Current Events

Weird News: Swim Team Finds Alligator in Pool

Listen to hear what happened when an alligator interrupted a Florida swim team’s practice.

Vocabulary: singular, notable, aquatic

Neanderthal Community Building

Scientists understand that Neanderthals shared certain behaviors with early humans, including their choice to live in communities. But the nature of those communities – whether they were made up of family members or friends, for example - remained unknown. Recently, though, DNA extracted from Neanderthal skeletons found in caves in Russia has revealed intriguing new clues to their community structure. Listen to learn about the Neanderthal family members found in the cave and the new questions about community raised by the research.

Librarian Stands for the Right to Read

A librarian who won the National Book Awards’ Literarian Award for Outstanding Service believes it’s always the best possible time to be a librarian. She came to understand the power of reading and the privilege of having access to a library as a child. Since then, she has championed books and readers across the U.S. as executive director of the American Library Association. Listen to hear an award-winning librarian describe her childhood experiences with reading, and learn how she responds to those who worry about what young people are reading today.

Debate: Does ChatGPT Make Education More Equitable?

The artificial intelligence tool ChatGPT can generate high-quality essays, poems, and other types of writing that can be indistinguishable from work produced by humans. Many educators say the new tool makes it easy for students to cheat and they want it banned from schools. But others say outsourcing some types of writing to AI can be useful. Those who struggle with writing could benefit from assistance on mundane tasks like sending emails, which can help them to be recognized and respected. Listen to a professor explain why he requires his students to use AI in his classroom and then debate: Does ChatGPT make education more equitable?

Kid News: Pi Day Explained

March 14 is Pi Day. “Pi” is another name for the number 3.14, which can be calculated by dividing the distance around a circle by the distance across it. Many people celebrate Pi Day by eating delicious baked pies and participating in other fun activities. Listen to hear about the history of pi, why it is such a special number, and the ways that people celebrate Pi Day.

New A.P. African American Studies Class

A new Advanced Placement African American History course gives high school students an opportunity to learn about the historical contributions and experiences of Black Americans while earning college credit. Although the course launched at a time when some educators are shying away from talking about race in their classrooms, there are teachers willing to try something new. Listen to hear a Florida teacher who is piloting the curriculum during its first year share his perspective on the subject matter and how students and parents are reacting to the material so far.

Update: Since this story first aired, the Florida Department of Education rejected the curriculum, calling it inaccurate and against state law. A revised version of the course was issued by the College Board on February 1.

Weird News: 20-Year-Old Message in a Bottle Found

Listen to hear about the important message in a bottle that was written by a 6-year-old.

Vocabulary: stroll, pollute, advice

Whales Eat Tons of Food

It’s not surprising that whales eat a lot of food every day. Recently, though, technology has allowed researchers to track tagged whales to get a more accurate sense of just how much food they consume. The results suggest that whales eat much more food daily than had previously been estimated. However, a decline in one of their essential food sources is causing concern. Listen to learn about the eating habits of whales and how experts are brainstorming creative ways to maintain the abundance of food they need to survive.

Researcher Reveals Secret to Happiness

What makes people happy? The director of the world's longest-running scientific study of happiness offers an answer to this question in his recent book, The Good Life. The book provides tips on how to be happy based on data collected from several generations of people, and it suggests that happiness contributes greatly to overall health and longevity. Listen to learn what makes people happy and to find out what individuals can do to create more happiness in their lives.

Debate: Does Facial Recognition Make Us Safer?

Facial recognition technology is being used throughout the country. The technology can scan photos and match them to people’s faces as they are entering an area. Proponents say facial recognition helps make large venues like sports arenas safer by flagging people who may be dangerous. Security lines are short because the technology works quickly and efficiently. Facial recognition is far from perfect, though. It often misidentifies people, especially those with Black or brown faces, and has the potential for being abused. Listen to hear why a lawyer was barred from a concert after being identified by the technology and then debate: Does facial recognition make us safer?

