Animals in the News, Media Madness, and Dino Discoveries

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Ten News – "Animals in the News, Media Madness, and Dino Discoveries"

Date: December 11, 2025
Host: Small But Mighty Media
Featured Voices: Pamela Kirkland, Ryan Willard, Owen

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Episode Overview

This engaging episode of The Ten News offers a whirlwind tour through recent events, scientific discoveries, and quirky news stories, all designed to pique kids' curiosity about the world around them. From tributes to beloved animals and incredible dinosaur discoveries to discussions about media literacy and technology, the hosts keep the pace lively and the topics accessible, with plenty of humor and relatable asides.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Claude the Albino Alligator’s Legacy

[00:49]

• Pamela shares the sad news of Claude, a rare albino alligator and San Francisco icon, who passed away at age 30.
• Background: Born in 1995 in Louisiana, Claude became a much-loved mascot at the California Academy of Sciences, frequently featured in city ads and children’s books.
• Memorable Moment: “To Claude and his fans, this isn't goodbye. It's just see you later, alligator.” — Pamela [01:42]

2. Dramatic Pet Rescue at Sea

[01:45]

• Ryan recounts the thrilling rescue of Sadie, a Labrador mix, who was swept out to sea in San Diego.
• Details: Thanks to her GPS tag, a search ensued involving local rescuers and the Coast Guard. After an hour, Sadie was saved almost a mile from shore and reunited with her relieved owners.

3. Tech & Media Madness: Screen Time Underwater

[02:29]

• Pamela highlights a viral video from Australia featuring a woman swimming backstroke while scrolling her phone — sparking a conversation on society’s screen addiction.
• Quote: “A little screen time is fine, but come on people, set some boundaries. Enjoy the moment.” — Pamela [03:08]

4. Teens & Trust in News Media

[03:11]

• Ryan introduces a study revealing that American teens (ages 13–18) largely distrust news media, using words like “fake, boring, confusing, and biased.”
• Only a third believe journalists check their facts or fix mistakes.
• Mission Statement: “This study is precisely why The Ten News exists. To report the news in a digestible, factual way for our tenors…” — Ryan [03:50]

5. Press Freedom Controversy: NYT vs. Pentagon

[04:02]

• Pamela shares the story of The New York Times suing the Pentagon over restrictive new media-access policies.
• Notable Moment: “When Fox News and CNN agree on something, you know it’s serious.” — Ryan [04:50]
• Major networks have given up their press passes in protest; the case raises constitutional questions about freedom of the press.

6. Pokemon Card Mania: Record-Breaking Trade

[05:29]

• Ryan reports that a holographic Gengar card in “mint condition” was traded at GameStop for $30,494 — the store’s highest value card trade ever.
• Background: The card was part of the Power Packs program and will now become available for future collectors.

7. Monumental Dinosaur Discovery in Bolivia

[06:22]

• Pamela dives into the record-breaking find of nearly 18,000 dinosaur tracks at Carreras Pampas in Bolivia.
• Key Data: The tracks date from 145 to 66 million years ago, representing mostly theropods and birds, with both footprints and rare swim tracks.
• Quote: "Carreras Pampas is home to the highest number of dinosaur trackways, the most preserved dinosaur footprints, and the highest number of preserved continuous dinosaur swim trackways in the world.” — Pamela [07:12]

8. Astronomy Corner: Geminid Meteor Shower

[07:24]

• Ryan explains the annual Geminid Meteor Shower (active Dec 4–20, peak Dec 13–14).
• Viewing Tips: Best after 10pm, away from city lights; possible to see up to 150 meteors/hour, more likely 40–50.

9. History Flashback: Did Volcanoes Trigger the Black Death?

[08:09]

• Pamela presents new research suggesting that volcanic eruptions may have contributed to the spread of the Black Death in 14th-century Europe.
• Mechanism: Climate changes caused by eruptions allowed plague-carrying fleas to flourish and disrupted grain harvests, leading to increased grain imports — and the spread of the plague.
• Insight: Illustrates how climate change can drastically affect ecosystems and societies.

