What's new today
This is a kids podcast about current events. In each episode, the host Sangeetha chats with a child about a news story and engages with them on their ideas of what the world looks like, to them. Topics include recent science discoveries, emerging tech, sports events, countries fighting wars, books they like to read and more.
S3 E4 · Wed, April 09, 2025
S3 E4: Guess What’s new at Darjeeling Zoo? Hint: The first of its kind in India.
Darjeeling's zoo recently got a rare upgrade. Its zoo will serve two purposes: on one side, it will house creatures that tourists can visit and watch as they stroll around; on the other side there will be something rare and new housed in these premises. This makes it the first of its kind in India. This episode is along the lines of a 20-questions game, where 13-year old Sathwik joins the host Sangeetha, asks a series of questions and finds out what is rare and new in this zoo. Explore More 1. To join Sangeetha as a young cohost on a podcast episode, please register here 2. To listen to the episode on S.Korea with more dogs on strollers than babies, please click here 3. We publish news stories for children as a children's magazine. To buy our most recent edition for INR 399/-, please click here 4. For any comments or questions, please write to Sangeetha at hello@wsnt.in
S3 E3 · Fri, March 28, 2025
S3 E3: India's ISRO reaches a new milestone - docking and undocking satellites in space
India's SPADEX (Space Docking Experiment) mission, led by ISRO, aims to demonstrate autonomous docking between two spacecraft. It is sort of like a hug in an orbit in space. This skill is critical for future lunar bases, satellite servicing, and space stations. Think of it like high-tech Lego in space—snapping parts together perfectly! A big step for India's space adventures, given India's ambitions for deep-space exploration. Other interesting things 1. We write a weekly newsletter on current events and news stories that help kids and families appreciate the world around us. It is called 'Lighter Side' and is free. Check it out here . 2. If you are aged between 8-14 and would like to speak on this podcast channel, please drop us a note via email at hello@wsnt.in. 3. Our children's magazine 'Bag of tales - 2024' can be purchased here. It costs INR 399/-. Order it here. 4. To support us and keep the production of this podcast ad-free, you can buy us a cup of coffee here
S3 E2 · Fri, March 21, 2025
S3 E2: Captain Underpants was born from the doodles and determination of an author who was diagosed with ADHD and dyslexia
Captain Underpants is a super popular book series that has sold more than 80 million copies all around the world. Kids love its funny jokes and surprising story twists. The author, Dav Pilkey, wasn’t always great at reading or sitting still—he had something called dyslexia (a reading disorder) and ADHD (which makes it hard to focus). But as a kid, he used his time while he was sent out of class to draw funny pictures and tell stories to his friends. Instead of letting challenges stop him, he turned them into something awesome! Young guests : Agastya (12 yrs), Darsh (10 yrs), Dhruv Agarwal (11 yrs), Dhruv Gandhi (11 yrs), Dhyan (11 yrs), Nayra (10 yrs), Satwik (12 yrs) Explore More 1. Our children's magazine 'Lighter Side: Bag of tales - 2024' costs INR 399/-. Order it here. 2. If you are aged between 8-14 and would like to speak on this podcast channel, please drop me a note via email at hello@wsnt.in. 3. I write a weekly newsletter on current events to help kids and families make sense of the world with greater ease. It is called 'Lighter Side' and is free. Check it out here . 4. Support our show by buying us a cup of coffee
Fri, March 07, 2025
S3 E1: Tigers double in the last decade in India - what other countries can learn from India
Project Tiger was launched in the 1970s in India. There was much fanfare, wildlife reserves were created and tiger protection became important to the Indian government. While Project Tiger stopped the killing of tigers, these big cats did not grow in numbers that much. But that trend changed in 2010. For the first time, between 2010 and 2022, tiger numbers nearly doubled, from ~1700 to over 3600. This has happened despite a rise in India's human population and a decline in forest area. How did India achieve this? What lessons can other countries learn from India's practices? Co-hosts: Devansh (10 yr old), Eesha (14 yr old) Check these out as well 1. Story of Saroj Raj Choudhury and how he raised Khairi , alongside pictures of the family 2. Podcast series on India's wildlife stories 3. I write a weekly newsletter on current events and stories like the tiger resurgence in India. I'd like to help kids and families to appreciate the world around us. It is called 'Lighter Side' and is free. Check it out here . 4. If you are aged between 8-14 and would like to speak on this podcast channel, please drop me a note via email at hello@wsnt.in. 5. Our children's magazine 'Bag of tales - 2024' can be purchased here. It costs INR 399/-. Order it here.
Fri, February 28, 2025
Sonia Mehta's writing journey as a children's author
What does it take to write well? Is it about acquiring better language skills or is there a secret recipe for developing intriguing plots, or does it come from consistent writing practice? Sonia Mehta, a children's author with more than 170 published titles to her credit, shares stories from her writing journey. She has authored both fiction and non-fiction books for children as young as five, and for young adults as well. More about our guest in this episode 1. Sonia Mehta on Instagram 2. About Sonia Mehta - on Penguin Random House's website 3. Sonia Mehta on Facebook 4. Sonia's published books on Amazon We publish a weekly newsletter for children about news stories from around the world. You can check it out here. To support us and keep the production of this podcast ad-free, you can buy us a cup of coffee here
S3 E1 · Thu, February 13, 2025
Soma Bags - a startup in Africa that has brought light into African homes
There are startups that solve problems for people - like the ones that help people rent a pet for their Instagram photos. And then, there are startups that solve real problems - like bringing light into people's homes. Soma Bags is doing just that. This episode carries the story of how its founder Innocent James got the spark of an idea from one of his professors in university. He had seen him sew a small solar panel onto the pocket of his jacket and this had help him keep his smartphone charged through the day. This episode narrates the story of how James used this idea to bring electricity into the homes of Africans in an affordable manner. This is no charitable venture - it makes profits for his company as villagers are willing to pay for a dependable solution priced at $4-$8 a month. While rejoicing at these solutions, one should also wonder, if we are exchanging one problem for another? To BUY our children's magazine 'Lighter side - bag of tales from 2024' (cost INR 399/-) for delivery in India, please click here
Mon, February 10, 2025
Story narration changes how we experience a story - with Antara Goswami
Story narrators are the voices that brings stories and characters to life on stage. Both children and adults often stay mesmerised and get a very different perspective to both the plot and the characters, compared to what they get when they read the story. Story narrations help readers think of different plot twists, story endings and even appreciate characters with grey tones. In this episode, Antara Goswami, a story narrator shares how she goes about putting together her narrations, what props she uses and how she scripts these performances. Also, in this episode, five young guests (aged 8-13) share their questions on story narration with Antara. 1. More on Antara Goswami on Instagram 2. We write a weekly newsletter on current events. It is meant for kids and families to read and appreciate the world around us. It is called 'Lighter Side' and is free. Check it out here . 3. If you are aged between 8-14 and would like to speak on this podcast channel, please drop me a note via email at hello@wsnt.in. 4. Our children's magazine 'Bag of tales - 2024' can be purchased here. It costs INR 399/-. Order it here. (00:00) Introduction (01:47) What is story narration (09:17) Mono-acting (11:35) Where she narrates (12:30) Shadow Theatre (14:55) Writing stories (16:48) Confidence on stage (19:21) Favourite story amongst children
Thu, January 30, 2025
What books to buy for young readers? Recommendations from children
Ten young readers from India (aged 8-15) recommend one book from amongst all the books they read in 2024. If you thought all recommendations would hover around the fantasy and adventure genre, be prepared to be surprised. I have listed below the books they recommended. If you want to hear the whys and the whats of the book, give the episode a listen. Books recommended 1. Atomic habits by James Clear 2. The Midnight Gang by David Walliams 3. The Immortals of Meluha by Amish Tripathi 4. Sherlock Holmes - A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 5. One More Step : My Journey with the world’s largest contingent of school students to Everest Base Camp by Chandrashekar D P with K V Subramanyam. 6. The Harry Potter series by J K Rowling 7. The Island of Dragons (from Geronimo Stilton's Kingdom of Fantasy series) 8. Stellarlune (part of the Keeper of the Lost Cities) by Shannon Messenger 9. Vedas and Upanishads (for children) by Roopa Pai 10. Diary of a wimpy kid series by Jeff Kinney To BUY our children's magazine 'Lighter side - bag of tales from 2024' (cost INR 399/-) for delivery in India, please click here (00:00) Introduction (07:44) Aadya's reco (08:40) Abdul's reco (09:47) Agastya's reco (12:00) Darsh's reco (15:08) Devansh's reco (17:17) Kiaansh's reco (18:27) Maanya's reco (19:40) Prakriti's reco (20:45) Shambhavi's reco (22:28) Zuhair's reco
Fri, January 24, 2025
Space news stories - new milestones achieved in 2024
2024 was a year that marked some interesting achievements in the field of space. Missions to moon have been relaunched by NASA, the International Space Station's ending days have been charted and India's defense systems just tested new missiles. To speak about the space stories that inspired them the most, four primary schoolers joined us to share their views. 1. Order your copy of our book for kids ' Bag of stories from 2024' by clicking here. Each copy costs INR 399/- (we are able to fulfil all orders placed inside India only at the moment) 2. Read our newsletter for kids ‘Lighter Side’ about space stories and current events 3. To join Sangeetha and speak on this podcast (kids aged 7-15), register here 4. Follow What’s new today on Instagram 5. If you have any thoughts or comments, email us at hello@wsnt.in . We pledge to give your ideas the deep, meaningful consideration that we normally reserve for selecting a dessert. 6. Support us by buying us a cup of coffee
Tue, December 17, 2024
Best of science and wildlife stories from 2024
Paleontologists uncovered that the T-Rex was quite likely way bigger than they had originally thought it was. Based on recent fossil finds and some intelligent computer simulation, it turns out that if we remade Jurassic Park today, we would have had to create a much larger version of the T-Rex. Apart from this scientific discovery, there were lots of other interesting news stories in science and wildlife this year. To speak about these, four primary schoolers shared their picks of the best stories from the year. Co-hosts: Anina, Chandrika, Smyan and Venkatesh 1.Read the story of why some people think ghosts are real 2. Read the story of how C.V.Raman discovered why the sea was blue 3. Listen to the podcast on how our brains behave when we type vs write 4. Listen to the story of Roger the search and rescue dog from Taiwan Order your copy of our book for kids ' Bag of stories from 2024' by clicking here. Each copy costs INR 399/- (we are able to fulfil all orders placed inside India only at the moment)
S2 E112 · Sat, December 07, 2024
How to write stories - Conversation with Menaka Raman, a children’s author
Children come up with ideas and stories like magicians pulling rabbits out of hats—nobody knows how, but it’s endlessly entertaining. It’s a mix of imagination (and maybe a little too much candy). But how can they turn their ideas into a well-written story? Menaka Raman, an award-winning children’s author, joins us in this episode. She chats with five young, budding authors about the tricks in her bag for writing great stories. 1. More about Menaka Raman on her website 2. Follow Menaka on Instagram 3. Follow Menaka on X (formerly known as Twitter) 4. More about the book ‘Bird by Bird’ by Anne Lamott 5. Read our newsletter for kids ‘Lighter Side’ about current events 6. To join Sangeetha and speak on this podcast (kids aged 7-15), register here 7. Follow What’s new today on Instagram 8. If you have any thoughts or comments, email us at hello@wsnt.in . We pledge to give your ideas the deep, meaningful consideration that we normally reserve for selecting a dessert. 9. Support us by buying us a cup of coffee
S2 E111 · Fri, November 29, 2024
S2 E111: Sumit Antil, the man who won India a Paralympic gold medal
Neeraj Chopra's gold medal was India's first ever gold medal won by an athlete in Olympics. There was much adulation and rejoicing in the country. Sumit Antil also won a gold for India at the Tokyo Paralympics and successfully defended his title at the Paris Paralympics. For all his deeds, he went unnoticed relatively. This episode captures the story of his journey and challenges. Most importantly, the story captures the essence of what an 8-year old perceives as important / interesting in Sumit Antil's story. Co-host: Ahaan Krishnam (8-yr old, Bengaluru) 1. More on volcanoes in Iceland 2. Support our show by buying us a cup of coffee 3. Feature in our podcasts (for kids aged 7-15), register here 4. Read our newsletters 'Lighter Side' for kids and families here If you have any comments or questions, please email me at hello@wsnt.in
S2 E110 · Thu, November 21, 2024
S2 E110: Book Review - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (from the Chronicles of Narnia)
One of the earliest children's book series that took young readers into magical lands was the 'Chronicles of Narnia' by C.S.Lewis. In this podcast episode, two young readers (10-yr olds Darsh and Prakriti) share what they think of this book's plot, the writing style and how they would change the book (if they had authored it). 1. More on books that we recommend for young readers 2. Support our show by buying us a cup of coffee 3. Feature in our podcasts (for kids aged 7-15), register here 4. Read our newsletters 'Lighter Side' for kids and families here If you have any comments or questions, please email me at hello@wsnt.in
S2 E109 · Fri, November 15, 2024
S2 E109: Why are there more dog strollers on the roads of S.Korea
More people in S.Korea bought strollers for dogs than they did for children (i.e. human babies). The S.Korean government has been alarmed by this trend. While people who have been observing changes in S.Korea over the past twenty years are not really surprised, they still are worried. Why are people not happy with dogs getting more strollers than human babies? What next? Listen to the full episode to find out why. Co-host: Smyan Shetty (10-yrs old) 1. Where idlis came from 2. Support our show by buying us a cup of coffee 3. Feature in our podcasts (for kids aged 7-15), register here 4. Read our newsletters 'Lighter Side' for kids and families here If you have any comments or questions, please email me at hello@wsnt.in
S2 E108 · Tue, November 05, 2024
S2 E108: The man who saved the lives of hundreds of children during World War II - How Prague names a street after him
One street that is often used by cyclists and pedestrians in Prague has been renamed as Nicholas Winton street. He was no Olympic athlete but had accomplished something else of Olympian proportions. During 1939, he had helped hundreds of Jewish children flee from Nazi persecution and gain safe entrance into Britain. For over 50 years, his actions went unremarked until a British TV show brought them into common memory. As we see ever more wars and conflicts, and refugees fleeing these zones, this story is a warm reminder of the wonders that can be done if we had compassion and courage. 1. Watch the video of Nicholas Winton in the TV show That's Life! 2. Support our show by buying us a cup of coffee 3. Feature in our podcasts (for kids aged 7-15), register here 4. Read our newsletters for kids and families here If you have any comments or questions, please email me at hello@wsnt.in
S2 E107 · Fri, October 25, 2024
S2 E107: SpaceX gets us one step closer to going to Mars - with its chopsticks' catch of the booster
Earth is wonderful, but one day we might need more space to live, especially as our world changes. If we could travel to Mars and build homes there, that would solve a lot of our problems right? SpaceX just launched a giant rocket that has taken one step closer to getting to Mars. Before you get excited about booking your next summer vacation in Mars, hold onto that thought for a few years more. Listen to Darsh (10 yr old, Chennai) and Rohan (10 yr old, Chennai) to find out about why the SpaceX Superheavy is a big milestone in space exploration. 1. Listen to the India Space Podcast series here 2. Listen to the episode on Dogs in Italy 3. SpaceX website - read dimensions of the Starship rocket 4. Watch the video of how the two arms caught the rocket 5. Support our show by buying us a cup of coffee 6. Feature in our podcasts (for kids aged 7-15), register here 7. Read our newsletters for kids and families here If you have any comments or questions, please email me at hello@wsnt.in
S2 E106 · Fri, October 18, 2024
S2 E106: A comparison of two countries with crude oil - one grew rich and the other poor
Just like the tale of the old man whose three sons used their silver coins differently, this episode explores how two countries used their pots of liquid gold differently. This episode is styled like a 'Discovery Game'. We drop new information about what happens in each country every few years, as the game goes on. The cohost (Devansh, 5th grader from Kolkata) makes guesses about what happens to each of these countries. Devansh also gets to decide where he would like to live in (and is allowed to shift between the two countries freely) as the game goes on. It's kind of a masterclass in prediction and exploration :) Additional links and resources 1. Recommended episode on why health drinks can be bad for kids 2. Pre-order your 2024 copy of the Lighter Side magazine for kids and families covering the top news stories of the year 3. To join Sangeetha as a cohost (just like Devansh), register here 4. Buy us a cup of coffee to keep this podcast going
S2 E105 · Fri, September 20, 2024
S2 E105: Book review - George's secret key to the universe
Stephen Hawking and his daughter Lucy Hawking forayed into writing a science-fiction book series for young kids. This book (George's secret key to the universe) is the first of the series. The plot involves two young children traveling in space involving a mixed bag of adventures. The authors have also incorporated many images from NASA's repository to bring real science into the hands of the young. In this episode, four primary schoolers joined us to share their opinions of the book as well as creative ideas of how they would explore space if they had a chance. If you are looking for a new book to pick up for your 7-11 year old, this might be it. Listen to the full episode to find out more. Co-hosts: Manisha Maheshwari (educator, Mumbai), Devansh (Kolkata), Prakriti (Mumbai), Smyan (California), Nayra (Mumbai) Additional links / references 1. About Stephen Hawking 2. About Lucy Hawking Read our newsletter for kids about current affairs Support our podcast by buying us a cup of coffee Send us your thoughts and comments via email to hello@wsnt.in
S2 E104 · Tue, September 17, 2024
S2 E104: California considers banning homework
When sixth grader Sophia came home with a sullen face from school, her mother Pilar Schiavo was busy contesting California's State Assembly elections . Sophia was so overwhelmed by the volume of work expected of her that she requested her mum to ban all homework if she got elected. Pilar did win the election. She also remembered her daughter's trauma. Keeping these in mind, she has formulated a bill for the State to pass - a bill that mandates limiting homework or altogether banning it, in certain cases. For more details on this homework ban, read our newsletter Others To enrol in our writing courses for children aged 7-15, check out the details here To support this podcast and keep it ad-free, please donate here. If your child would like to co-host an episode on this podcast channel, please register here.
Bonus · Thu, September 05, 2024
S2 E103: What foods help children gain height? How much junk food is okay for kids? Q&A of kids and a food technologist on nutrition for kids
Food technologist and communications expert Sarika Singh speaks with Nayra (5th grader) and Shambhavi (10th grader) about foods that help kids gain height, improve their immune system, and whether having junk food is all that bad in childhood. Resources 1. Book - Eat Right 4 Your type 2. Sarika's website - communications101 3. Listen - why bournvita and complan are unhealthy for kids 4. Indian Academy of Paediatrics - height and weight chart for children 5. National Library of Medicine - nutrition and water requirements for children and adults Support this show - Donate to keep this podcast free of ads and support the production of this show Reach out to us with your questions and comments via email at hello@wsnt.in
S2 E102 · Thu, August 29, 2024
S2 E102: Why Bournvita, Complan and Boost may not be healthy for kids?
