Shadows, Carts, and Deserts: Simple Wonders Explained

How Do Shadows Form?

When sunlight shines down, it hits everything in its path, trees, buildings, people, and more. But when something blocks the light, the space behind it stays dark. That dark shape is what we call a shadow. It matches the shape of whatever is blocking the light. This doesn’t just happen with the sun. Fire, lamps, and other lights also create shadows the same way. During the holiday of Sukkot, we place a lot of s’chach (branches or leaves used as a roof) on top of the sukkah so there’s more shade than sunlight inside.

Who Invented the Shopping Cart?

If you went shopping for the holidays, you probably used a shopping cart. But have you ever wondered who invented it?

It was an American Jewish man named Sylvan Goldman. He owned a supermarket that became very successful. One day, he noticed shoppers struggling to carry heavy baskets. He thought, “If I can make it easier to carry things, people might shop more comfortably and buy more too.” So, he came up with a big basket on wheels, the first shopping cart. His idea was a big hit and quickly spread to stores everywhere.

What Is the Driest Desert in the World?

The driest desert on Earth is the Atacama Desert, mostly in northern Chile, South America. It’s so dry that some places haven’t had rain in over 400 years! In fact, there are areas where no rainfall has ever been recorded.