Monday 15 June, 2020
Statues fall to protesters; crocs that run standing up; Quade Cooper’s trick shot; and Playstation 5 revealed.
LINKS:
Upright crocs:
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-53011567
PS5:
Commodore 64 computer game console:
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
THE LOWDOWN
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As protests around the world against racial inequality continued over the weekend – with marches continuing in the US as well as here in Australia – the number of statues of historical figures being torn down or covered in graffiti also continued to climb. So why are people pulling down or vandalising statues?
Statues of famous people from history are generally put up to celebrate their achievements. Some of the statues in the United States and Britain that have been targeted by protesters were of historical figures who supported or profited from the slave trade – from a time in history when black slaves were taken from countries in Africa to work on farms in America owned by white people.
Here in Australia, statues of famous explorers, like Captain James Cook, have been targeted. While Cook’s achievements as an explorer in Australia are a cause for celebration for many Australians, there are also many who consider it was the start of a long period of unfair treatment of Indigenous Australians – and therefore nothing to celebrate. At the weekend, some 7000 people turned out in Perth and 1000 in Darwin for a second weekend of Black Lives Matter demonstrations.
SPIN THE GLOBE
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Each day we give the world globe a spin and find a news story from wherever it stops .. and today, we find ourselves in South Korea, where evidence has been uncovered that the Earth used to be inhabited by crocodiles that walked upright and ran like an ostrich.
Scientists there have found fossilised footprints they believe belong to the ancient crocodiles – and the pattern of the footprints seems to indicate these particular creatures, which lived 110 million years ago – stood upright on their two hind legs and ran with the speed of an ostrich. Which is, like, really fast.
There’s no actual fossilized skeletons to add weight to the theory, and it’s the subject of some debate among paleontologists – or scientists who study fossils – about whether it’s true.
But for the time being, the researchers in South Korea reckon they have stumbled upon evidence that will completely change the way we think about the origins of lazy, river-bank-dwelling, sun-bathing crocs.
There’s a link in today’s episode notes to the footprints and an artists impression of what they might have looked like.
SPORT TIME!
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After weeks and weeks of no sport – it now seems with the NRL and AFL seasons back on – that there’s almost more sport than we can keep up with.
Briefly … over the weekend in the NRL – the Warriors smashed the Cowboys, Eels beat the Panthers, the Rabbitohs trounced the Titans, the Storm smashed the Knights, the Raiders beat the Tigers and the Dragons torched the Sharks.
Meanwhile, in the AFL over the weekend: Geelong smashed the Hawks, Brisbane beat Fremantle, Melbourne just edged out Carlton, the Gold Coast thrashed the Eagles, Port Adelaide trounced the Crows, Essendon crushed the Swans, North Melbourne beat the Giants and St Kilda smashed the Bulldogs.
But the best sporting achievement of the weekend? It’s got to be rugby player Quade Cooper’s pretty awesome reverse throw trick shot. There’s a link to it in today’s episode notes.
POP CULTURE CORNER
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There was much excitement at the weekend as photos spread on the internet and across YouTube of the new PS5 console – or Playstation 5, as it’s known to anyone over the age of 30 … Games maker Sony unveiled the new console – and it looks like something from outer-space. And if you want to see how far the design of games consoles have come, take a look at the link to the PS5 in today’s episode notes then ask an adult you know about the Commodore 64 … which was a popular games console from 35 years ago. Or check out the video of one in today’s episode notes. You’ll laugh at how clunky it looks.
THE S’QUIZ
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This is the part of the podcast where you get to test how well you’ve been listening …
- In which country have scientists found the fossilised footprints of what they believe to be ancient upright crocs?
- Which rugby star has pulled off another Insta-worthy trick shot?
- Name the space-age games console that’s just been unveiled.
SHOUT OUTS
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It’s June 15 … Global Wind Day …. Truth be told, it’s wind day everyday in our house … oh, right – not that sort of wind. Oh, I see. It’s a day to celebrate wind as an energy source. Good to know.
It’s also a big day for these Squiz Kids celebrating a birthday today …
Allegra from Brisbane, Jayden from Mosman Park, Alex from Muswellbrook, Eva from Sydney, Savannah from Port Kennedy, Ava from Maroubra, Gabby from NSW, Emily and Jake from Canberra, Connor from Barmedman, Elias, Lisa and Zahlee from Melbourne, and Ellissa from Redland Bay.
And some belated birthday shoutouts…Joseph from Adelaide, Toby from Broken Bay, Bailey from Hammond Park, Miles from Riverhills, Dion from NSW, and Annabel from Herberton.
Happy birthday to you all.
Today’s classroom shoutouts: Year 3-6 and Mrs Lawrence at Kangaloon Public School, Unit FK at Brunswick North West Primary, Year 4 at St John the Baptist School and Grade six at St Agatha’s School in Brisbane.
The S’Quiz Answers:
- South Korea
- Quade Cooper
- PS5