A food blogger on Instagram raised alarm bells about the so called 'health' claims made by drinks aimed towards the young. Following this, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India directed these companies to remove these claims from their labels. Joining us in this episode is Sarika Singh , a communications expert to discuss what's wrong with their health claims. Child guests: Nayra (5th grader, Mumbai) and Shambhavi (10th Grader, Delhi) Additional references 1) Read: Article in Economic Times on why Bournvita lost its health status 2) Video: How to read nutrition labels on drinks 3) Writing Course for kids - details (for any queries, drop us a note via email at hello@wsnt.in) 4) More on Sarika Singh - her website and her podcast - Communicate 101 - speaking writing tips
S2 E101 · Thu, August 22, 2024
S2 E101: Space Day - first anniversary of India's Chandrayaan-3 landing on the South Pole of the Moon
Exactly one year ago, on this day, India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission landed its Vikram lander and the Pragyan rover on the South pole of the moon. To commemorate this historic event, India declared that it would celebrate National Space Day every year, on Aug 23rd. When the lander and the rover touched down on the moon, India held the distinction of being the ONLY country ever to have achieved landing on the moon’s south pole. This was a far cry from its early days when India's space scientists began work in a fishing hamlet with a bicycle and an old school for their factory. But one man’s vision, one man’s perseverance and one man’s dedication is what started it all. His name was Vikram Sarabhai. Tracing India’s space journey through history, we had earlier put out an 8-part podcast series. Recommended listens a) Part 2 of this podcast series on India's space journey b) SpaceX to destroy the International Space Station in 2030 - Why Recommended reads a) Pictures and blog on India's space journey
S2 E100 · Fri, August 16, 2024
S2 E100: Apollo 11 landing on the moon - celebrating 55 years of a landmark event
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped foot on the moon. 2024 marks 55 years since this achievement. A forgotten astronaut was a part of this mission and we speak about his role and contribution to this mission. Since the 1970s, there has been a lull in space missions - the kind that sends more people to the moon. However, things have started getting hotter again and NASA is working towards resuming moon-landing missions. We speak about what has prompted this change of heart. Child co-host: Abhir Ghalke (7th grader, Mumbai) Recommended listens a) The story of how India's space missions began b) Innovations made by Indian school children c) How Jacky ran 104 marathons in 104 days Check these out a) Creative Writing Course for Kids - look up here or drop us a note at hello@wsnt.in b) Support our show to keep this podcast channel ad-free for children c) Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for free 'The Lighter Side'
S2 E99 · Fri, August 09, 2024
S2 E99: Why does US not want China's electric cars?
China's taken a giant leap in the world of electric cars, racing far ahead of most countries. More than half of the cars on its roads run on electric batteries, not on petrol or diesel. US does not want any electric cars from China entering its country. Why? Cohosts: Primary schoolers Advik (Chennai) and Smyan (USA) try to find the answer to this question. Recommended listens by Advik and Smyan 1. Wheat and Lemon - why are their prices hard to reckon? 2. Harry Potter book review 3. Queens who ruled India - the story of Keladi Chennamma defying Aurangzeb More reads on electric cars 1. How China leads the world on electric cars 2. US imposes high taxes on electric cars from China
S2 E98 · Thu, August 01, 2024
S2 E98: Paris Olympics - A new contingent joins. They are from different countries united by a single flag.
Greece leads the parade and the host country is the last to join the parade, every Olympics. In the last two Olympics, a new contingent joined the Olympics' teams. This contingent was the penultimate to join the parade (ahead of the host country). The participants hailed from across the world and were united by a cause and a flag. Who are these participants? What cause unites them? Why do we continue to have this contingent? Co-hosts: Anindya (9 yrs) and Agastya (11 yrs) figure out who these participants are, and how they come together to represent a common cause. Recommended listens by Anindya and Agastya 1. How search and rescue dogs save people in earthquakes 2. Why are orcas / killer whales attacking ships Source information for this episode 1. Trailer of The Swimmers movie on Netflix 2. Read: Why the IOC Refugee team was formed 3. Watch: Video on this year's team for the Paris Olympics Writing course for kids To find details about our writing course for kids to become published authors, please click here
S2 E97 · Thu, July 25, 2024
S2 E97: Paris Olympics - What are dogs doing as part of the US Gymnastics team?
For the first time, a 4-year old dog called Beacon joins the official staff team of the US Gymnastics. He will play an important role in maintaining the health and well-being of the players. Can you guess how? The co-hosts Anindya (9-yr old) and Agastya (11 yr old) pit their heads and crack this mystery. To find details about our writing course for kids to become published authors, please click here
Fri, July 19, 2024
SpaceX has won a bid for one of the toughest challenges in space
To find details about our writing course for kids to become published authors, please click here SpaceX has won a bid from NASA for one of the most challenging tasks it has ever undertaken. The whole world will be watching the skies in 2031 as SpaceX attempts to destroy and take apart the ISS. Built over more than a decade and a half, the ISS will near the end of its useful life by 2030 and may begin to disintegrate if left in space for longer than that. SpaceX will begin a careful process of bringing the ISS to rest in a deep sea point on earth, without endangering the rest of life. Cohosts: Darsh (5th grader, Chennai) and Aadya (9th grader, Jammu) Recommended episodes a) India's space journey and how the Ramayan TV series was telecast b) NASA's dart mission to change the path of an asteroid To support this podcast, you can buy us a coffee If you have any comments or suggestions, do write to us at hello@wsnt.in
S2 E95 · Fri, July 12, 2024
Book Review: Harry Potter (6/6) - Movies vs Books - how different are they?
This month, we reviewed the Harry Potter book series along with a group of primary and middle schoolers. This review is part 6 of a 6 part series. In this episode, we ask our reviewers how different are the movies from the books. To join our book review club, please click here. Book review led by Manisha Maheshwari. Young book reviewers who joined us were Prakriti (10 yr), Dhruv (10 yr old), Darsh (10 yr old), Aditi (12 yr old), Viyaa (10 yr old), Rishi (10 yr old), Rusheel (10 yr old), Hrudyaansh (13 yr old), Kiaansh (10 yr old), Pravit (10 yr old), Nayra (10 yr old), Devansh (10 yr old), Smyan (10 yr old)
S2 E94 · Fri, July 12, 2024
Book review: Harry Potter (5/6) - What would happen if you got an Acceptance Letter from Hogwarts?
This month, we reviewed the Harry Potter book series along with a group of primary and middle schoolers. This review is part 5 of a 6 part series. In this episode, we ask our reviewers what would happen if an owl came their way and dropped them an acceptance letter? To join our book review club, please click here. Book review led by Manisha Maheshwari. Young book reviewers who joined us were Prakriti (10 yr), Dhruv (10 yr old), Darsh (10 yr old), Aditi (12 yr old), Viyaa (10 yr old), Rishi (10 yr old), Rusheel (10 yr old), Hrudyaansh (13 yr old), Kiaansh (10 yr old), Pravit (10 yr old), Nayra (10 yr old), Devansh (10 yr old), Smyan (10 yr old)
S2 E93 · Fri, July 12, 2024
Book review: Harry Potter (4/6) - How different is the Magical world from our real world
This month, we reviewed the Harry Potter book series along with a group of primary and middle schoolers. This review is part 4 of a 6 part series. In this episode, we ask our reviewers how different is the magical world from the real world we live in. To join our book review club, please click here. Book review led by Manisha Maheshwari. Young book reviewers who joined us were Prakriti (10 yr), Dhruv (10 yr old), Darsh (10 yr old), Aditi (12 yr old), Viyaa (10 yr old), Rishi (10 yr old), Rusheel (10 yr old), Hrudyaansh (13 yr old), Kiaansh (10 yr old), Pravit (10 yr old), Nayra (10 yr old), Devansh (10 yr old), Smyan (10 yr old)
S2 E93 · Fri, July 12, 2024
Book review: Harry Potter (3/6) - Who would you rather chat with, Hagrid or Dumbledore?
This month, we reviewed the Harry Potter book series along with a group of primary and middle schoolers. This review is part 3 of a 6 part series. In this episode, we ask our reviewers who they would rather chat with - Hagrid or Dumbledore? For the uninitiated, Hagrid is a half-giant and half-human. He is also the Gamekeeper at Hogwarts. He is the one who reveals to Harry that he is a wizard. Dumbledore is the Headmaster at Hogwarts. He is also in many ways - a friend, philosopher and guide to Harry. To join our book review club, please click here. Book review led by Manisha Maheshwari. Young book reviewers who joined us were Prakriti (10 yr), Dhruv (10 yr old), Darsh (10 yr old), Aditi (12 yr old), Viyaa (10 yr old), Rishi (10 yr old), Rusheel (10 yr old), Hrudyaansh (13 yr old), Kiaansh (10 yr old), Pravit (10 yr old), Nayra (10 yr old), Devansh (10 yr old), Smyan (10 yr old)
S2 E91 · Fri, July 12, 2024
Book review: Harry Potter (2/6) - What would you see in the Mirror of Erised?
This month, we reviewed the Harry Potter book series along with a group of primary and middle schoolers. This review is part 2 of a 6 part series. In this episode, we ask our reviewers what they would see if they stood in front of the Mirror of Erised. For the uninitiated, The Mirror of Erised is a a magical mirror that shows the " deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts ." The word Erised is nothing but "desire" spelled backwards , as if reflected in the mirror. To join our book review club, please click here. Book review led by Manisha Maheswari . Young book reviewers who joined us were Prakriti (10 yr), Dhruv (10 yr old), Darsh (10 yr old), Aditi (12 yr old), Viyaa (10 yr old), Rishi (10 yr old), Rusheel (10 yr old), Hrudyaansh (13 yr old), Kiaansh (10 yr old), Pravit (10 yr old), Nayra (10 yr old), Devansh (10 yr old), Smyan (10 yr old)
S2 E90 · Fri, July 12, 2024
Book review: Harry Potter (1/6) - Which house would you like to be sorted into?
This month, we reviewed the Harry Potter book series along with a group of primary and middle schoolers. This review is part 1 of a 6 part series. In this episode, we ask our reviewers which house they would like to be sorted into, at Hogwarts. For the uninitiated, the Hogwarts School was founded by four brilliant witches and wizards in the 10th century. Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff and Salazar Slytherin made up this quartet. Each of them created a house in their names and the students in each house often have similar traits or qualities as the original founders. To join our book review club, please click here. Young book reviewers who joined us were Prakriti (10 yr), Dhruv (10 yr old), Darsh (10 yr old), Aditi (12 yr old), Viyaa (10 yr old), Rishi (10 yr old), Rusheel (10 yr old), Hrudyaansh (13 yr old), Kiaansh (10 yr old), Pravit (10 yr old), Nayra (10 yr old), Devansh (10 yr old), Smyan (10 yr old)
S2 E89 · Wed, July 10, 2024
Queens who ruled India (5): Begums of Bhopal
Nowhere else in Asia do we have recorded history of a line of Muslim women who governed a kingdom. The four Begums of Bhopal ruled for over 100 years. Their reign was marked by peace, good health and great education facilities. This quartet of queens owe their existence to the charisma and keen intelligence of the very first Begum - Qudsia Begum. On her husband's sudden death, a teenager Qudsia managed to marshal support from all corners, so she could ascend the throne and govern the kingdom. Her path was far from easy - she had to battle both patriarchy and religious sentiments (Islamic women as rulers was unheard of). Saif Ali Khan is a descendant of this illustrious dynasty. Listen to the full episode for more details. Co-host: Saatvik Seth (Mumbai) Reference Material 1. Blog with pictures of the four Begums of Bhopal published on Svasa Life Magazine 2. Book - Women who ruled India by Archana Garodia Gupta (Amazon affiliate link) 3. Book - The Begums of Bhopal by a descendant (Amazon affiliate link) 4. Video - Begums of Bhopal on Youtube
S2 E88 · Thu, July 04, 2024
Queens who ruled India (4): Rudramadevi - the warrior who guarded the greatest diamonds
Rudramadevi, a warrior queen from South India made an astonishing ascent to the throne, thanks to her royal lineage. Nevertheless she faced much patriarchy and her rule was challenged from all quarters - both from inside and outside. During her rule, the Kakatiya kingdom was attacked from the North, West and the South repeatedly. She managed to thwart all invasion attempts. She strengthened the defense forces by adding to the height and thickness of the Warrangal fort. The Kohinoor diamond was mined in her kingdom and adorned the crown of the reigning deity. Much later, it was plundered by Malik Kafur and carried away to Delhi. This episode is in the form of a game 'Serious of Joking' played by the host Sangeetha and the co-host (12-yr old Trayee). Through the course of this game, we unravel interesting facets of the queen's rule. References 1. Book - Women who ruled India by Archana Garodia Gupta 2. Video - Indian warrior princess from the South 3. Video - Visit this fabulous fort of Warrangal - built by the Kakatiya Dynasty 4. Book - Rani Rudramadevi, a biography by National Book Trust of India
S2 E87 · Fri, June 28, 2024
Queens who ruled India (3): Tribhuvana Mahadevi - a beacon of peace
Tribhuvana Mahadevi was a queen who ruled one of the mightiest empires in ancient India - also called Kalinga. Today, this kingdom spreads across the eastern state of Orissa in India. Her reign featured in books written in 10th century AD in Persia. She was called a Rayini (a queen) whose rule eclipsed the reigns of her contemporary neighbours (kings in India). Her name is hardly found in any history textbooks today, but her fame had spread far and wide across Asia and Europe amongst her contemporaries. She came to power as a regent (as the heir to the throne was an infant). Her reign of over 20 years was marked by peace (she successfully fended off invasions); prosperity (she built great trade relations with kingdoms as far as Persia in the west and Indonesia in the east); religious tolerance (she donated liberally to the construction of monasteries of temples of many religious sects), and set an example for the subsequent 5 queens who came to throne from the Bhaumakara dynasty. Co-hosts : Rusheel (5th grader, Mumbai) and Adya (8th grader, Chennai) References 1. Book : The women who ruled India by Archana Garodia Gupta 2. Book: Amar Chitra Katha series on Warrior Queens of medieval India 3. Read: Wikipedia page on Tribhuvana Mahadevi 4. Video: On Youtube - Tribhuvana Mahadevi 5. Video: On Youtube - visit the Diamond triangle in Orissa today to see the remnants of the Buddhist monasteries
S2 E86 · Fri, June 21, 2024
Queens who ruled India (2): Nur Jahan - the empress who ruled from behind a curtain
At its height, the Mughal empire was the richest in the world. Akbar's son Jahangir ascended the throne after his death. Jahangir was addicted to opium and alcohol, amongst other things. His wife Nur Jahan won his confidence. She was a remarkable woman who managed to keep her husband away from many of his vices. Thanks to her courage and intelligence, she won the loyalty of the nobles in the court and thus wielded much power in the kingdom. She was the only Mughal empress who issued coins in her name, imperial decrees with her signature, presided the court and took part in administration and foreign policy affairs of the state. Her excellent taste in art has left its indelible mark on Mughal architecture. She inspired one of the seven wonders of the world, in its design and use of materials. The tomb she built for her father is also called the Baby Ta j, which you can find in Agra. Co-host in this episode: Isabelle Abraham (11-yr old, Mumbai). Reference 1. BBC video - How Nur Jahan ruled the world 2. Blog on Mughal women in maritime trade 3. Book: The Women who ruled India by Archana Garodia Gupta 4. William Dalrymple's Book Anarchy
S2 E85 · Fri, June 14, 2024
Queens who Ruled India (1): Keladi Chennamma - the one who defied Aurangazeb successfully
The Portugese called her 'Raina de Pimenta' or 'The Pepper Queen'. Born to a commoner, married to a king, she ascended the throne after the untimely death of her husband. She not only defended herself against patriarchy, but also against a barrage of enemy armies. She is best known for being the only queen who defied Aurangzeb, took over the might of his army and successfully got him to sign a peace treaty. Child Co-hosts: Kiaansh (6th grader, Mumbai) and Sathwik (7th grader, Kolkata) Reference material: (a) Blog on Keladi Chennamma (b) Swarajya magazine (c) Video on how she gave Rajaram shelter (d) Amar Chitra Katha book on Keladi Chennamma (e) Book on Chennamma by Shantadevi Malwad (f) Book on Women who Ruled India by Archana Garodia Gupta
Fri, May 31, 2024
S2 E84: Fake or Real: Himalayan pink salt is the healthiest!
Newspaper headlines often make loud claims about fitness, health and diet. How much of this is backed by research? Have the facts been verified? This episode is part of our Fake or Real podcast series, where we take a popular newspaper headline and check if its authenticity has been established, This episode is about a headline that appeared earlier on Hindustan Times - 'Sendha namak aka pink salt is healthier than iodized powdered white salt'. Listen to the episode to find out if this is for real. Recommended podcast listens by the guests 1. NASA's mission to move an asteroid 2. Coral reefs are making a comeback! Yay! Do you like to read stories? Read our newsletters here Get Whatsapp alerts here Follow us on Instagram Email your comments at hello@wsnt.in.
Thu, May 23, 2024
S2 E83: Fake or Real: Younger siblings are funnier than their older siblings
A recent YouGov poll shows that a large share of people believe that younger siblings are funnier than their older counterparts. Is this fake or real? Does this story have a sound scientific basis? Guests: Shanaya Shah (4th grader) and her parent Arpita Shah from Mumbai To donate and keep this podcast channel ad-free for children, click here Recommended podcast episodes (a) Why are people in Finland the happiest (b) Interesting innovations from Indian schoolkids (c) Brain boosts better while writing and NOT while typing (d) Wildlife stories To be a part of the Harry Potter book review, join us here. Source article: Please click here to read the YouGov poll Do you like to read stories? Read our newsletters here Get Whatsapp alerts here Follow us on Instagram Email your comments at hello@wsnt.in.
Mon, May 20, 2024
S2 E82: 3 short stories on Wildlife, Art and Space
This episode has been compiled and presented by three of the participants in a Podcasting Course conducted by Cronica Media,Story on Wildlife Conservation: How Istanbul has tried to solve the problems of reccycling, garbage cluttering and stray dog starvation. Presented by Smyan Shetty (4th grader from Mumbai)Story on Art: How Nature has been given a place of prominence by Spotify by designating nature as an artist. Presented by Shriya (5th grader from Bengaluru)Story on Space: How new resear...
