Thursday, 6 May, 2021

Meteor shower before a big winter wet; Giant squid takes Japan; massive moth in Queensland; and the Marvel movie mega-trailer.

 

LINKS

Meteor shower guide https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2021-05-05/eta-aquarid-meteor-shower-2021-australian-sky-guide/100065000

Giant squid statue https://globalnews.ca/news/7832044/japan-giant-squid-statue-covid-relief/

Giant wood moth https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/may/05/giant-wood-moth-found-queensland-australia-school

Marvel mega-trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdpxoFcdORI&t=190s

 

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Squiz Kids is proudly supported by the Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas.

 

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

 

THE LOWDOWN

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Star gazers, look lively! There’s a meteor shower heading our way and if you don’t mind setting your alarm and crawling out of bed while it’s still dark, you stand a very good chance of catching a spectacular light show in the night’s sky over the next few days. 

Called Eta Aquiarid, the meteor shower happens every year at the beginning of May. What causes a meteor shower? When the Earth passes through the tail of a comet, it encounters all of the little bits of space rock in a meteor tail, which burn up when they come in contact with our atmosphere and appear as shooting stars in the sky. 

Scientists reckon the best time to see meteors is between 3am and 5am every morning between now and Sunday. As the moon wanes over the weekend – and the skies become darker – you’ll have a better chance of catching a free light show. Provided of course the skies are clear … 

Clear skies are something we might not see a whole lot of in the coming months with the weather bureau predicting we’re in for one very wet winter. 

If it doesn’t seem that long ago when we had flooding rains, that’s because it’s not. The east coast of Australia was smashed by record rainfalls and flooding in the month of March. Then we had a really dry April around much of the country. And now the weather forecasters are saying we are in for wetter than normal winter across the country. Officially, its all because the La Nina weather system and Indian Ocean Dipole are in a neutral phase. But unofficially, it’s all thanks to some really moisture-laden air hovering off the coast of Western Australia getting ready to move inland and dump its load on us. Brolly time, people.

 

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… well, today, that pesky globe has either spun one full rotation or quite simply refuses to move .. because we’ve landed back in Japan. Which is perfectly fine with me: because they corner the market when it comes to whacky. Yesterday, we brought you news of the vending machine in Japan serving up deep fried insects. Eugh. And today, we bring you the story of a small fishing village in Japan which has used emergency money given to it by the government as COVID relief, to build a massive pink statue of a squid.

Coming as we do from a country that has the big banana, the big pineap ple, the big lobster and the big prawn – we’re really in no place to comment. But the construction of the giant squid state has raised eyebrows in Japan with questions about whether it was the best way to spend emergency COVID cash. But town authorities say their town is famous for its fishermen and women and this tourist attraction will eventually help the town recover. Because, who doesn’t want their photo taken next to a giant squid?

 

ANIMAL KINGDOM

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It wasn’t a giant squid the kids and teachers at Mt Cotton State School in Brisbane had to deal with yesterday, but rather a giant moth. And not a statue of one – but a real life one. And when I say giant – I mean enormous. 

If you have ruler in front of you – hold it up. Measure across to 25cms – and that’s how wide the wood moth was that was discovered at Mt Cotton State School. Found mostly in Queensland, the female moth of the species can weigh up to 30 grams.

Located as it is on the edge of bushland, Mt Cotton State School gets heaps of wildlife passing through the playground – including wallabies, bush turkeys and the occasional koala. But it’s the first time they’ve had a mega-moth pay a visit. And to mark the occasion, all the kids in the Year 4-5 class were made to do a creative writing exercise featuring the moth. Predictably enough, one story featured the giant moth eating the teacher. Love it. 

 

POP CULTURE CORNER

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What’s the word for when you see not one, but multiple Marvel movie trailers for altogether awesome upcoming superhero movies all wrapped into one mind-blowing video package? Is it a Marvel-mind-explosion? A Marvel-a-rama? Marvel-mania? Whatever the word: that’s what superhero fans the world over were feeling yesterday after a teaser trailer was dropped for not one, but multiple Marvel movies in the works and coming soon to a cinema near you. A new Spider-Man, a Dr Strange 2,  a Thor 4, a Black Panther 2, an  Ant-Man 3 and – my personal favourite – a Guardians of the Galaxy 3. Yep .. stock up on popcorn. We’re in for a wild cinematic ride. 

And yes, of course I’ve stuck a link to the megatrailer in today’s episode notes. You’re very welcome. 

 

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 …

  1. What sort of statue has a fishing village in Japan erected?
  2. What enormous insect was discovered at a school outside of Brisbane?
  3. A meteor shower happens when the Earth passes through the tail of what? 

 

SHOUT OUTS

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It’s May 6   … the first birthday of Archie Harrison Mountbatten Windsor – also known as Prince Harry and Meghan’s son .. and to mark the occasion, Archie’s mum Meghan has written a children’s book celebrating the love between dads and their kids. Can I get an awwwwww? 

It’s also a special day for these Squiz Kids celebrating a birthday today …. Hamish from Invermay, Noam from Lane Cove, Aylee from Nedlands, Hank from Gold Coast, Baxter from Brisbane, Ashleigh from Flagstaff Hill, Mallee from Glengowrie, Cohen from Nowra, Hunter from Wallaroo, Samantha from Eden Hill, Margot from Welland, Dylan from Gordon, Bethany from Kirrawee, and Minul from Geelong. 

And a belated birthday shoutout to… Freya from Williamstown

Classroom shoutouts… Class 4B at Saint the John the Apostle Primary School in Canberra, Year 6O at St Brendan’s Catholic Primary School in Mackay, all the students and teachers at Viewbank Primary School, class 3/4K at Broken Hill North Public School, and Miss Wade’s Year 5/6 Legends at Trinity Catholic School in Murrumburrah. 

The S’Quiz Answers:

  1. Giant squid
  2. Wood moth
  3. Comet