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Meteoric Sighting in Canada; Upcoming Olympics in Japan; Recovery of a Species in Europe; A Singing Tiger; Bad Poetry. Aired 4-4:10a ET
Aired February 26, 2021 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CARL AZUZ, CNN 10 ANCHOR: It`s a bird. It`s a plane. It`s a meteor. We`re training our eyes on the skies this Friday on CNN 10. I`m Carl Azuz. Here`s
what`s up. This week there were more than 400 reports of fire in the sky. They were mostly concentrated in and around Alberta, Canada though the
meteor was also visible in other parts of that country and in the U.S. state of Montana. Thanks in large part to surveillance and doorbell
cameras, the American Meteor Society received more than 100 videos of this. The thing was so bright it was classified as a fireball. According to NASA
that means the rock could have been bigger than three feet in diameter. It`s a shocking celestial sight that looks really cool as long as it
doesn`t hurt anything and as far as we know it didn`t.
Scientists believe it was just a meteor not a meteorite. What`s the difference? There are a lot of small rocks that are zinging through space.
They`re called meteoroids. If one of these rocks hit`s the earth`s atmosphere, it becomes a meteor. That`s also known as a shooting star. The
streaks you see across the sky are the result of meteors burning up in our atmosphere. Researchers say more than 90 percent of them burn up
completely. If they don`t do that though, if part of the rock survives its entry and smacks into the earth`s surface. It`s then classified as a
meteorite.
Thousands of tiny meteorites strike the earth every year but as far as we know the one seen this week in Canada wasn`t one of them. It`s believed to
have been a meteor. There haven`t been any fragments reported from the earth`s surface. Initially scientists didn`t know how big it was, how fast
it was moving and what it was made of but they`re able to piece together some information about it based on the multitude of different recordings
taken from different cameras in different locations.
10 Second Trivia. To date, how many cities have hosted both the summer and winter Olympic games? Five, three, one, or none. No single city has hosted
both seasonal Olympics before but Beijing, China is set to become the first next year.
The Chinese capital hosted the Olympic summer games in 2008. It`s set to host the 2022 Winter Olympics next February 4th. Looking ahead, the events
will return to Paris, France in 2024. Milano Cortina, Italy in 2026, Los Angeles, California in 2028 and the International Olympics Committee just
announced yesterday that Brisbane, Australia is the preferred host for the 2032 Summer Olympics. This is a new process for Olympic organizers. They
haven`t announced the venue for the 2030 Winter games yet and Brisbane bid to host the 2032 games isn`t a done deal. The IOC still has to vote on this
to make it final.
But because hosting the Olympics takes years to plan for and because of the uncertainty that still surrounds the 2020 games which were delayed by the
corona virus pandemic. The committees trying to devise a stable and predictable way to determine future host cities.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BLAKE ESSIG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In another sign that the Olympic and Paralympic games will likely take place this summer, on Thursday Tokyo 2020
organizers laid out their plan for the torch relay starting in exactly one month the torch will begin its 121 day journey in Fukashima before making
its way through all of Japan`s pre-fixtures. Fukashima`s one of the hardest hit areas during the 2011 Great Tohoku earthquake and tsunami which caused
a nuclear meltdown. Now starting the relay in the region allows Japan the opportunity to highlight the reconstruction and recovery effort that has
taken place since the devastating day nearly 10 years ago.
Now 10,000 torch bearers will take part in the relay and perhaps a sign of things to come during the Olympic and Paralympic games this summer, masked
spectators will be allowed to line the relay route. But have been asked not to cheer but instead to show support by clapping. Officials have also asked
spectators to avoid contact with people, close spaces and crowded areas. Temporary suspensions of the relay could take place if a large crowd form.
Now the format of the relay could also change depending on COVID-19 restrictions in each prefecture. Blake Essig, CNN, Tokyo.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: Next story is about Eurasian beavers on the river Otter. Let`s explain. The Otter is the name of a river in Devon, England. These wild
Eurasian beavers are some of the first to live there in about 400 years. These animals were hunted to near extinction before the 20th century in
part because they were prized for their fur used in felt hats. But conservation efforts have helped the species recover even though their
relationship with people still isn`t perfect.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What people didn`t realize is how important beavers are to the landscape. The dams they build regulate water flow, increase
biodiversity and even drive down pollution. In short, beavers are what are known as ecosystem engineers. Beavers build dams and canals for their own
protection. The dams raise the surrounding water which helps them escape from predators. But (inaudible) in the landscape has a greater impact, it
also slows the water flow reducing floods downstream in the wet season and drought in the dry season. Experts warn that areas like Devon are expected
to see more flooding but a recent study on beavers in England showed that their dams can reduce average flood waters by up to 60 percent. The
organization behind reintroducing beavers to Devon is the Devon Wildlife Trust. Though before they release any beavers into the wild, ecologists ran
a trial in how beavers might change the landscape.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, this is a three-hectare enclosure that was built in 2010. That`s right. That`s a dam there and it goes all the way across. It`s
about 40 meters long. When we put them in here and started to see what they did to the water course, it was really profound. You know, we all suddenly
became much more conscious of just how powerful this animal was.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Trust received permission to release beavers into the wild in 2015. It was the first license in England to do so. The effect
on the river Otter basin was dramatic.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This pond is being created by the beavers. So, they built a small dam which has increased the water level in this area. That`s
enabled them to build a lodge on this island. (Inaudible) is the home of beavers. The entrance to the lodge is underwater and right now we`ve
probably got the adult pair in this island along with kits from this summer and the previous summer. So, they might be eight beavers in that lodge
right now.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There`s also been a huge increase in biodiversity as the wetland habitat attracts water (inaudible), otters, amphibians and bird
life. But beavers can cause trouble, for one, they`re big. Beavers like (inaudible) can weigh up to 30 kilograms or 66 pounds.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s quite a big dog. We`ve had fishermen telling us stories that they`ve been a bit scared while fishing close to beavers.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They also can waterlog farmland and eat orchard trees. So, a big part of Chanton Elliot`s (ph) job is working with local
landowners to make sure everyone is happy. But overall, beavers are a huge benefit to ecosystems and society. And nations across Europe are working to
restore them to their original range.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s been a hugely successful conservation story. Beavers were reduced to around 1,200 back in the 1920s` and now there are
over 1 million beavers within Europe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: We`ve heard of the "Eye of the Tiger", the "Roar of the Tiger", "Paper Tigers" and a "Neon Tiger" but this is the first time we`ve heard a
singing tiger. Fascinating. Let`s hear more. I think we need to work on your pitch. Has cat got your tongue? Well I think you can advance but
you`ll be working with "Lionel" Ritchie. So, this is what`s being called a singing tiger. He`s an eight-month-old male cub at a Siberian zoo who`s
able to hit high notes that other tigers can`t. Officials say he`s not in pain, this is just what he does to get attention. Tiger, tiger, burning
bright, in the music halls of night.
It`s not "enroars" that you delight or "purrs and furs" that others might. You`re a "cat" of different stripes. Hitting high notes with your pipes. On
the prowl "in cage and meadow" from the pitch of your "falseto". You`re a rebel without "cause", lifting voice through open "jaws". Singing not just
for applause, but just "beclaws" you can, entertaining beast and man. Apologies to William Blake. Shout out to Waterville Senior High School in
Waterville, Maine. "Water" you think of Fridays? They`re awesome. I`m Carl Azuz for CNN.
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