Current Events

Debate: Should Teens Get a Say in Who Runs Their Schools?

Teens in Newark, New Jersey, have succeeded in lowering the voting age for school board elections to 16. People elected to school boards play an important role in determining how schools run by creating budgets, forming policies, and approving school district leadership. Critics of lowering the voting age worry that 16- and 17-year-olds are not mature enough to make smart decisions at the ballot box. Those in favor of the change say that young people’s voices deserve to be heard on issues that affect them. Listen to hear a youth activist discuss the topic and then debate: Should teens get a say in who runs their schools?

Kid News: Mother's Day Backstory

For thousands of years, cultures around the world have set aside time to celebrate mothers. In the U.S., Mother's Day is often celebrated with cards, flowers, or gifts on the second Sunday in May, but across the world and throughout history people have been honoring mothers in all kinds of different ways. Listen to learn about the history of Mother’s Day, and find out why someone once tried to abolish it.

Tips on Taking Naps

To nap or not to nap? According to a sleep medicine specialist who wrote a book about snoozing, some naps are better than others. She points out that the quality of a nap – what time of day it takes place and how long it lasts – is key to getting the maximum benefit from a rest. Poorly planned naps can actually cause problems with sleep. Listen to learn about the benefits and downsides of napping, and hear tips for taking effective naps.

Weird News: Paper Airplane's Record Flight

Listen to hear about an extraordinary paper airplane flight that broke a world record.

Vocabulary: enthusiasts, impressive, prototype

Weird News: Scientists Find Many Moons Around Jupiter

Listen to hear about a surprising discovery made by astronomers studying Jupiter.

Vocabulary: astronomers, fragments, collided

Ancient Grandmas Were Skilled Hunters

It has long been assumed that in prehistoric hunter-gatherer societies, men were primarily the ones hunting while women did the gathering. This view persisted until very recently when ground-breaking new research uncovered evidence that women may have hunted too. The evidence supporting this belief comes from observations of modern hunter-gatherer societies and analysis of ancient burial sites. Listen to learn about this surprising discovery and what it means for long-held misconceptions about gender roles in ancient times and today.

Impact of AI on Elections

Artificial intelligence has the potential to disrupt fair elections which serve as the foundation of U.S. democracy. In this audio story the U.S. representative for the United Nations high-level advisory body on artificial intelligence discusses how AI may be used to spread disinformation, and why addressing its threats is a worldwide responsibility. Listen to hear more about the potential impact of chat bots and other AI tools during election season.

Debate: Should Caffeinated Drinks Be Regulated?

Caffeine, classified as a drug that stimulates activity in the brain and nervous system, is found in beverages like tea, coffee, soft drinks and energy drinks. Some energy drinks marketed to teens contain more caffeine than consumers might realize. This has prompted consumer advocates to call for stricter regulations on caffeinated beverages in order to protect young people from adverse side effects. Drink companies, though, have argued that labeling drinks as caffeinated and not intended for children should be enough. Listen to hear comparisons of the amount of caffeine in popular drinks and then debate: Should caffeinated drinks be regulated?

Kid News: Gaming Good for You

Too much screen time can negatively affect kids’ health and learning, but the way kids are using their screen time makes a difference. Researchers say playing video games may be a better use of screen time than watching videos. In one study, kids reported feeling happier after playing video games, even when they had been playing for a long period of time. Listen to learn more about the surprising effects of video games on mental health.

Positive Perspective on Climate Change

It is hard to know how to tackle a problem as overwhelming as climate change, and many people feel defeated when they try. Now a data scientist has written a book that takes a practical and more optimistic approach to the issue. In Not the End of the World, the scientist highlights how humanity has made improvements in important areas of science and social science that suggest there is hope for human efforts to combat climate change. Listen to hear which actions the scientist believes are most beneficial and learn why she avoids telling readers exactly what they should and should not do.

