Japan, a country known for its cherry blossoms, robots, and delicious sushi, is facing a big challenge. Last year, its population dropped by around 5.5 lakh people, bringing the total to about 123.8 million. That means for the 14th year in a row, more people are passing away or moving out than being born. Why does this matter? Well, with fewer people being born, there are not enough young workers or customers. This makes it harder for businesses and for the government to take care of older people. Interestingly, it’s not just Japan — other countries are also seeing fewer births. South Korea, France, and China are facing similar problems, with birth rates dropping or populations shrinking. Experts say countries will need smart ideas to handle these changes, so people of all ages can live happily together. The capital of Japan is Tokyo.
Do you ever find yourself yawning again and again during the day? Or maybe your parents say they need another cup of tea or coffee to stay awake? Well, doctors are warning that this could be a sign of not getting enough good sleep — and it’s more serious than it sounds. A new report by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine says that not sleeping for at least 7 to 8 hours each night can cause problems like diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and even depression. What’s tricky is — when we’re really sleepy all the time, our brain sometimes tricks us into thinking we’re fine. But actually, our body isn’t working as well as it should. That’s why doctors say it’s important to get enough rest and listen to your body when it feels tired. A good night’s sleep helps you stay healthy, happy, and full of energy for all the fun things you love to do.
A rocket named New Shepard from Blue Origin completed a very special space trip, This time, it carried an all-women team into space — something that hasn’t happened since 1963. Famous people like pop singer Katy Perry, journalist Gayle King, and Lauren Sánchez, who is Jeff Bezos’ (Amazon’s Founder) fiancée, were on board. Along with them were former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, civil rights leader Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn. The whole trip lasted just 10 minutes, but the rocket zoomed past the edge of space at over three times the speed of sound before safely landing back. Blue Origin called it a landmark moment for women in space. Each woman had a special symbol on the mission patch to represent their story.
What if humans start living on the Moon, but how would they build houses there? Well, scientists at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have found a super smart, eco-friendly idea using bacteria. Sporosarcina pasteurii — a tiny soil-loving bacterium that can turn moon dust, urea, and calcium into something like natural cement. This makes strong bricks right on the Moon, without needing heavy cement from Earth and if these bricks get cracked by the Moon’s wild weather (which goes from +121°C to -133°C) or by a falling rock, they can heal themselves using a special bacteria-powered liquid. Now, to see if this works in space, India plans to send this bacteria on the Gaganyaan mission, India’s first human spaceflight program, is currently planned for 2026. f it works, one day astronauts might live in self-healing, made-in-India Moon homes.
Word of the day –
Implants – to put an organ or device into the body in a medical operation. Quote –
Imagination is more important than knowledge. – Albert Einstein
Implants – to put an organ or device into the body in a medical operation. Quote –
Imagination is more important than knowledge. – Albert Einstein
