Starting 4 August 2025

Welcome to this week's news, all summarised with amazing AI. Join us as we explore exciting places, meet historical figures, discover amazing animals, and learn about cool science. Each article is packed with fun facts that will expand your knowledge and spark your curiosity.

⚽ Sports

BBC Newsround Β· 08.08.25Ballon d'Or 2025: Who's nominated for football's best player award?The nominations for this year's men's and women's Ballon d'Or awards have been announced and there's lots of top names in the running. Find out more about the awards and who's made the shortlist here.
  • ⚽ The Ballon d'Or is a special golden trophy given every year to the best football players in the world, chosen by football experts.
  • 🦁 England's stars, five Lionesses from the Euro 2025 winning team have been nominated for the women's award, including Chloe Kelly and Leah Williamson.
  • πŸ”₯ Big names in the men's race, players like Mo Salah, Kylian Mbappe, and Erling Haaland are all on the shortlist, along with many Premier League stars.
  • 🌟 Young talent awards, the Kopa Trophy goes to the best players under 21, with England's Myles Lewis-Skelly and Michelle Agyemang among the nominees.
  • πŸŽ‰ The big night, the 2025 Ballon d'Or ceremony will happen in Paris on 22 September 2025.
BBC Newsround Β· 07.08.25What's happening at the Bristol Balloon Fiesta?Hundreds of hot air balloons will take to the skies over Bristol this weekend. Find out all about it here.
  • 🎈 The Bristol Balloon Fiesta is a big free event where over 100 colorful hot air balloons fly in the sky above Bristol from 8 to 10 August.
  • πŸŒ… Balloons launch in the early morning and evening, and on Friday and Saturday nights there's a special Nightglow where balloons light up to music.
  • πŸš‚ Some balloons look like fun characters, such as Thomas the Tank Engine, Sonic the Hedgehog, Rupert the Bear, and Wallace and Gromit's rocket.
  • 🌀 You can even go inside a giant balloon in the new In The Clouds attraction, plus enjoy music, arts, crafts, and stunt shows.
  • πŸ™ Bristol is famous for ballooning, it's where the first modern hot air balloon was made, and the fiesta has been running since 1979.

⚽ Fun Fact!

The Ballon d'Or trophy weighs 7kg and is made of two half-spheres of gold-plated brass! The most wins by a single player is Lionel Messi with 8 trophies.

🧳 Travel

National Geographic Β· 08.08.25Canada's oldest hiking trail covers 560 miles of urban and rugged viewsNiagara Falls is only one of hundreds of waterfalls along the 560-mile-long Bruce Trail, which guides adventurers through big cities, small towns, and stunning wilderness.
  • 🌊 The Bruce Trail in Canada is 560 miles long, starting near Niagara Falls and going all the way to the Bruce Peninsula, with over 500 waterfalls along the way.
  • 🦊 Hikers can see animals like foxes, deer, and rare birds, plus cool fossils in the rocks that are hundreds of millions of years old.
  • 🏞 The trail passes through forests, towns, museums, and even places for ice cream, kayaking, and exploring caves.
  • πŸ“œ Indigenous peoples used the trail's route for thousands of years, and it was also part of the Underground Railroad.
  • 🌳 Protected forever, special groups work to keep the trail safe, buying land and making campsites so people can enjoy nature for many years to come.
National Geographic Β· 08.08.25These 7 seaside towns are perfect for a day trip from London by trainIn sunny weather, what could be better than escaping London to lie on a beach? But days at the seaside aren't just the reserve of summer, at these lively towns, there's plenty to see and do, even in the colder months.
  • 🌊 Fun beaches and castles, you can visit towns like Deal and Hastings to see cool castles, learn history, and enjoy yummy seaside picnics.
  • 🎨 Arts and music, Folkestone has sandy beaches plus fun places with music, art, and tasty food by the sea.
  • 🎒 Rides and ice cream, Southend-on-Sea has the world's longest pier, exciting rides, and giant ice cream sundaes.
  • πŸ¦… Nature and wildlife, Walton-on-the-Naze is great for spotting birds, finding fossils, and seeing seals by boat.
  • πŸ–οΈ Shops and pretty streets, Rye and Brighton have pretty old streets, tasty food, and fun shops, plus beaches to enjoy.

🚢 Fun Fact!

The longest hiking trail in the world is the International Appalachian Trail, spanning 5,400 miles across the US, Canada, Greenland, Europe, and Morocco!