Mon, May 13, 2024
S2 E81: Paris Olympics 2024 (part 1): There's something exciting awaiting the athletes
World Athletics has announced something exciting for all athletes participating / competing in the 2024 Olympics edition (to be held in Paris). After many decades of keeping true to the spirit of Olympics as outlined by Pierre de Coubertin (participating is more important than winning), some people on the Olympics committee are concerned if the new move will dilute this spirit. Listen to the full episode to find out more about this new exciting announcement.Co-hosts: Smyan (5th grader, Mumbai...
Fri, May 10, 2024
S2 E80: Book review of 'Black Beauty' by Anna Sewell
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell is considered a children's classic. Although the author did not write this book intended for a young audience, it has become a go-to read for many primary schoolers and middle schoolers. A group of children (<10 yrs old) read this book, completed some book review worksheets and finally got together to share their views on the book with each other. Guests: Nayra, Prakriti, Smyan, Rishi, Pravit, Rusheel, Saatvik and AdvikQuestions they answer in this episodeA...
Fri, May 03, 2024
S2 E79: How an art detective traced stolen artifacts from Nepal
30 years ago in Nepal, Yagya Kumar Pradhan woke up to the news that two holy masks from the community's temple had been stolen. Yagya filed police complaints, but got no closer to the masks. He gave up all hope of ever seeing the masks again. One of his family members reached out to a group 'Lost Arts of Nepal' who track stolen artifacts with the help of amateur art detectives from around the world, using social media and other sleuthing techniques. As luck would have it, Yagya's masks were t...
Mon, April 29, 2024
S2 E78: Countries & Conflicts - why is the UK sending away refugees who are fleeing from wars
The UK recently passed a bill - as its way of telling people to not come to its country, especially if they are coming by dangerous boats. The UK doesn't want people from poor countries who are fleeing wars and conflicts to end up inside its boundaries. What does this bill contain? Why are people in so many countries watching this bill with bated breath? Will this become the norm for other European countries? Will they also turn their backs to illegal migrants?Co-host: Shambhavi (14-yr old fr...
Fri, April 19, 2024
S2 E77: Why are people in Finland the happiest in the world
A Scandinavian country, deep into the Arctic, is home to one of the happiest peoples in the world. What factors help them stay happier than people in many other developed countries (such as the US / western Europe / Japan)? Why are the children in Finland happier than their peers elsewhere?Listen to this conversation with a primary, a middle and a high schooler, to unravel the rest of the story.Co-hosts: Nayra (from Mumbai), Ayan and Dakshta (from Delhi)Do you like to read stories? Read our n...
Mon, April 15, 2024
S2 E76: Who are 'Save and Rescue' dogs? How did a rescue dog 'Roger' help during the most recent earthquake in Taiwan
In the most recent earthquake in Taiwan, lives were lost and property destroyed. A group of dogs (called search and rescue dogs) came to the attention of many people through their valiant efforts at rescuing people caught under the rubble. This is a story of one such dog called Roger - who was earlier labelled a failure by the country's sniffing dogs group. How he was able to put to use his abundance of energy coupled with his intelligence forms the rest of his life-story.Search and rescue do...
Thu, April 11, 2024
S2 E75: Ideas of school kids that won India's National Innovation Awards
A teenager from Gujarat came up with a novel solution to provide access to learning content on devices. Rather than rely on the goodwill of NGOs to provide devices and internet, Karthik Joshi, a 12th grader suggested a way by which students could 'pay' for this, without actually having to pay using money, but resources that are easily available to them. Another teenager from Tamil Nadu (Madhumita) has designed a 2-wheeler that can help the deaf drive on Indian roads, more safely. These are tw...
Tue, April 09, 2024
S2 E74: How Bengaluru was formed and why the city has a water crisis
This episode captures the history of Bengaluru from over a 1000 years ago. Small settlements created fertile pastures in an otherwise arid region. The ingenuity they used to build a series of lakes and tanks is to be much admired. This is all the more evident in the backdrop of how we squandered centuries of efforts and destroyed all of it in less than 50 years. The story of Bengaluru is narrated in three partsPart 1: How the settlements were formed from 1000 - 1500 ADPart 2: Formation of mod...
Thu, April 04, 2024
S2 E73: Who is the secret agent in UK cleaning sheds every night
Ever read - the Elves and the Shoemaker? This story is a lot like that, except, in this case, they aren't making shoes. Someone has been turning up every night in the shed of a 75-year old photographer who lives in the UK. This photographer used to leave his work shed in a state of chaos at the end of each day. But the next morning, he would find them spick and span. The contents strewn around would be collected and neatly kept inside a box. Curious to find out who this friendly elf was, he i...
Mon, April 01, 2024
S2 E72: What is the special certification received by a tiger reserve in India?
The Pench tiger reserve in India has received a special certification. It is the first of its kind for a wildlife park in India to received this, although wildlife parks / national parks in other parts of the world have received this certification. This is related to the skies above Pench. What are we talking about? Listen to the full episode to find out more.Co-Host: Rishi Chaudhuri, 10-yr old from Mumbai, IndiaTo support our show, please click hereDo you like to read stories? Read our newsl...
Fri, March 29, 2024
S2 E71: Book review of 'Wonder' - children discuss why bullies emerge in schools and why they liked the author's style of writing
A group of 8-15 year olds joined us in reviewing the book 'Wonder' by R.J.Palacio. This is a powerfully narrated story about a 10-year old whose face looks nothing like what most people have. The book goes onto narrate the traumatic experiences he has in school, the friends he makes and how many children emerge from this story - stronger and braver. It is a story that resonates with many children as they see discrimination and 'inside jokes' almost on a daily basis in school.
Mon, March 25, 2024
S2 E70: How do people sail solo in a race to circumnavigate the globe (as part of the Golden Globe Race)
There are sailors who boldly sail into the Southern Ocean and brave the winds and the waves. They do it all by themselves. This is part of a race called the Golden Globe Race (GGR), which tests the mettle of the best of sailors. In its most recent edition, Kirsten Neuschafer from South Africa became the first woman to win (or even complete) the race. Closely behind her was Abhilash Tomy (a former naval officer from India). Abhilash was also the first Indian to complete the race. The persisten...
Tue, March 19, 2024
S2 E69: Who were the 'Original Nine' that helped change the tide in women's tennis
This is an #EqualPayDay story. Tennis is one of the few major sports where men and women get equal pay. For that, we have nine women tennis players from the 1970s to thank for.What did Billie Jean King and eight of her friends do, in 1970? This is the story of how they went ahead and set up their own tournament Virginia Slims Circuit in defiance of the Grand Slam (& other big league) organisers. They demanded equal pay. In 1973, the US Open buckled under pressure and gave in. The rest is ...
Tue, March 12, 2024
S2 E68: Can man-made stuff outweigh living creatures?
In a recent article published in the Scientific American, scientists compared the weight of everything that man has made, with the weight of all life on earth. This exercise was repeated many times over from 1900 onwards and a trend emerged.The opening lines of the article summarises this trend - "The sheer scale of buildings, infrastructure and other anthropogenic objects underscores our impact on the planet". Scientists have also found something rather unnerving about the impact of plastic ...
Fri, March 08, 2024
S2 E67: Select stories - How someone set a record for 104 marathons
Jacky Hunt Broersma is a cancer survivor. This led to one of her legs being amputated. With a prosthetic leg, she first began to jog a little every day and gradually built up her stamina. Before she knew, she had run her first ever marathon. Over the next few years, she set a world record. Run 104 marathons in 104 consecutive days. This is a short excerpt from a previous recording in Season 1.If you are aged 7-15 and would like to come and speak on this show, please register here. Do you...
Mon, March 04, 2024
S2 E66: 20 Questions: Which artifact related to football (soccer) will soon be going up for auction
A piece of football (or soccer) artifact is soon to go up for auction. It is a piece that will go down as marking one of the pivotal points in soccer history. What are we talking point? Listen on to find out moreCo-hosts: Devansh (4th grader) from Kolkata and Arjun (5th grader) from MumbaiTo support our team and donate generously, please click hereDo you like to read stories? Read our newsletters hereGet Whatsapp alerts here Follow us on Instagram Email your comments at hello@wsnt.in.
Mon, February 26, 2024
S2 E65: 20 Questions: Typing vs Writing - is there a difference in how the brain behaves
A group of researchers in Norway observed the brain patterns of students who wrote vs students who typed. The content was the same in both cases. However, their brain patterns displayed many differences. Discover what these differences were by listening to the full episode.Co-hosts: 9-year old Rusheel and 10-year old Saatvik from Mumbai, IndiaDonate and support our team by clicking hereIf you are a child and would like to come on this show, please register here. We have a short se...
Fri, February 23, 2024
S2 E64: Science - Why is the sea blue? A question that led to a Nobel Prize!
Sir C.V.Raman was traveling aboard a ship that was crossing the Atlantic. It was his first trip across the Mediterranean Sea and its colours sparkled in front of him. Standing there he pondered why the sea was blue. The experiments he did to find out the answer to this question led him to discover the 'Raman Effect', which later led to a Nobel Prize.This is a kids and family podcast episode, so you can safely assume that this episode is 'Science Simplified for Dummies'. It is also a 'Basic ex...
Mon, February 19, 2024
S2 E63: 20 Questions Game: Who was the spy caught by India and later released?
Recently, Indian authorities released a spy who had been kept in detention for over 8 months. This spy was suspected to act on behalf of the Chinese. Later, the spy was found to be innocent and was released. Who was this spy? Why was this spy released?That is what our 2 participants in this episode have to find out. It's an exciting and thrilling story, for adventure lovers!Co-hosts today: Rusheel (9 yrs old) and Saatvik (10 yrs old) from Mumbai, IndiaRecommended by our co-hostSaatvik loved t...
Thu, February 15, 2024
S2 E62: Sports: Rohan Bopanna world's oldest No. 1 in Men's doubles; Sinner youngest ever to win an Australian open
It was a weekend of records in the world of tennis.Rohan Bopanna was ranked No. 1 in Men's Doubles. This makes him the oldest to have been ranked No. 1. At the grand age of 43, when many others slow down and often retire from the game, Bopanna seems to only get fitter and stronger. The same weekend, a young Jannik Sinner from Italy won the Australian Open Men's singles title at the age of 22, making him the youngest to win this title. More than 50 years had passed since an Italian...
Mon, February 12, 2024
S2 E61: The Great Backyard Bird Count (part 2) - about birds wandering off track, bird superpowers and a world without birds
In this episode, which is the second part 2 of our podcast series on the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), we chat with the Project Head of GBBC from Cornel Lab of Ornithology (Becca Rodomsky Bish) and three children - Shravan, Taanvi and Adya.They chat about (a) what would happen if there were no birds (b) how do you count birds in a flock (c) what bird would they rather be - migratory or static?The GBBC in 2024 is to be held from 16-19 Feb. Apps to download to participate in the event1. Mer...
Thu, February 08, 2024
S2 E60: The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is here! (part 1)
The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) doesn't come our way everyday. But birds do. If you love observing birds, or are curious about them, or even just love to paint or draw pictures of birds - here's an event that you can be a part of. An event where the input of each one of us from around the world can help conserve bird species and populations.One of the three organisations that puts together the GBBC is the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. This episode was recorded in 2023, when the Project Lea...
Sun, February 04, 2024
S2 E59: 20 questions Game: Dogs in an Italian town are getting their DNA tested - Why?
In a town in Italy, all dog owners have to pay 65 euros to the city corporation. This is to get their dog's DNA tested. Why is this being mandated?Three children (4th grader Smyan, 4th grader Dhruv and 8th grader Aadya) ask the host Sangeetha questions, to decipher why dogs in this Italian city are being tested.Loved the show? To support us, please click hereWant to listen to more episodes on this channel? 3 recommended episodes(a) How video game characters started to feature more female char...
Thu, February 01, 2024
S2 E58: 20 questions Game: School attendance is falling - what trick one Ohio district wants to do
In one district in Ohio, the public school students have recorded high rates of absenteeism. So the district government has proposed a new policy. What is this policy?Three children (4th grader Smyan, 4th grader Dhruv and 8th grader Aadya) ask the host Sangeetha questions, to decipher what the new policy is.Loved the show? To support us, please click hereWant to listen to more episodes on this channel? 3 recommended episodes(a) How video game characters started to feature more female characte...
Mon, January 29, 2024
S2 E57: Who designed India's tricolour flag?
The man who designed India's tricolour flag - Pingali Venkaiyya is one of India's forgotten heroes. He joined the army under the British rule. He was a trained geologist. He also taught agriculture at a college. He was a polyglot who could learn and speak many languages with great ease and fluency. This episode has loads of trivia on Pingali Venkaiyya - one of India's greatest freedom fighters. He was a man who understood the importance of a flag as a symbol of a country's identity. He was so...
Wed, January 24, 2024
S2 E56: India's tricolour flag (part 1) - How different was India's flag? Stories behind how it changed
The tricolour Indian flag with the Ashok Chakra has a pride of place in India's Republic Day celebrations. But the Indian flag was not always like this. How different was it during India's freedom struggle? Listen to the full episode to find out more.Co-host: Taksh Solanki, 3rd grader from Aspee Nutan Academy, Mumbai (India)To join our book review of next month, please click hereIf you loved this episode and would like to donate to us, to help us produce more such shows, please click he...
Mon, January 22, 2024
S2 E55: Space news - Peregrine lander may fail and how this affects NASA's Mission Artemis
Man may want to build a settlement on the moon. This is no longer the stuff of science fiction, but already a reality that space agencies are working towards. NASA's Mission Artemis is working towards building a community that can live on the moon. But it requires a lot of planning. One of the many steps includes a lander 'Peregrine' that was to land on the moon, and send important readings back to NASA. But that mission may not be successful. Peregrine is running out of fuel and will not be ...
Fri, January 19, 2024
S2 E54: A fishing town in Iceland tried saving itself from a volcano
Iceland is famed not just for its ice, but also its fire. It's a land that sees volcanic eruptions once every four-five years. People of the land are hardy and used to these interruptions to daily life. But a fault line that had maintained volcanic silence for over 800 years (the last time it saw this kind of activity was around 1200AD) has made its presence felt. The people of a nearby fishing town (Grindavik) tried building lava barriers to protect themselves. But did this work? Could they ...
Mon, January 15, 2024
S2 E53: Science discovery - Women used to hunt in ancient times and men also spent time gathering fruits and leaves
In the Stone Age, women were fine hunters and men were adept at collecting fruits. The myth that men did all the hunting and women gathered food was recently shattered by new scientific evidence. Archaeology, human studies and simple biology - explains it all! There was nearly 100% gender equality in society during the hunter-gatherer times. Recommended listen for6-8 yrs: With parental assistance9+: Independently18+: Recommended Listen and Please share with friends & familyCo-host: 10-yr ...
Fri, January 12, 2024
S2 E52: Panda bears are flying back to China - what does this mean for 'panda diplomacy'
For nearly 1400 years, China has had a tradition of gifting panda bears to countries it wants to establish friendly relations with. For example, in the 8th century AD, the Tang dynasty empress Wu Zeitan is credited with having gifted the Japanese emperor two panda bears from forests in China. This was a gesture of goodwill between the nations. While this tradition has continued across centuries, relations between the USA and China broke down soon after the second World War.How did things chan...
Mon, January 08, 2024
S2 E51: Solving GCHQ Christmas Challenge - a puzzle for spies who love to break secret codes
Every year, GCHQ - an intelligence organisation based out of the UK, releases a Christmas puzzle. This is for children aged 11-18 to mull over the hints and crack the secret codes. In this episode, a 12-yr old joins the host and tries solving some of the puzzles released in the past few years. Listen to the episode and try solving the puzzle alongside us.To access the GCHQ 2023 Christmas puzzle, click hereTo access the SOLUTIONS to the GCHQ Christmas 2023 puzzle, click here.Support us buying ...
Fri, December 22, 2023
S2 E50: People of the Year (2023) - Zandile - the first South African Black to embrace oceans as a freediving instructor
Who would have thought that two-thirds of Planet earth remains a no-go for a lot of Black people? Zandile took up scuba diving and free diving and her folks asked her 'why do you want to do white people things?' This episode is a conversation with two primary schoolers - 3rd grader Nayra Maheshwari and 4th grader Smyan Shetty, from India. They explore ideas related to racism and segregation.To watch the video of Zandile free-diving, click here.Do you like to read stories? Read our newsletters...
Thu, December 21, 2023
S2 E49: People of the Year 2023 - Sheetal Devi - the armless archer who defied all odds
As part of our Year-end Wrap up of 2023 series, this episode celebrates the life of a 16-year old archer who defied all odds and won medals for India (and continues to do so!). Sheetal Devi was born with a medical condition that did not allow her limbs (in her case, arms) to fully develop. How she overcame these odds and became an armless archer to win two gold medals for India at the recently held Asian Para Games in China, is a story that is bound to melt hearts.How does someone shoot an ar...
Mon, December 18, 2023
S2 E48: What was exciting, boring, interesting and saddening across countries, in 2023
The world population touched 8 billion. India replaced China as the most populous. Artificial Intelligence made breakthroughs that promised students much relief and writers much pain. The world was wrecked by conflicts - the continuation of the Ukraine war, the cold tensions between the US and China and the Israel Palestine conflict. What do these mean to today's children? What are their views on these events? Listen to the full episode to find out more.For full details of the History of the ...
Fri, December 15, 2023
S2 E47: The story of the young black gymnast who stood up against racism and Gymnastics Ireland
In March 2022, a young black gymnast in Ireland was not given a medal she deserved thanks to her skin colour. Her parents called for an apology. Nothing happened for a full year. Soon, the video of this act of racism went viral. Her parents also tagged Simon Biles (the 4-time Olympic gold winning Gymnast from the USA) and asked her for help. Simon was moved by what she saw and called out Gymnastics Ireland (the organisation that had hosted this event) for their racist attitude. She also ...
Mon, December 11, 2023
S2 E46: Space, science and tech - highlights of 2023 - much ado about humpback whales, VR goggles bringing smiles and spacecrafts taking off
The year of 2023 had its bright and shiny moments in space exploration, science discoveries and tech inventions. This episode focuses on two positive stories - the return of the humpback whales (thanks to a ban on commercial whaling) AND the invention of VR goggles as treatment for lazy eye syndrome. A hurrah moment for young infants who can now deal with the treatment with greater ease and lesser pain and anxiety. Child co-hosts: Agastya (sixth grader from Mumbai) and Kiaansh (fifth gr...
