Podcasts
Hi-tech saves coral, NZ bird comp, Spain’s animal march, stolen skull, stinky cave spiders
Nov 28, 2025 Episode 203
Hi-tech efforts to save coral reefs, New Zealand’s global bird competition, Spain’s animal march, a stolen skull and stinky cave spiders
Episode Transcript
EPISODE- 203
LEELA: Hi-tech efforts at saving coral reefs, New Zealand’s global bird competition, Spain’s animal march, story of the stolen skull and stinky cave spiders.
OPENING STING – LEELA: “Hey, hey, hey. Listen up. New, new, newsy – Newsy Pooloozi!”
THEME MUSIC
LEELA: Hello and welcome to Newsy Pooloozi – the news pool for curious kids and adults!
LEELA: I’m your host Leela Sivasankar Prickitt and, as ever, I’m joined by…
MAMA: Lyndee Prickitt – or you can also call me Leela’s mom. And this is your one-stop-shop for the most important…
LEELA: And wackiest news happening around the world.
This episode we dive deep into the high-tech efforts being used to save the world’s coral reefs – from water robots to underwater speakers. But that’s not all.
In nature news… what started as a small national prize is now a global beauty pageant for birds. Find out what country and what bird has taken the crown.
In Europe a ccenturies‑old tradition meets modern city life, as thousands of animals march straight through a bustling street in Spain. Here’s a clue: baaaahhh.
Heard the one about the stolen skull being returned? Oh, you will if you listen a little longer.
And as if those two previous stories aren’t odd enough, you gotta hear the one about spiders in a stinky cave – lots of them too!
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: Actually, this is really one of those tech-meets-nature stories.
LEELA: Oh, I love a bit of fusion – hit me with it.
MAMA: Well, we know that coral reefs are in trouble.
LEELA: Yeah, which is so tragic, because even though they cover less than one percent of the ocean floor, they shelter a quarter of all marine life.
MAMA: I know! But help is on the way.
LEELA: And by the sounds of it, it’s something high-tech?
MAMA: You got it – and not just a little bit, but SEVERAL different tech-inspired plans to try and repair the world’s dying coral reefs.
LEELA: Well, then we should probably hand this over to our tech correspondent, Shima Ito, for this story.
TECH STING – LEELA/MAMA: “It’s time for…. Technology News, technology news, tech news!”
SHIMA: Thanks a lot, Leela!
So, as most of you might know, coral reefs are living, breathing things.
But what you may not know is they’re actually considered animals.
Yep, they’re made up of lots of teeny-tiny creatures called polyps.
But sadly, as our oceans get warmer, the coral has become more vulnerable to disease.
It turns white, gets weak and… dies.
Even just a two degree rise in water temperature could wipe out up to 90% of the world’s reefs!
Which is bad, because they’re like homes or even fortresses for millions of fish and other marine life.
Well, there are some glimmers of hope.
Earlier this year, the Middle Eastern country of Abu Dhabi launched a massive project using 3D-printing to make clay reef tiles.
They’re about the size of a bathroom tile, but usually hexagonal (as in it has SIX sides), with a design that looks like a cool maze.
Coral fragments nestle into the maze and slowly rebuild the reef.
Over in Japan, however, they’re using tech to help restore coral in a different way.
There researchers are working with coral inside aquariums that have AI monitors attached to them (of course!).
The monitors not only check on things like water quality, but they also help spawn (or give birth) to more coral, that will eventually be transferred to the ocean.
Cool, right?
Well, something kind of similar is happening off Western Australia too.
There marine biologists are grafting, or attaching, coral fragments into small moulds, which are then placed in batches on the seabed.
But it’s really slow, fiddly work – especially for human fingers underwater.
Well, enter the coral reef robot!
OK, OK, it’s not exactly a robot fish or underwater android.
It’s more like some waterproof robotic arms, but – cool or what?!
And that’s not all.
Other Aussie researchers are using underwater loudspeakers to play the sounds of healthy reefs.