Kid News: How Valentine's Day Began

People around the world celebrate Valentine’s Day on February 14 with signs of their affection like flowers, love notes, and sweet treats. It is not known exactly how Valentine’s Day began, although many trace it back to Saint Valentine, a Roman priest thrown in jail for helping couples get married. Listen to learn more about the origins of Valentine’s Day, and hear how chocolate became part of the holiday celebrations.

Teens Reflect on Race in America

According to a poll by "The Washington Post", many teens are talking with their families and friends about race. Since these conversations generally happen in private settings, it is hard to know exactly what questions and topics about race are discussed and what impact they have on young people. In this audio story, three teen reporters from across the U.S. provide a glimpse into what their conversations about race with friends and family have been like. Listen to learn about the teens’ unique experiences around race and how their family background shaped their perspectives.

Weird News: Potato Perfume for Valentines Day

Listen to hear about an unusual gift idea for Valentine’s Day.

Vocabulary: predictable, dish, scent

Baby Talk Is Universal

Anyone who has been around babies is familiar with baby talk, or the way adults use rhythmic speech and high pitched vocalizations to interact with babies. Researchers recently found that adults throughout the world use baby talk, even if they live in very different, even isolated, societies. Listen to learn what inspired this unusual research, how researchers gathered their data, and what they believe might explain why adults across the world talk to babies in such similar ways.

The Climate Migration of the Future

The world’s efforts to slow global warming show a commitment to climate change mitigation, or prevention, but science journalist Gaia Vince believes that isn’t enough. In her book Nomad Century: How Climate Migration Will Reshape Our World, she argues that world governments should be planning for mass migration as a form of climate adaptation because areas of the world will soon be unlivable due to climate changes. Listen to learn more about why climate migration, though difficult, may be necessary, and hear about how one country is preparing to take on the migration challenge.

Debate: Is AI Helpful or Harmful for Learning?

ChatGPT is a new artificial intelligence tool that could revolutionize teaching and learning. The powerful technology can write papers and poems, edit code, translate languages, and much more. Teachers are concerned that the high quality of ChatGPT’s output makes cheating hard to detect, and they’re worried it may kill students’ motivation to work and learn, and some want access to the tool blocked at school. But others think ChatGPT has the potential to reinvigorate education by offering teachers and students exciting new tools for research and writing. Listen to hear how cheating with AI might be detected and then debate: Is AI helpful or harmful for learning?

Kid News: Black History Month

February is Black History Month in the United States. It is a special time when people think and learn about the ways Black people have shaped the country. Although many schools and media outlets celebrate it now, Black History Month didn’t always exist. It was created in its earliest form by Dr. Carter G. Woodson in 1926. Listen to learn more about Dr. Woodson and the origins of Black History Month.

Prosthetics with a Sense of Touch

Scientists and bioengineers are working to create prosthetics with a sense of touch. The new technology enables artificial limbs to communicate with a person’s nervous system so they can feel pressure or pain. Studies of the technology have been successful with people who have amputated limbs and people who are paralyzed, but experts say there is still much to be learned before the intricacies of a person’s natural sense of touch can be replicated. Listen to learn more about the process of developing prosthetics that can feel, and find out how this biotechnology can help people.

Weird News: Space Junk Predicted to Hit Moon

Listen to hear about space junk due to crash into the moon and what might happen when it hits.

Vocabulary: expecting, debris, impact

Baby Bison Helps Restore Ecosystem

Thousands of years ago, wild bison roamed the English countryside. Bison were recently reintroduced to England through a project aimed at restoring the ecosystem, since the presence of bison will attract other animal and plant species to the area. The project hit an important (and unexpected) milestone when a new baby bison was born to the herd – the first bison born in England in 6,000 years. Listen to hear about the reintroduction of wild bison to England, and learn how bison herds help reinvigorate ecosystems.

