Greek word for “double life” because many transform from water dwellers to landlubbers as they grow up. Readability: 7.4  Resources: power words, word find puzzle, video Tiny gemstones show when Earth’s crust first started moving: Chemical hints observed in zircons suggest when the important process of plate tectonics first took off. Readability: 7.4 Resources: power words, alternate version at Science News A new audio system confuses smart devices that try to eavesdrop: It works by playing soft, calculated sounds to help people protect their privacy from automatic speech-recognition systems. Readability: 7.0 Resources: power words The first plants ever grown in moon dirt have sprouted: This tiny garden shows farming on the moon may be difficult, although not impossible. Readability: 6.3 Resources: power words, alternate version at Science News Bright-colored feathers may have topped pterosaurs’ heads: Fossil remains of a flying reptile hint that their vibrant crests may have originated 250 million years ago in a common ancestor that they share with dinosaurs. Readability: 7.7 Resources: power words, alternate version at Science News Scientists Say: Denisovan: The Denisovans are a recently discovered population of ancient hominids. Readability: 7.9 Resources: power words, audio recording Technically Fiction Oversized animals are all over fiction. Take a look at Clifford the big red dog, or the giant red pandas in Disney and Pixar’s Turning Red. But is there anything stopping animals from getting that big in real life? It turns out, yes. Learn more in the latest entry from our series “Technically Fiction.”  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! Privacy policy  |  Update Profile  | Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe This email was sent by: Society for Science 1719 N Street NW Washington, DC, 20036, US