Kid News This Week: California debuts the flying car, stuck in space astronauts return, Eid celebration, 3D printed train station, US walking on eggshells
This episode is a packed and punny one… A real flying car takes flight – according to a California aeronautical company that released footage of the “high-way” drive. The two NASA astronauts stuck in space for nine months splash back down to Earth. A quarter of the world celebrates the Islamic Eid festival – we have the lowdown on the festivities. We also have a special report on the marvels of 3D printing in Japan where a train station can be “printed” and then constructed in just six hours! And the US President is walking on eggshells over the high price of eggs and a certain European country he needed a favor from… All that and more this episode!
EPISODE – 194
LEELA: This episode… California debuts the flying car, stuck in space astronauts return, a quarter of the world celebrates the Islamic Eid festival, 3D printed train station and the US is walking on eggshells.
OPENING STING – LEELA: “Hey, hey, hey. Listen up. New, new, newsy – Newsy Pooloozi!”
THEME MUSIC
LEELA: Hello and welcome to Newsy Pooloozi – your one-stop-shop for the most interesting and important news happening around the world. I’m Leela Sivasankar Prickitt and…
MAMA: I’m Lyndee Prickitt.
LEELA: And in this packed episode…
A real flying car takes flight – according to a California aeronautical company that released footage of the “high-way” drive.
The two NASA astronauts stuck in space for nine months splash back down to Earth.
We also have a special report on the marvels of 3D printing in Japan where a train station can be “printed” and then constructed in just six hours.
And the US President is walking on eggshells over the high price of eggs and a certain European country he needed a favor from…
OK then, let’s dive on in. First up, it’s the…
BIG NEWS STORY STING – VARIOUS VOICES: “The Big news story of the week!”
MAMA: Hey, hey – what’s that up in the sky…?
SOUND FROM OLD MOVIE: It’s a bird! It’s a plane!
LEELA: Nope! It’s a…
SFX OF DRUMROLL
LEELA: Flying car!?
MAMA: Yes! Today’s big story is about the advent, or coming, of flying cars!
LEELA: How cool would that be?
MAMA: I know right? It’s like the Jetsons but IRL! You know – in real life. Like my hip-kids acronym there? IRL?
LEELA: Yes, but uhhh… you can’t name some random cartoon from the 1970s (ancient history!) and use slang from my generation.
MAMA: Oh… Why not? I can be both old and new! But still, flying cars? In my day, that was something you’d see in the movies thank you, back to the Future and think it was soooo futuristic. It’s totally crazy to think it might actually be happening! Today we’re talking about a company from California called Alef Aeronautics.
LEELA: Who made a flying car.
MAMA: They did. And they’ve released videos of it flying and jumping over parked cars. Well, they made a prototype that did this, I should say.
LEELA: Which means it’s a model of what they want, but not the real thing, right?
MAMA: Well, kind of. A prototype is the first model or design of something from which other forms will be developed. So the point is there aren’t tons of these things yet – it’s still pretty early on. In fact, the company is calling this protype “Model A.”
LEELA: So, it’s exciting, right?
MAMA: Well, yes, though, well… at first glance it looks like a flying car, yes, but, looking a little closer and… well…
LEELA: Well??
MAMA: I think we need to head to California where our correspondent Nirvaan Belman has the story and let HIM fill us in.
LEELA: Mysterious… But, OK, then, over to you, Nirvaan!
NIRVAAN: Thanks, Leela.
So, yes, the world’s first flying car is here!
But I’ve gotta admit, I’m a little skeptical.
OK, at first glance it looks a bit like the Batmobile.
But… maybe more like one made out of a heavy-duty garbage bag!
I mean, it was flying, yes.
But it was also shaking.
It looked really fragile, like it could blow away if the wind picked up.
And don’t get me started on the wheels.
To be honest, it looked more like an e-VTOL (eee vee tall) – as in a vertical liftoff and landing vehicle.
Yes, I'm talking about a bigger, fancier drone.
But then maybe that's the way highways and, ummm, “spaceways” is that what we'd call it?? full of these things would work.
Another strange thing about this prototype launch -- you never actually saw anyone get inside the thing!
Was someone else hiding behind a bush and flying it by remote control?
No one knows.
And despite all the interviews and access to the company, there are key pieces of information that have not been released to the public.