Antisemitism on the Rise

Recently the number of antisemitic incidents has risen sharply in the U.S. Experts are carefully watching the disturbing trend and say increased hate crimes against Jews are often linked to a general rise in hate directed at other minority groups. The trend has become especially visible in the actions and statements of several high profile people. Listen to hear details about the hostility and prejudice Jewish communities are facing, and learn what it may mean for the broader society.

Debate: Does Technology Make Our Lives Better?

Technology has crept into almost every aspect of daily life. People use screens at school and at work, for shopping, socializing, entertainment, and much more. During the COVID-19 pandemic, technology allowed schools to stay in session and many businesses to continue operating remotely. In many ways, technology has made life easier and more convenient. But concerns have been raised about the effect of technology on its users. Humans are social animals with a need to connect with others in the physical world, not just virtually, and some say too much screen time can negatively impact human relationships. Listen to an author describe the potential negative impacts of technology and then debate: Has technology made our lives better?

Kid News: Chimps Drum

Chimpanzees are intelligent and social animals, much like humans. Scientists studying chimpanzees in a Ugandan rainforest have discovered that chimps don’t just rely on their language of shrieks and screeches, but they also communicate by drumming on exposed tree roots. Listen to learn more facts about chimpanzees and to hear their shrieking, screeching, and drumming.

MLK's Nonviolent Resistance Used Military Strategy

Nonviolent resistance, a successful strategy used by the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, involved peaceful tactics. Even so, a journalist and expert in military strategy has written a book arguing that the civil rights movement drew heavily on military principles to achieve success. The author analyzes how civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., led their years-long campaign against a violent enemy with military precision, imposing discipline, setting clear goals, and evaluating mistakes. Listen to hear more about the militant foundations of the civil rights movement and how those ideas helped the movement succeed.

Weird News: Man Bites into Pearl at Restaurant

Listen to hear what happened when a couple found a pearl in their appetizer while dining at a restaurant.

Vocabulary: appetizer, lucrative, romantic

The Origami Olympian

Travis Nolan is both a student of dinosaurs and skilled in the art of origami, or Japanese paper folding. His passion for both has led him to create detailed origami designs of dinosaurs. He recently won gold for original design in an international origami competition. The origins of his incredible talents go back to his childhood, where he discovered how to apply his interest in origami to paleontology. Listen to learn how one person’s love of learning inspired him to combine art and science in a unique way.

Forces that Fuel Friendship

Friendship plays an important role in many people’s lives, but often people give little thought to what it takes to make friends and keep friendships alive. A journalist set out to find some answers. She conducted over 100 interviews with groups of friends to discover the forces that help build and solidify friendships. Listen to hear about the unique friendships that she encountered during her research, and learn about the six qualities she thinks are necessary for lasting friendships.

Weird News: Woman Discovers History of Huge Bell

Listen to hear what one woman found out about a mysterious bell in her garage.

Vocabulary: resembled, generations, foundry

Hunters Take Florida's Python Challenge

Every year in Florida’s Everglades, trained hunters search for Burmese pythons. These large, aggressive snakes were imported from Southeast Asia as pets decades ago, and most likely populated the Everglades when owners released them into the wild. Wildlife officials have a difficult time controlling this invasive species, and they call on local hunters for help. Listen to learn about Florida’s python challenge, the effort required to hunt and kill pythons, and why, despite these efforts, containing Florida’s python population remains so hard to do.

Kid News: Hanukkah Explained

Hanukkah, also called the festival of lights, commemorates a miracle that happened for the Jewish people long ago. After their temple was destroyed, Jewish warriors found a tiny bit of oil that, to their surprise, burned for eight nights. Each year, Jews remember the miracle with candles, games, and special foods. Listen to learn more about the story of Hanukkah and the fun ways people celebrate.