🐾 Animals

National Geographic Β· 07.08.25This colossal stick bug is real. How many more monster insects are out there?There may be as many as 30 million unidentified insect species out there. How many are this big?
  • πŸͺ΅ A giant stick bug called Acrophylla alta was found in Australia, it's as long as a person's forearm and blends in with tree branches.
  • βš–οΈ It's the heaviest insect in Australia, weighing 44 grams (like a golf ball), and heavier than the country's previous record holder.
  • πŸ” Scientists think it lives high in rainforest trees, and they only found it because one got blown down.
  • 🌏 There are almost 2 million known insect species, but maybe 30 million more we haven't discovered yet, some could be even bigger.
  • πŸ¦— The biggest insect ever is still the giant weta from New Zealand, but this discovery shows huge bugs are still out there waiting to be found.
National Geographic Β· 08.08.25These tarantulas may have evolved huge genitalia to fend off bloodthirsty femalesTarantulas, like all spiders, don't have penises; they have palps. And these ones are massive.
  • πŸ•·οΈ Scientists found a brand new group of tarantulas called Satyrex that have super long palps instead of penises.
  • 🐐 They named them after satyrs from Greek myths because the males have huge genitals compared to others.
  • 😑 The females are very fierce and sometimes eat the males after mating, so scientists think the long palps help the males keep a safe distance.
  • βš”οΈ Males and females are in a battle, males try to mate without being eaten, while females might want a snack to help them raise babies.
  • 🌍 There are still many kinds of spiders in the world we haven't found yet, these Satyrex tarantulas are just one surprising discovery.

πŸ•·οΈ Fun Fact!

  • If all the insects on Earth were weighed, they would weigh 17 times more than all humans combined! There are about 200 million insects for every human on the planet.
  • Spiders have blue blood because they use copper instead of iron to carry oxygen! Some spiders can hold their breath underwater for up to 24 hours.

πŸ”¬ Science

National Geographic Β· 08.08.25How cutting out certain foods can trigger new allergiesFood elimination diets are popular for managing conditions like IBS and celiac disease. But experts say they can backfire, and the safest approach depends on how allergic you are.
  • 🍞 Taking away foods for too long can cause trouble, if you stop eating certain foods, your body might forget they're safe, and you could become allergic to them later.
  • πŸ›‘οΈ Your tummy helps train your body, eating small amounts of many foods helps your body learn they're not dangerous, so it doesn't overreact.
  • πŸ‘©β€βš•οΈ People with allergies need to be careful, kids and adults who already have things like eczema, asthma, or past allergies have a higher risk of getting new allergies if they cut foods out.
  • πŸ“† Don't wait too long, if you try removing a food, only do it for a short time (like 2-4 weeks) so your body doesn't lose its memory of that food.
  • πŸ₯› Sometimes a little is better than none, if a food causes mild problems, eating small amounts might keep your body used to it while still helping you feel better.
Kids Science Magazine Β· 07.08.25Can Snails Help Humans Regrow Eyes?What if you could grow a brand new eye just like that? Sounds like science fiction, right? Well, for one special snail, it's not fiction, it's just normal life!
  • 🐌 The golden apple snail can regrow a whole new eye in about a month if it loses one, something humans can't do yet.
  • πŸ” These snails have camera type eyes like ours, with a lens, retina, and optic nerve that all work together to see.
  • 🧬 Scientists discovered a special gene called pax6 that is key for growing eyes in both snails and humans, and they used a tool called CRISPR to study it.
  • 🧠 Learning how snails regrow eyes could help doctors one day figure out how to help humans regrow or heal their own eyes.
  • 🀯 Fun fact, some snails can even regrow their entire head, not just their eyes, amazing, right?

🐌 Fun Fact!

  • About 32 million Americans have food allergies, including 5.6 million children. The most common food allergies are milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish, and shellfish.
  • Snails can sleep for up to three years when the weather doesn't suit them! They also have thousands of teeth but no ears, they feel vibrations through their bodies instead.

πŸ€– Technology

Time For Kids Β· 05.08.25Four AI Skills You Need to KnowArtificial intelligence is fundamentally changing the tech industry. Discover four skills that can help students prepare for tomorrow's job market.
  • 🌱 AI keeps changing, so you need to keep learning new things all the time. Be curious, ask questions, and practice every day.
  • 🀝 Big AI projects need lots of people working together. Share ideas, listen to others, and solve problems as a team.
  • βš–οΈ AI must be used in ways that are fair and safe. Make sure it doesn't treat people unfairly or use others' work without permission.
  • πŸ›‘οΈ Use AI tools the right way to protect secrets and important information. Don't use random AI programs that could be risky.
  • πŸš€ AI will be everywhere in jobs when you grow up. Learning about it now will help you do amazing things later.
The New York Times Β· 06.08.25Opinion: These College Professors Will Not Bow Down to A.I.Technology is making the old ways of teaching ineffective. A new way is starting to emerge.
  • 🧠 Some people think A.I. like ChatGPT will ruin college classes because students can use it to write papers and skip learning.
  • πŸ€– Some teachers even use A.I. themselves, which can make it feel like robots are just talking to robots!
  • πŸ“š About 100 professors from all over the country are changing how they teach so students actually learn and enjoy the work.
  • πŸ‘©β€πŸ« These teachers give more hands on and in class activities so students can't just let A.I. do all the work.
  • πŸ’‘ They believe A.I. is here to stay, so they're making creative lessons that help students think, work together, and build real life skills.

πŸ€– Fun Fact!

The first AI program was created in 1951 to play checkers! Today's AI systems use more computing power in a single day than the entire Apollo space program used to send humans to the moon.

