Arielle: Hey guys, and happy Monday! I am Arielle Hixson, and let's get going!
Okay now, opening weekend for the Winter Olympics is in the books. The games are taking place over in Pyeongchang, South Korea, a town of just 44,000 people, and it is just 50 miles from the North Korean border. Athletes from 93 nations paraded into the Olympic Stadium for the opening ceremonyin what will be the largest Winter Games in history.
The Pyeongchang Olympics opened with dazzling visuals and lots of fireworks on Friday.Team USA was led by luge athlete Erin Hamlin. This year's team, made up of 242 athletes, is the largest of any nation in history.And their cool outfits are actually hot — it is the first time Team USA is wearing heated parkas.
The opening ceremony kicked off two and a half weeks of competition in 15 disciplines at 13 venues. So far, the freezing temperatures are breaking records too — the coldest in at least 20 years.
And on Saturday, 17-year-old snowboarder Red Gerard won Team USA's first gold medal. He is now the youngest Olympic snowboarding champion ever. Then, on Sunday, another record: Chris Mazdzer took home the silver medal in men's luge, the first men’s luge singles medal in Team USA history.
Now, not only is everyone watching the sporting events closely, but lots of people are keeping a close eye on safety, both in real life and virtually, as South Korea is on guard for hackers.
The most pressing threat to the Winter Olympics may be one that these South Korean security teams can't see.
Jim Lewis: It's got political importance. It's got a lot of money — that draws hackers like flies to a candle.
Arielle: Cyber security expert Jim Lewis says hackers have repeatedly targeted the games. During the Olympics in Beijing, London and Brazil, there were reportedly millions of attempted cyberattacks a day — and some succeeded.
Lewis: Low-level, but scamming tickets, stealing money.
Arielle: The Department of Homeland Security alert warned travelers to Pyeongchang that their cellphones could be monitored or compromised.
One concern in South Korea: whether Russian hackers may seek payback for the decision to ban Russia's Olympic team from the games because of doping allegations.
Lewis: And in previous Olympics, they've done their usual trick. They hack emails and release things that are damaging to American athletes or athletes from other countries.
Arielle: And you just heard that Russia was banned from the games this year because of a doping scandal, which brings us to Words in the News: doping, the act of taking drugs to unfairly boost sporting performance.
And this year, there is something else going on at the Winter Games: the play of politics and diplomacy. North and South Korean athletes sat side by side Friday night as one Korean team.It was just the start of what may be a diplomatic breakthrough between two nations officially still at war.
It all started with a handshake, then a visit to the presidential palace.South Korean President Moon Jae-in welcomed Kim Yo Jong to the Winter Games.She is the sister of North Korea's mysterious dictator,Kim Jong-un, and the first member of North Korea's ruling family to set foot in South Korea since the two went to war in 1950.
After several North Korean missile and nuclear testsand a war of words between the U.S. and North Korea, President Moon wants to press the reset button and kick-start peace talks. But Vice President Mike Pencesays not so fast.In possibly the worst seating arrangement ever, the VP was seated just two feet away from the North Korean delegation.The two did not talk, determined to avoid each other.
Vice President Mike Pence: North Korea has to accept change. They have to abandon their nuclear ambitions. They have to end the day of provocation and menacing.
Arielle: But possibly the biggest moment all weekendwas the North Korean and South Korean teams walking inas one team, one Korea and under one flag — a move that polls show most South Koreans are against.
Man: I don't think it's right to use the unified flag.We should use our flag because it's our country.
Arielle: And that is our Olympics wrap-up for today.
Now we are moving on.And Keith Kocinski is here with a pop quiz, so get ready.
Keith: Today is Darwin Day, celebrating Charles Darwin on his birthday. He is the famous scientist that changed how we understand our world. And in honor of that, here is a pop quiz.
What theory did Darwin develop?
Is it
a. evolution by natural selection
b. theory of relativity
c. theory of gravity or
d.the big bang theory
You have got 10 seconds.
All right, time is up. The answer is a. Darwin came up with the theory of evolution by natural selection, which changed the way we view life on Earth forever.
