BTN Classroom Episode 17, 2021
BTN Transcript: Episode 17 - 15/6/2021
Hey. I'm Amelia Moseley and you're watching BTN. Here's what's coming up. Why this class is building an electric car, the discovery of Australia's biggest ever dinosaur and Amal rolls up her sleeve for National Blood Donor Week.
COVID Variants
Reporter: Jack Evans
INTRO: All that soon, but first. Melbourne's now out of lockdown. But many people were predicting it would last much longer after the highly infectious Delta variant of COVID-19 was detected in Victoria for the first time. You've probably heard of COVID variants popping up around the world lately, so what are they? And where did they come from? Jack explains.
JACK: So, do you like my toy design?
FACTORY BOSS: Like it? I love it. I'm gonna claim it as my own and sell it to every kid in the country.
JACK: Oh.
FACTORY BOSS: I want a hundred, no, a hundred thousand of those googly eyed little things by the morning.
JACK: Oh gee, that's so many hundreds.
FACTORY BOSS: And don't you dare think about using the cloning machine to make them. Any who too-da-loo.
JACK: What's the point of having a cloning machine if you're not allowed to use it? I'm sure one or two wouldn't hurt. See, that was fine, I wonder what happens when I put two in? Four, well that makes sense. Although that one looks a little odd.
Don't you hate it when you're making sock puppets and they start to go, well, mutant on you. No? I guess that's not really a common thing anyone has probably ever experienced. But it is kinda what's been happening with the COVID-19 virus. Just minus the socks and the googly eyes.
You see since first discovering COVID back in 2019 we've noticed it sort of change and evolve as it's spread across the globe. These changes are called mutations and it's actually pretty common for a virus like COVID-19 to, well, mutate over time. Especially if it's being spread around a lot and no, it's not because of some cloning machine gone wrong.
If you look inside a virus, like COVID-19, you'll find a very specific string of thousands of molecules called nucleotides. Each time the virus infects someone and makes copies of itself those nucleotides are copied. Every now and then, as it's copied, there is a mistake in the string of nucleotides and the mistake gets copied as the virus spreads. Most of the time these tiny variations don't alter how the virus works and sometimes they can actually make the virus a little weaker and it eventually dies out. But sometimes the variation can make the virus stronger. Like better at transmitting or more resistant to the immune system and these strains tend to thrive.
JACK: I don't think this is going to end well.
When there are multiple viruses with the same mutation floating around, they become known as a variant. There have been a few variants of COVID that have popped up around the world. The Alpha UK variant, which was found last year in September and is believed to be 50 percent more transmissible. The Beta South African variant that shares similarities with the Alpha. There's the Brazilian variant, Gamma, which was responsible for a surge of cases in Brazil. And then there are the two Indian variants Kappa and Delta. That last one, Delta, actually found its way to Melbourne and was detected in someone last week.
The good news is that experts say that COVID vaccines are designed so that in most cases they will work against new variants. But experts also say it's still really important to practice all that stuff we've gotten so good at doing, washing hands, wearing masks, keeping socially distanced and staying home and away from others if you are feeling sick. I just wish I had a solution for this guy. They are just socks though, I mean how bad can they be?
News Quiz
World leaders from countries like the US, Australia, France and the UK have met in person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. But what are they meeting for? The G7, the G20 or the United Nations Climate Change conference? It's the G7 or Group of 7 summit where the leaders from the world's leading economic countries get together to talk, well, economy stuff. This year a few other countries who aren't normally a part of it including Australia have been invited to take part, too.
What do all these people have in common? They're among 1,190 Australians on this year's Queen's Birthday Honours list. The list recognises the achievements of all kinds of people including health workers, sports stars, and of course a few Thor size celebrities.
An Australian city's just been named the third most liveable in the world. What an accomplishment. But which Australian city is it? Melbourne, Sydney or Adelaide. It's Adelaide. It came in behind Auckland in New Zealand and Osaka in Japan. All up, four Aussie cities made the top ten.
And, more than a dozen McDonald's outlets had to close in Indonesia last week because of scenes like this. But what were so many people trying to get their hands on? The answer is a new meal named after K Pop superstars BTS. Delivery drivers were lining up for hours to get a single order cramming into restaurants without proper social distancing so for safety, owners decided to shut up shop.
Electric Car Class
Reporter: Amelia Moseley
INTRO: Next up, did you think we'd all be driving around in electric cars by now? Well, despite being around for a while, the technology's still surprisingly rare on our roads. Now some states and territories are trying to change that. Let's find out why, starting with a class in Victoria that's creating their very own electric vehicle.