Fri, December 08, 2023
S2 E45: Quiz on Thea Stilton and Geronimo Stilton and 3 book recommendations for young readers
As the year 2023 draws to a close, we bring to our young listeners a quiz on one of their favourite book series - Thea Stilton and Geronimo Stilton. Also, in this episode three young bookworms join us and share their book recommendations.Child co-hosts: Prakriti (almost '10' year old) from Mumbai, Isabelle (10-yr old) from Mumbai and Eesha (14-year old) from Chennai.To read the newsletter on the three books, please click here. Recommended listen on how to write your own story - Epi 110 ...
Mon, December 04, 2023
S2 E44: Happy kidpod - How 41 workers trapped inside a tunnel were rescued
This is the happy story of how 41 construction workers who were stuck behind the debris of a collapsed tunnel in Himachal Pradesh got freed after a 17-day long ordeal. The army and air-force, a few massive drilling machines, a team of mountain experts and several doctors came to the rescue. But it was the valorous efforts of a few skilled miners who used the rat-hole method that helped in the final leg.Do you like to read stories? Read our newsletters hereGet Whatsapp alerts here Follow us on...
Thu, November 30, 2023
S2 E43: Why Saudi Arabia wants to host FIFA World Cups
Saudi Arabia will be hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2034. It has already started hosting F1 car racing tournaments on its roads. It is also hosting one of the world's largest professional golf tournaments - LIV Golf (this will be the largest outside of the US and Europe). Why has the country suddenly gone sports-crazy? Listen to the episode to find out why. Co-hosts in this episode: 8th graders - Raghav Sharma and Pragya Mishra from Bal Bharati Public School, Dwarka, Delhi, IndiaEpisodes recom...
Mon, November 27, 2023
S2 E42: Kenya declares national holiday just to plant trees
Ever heard of a national leader saying that one of his goals is to plant 15 billion trees. If you have not, meet Kenya's President William Ruto. To meet his immediate goal of planting 100 million trees, he declared a national holiday. In a country of 50 million people, all it takes for a person is to plant 2-4 trees to get to the goal of 100 million trees. The government of Kenya also made available seeds for all these trees, free of cost, in its nurseries. People were free to plant any other...
Fri, November 24, 2023
Wildlife Series: Part 9 - Rhinos saved by foresters and a villager called Jadav Payeng who turned a barren island into a forest
This is the last and final part of our Wildlife podcast series. There are two happy stories we talk about here -(A) How rhinos in eastern India have been saved from poachers by the vigilant members of the forest community, and(B) How one man single-handedly planted an entire forest with his own hands. Jadav Payeng never went to any fashionable academic institution to learn about ecology. He just felt that creating a forest was the right thing to do. Nobody told him that he was stark raving ma...
Mon, November 20, 2023
S2 E40: Quiz on Virat "King" Kohli & his record
In the most recent semi-finals between India and New Zealand, Virat Kohli scored his 50th century. He broke the record for the highest number of centuries scored by any cricketeer in ODI (Sachin Tendulkar held the record previously).This episode is a quiz style podcast, with 5 children participating in a quiz on this cricketing legend 'Virat Kohli' or 'King Kohli' as he is sometimes called.
Fri, November 17, 2023
Wildlife Series: Part 8: The elephants that swam across oceans - stories of Indian elephants
The British discovered the dense forests of Andaman and the lack of elephants there to pull these logs. How elephants got to the islands of Andaman and Nicobar is a theme we explore in this episode.Fourth grader Chandrika from Bengaluru, India also explores how man-human conflicts are slowly being reduced as part of Project Elephant. To listen to the entire podcast series on India's wildlife, click here Do you like to read stories? Read our newsletters hereGet Whatsapp alerts here Follow...
Mon, November 13, 2023
Wildlife Series: Part 7 - The shocking story of vultures disappearing from our skies
Indian skies are full of crows, pigeons and sparrows. But vultures have collapsed in numbers from a few million to a few hundred in under a decade. Want to find out how? Listen to 8-yr old Advik (who reiterates that he is almost nine) and Smyan Shetty explaining the why and how of this story.To listen to the entire podcast series on India's wildlife, click here Do you like to read stories? Read our newsletters hereGet Whatsapp alerts here Follow us on Instagram Email your comments...
Thu, November 09, 2023
Wildlife series: Part 6 - The fascinating lives of pugees (trackers) who count and save our lions
Forest trackers also called 'pugees' play an inimitable role in conserving India's forests. They can reconstruct whole events inside forests just by looking at the pugmarks. Listen to the full episode to find out how. The pugees play a crucial role in monitoring the health of wildlife and getting medical support as quickly as possible.This is a continuation of the previous episode (part 5) and our sprightly young co-host Chandrika joins us in this episode as well.Podcast cover art has been ma...
Thu, November 09, 2023
Wildlife series: Part 5 - The Maharaja (king) who saved the Asiatic Lions from going extinct
The Asiatic lions had gone extinct in large parts of Central Asia. The last remnants were to be found in the forests of the princely states of Gujarat, in India. There were only a handful of these lions left (<20). The Nawab of Junagadh played a key role in protecting these lions from going extinct. Listen to this episode to find out how.Chandrika, a sprightly fourth-grader joins us in this episode, exploring India's success story in reviving the Asiatic lions.To listen to the entire podca...
Mon, November 06, 2023
Wildlife series: Part 4 - How tigers and villagers co-exist in forests, as part of Project Tiger
Project Tiger was launched in 1973 amidst the gloomy news that the tiger numbers had plummeted to a measly 1400 from a high of 40,000 in 1900. An Indian officer called Kailash Sankhala, also called the Tiger Man of India, pushed the case for a special protection plan for tigers. Thus was born Project Tiger.This was also around the same time when M.K.Ranjitsinh was helping the Indian government draft one of the tightest wildlife protection acts - The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. One ...
Mon, November 06, 2023
Wildlife Series: Part 3 - The astounding story of a tigress who was adopted by an forest officer
Tigers are either feared or hunted or both. Sometimes when they turn into man-eaters, they turn into the stuff of legends (and eventually give birth to stories such as the Man-eaters of Kumaon by Jim Corbett). This episode explores a different side of a tiger. The tiger can also be a creature that is careful, caring and considerate. There are instances of tigers being excellent friends of humans and being allowed to roam around freely in their presence. Saroj Raj Chaudhury was a forest o...
Thu, November 02, 2023
Wildlife Series: Part 2 - The men who saved the wildlife and forests of India
After the British left India in 1947, Indians were feeling mighty happy. But they also had to figure out how to build the country, grow more food and earn a lot of money. In the middle of all of this, if some poachers were killing tigers for their skins or rhinos for their horns - not many were paying attention to that. There were a handful of wildlife conservationists at that time, who did all they could - to first bring this to the attention of India's leaders. This episode covers three suc...
Fri, October 27, 2023
Wildlife series: Part 1 - History of Hunting in British India
We begin our new podcast series on 'India's Wildlife' - tracing stories from before India became independent, right until 2023, when India tries to bring back the cheetah from extinction. In the first episode, we trace the hunting habits of Indian Maharajahs and the British posted in India. We look at how hunting helped or hurt the wildlife balance inside India's forests. Shambhavi Nautyal, a ninth-grader from Ahlcon Public School, joins us in this episode, sharing stories about hunting was hardly the work of a brave man! To find out why, listen to the episode. Do you like to read stories? Read our newsletters here Get Whatsapp alerts here Follow us on Instagram Email your comments at hello@wsnt.in.
Thu, October 26, 2023
S2 E31: How a group of school children and teachers stuck between mountains in Pakistan were rescued
For a lot of us, going to school involves a walk around the corner, or a trip by a bus or a car. That is not the case for many children across the world. This is a real life story about a group of children who have to travel between two mountains to get to school and what happens when the cable car ferrying them gets stuck mid-air. This story has a happy ending. So worry not. Go ahead and give it a listen.An eighth grader - Temjentila, from Dimapur's Charis High school in Nagaland joins us in...
Fri, October 13, 2023
S2 E30: The origin of the Israel Palestine conflict and the backstories to this region
Palestine has an ancient history - going back many thousands of years. In this episode, we trace the stories of this region going back 3000 years, from the times of Moses right until now. The Jews were a dominant race in that region right until the Roman invasion. Soon after the birth of Jesus Christ, Christiantity gained favour and the Jews were a smaller share of the population. After the rule of the Romans and the Byzantine empire, the region is conquered by the Ottomans who then help spre...
Mon, October 09, 2023
S2 E29: Science & Inventions: What connects a cow, a virus and the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 2023
Sharp needle pricks are not anyone's favourite - least of all, when the doctors force them upon us. Worse still is a vaccine injection that may or may not be followed by a bout of fever and illness before recovery comes our way.Who do we blame / credit for discovering vaccines in recent memory? Listen to the episode to find the story of Edward Jenner and the cowpox in his milkmaid. Also, listen to the episode to see what the Nobel winners of 2023 discovered that fascinates 12-year old Rhea Va...
Sat, October 07, 2023
S2 E28: The stories behind how South India got its beloved food 'idli'
World Food Day is here. A food that is both loved by children and the old is the warm and fluffy 'idli'. Often called a South Indian food, in this episode we explore the question 'Did idli really originate in India?'There are three competing stories about how South India got its idli. Let us know where you think Idli came from!Do you like to read stories? Read our newsletters hereGet Whatsapp alerts here Follow us on Instagram Email your comments at hello@wsnt.in.
Fri, September 29, 2023
S2 E27: The true story of a dog that saved the lives of three children
Moose was eight years old, stuck in a shelter in Virginia. A family of five were looking to foster a dog for a weekend. It was going to be their lucky weekend. Moose and his kind face instantly won them over and off they went to their houseboat. What happened there and how Moose saved the three kids and the whole family from an impending disaster is the story of this podcast episode.If you'd like to see pictures of Moose and the three kids, click here Do you like to read stories? Read ou...
Tue, September 26, 2023
S2 E26: Select shorts - NASA's mission from an asteroid lands on earth: Osiris-Rex Mission brings back Bennu dust)
Dinosaurs might have been enjoying a good rest when a meteorite came crashing towards them. They may not have had the time to react or say their goodbye to their loved ones. But man is greedy. He would like to avert such disasters as much as he can.So he sends missions to asteroids to study them and figure out ways to avoid colliding with them. NASA's Osiris-Rex is one such mission. The mission recently brought back dust and pebbles from Bennu the asteroid, and landed recently in the desert s...
Fri, September 22, 2023
S2 E25: Select shorts - Sharks swimming in a volcano near Australia
A photo released by NASA - is a refreshing course in science. It show an underwater volcano erupting near the Solomon Islands and a group of sharks swimming near these volcanoes. Sharks have always been understood to prefer the cold deep water of the ocean. So this photo of sharks near the Kavachi volcanoes was quite the mystery.In this conversation with 8-yr old Aniket from Bala Vidya Mandir, Chennai, you'll find why sharks and volcanoes are fascinating to all - young and old!Do you like to ...
Mon, September 18, 2023
S2 E24: Fat Bear Week - a contest in Alaska - why is everyone so fond of this?
Bears love honey, climbing trees, and pouncing on their pound of fish in lakes and rivers. But after a while, as the snow begins to set in, the fun times stop as they quietly lie down. What happens in the weeks before they start to hibernate? They have to eat a LOT!The Fat Bear Week helps all of us from anywhere in the world see these bears in action just before they hibernate.If you'd like to read the blog version of this podcast, click here To vote for this Fat Bear contest, you can cl...
Thu, September 14, 2023
S2 E23: A new English accent emerges in a whole continent - why, how, where?
Whoever would have thought that a faraway continent (one that sees more whales and penguins, than humans) is home to a new English accent. If you are one to enjoy making out the differences between the American, British and the Australian accents, you'll enjoy listening to 13-yr old Meher from Dubai, explaining what she sees as a trend amongst her school-friends.Also, why is this new accent even important? Think Space and Mars!Listen to Meher's recommended podcast series on India's spac...
Mon, September 11, 2023
S2 E22: The fascinating story of the origins and wins of a chess prodigy - Pragnananndha
The Chennai airport saw a crowd milling with flowers and sweets, waiting to welcome one of the city's greatest heroes. This was the kind of welcome commonly found for cricketing heroes & heroines or movie superstars. This time though, it was the turn of a chess grandmaster, arriving from his FIDE Chess Championship at Baku.Listen to this episode to discover the fascinating origin story of Pragnananndha (or Prag) as he is fondly referred to. It's also got an interesting trivia / story abou...
Mon, September 04, 2023
S2 E21: What we can learn from Neeraj Chopra's story and his recent win at the World Athletics Championship
In a cricket-crazy country, a javelin thrower to have the most number of Instagram followers amongst all the athletes in the world is saying something. Neeraj Chopra's recent gold win at the World Athletics Championship has won him hearts, both for his win as well as his gesture towards the silver medal winner from Pakistan - Arshad Nadeem.Find out what exactly happened in this episode.Youtube credit for Athletics Championship press coverage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qCZq-Dlrso&t=...
Fri, September 01, 2023
Part 8: India's Space Journey - The first interstellar rockets to the Moon and the Mars
ISRO began its interstellar journey in the 21st century. Lunar mission (Chandrayaan) and Mars Orbiter mission (Mangalyaan) saw the light of the day. The triumphant successes of both these missions brought India to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the space superpowers - the US, Russia and China.The episode begins with a quick backstory into the cold war between the US and the Soviet Union.If you'd like to look at all the pictures we spoke about, here's a blog with all the pictures plugged into...
Mon, August 28, 2023
Part 7 - India's space journey: What happens when a rocket takes off? How do satellites reach their orbits?
What happens during a liftoff? Why is there so much smoke and fire? How do people in nearby towns and villages not go deaf?How does a satellite enter the orbit of the moon or the Mars?Curious co-hosts in this episode: Anina, a fourth-grader from BengaluruIf you'd like to look at all the pictures we spoke about, here's a blog with all the pictures plugged into them Do you like to read stories? Read our newsletters hereGet Whatsapp alerts here Follow us on Instagram Email your comments at...
Fri, August 25, 2023
Part 6: India's space journey - Dr.Abdul Kalam and how rockets took off from Sriharikota
Seeing rockets go up in a billowing cloud of smoke from Sriharikota is more often than not, associated with success. It was not so, in the 1980s and 1990s. Scientists at ISRO struggled with many failures and had to face growing criticism from the press for nearly a decade. Unfazed by all this, today, ISRO can proudly stake claim to having built one of the most powerful satellite launch vehicles in the world - this powerhorse is called Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)Listen on to find wha...
Fri, August 18, 2023
Part 5: India's space journey - how India got to see PT Usha, the Ramayan and Jungle Book
The 1990s saw an explosion of TV shows, including superheroes like Shaktimaan and detectives like Byomkesh Bakshi. A lot of this was aided by the presence of colour TV sets in many Indian homes.India's space journey played a huge hand in making these childhood staples for the 90s kids. The story of the satellite - Insat 1a, its launch and subsequent performance forms the basis of this episode.Curious co-hosts in this episode: 11-year old Dhruv from Bengaluru and 11-yr old Pranshi from MumbaiI...
Fri, August 18, 2023
Part 4: India's space journey - a story of a satellite, a few villages and one of India's blockbuster TV shows
If you lived in the 1980s and 1990s in India, Sunday mornings were often quiet affairs. Not because the families wanted to dine together, but because the TV brought them all together for wholesome entertainment.India's space journey had much to do with TVs becoming a reality in Indian homes. Listen to this episode (part 4) of this series and find out how an experiment with NASA bring TV shows to the average man in villages.Curious co-hosts in this episode: 9-year old Saatvik from Mumbai and 1...
Thu, August 10, 2023
Part 3: India's space journey - making our own satellite, but just a little heavier please
This episode is the third part in our series on the Journey of ISRO. Click here to listen to Parts 1 and Part 2, before you listen to part 3.Dr. Vikram Sarabhai and Dr. Homi Bhabha's deaths at the prime of their lives, robbed India of two of its greatest science and technology visionaries.The baton passed onto a scientist Prof Satish Dhawan, who not only nurtured the infant space mission, but also put together able structures and procedures that helped ISRO reach greater heights.Curious co-ho...
Mon, August 07, 2023
Part 2: India's space journey - hiking through forests in search of a launch pad
Dr.Vikram Sarabhai was not a man to stop at sending a few sounding rockets from a beach town in Kerala. He had grander visions. He wanted India to launch its own satellite from its own satellite launch vehicle.Where would he find his suitable satellite launch pad? Listen to the episode to find stories of the jungles he and his team trudged and reach the ideal island.Curious co-hosts in this episode: 11-year old Dhruv from Bengaluru and 11-yr old Pranshi from MumbaiIf you'd like to look at all...
Fri, August 04, 2023
Part 1: India's space journey - from bicycle to rocket
The feverish excitement of watching the launch of Chandrayaan 3 is hard to be matched. On second thoughts, it could be matched by India winning a world cup in cricket (esp. if the finals were against Pakistan).We delved back 75 years to look into the stories that chronicled India's space journey. These stories brought us goosebumps and left us in awe of the father of India's space program - Dr. Vikram Sarabhai. When the rest of the world was busy fighting wars to send humans and pets into spa...
Wed, August 02, 2023
S2 E12: Quiz of quirkiness - 3 questions posed by a 12-year old, about space, eggs and more
What colour is the sun?Should you be placing toilet paper on toilet seats in public bathrooms?Why are some eggs easy to peel while others are not?To find answer to these 3 questions, listen to the 12-year old who has 'scientifically researched' these points.Do you like to read stories? Read our newsletters hereGet Whatsapp alerts here Follow us on Instagram Email your comments at hello@wsnt.in.
Thu, July 27, 2023
S2 E11: Happy KidPod - Happy news stories from around the world
Every month as part of our happy kidpod, we feature news stories that bring a smile to our faces. In this episode, we share three news stories about the Amazon Rainforests, schools for children in Madagascar and interesting health routines of elephants in the USA. Anmol, Vilaksh and Tamanna from BOSCO Public School, Delhi have curated these positive news stories and share their perspectives in this episode.Trivia- If the lion is the king of the jungle in Africa, what is the king of the Amazon...
Thu, July 20, 2023
S2 E10: Project Tiger - India's success story
How many tigers can you find in Africa?Is the tiger bigger than a lion?What record has India created in the Guiness Book of World Records with respect to conserving wildlife?What would a 9 or 10-year old do, if faced with the task of saving tigers that are declining in population?8-year old Lavysha Saraf from DPS (Hyderabad), identical twins 10-yr old Dhruv Gandhi and Dhyan Gandhi from Children's Academy group of schools, share their thoughts on these questions and more. Project Tiger has bee...