Yep, they’re hoping that will trick marine life to come and hang out in damaged areas, which will bring life back to those spots.
Impressive stuff or what?
With all this tech and innovation, SOMETHING will hopefully work to restore our ocean’s coral.
Reporting for Newsy Pooloozi, I’m Shima Ito.
LEELA: Wow – that was a full report! Thanks a lot, Shima for giving us a nice deep dive into the tech “lifeboats” being thrown out into the sea of coral.
MAMA: Oh, two puns in one sentence. I am impressed. I’ll sit here and soak it all up. Get it. Coral… sponge… soak…
LEELA: Oh, yes, I’m a sucker for a good coral pun.
[SOURCE: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-66656369
https://www.aims.gov.au/information-centre/news-and-stories/scientists-broadcast-reef-songs-underwater-replenish-reefs
https://www.zawya.com/en/special-coverage/zawya-green/archireef-in-deal-to-boost-abu-dhabi-coral-reef-habitats-restoration-h9ju51mb
https://time.com/collections/best-inventions-2025/7318350/coralvita-braincoral]
NATURE STING – VARIOUS VOICES: “The call of nature. Get on your safari suite. Or squeeze into your scuba gear. And get ready to hop into a jeep. Or submarine. Submarine. Because Mother Nature is calling! Nature.”
LEELA: In today’s nature story we’ve got the low-down on this year’s winner for New Zealand’s Bird of the Year!
MAMA: Ooh, another nature contest. First fat bears, now New Zealand Birds!
LEELA: Well, every year since 2005, a nature conservancy group…
MAMA: Meaning, a group that works to conserve land, water and biodiversity in the fight against climate change.
LEELA: Yes, that. The nature conservancy group Forest and Bird started doing an email vote 20 years ago to raise awareness about birds whose habitats are in danger.
MAMA: And if I remember correctly, there were only a few hundred people who voted back then.
LEELA: Correct. Well fast forward to this year, and there were more than 75,000 people who voted from more than 120 countries and regions around the world!
MAMA: That’s fantastic! Looks like they sure did raise awareness about New Zealand’s endangered birds. But who won this year?
LEELA: Ah ha! In fact, it’s the same bird that won in 2012! And for the answer let’s cut across to our newest New Zealand correspondent, Lachlan Ranger, whose grandfather is apparently a big fan of this bird?!
https://www.birdoftheyear.org.nz (the winning bird is on the left, for sfx of its song)
LACHLAN: Thanks guys. Yep, my granddad (or grandpa? Grandpop? Whatever is most natural is a huge fan of the… drum roll please…. The Karearea!
Yeah, it’s a lot of vowels, but this little brown bird can pack a punch.
Also known as the New Zealand falcon, the Karearea is about the size of a pigeon.
It soars at over 200 kilometers per hour…swooping for its prey…which often consists of small birds and mammals.
The Karearea is endangered, with only 5 to 8 thousand remaining.
They nest on the ground and face loss of habitat and other animals eating their chicks.
However, the Karearea is not popular with everyone.
Some people have reported being attacked by swooping Karearea whilst walking around the Wellington bush.
Wouldn’t it be a problem for my grandad, though!
In Wellington, this is Lachlan Ranger for Newsy Pooloozi!
MAMA: Well, thank you very much, Lachlan.
LEELA: Great that people from all over the world are flocking to this competition.
MAMA: Yes. It’s far from a bird-brained idea.
LEELA: I love these punny endings, don’t you mama?
MAMA: Birds of a feather do stick together, don’t we?
[SOURCE: https://www.birdoftheyear.org.nz/]
KINDESS CORNER STING – VARIOUS VOICES: “Kindness corner. Cool. They did what? Seriously? What? How cool is that! No way! Cool.”
MAMA: Now we’re going to talk about something that may or may not actually belong here in Kindness Corner.
LEELA: Oh, this sounds controversial.
