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SJK Audio Edition

Science Journal for Kids
SJK Audio Edition
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187 episodes

  • SJK Audio Edition

    E195: How do bats work together? [SJK Audio Edition]

    08/06/2026 | 9 mins.
    Read this article at:  or watch at: https://youtu.be/lH8tXnDGYQ4
    Summary: Researchers observe spectral bats with a wildlife camera to learn about their parenting and social behaviors. 
    Abstract: Working with others often makes a task easier. Whether at home, at school, or at work, humans collaborate to achieve shared goals. Studies show that other species also collaborate. Many animals work together to defend their territory or care for their babies. We wanted to know how bats work together to raise their young. We collected videos of a family of spectral bats living in a hollow tree in Costa Rica. We watched the videos of the bats. Then we categorized the behaviors we observed as social, feeding, or play. We learned that both parents take care of the pups. We also observed the adult bats bring the pups food. Providing food to the pups helps them transition from drinking milk to eating meat. These observations help us better understand the bats’ cooperative behavior. 
    You are one of half a million educators in the U.S. who use our articles and videos in class. All our content is FREE, no paywalls, no need to subscribe. 
    But recent federal cuts have made it hard for us to win grants to fund our mission. We are a small non-profit, and without support, we may not make it.
    If you enjoy our content, please consider donating - https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/support-us.html


    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com
  • SJK Audio Edition

    E194: How are mountain birds adapting to climate change? [SJK Audio Edition]

    01/06/2026 | 9 mins.
    Read this article at:  or watch at: https://youtu.be/EZ07V85q6FE
    Summary: Scientists retraced the steps of an expedition from 30 years ago to see how mountain birds are adapting to climate change.
    Abstract: What do you do when it’s too hot? Do you sweat and stay where you are? Or do you go looking for somewhere more comfortable, like the shade under a tree? Climate change is making many places on Earth hotter. We wanted to know how birds in mountain forests are adapting to climate change. Are birds staying in the same parts of the forest? Or are they looking for cooler temperatures by moving higher up the mountain? We observed birds in old-growth forests in British Columbia, Canada. Then, we compared our findings to observations from 30 years ago. Most bird species today still live at the same range of elevations as they did before. On average, though, the elevation where birds are most common is getting higher. 
    You are one of half a million educators in the U.S. who use our articles and videos in class. All our content is FREE, no paywalls, no need to subscribe. 
    But recent federal cuts have made it hard for us to win grants to fund our mission. We are a small non-profit, and without support, we may not make it.
    If you enjoy our content, please consider donating - https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/support-us.html


    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com
  • SJK Audio Edition

    E193: How can we monitor the wildlife trade? [SJK Audio Edition]

    21/05/2026 | 9 mins.
    Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/how-can-we-monitor-the-wildlife-trade/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/R7oWnWKMEZE
    Summary: Researchers used databases to figure out the extent of wildlife trade and how to make it more sustainable.
    Abstract: The wildlife trade is a threat to global biodiversity. But we don’t know how much of a threat. That’s because some countries don’t have strict regulations or collect data. And the databases from countries that do collect data about wildlife trading are hard to compare. We wanted to look at the databases to figure out how the data could be better. Could we improve them to help make sure the wildlife trade is sustainable? The United States keeps one of the most comprehensive databases. So we looked there. We also looked at a database that is smaller, but comes from a global authority. We found 29,445 species were traded between 2000 and 2022, with substantial numbers coming from the wild. We think this is an underestimate of the global wildlife trade and its threat to organisms in the wild.
    You are one of half a million educators in the U.S. who use our articles and videos in class. All our content is FREE, no paywalls, no need to subscribe. 
    But recent federal cuts have made it hard for us to win grants to fund our mission. We are a small non-profit, and without support, we may not make it.
    If you enjoy our content, please consider donating - https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/support-us.html


    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com
  • SJK Audio Edition

    E192: Where do whale sharks have their babies? [SJK Audio Edition]

    18/05/2026 | 7 mins.
    Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/where-do-whale-sharks-have-their-babies/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/JJHuWMotBgw
    Summary: Scientists studied where baby whale sharks are found and discovered that they often appear near low-oxygen ocean zones. 
    Abstract: Where do the world’s biggest fish have their babies? This question remains one of the ocean’s greatest mysteries. Adult whale sharks are easy to find. But newborns are not! We looked back over 50 years of sightings to connect the dots of this puzzle. Our team mapped the locations of 33 baby sharks that were discovered by chance. We also looked at the water temperature, food levels, and oxygen in those areas. We found that baby whale sharks do not appear in random areas of the ocean. In fact, most babies appeared near places called oxygen minimum zones. These areas have very little oxygen (which sharks and other fish need to breathe) deep in the water. They can also lead to more food bunched near the surface. These zones may play an important role in where baby whale sharks are found. Learning more about these hidden nurseries could help protect this endangered ocean giant.

    You are one of half a million educators in the U.S. who use our articles and videos in class. All our content is FREE, no paywalls, no need to subscribe. 
    But recent federal cuts have made it hard for us to win grants to fund our mission. We are a small non-profit, and without support, we may not make it.
    If you enjoy our content, please consider donating - https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/support-us.html


    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com
  • SJK Audio Edition

    E191: How can viruses wake up sleeping cancer cells? [SJK Audio Edition]

    12/05/2026 | 9 mins.
    Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/how-can-viruses-wake-up-sleeping-cancer-cells/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/ksEuNI3AhXQ
    Summary: Researchers discovered that viruses that infect the lungs can reactivate sleeping breast cancer cells 
    Abstract: Have you ever had a virus like the flu or coronavirus? These viruses affect the lungs. They also activate the immune system to try and help you feel better. During the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, death rates from cancer rose. No one knew exactly why. We wondered if viral infections could “wake up” cancer cells that had been asleep for years. To find out, we studied mice with dormant breast cancer cells in their lungs. We infected the mice with influenza or a version of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. We also analyzed data from people in cancer remission who got COVID-19. We found that both viruses can reactivate sleeping breast cancer cells in mice. We also discovered that despite the virus-induced immune response, the growing cancer altered immune cells to prevent them from fighting the cancer. This suggests that viruses may pose extra risks for people who have had cancer.
    You are one of half a million educators in the U.S. who use our articles and videos in class. All our content is FREE, no paywalls, no need to subscribe. 
    But recent federal cuts have made it hard for us to win grants to fund our mission. We are a small non-profit, and without support, we may not make it.
    If you enjoy our content, please consider donating - https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/support-us.html


    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com
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Listen to our kid-friendly scientific articles. All articles are available to download free on our website sciencejournalforkids.org #read-aloud #text-to-speech sciencejournalforkids.substack.com
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