Tue, July 18, 2023
S2 E9: Cyber-bullying and what can you do to protect your child (part 2)
What are some of the common ways by which children use the internet to bully their peers? What are the simple steps that parents and teachers can take to protect children?A 12-year old from S.East Asia shares his experiences of how he and his family dealt with cyber-bullying.Ms.Mildred Lobo (Principal of Bunt Sangha's S.M.Shetty International School, Mumbai) shares how she has dealt with such cyber-bullying instances in her school.Do you like to read stories? Read our newsletters hereGet What...
Mon, July 17, 2023
S2 E8: Bullying - how can children independently deal with bullies in schools (part 1)
Gone are the times when many people felt that bullying is a rite of passage of childhood or school years. Bullying, big or small, often leaves indelible marks on the minds of victims and the perpetrator. In this episode, we talk about bullying from the perspective of a child and understand how they view these experiences. We also hear from an experienced educator (Ms.Mildred Lobo, Principal and Bunt Sangha's S.M.Shetty International School) about how she thinks these situations are best ...
Thu, July 13, 2023
S2 E7: Why are killer whales biting rudders of ships
Story of this episode: It was a cold morning in July 2020. A crew manning a 46ft boat saw a group of killer whales swimming towards them. They waved towards the friendly orcas, whom they had met many times before. But the orcas were in no mood for a friendly chat. They rammed the boat in full force, chewed pieces of its rudder and pushed the boat around, nearly 180 degrees.As the crew panicked and radio-ed the Coast Guard for assistance, the Coast Guard were unsure if they heard their cries o...
Sun, July 09, 2023
S2 E6: Video Game review: Roblox - the nuts and bolts of the game & what parents need to look out for
An online platform where children can meet others, interact and make friends, all while playing a video game - that's Roblox in short.This is a platform that has more than 43 million daily active users.What makes this game so popular? Even more popular than Minecraft?To find out more about this game, I chat with 9-year old Rishaan Das from Bengaluru, to look at this game from the perspective of a child.Also discussed in this episode are thoughts on what parents can do to make this platform sa...
Thu, July 06, 2023
S2 E5: Space: A rocket from the asteroid Bennu carries secrets from the universe
If you are like me, you might catch yourself wondering how to avert a disaster that hurtled the way of dinosaurs (a meteorite crashing into earth). If you are like a scientist at NASA, you'd have found a way to avert that disaster. If you are like any space scientist around the world, you'd be onto greater things - such as finding out how the solar system looked like, a few billion years ago.NASA's recent mission to the Bennu asteroid combines all of these elements. An answer to the mysteries...
Sat, June 24, 2023
S2 E4: Wildlife: What is the Island Effect?
A couple of years ago, a group of people in nice long white lab coats (some call them scientists) set about solving a mystery about animals on islands. They had 2 interesting clues to get on about(a) a rodent the size of a 2-year old child. It was scurrying around eating up large chunks of your cake in one go.(b) a hippo similar in size to young children.A biologist called Foster first suggested this strange and funny phenomenon he noticed in islands, which he called 'an island effect'. ...
Thu, June 22, 2023
S2 E3: Movie review: The Emoji movie - by a 10-year old
Did you know that 'Face with tears of joy' is the most popular emoji of 2023?Did you know that Gen-Z things pagers are bookmarks?Join a 10-year old Isabelle Abraham to listen to a scintillating description of the Emoji movie. Isabelle attended What's new today's podcasting workshop and was thrilled to present her views 'based entirely on her original research', as she puts it:)Do you like to read stories? Read our newsletters hereGet Whatsapp alerts here Follow us on Instagram Email your com...
Sun, June 18, 2023
S2 E2: Science: Why are solar panels floating on rivers?
Ever wondered what would happen if you took a big black rectangular solar panel from your rooftops, and place them on a lake?Can the solar panel float? Will the water below damage the panel? Will the solar panel be efficient? generate electricity?Middle schooler Medhansh and primary schooler Pranshi, both from Aspee Nutan Academy, Mumbai, dig deep into these questions. In this episode, they share stories surrounding these questions and much more.Do you like to read stories? Read our newslette...
Sat, June 17, 2023
S2 E1: Harry Potter to feature in coins in the UK
The Harry Potter book series took the world by storm. Many a child today owes his / her love for reading from J.K.Rowling's creations. The thick, fat pages of Goblet of Fire or the Deathly Hallows hardly deterred 7 and 8 year olds around the world. For some children, it is hard to believe a world where there were no Harry Potter books. It was only 25 years ago that the first Harry Potter book - Philosopher's stone (or Sorcerer's stone in the US) was published. Commemorating this, the Roy...
Mon, May 22, 2023
Epi 120: From the diary of an alien - how 3D printers print cheescakes for children
Ink and paper was all that we think of, when the printer comes to our mind.But if we told you that you could order a cheesecake at the printer. Scientists at Columbia University recently introduced a 3D printing machine for children to choose which toppings and what flavours they would like on each cheesecakeWith this, we sign off our 120th episode of Season 1. We will be taking a short break this summer and will come back with more stories about the real world around us, in season 2.Do you l...
Thu, May 18, 2023
Epi 119: ChatGPT and Google - how do they differ? Is ChatGPT going to take over the world?
In this podcast episode, we dive into the fascinating world of artificial intelligence, exploring the distinctions between two powerful tools: ChatGPT and Google, and pondering the question of whether ChatGPT is poised to dominate the future.Drawing from personal experiences, 11-year-old Vidyut and 12-year-old Rohan explore how from using YouTube to expand our understanding of art to leveraging Google Translate for help with Tamil homework, technology has seamlessly integrated into our lives....
Thu, May 11, 2023
Epi 118: India won its first ever Men's Doubles Gold at Badminton Asia in 2023
Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy won the men's doubles finals at Badminton Asia - the first pair from India to have won this in 58 years. We are familiar with Saina Nehwal and P.V.Sindhu - two Indians who made India proud by winning Olympic medals. Now Chirag and Satwiksairaj bring badminton once again into centrestage.In this episode, 13-year old Eesha Vijay shares her thoughts on -'how does it feel when you watch professionals playing badminton on TV''where did this game originate?...
Thu, May 11, 2023
Epi 117: Why Pepsi changed its logo (part 2)
Walt Disney used to take his children to neighbourhood parks. He felt disappointed with the kind of experiences these parks had to offer. He had grand ideas of building something more interesting. That's how Disney theme parks came to be about. About this time, he had already started making animation movies. So combining the fairy tale characters he was showing in his movies with the fabulous theme parks he built, we get the logo of Disney - castle plus the words DISNEY.Every logo has an inte...
Mon, May 08, 2023
Epi 116: Why Pepsi changed its logo (part 1)
5 rings bring images of sports and victories in the Olympic. 4 rings shift our minds towards cars and the company Audi. A tick mark takes us to shoes and the company Nike. The letter G now represents the all-important Gmail. Brands and logos are in front of us wherever we go. But why do companies change these, from time to time? Why does the company Pepsi keep changing the way its logo looks?Listen to two teenagers Mitansh Rajkotia and Anya Chaturvedi and Vibin from Headless Hippies shar...
Thu, May 04, 2023
Epi 115: Re-shark - why baby sharks are being grown in shark schools and released into the wild
Project Re-shark is an initiative to bring more sharks into our oceans. While some people have been busy over-fishing sharks, a few others have taken it upon themselves to grow baby sharks in aquariums and then releasing them back into the wild. To talk about this interesting real life story, 7-year old Owen from New York (USA) joins us. While sharks are quite the thing that 7-year olds love to talk about, Owen also shares his opinions and ideas on -a) Are sharks really dangerous to huma...
Mon, May 01, 2023
Epi 114: Why satellites from OneWeb will help us access youtube videos from ships, planes and thick forests
No longer do you need to worry if your mobile phones are near or far from telecom towers. No longer do you need to think about whether you'll get internet access when you are vacationing in some far off place, away from civilization, or up on a mountain or on a cruise ship far away from land.In this episode, Syed Ayan, a fourth grader from Kuala Lampur, Malaysia, explains how all of this will soon come true. He will also explain the story of OneWeb - the company that has launched satellites i...
Mon, April 24, 2023
Epi 113: AI art - how do intelligent laptops draw, paint and colour on their own?
If there were a genie that said - name your wish and I'll show you a picture of how your wishes or dreams would look, we seem to have found it.It goes by the name 'artificial intelligence for art'. In the past few months, many such engines generate art after you give them a prompt. You could go wild with your imagination and even ask for - 'show me a picture of a lion sitting in an office typing out an email, with a unicorn munching a cracker next to it'.How do these engines create such works...
Fri, April 21, 2023
Epi 112: How can we make passwords safer?
From email IDs to opening youtube accounts, passwords are some of the most common things we type, day in and day out.In this episode, ninth-graders Shambhavi Nautiyal and Advaith Nair from Ahlcon Public School, Delhi, share their thoughts on how we can make passwords safer.They also speaking of impending risks to our passwords from quantum computers.To answer the quiz at the end, the two passwords mentioned are(a) sharksnearvolcanoes123456$$(b) coffee45olympics#cardboard#cubDo you like to rea...
Mon, April 17, 2023
Epi 111: Why children and families are moving to smaller towns in Japan, away from big cities
If the word countryside and summer vacations reminds you of adventures of the Famous Five, children in Japan are being enticed to have just that - a lot of adventures by the village-side all year round!Japan is facing extreme pressure in its tightly congested cities such as Tokyo. The government is encouraging families to move to smaller towns by the city. They hope that the monetary incentive will prove strong enough a motive for counter-urbanisation.Will this really help?Has any other count...
Fri, April 14, 2023
Epi 110: How to write a story? Tricks and tips for kids to get started
Roald Dahl used to visit the chocolate factories near his school, as a boy. The multiple machinations and the workers in the factory all appeared to be a part of a magical world. Years later, these experiences would inspire the popular work of 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'.In this episode, you can listen to Ms. Geetanjali Shetty Kaul, a professional storyteller who chats with primary schoolers Avni Prasad and Ambika Gupta from Ahlcon Public School, Delhi, about how to write creati...
Sun, April 09, 2023
Epi 109: 100 years of Disney (part 3) - how does a Disney animator bring characters to life
Ever wondered how Mufasa's road appears majestic? or how Rapunzel's hair flows all around? or how Olaf jumps and hops around singing in the snow?You can find answers to a ton of such questions in this episode. Chatrasal Singh, an animator with Disney Studios at Burbank, California, joins us. 10-year old Shriya from Bengaluru and 12-year old Ananya Harish from Mumbai quiz him on how he helps create Elsa or Mirabel on screen.To participate in the quiz, please click hereDo you like to read stori...
Thu, April 06, 2023
Epi 108: 100 years of Disney (part 2) - stories about recent Disney characters and movies
This is a 3-part podcast series, as Disney celebrates its 100 years of existence in 2023. This episode (which is part 2 of this series) covers the last couple of decades of Disney's existence. 12-year old Ananya Harish from Bunt Sangha's S.M.Shetty International School, Mumbai, India joins as the guest speaker in this episode.After much reading about Disney characters (esp. Disney princesses), Ananya says she is pleasantly surprised by the personality trait changes in recent years.'How differ...
Sun, April 02, 2023
Epi 107: Hundred years of Disney (Part 1) - stories of Walt Disney and a chat with an illustrator
Disney studio was established in 1923. Rabbits, mice, ducks, cats and many more characters came alive on screen, thanks to Walt Disney and his team. Not happy with just showing his audience fairy tales on screen, Disney also expanded to develop theme parks. Now you could meet some of these characters in person and on rides, in these theme parks. As time went on, Disney studios brought bigger and richer folk tales from across the world (including stories such as Raya, the last Dragon).In this ...
Thu, March 30, 2023
Epi 106: What's common between Lenovo's laptops, food delivery packets and pencils
What's flaxseed got to do with Lenovo?What's peanut shells got to do with food delivery?What's a pencil got to do with our terrace gardens?The short answer is - packaging that is sustainable. In this episode, 9-year old Shanaya, 8-year old Dhanush and 9-year old Isabelle from the Children's Academy Group of schools, talk about these stories. While we often talk about moving away from single-use plastics, this episode covers stories about companies that are making an effort to make this easier...
Sun, March 26, 2023
Epi 105: Young Avengers - who might be the next in Marvel Cinematic Universe?
Superheroes have captivated our imagination for eons. The Marvel Cinematic Universe - Spiderman, Doctor Strange and many more, has been one of the most successful superhero franchises. But a void has now arisen. With Iron Man and Black Widow dead, Steve Rogers retired and Captain Marvel busy protecting other galaxies, the case for a new band of Young Avengers is high. In this episode, 7-year old Adwitya Goyal and 10-year old Rudransh Das from Children's Academy group of schools, Mu...
Thu, March 23, 2023
Epi 104: How signing a High Seas Treaty will protect octopuses, coral reefs and more
In the story 'Finding Nemo', the journey undertaken by Marlin and Dory kept us all on the edge of our seats. Some of us may have also heaved a sigh of relief when the clownfish Nemo is saved and is back home. What if we told you that a band of humans have come together to save many more creatures of the sea, the ocean floor and much more. Yayy! It's true.Listen to 8-yr old Tweesha, 9-year old Saatvik and 9-year old Rachita - all of whom go to the Children's Academy Group of Schools in Mumbai,...
Mon, March 20, 2023
Epi 103: NASA appoints its first ever Woman 'Head of Science'
In 64 years, for the first time, Dr.Nicola Fox, a British-origin scientist has been appointed to head science projects at NASA. Her dad loved science and especially space, and some of that seemed to have rubbed off on her. She also went to a girls' school and felt fully at home in science laboratories. There were no boys around, so no one told her that science may be for boys (mainly). In this episode, discussing lots of stories about her childhood and school years, is a vivacious 1...
Thu, March 16, 2023
Epi 102: Islands without vehicles & wheels - what life would be like
Imagine going on a holiday, where you can get around in only one of three ways - walking, riding a donkey or riding a bicycle. You would also have to carry your suitcases and bags around with no taxi to transport it around. This would be true if you went to places like the island Hydra in Greece, the city of Ghent in Belgium and many islands in Maldives. To talk about how interesting or difficult life would be in such islands, we are joined by Renee Agarwal from Emerald Heights Internat...
Sun, March 12, 2023
Epi 101: How bacteria can help us make new smartphones and laptops
Man will soon begin to build houses on moon. Check.The James Webb Telescope might soon tell us how the universe began its journey. Check.Bacteria can help us make new smartphones and laptop. Err...Not sure if we have lost our mind here?Pinch yourself. This is reality. In this episode with 10-year old Agastya Deshpande from Nahar International School, Mumbai, you will hear all about scientists who have discovered new uses for bacteria. They have the ability to accelerate the process of extract...
Thu, March 09, 2023
Epi 100: Behind the scenes - making of the 'What's new today' podcast
Our excitement at the prospect of having reached the 100th episode milestone must be palpable - in our voices, the podcast cover and even in our sound tracks :)In this episode, 8-year old Devansh from Kolkata and 12-year old Eesha from Chennai (who have both appeared in previous episodes on science & wildlife stories) talk about their experiences. We answer questions such as -'Is there a script for each episode?''How do the children prepare for each episode?''How does the podcast channel ...
Sun, March 05, 2023
Epi 99: Adventure Book series recommended for young readers by a tween
Love solving puzzles? Enjoy listening to mythological stories? You're very likely to enjoy the two book series that our child co-host in this episode recommends.11-year old Saathvika who goes to New Albany Elementary School from Columbus , Ohio (USA) shares her thoughts on two book series - the Aru Shah series and the Greystone Secrets series. Listen to her to find out what these two book series are about. She also has plenty of reflection questions - both for the host Sangeetha and our liste...
Wed, March 01, 2023
Epi 98: How AI cameras help save elephants and lions - a World Wildlife Day Trivia special
A world where cameras do not just take pictures, but also tell you when and how to smile - is no longer the stuff of science fiction. For now, artificially intelligent cameras are already helping save the lives (and possibly the smiles) of people and endangered wildlife. These AI cameras placed in multiple points throughout forests can alert forest rangers if any wild animals stray from their regular paths. Often times, these wild animals enter the habitats of humans, when they change their f...
Mon, February 27, 2023
Epi 97: Why are the canals of Venice running dry and how boats are stuck in the mud
Long long ago, so long ago, that most people do know how long ago (because some people have read history textbooks), Venice was nothing more than a collection of marshlands. A few fishermen eeked their living by selling fish and making salt. In time, this group of islands became a place of refuge and grew into a large town.10-year old Pragnya and 11-year old Trayee describe the history of Venice in a short story at the beginning of this episode. For those of us, the word Venice conjures...
Thu, February 23, 2023
Epi 96: Losar festival - Where Tibetans meet their New Year
Three days of festivities surround the lives of thousands of the Tibetan diaspora, as they welcome their new year - Losar. About the time when the winter chills dissipate and fresh harvest yields fill their granaries, the Tibetans (much like their Venetian friends) don masks and dance to ring in their new year.In this episode, Puranjoy Bhattacharya, a student at the Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology, shares his first-hand experiences of what it is like for an outsider to witness some of ...
Mon, February 20, 2023
Epi 95: Video game review of FIFA from EA sports (part 2)
EA sports is parting ways with FIFA. The video game that millions of players are used to calling FIFA, will soon be renamed EA Sports FC. Getting used to that?In this episode, which is the second part of a review of this video game (one of the highest downloaded games of all times), we are joined by 3 football fans. Archisman Mandal and Aarush Jaiswal - both sixth graders from Emerald Heights International School share their experiences of playing the game. Vinith Muralidharan who spends...
Fri, February 17, 2023
Epi 94: Video game review of FIFA from EA sports (part 1)
What do you do when older kids in your school don't let you play striker and relegate you to defence?You fight your way in the ground or pick up the FIFA video game and play whichever position you want to your heart's content.In this episode with Archisman and Aarush from Emerald Heights International school, Indore (both sixth graders), we are joined by Vinith Muralidharan - a child at heart, a diehard football fan who also visits the offices of Britannia to help them with their marketing ef...
Mon, February 13, 2023
Epi 93: Remarkable stories from Radio Land on World Radio Day
Radio was this device in many homes that held a place of awe and respect for decades. It brought into many households the first pieces of information of what was going on in the real world. It also made entertainment commonplace. Be it classical or popular music, families clustered around the radio, for wholesome entertainment a few decades ago.Today is the World Radio Day and we trace some interesting stories along the way of radio's evolution. Do you like to read stories? Read our news...
