On August 26, a massive avalanche of ice and rock broke loose high in the Himalayas, the world's tallest mountain range, which stretches across several countries in Asia. It happened near the border between Nepal and Tibet. Part of a glacier, a huge mass of ice that builds up over hundreds or thousands of years, collapsed.
The avalanche set off a flash flood. That's a flood that starts within hours of its cause, like heavy rain or, in this case, a glacier collapse. Because the water arrives so quickly and with so much force, people have little or no time to prepare or get to safety.
The water surged down the Trishuli River, which flows out of the mountains and into Nepal. It tore through towns, swept away cars and buses, knocked down bridges, and destroyed a dam that was still being built. Many people were killed, and many more are still missing.
Journalists at BBC Verify, a BBC team that investigates news events using videos, photos, and data, rebuilt the flood's path. They used videos filmed on the ground and satellite images, which are pictures of Earth taken from space. The footage shows how fast the water moved. In some places, people had only moments to escape.
In Diving and Dabbling Ducks, Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers are at a pond. They notice some ducks diving for food and others dipping their beaks into the water. Ranger Hamza explains how diving and dabbling ducks help keep the pond in balance. This video is excerpted from BBC's Ranger Hamza’s Eco Quest, a nature exploration show in which Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers go on quests to discover nature’s wonders and the important role they play in our environment.
In Ducks, Nature’s Pest Control, Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers explore a garden. They notice that some plants have holes in the leaves! That means there are pests in the garden. Which animal might be able to keep the garden healthy? This video is excerpted from BBC's Ranger Hamza’s Eco Quest, a nature exploration show in which Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers go on quests to discover nature’s wonders and the important role they play in our environment.
In A Close Look at Duck Nests and Down Feathers, Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers have found a duck nest! Tag along as they learn how ducks make nests and take a close look at ducks’ down feathers. This video is excerpted from BBC's Ranger Hamza’s Eco Quest, a nature exploration show in which Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers go on quests to discover nature’s wonders and the important role they play in our environment.
In Ducks — From Beak to Feet, Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers find some ducks! Join the Ramblers as they learn how ducks have adapted to wetlands. This video is excerpted from BBC's Ranger Hamza’s Eco Quest, a nature exploration show in which Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers go on quests to discover nature’s wonders and the important role they play in our environment.
After a historic 10-day mission around the Moon — the first time humans have traveled so far into space since the 70s — the Artemis II crew came away with crucial knowledge: appreciate doors on bathrooms.
Commander Reid Wiseman dished on some other reflections about the trip. For example, the crew didn’t even realize what a big deal this was to people on Earth and didn’t hear much of the news until they talked to their families a few days into the mission. We suppose that’s what happens when you literally have your head in the clouds.
Not only was the journey unforgettable for science, but it was also personally significant for the crew members. One of the most powerful moments came when astronaut Jeremy Hansen named a lunar crater after Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll, a pivotal moment that solidified the crew’s bond.
But that bond wasn’t just to make things more fun — getting along in space is actually a matter of safety, and life inside a spacecraft requires serious teamwork. Think about sharing a room with a stinky sibling or living with a roommate who keeps eating your snacks. Now imagine that, in a room one-fifth the size and no way to escape! The astronauts lived, slept, and worked in extremely close quarters, so it was important to deal with disagreements immediately instead of letting tension build.
As exciting as it was to orbit the Moon, the return to Earth may have been just as intense. The crew re-entered the atmosphere at about 39 times the speed of sound. That’s about 30,000 miles per hour. They experienced forces of about four times normal gravity — about what you feel during the most intense parts of a roller coaster, but the astronauts felt this way for about 13 minutes. Nonstop! And that’s all before parachuting into the Pacific Ocean. All that probably makes it just a little more exhilarating than your bus ride to school.
Join the Go Jetters on a flying adventure around a fragile sea arch. In this fun story, you'll:
- Read out loud, changing the pictures for words.
- Learn how erosion transforms rocks into caves, arches, and stacks.
- Discover funky facts about rock formations.
Join the Go Jetters on a journey to Northern Ireland’s famous landmark — Giant's Causeway! In this fun worksheet, you'll:
- Discover how volcanic activity shaped this World Heritage Site.
- Locate Giant's Causeway on a map.
- Practice hexagonal patterns.
- Identify seabirds.
Fill this journal with lovely nature things. Start by circling the weather. Is it sunny, cloudy, rainy, or rainbow-y? Next, finish coloring a beautiful rainbow. Name and draw your favorite bug and then circle all the things you like to do in nature. Ask a grown-up to help you make a fruity rainbow with strawberries, mandarins, bananas, sliced grapes, and blueberries.
The article "Exploring the Strangest Locations in the Universe, Where the Rules of Nature Don’t Always Apply" from BBC's Science Focus is about the strange and mysterious places in space and on Earth where the rules of nature seem to be different. These places include planets made of diamonds, stars that spin too fast, and black holes that stretch and squeeze time.
The article "Is Our Universe Stranger Than We Thought?" from BBC's Science Focus is a fascinating look at new research on the Universe that challenges what we thought we knew. Differences in how we measure the Universe's expansion and how galaxies are spread out suggest there may be missing pieces in our understanding of space.
The article "Everything You Need to Know About Space Travel (Almost)" from BBC's Science Focus covers the history of space travel, its importance for science and humanity, the challenges of interstellar travel, and the benefits of space exploration.