Persevering Through Polio

Polio, a disease thought to have been eradicated, is showing up in the U.S. Athlete and speaker Minda Detler has much to say about the polio outbreaks because she has lived with the impact of the disease since she contracted it as a baby living in India. In this audio story, Dentler discusses what it’s like to live with paralysis. Although her successes in triathlons have inspired people, she would not wish polio on anyone. Listen to hear a polio survivor tell her story, and learn about her views on vaccination.

Debate: Should Companies Be Prevented From Growing Too Big?

When ticket sales opened for Taylor Swift’s recent tour, Ticketmaster, the website selling the tickets, crashed. Most fans were unable to buy tickets, and the few fans who could paid high prices and hidden fees. Some people blame the 2010 merger between Ticketmaster and Live Nation, a concert promoter, which gave Ticketmaster control over most of the big concert venues and ticket sales in the U.S. They say the giant company prevents competition and should be broken up. Others argue that private companies have a right to grow and prosper as much as possible under America's free market system. Listen to learn more about the controversy over Ticketmaster and then debate: Should companies be prevented from growing too big?

Weird News: Greenland Shark Travels to the Caribbean

Listen to hear about Greenland sharks that may have taken a vacation.

Vocabulary: vertebrates, typically, tropical

Yankee Candle Data Helps Track Covid

During the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists have studied various types of data to help track infection rates. Those data points have included the percentage of tests coming back positive, information from wastewater, and hospitalization rates. One piece of data that is unexpectedly helping experts understand more about COVID infection rates are Amazon candle reviews. It turns out that during times when COVID is more widespread, there are corresponding increases in negative reviews for Yankee candles. Listen to learn more about how and why scientists are using this unusual method to track the spread of COVID.

Kid News: Christmas Around the World

Many people all around the world celebrate Christmas, and they celebrate in lots of different ways. In this audio story, kids from Australia, Taiwan, Kenya, and Spain share their unique Christmas traditions. From setting traps for Santa to attending church services and hitting logs that poop out presents, listen to hear about the unique and unusual ways that people from around the globe celebrate Christmas.

Teens on Coping with Climate Change

Many teens feel that their future has been greatly impacted by climate change, which can cause them stress and anxiety. In this audio story, two high school students from Colorado discuss their feelings about climate change and their experiences advocating for sustainability in their school district, and a psychologist gives advice on how to cope with climate anxiety. Listen to hear more about the impact of climate change on young people, and find out what can be done to ease their anxiety.

Debate: Are Emojis Language?

Are emojis just decoration, or are they part of the language of texting? People use emojis to express a range of human emotions and experiences, and some would consider them to be a visual language. The way people use and interpret emojis changes over time, similar to the way other spoken and written languages evolve. Emojis do not conform to rules of grammar, however, and their vocabulary is relatively small. That limits how much can truly be expressed using emojis, and some consider them to be superfluous to meaningful communication. Listen to learn about a recent controversy over the thumbs up emoji and then debate: Are emojis language?

Weird News: Dinosaur Footprints Discovered at Restaurant

Listen to hear about 26-foot-long dinosaur footprints spotted in China.

Vocabulary: scanned, confirmed, reservation

Cincinnati Zoo Welcomes Fritz the Hippo

Recently, a baby hippo named Fritz was born at the Cincinnati Zoo, and he is quickly becoming popular among visitors. Zookeepers who care for Fritz and members of his family are hard at work making sure that he is able to grow and learn in an environment that is consistent with how it would be were he in the wild. This includes helping Fritz learn how to move in water and interact with his family. Listen to hear about the first months of baby Fritz, and learn other fascinating details about the lives of hippos.

Kid News: Saudi’s Skyscraper City

Saudi Arabia has proposed an idea for a futuristic skyscraper city that could cost one trillion dollars. The vertical city would have many resources and be able to house 9 billion people, which is the population of New York City. Despite some benefits, however, there are also drawbacks to the plan. Listen to hear more about Saudi Arabia’s potential megacity and consider whether it is a true possibility, or just a fantasy.