Science Facts for Kids
Mind-blowing science facts
Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, making up about 75% of all normal matter. It is also the simplest element, with just one proton and one electron.
Soap bubbles are always spherical because a sphere is the shape that encloses the greatest volume with the least surface area — nature always takes the most efficient path.
Light slows down when it passes through materials like glass or water. The ratio of light's speed in a vacuum to its speed in a material is called the refractive index — it is what causes lenses to bend light and glasses to correct eyesight.
Fungi are classified separately from plants and animals, but genetically they are more closely related to animals. Unlike plants, fungi cannot make their own food — they break down and absorb nutrients from their surroundings.
Gold does not rust or tarnish because it is extremely unreactive — it does not easily combine with oxygen or other chemicals. This is why gold objects from ancient civilisations still look bright and shiny today.
Mass and weight are not the same thing. Mass is the amount of matter in an object and never changes. Weight is the force of gravity on that mass, so you would weigh less on the Moon but your mass would be exactly the same.
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria already kill hundreds of thousands of people per year. The World Health Organisation has identified it as one of the greatest threats to human health in history.
Static electricity builds up when different materials rub together and electrons transfer between them. A negatively charged balloon held near your hair repels the electrons in each strand, making them stand up.
The colour of light is determined by its wavelength. Violet light has the shortest wavelength (around 380 nanometres) and red the longest (around 700 nanometres). The human eye can detect wavelengths between these two extremes.
Most of Earth's water is thought to have arrived after the planet formed, delivered by asteroids and comets that bombarded the early Earth. Some scientists believe the Moon-forming impact also contributed to our water supply.