Weird News: Student Eats Part of a Work of Art

Listen to hear about a student who ate a banana meant to be art.

Vocabulary: installation, snagged, damages

Rare Stinky Corpse Flower

The corpse flower has an unusual look and smell. A huge plant native to Sumatra, it blooms only once every few years and when it does, it emits a foul smell similar to that of rotting meat. When a corpse flower recently burst into bloom at the San Diego Botanical Garden, curious visitors from around the country rushed to see - and smell - the rare event. Listen to hear a plant expert explain more about this “rock star plant,” and find out how the corpse flower’s awful smell helps it survive.

Media Influencer Wants You to Read the News

A young social media influencer has been reading and explaining newspaper articles on TikTok, and people are noticing. She says reading the news in print has made her more knowledgeable about the world, helped her mental health, and created an opportunity for her to teach kids about media literacy. Listen to learn what inspired her to start reading the newspaper and hear what advice she has for media organizations.

Debate: Should Animals Be Cloned for Their Organs?

An organ transplant can be a lifesaving treatment for people with missing or damaged organs. Now scientists are working with research farms to clone pigs that can provide these essential organs for humans who need them. Proponents of using cloned animals, genetically modified to make their organs safe for humans, believe the animals are a solution for the shortage of donor organs for sick people. But critics of animal-to-human transplants question the ethics of breeding and sacrificing animals for their parts. Listen to learn about the life of cloned pigs at one biotech research farm and then debate: Should animals be cloned for their organs?

Update: Since this audio story was published, doctors have performed the first successful kidney transplant using an organ from a cloned pig.

Kid News: Teen Joins Volunteer Firefighters

A teen living in Pennsylvania had some time on her hands and wanted to help her community, so she signed up to become a volunteer firefighter. Soon enough, she was surprised to discover that someone close to her had joined the volunteer firefighting force as well. Listen to hear about the reasons for the teen’s decision and how she inspired others to take action.

Experiencing a Solar Eclipse Through Sound

A solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun and covers a partial or entire view of the sun from certain areas of the globe. Watching a solar eclipse with safety glasses can be a spectacular sight, and one astronomer wanted people who are blind or have low vision to experience it too. In preparation for a solar eclipse visible in the U.S., including a total eclipse in some areas of the country, she developed a device that enables people to experience the eclipse through music and sound. Listen to hear how the device works and provides access for more people to experience a rare total solar eclipse.

Weird News: Elephants Love Yoga

Listen to hear about daily elephant yoga classes at the Houston Zoo.

Vocabulary: benefits, regularly, limber, voluntary

History of Blue Jeans

Blue jeans have been around for over 150 years. They originated when tailor Jacob Davis partnered with Levi Strauss to create durable work pants out of denim. Although today jeans come in different styles and appeal to a wide range of consumers, originally they were worn by people who did hard labor, including enslaved Africans and Chinese laborers. Listen to learn about the evolution of blue jeans over time and how they came to symbolize both toughness and adaptability.

Anonymous Tip Lines Combat Gun Violence in Schools

The threat of gun violence has become a frightening reality for many teens. Some schools have turned to anonymous tip lines to help prevent violent incidents before they occur. With tip lines, students and school staff can anonymously report potential threats within their school communities, and trained crisis center counselors can take steps to avert trouble. A new study analyzed the effectiveness of these tip lines in North Carolina, where every school district has access to the line. Listen to learn what the data reveals about how well tip lines work to prevent gun violence.

Debate: Should Teens' Social Media Time Be Limited?

Social media can be a big part of teenagers’ lives. Parents, government officials, and even teens themselves are discussing whether spending too much unsupervised time on social media apps such as TikTok, is a problem that could be solved with time restrictions. Proponents of time limits emphasize the destructive effects of excessive social media use on teens’ lives and mental health. Others say time restrictions can be easy to ignore and fail to address the real problem: social media apps designed to be addictive. Listen to hear an adolescent psychologist’s perspective on the issue and then debate: Should teens’ social media time be limited?

