1. OLDEST WOMAN IN THE WORLD

Tomiko Itooka from Japan is now the world's oldest person at 116 years old. She lives in a nursing home in Ashiya, Japan. Her favorite food is bananas, and she enjoys a yogurt drink every morning. Tomiko celebrated her birthday with flowers and a cake. She used to play volleyball in high school and managed her husband's textile factory during World War II. Even after turning 100, she climbed a tall mountain and went on long hikes. If you could talk to Tomiko, what would you ask her about becoming the oldest person in the world? Write down at least five questions you would want to ask.

2. STOLEN ARTIFACTS

The British Museum is trying to get back some special artifacts that went missing. These items were taken by a former worker who sold them online. The museum is working hard to find the missing treasures, like gems and glass carvings, but it’s tough because not everything was properly recorded. So far, they’ve found over 600 items, but many are still missing. A special team at the museum is looking in different places, like online auctions and other museums, to find the lost items. They’re also working with police but aren’t trying to gather evidence for a crime. The team is doing their best, but they might not get everything back. When they make progress, they ring a bell to celebrate. Even though it’s a difficult task, the team is staying positive and working hard to recover the treasures.

3. THREAT TO WORMS

Hammerhead worms are a type of worm that looks like a snake and has a head shaped like a hammerhead shark. These worms are bad news for earthworms, which are important for keeping soil healthy in gardens. Hammerhead worms eat earthworms and are hard to get rid of because they can grow back even if you cut them up. These worms first came to the United States over 100 years ago from Southeast Asia, probably with some plants. They’re usually 2 to 3 inches long but can grow as long as 15 inches. They have a special chemical on their bodies that makes them poisonous to other animals and can even irritate your skin if you touch them. Hammerhead worms live in warm and humid places, like the southern states and greenhouses. They’ve spread to many parts of the U.S. and even Canada. If you see one, don’t try to squish it or cut it up because that will just make more worms. Instead, you should pour salt or vinegar on them to kill them. Write a summary of this story that includes at least five facts you learned about hammerhead worms.

4. VEGGIE SHORTAGE

In Iceland, people are having a hard time finding cucumbers at the grocery store because of a TikTok trend. A popular influencer, known as "Cucumber Guy," posted videos of himself making cucumber salads, which went viral. This led to a lot of people in Iceland wanting to try the recipe, causing cucumbers to sell out quickly across the country. Normally, Iceland grows most of its cucumbers in greenhouses, but the sudden demand was too much. Stores even had to bring in extra cucumbers from the Netherlands. Icelanders find this shortage both amusing and surprising, as it's rare for such a basic item to disappear from shelves. Some even joked that there might soon be a "cucumber black market" because of the craze. Write a summary of this story, including the cause and effect of the cucumber shortage.

5. THE RED PLANET

In 1924, people were excited about the idea of finding aliens, especially on Mars. At that time, Earth and Mars were very close, so scientists thought it was a great chance to listen for signals from Martians. To do this, they used a special radio, originally built for World War I, to try to catch any messages from Mars. During this event, a strange signal was picked up that looked like a face. People thought it might be a message from Martians, but no one could really explain it. Even though we still haven't found aliens, the excitement from this event started a century-long search for life beyond Earth. Today, scientists continue to explore space with advanced technology, but we still haven’t found any clear signs of aliens. The 1924 Mars event reminds us of how much we want to know if we're alone in the universe. How has our view of aliens or life on other planets changed from 100 years ago? Write at least five sentences a paragraph about what you know about aliens from both scientists and media like movies and television. Do you think any or all of it is true? Write down what you think.