Robots are becoming increasingly prevalent in our modern lives.  Here are a few examples of robots and how they are used.
Domestic robots are designed to help with household tasks.  You might be familiar with the Roomba vacuum cleaner.  They've been around since 2002!  Roombas are robots that can be programmed to clean floors, carpets, and rugs.
​Another example of a domestic robot is the Wakamaru robot.  It is designed to be a companion to elderly people who live alone.  It uses AI to monitor its owner's health, behavior, and location.  If it detects a problem, it can contact family members or caregivers!

Medical robots are used to assist doctors with medical procedures.  Some even perform full procedures autonomously!
The da Vinci Surgical System is a widely used medical robot that allows surgeons to perform minimally invasive surgery through tiny incisions in patients' bodies.  Doctors use special instruments and controls built into the robot.  Performing surgery this way reduces the amount of blood lost during procedures, increasing the chances of patients surviving surgery unharmed.

Educational robots are used to help students investigate topics that are interesting to them.  Some are even used to teach kids about robotics and programming!

What is your favorite use of robots in everyday life?

Plants have been used in science for ages.  Evidence suggests that plants have been used as medicine for at least 60,000 years!  Medicinal plants like opium poppies, ephedra, and cannabis have been discovered at ancient archeological sites.

Botanists today study plants and their uses in medicine, genetics, agriculture, climate science, and architecture.  Scientists are studying many different aspects of plant science!  Check out this website to read more about some specific studies that are going on right now.

Click through this slideshow to see some of the plants that are used to make medicines.

Astronomy is the study of the Universe and everything in it.  It's a huge subject!  That includes planets, stars, galaxies, comets, black holes, and so much more.  So what can you do as a kid to start your astronomy journey?

One simple place to start is by stargazing!  Going out when the conditions are right will help you to see more stars.  Try going out when it's not cloudy and there is little to no moonlight.  Try and find a place that is away from house lights, street lights, and headlights, and give your eyes about thirty minutes to adjust to the darkness.

If you want to identify things in the sky, take a star map with you!  What you can see in the sky is going to be different throughout the year, so make sure you find one that will match the season and your location.  If you have a telescope, it can help you find things that are not visible with just your eyes alone.  Take a notebook with you to record what you find.

Also, (and this is important!) don't go out stargazing without your parents!  It is easy to get lost in the dark.

​Have fun exploring the sky and share what you find with us!

Artemis II is scheduled to launch in September 2025.  It represents mankind's return to the moon.  As we wait with anticipation, meet the astronaut who is going to pilot the spacecraft: Victor J. Glover.

Victor Glover, born April 30, 1976, spent his youth wrestling, playing football, and pursuing engineering degrees.  He earned a degree in general engineering from California Polytechnic State University in 1999.  Between 2007 and 2010, he obtained three different master's degrees from three different institutions.  He has a Master of Science in Flight Test Engineering from Air University (United States Air Force) in Edward's Air Force Base, a Master of Science in Systems Engineering from the Naval Post Graduate School, and a Master of Military Operational Art and Science from Air University in Montgomery, Alabama.

Glover is a captain in the United States Navy.  He has been a naval aviator, as well as a test pilot for the United States Air Force.  During his career, he has accumulated more than 3,000 flight hours. His callsign is "Ike", a moniker bestowed on him by one of his first commanding officers.  It stands for "I know everything."

Glover was a crewmember of Expedition 64, where he served as station systems flight engineer on the ISS.  He is married to Dionna Odom Glover, whom he met in college.  They have four daughters.