So, yeah. I’m not totally sold just yet.
For now, I'll stick to my skateboard for flying around!
In San Francisco, I'm Nirvaan Bellman, reporting for Newsy Pooloozi!
LEELA: Thanks, Nirvaan! What I really want to know is – what will we call our space highways. I mean, they’d be the real “high” ways…
MAMA: Good points.
LEELA: “Spaceways,” perhaps?
MAMA: Yeah, that’s what Nirvaan suggested, right? Oh, I like that. “Hang a left on the 58 Spaceway…”
LEELA: More importantly, though… won’t flying cars create a lot of chaos? Flying around, potentially bumping into each other or getting tangled in phone wires?
MAMA: Yeah, I can't see one of these Model A’s navigating a city like ours. Delhi streets are crazy enough without “spaceways” coming into the mix. But – get this – the company has ALREADY taken more than 3,000 pre-orders for the Model A. That means 3,000 people are willing to pay the 300,000 U.S. dollar price tag for this thing. Even if there are a lot of details to be out before the flying car really takes off.
LEELA: Oh, very good! I heard what you did there.
MAMA: Speaking of taking off…
[SOURCE: https://in.mashable.com/tech/90223/flying-car-worth-rs-26-cr-hovering-over-ground-goes-viral-internet-says-garbage-floats-with-more-sta
https://www.thedrive.com/news/this-evtol-with-4-wheels-is-still-peddling-the-flying-car-dream]
SPACE NEWS STING – MAMA/LEELA: “Now let’s have the latest… space news!”
MAMA: OK, all you Newsies, we have some fantastic homecoming news on a story that we first reported on back in September last year.
LEELA: Oh, in that case – should we run our special sting…
MAMA: Oh, right. Hold on. Here we go…
TOP-UP TIME STING – VARIOUS VOICES: “Go on give me a top up, please? It’s top-up time. Top-up time! Top-up time! Top-up time! Top-up time! Top-up time! Now? Yeah, now. It’s top-up time.”
MAMA: Yes, this is an update to our Big News story we did ten episodes back on Episode 184.
LEELA: Wait, Mama, we are getting close to 200 episodes!! OMG.
MAMA: I know, I know – we’re gonna have to celebrate that one… So Episode 184 was our Stuck in Space episode – So, please go have a listen if you feel like reliving the moment.
LEELA: Yep – you’re talking about the two NASA astronauts that were stranded on the ISS, otherwise known as the International Space Station, for months because their ride back down to earth needed repairs.
MAMA: Exactly, we are super happy to say that Sunita Williams an astronaut of Indian-origin!
LEELA: Go, India!
MAMA: And Butch Wilmore are back on terra firma…
LEELA: Which I think is Latin for firm ground?
MAMA: Or solid earth, yes. Though technically they landed off the coast of Florida in the water before heading to firmer ground.
LEELA: Wow, imagine going on a work or school trip that’s supposed to be just a week and getting stuck there for nine months! In a super small space with other people. Crazy! Talk about a space odyssey!
MAMA: Odyssey, as in a very loooong, journey! Indeed! In fact, let’s get our Florida correspondent, who’s seen a few rockets blast off herself, Mira Power to tell us more about it.
MIRA: Thanks, y’all.
Yes, so Sunita and Butch are back home after a whopping nine months in space.
It all started last June when they went up to the ISS to conduct some experiments.
They thought they’d return after a week.
But to their surprise, they ended up staying an extra 278 days!
They were supposed to come back on a Boeing space capsule, but, well… it kind of broke.
Never fear – a Space X capsule to the rescue. Only… it wasn’t available till March.
So, they had to wait up there in a relatively small space station all that time.
Which, apparently, wasn’t super awful for the astronauts.
Suni even said that space is her “happy place” – phew!
Plus, they could always keep an eye on Earth since here’s a fab fact the ISS orbits our planet every 90 minutes, did you know?
Yep – do the math – that means ISS astronauts experienced 16 sunrises and sunsets every day.
Still, both she and Butch have said they’re glad to be home.
They dropped down off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida.
SFX OF SPLASHDOWN
And – get this – they got a special welcomefrom some dolphins who were checking out all the commotion.
Cute, right? I think we’re all glad they’re back home safe and sound.
From Florida this is Mira Power, reporting for Newsy Pooloozi!