🌠 Astronomy

DOGOnews Β· 06.08.25The Perseid Meteor Shower - A Summer Night SpectacleThe Perseid Meteor Shower is a summer night spectacle that lights up the sky every year.
  • 🌠 Every summer, the Perseid meteor shower lights up the night sky with bright, fast shooting stars.
  • β˜„οΈ Meteors are tiny bits of dust and rock from comets that burn up when they enter Earth's atmosphere, making glowing streaks.
  • ✨ The Perseids are named after the Perseus constellation and come from debris left by Comet Swift Tuttle.
  • πŸ”₯ At their peak, you can see up to 100 meteors an hour, and sometimes huge fireballs brighter than planets!
  • 🌌 In 2025, the best time to watch is August 12-13, far from city lights, after your eyes adjust to the dark.
Kids Science Magazine Β· 04.08.25The Planet That's Falling Into Its Star!Have you ever seen something so big, so fast, and so doomed it sounds like a cosmic drama? Meet TOI-2109b, a planet way bigger than Jupiter that's speeding toward its star like a space rollercoaster on fire!
  • 🌍 Meet TOI-2109b, a giant planet almost twice the size of Jupiter, super heavy, and zooming around its star in just 16 hours!
  • ⏳ It's falling in, the planet's orbit is shrinking, and it's getting pulled closer and closer to its star every time it goes around.
  • πŸ”₯ Three scary endings, it could crash into its star, get its gas ripped away, or be torn apart by gravity.
  • 🧠 Why scientists care, studying this planet helps scientists learn how planets change, die, and maybe even how rocky planets are made.
  • πŸ’‘ It's so hot there (up to 3,500 degrees Celsius) that it's hotter than some stars, and you could have two birthdays in one Earth day!

β˜„οΈ Fun Fact!

  • The largest meteorite ever found on Earth weighs 66 tons and is in Namibia! Most meteors that create shooting stars are only the size of a grain of sand or a small pebble.
  • Scientists have discovered over 5,000 exoplanets (planets outside our solar system) so far, but estimate there could be billions in our galaxy alone! Some exoplanets have clouds made of rubies and sapphires.

Amazing Fun Facts You Won't Believe!

Here are some incredible facts about the topics we covered that will blow your mind!

⚽ Football Facts

The Ballon d'Or trophy weighs 7kg and is made of two half-spheres of gold-plated brass! The most wins by a single player is Lionel Messi with 8 trophies.

🎈 Balloon Facts

The largest hot air balloon festival in the world is in Albuquerque, New Mexico, featuring over 500 balloons! The first hot air balloon passengers were a sheep, a duck, and a rooster in 1783.

🚢 Trail Facts

The longest hiking trail in the world is the International Appalachian Trail, spanning 5,400 miles across the US, Canada, Greenland, Europe, and Morocco!

πŸ–οΈ Beach Facts

The UK has over 11,000 miles of coastline, making it one of the countries with the most coastline relative to its size! Some beaches in the UK have sand that sings when you walk on it due to the specific size and shape of the grains.

πŸ› Insect Facts

If all the insects on Earth were weighed, they would weigh 17 times more than all humans combined! There are about 200 million insects for every human on the planet.

πŸ•·οΈ Spider Facts

Spiders have blue blood because they use copper instead of iron to carry oxygen! Some spiders can hold their breath underwater for up to 24 hours.

πŸ₯— Food Facts

About 32 million Americans have food allergies, including 5.6 million children. The most common food allergies are milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish, and shellfish.

🐌 Snail Facts

Snails can sleep for up to three years when the weather doesn't suit them! They also have thousands of teeth but no ears, they feel vibrations through their bodies instead.

πŸ€– AI Facts

The first AI program was created in 1951 to play checkers! Today's AI systems use more computing power in a single day than the entire Apollo space program used to send humans to the moon.

β˜„οΈ Meteor Facts

The largest meteorite ever found on Earth weighs 66 tons and is in Namibia! Most meteors that create shooting stars are only the size of a grain of sand or a small pebble.

πŸͺ Planet Facts

Scientists have discovered over 5,000 exoplanets (planets outside our solar system) so far, but estimate there could be billions in our galaxy alone! Some exoplanets have clouds made of rubies and sapphires.

🧠 Learning Facts

Your brain forms over 1 million new connections every second when you're learning something new! Reading about new topics actually changes the physical structure of your brain.

πŸ“ Quiz Time! Test Your Knowledge

Let's see how much you remember from this week's news! Pick the correct answer for each question.

Question 1 / 10

🦁 How many Lionesses from the Euro 2025-winning team have been nominated for the women's Ballon d'Or award?

Thank You for Reading!

🧠 Stay Curious!

Keep reading news from around the world to learn amazing new things every day!

πŸ€” Ask Questions!

Wondering about something you read? Ask a grown-up to help you find more information!

πŸ“š Share Knowledge!

Tell your friends and family about the cool facts you learned today!

Check back next week for more exciting news stories from around the world!

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