Newsicle: October 9, 2026 (Episode #212)

Lily H (0:00)

Hi, everyone. It's Friday, October 9th. Today, we'll be talking about a new report on shrinking wildlife populations, a new airport taking the title of the world's most connected, and a mysterious object discovered in a 400-year-old shipwreck. Before we start, I have a quick reminder. Newsicle has been named the finalist for Best Kids Podcast at this year's Signal Awards, and there are only a few days left to vote. If you haven't already voted, I'd really appreciate your support. Just ask a parent or grown up to help you visit newsicle.co and click the voting link in the top right corner of the website. It only takes a minute and every vote helps. And to all of you who have already voted, thank you so much. I really appreciate your support. My name is Lily, and this is Newsicle.

Top stories.

First, the new report has some worrying news about wildlife around the world, But also some reasons to be hopeful. The World Wildlife Fund, or WWF, studied thousands of animal populations around the world and found that their average size has dropped by 73% between 1970 and 2022 That doesn't mean 73% of all animals have disappeared. It means that the groups of animals scientists tracked have gotten much smaller. Animals living in rivers and lakes have been hit especially hard, and their populations have shrunk by an average of 85%. Scientists are worried about what this means for biodiversity, which is the variety of different plants and animals living on Earth. Scientists say the biggest problem is that animals are losing their natural homes as forests are cleared and other habitats are destroyed. Pollution, climate change, and hunting also play a role, but there's some good news. Tigers, green sea turtles, elephants in southern Africa, and bluefin tuna are making comebacks in some places, thanks to efforts to protect them. In fact, about half of the animal populations studied are either growing or staying about the same size. The report shows that while many animals are still in trouble, protecting their habitats and limiting harmful activities can make a real difference. Top story number two.

Next, there's a new winner for the title of the world's most connected airport. Istanbul Airport in Turkey has taken the top spot and has passed London's Heathrow Airport, which was number one last year. But what does it actually mean for an airport to be the most connected? It means travelers have lots of different flights they can take to reach other cities, including flights where they change planes along the way. Istanbul Airport has connections to 337 destinations around the world. One reason it's so well connected is its location. Istanbul sits between Europe and Asia, which makes it a convenient space for travelers flying between different parts of the world. The airport covers almost 30 square miles. That makes it even bigger than the entire islands of Manhattan and New York City. London Heathrow came in second, followed by Amsterdam's airport in the Netherlands, and in the US, Chicago's O'Hare Airport ranked fifth, making it the most connected airport in North America. Top story number three.

Last, for our final day of Mystery Week, scientists are trying to figure out what a strange object was doing aboard a ship that sank 400 years ago in the Baltic Sea near Germany. Workers preparing to build an underwater pipeline found the remains of a wooden ship, which sank sometime in the 1600s. Divers had just 12 days to explore the wreck and recovered 60 objects, including anchors, shoes, ropes, and tools. Scientists believe the ship was used for long voyages because it carried equipment for making repairs at sea. They also found a burned wood, suggesting a fire may have caused this ship to sink. But one object has left scientists especially puzzled. It was a yellow brick surrounded by wood with several holes in it. No one knows exactly what it was used for. Researchers think it might have been a device for sharpening tools, but they aren't sure. The pipeline will be built around the shipwreck, so scientists hope to return and find more clues about what happened to the ship and its crew.

It's time for the word of the day.

Today's word of the day is biodiversity. Biodiversity means the variety of living things, including animals, plants, and other organisms, in a particular place or around the world. In our first story, we learned that many wildlife populations are shrinking, which is raising concerns about the future of biodiversity on earth.

Joke time!

Today's joke comes from Savannah, who is 5 and from Bellflower. The joke actually has a connection to our next inter-musical guest, and I'll explain the connection after the joke. Here goes! Who is a bee's favorite superhero?