Kid News: Plastic Eating Piranha

Technology can make tough tasks easier. This is the case for the “plastic piranha” helping to remove plastic trash from waterways. Named after the piranha, an aggressive carnivorous fish with sharp teeth, the technology is taking a big bite out of the plastic pollution problem. Listen to hear more about the plastic piranha’s impact on the environment.

Aging, Memory, and the Presidency

The U.S. Constitution requires that candidates for president be at least 35 years old, but many candidates are much older. As people age, their memory, or their ability to store and remember information might not be as sharp as it was when they were younger. This idea has led to discussion about whether it is wise for a person in their late 70s or 80s to run for president. Listen to hear brain scientists share their thoughts about how aging impacts memory and job performance.

Weird News: 5th Grader Applies to Be Principal

Listen to hear about an elementary student who wants to be principal.

Vocabulary: applied, permanent

Hollywood Mountain Lion Leaves a Legacy

A famous mountain lion in southern California recently passed away. Known by the name P-22, the local celebrity had made his home in Griffith Park, near the famous Hollywood sign. P-22’s life and death raise important questions about the impact human population density and development have on the habitat of mountain lions and other wildlife in southern California. Listen to learn about P-22, the struggles mountain lions face, and the efforts underway to better protect their habitat from the urban landscape that threatens it.

Social Media Influencers Urge Followers NOT to Buy

Social media influencers often push people to buy more. Now, though, some of them are putting their powers of persuasion to work with a different goal in mind. In this audio story, a sustainability expert discusses de-influencers – people using their platforms to discourage overconsumption in an effort to protect natural resources and curb climate change. She explains how deinfluencing can be done well and how followers are responding. Listen to learn more about deinfluencing and the positive impact that changes in consumer behavior can have on the planet.

Debate: Should Schools Teach Cursive Handwriting?

Teaching cursive handwriting had fallen out of favor by the early twenty-first century, but it is now having a resurgence. States are again requiring that elementary students learn cursive. Proponents of teaching cursive handwriting cite the need for students to be able to read historical documents and write a unique signature. Critics argue that cursive is unnecessary in a digital age when people aren’t doing much writing by hand at all. Listen to hear students and teachers discuss the pros and cons of learning cursive and then debate: Should schools teach cursive handwriting?

Kid News: Bird Language

It is impossible to know exactly what a bird is “saying” when it chirps, but humans and other bird species can get a general idea of the big emotions a bird is trying to communicate. For instance, a bird may use a certain sound to send out a warning, as if to say, “Watch out for that snake!” Listen to learn more about bird language and hear examples of birds communicating.

Small Kindnesses Bring Big Joy

Everyone has the power to increase their happiness, according to findings from the Big Joy project. The unusual research study asks participants to do a small act of kindness each day and consider how the practice impacts their wellbeing. The scientists behind the project say they found inspiration for their research from the beliefs of Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama. Listen to hear more about the Big Joy project, and learn how the study is teaching participants important life skills.

Weird News: Sleeping Bus

Listen to hear about a bus ride in Hong Kong that puts people to sleep.

Vocabulary: commuters, passengers, public transportation

Polar Bears Find Temporary Refuge

Climate change is threatening the world’s polar bear population. The sea ice polar bears use for hunting is disappearing, and many experts fear polar bears may eventually go extinct. However, researchers in southeast Greenland have found a surprisingly large number of bears surviving on ice produced from freshwater glaciers that fall from land into the water. For the bears, this is an alternative to the sea ice on which they typically depend. Listen to learn about this surprising find, and why scientists fear it may only offer polar bears a temporary solution to the catastrophic problems caused by climate change.