MAMA: Well, hear me out. Let me ask you a question: if someone does something bad, but then apologizes for it and tries to make it right again, should they be forgiven?
LEELA: Hmmmm, good question. I mean, the saying goes: “It’s never too late to say sorry”, right? So, I guess that means it’s never too late to forgive someone, doesn’t it?
MAMA: Yep, I’d agree with you on that. And so, forgiving someone for doing something bad is a form of kindness, isn’t it? And that’s at the heart of our story.
LEELA: Yes, back to the story please.
MAMA: Ok, so 60 years ago, man from Germany did something bad while on vacation in Austria.
LEELA: Tell me more.
MAMA: Well, he was on a tour of St Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, Austria. And he stole something from the church.
LEELA: Oooh, was it a bottle of wine? Some holy water perhaps? A crucifix!?
MAMA: EEEhh (making the sound of a ‘no’ buzzer) None of the above. You see, as is common in big old Catholic churches across Europe, many have catacombs in their basements.
LEELA: Cata-what?
MAMA: Catacombs, as in an underground cemetery with connecting tunnels and all these nooks and crannies where bodies, or more likely just the bones, were stored back in the day. And I mean lots and lotsof bones.
LEELA: Hmmm, sounds a bit… gross? So, it’s just like a big pile of bones and skulls under a church?
MAMA: Not a big pile at all! In most cases, like in the very famous catacombs under the city of Paris, the bones and skulls are arranged neatly and sometimes in very artistic patterns!
LEELA: And so, the catacombs under St Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, yes yes… Back to the story mama.
MAMA: Ok, so 60 years ago, this German guy was on a tour of the catacombs under St. Stephen’s Church, which holds the remains of like 11,000 people. And he stole….
LEELA: Wait. Wait. Why do I feel like you’re going to say, he stole a…..
MAMA: Yes! He stole a skull from the catacombs!
LEELA: Ewwwwww! I mean, just like, why?
MAMA: Who knows! But that’s not the point of the story. The point is that 60 years after he stole the skull, he’s returned it to the church.
LEELA: And again, like, why?
MAMA: Guilty conscience, apparently! The church archivist was sent a package recently and inside was a skull!
LEELA: That must have been a strange package to receive!
MAMA: It was indeed! And along with the skull was a note from the thief. He explained how he stole the skull decades ago but wanted to make peace with himself as he’s coming towards the end of his life.
LEELA: That is like the literal definition of a guilty conscience!
MAMA: Right? The church archivist said the skull was very well preserved and that he respected the man for holding onto it all these years, instead of like chucking it in the garbage or something to make his guilt go away.
LEELA: So it’s the kindness expressed by the church that we are celebrating with this story.
MAMA: Right again!
[SOURCE: ] https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2317drzm04o
ACE STING – LEELA/MAMA: “Now it’s the ace part of our podcast: Arts, Culture and Entertainment. Darling.”
MAMA: So, when I say transhumance, you say…
LEELA: I have no idea what you’re talking about…?
MAMA: Ha! Transhumance — let’s break it down, shall we? Trans… in Latin means “across”.
LEELA: And “humance”? Sounds like the word “humans” to me.
MAMA: Kind of. It’s also Latin and comes from the word ‘humus’ which means land, or earth. And you’re right, the word ‘human’ comes from the word “humus”, because well, back in the day humans were thought to have come from the earth. But I digress!
LEELA: And so, transhumance means “across the land” … How is this an ACE story again?
MAMA: Bear with me! So, transhumance specifically refers to the act of moving livestock across land.
LEELA: Like when a flock of sheep gets to graze on tasty mountain grass during the summer, but when it gets cold, they’re moved off the mountains down to the lowland pastures where its warmer? Something like that?
MAMA: Exactly like that! Transhumance has ancient roots and has been the traditional way of raising and caring for livestock for centuries. It’s got quite a lot of culture around it.
So, guessing lots of cultures, do it?
