7 Astonishing Discoveries Made by Children

Children’s innate curiosity and boundless imagination often lead them to remarkable discoveries that astonish even seasoned scientists. From ancient artifacts to astronomical phenomena, these young explorers have made significant contributions to various fields of science.

1. 10,000-Year-Old Arrowhead

During a summer vacation in New Jersey, 10-year-old Noah Cordle stumbled upon a 10,000-year-old arrowhead. While playing on the beach, Noah found the stone arrow point, a relic from Paleo-Indians who traversed the region thousands of years ago. His discovery was a rare find, typically unearthed by professionals during archaeological digs, and is now a significant piece of New Jersey’s prehistoric history.

2. Discovering a Supernova

In November 2013, Nathan Gray from Canada became the youngest person to discover a supernova. With the help of his father and an observatory owner, Nathan spotted the exploding star, marking a monumental achievement in amateur astronomy. His persistent stargazing efforts paid off, leading to an exciting discovery that contributes to our understanding of stellar life cycles.

3. Fruit Fly Experiment Gone Viral

Middle-schooler Simon Kashchock-Marenda’s science project on artificial sweeteners had unforeseen consequences. His experiment showed that Truvia, a common sweetener, was lethal to fruit flies. This finding, verified under laboratory conditions, led researchers to explore erythritol in Truvia as a potential human-safe insecticide. Simon’s work underscores the significant impact that school projects can have on scientific research.

4. Mastodon Tooth in a Creek

Nine-year-old Phillip Stoll from Michigan found a 10,000-year-old mastodon tooth while walking in a creek. Recognizing it as a tooth despite its size, Phillip’s find was confirmed by a local university herpetologist. This discovery added valuable data to our understanding of prehistoric fauna in North America.

5. Identifying Deadly Fungus

Elan Filler, a seventh grader from California, embarked on a science fair project that identified trees infected with the deadly Cryptococcus gattii fungus. Her findings contributed to a broader understanding of where this fungus thrives, helping scientists at Duke University further their research on this public health threat.

6. Dinosaur Discovery

High-school student Kevin Terris uncovered the smallest and most complete skeleton of a duck-billed dinosaur, Parasaurolophus, in Utah. His discovery during a field trip added a crucial piece to the puzzle of dinosaur development and behavior.

7. Ancient Human Relative

Matthew Berger, at 9 years old, discovered remains of Australopithecus sediba, an ancient human relative, while on an archaeological dig with his father in South Africa. This significant find sheds light on human evolution and the diversity of ancient hominids.

These incredible discoveries highlight the potential of young minds in the field of science. Encouraging children’s natural curiosity and providing them with opportunities to explore can lead to groundbreaking contributions to our understanding of the world.

Reference: 7 Awesome Discoveries Made by Kids