LEELA: Thanks, Mira! I can’t even imagine being trapped anywhere for an extra 278 days.
MAMA: I know. You would think that would earn them some overtime pay! Alas, no.
LEELA: Excuse me? They didn’t get any extra money for staying up in space all those extra days.
MAMA: Apparently not! They get their regularly daily allowance of about five U.S. dollars per day for incidental items you might have to pay for.
LEELA: Ummm… up in space… It’s not like there’s a Starbucks there (yet!) or a taxi you have to catch…
MAMA: Yeah, that's true. It's been an odd one that.
LEELA: I think NASA has their head in the clouds on that one.
MAMA: Oh, oh… Very nice head in the clouds. Yes, I think you're right.
[SOURCE: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/us/nasa-astronauts-overtime.html
https://apnews.com/article/boeing-starliner-nasa-astronauts-launch-e139ce1842e0324942746bb0cdee5c73
ACE STING – LEELA/MAMA: “Now it’s the ace part of our podcast: Arts, Culture and Entertainment. Darling.”
MAMA: Yes, we’re talking culture. On our last episode, we discussed how some Christians fast ahead of their Easter celebrations in our Mardi Gras episode. And now it’s time for that other major fast – a fast as in going without something, usually food and drink – for another major religion.
LEELA: Oh, you must be talking about Ramadan? When roughly a quarter of the world’s population marks the Islamic holy month of fasting.
MAMA: That’s right. There are over two billion Muslims around the world celebrating Eid – which is Arabic word for festival, did you know. Well, here with a report on how it’s typically celebrated is Nyla Farooqi.
NYLA: Thanks, you guys.
The festival of Eid ul Fitr is round the corner, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
During Ramadan, Muslims all over the world… fast from dawn to dusk… kids don’t usually have to so some of us tried fasting, and some of us didn’t! But no matter what, we all felt the excitement of this special time.
There’s lots of good food as we join our family in the breaking of the fast after dusk.
During this holy month of Ramadan, the Quran which is the holy book of the Muslims - was revealed to Prophet Mohammed so a lot of people spend time during the month in prayer and reading the Quran.
The 30-day period of fasting culminates into the festival of Eid. Eid is all about joy, gratitude, and spending time with loved ones.
In my family, we wake up early, wear new clothes, and my dad goes for Eid prayers. Then, we visit friends and family, eat some more delicious food, and, of course, look forward to Eidi. Eidi refers to those special gifts or money we receive from o ur elders!
But most importantly, Eid reminds us to be grateful and to share kindness. Whether through charity, helping others, or simply spreading smiles, this day teaches us to celebrate together.
So, let’s enjoy this beautiful day with love, laughter, and lots of sweets!
Eid Mubarak!
In Mumbai, India, I’m Nyla Farooqi, reporting for Newsy Pooloozi
MAMA: Thanks a lot for that excellent report, Nyla.
https://timesprayer.com/en/muslim-population/]
WORLD WRAP STING – LEELA: “What’s that? I’ll tell you what. That’s the halftime bell! Which means… it’s time to hear what’s making news around the rest of the world. Hold on tight, it’s around the world in 80 seconds.”
MAMA: January’s ceasefire in Israel’s war against Hamas militants is over. Israel claims Hamas was re-arming and not releasing the final Israeli hostages. Around 600 Palestinians have already been killed since Israel resumed the fighting.
Wildfires are engulfing the southeast of South Korea. The "unprecedented" crisis has sent 23,000 people from their homes and there are worries several heritage cultural sites could be destroyed.
In the US a journalist was accidently added to a highly sensitive group chat among top security officials discussing air strikes on the Middle Eastern country of Yemen. The chat included the controversial Defence Secretary and the Vice President among others.
And – for theeighth year in a row Finland is ranked as the happiest country in the world, according to the World Happiness Report, which ranks countries based on answers people give when asked to rate their lives. If you want to find out why Finns are so happy, check out our report on this when we did the same story 3 years ago on Episode 39.
[SOURCE: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2dr7jd7mno
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1lp365pd1go
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-reveals-who-behind-signal-text-chain-leak
LEELA: Well, thank you so much for that – wait for it… that whippity-whappity-zippity-zappity wrap of what’s making headlines elsewhere in the world, Mama.
MAMA: Wow, Lila, that actually sounded like I could almost understand what you said.