From an old gas guzzler to an electrified engine. These grease monkeys in Bendigo are creating a car fit for the future.
ABI: So, we're restoring an old car and we're turning it into an electric car.
DANIELLE: After we strip it down, we're gonna get I think we're going to get new parts and we're gonna put them all back together. We're just trying to move on into the future a bit more with cars and helping out the environment.
Like these students, you probably know that petrol and diesel cars produce air pollution because their engines burn fuel and that's why lots of experts reckon the way forward is this greener option.
FORD ADVERTISEMENT: It's the all new F1-50 lightning.
Some of the world's biggest car companies have started shifting their models to electric ones.
US REPORTER: Mr President.
JOE BIDEN, US PRESIDENT: This sucker's quick.
And some governments have been trying to encourage people to buy them. Not just by hooning about but by offering tax breaks or discounts.
JOE BIDEN, US PRESIDENT: The future of the auto industry is electric. There's no turning back.
But in Australia, things seem to be moving like my old 1988 Ford Laser with the air con on, quite slowly. Electric vehicles made up less than one per cent of cars sold here last year. That's nowhere near as many as in other wealthy countries. Some people say electric cars are just too expensive in Australia and there aren't that many models available.
But car manufacturers say that could change if more people were given more reasons to buy them. While the Federal Government says it doesn't plan to set any electric car targets or offer incentives right now; some states have put their foot on the accelerator. The ACT's now offering people discounts on buying and running EVs and some other states have similar plans.
ANDREW BARR, ACT CHIEF MINISTER: Let's have a race amongst the Australian states and territories as to who can have the best policies in this area.
But hit the brakes again, because there's another thing to consider on this road trip.
AUSTRALIAN DRIVER 1: I think more charging stations.
AUSTRALIAN DRIVER 2: Now there's not many places to charge the electric car.
Yup, we probably need more of these to help electric cars get around our rather large country. Plus, if people weren't stopping here anymore it could leave a big hole in Australia's budget. You see, the government charges fuel tax, which is often used to keep up our roads. That's why some states are planning to bring in a charge for electric car drivers, but some people say that could end up being another obstacle on the bumpy road to electricity. While the rest of the country works on, well, all of that stuff. These students say they'll be busy for the next year creating their own electric future.
TEESHA: I think the car's gonna go somewhere in town and they're going to let people rent it to have a go and a bit of use of electric vehicles.
BELLA: In Australia, we're fairly behind on those sorts of things, with the electric cars in a couple of other countries, so we're trying to catch up in a way and this is something we're doing to help.
Did You Know?
Did you know people in the UK won't be allowed to buy new petrol and diesel powered cars from 2030? The UK has banned selling them from that date because it's trying to cut its greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.
NASA Venus Mission
Reporter: Amelia Moseley
INTRO: Now let's head to space. NASAs announced two new missions to Venus later this decade. It's one of our closest neighbours, but there's still a lot we don't know about this red hot planet. Let's find out more.
If you could hop in a spaceship.
AMELIA, REPORTER: Yup, if you just can park over there.
And pick any planet in our solar system to be your new home.
ALIEN: *Unknown Alien Language*
AMELIA: No, that's OK. It's a bit rocky.
It probably wouldn't be this one, to be honest.
AMELIA: Now this next planet is Venus. Lovely.
Yes, Venus.
ALIEN: *Unknown Alien Language*
AMELIA: Yeah, you're right it is actually very close to Earth. So, just 237 million kays away. So, just a hop, skip and a jump really.
You can even spot Venus from Earth because it's the third brightest object in our sky, after the sun and moon, of course.
AMELIA: Now, Venus is a lot like Earth.
ALIEN: *Unknown Alien Language*
Yeah it is similar in its geology, its size and its distance from the sun. But it's also a bit different.
AMELIA: I should warn you it does get a little balmy here. The surface gets to more than 470 degrees.
ALIEN: *Unknown Alien Language*
Yeah, Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system thanks to its super thick atmosphere that traps in heat and exerts a similar pressure to being about 800 metres underwater. Yikes. It's also made mostly of carbon dioxide, so we humans couldn't breathe here.
AMELIA: But I'm not sure what you breathe, so you might like it.
ALIEN: *Unknown Alien Language*
Scientists reckon it's covered with craters, mountains and possibly active volcanoes and big plains of red-hot lava. Lovely.
AMELIA: Oh, and did I mention that when it rains, it rains sulfuric acid?
AMELIA: No? Well, that too.
While this charming planet isn't the most homely one (at least for us humans), it is one we want to know more about and over the years we've tried. Unfortunately, thanks to Venus' atmosphere probes don't last all that long on the surface. The current world record is held by a Soviet spacecraft in 1982, which lasted just over two hours.
