The Real Stars

Hello, Newslings! · 0:00

Later today, you'll meet a snake that doesn't slither... it rolls! Like a little wheel. Stick around for that one.

Hey Newslings! It's Tuesday, October twenty-seventh. Ready to explore the big wide world? Let's go. Here's the plan for today. Story one, the real stars hiding in a famous painting. Story two, a virus called Ebola, and the people working to stop it. And story three, why the clocks went back this weekend. Plus a snake that rolls, a joke from one of our listeners, and our very first Mystery Sound. Let's dive in.

First, a big cheer for last week's scoreboard! Lucile L. was our top reader, with more than two thousand five hundred stars. Wow! Henri C. came in second, and Dominic L. in third. And welcome to our newest Newslings, Jude F. and Max T. We're so glad you're here!

The real stars in The Starry Night · 1:03

Story one. Let's go to France, more than one hundred years ago. A painter named Vincent van Gogh was living in a small town called Saint-Rémy. And there, he painted one of the most famous paintings in the world: The Starry Night. A swirly blue sky, a glowing moon, and big, bright stars. For a long time, people have wondered: were those real stars in the right location when he painted them, or did he just make up the scene in his head? Now, a team of space scientists from South Korea thinks they've worked it out. They read Van Gogh's old letters. And one of the team even went to France, to find the spot where he saw the view. Then they used math to compare his stars with the stars that would have been in the correct positions in the real sky. Their answer? They think the stars match a real group called the Hyades. They're part of a constellation called Taurus, the bull. A constellation is a group of stars that makes a picture in the sky. Not every scientist agrees yet, and that's how science works. The scientists think he saw that sky just before sunrise, in July, eighteen eighty-nine, with a thin moon, and the planet Venus shining bright. So those stars weren't just swirls. They were a real morning sky! Why does it matter? Art and science can help each other. Even an old painting can tell us what the sky looked like, long ago. Remember, a constellation is a group of stars that make a picture in the sky. And Van Gogh's Starry Night may show real stars, from one summer morning. Check out a pic of the real painting, in the app!

Sound It Out · 2:55

Here's today's Sound It Out word. Constellation... Let's clap it. Con... stel... la... tion. Four beats! And it starts with the letter C, just like candy.

Ebola, and the people stopping it · 3:09

Story two. This one is a bit serious, so let's take it slowly. In the middle of Africa, there's a big country called the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since May, lots of people there have been getting sick from a virus called Ebola. A virus is a tiny germ, much too small to see, that can make people sick. Ebola is a dangerous one. Many people have died, and that's very sad. But Ebola doesn't spread like a cold. It doesn't float through the air. You can only catch it by touching the blood, or other bodily fluids, of someone who is already sick with it. That's why the people most at risk are the ones taking care of the sick people, like nurses, and family members. This month, a man who was already sick travelled from Congo to Kenya, a country nearby. Some people around him also got sick, and now two people in Kenya have died. So Kenya's doctors try to track down his contacts, or those who have been close to the sick people, and keep them apart for a few weeks. They say there's no sign it's spreading around that country. There's some good news! Last Friday, in Congo, scientists started testing new vaccines. A vaccine is a medicine that teaches your body how to fight a virus, before you catch it. If you live far away, in Europe or America, for example, experts say the chance of catching Ebola is very low. So remember. A virus is a tiny germ that can make you sick, and a vaccine teaches your body to fight it. And doctors and scientists are working hard to stop the spread of Ebola.

Why the clocks went back · 5:01

Story three. Did you get an extra hour of sleep this weekend? If you live in Europe, like me, you probably did! Early on Sunday morning, in most of Europe, the clocks went back one hour. In lots of countries, like Italy and France, at three o'clock in the morning... it suddenly became two o'clock again! That's the end of daylight savings time. Daylight saving time is when clocks move forward an hour in spring, so it stays light later in the evening. Then, in autumn, they go back again and it gets lighter earlier in the morning. And in most of the United States and Canada, it happens next: this Sunday, November first. Why do we do it? More than one hundred years ago, during a big war, some countries started changing their clocks, to save energy. Lots more joined in, about fifty years ago. But not everyone does it. Most countries in Asia and Africa don't change their clocks at all. And some sleep scientists say changing the clocks can mix up our body clocks for a few days. They think it would be better to stop changing them, and keep the winter time setting all year round. Remember it like this: Clocks spring forward in spring, and fall back in the fall, which is just another word for autumn.