10. Pop Culture Trivia & Spotify Records

[09:34]

• Owen hosts a trivia segment about Spotify’s most-streamed artist, revealing:
  • Answer: Bad Bunny has been Spotify’s top artist globally for 2025 (and previous years), surpassing Taylor Swift's recent wins.

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Listener Mail & Lighthearted Moments

“Ten New Snaps” and Family Shout-Outs

[11:16]

• The hosts read a family review featuring members honorarily called Butterfly, Snake, Cat, and Unicorn.
• Favorite line: “Might be one of the coolest families I've ever heard of. Except for the, you know…” — Ryan [11:50]

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Notable Quotes

• “A room is always messiest right before it is clean.” — Ryan Willard [00:08]
• “That card was in mint condition, right?” — Pamela Kirkland [00:25]
• “I also don't like spiders.” — Unicorn (Listener), read by Ryan [11:48]

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Fun & Relatable Bloopers

• Pokemon Card Mishap: “It was actually in sid condition because when my little sister Sydney was five, she thought Jigglypuff looked like candy and ate half the card.” — Ryan Willard [10:45]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------|-----------| | Claude the Albino Alligator | 00:49 | | Ocean Rescue: Sadie the Dog | 01:45 | | Tech Addiction: Scrolling & Swimming | 02:29 | | Teens Distrust the News | 03:11 | | NYT Sues Pentagon | 04:02 | | Pokemon Card Record | 05:29 | | Dinosaur Tracks Discovery | 06:22 | | Geminid Meteor Shower | 07:24 | | Volcanic Eruptions & Black Death | 08:09 | | Spotify Trivia | 09:34 | | Funny Pokemon Card Anecdote | 10:45 | | Listener Mail: Family Review | 11:16 |

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Tone & Delivery

The episode’s tone is upbeat and playful, mixing awe-inspiring science with quirky real-life stories and plenty of laughs. The hosts keep things family-friendly, often pausing for relatable side conversations that echo many families’ lived experiences.

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Final Takeaway

This episode balances world news, science, and light-hearted banter, serving as a fun and informative way for kids and their adults to dive into current events and discoveries. The hosts’ genuine curiosity, humor, and rapport make even complex topics accessible and entertaining.

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For more curiosity-sparking stories, check out more episodes of The Ten News!

Transcript

[A]

Hey, Rye, you ready to. Oh. Oh, my goodness. What in the mess is going on here?

[B]

Pam, a room is always messiest right before it is clean.

[A]

I think you just made that up. What are you searching for exactly?

[B]

I'm looking for my oldest Pokemon cards. I heard that Gamestop just paid someone $30,000 for one. I know. They're in one of these bags of stuff.

[A]

You know that card was in mint condition, right?

[B]

What's a mint condition?

[A]

Okay, we'll get to that after we start the show. I'm Pamela Kirkland.

[B]

And I'm Ryan Willard. It's Thursday, December 11th.

[A]

This is 10 things you need to know.

[C]

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

[A]

The first thing you need to know is some sad news out of San Francisco, California. Claude, the rare and much loved albino alligator, has passed away. And at the age of 30. Born in 1995 with albinism, a genetic mutation that made him appear bright white, Claude started life at an alligator farm in Louisiana before moving to the California Academy of Sciences in 2008. He called the museum home for 17 years, touching the hearts of countless visitors and becoming an unofficial mascot. So much so that kiddos often left with their own mini clawed stuffed animal. Claude was also an unofficial mascot to the city, showing up in ads at bus stops and light rail stations. And he even found his way into children's books. To Claude and his fans, this isn't goodbye. It's just see you later, alligator.