They do. But there’s one instance of transhumance in Spain that always gets attention because of the sheer audacity of the route the herdsmen use to move their livestock.
LEELA: Spain you say? I think we can toss to our brother sister duo Marcky and Nina Granena. Take it away guys.
NINA: Thanks guys. So yeah, the other day hundreds of sheep and goats walked right through the center of Madrid.
MARCKY: It’s a super old-timey thing and has been happening for the past 600 years!
NINA: Back in the day herdsmen would pay the mayors of cities to let their sheep and goats pass through the center of towns.
MARCKY: Which in the case of Madrid, is a thriving metropolis of 3.4 million people!
NINA: Moving all those animals through the center of the city is usually the shortest and safest route.
MARCKY: And it’s the most environmentally friendly. In traditional grazing, livestock eat dead and dried weeds, sometimes called “brush”.
NINA: Yes, they eat brush and other flammable undergrowth to help stop the spread of wildfires, which can get pretty bad here in Spain, so it’s a good system.
MARCKY: And beyond that, it’s just a funny thing to see: 2,000 sheep and 100 goats with their bells ringing and hooves clattering on the cobblestones. Can you imagine what the tourists must have been thinking?
NINA: Something like “What the flock is that?”
MARCKY: Ugh oh. That pun is a little naughty. I was trying to think of a better one, but I got mutton.
TOGETHER: In Barcelona this is Nina and Marcky Granena for Newsy Pooloozi!
LEELA: Thanks guys!
MAMA: So, as we said in the intro, Spain isn’t the only country where transhumance is carried out. In fact hundreds of sheep also passed through the city of Nuremberg recently.
LEELA: Nuremberg as in Germany?
MAMA: That’s the one. There were about 600 animals that snaked through the downtown region enroute to their winter pasture.
LEELA: But the city isn’t as large as Madrid… Nuremburg has like 500,000 people?
MAMA: 540,000. So yes, smaller than Madrid, but still a spectacle! Here in India, you may catch an odd cow or two roaming a downtown region, but hundreds, let alone thousands of cows or sheep? That’s like a lambslide.
LEELA: Ha! Lambslide, landslide. Cute. Yeah. With all those sheep there must be one or two behaving baaaadly.
MAMA: Indeed. But wool you be serious for a minute?
LEELA: Just sheepin’it real mama.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-5011597
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: Uuuuugh. That is kind of what I’m thinking right out of the gate about this one mama, gotta tell ya.
MAMA: Ok, so considering the look on your face right now is one of utter disgust we must be talking about… let’s see, snotty tissues, what’s inside those tissues, toe jam, ear wax…
LEELA: Worse. Well, maybe – that’s all EXTREMELY bad. But this is bad too… Spiders!
MAMA: Really? I mean I’m no fan, but utter disgust, really? What about Charlotte’s Web? The pig? That whole story?
LEELA: This is story is no Charlott’s Web mama.
MAMA: Anywayyyy…. you say we’re talking about a disgusting spider story?
LEELA: That is an understatement. We are talking about the largest, smelliest spider web ever discovered in history!
MAMA: Wow! What a build-up. Tell me more.
LEELA: So apparently, a group of (Czech) speleologists,
MAMA: Those are people who study caves. And in this case, apparently, they were from the Czech Republic in Europe.
LEELA: Yes, that. Well, they were studying a cave along the border with Albania and Greece a few years ago. And it wasn’t just any old cave; it had been hollowed out by sulfuric acid.
MAMA: Ah ha. That’s where the stinkiness comes from perhaps? Sulfuric acid is instantly recognizable- smells like rotten eggs!
LEELA: Exactly! Well inside this stinky old cave they found the biggest, longest, and IMO grossest spider web ever.
MAMA: But somehow a gigantic spider web might look, dare I say, beautiful even? I’m imagining a large, silk lattice looking thing, like a big piece of lace delicately criss crossing the cave’s walls.
LEELA: Well, take a look at this video.