But now, NASAs giving it another shot for the first time in more than 30 years. It's announced two unmanned missions to Venus starting in 2028: DAVINCI+ and VERITAS. VERITAS will send an orbiter to map the planet in more detail than ever before, while DAVINCI+ will drop a probe through the planet's thick clouds to explore its atmosphere before landing on the surface. It'll measure the makeup of the planet to understand how it formed and work out if Venus ever had an ocean.
ALIEN: *Unknown Alien Language*
AMELIA: Oh no, sorry if it was there, it's not there anymore.
NASA says our earth-like neighbour will also teach us more about Earth.
NASA ADMINISTRATOR BILL NELSON: We hope these missions will further our understanding of how Earth evolved and why it's currently habitable when others in our solar system are not.
And there's another thing. The missions will help us find out if anything ever lived on Venus, or if it still does.
AMELIA: Now I have some reviews here. I know you like reviews. Now, NASA described it as 'hot, hellish and unforgiving'.
ALIEN: *Unknown Alien Language*
AMELIA: OK there's no need to use that kind of language.
ALIEN: *Unknown Alien Language*
AMELIA: We've talked about this. Earth is out of your price range. But if you want to go back around to Mars, we could take a second look or even Pluto. Pluto is very very affordable, cheap even. It's very cold though. We'll just see how we go. Difficult.
Ask a Reporter
Do you want to know more about the planet Venus? You can ask me live this Friday on Ask A Reporter. Just head to our website for all the details.
Giant Aussie Dinosaur
Reporter: Jack Evans
INTRO: A new species of dinosaur has been officially announced as the largest ever found in Australia. It stood taller than a giraffe and measured as long as a basketball court. Here's Jack to tell us more about this big news.
Move over Brontosaurus, take a hike Diplodocus, get out of here Brachiosaurus. Cause the Dinosaur kingdom just got a whole lot bigger. Introducing Australotitan cooperensis or Cooper to its friends. This new species of sauropod has just been officially announced as the largest dinosaur ever found here, in Australia.
DR SCOTT HOCKNULL, PALAEONTOLOGIST: Australotitan cooperensis is his name. Australotitan means Southern Titan, so basically the Southern Giant and cooperensis from Cooper country. Cause we're here in Cooper Country and that's where the dinosaurs were found.
Two cattle farmers discovered Cooper back in 2006, in Eromanga, Queensland.
ROBYN MACKENZIE, EROMANGA NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM: It wouldn't have entered our mind that we were about to deal with an animal that was the largest in Australia and one of the largest in the world. So that was not even in our thinking.
KENN MANN, TOURIST: And here is the real McCoy here in dinosaurs and looking down on us from how high? Goodness knows what, it's fantastic.
ROBYN MACKENZIE, EROMANGA NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM: From a tourism point of view, you can't get anything better, really, it's something that's going to help put Australia on the map, put Eromanga on the map.
It took 15 years and a lot of digging, but palaeontologists finally have enough info to say that Cooper is definitely a new species. One that was up to 6 and a half metres tall, 25 to 30 metres long and weighed between 50 and 70 tonnes. To put that into perspective.
DR SCOTT HOCKNULL: The size of two busses, a basketball court, a b-double, or fourteen hundred red kangaroos, you take your pick.
I think I'll pick the fourteen hundred red kangaroos. Ooh yeah, that is enormous. Anyway, Australotitan cooperensis was so big that experts reckon it's in the top 10-15 biggest dinosaurs in the world. Which is pretty exciting for Aussies, because unlike some other countries we haven't had as many Dino discoveries.
DR SCOTT HOCKNULL: Unlike North America and Canada or even in China or South America where you have these big mountain ranges or badlands where you can literally walk along and find a bone right next to, to eroding out of a creek bank. Out here in Western Queensland everything is coming up through the ground and this takes 10s of 1000s of years to occur and then they're all broken down into small fragments.
Well there you go. So far, the list of known Aussie dinosaurs is a fairly small one, but it is growing. And experts reckon there could be a whole bunch of bones, belonging to other dinosaurs, just waiting to be uncovered in our backyard that could be even bigger. I mean, bigger than fourteen hundred red kangaroos, I'd like to see that.
Sport
Euro 2020 is here and for soccer fans, it's big. Euro 2020 is basically like the World Cup, but just for Europe. Normally it happens every four years, but you know last year COVID happened. Everyone wants to know who's going to win, and this year a psychic dog even made headlines for making its prediction. There was a bit of a scary moment in Denmark's game against Finland. Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen collapsed during the game and had to be rushed to hospital. Tributes have flooded in from teams and fans everywhere. He's still in hospital at the moment but has sent his greetings to teammates.