[B]

Up next, a successful rescue mission at Ocean beach in San Diego, California. Sadie, a black Labrador retriever mix, escaped out of the front door of the home where she and her owners were staying for the weekend. Luckily, Sadie had a GPS tag on her collar and her owners were able to track her whereabouts. But things took a turn when they realized that Sadie had been swept out into the ocean by a rip current. A surfer alerted lifeguards, prompting a search by the Coast Guard and local rescuers. After more than an hour, just as the team was about to call off the search, Sadie was spotted paddling roughly three quarters of a mile offshore. She was safely pulled into a boat and brought back to shore, where she reunited with her owners.

[A]

While Sadie was a rock star treading the oce ocean waters, a woman in Australia is leaving the world in utter shock after being seen scrolling and swimming at the same time. That's right. A video clip shared on social media shows a woman scrolling on her phone while doing the backstroke in a pool. The caption good to see people just being in the moment, maximizing their screen time, never not being online and oversharing every possible minute of their lives perfectly captures the technology addiction overtaking society. A little screen time is fine, but come on people, set some boundaries. Enjoy the moment.

[B]

Speaking of media consumption, a study shows that American teens ages 13 to 18 have a negative attitude toward the news media. Experts say that very few teens even follow the news regularly or learn about journalism in school. When asked by the News Literacy project to use one word to describe today's news media, 84% of teens responded negatively, using words like fake, boring, confusing, and biased. A big statement that stands out is that one third or fewer teens believe reporters correct their mistakes, confirm the facts before reporting, and make sure they check multiple sources before sharing news. But this study is precisely why the ten News exists. To report the news in a digestible, factual way for our tenors and to keep you informed about the world around you.

[A]

Also happening in the News the New York Times is suing the Pentagon. More specifically, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, over the Pentagon's new policy requiring media outlets to promise not to gather information unless defense officials formally authorize its release. According to the New York Times, this policy represents an attempt to force reporters to rely on offense officials for news about the military and to unlawfully permit their punishment if they don't. As a result, news organizations like Fox News and CNN chose to give up their press passes instead of agreeing to the policy. The Times argues that Hegsett's request violates constitutional protections for free speech and freedom of the press.

[C]

Wow.

[B]

When Fox News and CNN agree on something, you know it's serious. So serious that we should probably take a quick break.

[A]

Yeah, I'm going to go grab a snack. Hey tenors, our holiday episode is coming up next week and I am curious. What do you want for the holidays? Is there a gift you've been asking for? Or maybe you want to see your favorite cousin? We want to hear what you want for the holidays. And if you leave us a comment on Spotify or a review on Apple Podcasts, we might shout you out on the show. Speaking of back to it.

[B]

We are back with some news for our Pokemon fans. A Holo Gengar trading card in mint condition, meaning basically perfect and like new, was traded in at a GameStop store in Grapevine, Texas for $30,494. Gengar is one of the OG 151 Pokemon, and this particular card from 2003 now marks the most valuable single trade in ever recorded in GameStop history. The person who traded in this masterpiece originally received it through GameStop's Power Packs program, which allows customers to buy packs of trading cards online. The packs are guaranteed to have at least one PSA graded card which can be sent to the owner or digitally traded back to GameStop, which means this Gengar card will will reportedly be available for anyone who participates in the Power Packs program.

[A]

Well, this isn't a Pokemon, but a dino mite Discovery has been made in South America Paleontologists have found nearly 18,000 dinosaur tracks at the Carreras Pampas track site. The site is located in Toro Toro national park in Bolivia, and Of the nearly 18,000 prints, there are 16,600 footprints, 1,378 swim tracks, and several tail traces, mostly belonging to theropods and even birds. The tracks are estimated to have formed between 145 million and 66 million years ago and provide a good indication of how dinosaurs and other animals moved along the paleocoast line. According to the paper published in the journal PLOS one, Carreras Pampas is home to the highest number of dinosaur trackways, the most preserved dinosaur footprints, and the highest number of preserved continuous dinosaur swim trackways in the world.