You're slowing down there, girl, getting slow with old days.
TECH STING – LEELA/MAMA: “It’s time for.... Technology News, technology news, tech news!”
MAMA: So, this story is about the marvels of 3D printing, which while we're on the subject – is possibly one of the worst named tech inventions of our time.
LEELA: OK, then! Why don't you tell us how you really feel?
MAMA: Well, let's face it, it's not a printer. And for years, when it first came out, we were all trying to figure out how a printer could print toys. Model airplanes, washing up liquid, and medicine, like printed what?
LEELA: Huh?
MAMA: It was an unnecessary mind warp.
LEELA: Okay, okay. So, what is a 3-D printer?
MAMA: Well, for starters it’s not a printer at all!
LEELA: Uhhh, you're not helping...
MAMA: Tell me about it! Dreadful name.
LEELA: So...?!
MAMA: Basically, it's a micro manufacturing unit. Simple.
LEELA: Hmmmm...
MAMA: Just like a bread machine.
LEELA: Wait, 3D printers are bread machines?
MAMA: No... bread machines are micro manufacturing units. You just put the ingredients in, program the machine, press the button and presto! You get a loaf of bread coming.
LEELA: So, if the 3-D printer is going to make medicine, you put in all the chemicals needed to make the paste and powders, program it and presto.
MAMA: Exactly. Because it's a mini manufacturing unit. Not a printer.
LEELA: I see... So?
MAMA: So, what?
LEELA: So, what's the story?!
MAMA: Oh, sorry, I got a little distracted there by the...
LEELA: Your pedestal!
MAMA: Yeah, okay, I was on my pedestal or soapbox. Alright, so this is a story about the marvels of a so-called 3D printer making a train station in Japan. Yep, train station. Not just that, but this train station can be constructed in record time, like under a day.
LEELA: Oh, did it on the wow, but impressive.
MAMA: So now we're gonna go to our newest newsie, Japanese correspondent Shima Ito for the story.
LEELA: Welcome to the news pool, Shima. Take it away!
SHIMA: Thanks, Leela.
So, some listeners may already know that Japan is a country with an aging population.
That means there are a lot of older people and MORE are expected.
How many?
Well, in 50 years almost half of the population of Japan will be over 65 years old!
That also means the workforce is shrinking.
So, it's no wonder tech companies are investing a lot in robotics and automation, including things like 3D printing.
And the latest tech marvel is the 3D printed train station.
Yep, you heard me right.
A 3D printer has created all the structural components of a train station.
OK, when I say, “train station,” we’re only talking about 108 square feet, which is about the size of a shed.
But it’s all white with a carved roof.
And the really amazing bit is that it will only take SIX hours to build it!
How’s that for not needing a lot of workers?!
I’m Shima Ito, reporting for Newsy Pooloozi!
LEELA: Thanks SO much for that fab report, Shima. Isn’t technology so cool???
MAMA: Yes, it’s just the people naming that need a reboot.
LEELA: Mama… move on.
MAMA: All right, all right. Moving on. I'm moving. I'm moving right over to the lucky dip machine.
In fact, let's see what it spits out for our final story.
[SOURCE: https://interestingengineering.com/transportation/worlds-first-3d-printed-train-station
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/japan-3d-printed-train-station-intl-hnk/index.html]
ODDBALL STING – VARIOUS VOICES: “Step right up, step right up… Have a go at the lucky dip machine… What’s it gonna be today, eh? An oddball, no doubt!”
LEELA: Oooh, this one is eggciting.
MAMA: And why did you put stress on the “egg” part of that word, might I ask?
LEELA: Because, well, the story is about eggs. “Egg” citing. Get it?
MAMA: Yes. But I take eggception to your declaration. I do say, eggs are not that eggciting.
LEELA: Ok, I see how it is. We’re on, dear pun-making Mama of mine. So, besides eggciting andeggception, Newsies start counting to see how many egg puns you can hear in this story!
MAMA: Oh, OK – let me cue some eggstrodinary music for this…
LEELA: So, today’s story is about what happens when you get egg on your face.
MAMA: Which is a charming old saying that means when you do something that you’re embarrassed about.
LEELA: Yes. So, any listener to this podcast or any other news in the US right now – would know that the price of eggs is super high right now.