Fri, February 10, 2023
Epi 92: The inspiring story of women taking command positions in the Indian army
Did you know that Asian lions lead their pride whereas African lionesses often defend their pride and territory? A recent newspaper headlining 'Capt. Shiva Chauhan is the first women army officer to be posted in the Siachen Glacier' caught the attention of two super enthusiastic children from Delhi, who join us in this episode. They explore the news story, alongside their observations on how this moulds with what we see in the wildlife.12 yr old Riya Mishra and 14 yr old Madhu Kumari, f...
Sun, February 05, 2023
Epi 91: The story of the flashing green comet that's come back to visit us after 50,000 years
Comets come and go about a dozen times in a year without much fanfare. But a green comet that's flashing its pretty smile at us, is causing much celebration around the world. There are excellent reasons why each one of us should look into our night skies to say hello to this comet. To begin with, how often do you get to meet something that's last met Neanderthals roaming the face of this earth. In this episode with fifth grader Luptha from Ohio and seventh grader Aadya from Kolkata, we e...
Thu, February 02, 2023
Epi 90: How to be a part of the Great Backyard Bird Count (part 2)
In part 1 of this series (Epi 89), we discussed what the Great Backyard Bird Count was all about. In this episode, we answer questions on how to participate in it. There are lots of curious questions about birds too, that we have tried to answer in this episode.One of the three organisations that puts together the GBBC is the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The Project Leader of GBBC - Becca Rodomsky Bish joins us in this episode to chat about birds and this event. Also on this episode are 3 curi...
Mon, January 30, 2023
Epi 89: What is the Great Backyard Bird Count (part 1)
The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) doesn't come our way everyday. But birds do. If you love observing birds, or are curious about them, or even just love to paint or draw pictures of birds - here's an event that you can be a part of. An event where the input of each one of us from around the world can help conserve bird species and populations.One of the three organisations that puts together the GBBC is the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The Project Leader of GBBC - Becca Rodomsky Bish joins ...
Thu, January 26, 2023
Epi 88: How robots are crawling through underground pipes and helping the world conserve water
The UK loses 3 billion litres of water every day through leaks in its underground water pipes. That's a LOT of water. Enough to fill a few hundred Olympic size swimming pools. Imagine all the fun kids can have splashing in these pools? But no, all that water is lost!But now, the UK plans to use tiny robots to keep crawling through these pipes all year round. These robots will fix leaks faster than any humans can. 11-year Trayee from India tells us a lot more about this news story that s...
Fri, January 20, 2023
Epi 87: ChatGPT: where you combine coding and learning with a dose of fun
The world has been abuzz with a secret new weapon that can turn every student's essay into a worthy A+ piece of paper. This weapon can also turn every worst programmer's nightmare into a dream. By generating lines of code with no bugs. It is also a weapon that has turned every teacher's dream into a nightmare. Having to figure out if the essay was really written by their student of this secret weapon.This is an episode on ChatGPT. The language processing AI tool that has taken the world by st...
Thu, January 12, 2023
Epi 86: Why the Dead Sea is really dying?
The word Dead sea conjures images of people relaxing in the sea, floating with books in hand or just enjoying the starry images of the sky and the beaches around. But, if you plan on enjoying this anytime, you might need to make it there sooner rather than later.In this episode, 13-year old Inaaya Ijaz, a climate activist from London, UK, talks about the Dead Sea and why it might be dying. There's also trivia about Cleopatra, Egyptian mummies and ghosts from the Harry Potter books to ke...
Mon, January 09, 2023
Epi 85: 8 billion people - is Earth overflowing?
It has taken us a short 11 years from 2011 to 2022 to touch 8 billion people on this world. Babies are born all over the world. But if you did take a time machine into the future, you are most likely to see those babies born in Africa and Asia and emptier maternity hospitals in the western countries.In this episode with 8-year old Jairam from Redwood Montessori School, Chennai, you will be fascinated by what a young curious child thinks of having more kids in his neighbourhood, of how w...
Thu, January 05, 2023
Epi 84: Tiger sharks carrying cameras on their back - whoever heard of such a thing
What does the grass lying on the bottom of the ocean have to do with the cars we drive? Here's a trivia that will help you make the connection. The seagrass absorbs way more carbon than the tall trees on land. So, weep not, if you have been worried about the Amazon rainforests getting the axe. Help is at hand. In this episode with 9-year old Ahalya Niranjan from Redwood Montessori School, Chennai, you can listen to the story about how some ingenious scientists use tiger sharks to help us...
Sat, December 24, 2022
Sports wrap 2022: FIFA world cup, T20 world cup and Tennis GOATs
Please click here to fill our survey and tell us what you think we can do to make the episodes better2022 was a year like none other. The FIFA final in 2022 was perhaps the greatest nail-biter in all FIFA finals. A year where Messi fulfilled his life-long dream. Also, a year where a team from Africa reached the semi-finals for the first time (that would be Morocco, if you were wondering). 2022 was another year when India did NOT win the T20 world cup. The sub-continent was less affected ...
Thu, December 22, 2022
Space exploration in 2022: All that's colourful from James Webb telescope, Mission DART crashing into an asteroid and why the ISS may be losing a member
If you are feeling jolly good about Christmas, please gift us 2 mins of your time and fill this survey to tell us what more we can do, to make this podcast channel fun and interesting (https://s.surveyplanet.com/d79mitsl)After a few decades of lull, space exploration saw a lot of action in 2022.Visiting the moon is back on our plate. Asteroids crashing into earth is no longer a worry. Hold your questions about how earth was really formed, for JWST may have answers to this and more.In this epi...
Sun, December 18, 2022
Robotics in 2022 - VR goggles, video-game characters, cyborg cockroaches and electric autos
Please be our Santa Claus and gift us 2 mins of your time by filling this survey https://s.surveyplanet.com/d79mitslVirtual reality is no more just a fantasy place where gamers like to go. Doctors are beginning to use VR goggles to help people become calm and even forget pain. Electric batteries now don't need to be discarded. Old ones can be used to power smaller autos - as one company Nunam showed us this year. Video game characters are becoming more diverse - no l...
Fri, December 16, 2022
Movies, music, books, toys - 2022 brought new dinosaurs, BTS hiatus, Indian winning international booker and new Barbies
If you are feeling jolly good about Christmas being around, please gift us 2 mins of your time and fill this survey (https://s.surveyplanet.com/d79mitsl)2022 brought interesting science to movies - all dinosaurs had feathers!2022 also brought a temporary halt to the works of the much beloved BTS - no one is exempted from military service!The first time ever an Indian won the international booker this year and Barbie dolls are not just pretty faces anymore.Steven Spielberg ...
Mon, December 12, 2022
Wildlife in 2022 - All about cheetahs, sharks, tasmanian tigers, gorillas, King Kong and woolly mammoths
Feeling festive? Please gift us 1 min of your time and fill this survey (https://s.surveyplanet.com/d79mitsl) Thanks in advance :) The year 2022 had a lot of interesting science discoveries, that had many young and curious minds really hooked. No, we are not claiming idly that kids were hooked to these news updates. You'll find this episode where an 8-yr old Dhruv, a 9-yr old Keshav and a 10-yr old Vihaan, delve into the depths of the wildlife discoveries - proof that curious kids a...
Thu, December 08, 2022
Climate Change in 2022 - Quick wrap of the floods, the pollution and how cities around the world are coping with it
If you are feeling jolly good about Christmas, please click here and gift us 2 mins of your time and share your ideas in this survey (https://s.surveyplanet.com/d79mitsl The year 2022 was a mixed bag when it comes to climate change. While news about heatwaves, floods, droughts and melting glaciers brought some angst, innovative ideas by local fishermen in Italy, pro-active efforts by political leaders at COP27 and conservation groups in Australia brought some smiles to our faces.Meher (Grade ...
Mon, December 05, 2022
Geopolitics in 2022: funniest and most interesting stuff from countries around the world!
We are always looking for ways to improve our podcast. Please click here to fill this survey questionnaire (2 min.) to help us. (https://s.surveyplanet.com/d79mitslIn this wrap-up about news from countries and events around the world, 4 curious children join the host Sangeetha, to talk about what they found the most interesting this year. Ananya Mathur from DPS Nagpur, Thejas Reddy from VIS, Delhi and Trayee from AAIS Chennai, discuss stories about Taiwan, Ukraine, the UK, the Yemen con...
Thu, December 01, 2022
Epi 83: How a high-schooler created a universe on the video game Minecraft
To listen to episodes on space and video games, click here Children and adults love making creations - whether it is building sandcastles on the beach, or houses with cardboard boxes, or creating an Iron Man using Lego blocks. One teenager took up an interesting challenge - depicting the entire universe on a video game Minecraft. This was no frivolous pass-time. It involved making complex mathematical calculations and even sky-diving, to envisage how earth would look like, from space. To...
Sun, November 27, 2022
Epi 82: How a video game Pong pits itself against an artificial brain
If you have pondered ways of testing your smarts against a computer, a game of chess will likely pop into your head. But some scientists decided to make things fun. They decided to use a 1970s video game called Pong, to test some real smarts. Think black and white screen, a paddle moving up and down, and a ball that bounces off the sides of the screen. Sounds odd? I mean, in this day and age, why not use an Xbox right?Here's the real clincher. The scientists did NOT test a real person's brain...
Thu, November 24, 2022
Epi 81: Adventures of Elon Musk in Twitter land
The world's richest man wants to let everyone have an equal say in the world. He wants everyone to share their ideas - no matter if they are Thanos or one of the Avengers. Elon Musk went ahead and bought a company Twitter to allow just that - all for all. No half measures.In this episode, Mitansh from DPS Nagpur discusses the dash of 'spices' that Elon Musk has brought along. Rocked by a lot of loans to be paid off, Musk has begun firing most of the staff. Mitansh describes what he thinks of ...
Mon, November 21, 2022
Epi 80: Climate Change - Are the rich finally going to help the rest of the world this COP27?
To listen to episode 75 about animatronic dolphins, please click herePlanet Earth is getting warmer. Some leaders meet every year to talk about what they can do to combat climate change. Few countries go home and do something to reduce their emissions. In the midst of all this rather gloomy news is another interesting twist - although poor countries have hardly emitted any greenhouse gases, they are facing storms and floods. Some island nations could be at the brink of being submerged forever...
Thu, November 17, 2022
Epi 79: Space: How space-tech and satellites work during the Ukraine-Russia war
The war in Ukraine took several unexpected turns, first with the Ukrainian defence of its capital Kiev and the united support of several Western countries. 13-year old Neil from G.D.Goenka School, Lucknow, who has taken a keen interest in tracking the events of the Ukraine war, walks us through initial attack by Russia. He also explains the kind of support that the US and other countries lent Ukraine to help it fend off the attacks by Russia.Also joining us in this episode is 11-year old Tray...
Mon, November 14, 2022
Epi 78: Environment - How beautiful underwater sculptures near Italy are protecting life under water
To listen to episode 45 about Marvel characters, please click hereTo listen to episode 55 about cheetahs coming back to India, please click herePaolo Fanciulli, a fisherman who lives in Italy was always fascinated by shipwrecks and the fish and the algae that grew in them. He noticed also how it was getting harder to get any fish while casting his fishing nets thanks to trawling by large fishing companies. He noticed that nobody really cared about how these trawling nets were destroying the m...
Thu, November 10, 2022
Epi 77: Global perspectives - why Taiwan is at the centre of a tug of war between China and US
Listen to a lively episode on Queen Elizabeth and her heir (Epi 63) by clicking hereThe island of Taiwan which is 100 miles away from China is key for us to create this podcast and for you to listen to it. In case you are wondering, the host of this podcast does not live there. But our recording equipments, our editing tools and the device on which you are now listening to this podcast - are most likely made with one important part called the semi-conductor chip. Taiwan is the single largest ...
Sun, November 06, 2022
Epi 76: How NASA sent a spacecraft to crash into an asteroid
To listen to Space related episodes, please click hereTo listen to Wildlife related episodes, please click hereIf you remember the tales about why dinosaurs went extinct, one of the common stories is that a meteorite crashed into earth. Some scientists in NASA who were thinking about this story were curious to see if we could avoid such a fate, if a meteorite came crashing into earth. And humans might become extinct. In this episode, 10-year Arav from Emerald Heights school, Indore, describes...
Fri, November 04, 2022
Epi 75: Robotics: Real dolphins - please return to the oceans. Animatronic dolphins will dance and swim in water parks
Listen To Episode 55 about cheetahs being re-introduced in India by clicking hereMore than 50 years ago, a young and happy orca whale called Lolita (4 yrs old) was swimming with her mother and 6 siblings in the Pacific Ocean. She was captured and sold to an aquarium in the US. Lolita has been living in a tiny water tank in Miami, where she has been performing stunts and entertaining people. Lolita has not had a chance to meet or greet another orca whale.In this episode, 10-year Taanvi f...
Wed, November 02, 2022
Epi 74: Nobel Prize (part 2) - How Lego blocks' style clicks can be used to cure diseases and more...
This is Part 2 of the Nobel Prize winners for 2022. If you would like to listen to the super-fun stories in Part 1, please click here to listen to episode 69.The winners for Chemistry, according to 10-year old Vidyut might open the doors for curing diseases such as cancer. As Vidyut explains, these laureates have discovered something called click chemistry, which is a lot like letting two lego blocks click together. The winners for Economics, as 11-yr old Adya explains, might keep our mo...
Sun, October 30, 2022
Epi 73: Robotics - A robotic fish that can eat plastics and clean our oceans
To listen to episode 38 on Video Game characters, please click here or scroll below on our episode list.Remote controlled cars and planes are toys we are familiar with. A remote-controlled fish that can not just swim, but also eat the plastic pieces floating in the water is now around. Chinese scientists from Sichuan University have developed this little piece of marvel, in a bid to keep our oceans clean. 10-year Anura from Emerald Heights School, Indore, describes how micro-plastics is a big...
Thu, October 27, 2022
Epi 72: Sports - Tennis stars Federer and Serena Williams take a bow
If you would like to listen to the entertaining episode (13) on micro-plastics, please click here.Serena Williams and Roger Federer are synonymous with tennis. Both of them have dominated the sport, with a trail of Grand Slam titles and plenty of tennis records shattered. In this episode, 13-year Amogh from Michigan, a teen fond of playing both tennis and golf, walks us through the careers of these two tennis stars. Serena showed incredible promise as a sportsperson even when she was just a t...
Thu, October 20, 2022
Epi 71: Wildlife - Why lobsters, horses, pigs and octopuses feel more emotion than we think
To get a FREE subscription to Newsahoot, please click here (https://bit.ly/3VKPZHUHorses running around freely have brainwaves that are calming in nature, while those that are cooped in their lonely stables are depressed. Or at-least that's what the headset worn by horses show us in an experiment. If this reminds you of our times during the lockdown at home, you are right. Animals like pigs, lobsters, crabs, octopuses and many more have been found sentient (which means, they can feel em...
Sun, October 16, 2022
Epi 70: Why lights on Eiffel tower and skyscrapers in Europe will be turned off this winter
Eiffel tower is synonymous with its colourful lights at night. But the electricity shortage in Europe has forced the mayor of Paris to announce that lights will be turned off on the Eiffel tower an hour earlier than usual (by 11pm). Many monuments and government buildings across Europe (Germany and Spain included) will be turning off lights at night for the first time in decades. People have been asked to save electricity by not heating their homes beyond 19C. What's worse, many parts o...
Fri, October 14, 2022
Epi 69: Nobel prizes 2022 (Part 1): What's brewing in physics, medicine and peace?
Click here to answer the quiz questions (or copy paste this link onto your browser) to win a story book as a prize!Quiz link: https://s.surveyplanet.com/5d17xb1vWhen Alfred Nobel read his obituary (much to his surprise), he was horrified to read its contents. His invention (the dynamite) had caused much destruction in the world. The newspapers wrote unflattering remarks about his achievements. Much affected by what he read about himself, Nobel set upon working towards bequeathing his wealth t...
Mon, October 10, 2022
Epi 68: Entertainment - Why toys that look like astronauts and scientists help kids dream differently
Barbie has long held a unique place and symbolised pretty looks. Not anymore. The company Mattel which makes Barbie dolls has pivoted towards showing Barbie dolls with a stronger personality. Barbie dolls are no longer just pretty faces with fancy shoes and bags. They also represent women with a purpose, profession and positive perspective. In this episode, 10th grader Anya Chaturvedi from DPS Nagpur speaks eloquently about Mattel's pivot in its line-up of Barbie dolls.Mattel, in a survey, fo...
Thu, October 06, 2022
Epi 67 - Wildlife: How Hero Rats and Cyborg cockroaches can save human lives!
Most of us have played with a remote-controlled car that we like to guide across several surfaces - both inside and outside our homes. It appears that the child in us (who loves such remote controlled cars) never left the minds of some Japanese scientists. Recently, they created a cyborg cockroach. Its movements are controlled remotely by scientists. They guide it to crawl under the debris and rubble of earthquakes. The camera attached to this cockroach can help people identify any huma...
Mon, October 03, 2022
Select short pieces from episodes where our co-hosts had us at our wits end
A special episode where we do a throwback to our earlier episodes where our co-hosts had us at our wits end and rolling with laughter. Links to the episodes featured on this podcast are below:Episode 53: Why the earth spun super fast and we had the shortest day in 60 yearsEpisode 44: How your car will soon get a fitness and medical certificateEpisode 36: The curious case of sharks near a volcanoEpisode 50: Climate news - How cities, smart or not, might look like in futureEpisode 48: Ca...
Thu, September 29, 2022
Epi 66: Climate change - The Third Pole near Pakistan that flooded the country
From faraway in space, if an alien happened to use a pair of binoculars, he might have easily mistaken Pakistan for a large river, or a bunch islands sticking out an inland sea. Certainly not for one of the most fertile lands growing fragrant and aromatic spices and rice.More than a fifth of Pakistan is underwater and is witness to one of the largest natural catastrophes. Sadly Pakistan maybe paying the price of global warming despite contributing to less than 1% of global greenhouse emission...
Mon, September 26, 2022
Curious questions about moon, Ukraine, virtual reality and books
Curious children can send us their questions via email at hello@wsnt.in or DM us on Instagram here.In this episode, we answer questions that kids have sent us earlier via email. Thanks a lot for sharing your thoughts to those who have sent us their answers and questions so far.Do you like to read stories? Read our newsletters hereGet Whatsapp alerts here Follow us on Instagram Email your comments at hello@wsnt.in.