On August 26, a massive avalanche of ice and rock broke loose high in the Himalayas, the world's tallest mountain range, which stretches across several countries in Asia. It happened near the border between Nepal and Tibet. Part of a glacier, a huge mass of ice that builds up over hundreds or thousands of years, collapsed.
The avalanche set off a flash flood. That's a flood that starts within hours of its cause, like heavy rain or, in this case, a glacier collapse. Because the water arrives so quickly and with so much force, people have little or no time to prepare or get to safety.
The water surged down the Trishuli River, which flows out of the mountains and into Nepal. It tore through towns, swept away cars and buses, knocked down bridges, and destroyed a dam that was still being built. Many people were killed, and many more are still missing.
Journalists at BBC Verify, a BBC team that investigates news events using videos, photos, and data, rebuilt the flood's path. They used videos filmed on the ground and satellite images, which are pictures of Earth taken from space. The footage shows how fast the water moved. In some places, people had only moments to escape.
In Diving and Dabbling Ducks, Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers are at a pond. They notice some ducks diving for food and others dipping their beaks into the water. Ranger Hamza explains how diving and dabbling ducks help keep the pond in balance. This video is excerpted from BBC's Ranger Hamza’s Eco Quest, a nature exploration show in which Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers go on quests to discover nature’s wonders and the important role they play in our environment.
In Ducks, Nature’s Pest Control, Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers explore a garden. They notice that some plants have holes in the leaves! That means there are pests in the garden. Which animal might be able to keep the garden healthy? This video is excerpted from BBC's Ranger Hamza’s Eco Quest, a nature exploration show in which Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers go on quests to discover nature’s wonders and the important role they play in our environment.
In A Close Look at Duck Nests and Down Feathers, Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers have found a duck nest! Tag along as they learn how ducks make nests and take a close look at ducks’ down feathers. This video is excerpted from BBC's Ranger Hamza’s Eco Quest, a nature exploration show in which Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers go on quests to discover nature’s wonders and the important role they play in our environment.
In Ducks — From Beak to Feet, Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers find some ducks! Join the Ramblers as they learn how ducks have adapted to wetlands. This video is excerpted from BBC's Ranger Hamza’s Eco Quest, a nature exploration show in which Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers go on quests to discover nature’s wonders and the important role they play in our environment.
After a historic 10-day mission around the Moon — the first time humans have traveled so far into space since the 70s — the Artemis II crew came away with crucial knowledge: appreciate doors on bathrooms.
Commander Reid Wiseman dished on some other reflections about the trip. For example, the crew didn’t even realize what a big deal this was to people on Earth and didn’t hear much of the news until they talked to their families a few days into the mission. We suppose that’s what happens when you literally have your head in the clouds.
Not only was the journey unforgettable for science, but it was also personally significant for the crew members. One of the most powerful moments came when astronaut Jeremy Hansen named a lunar crater after Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll, a pivotal moment that solidified the crew’s bond.
But that bond wasn’t just to make things more fun — getting along in space is actually a matter of safety, and life inside a spacecraft requires serious teamwork. Think about sharing a room with a stinky sibling or living with a roommate who keeps eating your snacks. Now imagine that, in a room one-fifth the size and no way to escape! The astronauts lived, slept, and worked in extremely close quarters, so it was important to deal with disagreements immediately instead of letting tension build.
As exciting as it was to orbit the Moon, the return to Earth may have been just as intense. The crew re-entered the atmosphere at about 39 times the speed of sound. That’s about 30,000 miles per hour. They experienced forces of about four times normal gravity — about what you feel during the most intense parts of a roller coaster, but the astronauts felt this way for about 13 minutes. Nonstop! And that’s all before parachuting into the Pacific Ocean. All that probably makes it just a little more exhilarating than your bus ride to school.
Join the Go Jetters on a flying adventure around a fragile sea arch. In this fun story, you'll:
- Read out loud, changing the pictures for words.
- Learn how erosion transforms rocks into caves, arches, and stacks.
- Discover funky facts about rock formations.
Join the Go Jetters on a journey to Northern Ireland’s famous landmark — Giant's Causeway! In this fun worksheet, you'll:
- Discover how volcanic activity shaped this World Heritage Site.
- Locate Giant's Causeway on a map.
- Practice hexagonal patterns.
- Identify seabirds.
Fill this journal with lovely nature things. Start by circling the weather. Is it sunny, cloudy, rainy, or rainbow-y? Next, finish coloring a beautiful rainbow. Name and draw your favorite bug and then circle all the things you like to do in nature. Ask a grown-up to help you make a fruity rainbow with strawberries, mandarins, bananas, sliced grapes, and blueberries.
The article "Exploring the Strangest Locations in the Universe, Where the Rules of Nature Don’t Always Apply" from BBC's Science Focus is about the strange and mysterious places in space and on Earth where the rules of nature seem to be different. These places include planets made of diamonds, stars that spin too fast, and black holes that stretch and squeeze time.
The article "Is Our Universe Stranger Than We Thought?" from BBC's Science Focus is a fascinating look at new research on the Universe that challenges what we thought we knew. Differences in how we measure the Universe's expansion and how galaxies are spread out suggest there may be missing pieces in our understanding of space.
The article "Everything You Need to Know About Space Travel (Almost)" from BBC's Science Focus covers the history of space travel, its importance for science and humanity, the challenges of interstellar travel, and the benefits of space exploration.