MAMA: And that President Trump’s campaign pledge he’d made to lower egg prices didn’t quite hatchout the way he planned.
LEELA: Quite the opposite! In fact, the price of eggs in the U.S. rose to almost 8 dollars per dozen! That’s like almost 700 rupees or 7 British Pounds for twelve eggs! Well, not surprisingly people in the US were getting pretty hard boiled over the cost.
MAMA: As in, they were very upset! When you promise something to the public, then don’t deliver it’s like, well, you know… counting your chickens before they hatch!
LEELA: Right? But instead of walking on eggshells with the public…
MAMA: Meaning, instead of being delicate about how you talk about something.
LEELA: Instead he basically hurled eggs at them!
MAMA: Metaphorically speaking.
LEELA: Yes! He reposted an article titled “Shut up about egg prices already”. Can you believe it?
MAMA: The horror.
LEELA: Well, the public was starting to crack. Trump knew he had to act fast with Easter and Passover coming up.
MAMA: Because both are holidays that have eggs scrambled in their mix!
LEELA: Yes! He had to act so fast, so he took eggstreme measures.
MAMA: Which were?
LEELA: Well, remember how a few weeks ago he was threatening to buy Greenland from Denmark?
MAMA: Which was not for sale, and probably never will be, for sale. Yes, I remember that.
LEELA: Well guess who went scrambling to Demark to ask them to please send more eggs, and fast?
MAMA: Yep – the man whose critics call him a real eggomaniac.
LEELA: Some even call him a bad egg. But even those who love President Trump could see he had egg on his face – metaphorically – because he had to ask Denmark to bail him out with their eggs!
MAMA: Suffice to say, bird flu is what’s really to blame for most of the high prices. And despite all these yolks, eggs are finally going down in price a bit.
LEELA: Eggcellent ending to an eggstremely punny topic.
MAMA: Yeah, I think we’ve been beating this to death.
LEELA: Next time we should go over easy, don’t you think.
MAMA: And we’re done.
LEELA: Yummmm!
MAMA: Yumm.
FAB FACTS STING – LEELA: “And it’s time to wrap up the podcast with the top five fab facts heard today. Here goes…”
MAMA: FAB FACT NUMBER 1 – A company in California test drove – or test flew – a protype of a flying car. What is prototype?
The first model or design of something from which other forms will be developed
LEELA: FAB FACT NUMBER 2 – The two NASA astronauts that were stranded on the International Space Station for 9 months are back on terra firma. What does that mean?
Firm ground or solid earth
MAMA: FAB FACT NUMBER 3 – The International Space Station orbits earth how frequently?
Everyhour and a half or 90 minutes
LEELA: FAB FACT NUMBER 4 – The world’s first 3D-printed train station is being produced in Japan and will take only six hours to build. What is a 3D printer?
The construction of a three-dimensional object from a digital 3D model.
MAMA: FAB FACT NUMBER 5 – Muslims around the world celebrate Eid – the festival that ends their month of Ramadan fasting. How many Muslims are there in the world?
2 billion
LEELA: And that almost brings us to the end of this episode of Newsy Pooloozi! But first… We’ve discovered a bucket full of reviews!!
MAMA: Yes, one thing about being an international podcast is reviews are all over the place – in different apps and different countries… so it’s a REAL treat to suddenly discover tons waiting for us.
LEELA: This one is from Ellery (12) and Schuyler (10) from Tacoma, Washington USA, who write, “We love listening to newsy pooloozi on all our family trips around the world. One of our favorite parts is how you tell important interesting stories that kids can understand. Also It’s more fun to listen to because there’s a kid telling us the information and asking good questions. We love all the around-the-world news and all the kid correspondents! We love your humor and how you seem to have so much fun! We are excited to hear more, keep up the good work!
MAMA: WOW! That’s like so comprehensive and kind and, well, epic. Thank you so –
LEELA: So.
BOTH: Soooooooooooo much!
THEME MUSIC
MAMA: We would like to thank the lovely Jyoti Chuahan for her production help and Julie Noce for helping write this episode!
LEELA: If you enjoyed this dip in the coolest pool of news and information THEN why don’t you tell some of your friends about us!
MAMA: Go on – spread the love! Or should I say the puns…
LEELA: Ha! So true! OK then, we’ll see you next time in the happy, splashy giant Newsy Pooloozi!
-ends-