Kids Who Rock: Payton Obert · 6:22

Now, it's time for our Kids Who Rock story. Meet Payton Obert. She lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, in the United States. When Payton was very little, she had to stay in a children's hospital. And there, she was given a teddy bear that helped her feel better. So when Payton was six, she decided to pass that kindness on. She set up a lemonade stand, to raise money for kids who need help. And it grew... and grew. Now she runs a real charity called Payton's Lemonade Stand. It gives toys, food, clothes, books, and school supplies to kids and families who need them. Over eight years, it has given out five million dollars' worth of help! This year, there were lemonade stands in other states too! From one teddy bear... to millions of dollars of kindness. When someone is kind to you, remember you can always try to pass it on, too.

Around the World: Mexico's marigolds · 7:18

Next, we're going to Mexico. This week, families all over Mexico are getting ready for the Day of the Dead, on November first and second. It's a special time to remember people in the family who have passed away, with love, and even with parties. You might remember it from the Disney movie, Coco? Families build little altars at home, called ofrendas. They put out photos, candles, favourite foods, and a special sweet bread. And lots and lots of bright orange flowers, called cempasúchil. They're a kind of marigold. People say their bright colour and strong smell help guide the spirits of loved ones home. This year, Mexico City says its farmers grew almost ten million marigold plants. That's a record for the city! And on Saturday, there's a giant parade through the city.

Whoa Fact: The snake that rolls · 8:13

Okay, Newslings. It's time for a Whoa Fact. Did you know... that there's a snake that can roll, like a wheel? It's a small snake, called a dwarf reedsnake, from Borneo, a big island in Southeast Asia. Most snakes slither, wiggling from side to side. But scientists from Japan filmed this one keeping its head pointing straight ahead, while the back of its body flips over, and over, and over. And when it rolls, it goes about four times faster than when it slithers! A snake... doing cartwheels. Whoa!

A joke from Lucile · 8:53

And now, a joke from one of our listeners! This one comes from Lucile, who's eight, from Italy. Take it away, Lucile!

Ha! The shortcuts. Thank you, Lucile!

Want to hear yourself on Newslings? Send us a joke, a fun fact and where you heard it, or just a question. Ask a grown-up to help you, on newslings dot x y z. Tap the microphone, or find "Send us a clip" in the menu.

Lucile: Why did the barber win the race? Because he knew all the shortcuts.

Poem time: Escape at Bedtime · 9:30

It's poem time! Since we talked about stars today, this poem is about a child who sneaks a peek at the night sky. It's by Robert Louis Stevenson, and it's called "Escape at Bedtime". Listen for the word "glittered". To glitter means to shine with lots of tiny sparkles.

The poem is read by a LibriVox volunteer (public domain).

Our first Mystery Sound · 10:45

It's time for something new. Our very first... Mystery Sound! Listen closely. What do you think this is?

Hmm. What do you think it was? Tell your family your guess, and I'll tell you the answer straight away on our next episode, on Friday!

A baby walrus finds a home · 11:15

Before we go, here's something hopeful. In September, on a beach in northern Alaska, a college student helping scientists found a baby walrus, all alone. The other walruses had swum away, in big waves. So people took care of him. They kept him warm, and flew him to an animal hospital, called the Alaska SeaLife Center. Now he's five months old, he weighs about two hundred and twenty pounds, and he's moved to a new home at SeaWorld, in Florida. He drinks up to six bottles of milk a day! His name is Annautaq. The student named him after her dad. He's two hundred and twenty pounds... and still drinking from a bottle!

Today's Big Question · 12:13

Want to see The Starry Night up close, and watch the rolling snake? They're on our website, newslings dot X Y Z, with today's pictures, the quiz, and our friendly reading coach.

That's it for today, Newslings. Let's do a quick look back. Story one, the real stars in Van Gogh's painting. Story two, Ebola, and the helpers working to stop it. And story three, why the clocks went back. Here's your big question for the day. If you could invent a new way to move, like rolling instead of slithering, what would it be? Talk about it with your friends and family. Stay curious, and I'll talk to you on Friday, October thirtieth.

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