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Today’s Pulse rundown
Typhoon Dolphin
Transcript: What if a storm was so strong it could shut down an entire international airport? Typhoon Dolphin hit Japan's Okinawa island on Saturday, cutting power to at least 44,000 buildings and injuring five people. The storm packed winds of 101 miles per hour and is now expected to make landfall in China, where authorities are already closing schools and ports. Experts say typhoons can grow to be more intense right now because this year is a strong El Niño year, warming the ocean. How would you prepare your house for a massive storm?
Amazon Deforestation
Transcript: Did you know the world's largest rainforest is finally getting a much-needed break? Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has fallen to its lowest level in 13 years. A satellite system run by Brazil's National Institute for Space Research detected 1,110 square miles of clearing, which is a massive 36 percent drop from the previous year. This is great news, but scientists warn that hidden forest degradation can still reduce carbon storage and biodiversity and make forests more vulnerable to future drought and fire. What kind of animals do you think are happiest about the trees staying up?
Quantum Gold Crystal
Transcript: What if you could build a powerful computer chip thinner than a single human hair? Physicists at LSU have engineered a microscopic gold crystal that can sort quantum states of light at room temperature. They carved hundreds of tiny slits into a gold film resting on a glass chip. The material acts as a statistical filter on quantum states because of the engineered distribution of meta-atoms. This means it can control light without needing the extreme freezing temperatures that quantum computers usually require to function. If you could invent a microscopic machine, what would it do?
Bristol Balloon Fiesta
Transcript: Have you ever seen a hot air balloon the size of half a football field? The annual Bristol International Balloon Fiesta is happening this weekend in South West England. Now in its 48th year, the event features hundreds of bright and creative balloons taking to the skies. What this means for you: Instead of just normal round balloons, teams fly massive special shapes. One balloon named Oggy the Friendly Dragon is 143 feet tall, and another shaped like a Scottish Piper is 150 feet tall! If your school designed a giant hot air balloon, what shape would it be?
Mars Rover Self-Driving
Transcript: Did you know there is a self-driving car currently cruising around on Mars? Next week, NASA's Perseverance rover will break the record for the most distance driven on another world, passing 28.06 miles. The rover drives so fast because the onboard computer calculates the safest route by processing images from onboard cameras. This allows 90 percent of its driving to be completely autonomous, unlike older rovers that had to wait for humans on Earth to send slow, step-by-step instructions. If you could program a robot to explore a new planet, where would you send it?
Moon and Mars
Transcript: What if you could see two different worlds glowing right next to each other? Early risers can catch a slender crescent moon shining close to Mars in the early morning sky on August 9. The two will appear less than 5 degrees apart. You might even see the dark side of the moon glowing, because sunlight scattered off our planet's surface and atmosphere reflects onto the lunar disk. This ghostly glow is called earthshine, and it makes the moon look like a magical floating marble in space. Will you wake up early to check out the night sky?
Women's Pro Baseball
Transcript: Are you ready to watch history happen on the baseball diamond? The Women's Pro Baseball League just kicked off its historic inaugural season with games in Springfield, Illinois. Fans traveled up to 1,700 miles to watch the opening weekend. What this means for you: Four teams, including the Los Angeles Queens and the Boston Hunters, are competing in the six-week season. It is a massive milestone for female athletes, giving the best players in the world a chance to play professional baseball on a national stage. What is your absolute favorite sport to play with your friends?
Phoebe Bridgers
Transcript: Imagine your favorite musician playing a secret concert just for you! Songwriter Phoebe Bridgers is releasing her highly anticipated third album, called Lost Weekend, this week. It has been six years since her pandemic-era breakthrough. What this means for you: Instead of just doing normal interviews, she is playing tiny, secretive pop-up shows for her fans across the US. Tickets were capped at 50 dollars, and fans had to put their phones away to just enjoy the music like a giant living room party. If you could invite any singer to play in your living room, who would it be?
Legend of Zelda Movie
Transcript: Who would you cast to play the hero of Hyrule? Sony Pictures and Nintendo are officially making a live-action Legend of Zelda movie, scheduled to hit theaters in April 2027. What this means for you: The studios have finally announced the lead actors! Seventeen-year-old Benjamin Evan Ainsworth will play Link, and 22-year-old Bo Bragason will play Princess Zelda. The director wants the movie to feel grounded and real, using flesh-and-blood actors in Hylian tunics instead of just relying on computer graphics. Which video game universe do you think deserves its own live-action movie next?
Super El Niño
Transcript: Can the temperature of the ocean change the weather in your backyard? Climate scientists from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warn that a Super El Niño could bring heavy rainfall to the western US this winter. This happens because warmer water spreads across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific because of changes in wind patterns. This massive shift in the ocean can cause a 70 to 100 percent chance of above-average rainfall in California, increasing the risk of coastal flooding. Have you ever noticed the weather acting strange where you live?