Tuesday, 9 June, 2020
Kiwis conquer COVID; Antarctica’s clean air; Footy players dunked for charity; and tadpoles take over TikTok.
LINKS
AFL’s Big Freeze:
Hannah’s tadpoles: https://www.tiktok.com/@.baby.frogs
TadpoleGirl: https://www.tiktok.com/@tadpolegirl
David Warner’s TikTok’ing via Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/davidwarner31/
– EPISODE TRANSCRIPT –
THE LOWDOWN
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It was a tale of two countries yesterday as Australia and New Zealand took turns to take on the coronavirus in their own unique ways.
After a weekend that saw tens of thousands take part in Black Lives Matter protest marches around the country, calling for an end to racial inequality in Australia, there were concerns that the big gatherings could lead to the spread of the coronavirus. The deputy chief medical officer Nick Coatsworth yesterday asked those who took part in the protests to go and get tested if they felt sick.
Meanwhile, at the same time as the world recorded its 7 millionth case of coronavirus, New Zealand lifted all restrictions on its population as Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern confirmed there were no active cases of COVID in her country.
It’s an important step towards elimination of the virus in NZ – which experts say could be declared as early as next week.
Travel restrictions to New Zealand will remain in place for the time being.
SPIN THE GLOBE
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Each day we give the world globe a spin and find a news story wherever it stops, and today, we find ourselves in … Antarctica .. the vast, white wilderness at the bottom of the Earth … where scientists have found the cleanest, purest air on the planet.
A team of researchers from the University of Colorado tested the air above the Southern Ocean for particles like aerosols and dust particles or other air pollutants from human activity. And it seems there aren’t many with the scientists saying it may be the one last remaining corner of the Earth that remains untouched by humans.
Which – though it’s not an enormous surprise – as scientific discoveries go, given how far from pretty much everything Antarctica is – it’s nevertheless good to know where you need to head next time someone tells you to go and get a bit of clear air.
SPORTS TIME!
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At first glance, there may not appear to be a lot that makes sense about a bunch of AFL footballers dressing up in silly costumes and dunking themselves in a tub of icy water. But dig a little deeper and you’ll see the annual Big Freeze challenge – which took place yesterday and is undertaken by footy players from all the major teamsbirth – has a genuinely good cause at its heart. With only two sleeps until the 2020 season kicks off again … players including Joel Selwood, Patrick Cripps and Toby Greene were among those who dressed up and threw themselves into an icy bath to raise money for and awareness of Motor Neurone Disease – a disease which affects the muscles that enable us all to move, speak and breathe. There’s a link in today’s episode notes to a collection of dunkin’ AFL players.
POP CULTURE CORNER
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TikTok has been overtaken with tadpoles … thanks to a 17 year old Irish girl Hannah McSorley whose videos of her 37,000-odd tadpoles has captured the imagination of TikTok users from all over the world. In just a few short weeks, after posting daily videos of her enormous collection of tadpoles, McSorley has amassed some half-a-million followers. Her tadpole collection has gotten so big, she’s had to put them in a small swimming pool. And while half a million followers is huge, it’s nothing compared to the almost 1 million that US tadpole enthusiast, Tadpole Girl has.
But as hypnotic as tadpoles are, the dance videos being posted recently by Aussie cricketer, David Warner and his family take the cake. His interpretation of bhangra, a traditional Indian dance, is something to behold.
Check out links to tadpoles and dancing cricketers in today’s episode notes.
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 …
- Which part of the world has the clearest air on the planet?
- What’s the name of the charity challenge that saw AFL players take an icy dunk yesterday?
- What amphibious creature has taken over TikTok this week?
SHOUT OUTS
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It’s June the 9th … birthday of film stars Johnny Depp and Natalie Portman – and the 88th anniversary of the first time Donald Duck appeared in a cartoon…
It’s also a special day for these Squiz Kids celebrating a birthday … Oliver from Lysterfield, Neiva from Adelaide, Aylish from Crookwell, Emma from Adelaide, Alanis from Launceston, Kaio and Harper from Shoal Bay, Xander from Bardwell Valley, Sophia and Alexander from Putney, Pone from The Entrance, Ravi from Seddon, Ella from Cronulla, and Maggie and Annabel from Melbourne
And some belated birthday shoutouts… Loleetah from Inverell, Issy from Wagga Wagga, Terry from Wallacia, Aaryan from Sydney, Bridget from Ingham, and Luke from Carindale.
Happy birthday to you all.
Today’s classroom shoutouts: Mrs Rau and MLR at Bellaire Primary School, 6J, 6N and 6S from Preston West Primary School, Mr Adlington and class 1A at Floraville Public School, and Nolan who celebrated a birthday last week, Classes 5/6KB and 5/6M from Wollongbar Public School, and Mrs Curran who celebrated a birthday on the weekend.
The S’Quiz Answers:
- Antarctica
- The Big Freeze
- Tadpoles