MAMA: Which all of you can see by clicking the link at the end of the show. Hmmm. What am I looking at exactly?
LEELA: Yeah. That’s a spider web. That big, gray, like dirty blanket looking thing stuck to the wall.
MAMA: But there are like a million holes in it.
LEELA: Those are all the individual spider webs, like 69,000 Tegenaria domestica spiders, aka “barn funnel weavers”. And another 42,000 “P vagan” spiders. And all their webs are like stuck together.
MAMA: It’s like that fake cobweb pull-apart stuff that you can buy for Halloween, but filthy.
LEELA: Yeah. Not at all a big piece of lace. More like a thick, somehow crumbly, cork bulletin board?
MAMA: Wow. In the video, I love how when one of the scientists pushes their hand against it, it undulates.
LEELA: Yeah, it’s as gross as that word sounds.
MAMA: But I do say, isn’t there a larger, less gross-me-out story here?
LEELA: I can’t get past the dirty, undulating bag of spiders.
MAMA: Well, if I know my arachnids, both those species like wet damp places like caves, but I believe barn funnel weavers usually eat p.vagans, which are smaller.
LEELA: Nice spider knowledge mama. And well, so what?
MAMA: Don’t you see? Thousands of different kinds of spiders living together in harmony? Predator not eating prey? I wonder why that is.
LEELA: Well, the scientists didsay there was plenty of food, flies I believe? So, I guess since the barn weavers weren’t really struggling to find food, they didn’t have to prey on the p.vagans.
MAMA: Yes… And there’s something else. Those caves are damp, and dark,which scientists also said was a contributing factor.
LEELA: Hmmm, I guess you can’t attack your enemy when you can’t see them.
MAMA: Exactly! So, it was the combination of plenty of food and not enough light that allowed for such an amazing collaboration to occur in nature!
LEELA: It’s not so gross when you put it that way.
[SOURCE: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/science/biggest-spiderweb-sulfur-cave.html
https://apnews.com/article/science-spiders-cave-greece-albania-0787583c8638928d742127ab4ee09d31]
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 – Coral reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean floor, yet they shelter a quarter of all marine life. So, what tiny creatures actually build these living reefs?
Polyps
LEELA: FAB FACT NUMBER 2 – Even just a 2‑degree rise in ocean temperature could wipe out up to 90% of the world’s reefs. So, what happens to coral when the water gets too warm?
It turns white, weakens, and dies
MAMA: FAB FACT NUMBER 3 – New Zealand’s Bird of the Year contest crowned the Karearea — a falcon that can soar at over 200 kilometers per hour. So, about how many Karearea are left in the wild today?
Only 5 to 8 thousand
LEELA: FAB FACT NUMBER 4 – In Madrid, Spain, thousands of sheep and goats have paraded through the city center for over 600 years. What do these grazing animals eat that helps stop the spread of wildfires?
Brush – as in dead weeds and flammable undergrowth
MAMA: FAB FACT NUMBER 5 – Scientists found the world’s largest spider web in a stinky sulfur cave. How many spiders built it together? Over 100,000
Over a 100 thousand
And don’t forget, if you want to test yourself later on, then go to the Lucky Dip page of our website, newsypooloozi.com, that’s pool-o-o-z-i, and take this quiz online in your own time!
LEELA: And that almost brings us to the end of this episode of Newsy Pooloozi! But first…
MAMA: We would like to thank the lovely Jyoti Chauhan for her production help and Julie Noce for helping write this episode!
THEME MUSIC
LEELA: If you enjoyed this dip in the coolest pool of news and information then HIT that subscribe button on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Alexa or wherever you get your podcasts.
MAMA: While you’re at it… Give us a good rating. Or better still, leave us a review! Go on – we’ll read it out loud if you do…
LEELA: And don’t forget to check out our website – that’s newsypooloozi.com – p-o-o-lo-o-z-i.com
Alrighty then, see you next week in the happy, splashy giant Newsy Pooloozi!
-ends-
