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Today’s Pulse rundown
Japan Earthquake
Transcript: What if the ground beneath your feet suddenly started to shake? On Tuesday, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake hit Japan's Kyushu island. The US Geological Survey reported the quake, which caused power cuts and damaged roads in Kumamoto prefecture. Local officials say nine thousand eight hundred and seventy-two people have been evacuated to shelters. This means communities are working together to stay safe while rescue teams check damaged buildings. Japan is very prepared for these events, and the Japan Meteorological Agency is monitoring the area for aftershocks. How does your family prepare for extreme weather or natural events?
Sea Turtle Pancake
Transcript: Imagine being cheered on by a huge crowd just for going for a swim! On July 23, the Wildlife Conservation Society released a rescued Kemp's ridley sea turtle named Pancake into the ocean. The eleven-pound turtle was found cold-stunned on a beach in Cape Cod last fall. As the water around them cools, their body temperature also plummets to the point that they become lethargic and unable to swim. Pancake now has a satellite transmitter so scientists can track the journey! If you could track a sea turtle, what would you name it?
Electron Lighthouse
Transcript: What if you could steer electricity using nothing but a beam of light? Researchers at the University of Michigan have created an electron lighthouse. By using two different colors of laser light, they can direct the movement of electrons through a semiconductor without applying an electric field. The effect depends on quantum interference. It occurs when two colors of light send the semiconductor through different absorption pathways that ultimately lead to the same final state. This selective reinforcement produces a current concentrated in one direction. This quantum trick could eventually improve optical sensors, communications, imaging, and information storage!
UK Education Policy
Transcript: Have you ever wished you could study robotics or building things instead of regular math? Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced that students in England will soon be able to study subjects like manufacturing and artificial intelligence starting in Year 10. The government expects these new education changes to be in place in some areas by 2028. This means fourteen-year-olds will get to combine core classes with technical courses linked to local jobs. It gives students a chance to learn hands-on skills for careers in green energy or coding before they even graduate high school. If your school offered a class in artificial intelligence, would you take it?
AI Tokens
Transcript: How do you measure the brainpower of an artificial intelligence? Economists are using a new metric called AI tokens to track how technology is spreading. Between January 2024 and April 2026, researchers analyzed data from three hundred and eighty trillion tokens on a platform called OpenRouter. Think of a token as a tiny chunk of text that an AI model reads or generates. Every time a program answers your prompt, a meter runs in the background counting those tokens. By tracking this massive digital paper trail, economists can measure the overall spread of AI through the economy, rather than tracking individual companies. How many tokens do you think your last homework question used?
Prehistoric Meal
Transcript: Get this — scientists uncovered a prehistoric sea monster inside another sea monster! Paleontologists in Outback Queensland discovered an incredible fossil from more than one hundred million years ago. The remains show a six-to-seven-meter-long ichthyosaur that had eaten a pterosaur, before being attacked itself by a giant pliosaur. Dr. Dean Lomax says it is one of the clearest examples ever discovered of a three-tier predator interaction. The fossil preserves an ancient food chain frozen in time, showing exactly how these massive creatures interacted in the Eromanga Sea. What would you do if you stumbled upon a giant fossil in the dirt?
California Earthquake
Transcript: Did you feel the ground rumble in California this week? On Tuesday, a magnitude 4.2 earthquake rattled Northern California. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the epicenter was located about eight miles from Healdsburg and occurred at a depth of 3.4 miles. The quake caused light to moderate shaking across the region, but it was only expected to cause very light damage at most. Earthquakes happen when giant plates of rock underground suddenly slip past each other, releasing built-up energy. Do you know the safest place to hide if an earthquake strikes your town?
Jumanji 3 Trailer
Transcript: Are you ready to jump back into the world's most dangerous video game? Sony unveiled the trailer for Jumanji: Open World! The teaser gives fans their first look at the returning cast, including Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Karen Gillan. This is the third entry in the rebooted franchise, which transitioned the story from a classic 1995 board game into a wild digital adventure. The core quartet is back for more action, comedy, and body-swap hijinks, and the movie is scheduled for a Christmas release. If you were pulled into a video game, what would your avatar's special skill be?
BG3 Camera Mod
Transcript: What if you could explore your favorite fantasy world from a completely new angle? A modder named Relysia has released a True Third-Person Camera mod for Baldur's Gate 3. The update gives players a dedicated over-the-shoulder point of view, tethering the camera just above and behind your character. Usually, players view the game from a top-down tactical angle. This new cinematic viewpoint makes it easy to see your custom characters in action and look up at the massive buildings in Faerûn. It completely changes how you experience the adventure! Which classic video game would you want to replay with a brand new camera?
Online Scam Centers
Transcript: Have you ever seen a job advertisement online that looked a little too good to be true? The U.N.'s migration agency is warning that criminal networks are tricking educated people into working at online scam centers. The International Organization for Migration says victims are lured by fake social media ads promising work abroad. Once they arrive, their identity documents are seized, and they are forced to participate in digital scams. Director-General Amy Pope says they are seeing victims from over eighty different countries. This is a huge reminder to always verify who you are talking to online.