Good morning and welcome to Kid News.
I'm Kim. Today is Wednesday, December 11, 2024 and we begin with Mother Nature thumbing its nose at the calendar.
Even though California's wildfire season ended last month, a raging inferno erupted late Monday night in Malibu.
Flames fueled by the notorious Santa Ana winds moved in on homes, the famous Malibu Pier and Pepperdine University, where school officials canceled finals yesterday and for a time told students to shelter in place.
Elsewhere, police used loudspeakers to get residents to evacuate.
According to CNN, at one point the fire tripled in size in just one hour.
Five miles of Pacific Coast Highway are closed and power has been cut to tens of thousands of homes.
As of this recording, more than 2 ,700 acres have burned and a red flag warning for high wind and low humidity is in effect through 8 tonight.
Mind -boggling speed.
That's the description of a new quantum computing chip announced by Google.
Known as Willow, the chip is the size of a postage stamp and in just five minutes can reportedly solve a problem that would take conventional computers 10 septillion years, which is more time than the universe is old.
Google says it's a whole lot less error prone than previous versions.
The new tech is expected to be especially useful in medicine where it can supercharge drug development by speeding up the experimental phase.
An Oxford researcher told The Guardian that quantum computing can start to have a meaningful impact on our lives in just five years.
It's a crazy hard test.
Some call it the hardest in history just to become a tour guide at Gettysburg National Park.
The exam hasn't been offered since 2017 and is only given when new guides are needed and now they are.
Last weekend, 161 abies answered 180 questions and wrote three essays about the famous 1863 battle.
According to the Wall Street Journal, lawyers who've taken it say passing the bar is easier.
And an orthopedic surgeon told the record that when he took it, it was hard or harder than getting board certified.
And for the few who make it over the first turtle, they still have to be interviewed, prove their geographical knowledge of the battlefield and conduct a two hour mock tour.
What does a super smart civil war buff get other than bragging rights and a badge?
Not too much. As long time guide Fred Hawthorne puts it, the job has no pension, no health plan, no sick leave.
If you bust your rear end, you might make 50 ,000 a year.
Call it icing on the cake of a whirlwind 2024 Time magazine named 22 year old Kaitlyn Clark its athlete of the year for her outstanding play on the court and the profound impact she's had on women's sports in general.
As a pro with the Indiana fever, she set a rookie record for most three pointers.
Her games were the most watched WNBA games ever on ABC, CBS, ESPN and ESPN to an attendant's sword.
So much so her games had to be moved to bigger venues.
Probably no surprise that her rookie card just scored big as well selling for $234 ,000.
That's the highest price ever paid for any WNBA trading card and the second highest sale for any women's sports card.
Tennis great Serena Williams holds the all time women's record after an autographed card with a patch of one of her outfits sold for more than $266 ,000 in 2022.
Speaking of girl power, Taylor Swift just showered her eras tour crew with it.
After raking in more than $2 billion from approximately 150 shows People magazine reports that Ms.
Swift thanked those who made it all possible with $197 million in bonuses.
It took a village to do what she did across five continents and the money reportedly went to her backup singers, dancers and band.
Instrument technicians, lighting and sound experts, tour truck drivers, caterers, security team, hair, makeup, wardrobe and video team.
Taylor turns 35 on Friday.
Still to Come will introduce you to a one of a kind robot whipping up meals at a college campus in Florida.
But first we want to shout out Ella Emmet Boylan of Alpharetta Georgia who's turning nine this week.
Ella your mom and dad are proud and inspired by your resilience, smarts and hard work at school and soccer this year and they hope you stay bold and adventurous.
Now today's Kid News Quiz.
What school is precariously close to a Southern California fire?
Pepperdine University in Malibu.
The Willow quantum chip by Google can solve problems in five minutes that would take other computers how long?
10 Septillion years which is older than the universe.
A test considered the hardest in history is used for what?
To hire guides at Gettysburg National Park.
Who is Time magazine's athlete of the year?
Basketball's Kaitlyn Clark.
In today's Kid News kicker its name is Bistro, the first and so far only robot chef on a college campus in the US.
Bistro's kitchen is the main cafeteria at Florida International University.
According to the Miami Herald the robot never gets frazzled even while whipping up as many as 70 customized dishes an hour.
Its specialties include teriyaki's and stir fries, sausage and peppers, macaroni and cheese and omelets.
Students use a screen to order what they're hankering for and get a text message when it's ready.
And Bistro even cleans up after itself sterilizing every pot pan and paddle it used.
The reaction so far is two thumbs up.
A university spokesperson says the food is always fresh.
It's fun to watch the robot in action and there's very little waiting.
FIU seems to have the whole home away from home experience pretty dialed in.
It's been named number one in college food service by niche .com for six straight years.
Thanks again to the Boylands of Alpharetta, Georgia for sponsoring today's quiz and birthday girl Ella Emmett Boyland sends her appreciation and love to her awesome teachers Ms.
Williams and Mrs. McDonald at Fulton Science Academy Private School.
Go Mustangs. And hello to our other fabulous kid news classrooms.
Mrs. Murray and her Wildcats at St.
John the Baptist Catholic School in Winfield, Illinois.
Mrs. Mabry at Mary Orr Intermediate in Mansfield, Texas where in all they do they are Tiger True and Mrs.
Teeple and her team 14 at Redwood Shores in Redwood City, California.
Thanks for listening.
As 2024 winds down we're hoping you'll make a tax -deductible end of year donation to your favorite podcast.
Every penny goes back into production so we can stay on the air five days a week.
Have a great day and we'll see you back here for more kid news tomorrow morning.