Students Respond to Limits on Teaching About Race

There have been efforts by school boards and states to limit how teachers can discuss and teach about race. These efforts have had unintended consequences according to students from one California school district. These students say unclear guidelines have stopped teachers from addressing the topic of race entirely, which may be why they have noticed an increase of racism in their school community. Listen to hear students discuss their experiences since their school limited teaching about race and learn why students, parents, and teachers are concerned that history may be repeating itself.

Debate: Is American Dominance in Sports Declining?

When a major league baseball team wins the World Series or a pro basketball team wins the NBA Finals, they are called world champions. But the title is misleading because these American teams do not play internationally. Critics of America’s claim of superiority in sports point to situations like this and the fact that U.S. teams are not competitive in some globally popular sports. Fans of American sports, however, are not easily persuaded that their beliefs about America’s athletic dominance are overblown since the U.S. consistently has a high medal count across a variety of Olympic sports. Listen to hear why America may not be working as hard to be the best in all sports and then debate: Is American dominance in sports declining?

Kid News: Coding Mythological Creatures

Hands-on projects can make learning more fun! When fifth graders from Massachusetts used coding to bring mythological creatures to life, they had a blast sharpening their science and math skills and deepening their knowledge of cultures around the world. Their teacher gave them the time and freedom to research, be creative, and even make mistakes. Listen to hear from the kids who worked on the coding project and learn about two cool mythological creatures.

New Citizens Value Voting

Many new citizens feel that voting is an important right, and they look forward to exercising that right for the first time. Becoming a naturalized citizen takes time and effort, so completing the process and registering to vote can be an occasion to celebrate. Listen to hear new citizens share their perspectives on voting and find out why it helps to start voting right away and continue to do so.

Weird News: Suspicious Noise Found to be Roomba

Listen to hear what happened when a family called 911 after hearing strange noises in their house.

Vocabulary: unsettling, in the midst, burglary, suspect

Treasure Hunter Finds Gold Necklace Linked to Henry VIII

An amateur metal detectorist from the U.K. pulled a rare and valuable treasure out of the mud: a 500-year-old necklace dating to the time of King Henry VIII. Its discovery stunned both him and the British Museum curator to whom he brought it. Listen to learn about the exciting discovery and its significance to the reign of Henry VIII and his wife, Katherine, in Renaissance England.

Tracking Animals with AI Facial Recognition

Facial recognition software is often used for human safety and security purposes, but the technology can also help with animal conservation and behavior research. A biologist who studies geese has worked to create facial recognition AI that can accurately recognize individual members of the flock, which makes her job easier. Listen to hear how she created this facial recognition AI, and learn how other scientists are using AI to study and protect animals.

Debate: Should Sugary Drinks Be Taxed?

Excessive sugar consumption can cause health issues like obesity, heart disease, and depression. Several U.S. cities have attempted to reduce the amount of sugar in people’s diet by taxing sugary drinks, but the move has been controversial. Supporters of the tax say it will improve overall health by curbing consumption of sugary drinks. Critics feel that the tax unfairly targets the beverage industry, and they point to other ways people can limit their sugar intake. Listen to learn what a scientific study shows about the correlation between taxes on sugary drinks and consumption and then debate: Should sugary drinks be taxed?

Kid News: What Asteroids Brought to Earth

Scientists examining dirt and water samples from the surface of an asteroid have discovered organic material. Organic material comes from living things, like plants and animals, when they decay or eliminate it from their body. An asteroid is a rocky object that orbits the sun and is smaller than a planet. The discovery of organic material on an asteroid may mean that when an asteroid crashed into Earth long ago, it brought the organic material necessary for life on the planet. Listen to find out what scientists think about this exciting discovery.

Perfectionism Can Hold Us Back

Being perfect is often seen as a worthy goal. However, a psychology professor says trying to be perfect is an unhealthy way for people to mask their flaws rather than accepting them. In this interview, the professor discusses his own desires to be perfect when he was younger and the root causes of perfectionism - a trend that is intensifying in America. Listen to find out how perfectionism can hold people back and what can be done to overcome it.