Fri, September 23, 2022
Epi 65: Books -The father of science fiction and how he shaped modern Marvel and Geronimo Stilton works
If you have heard of the 'time-machine', you are already familiar with the father of science fiction - H.G.Wells. Sep 21 was H.G.Wells' birthday and we look at the works he has created, in this episode. When he wrote his works of science fiction, little may he have imagined that he was going to inspire generations of authors and children. Marvel and DC characters are richer thanks to the elements of science fiction woven into them - whether it is Iron Man's tech-fired suit or the ability of t...
Mon, September 19, 2022
Epi 64: Space - Are we really going to the moon on the 'Artemis' missions?
Quite recently, NASA launched its next set of missions named 'Artemis' - the Greek Goddess of the moon, to send people once again back to the moon. The last time we set foot on the moon, astronauts went aboard the space shuttle Apollo, who is the twin of the Greek Goddess Artemis. NASA's current mission to the moon hopes to take off from where Apollo left off.In this episode, with a vibrant 7-year old Advik from India, we explore how this mission is also expected to bring greater racial and g...
Thu, September 15, 2022
Epi 63: Global perspectives - What does Queen Elizabeth II passing away mean for you and me
Queen Elizabeth II, the oldest reigning British monarch recently passed away. She had ruled Britain for over 70 years and had many firsts to her name. Including, the first monarch to send an email. If the word 'queen' brings to your mind images of a lady declaring wars and riding her army into the battleground, well, this is not the royal duty she discharged. Kings and queens in the modern world don't have the power they had earlier. In this episode, 11-year old Adya explains how they are rea...
Sun, September 11, 2022
Epi 62: Science - How an extinct Tasmanian tiger is being brought back to life
Jurassic Park is a movie (and book) filled with an equal measure of wonders and horrors. It's a story of a park filled with a group of extinct species - dinosaurs - brought to life. This episode contains a story quite similar - an extinct species of the Tasmanian tiger being brought back to life. The only difference is that this is real. It is not a piece of fiction - it is happening here and now. Ninth-grader Umang from DAV school, Durgapur speaks about the science behind this, and about how...
Thu, September 08, 2022
Epi 61: Science news - Why humans speak and gorillas shriek
Have you wondered why humans like you and I speak in long steady voices, while gorillas, apes and chimpanzees often bounce about trees and shriek in high-pitched voices?Have you also wondered what would happen if you spoke in a shrill voice for a long time? Go ahead and try it. Or better, listen to this episode to find out what an 8-yr old boy called Devansh has found about this in a recent Science journal . A group of scientists studied our vocal chords and compared it with that of primates....
Mon, September 05, 2022
Epi 60: Space news - Celebrating 10 years of Curiosity Rover on Planet Mars
When NASA sent the Curiosity Rover to Mars in 2012, they expected the rover to last all of one year on the Red Planet. Much to their consternation and the rest of the world's delight, the rover shows no signs of slowing down. Who would have thought we owe much to dust for this? Like our brooms at home, the dust clouds on Mars help keep the solar panels on the rover clean, and keep them running. The rover was sent to answer an important question 'Could Mars have supported life at any time'? To...
Fri, September 02, 2022
Epi 60: The Great Green Wall
Register for the wildlife quiz by clicking here . The Sahara desert has been spreading southwards, as global warming and deforestation have been on the rise. To prevent its spread, the idea of a great green wall - a wall made of trees, rather than forests, was mooted in 2007. The trees, plants and shrubs are to help the local communities find more jobs, grow their own food and also prevent further migration out of Africa. In this episode, an eighth grader Siddhi, from Ahlcon Public School, Delhi, discusses the impact of this wall on the rest of the world as well. 'What is a vertical green wall' 'Who started the idea of green walls inside buildings and residences' To find answers to these and more, listen to the full episode. To find more updates on the Great Green Wall, click here to read Did you find the Disney movie in the puzzle? Send it to us at hello@wsnt.in
Fri, September 02, 2022
Climate alert: A Great Green Wall springs out of a desert
Hello wildlife geeks, we are holding a Wildlife Quiz on 18-Sep. Come, join us to have lots of fun discussing wildlife trivia and register for the wildlife quiz by clicking here.The Sahara desert has been spreading southwards, as global warming and deforestation have been on the rise. To prevent its spread, the idea of a great green wall - a wall made of trees, rather than forests, was mooted in 2007. The trees, plants and shrubs are to help the local communities find more jobs, grow their own...
Mon, August 29, 2022
Epi 59: Countries & global news - Why migrants get free medicines
In the Journey to the Atlantis by Geronimo Stilton, a boy who speaks an unknown language and with blue skin lands up in a new place. The mouselings set out to discover ways to help him. In this episode with the fourth grader Dhruv Agarwal from Kolkata India, we discuss the news story of how California's new law might help people who come to their country, just like Thea Stilton set out to help the boy in blue skin.Dhruv comes with answers to questions like 'who is a migrant?' and 'what ...
Thu, August 25, 2022
Epi 58: Climate news - How coral reefs are being brought back to good health
For long we have been hearing news about how our marine ecosystem has been declining. In this episode, we discuss some positive developments in our oceans. The Great Barrier Reef is showing signs of recovering in nearly a third of the area, which had almost been bleached until a few years ago. Many government and not-for-profit organisations have instituted measures that help clean up coral reefs.An almost 7-year old Ayaansh who joins us to discuss this news story, also discusses the single l...
Sun, August 21, 2022
Epi 57: Sports news - Paralympics gaining greater glory than sports for people with 2 legs
Sports that exist for people who are differently abled, but emojis for these are yet to be created - that's paralympics in a nutshell. Some of these inspiring stories of people with fewer limbs swimming or playing table tennis are an inspiration to all of us. As this 13-year old co-host on this episode, who had done his research about Paralympians, describes - the next time he is faced with a difficult Math problem, he'd plod through it and solve it without batting an eyelid.Paralympian...
Fri, August 19, 2022
Epi 56: Why ships from Ukraine going through Black Sea will solve food shortages
Many people in Africa and Asia have been going without essential food ever since the Ukraine war broke out. While soldiers in Ukraine have been busy fighting the war, the farmers of Ukraine have also been busy sowing, planting and harvesting grains from their fields. Because, Ukraine is a very big supplier of wheat and sunflower oil to the world. The farmers of Ukraine have also stocked their harvest in their warehouses. But, but, but, the harvest has been sitting there with nowhere to g...
Mon, August 15, 2022
Epi 55: Wildlife news - How extinct cheetahs are being brought back to India
Commemorating India's 75 years of independence, the government of India plans to bring African cheetahs from Namibia. In this episode, 12-year old Aadya discusses the reasons for cheetahs going extinct in the past and where these cheetahs stand the best chances of survival. India has had reasonable success in ensuring healthy populations of other animals that were earlier on the brink of extinction (including the lions and rhinos). Aadya, the daughter of an officer from the Indian army, ...
Thu, August 11, 2022
Epi 54: Wildlife news - Why the whale shark is the world's biggest omnivore
The Kodiak bear, which has long held the prized position as the world's largest omnivore has been recently unseated by the whale shark. Marine biologists have long wondered about the diet of many giant creatures of the ocean. Sharks open their mouths wide to consume fish. Alongside these tiny creatures, plenty of algae, zooplankton and other plant varieties also float into their mouths. The fish biologist Mark Meekan, who was swimming in the waters of the Indian Ocean, was able to locat...
Mon, August 08, 2022
Epi 53: Space news - Why the earth spun super fast and we had the shortest day in 60 years
If you felt strange on June 29, 2022 - a bit fuzzy or if you were hiccupping continuously, you won't need a doctor. Because you, like many others, may have felt the effect of the earth spinning very fast on that day. It's been the shortest day recorded (in the last 60 years) - short by 1.59 milliseconds. Vidyut, a 10-year old who joined us on this episode, plunged into a full scale discussion of the causes and impact of this super short day. If you have questions like 'what do glaciers have t...
Fri, August 05, 2022
Epi 52: Sports and Northeast - How India's Northeast has developed a culture of sportmanship
Winning medals in weightlifting, judo and javelin throw have brought a variety of sports into the ambit of many children in India. 13-year old Tejas, who plays cricket professionally (and is equally adept at football) speaks about his own experiences. In this episode, you will also hear stories about sportspeople like Milkha Singh and Dhyan Chand, who have inspired generations. You can find answers to questions like - Why did India lose its edge in hockey? Why do people from the North E...
Mon, August 01, 2022
Epi 51: Space news - How the International Space Station works and why Russia wants to break away
The ISS is a satellite, as big as a football ground, that you can spot from your own terraces and even send messages on twitter to the astronauts in it. While they spend much of their time doing experiments, they do take a break and play a game of chess (yes, someone from space played against someone on earth over the internet, a few years ago). They are also busy trying to find how living creatures survive in micro-gravity.ISS may just no longer be ISS - as in, one of the 5 space agenc...
Fri, July 29, 2022
Epi 50: Climate news - How cities, smart or not, might look like in future
If the idea of spending your weekend by holding a cup of hot chocolate and a book (or a kindle, if you insist), and sitting in a park bench appeals to you, the future might be here in many streets of Paris. If you hope that kids will get more open spaces to play in, the future might already be here in Stockholm, which plans to ask cars to make way for children's parks. If you think we need to be more attentive to waste management, the future might be here, in Barcelona, which plans to careful...
Mon, July 25, 2022
Epi 49: Tech news - How 'VR googles' can help you be a part of a live video game
Who would have thought a pair of 3D glasses (like the ones you use to watch Marvel movies in theatres) can help us jump into a different world, atleast in our minds.In this episode, a 11-yr old tells us a story about how she fractured a couple of bones in her hand, and how watching LOTR kept her mind off the pain. Doctors are keen on using a similar effect and help our minds forget our immediate environment. Instead they want us to don a pair of goggles and enter a new world and immerse ourse...
Fri, July 22, 2022
Episode 48: Cars and climate: Super-fast electric cars to help autos make the air cleaner
Autorickshaws have funny and interesting names across the world. They go by tuk-tuk, baby taxi and lapa in different countries. While Tesla, BMW, Audi, Ola, Mahindra & Mahindra, Hyundai and many more companies are making electric cars that keep our air cleaner, their gentler autorickshaw cousins haven't made much headway. But that will soon change as they get an e-lift. Nunam, an NGO has tied with Audi to take their used car batteries to power smaller auto-rickshaws. This extends the batt...
Mon, July 18, 2022
Episode 47: Three go on an adventure in a car trip in the Mongol Rally
The Famous Five go on adventure trips in bicycles and camp in the moors. The Secret Seven go on picnics carrying food and a dog along for adventure in the summer. In current times, we book a pretty villa somewhere in the hills and book a flight to our holiday destination. But, the Mongol Rally is a car adventure trip that might just be more adventurous than any of these. Three Indians have just left from Prague, as part of this rally, across 15 countries in Europe and Asia. There is no fixed ...
Fri, July 15, 2022
Episode 46: The story of the ruler who has Gota Go from his throne
Scar in Lion King, Thanos in the Marvel universe, or Zeus the Greek God got very powerful in their kingdoms. The people in their lands were upset with the decisions of the rulers. Simba came back and fought Scar off his Pride Lands. Thanos was defeated by the Avengers. Zeus was put inside a golden cage by the other Gods. A similar story is unfolding in Sri Lanka. People of the country have been left with little or no money. All thanks to the poor decisions taken by the rulers of their co...
Mon, July 11, 2022
Episode 45: Why superheroes at Marvel, DC and other comics are getting more diverse
Black Panther, Shang Chi, Miles Morales, Miss Marvel and America Chavez are new age superheroes. They are new age, not because their super powers are starkly different from that of others, but because they don't look, or speak or perhaps even behave like other superheroes. They are not strictly male or white. Why are superheroes looking more different? What helps the studios create characters who hail from different ethnicities? Why is it important to create superheroes who are diverse?L...
Fri, July 08, 2022
Episode 44: How your car will soon get a fitness and medical certificate
Crash tests for cars sold in India are not common. Many people who buy cars may not even know if the car they are buying gets 0 out of 5 points for its safety features. But now, all that is set to change. Beginning 2023, the government will provide for every car produced and sold in India to be tested within the country. So, if you happen to want to buy a car, you can get a fitness certificate, very soon. If you know the answer to the riddle at the end of the episode, please email them t...
Sun, July 03, 2022
Episode 43: Can a giant gorilla like King Kong or Mei from Turning Red exist in the real world?
A few curious scientists got together to answer the question whether we might find a giant gorilla like the King Kong, in an island somewhere in the world. The answer to this question was published in a science journal recently, which 12-year old Eesha discusses in this episode. Giants in movies like Mei from Turning Red, or the Hulk from the Avengers have kindled the imagination of many viewers. Scientists attempt to explain, in this news journal, if mammals like pandas or humans or gorillas...
Thu, June 30, 2022
Episode 42: Why people love to visit Japan and what you can do there during your vacation
Japan, after 2 long years during this pandemic, has finally opened itself to tourists who can now visit the Land of the Rising Sun. In this episode, 9-year old Shravan speaks about his summer vacations in Europe and how this differs from life in Asia. While Japan has announced opening itself to the world, they still remain very careful about how people can move around in their country. For instance, you cannot wake up one morning in a hotel in Tokyo and decide to take a stroll down a ma...
Tue, June 28, 2022
Episode 41: Why fishes and corals in the Red Sea are afraid of a ship
An old old ship is lying in the Red sea, all alone. It hasn't been cleaned, dusted or maintained for many years. 14-year Keshav (who co-hosts this episode) thinks the ship must have gone rusted and mouldy by now. The world would not be too worried about a ship gone mouldy, except that it also contains a whole lot of crude oil. The fishes and the coral reefs have been scared of the oil spilling into the sea and frantically sounding alarm bells (just kidding, it's the whales and the dolph...
Thu, June 23, 2022
Episode 40: Why the country Turkey changed its name
The country Turkey got tired of being confused with the names of birds which are also the symbol of a national holiday in the US. Turkey's leaders were also not too keen on the meaning of the word Turkey in English (google says it refers to someone rather silly). Tired of these unflattering associations, the country has decided that the time has come for it to change its name! In this conversation with an almost 9-year old Abir from Singapore, we discuss answers to questions like 'When ...
Sun, June 19, 2022
Episode 39: How dinosaurs in the new Jurassic world movie are different
The new Jurassic world dominion movie makes a departure from the previous movies in how the dinosaurs look. Taking help of paleontologists - Stephen Bassett in this movie and Jack Horner in some of the previous movies, the scenes and sets of each of these movies are getting closer and closer to how the science world thinks. Especially, about how dinosaurs looked like, millions of years ago.Listen to the full episode, where 8-year old Advik discusses with the host, the world of dinosaurs, foss...
Wed, June 15, 2022
Episode 38: How video-game experiences are getting better
Kids who love video games should be able to find male and female characters / avatars with equal ease today. This was not so, just a few years ago. In this episode with an 'almost' 11-year old Trayee, we talk about how girl characters have become increasingly common (thanks in part to the efforts of a 12-yr old girl Maddie who wrote about it in 2015)Listen to this episode to also hear the personal opinions of video game developer Anish George about the changes he has seen. There's a riddle at...
Sun, June 12, 2022
Epi 37: Global perspectives - Queen Elizabeth celebrates platinum jubilee of her monarchy
Recently, the queen of England - Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 70 years of rule as the head of state. A 9-yr old is curious to know why celebrating this milestone is a big deal. Listen to this episode to also get a hang of the what monarchs do, now that many countries are democracies. If you have any questions or comments, please email us at hello@wsnt.inFollow us on twitter hereFollow us on instagram hereDo you like to read stories? Read our newsletters hereGet Whatsapp alerts here Follo...
Thu, June 09, 2022
Episode 36: The curious case of sharks near a volcano
Recently, a volcanic eruption in the Kavachi volcano (in Solomon islands near Australia) was recorded by NASA. The fascinating part about this submarine volcano is the presence of sharks in the warm waters surrounding the hot crater. Since sharks are otherwise associated with the clean and cold waters deep in our oceans, the presence of sharks here has been a source of puzzlement for many scientists.Listen to this conversation with almost 8-yr old Aniket to hear more about stories about ancie...
Tue, June 07, 2022
Episode 35: A 16-yr old Indian grandmaster wins against World No. 1
A 16-yr old, with a rather unpronounceable name Praggnanandhaa recently won against Magnus Carlsen, the reining chess champion. In this episode, 8-yr old Adeep discusses the game, and many stories about computers that play against grandmasters. Listen to this to hear more childhood stories of Praggnanandhaa and his sister Vaishali. Follow us on Instagram hereFollow us on Twitter hereShoot us an email at hello@wsnt.in if you would like to co-host an episode with Sangeetha, or if you have ...
Mon, June 06, 2022
Episode 34: Our environment - a giant goblet of fire
In this episode, we surveyed a whole bunch of tweens and teens. We asked them about what they'd like to save on planet earth. Some even had ideas on whether they'd like to live in space vs oceans. Listen to this episode with more than 7 of our young co-hosts - Ayaansh, Reyaan, Yoshika, Vihaan, Vedant, Meher and Shravan, each speaking their minds:)Listen to the full episode with Vedant on old phones hereListen to the full episode with Meher on floating cities hereFollow us on Instagram hereWe'...
Thu, June 02, 2022
Episode 33: All play and more pay for women soccer players
Women soccer players in the US, who were otherwise paid lower than the male players, won a landmark ruling. The court has judged that men and women should get paid at an equal rate for the matches they play within the US. Listen to this conversation with 9-yr old Vihaan to find a lot of interesting trivia about the game of soccer, the players and how to make the world a happier place. Follow us on Twitter hereFollow us on Instagram hereIf you have any thoughts or comments, please share them a...
Tue, May 31, 2022
Episode 32: Hurrah! Indian author wins first ever International Booker!
Geetanjali Shree has the distinction of being the first ever Indian author to win the International Booker for her Hindi work 'Ret Samadhi' which was translated as Tomb of Sand in English. Listen to this 'almost' 10-year old's perspective on what books mean to children, and what books written in non-English languages also mean to them.Follow us on Twitter hereFollow us on Instagram hereIf you have any thoughts or comments, please share them as an audio file via email to hello@wsnt.inDo you li...
Sat, May 28, 2022
Episode 31: Science: How astronomers took photos of the black hole Sagittarius A*
A scientist called Einstein scribbled many notes on papers more than 100 years ago. These included his imaginations and calculations about objects in space. He predicted that there were powerful objects called black holes that could suck everything that came their way, included light. It was in 2019 when astronomers pieced together photos from radio telescopes across the world and released the first ever image of a black hole. More recently, for the second time ever, a direct image of a...
