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Today’s Pulse rundown
Shenzhou 23
Transcript: How long could you live floating in zero gravity? On Sunday night, China launched the Shenzhou 23 spacecraft from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. State media says three astronauts are heading to the Tiangong space station, and one of them will stay in orbit for an entire year! The mission will test human adaptability and performance limits in space. Living in space is hard on the body, so scientists need to see how muscles react before longer trips. China is preparing for its first crewed lunar landing by 2030. If you could pack one game for a year in space, what would it be?
Mountain Bongos
Transcript: Imagine flying across the world to save a super rare animal! Four critically endangered mountain bongos took a cargo flight from Czechia all the way to the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy. The Kenya Wildlife Service helped bring the four males home to strengthen the local gene pool. Mountain bongos are shy forest antelopes, and there are only about 179 left in the wild and captivity in Kenya. Keepers spent two weeks earning the animals' trust before the flight. By bringing these males to the conservancy, scientists hope to grow the herd and eventually see them thrive in the wild again. What kind of rare animal would you want to help protect?
Wooden Tools
Transcript: What is the oldest tool you have ever held? Researchers from the University of Reading revealed they found 430,000-year-old wooden tools in Greece! The two carved objects were buried at the Marathousa 1 archaeological site. Finding ancient wood is incredibly rare because it usually rots away. But these tools survived in special conditions near an ancient lake. Scientists looked at the wood under microscopes and found clear marks from chopping and carving. They think early humans may have used them for digging in soft ground or stripping bark from trees. This proves early humans were skilled woodworkers! If you had to build a tool using only branches, what would you make?
T.rex Arms
Transcript: Have you ever wondered why the mighty T.rex had such ridiculously tiny arms? Scientists at University College London and Cambridge University think they finally have an answer! They studied 82 species of dinosaurs and found a strong link between shrinking arms and massive heads. The researchers say the head took over from the arms as the main method of attack. The T.rex hunted 100-foot-long plant-eating dinosaurs. Grabbing massive prey with small claws was not ideal, so predators relied on their fearsome jaws. Because they used their jaws more, their heads grew larger and their arms shrank over time! Next time you draw a T.rex, will you make its teeth even bigger?
Robot Chefs
Transcript: What if a robot helped make your dinner tonight? A nonprofit called Project Open Hand in San Francisco uses robotic arms to package meals for people in need! The organization prepares special food for patients, but they struggled to find enough human volunteers. To keep up, they rented two robots from Chef Robotics. The machines do not cook. Instead, the robot arms reach down like claw machines and drop scoops of food into trays! They can handle 70 different ingredients. While the robots plate the food, human volunteers focus on cooking in the kitchen. This teamwork helps them serve hundreds of meals every hour! If you had a robot kitchen helper, what would it serve?
La Brea Tar Pits
Transcript: Did you know there is a bubbling ice age fossil pit hidden in a massive city? The La Brea Tar Pits museum in Los Angeles closes in July for a two-year renovation! The site contains the remains of more than 2 million ice age animals. Thousands of years ago, animals got trapped in sticky tar seeps because they were camouflaged by water. When a trapped animal cried out, its calls drew in predators who also got stuck! In fact, 90 percent of the remains found belong to carnivores. The renovation will add an outdoor classroom so visitors can watch scientists excavate fossils. What ancient animal would you hope to find?
Chemical Tank
Transcript: How do firefighters handle a giant tank that gets too hot? In Garden Grove, California, 50,000 residents evacuated because a chemical tank at the GKN Aerospace facility overheated. The Orange County Fire Authority says the tank holds 7,000 gallons of a flammable liquid used to make plastics. The chemical releases energy exothermically when it reacts. This reaction can cause a sudden pressure build up, turning the container into an explosive! Firefighters are spraying the tank with water to keep it cool. Late Saturday, they noticed the tank had cracked. Firefighters say a slow leak is actually better than an explosion building up inside. Next time you see a fire truck, remember the science keeping us safe!
Combo Breaker
Transcript: Are you ready for some massive fighting game reveals? Developers shared huge announcements at the Combo Breaker tournament in North America! Fans got to see new characters joining the rosters of several popular games. The biggest surprise was that Yujiro Hanma from the Netflix anime Baki is joining Tekken 8! He will arrive in early 2027. SNK showed off gameplay for Mr. Karate, who comes to Fatal Fury on May 27. Riot Games also confirmed Senna will be the next fighter added to 2XKO on June 9. These updates give players entirely new strategies to master! If you could add any cartoon character to a fighting game, who would you pick?
Box Office
Transcript: How many movie tickets does it take to reach 800 million dollars? The musical biopic Michael is nearing a major box office milestone! Universal and Lionsgate report the film generated 788 million dollars globally and will soon eclipse the 800 million dollar mark. The movie is incredibly popular overseas, bringing in 468 million dollars internationally. It is expected to surpass the 2018 sensation Bohemian Rhapsody to become the highest-grossing musical biopic of all time! Meanwhile, Disney had a huge weekend. Their new Star Wars spinoff, The Mandalorian and Grogu, opened to 145 million dollars globally. This proves fans still love heading to the theater! What is the best movie you have seen this year?
Youth Work
Transcript: What if your first job came with a guaranteed interview? In Britain, the government is expanding work experience programs to help young people start their careers. Pat McFadden announced plans for 300,000 extra placements over the next three years. Right now, nearly 1 million 16- to 24-year-olds are not in education or training. Alan Milburn warned that Britain spends 25 pounds keeping young people on benefits for every 1 pound spent helping them into work. To fix this, the government is expanding six-week training schemes that end with a guaranteed job interview. The DWP says these programs make young people 13 percent more likely to be in work two years later! What career training would you try?