[B]

Last Thursday, December 4, marked the start of the annual Geminid meteor shower, which will be active through December 20th, peaking on the nights of December 13th and 14th. The shower occurs as Earth passes through debris trails shed by the asteroid 3200 Phaethon, creating bright shooting stars that appear to radiate from from the constellation Gemini near the starcaster. Stargazers could see up to 150 meteors per hour at the peak of the meteor shower, according to the American meteor society, but 40 to 50 meteors per hour is more likely. For the best experience, it's suggested to find a dark spot away from city lights after 10pm local time in your area, when Gemini is high in the sky.

[A]

Meanwhile, back on Earth, new research suggests that one or more volcanic eruptions may have triggered the Black Death, the pandemic that swept across Europe starting in 1347. The Black Death was a bubonic plague known as one of the most fatal pandemics in history and was responsible for the deaths of more than half of Europe's population. In a study published in the Journal of Communications, Earth and Environment, the theory is that volcanic eruptions triggered a series of events that enabled the fleas responsible for spreading the plague to grow and multiply rapidly. The eruptions also caused changes in global temperatures, affecting European harvests and sparking fears of famine. As a result, wealthier Italian cities had grain shipped in from around the world. And with these shipments likely came plague infected fleas. So while starvation was avoided, the plague took over. This new research provides a historical example of how climate change can significantly affect human society and animal ecosystems.

[B]

All right, not gonna lie, that was pretty freaky. But for our last thing you need to know, let's go to our trivia master, Owen. What is going on here?

[C]

Trivia on the thanks Rye. Spotify wrapped is back. But before we dive in, it's trivia time. Do you know which artist has been named Spotify's most played the most amount of times? Is it A, Taylor Swift, B, Drake, C, Bad Bunny or D, Billie Eilish? The answer is. See, Bad Bunny has been named Spotify's Most played artist four times and has been crowned 2025's most streamed artist globally for the last two years. Taylor Swift held the title, but that was after Bad Bunny claimed it for two consecutive years in 2023 and 2024. Bad Bunny also holds the title of most streamed album globally, followed by the K Pop Demon Hunter soundtrack.

[B]

And that was 10 things you need to know.

[A]

So did you find your incredibly valuable Pokemon card you were looking for?

[B]

Yes, I did. Thank you for asking.

[A]

Was it in mint condition?

[B]

It was actually in sid condition because when my little sister Sydney was five, she thought Jigglypuff looked like candy and ate half the card. Half of my set is missing because of this, actually.

[A]

Wow, that is not good. Tenners don't try that at home.

[B]

We could try 10 new snaps though.

[A]

But first, here's a quick note for the grownups.

[B]

It's time for 10 new snaps.

[A]

Okay, we have a tenner named Wild Wisdom who left us a review on Apple called A whole family review for a whole family podcast. Butterfly said, I want to eat the pumpkin piece.

[B]

Wait, is this a whole family? Please say no. Please say no, please say no, please say no, please say no.

[A]

Nope. Snake said, I like how you take scary stories and tell them in a child appropriate way. Then Cat said, I like listening to your podcast. And unicorn said, Ryan, I also don't like spiders.

[B]

Okay, that is a family with a snake, a cat and a unicorn. Might be one of the coolest families I've ever heard of. Except for the you know.

[A]

And two extra notes for the grownups. You can now get ad free versions of our episodes when you join the Tenors Club on our website.

[B]

And if you want to Help support the 10News, you can make a tax deductible donation at the link in our show notes. The whole team thanks you for your support.

[A]

The 10News is a co production of Small But Mighty Media and Next Chapter Podcast and part of the Airwave Podcast Network.

[B]

The ten News creative team is looking up at the meteor shower and includes Tracy Nada Crooks, Adam the Great Bambino, Bernard Ryan. Not Ryan Douglas, the Duke of Earl, Davis and Carson not so Harry Potter. Big thanks to Owen. Not slowing down for anybody.

[A]

Our production director is Jeremiah Onfayah Tittle and our executive producers are Donald Albright. Albright Albright. And show creator Tracy takes the leads. Kaplan. I'm Pamela Kirkland.

[B]

And I'm Ryan Willard. Thanks for listening to the 10 news.