Wed, May 25, 2022
Episode 30: Eurovision and the Multiverse of Music
When Europe was recovering from the after-effects of the second world war, an Italian at the European Broadcasting Union wanted to test if live broadcasting on radio would work seamlessly. He hit upon an idea of launching a song contest across Europe which would be played live on radio. The Eurovision song contest was thus born - an event rivaled only by football in terms of live viewership in Europe. More than 200m people listen to the live performances. In 2022, a band from Ukraine - called...
Tue, May 24, 2022
Episode 29: What is Europe doing about the war in Ukraine
Russia is the largest country in the world and has got its neighbours all rattled. If you shared a border with Russia, I guess you'd be thinking of protection more than building schools and roads. In this conversation with a 10-year old, we explore answers to questions such as 'For how long will this spending go on? Or is this like the Jan 1 resolution that adults make when they THINK there is a threat of weight gain and will fizzle away?'War has also meant we have made many new inventi...
Mon, May 23, 2022
Episode 28: Science - how woolly mammoths and giant kangaroos went extinct thanks to smaller brains
When we think of animals that went extinct, dinosaurs and giant elephants and huge marsupials often come to mind. Meteors crashing the earth and people hunting these creatures for their skin and horns are often cited as reasons. Most recently, researchers at Tel Aviv University, and the University of Naples, examined the mass extinction of large animals. They found that extinct species had, much smaller brains than species that survived. Listen to this conversation with a 6-year old to find a...
Tue, May 17, 2022
Episode 27: Wonders of a floating city - nope not Venice - it's near Busan
S.Korea, alongwith the UN, has created a plan for a new floating city near Busan. If you are reminded of boats and canals near Venice, you are like million others who think the same! Ancient Venice was built when people fled enemies to live in these swamplands. Today, we are building these floating cities to flee from the risks of flooding near coastal cities and islands. 'How will these cities get electricity? Can children go to schools? Can people go to work? How are these places going to g...
Mon, May 16, 2022
Episode 26: How Jacky ran 104 marathons in 104 days to set a new world record
Running in parks, on football grounds or trying to catch that elusive ball before it crosses a boundary in cricket - such fun associated with all of them. But for Jacky Hunt Broersma - there was fun in running 104 marathons in 104 days. She did not pack her bags and decide to run from one of the US, where she lives, to another. Instead she stayed right at home, drop her kids off at school, go run a marathon, get to her day job (a coach), come back home, cook dinner and help her kids with thei...
Sun, May 15, 2022
Episode 25: The French got a new leader and how they went about it in order!
Recently the French elected a new President - Emmanuel Macron, for a second term. While elections are more common today than they were in ancient Greece, the French do something that the Brits or the Americans or the Indians do. They elect the person they want to become the President directly. They don't wait around to patiently choose representatives in parliament and hope to God that the representatives would choose their preferred leader. In this conversation with a 12-year old, we e...
Fri, May 06, 2022
Episode 24: Science: The wonders of the James Webb telescope (Part 2)
In this second episode of the James Webb telescope series - we look at what infrared light coming from ancient stars is likely to contain. How do we distinguish between light coming from super ancient stars versus relatively new stars? Will the ancient galaxies look like pretty little spirals that we see in our encyclopedias? Listen to this conversation with a 10-year old to find answers to these and more.Please email us at hello@wsnt.in with your thoughts, comments and questions.Do you like ...
Thu, May 05, 2022
Episode 23: Science: The wonders of the James Webb telescope (Part 1)
After nearly 3 decades of effort and testing, the James Webb telescope was successfully launched into space in Dec 2021. This telescope has been designed to help us see how the universe looked when the early stars were created. Why do we need a telescope in space, when we already have a Hubble telescope out there? Why did it take someone more than 25 years to develop this one? If this telescope is farther than the moon, how do we fix a problem if it has one? Listen to this conversa...
Mon, May 02, 2022
Episode 22: Flash! Time out! Not enough power for ACs this summer
How many things can we generate electricity from? Solar, wind, coal, nuclear, biogas and a few more, says a 10-year old. Do we use all of these to make electricity from, in India? Why did the rains last year lead to lesser coal this year? I know summer is scorching hot, then why don't we just use solar energy in places that are close to the equator? Listen to this conversation with a 10-year old to find out more about these.If you have any thoughts or comments, please email them to us at hell...
Thu, April 28, 2022
Episode 21: Really! Our phones and laptops have gold and platinum in them?
It is not uncommon to think of dwarves with hammers working in tunnels, and filling baskets with gold bars, when we think of mining. But did you know that you can mine some gold, silver, platinum and rhodium from your own backyard? Or should we say cupboards? Listen to this conversation with a 10-year old, to find out about how we should be disposing our old bulbs, microwaves and computers, to make the world go round and clean.Please send your thoughts and comments to hello@wsnt.inDo you like...
Mon, April 25, 2022
Episode 20: Wow! Something floating in space will soon replace our wi-fi routers
When we connect our phones or laptops to the internet, we connect using wi-fi or mobile data. Both of these need big fat wires to be laid all over the land and under oceans. What can people living in faraway places or on mountains do, to get internet connectivity? What are companies like SpaceX and Amazon trying to do, to get more people on earth get connected?Listen to this conversation with a 9-year old to understand where we might all be headed in future.Please email your thoughts or comme...
Sun, April 24, 2022
Episode 19: Why quiet time in Yemen such a big deal?
At the tip of the Arabian Peninsula, lies a country called Yemen. Lots of groups of people have been angry at each other and have been fighting a nasty war for over 7 years. Children haven't been able to go to school, people don't have work and food is hard to come by. Finally, last week, a truce (or some quiet time) was announced. 'If so many groups of people want to sit down and negotiate peace, I am not sure if that is easy' - says 9-year old Yoanna, in this episode. Listen to the con...
Fri, April 22, 2022
Episode 18: Wheat and Lemon - why are their prices hard to reckon
Food prices all over the world are sky rocketing. Temperatures are soaring high. 'How come a war fought by Russia in a far away country seems to affect us in India, so badly? Why are poor countries like India affected more than rich countries, by food price increases?'Listen to this conversation with a 9-year old to explore how high food prices are, and what to expect next.If you have any thoughts or comments, please email us at hello@wsnt.inDo you like to read stories? Read our newsletters h...
Wed, April 20, 2022
Episode 17: Science: How can better rules protect marine life?
Only a thin strip of water near the coastline is governed by countries. The rest of the oceans, called High Seas, is left largely ungoverned. A high seas treaty was to have helped safeguard the lives of marine creatures, reduce pollution of the seas through deep-sea mining and set up a framework by which the rich and poor countries can share genetic resources well.Listen to this conversation with a 9-year old who says 'if mining for new minerals can help us create clean vehicles but polluted ...
Tue, April 19, 2022
Episode 16: Why do workers in Amazon want to join 'unions'?
Recently, a few thousand workers in a warehouse of Amazon in New York voted to be a part of a union. Why workers need to be part of unions? Won't this give them a lot of power over their bosses? Will more companies in other parts of the world also start unions?Listen to this conversation with a 9-year old to understand her world view of profit-focused companies vs. unions.If you have any thoughts or comments please share them via email to hello@wsnt.in.Follow us on http://twitter.com/@Whatsne...
Fri, April 15, 2022
Episode 15: What are these wonder jars doing in Assam?
Recently a few giant stone jars were discovered in North Eastern India (Assam). We are guessing that these jars were used to keep the ashes of the dead. Sometimes, they also contained some pretty beads and ancient bracelets. These stone jars are similar to the jars found in Laos."How does someone carry or lift a giant 3m high stone jar? Ancient humans must have been really strong, is it? How do we find if people in Assam migrated to Laos or people from Laos migrated to Assam?"To find answers ...
Fri, April 15, 2022
Episode 14: Gee - why are Russians welcome in Turkey ?
"Russia has attacked Ukraine. So do people avoid the bully? Like not talk to them or sit next to them at lunch? But wait....do we really have a problem with the people of Russia or only the Russian government?""Why is Turkey happy to welcome some Russians into their country?"Listen to this conversation between a 10-year old and a curious adult, who try to find answers to these questions together.Please share your thoughts or comments by email to hello@wsnt.inIf you are less than 18 year...
Mon, April 11, 2022
Episode 13: Science for kids - why do we eat micro-plastics?
'Did you know that most of us eat plastic, just like we eat rice or pasta?' None of us willingly orders a plate of plastic at a restaurant. But those little plastic straws and juice containers that we throw into the garbage bins at home can land up in our food plates. 'How does a plastic straw come back with our rice? Doesn't our body just send it all out?' Listen to the podcast to get answers to this question.What's new today is a family podcast where kids and parents can sit together a...
Sun, April 10, 2022
Episode 12: Why Sri Lankans are unable to get enough fuel and food
"Why can't the Sri Lankans grow enough food for themselves? How do refugees free from an island nation? Why did the people not oppose bad governments many years ago - why wait till now?" - Questions posed by a 10-year old. Listen to this conversation between a 10-year old and an adult - that unravels how the crisis started in Sri Lanka, and what's going on there now. Email your queries and comments to hello@wsnt.inDo you like to read stories? Read our newsletters hereGet Whatsapp al...
Sat, April 02, 2022
Episode 11: How are drones helping Ukraine fight its war
Imagine the drones that you have seen in weddings taking photos? Something similar, only much bigger, is helping Ukraine fight its war against Russia. What's a drone? How do drones keep enemies at bay, in a war ? Did you know that even farmers use drones? And what is Dominoes planning to use them for?Listen to the podcast to find out more about this.If you have any thoughts or queries, please email us at hello@wsnt.in. We read every single text message that comes our way. If you send us ...
Sat, April 02, 2022
How Lakshya Sen created a record by reaching the men's finals in a badminton tournament
Lakshya Sen reached the men's finals in the all-England men's singles open championship. He did not win it though. This was the first time someone had reached the men's singles finals in this tournament, after more than 21 years. Why is this tournament so important ? Why do Asians dominate this sport? How old is the sport itself ? Listen to the podcast to find answers to these questions and more.
Fri, April 01, 2022
Episode 10: How pig sounds help us understand animals better
A short loud squeal vs a long grunt - one could mean excitement and the other anxiety. Each sound emitted by animals can give us excellent clues to understand their mental state better. If, you like many of us, are not very sure which is which - an app will likely be out shortly. If you listen to a new grunt around you and you upload it on the app, you might find out for yourself if the animal is filled with sorrow or is just plain hungry or thoroughly joyous. Why is this app important f...
Wed, December 22, 2021
Episode 9: Why is inflation here to stay?
Before we understand the word inflation, listen to this story of how our Christmas gifts and everything else we order on our phones and laptops get to our homes. It begins with a little phone call or an order that our neighbourhood sellers make to our factories. As the pandemic struck us, workers in many factories have had a tough time getting to work and making things. This podcast tracks how a toy seller orders a small game of chess, gets it from his factory in China, manages to get a ...
Mon, December 20, 2021
Episode 8: Why are we sending people to the moon
Our story for today begins more than 50 years ago. It was a pleasant night in summer in July 1969. Well past 10 pm EST, people in the US sat up wide awake in front of their TV sets to watch a grainy, black and white video of man landing on the moon for the first time in the history of mankind. Following this stellar achievement, the US sent over 10 missions with many more crew members who set foot on the moon, collected rock samples and came back to earth. This frenzy of sending manned lunar ...
Mon, December 20, 2021
Episode 7: Why is Ukraine important for Russia ?
Today's story begins over 30 years ago when a rather large country called the Soviet Union broke off into smaller units. One of them is a unit we call today as Russia. Many Russians were sad that some land parts that were close to their heart were lost to them. One of them was Ukraine. An old Russian civilisation called the Ruriks had set up their rule from Kiev, which is today the capital of Ukraine. In today's episode, we cover fun facts about Ukraine (did you know that Ukraine i...
Fri, October 08, 2021
Episode 6: What China's warplanes flying over Taiwan means
China flew over 150 airplanes over the Taiwanese air defense zone in the past week or so. Taiwan retaliated with its aircrafts, alert to defend itself if a threat arose. So far, there hasn't been an open war. But what does this mean for Taiwan's independence and democracy ?Why does China want to attack Taiwan ?Taiwan is a tiny island near China. More than 70 years ago, two groups of people competed to win the right to rule China. A group called the Communist Party, led by Mao Zedong, won. The...
Thu, October 07, 2021
Episode 5: Nobel Prize for Physiology 2021 - decoded for kids
The Nobel Prize for Physiology 2021 goes to two scientists who have helped us identify which receptors in our bodies sense heat, touch, temperature and pressure.In this podcast, we explain what these 4 receptors (TRPV1, TRPM8, PIEZO1, PIEZO2) mean, in simple terms for kids to understand. We also answer questions raised by our young listeners -a) We always knew that we had sensors for touch and heat that sent information to our brain. What does this research tell us additionally ?b) Why are th...
Tue, October 05, 2021
Episode 4: Why Christmas might have fewer gifts, Dinosaurs were once cat-sized
This festive season, grocery stores the world over may find fewer toys, furniture, clothes and other such items. After the pandemic, people started buying more things both on ecommerce portals and in person once the neighbourhood stores opened. As a result, factories in Asia - which is where most of the world gets its stuff, started producing more. But in the meanwhile, another little crisis had been brewing. This was the shipping crisis - some ports were still closed or had fewer worker...
Mon, October 04, 2021
Episode 3: Internet satellites and light pollution
SpaceX, Amazon and many more internet satellite companies are planning to send over 60,000 satellites into the space over the next few years. While this can serve many under-served parts of the world with faster and cheaper internet connectivity, this can also have a harmful impact, by way of light pollution.Light pollution is caused by the fact that there can be more visible satellites than there are visible stars. This can impact the ability of astronomers to see the night sky clearly. ...
Sun, October 03, 2021
Episode 2: Haitian refugee crisis, Prehistoric Australian eagle discovered
Thousands of Haitians are camping outside the US, near the Mexican border, seeking refuge. These Haitians have spent over a decade living and working outside Haiti, in various countries in S.America, mainly Brazil and Chile. Haiti was impacted by an earthquake over a decade ago, and more recently in August this year. Jobs and food are scarce to come by in Haiti. The US, however, is turning back these refugees and sending them back in planes. Fossil remains of an Australian eagle have rec...
Thu, September 30, 2021
Episode 1: Truck driver shortage in UK, NASA's LANDSAT 9 goes into orbit
People in UK face a shortage of fuel in fuel station and groceries in supermarkets, not due to shortage of food or fuel, but due to a shortage of truck drivers who can haul these items across the country. Between Brexit and the pandemic, the UK is faced with a grim winter. For the immediate future, the government plans to issue 10,000 more visas to combat the shortage. But it waits to be seen, how the government will sort this shortage out in the longer term.NASA's LANDSAT 9 was recently laun...
Wed, September 29, 2021
China faces power cuts, synthetic trees inventions can improve access to drinking water
China's factories are faced with rising demand but these factories are unable to produce enough as they don't have enough power. China is keen on keeping its carbon emissions under control. So Chinese coal power stations are not allowed to increase power output in keeping with the rising demand. Chinese factories, as a result, are working fewer hours. Global supply chains involving phones, laptops, leather shoes, or textiles are likely to be impacted.Scientists from Virginia Tech have develop...
Tue, September 28, 2021
Google turns 23, Germany election results
Google turned 23 on the 27th of Sep. Happy birthday Google ! As intricate as Google has become a part of our lives, there are many fascinating trivia about Google that we explore about its past. Its first servers were housed in Lego bricks, its lawns are mowed by a team of goats and its motto is 'Don't be evil'. If you want to see the picture of the Lego bricks and the first server of Google, you can access that at http://infolab.stanford.edu/pub/voy/museum/pictures/display/0-4-Google.h...
Mon, September 27, 2021
Jeff Bezos pledge to biodiversity, Active pups have better mental health
Last week, the Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and a few more billionaires pledged $5 billion towards protecting land and water. This money was to be used to conserve biodiversity - as in, taking care that a wide variety of species of birds, animals, trees and plants thrive well. Some of us might think of managing global warming by riding bicycles instead of cars, it would serve us well to remember that protecting the earth and conserving our trees and birds and animals, are equally important. Thi...
Thu, September 23, 2021
Netflix buys rights to Roald Dahl, Evergrande may fail, home team advantages
Netflix has bought the rights to all of Roald Dahl's works. Netflix already has a series based on Charlie and the chocolate factory in the works. In addition, the company plans to release animated and live action movies or series on atleast 16 of his works. So, for those of you who love Willy Wonka, Matilda, BFG and more, there is a lot in store !Evergrande, a Chinese company that builds and sells properties is having trouble paying off its loans. Failure of Evergrande can affect the ba...
Wed, September 22, 2021
India resumes vaccine exports, Autumn equinox, Guiness record of oldest twins
If you lived in India, you would have known that there was a mad scramble for vaccine shots in April and May this year. A lot of people feared that there would not be enough vaccines going around. So, the government decided to stop exporting or sharing it with other nations. But now, as factories in the country are able to produce a lot more, India has decided to begin exporting again. India is the world’s largest manufacturer of vaccines. So, when large manufacturers like India - restart exp...
Wed, September 22, 2021
Rising gas prices in Europe, China kids limit for videos, Ptesaur kids could fly
Price of electricity in Europe is now more than double of what it was in January 2021. Winter has been more prolonged this year, going right upto March. People needed more power to keep their homes heated this year. As more people worked from homes, there was more demand for power from residences, almost up 8% this year. Supply of natural gas from Russia has declined. Food prices in Europe are also going up. It might be a tough year for European consumers this winter.China video-game sh...
Tue, September 21, 2021
Afghan schools for boys, Australia buys submarines, birds learn from inside their eggs
Taliban's new rules allow schools to open, but only for boys. Schools are facing shortages of teachers since many of the roles of teachers till recently were filled by women. UN aid agencies are trying to pressure the Taliban to open schools for girls too.Australia scraps a deal with France to buy submarines. Instead Australia goes ahead and buys nuclear powered submarines from the USA. Threatened by China's growing naval fleet, the US offers to share its nuclear technology with Australia.An ...
Mon, September 20, 2021
Introducing 'What's new today'
Welcome to 'What's new today', a lively kids and families podcast. We invite children in every episode to co-host the show with Sangeetha (the host), and they chat about current events. These conversations are unscripted, filled with wit and curiosity. New episodes will be released every Monday and Friday.Video excerpts and behind the scenes shots of our podcast episodes can be found on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatsnewtoday_wsnt_podcast/Our goal in creating this podcast...
loading...