Squeeze Kids acknowledges the traditional owners of the lands on which we podcast the Turrbal and Combermeri people.
Squeeze Kids!
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Hello and welcome to Squeeze Kids Today, your fresh take on what's happening in the world around you.
I'm Christy Kidgerina.
It's Wednesday, November 19th.
In Squiz Kids today.
An ice age, cold case, Germany's fluffy traffic jam, a goanna goes to school and our hall of fame heroes.
That's what's making news kids style.
The Lowdown.
What would you say if I told you that we're jumping into a time machine and landing in icy Siberia, that enormous icy region in the very north of Asia, 39000 years ago?
Snow swirling, wind howling and a young, woolly mammoth thundering across the frozen ground being chased by cave lions.
Yep, they were a thing in the Ice Age.
Scientists can't say all this for sure, but they've just uncovered clues that take us incredibly close to one young mammoth's final moments.
You've heard of DNA, right?
The chemical code found in almost all of your cells that make you, you.
Well, there's another molecule called RNA.
It reads the DNA instructions and helps each cell become what it needs to be.
Skin, muscle, nerve, heart, instead of everything being just identical.
RNA is usually super fragile and breaks down within minutes.
But in one young mammoth nicknamed Yucca it froze so fast after dying that tiny pieces of this molecule survived for around 40000 years, the oldest ever found.
So what does this tell us?
Well, at the time that Yucca died, their muscles were pumping out the same chemical signals that animals make when they're under stress.
Coupled with the fact that the remains were pretty damaged, it seems like Yucca may have been under attack.
And that's why scientists are so excited because frozen RNA might help unlock the everyday lives of Ice Age animals, not just their final chapters.
Spin the globe.
Each day we give the world globe a spin and find a news story from wherever it stops.
And today we've landed in the German city of Nuremberg, where hundreds of sheep turned the city centre into a woolly traffic jam at the weekend.
Every year about 600 sheep march right through the city's market square on their way to their cosy winter paddocks.
You see, in summertime they live on grassy fields on the other side of the city munching away like fluffy lawnmowers.
But when winter rolls in, their pastures are on the opposite side and the fastest route from one to the other is straight through the middle.
So on Sunday, humans stood back as the bleating, bustling flock trotted over bridges and across streets on their 10 kilometre journey.
Locals are encouraged to make space, keep dogs well back and just enjoy the show.
And yes, there's a link to video in the episode notes because how could you not want to see this?
Animal Kingdom.
The office ladies at One Queensland School started their morning this week by backing away very slowly.
Why?
Why?
Because on the wall right in front of the office door at Palmview Special School on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland was a very, very large goanna.
Imagine rocking up before class, needing to grab a late note or drop off a lunchbox, only to find a giant goanna blocking the way.
Well, that's exactly what happened, and the office team handled it like champs.
They even nicknamed him Greg, because if a goanna's going to wander into school, well he may as well have a friendly name.
Luckily though, this all happened before the morning rush of students.
Sunshine Coast snake catchers were called in, carefully scooped Greg up, popped him into a piece of wide plumbing pipe for safe transport and returned him to the bush, where he belongs.
I've popped a link to video in the episode notes so you can see the whole saga unfold.
Sport time.
Why were some of Australia's biggest sporting names dressed up and celebrating in Melbourne on Monday night?
They gathered together for the Sport Australia Hall of Fame Awards and two massive champions walked away with the night's biggest prizes.
First up...
Formula One driver Oscar Piastri scooped up the Don Award.
It's named after cricket great Sir Donald Bradman.
It's given to the athlete who has most inspired Australians.
And Oscar's electric season, winning seven of the F1's first 15 races and leading the world championship earlier this year, definitely did that.
He's the first ever Formula One driver to win the Don.
Then there's surfing legend Lane Beachley, who took home the Dawn Award.
This one's named after Olympic swimming star Dawn Fraser.
The Dawn celebrates people who show courage and change sports for the better.
And Lane has absolutely done both of those things.
She's battled injuries, pushed through tough early years when she sometimes had to sleep in her surfboard bag and help fight for equal pay and opportunities for women in surfing.
Her impact has changed surfing forever.
And who knows, if you love your sport and you work hard, it might just be you up on that stage one day.
This is question time, not sledge time.
Order.
Order.
Sit down.
Prime Minister, resume your seat.
Members will cease interjecting.
I'm issuing a general warning.
There's no point in me repeating myself over and over again.
I have asked for silence.
I've asked for silence.
It applies to you.
Order.
Hands on bottoms, lips not moving.
Yes, that was one of the suggestions sent in by a Squizkid listener to Federal Parliament House Speaker Milton Dick, as something he might say to get rowdy politicians in Canberra to settle down.
It's just one of the excellent suggestions that Milton and Bryce discuss in the next Squiz Kids QA, which we're calling Squiz Kids Question Time Takeover.
To hear what other wacky suggestions the kids of Australia sent in.
Be sure to tune in tomorrow when the podcast drops.
And, the best bit, Milton has agreed to read some of them out during an upcoming question time in federal parliament.
When our elected representatives forget their manners,
Can't wait for that. for the quiz.
This is the part of the podcast where you get to test how well you've been listening.
Question number one what nickname was given to the woolly mammoth helping scientists make big breakthroughs?
Well done if you knew that his name is Yuka.
Question number two approximately how many sheep walked through the German city of Nuremberg at the weekend?
Keep listening if you knew that it is about 600 sheep.
Question number three.
Which two Aussie sport legends took home the Don and the Dawn Awards on Monday night?
Great work if you said Oscar Piastri and Lane Beachley.
Yeah!
Shout out.
It's Wednesday, November 19.
Today is International Men's Day.
It's a day marked all over the world to recognise all the good stuff that men and boys bring to their families, their communities and well, just the whole planet.
It also shines a light on men's health and wellbeing, and this year's theme is all about celebrating men and boys.
So go on, give a high five, a hug or a big hooray to the awesome men and boys in your life today.
It's also a special day for these quiz kids celebrating a birthday today.
Mia from Indooroopilly, Matthew from Marsden Park, Valerie from Taramurra, Hayden from Albury, Freya from Castle Cove, Noah from Lowlands, Paris from Lugano, Jethro from White Rock and Nico listening all the way over there in London in the United Kingdom and Jet listening from Vanuatu.
And the latest birthday shout-outs today go to Deglan from Gann Maine, Henry from Freshwater, Paul from Glebe, Oscar from Rhodes and Evelyn from Parabadoo.
Classroom shout-outs today go to Class 4RS with Mrs Rice at Cathedral Catholic Primary School in Bathurst, Class 3B with Miss Van Herk at Marist Catholic College in North Sydney and, lastly but definitely not leastly.
Don't forget if you've got a birthday coming up and you want a shout-out, or if you're after a classroom shout-out, make sure that you drop us a line at squizkidsatthesquizcomau or you can fill out the form on our website.
Well, that's all we have time for.
Thanks for listening to Squiz Kids today.
We'll be back again tomorrow.
And in the meantime, get out there and have a most excellent day.
Over and out.
