The Ten News, News For Curious Kids

Episode: Super Bowl LX, Frozen Iguanas, and Lunar New Year 2026
Date: February 12, 2026
Hosts: Ryan Willard & Pamela Kirkland

Episode Overview

This episode of The Ten News is a whirlwind journey through top stories for curious kids and families, catching everyone up on the big wins and “what's up” moments around the world. Standout moments include coverage of Super Bowl LX, the 2026 Winter Olympics highlights, animal news featuring frozen iguanas, groundbreaking science with species de-extinction, a real-life rescue adventure, and details on the upcoming Lunar New Year. The hosts maintain a fun, energetic, and inclusive tone throughout, offering plenty of memorable moments, trivia, and opportunities for kids to participate.

Key Discussion Points

1. Sports Highlights: Super Bowl, Olympics, and Best in Show

[00:39–03:36]

• Super Bowl LX Recap (Santa Clara, CA)
  • The Seattle Seahawks win their 2nd Super Bowl, defeating the New England Patriots 29–13.
  • Seahawks kicker Jason Myers sets a new record with five field goals.
  • Kenneth Walker III named MVP, first running back to receive this since 1998, with 135 rushing and 26 receiving yards.
    • Quote: “Walker rushed down the field for 135 yards... His 135 rushing yards are also the most by any player in a Super Bowl since Terrell Davis.” – Ryan [01:24]
• Winter Olympics Wrap-Up
  • Team USA secures first gold in the women’s downhill via Breezy Johnson.
  • Johnson becomes the second American woman to win the event; previous winner was Lindsey Vonn.
  • Lindsey Vonn suffers a crash and is injured but is expected to recover.
    • Quote: “Breezy Johnson was the sixth rider... blew through the course in just over 1 minute and 36 seconds.” – Pamela [01:55]
• Westminster Dog Show — 150th Anniversary
  • “America’s Dog Show” sees Penny, a four-year-old Doberman, win Best in Show.
  • Handler Andy Linton won with a Doberman in 1989 as well.
    • Fun Fact: The show is the second-longest continuous sporting event in the US.

2. Wild & Science News: Frozen Iguanas and Bio-Revivals

[03:36–05:41]

• Frozen Iguanas in Florida
  • Cold weather causes iguanas to enter ‘torpor’ and fall from trees.
  • Florida wildlife officials coordinate removal; 5,195 green iguanas taken out of the ecosystem.
  • Viral video: People make a blanket out of frozen iguanas.
    • Quote: “Not really, but kind of. Freezing temperatures across Florida sent the invasive species into a coma-like state called torpor...” – Pamela [03:44]
• Colossal Biosciences’ New Project: The Biovault
  • Company working to revive extinct species like direwolves and woolly mammoths.
  • Launching the Biovault, a cryogenic genetic material library supervised by AI and robotics.
  • Aims to store over a million samples from more than 10,000 species to help conserve and possibly resurrect species.
    • Quote: “Colossal hopes that the vault will eventually hold more than 1 million samples across more than 10,000 species...” – Ryan [05:14]

3. Real-life Heroism: A 13-Year-Old Rescuer

[06:17–07:05]

• Australian Teen Saves Family
  • Austin Appleby, 13, rescues his mother and two siblings after they’re swept out to sea during paddleboarding.
  • Alone, he swims over two miles in four hours after his kayak is swamped, reaching help.
  • Family is rescued after almost 10 hours in the water.
    • Quote: “Austin set off in an inflatable kayak, but he quickly left it behind and began to take on water. He then ditched his life vest...” – Pamela [06:36]

4. Tech & Curiosity: Microscopic Robots

[07:05–07:57]

• Swimming Nanobots
  • University of Pennsylvania and University of Michigan create robots smaller than grains of salt.
  • Each has a built-in computer, powered by solar, can be programmed by flashes of light, and costs only one cent.
  • Possible future uses include monitoring cell health inside the body.
    • Quote: “Despite their size, each robot has a built-in computer that lets it control its own movements as it swims through water...” – Ryan [07:22]

5. Pop Culture: Prizes and Rings

[08:06–08:49]

• Dave & Buster’s ‘Human Crane Game’ for Valentine’s
  • Players are lowered into a pit to grab prizes, with five $15,000 diamond rings hidden among them to celebrate Valentine’s.
  • “Human Crane” starts Feb 14 for $20 per couple.

6. Culture & Celebration: Lunar New Year 2026

[08:49–09:34]

• Year of the Horse
  • Lunar New Year begins Feb 17, marked by feasts, decorating, shopping, and lantern festivals.
  • The horse zodiac emphasizes energy and love; next occurrence is 2038.
    • Quote: “This year’s Zodiac animal, the horse, is the seventh animal in the 12-year cycle... The horse is thought to bring confidence, energy and love...” – Ryan [09:17]

7. Trivia and Trend: The “Cry Cry Horse”

[09:34–10:59]

• Trivia by Owen
  • Lunar New Year’s alternate name is the “Spring Festival.”
  • Viral story: The “Cry Cry Horse,” a plush toy made with a mistakenly frowning mouth, takes social media by storm in China.
    • Quote: “What was meant to be a cheerful red stuffed animal with a big smile ended up with its mouth stitched upside down by accident...” – Owen [10:19]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Sports Energy:
  “Pacific Northwest for the win.” – Ryan [00:12]
• Compassionate Banter:
  “Nope. I think the world can only handle one Ryan Willard.” – Pamela [05:41]
• Listener Challenge:
  “Hey tenors... What’s your favorite Winter Olympic sport? Or if you could add any winter sport, what would it be? I personally would add snowball, dodgeball, which I just made up but actually sounds pretty awesome.” – Ryan [05:44]
• Playful Teasing:
  “Wait. Cry Cry Horse is what my sister used to call me when she beat me at Skeeball.” – Ryan [11:01]

Segment Timestamps

| Topic | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------------|---------------| | Sports Wins Recap (Super Bowl, Olympics) | 00:39–03:36 | | Frozen Iguana Invasion in Florida | 03:36–04:35 | | Bioscience & Species Recovery | 04:35–05:41 | | Listener Challenge & Transition | 05:41–06:17 | | Heroic Teen Saves Family | 06:17–07:05 | | Microscopic Swimming Robots | 07:05–07:57 | | Dave & Buster’s Human Crane Game | 08:06–08:49 | | Lunar New Year Preview | 08:49–09:34 | | Trivia: Spring Festival & Cry Cry Horse Toy | 09:34–10:59 |

Tone & Style

The hosts, Ryan and Pamela, keep the pacing punchy, direct, and peppered with humor and curiosity. Kids are consistently involved (“tenors”), and news is delivered in bite-sized, easily digestible pieces. Trivia and playful back-and-forth make news both relevant and memorable for families.

Conclusion

The episode delivers a lively roundup of news highlights for kids and their grownups, balancing timely world and science news with fun cultural trends and listener engagement. By blending sports, strange animal news, remarkable science, and spirited trivia, it embodies “news for curious kids” with both depth and playfulness.