Novak Djokovic has made history at the final of the French Open. The world number one claimed his nineteenth Grand Slam title and became the first man in 52 years to win all four majors twice and that wasn't the only history making moment. Barbora Krejcikova won her first ever Grand Slam defeating Anastasia Pavluyuchenkova in 3 sets then went on to win the doubles crown as well.
Queensland swimmer Kaylee McKeown has broken the 100 metre backstroke world record. It happened on day two of the Australian Olympic swimming trials, where the best swimmers race to find out who's going to the Olympics and, yes, Kaylee will be going.
Blood Donation Day
Reporter: Amal Wehbe
INTRO: It's National Blood Donor Week and the Red Cross is calling on more people who are healthy and 18 and over to donate. One in three of us will need to be given blood at some point in our lives but it's something only one in thirty Aussies actually do. So, Amal decided to get on board and become a donor. Check it out.
AMAL, REPORTER: OK, so I'm about to do something I've never done before. And that's donate blood. But I thought it was about time I change it, because it can help people who really need it. I'm a little bit nervous, but I'm ready to go. Let's see what happens.
One in three Aussies will need to be given blood at some point in their life and just half a litre can save up to three lives.
AMAL: So that's why they need people like me, healthy people, to donate. But first I need to answer a lot of questions and do some tests.
NURSE: That's a little squeezy for your hand. Your veins are beautiful, absolutely beautiful for the donation process.
AMAL: Yay.
NURSE: So, you are eligible to donate blood today. Thanks so much for coming in.
AMAL: Thanks for having me.
AMAL: That's because they need to check that I'm fit and healthy. If I'm sick, I could pass that on to someone who takes my blood.
AMAL: OK it's about to go in. I'm a little bit nervous. But I'm just not going to look and hopefully it's all good. Wish me luck.
NURSE: I'm just going to pop the needle in. A small scratch now, just look away, you're fine, just stop squeezing, all good and it's in.
AMAL: And we're all good. Wasn't that bad. Just don't look and that's the key.
AMAL: So, now I'm all hooked up and it's taking about 500 millilitres of blood. So, that has the red blood cells, the plasma and the platelets.
They're all really important. Most blood donations go to people who have cancer or other diseases. Then there's people having surgery, people with broken bones, and even mums and their newborn babies.
AMAL: So, 6 minutes later and I'm all done.
But that's not the end of it. The blood is then sent off to the processing centre. First up, it's needs to get labelled. All up, there's eight different blood types and the donor's blood type has to be the same as the recipient. Well except for the O group. It's a universal donor so anyone can receive O blood type.
JEN SALTER, RED CROSS: And once the blood is at our processing centre, it's tested and then it's put into a special machine. And the machine spins really, really fast, and that actually separates the blood into those three parts. So, it separates the blood into red cells, into plasma and into platelets. And those things all do separate things to help people but it's all really important.
Every bag is scanned and put into a system. After that, it's sent out all across the country, to people who need it most.
JEN SALTER, RED CROSS: We do know that every blood donation travels on average about 370 kilometres. So, if you're donating blood in South Australia, for example, it might help somebody else in Adelaide. Or it might actually help somebody in Perth or Darwin. It's amazing.
One of those people is Eva.
EVA: Well, I've got CVID, which is common variable immune deficiency, and it means when I get a virus my body can't fight it off.
Eva's immune system doesn't work the way it is supposed to. So, she can get really sick, really easily. She relies on plasma donations to stay healthy.
EVA: So, I need plasma infusions, because it means I can live a healthy life. And I can do all the things I want to do like photography, dancing, hanging out with my friends, going places, going shopping. Things that people take for granted, I cherish.
AMAL: So, if you could say something to the people that give blood donations, what would you say?
EVA: You're basically helping someone to live a normal life and helping someone, another person or more. You're just helping them out. And it's really big. It means a lot to the person receiving it.
Closer
Nice work. Well, that's it for now but we'll be back with more for you next week including the results of our Kids Talk survey. You won't want to miss it. Until then, you can check out our website for more stories, teacher resources and specials. Have an awesome week and I'll catch you soon.
Lots of different COVID-19 variants have popped up around the world recently, so we find out what they are and where they’ve come from. We speak to a class of car lovers about why they think electric car technology is so important. NASA is sending two new space missions to Venus later this decade. We find out why the missions are going to have to deal with some unusual challenges. A new species of dinosaur has been officially announced as the largest ever found in Australia. The 14th of June is World Blood Donor Day. Amal decided to roll up her sleeve and find out more about it.