Charles Darwin was born in England on February 12, 1809, and his b-day is now recognized around the world as Darwin Day.His theory on natural selection was inspired by his earlier travels around the worldand especially through the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador.
He later studied the subtle changes in the beaks of some of the finches from his travels, which showed, over generations, they biologically adapted to their new surroundings.
Now, this was a controversial theory, especially among thereligious, who believed all animals on Earth are created by God. And while today, the theory of evolution is widely accepted, in some places, it is still controversial.
Arielle: Thanks, Keith.
Now, after the break, a surprising reason behind 1 in 10 car crashes.
Arielle: Okay, Azia is joining me now, and we bet a bunch of you guys are super excited to get your driver’s license. And for those of you who are already riding the whip, you know staying alert comes first behind the wheel.
Azia: Definitely, Arielle, but millions are actually having a tough time keeping their eyes open while they are on the road, and new research shows drowsiness could play a part in 1 in 10 car crashes.Take a look.
Asleep behind the wheel — researchers say what you are watching here is happening on the roads way more than they thought. This teen rear-ends another vehicle; fortunately, no one was hurt.In Addison, Illinois, police pulled over this driver, who said he had just finished a 14-hour shift and was exhausted.
Officer: You gotta be careful. Being drowsy is … you know, it’s just as bad as being drinking or being distracted.You know what I’m saying?
Azia: The AAAFoundation reviewed video like this of 3,500 drivers and more than 700 accidents, looking for tell-tale signs of fatigue. Federal regulators found that being tired factors into 1 to 2 percent of crashes.But AAA saw drowsy driving in nearly 10 percent of the accidents reviewed.
William Horrey: I think that really underscores the significance of this safety concern on the road.
Azia: A concern that haunts Jennifer Pearce.
Jennifer Pearce: She'll never get to be an aunt to my children; she'll never get to meet her youngest niece,Faith.
Azia: Her younger sister,Nicole, was an 18-year-old freshman at Virginia Tech.When riding back from a ski trip with friends, the driver fell asleep and slammed into a tree, killing Nicole.
Pearce: It doesn't really go away; you just mourn differently each year. My biggest message is to make sure that people understand that sleep is a very important part of a healthy lifestyle, and it's necessary every day, all the time.
Azia: Experts say lack of sleep can make a drowsy driver as dangerous as a drunk driver.Some signs to watch out for include struggling to keep your eyes open or having trouble staying in your lane.
Arielle: Very good to know.Thanks,Azia.
Okay now,it is time for the Next Big Thing.
It is a special Valentine's Day treat that will definitely have you blushing, but before we bite into this week's Next Big Thing, let's hear what you thought about last week’s.
We told you about the mermaid exercise, a routine fit for those who can swim like a fish.So is it the next big thing? Forty-five percent said,“Yes — fintastic idea!” But 55 percent said,“No — I will stick to the shore for this one.”
Class: We are Mr. Lynch's fifth-grade class from Thompson BrookSchool in Avon,Connecticut, and we think that the mermaid tail workout is not the next big thing!
Class: Hi, we're Mrs. Hahn's fourth-grade class, and we're from NullElementary from St. Charles,Missouri, and we think that mermaid exercise is the next big thing!
Arielle: ButKameko said, “No, float that idea down a stream.”
Thanks for all your responses, guys. As a mermaid myself,I definitely got a kick out of that one.
Okay now, this week’s Next Big Thing is for all the sweet tooths out there — shout-out to Azia! A chocolate company just unveiled a new treat that is pretty in pink, just in time for Valentine’s Day. Take a look.
When you think of chocolate, it usually comes in a select few shades: milk, darkand white.But it is about time these basic flavors move on over because pink — yes, pink — chocolate has now hit the shelves.
The Swiss chocolate maker Barry Callebaut came up with the first new natural color for the confection. It has a pinkish hue and a fruity flavor, but the Zurich-based company prefers describing it as "ruby chocolate." The candy is made from a special cocoabean that gives it that unique color.
Looks so good — and perfect for the gram. So what do you guys think? Is ruby chocolate the next big thing?Head to ChannelOne.com to vote. Leave us a comment, orsend us a video to .
Allright, we are done with all the sweet talk for now, but we will catch you right back here tomorrow.
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