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Today’s Pulse rundown
Everest Records
Transcript: Have you ever wanted to climb a massive snowy mountain? A Nepali mountain guide named Kami Rita Sherpa just broke his own world record by reaching the top of Mount Everest for the thirty-second time! On the exact same Sunday, Lhakpa Sherpa reached the peak for her eleventh time. The climb was especially tricky this year because of delays caused by a large, dangerous chunk of glacier blocking the route. Despite the heavy traffic jams on the mountain, Nepal's tourism department congratulated both climbers for their historic achievement. If you could climb any famous mountain in the world, which one would you pick to conquer?
Humpback Whales
Transcript: What if you opened your mouth wide just to say hello? Researchers at Macquarie University used social media photos to study why humpback whales sometimes hold their mouths open when there is no food around. They found sixty-six instances of this rare behavior between twenty-fourteen and twenty-twenty-five! Scientists think this gaping might be a form of communication, a way to stretch their jaws, or a method for playing with objects. They usually only open their mouths wide to catch concentrated prey like fish or krill. Next time you see a whale on video, watch closely to see what it is doing!
Impossible LED
Transcript: Imagine a tiny light that was once thought impossible to build! Scientists at the Cavendish Laboratory at the University of Cambridge created a brand-new kind of LED using insulating nanoparticles. These tiny particles are fantastic light emitters, but scientists previously could not power them with electricity. To fix this, the researchers attached organic molecules that act as molecular antennas. These antennas absorb incoming energy and enter an excited triplet state, transferring energy to lanthanide ions inside the nanoparticles to emit bright light! This breakthrough achieved more than ninety-eight percent efficiency. Next time you turn on a lamp, think about the tiny science happening inside!
Origami Science
Transcript: Did you know folding paper could win you a massive science prize? A seventeen-year-old named Hikaru Kuribayashi won one hundred thousand dollars at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair! He found a new way to model the complex motions of folded structures. Current modeling techniques cannot account for all the warps in soft materials. Hikaru's probability-based approach fixes this by modeling every possible motion a folded structure can make using simple dots and lines! This incredible discovery could help engineers design powerful new nature-inspired technology in the future. What kind of amazing shape would you try to fold out of paper?
Walmart Tablets
Transcript: Are you looking for a new screen to play your favorite games? Walmart's Onn brand just launched a brand-new line of six budget-friendly Android tablets! The little Onn Core seven is the most affordable at just ninety-seven dollars, and it comes with up to ten hours of battery life. The tablets ship with Android sixteen and include kids models, Core models, and a thirteen-inch Pro model. This means kids and families can get their hands on a new device for schoolwork or entertainment without spending a ton of money! If you had a brand-new tablet, what fun application would you download first?
Tatooine Planets
Transcript: Have you ever imagined living on a planet with two bright suns? Astronomers at the University of New South Wales found twenty-seven potential planets that orbit two stars! They used data from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite to spot these amazing worlds. The team used a clever method called apsidal precession, which monitors how binary stars orbit and eclipse each other, because variations in eclipses could mean a planet is in the system. These candidates are scattered across both our southern and northern skies! If you could visit a distant planet with two suns, who would you take with you?
Wayward Tortoise
Transcript: What would you do if a dinosaur walked right down your street? A giant sulcata tortoise named Rex escaped his yard and went for a stroll in a Phoenix neighborhood! The massive reptile weighs around two hundred pounds, and neighbors worked together to keep him safe for five days until his owner was found. They dug a shallow pool for him to soak in and fed him carrots! This means that while these animals look incredibly cool, they require huge grassy enclosures and a lot of special care to stay happy and healthy. Next time you see a pet turtle, remember how big they can actually grow!
Subnautica 2
Transcript: Are you ready to dive into the deep, dangerous ocean? A new guide for the video game Subnautica Two explains exactly how to safely reach the Alien Ruins! Players have to cross a deep section of water guarded by a giant collector leviathan. The guide says that staying near the surface and not descending below five meters keeps the leviathan from attacking you. It might whack your tadpole vehicle, but it will not drag you under! This means you can safely explore the mysterious research base without getting eaten. What is the scariest video game monster you have ever faced?
Stranger Things Hopper
Transcript: Can you imagine your favorite television show with a totally different cast? We just learned that actor Billy Crudup was originally considered to play Chief Jim Hopper in the hit show Stranger Things! The famous role eventually went to David Harbour instead. He became a key figure in the fictitious town of Hawkins, Indiana, serving as a surrogate father to Eleven. This means that the creators of the show had to make some tough choices before they found the perfect person to help unravel the central sci-fi mystery of the Upside Down! Who is your absolute favorite character in Stranger Things?
Snakes Climbing
Transcript: How does an animal with no arms or legs climb a tall tree? Researchers at the University of Cincinnati discovered exactly how tree-climbing snakes stand upright without falling over! They filmed four snakes crossing gaps between perches in a lab. The snakes focus their bending energy and muscle activity on a small area near their base to stand upright while using as little energy as possible. They twist into a special S-like shape to keep their balance! This amazing discovery could help engineers design better snakelike robots in the future. Next time you see a snake at the zoo, look closely at how it moves!