Math Mysteries Cracked, Slimy Brainiacs & Sweet Surprises! (9.9.26)

0:00Yo yo, hey, it's time to dash. Welcome to Kids News Flash. News for Kids. We keep it cool. Stay in the know is the golden rule. Hey there and welcome to Kids News Flash. The news show made just for curious kids like you. I'm Katie, here to help you stay up to date on what's happening around the world. Stay in the know is the golden rule. It's September 9th, 2026. Let's see what's happening in the world today. Happy Teddy Bear Day. The teddy bear was named after president, Theodore Roosevelt in 1902. Hope you find a way to mark the day. Now, here are today's top stories. Open AI says it just solved a 90-year-old math puzzle that stumped experts for decades. The company set 10,000 AI bots loose on the Navier Stokes problem, equations about how fluids move, and they cracked it in 88 hours.

1:02The bots sent nearly 3 million messages back and forth, which would have cost about 10 million dollars. The solution hasn't been verified yet by independent mathematicians, so we'll have to wait and see if it holds up. Some cool science news now. Scientists debate whether slime can think. A researcher in Japan named Toshiyuki Nakagaki has spent 40 years studying these organisms, which can move about a centimeter per hour, and seem to deliberately hunt for food. For over a century, people called slime molds simple. But now some scientists say they show problem solving and memory. The debate matters because how we define intelligence could change what makes humans special. In weather news, a massive storm just hit China. Last week, typhoon sawddle hit Southeast China hard, causing massive evacuations. The province, nearly 600,000 people, had to leave their homes. The city of Poutine saw over 16 inches of rain in just one day.

2:03That's enough to flood a two-story building. Rescue teams worked tirelessly, saving more than 1200 people after a river embankment collapsed. The storm also led to landslides and flash floods across four provinces, so it's been a challenging time for many. Okay, history time. On this day, September 9th, in 1850, California became the 31st US state. Just two years after the gold rush began, California had enough people to become a state-y, skipping the usual territory phase. All right, more news coming up. Over in the world of science, sugar-free gum and candy might not be as harmless as they seem. Scientists at Washington University in St. Louis found that sorbitol, a popular sugar substitute, gets converted into fructose once it hits your liver. That's a problem because fructose is linked to fatty liver disease, which affects about 30% of adults worldwide.

3:05The study shows sorbitol is basically one chemical step away from becoming fructose. So while you're skipping regular sugar, you might still be triggering the same health issues you're trying to avoid. Now for some science. Rich people stealing candy? It's true. A wild study just won the 2026 IG Nobel Prize. Researchers found that wealthy people are more likely to steal candy from kids than less wealthy folks. The ignoble's honor real science that makes you laugh, that makes you think. This year's winners also included studies on why we pick certain friends and what counts as a kiss. The researchers think rich people might feel more entitled to break small rules. It's a reminder that having money doesn't always mean better behavior. Over in Washington, New Hampshire just picked its candidates. In New Hampshire, voters chose their candidates for a competitive house seat. Democrats Stephanie Shaheen won her primary, beating Marine veteran Moriss Sullivan,

4:05even though Sullivan raised way more money. On the Republican side, businessman Anthony Dillerenzo won with President Trump's backing. They're both running to replace Democrat Chris Papis, who's now running for Senate. This southeastern New Hampshire district has flipped between parties five times since 2006, so it's anyone's race in November. Second quiz, let's see how you do on this one. What prize did the candy stealing study win? Is it a, the Nobel Peace Prize? Maybe B, the Golden Globe Award? How about C, the Ig Nobel Prize? Or D, the Pulitzer Prize? You have five seconds to think about your answer. The correct answer is C, the Ig Nobel Prize. The Ig Nobel's have been awarded every year since 1991 for research that's both funny and thought-provoking.

5:05Give yourself a high five if you got it right. Time for our discussion question. Hmm. Would you trust a computer to solve your hardest math homework if it took almost four days straight? Think about it and share your thoughts with someone. A shout out to High Rock School in Need a Massachusetts. Glad you're here. If you want your school featured, leave us a review. If you want your school featured, leave us a review. We'd love to give you a shout out. Time for your word of the day. Today's word is jubilant, feeling or expressing great happiness and triumph. Here it is in a sentence. The crowd was jubilant when the team scored the winning goal in the final seconds. See if you can work jubilant into a conversation.

6:09Okay, did you know this? The praying mantis can rotate its head 180 degrees. This allows it to scan its surroundings with two large compound eyes for prey and threats. That's pretty wild. Wow. Ready for a joke? How do you throw a party in outer space? You plan it. I'll be here all week. Today we covered AI solving a 90 year old math problem. Scientists debating whether slime molds can think, a typhoon hitting China, concerns about sugar substitutes, whether rich people behave worse, and New Hampshire's primary election results. That's all for today's kids news flash. If you love today's stories, don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode. Keep being curious and I'll see you tomorrow with more amazing stories. Special thanks to our co-producers Tyler and Katie. This podcast was brought to you by Kids News Flash Universe.

7:10Be sure to check out our other podcasts, Science Kids News Flash, AI Kids News Flash, Launch Kids News Flash, and more. For daily news for kids in five minutes or less.