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5 Good Things: What if we Could Speak to Whales?
CNN 5 Things
Apr 27, 2024
Elementary school kids show us a few kind words can go a long way with their cheerful hotline. A chain of cafés that employs people with intellectual and development disabilities just opened a US location. Scientists had a conversation with a whale for the very first time. Some students cut loose at prom and supported a good cause, after a celebrity with a special tie to the school showed up. And, what if there was internet on the moon?
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Episode Transcript
Krista Bo:
00:00:00
Hey there! Need a breather from the breaking news? Then you're in the right place. Each Saturday, we focus on stories that remind us of the good stuff happening. You know, the kind of stuff that brings a smile to your face. You'll hear how some elementary school kids are saving lives with their pep talks.
Jessica Martin:
00:00:17
These kids had really been through a lot, and I was really struck by how wise and supportive they were.
Krista Bo:
00:00:24
Plus, what if we could talk to whales or text on the moon? From CNN, I'm Krista Bo, and this is 5 Good Things.
Student Hotline:
00:00:35
Hi, welcome to PepToc, a public art project by West Side School. If you're feeling mad, frustrated or nervous, press one.
Krista Bo:
00:00:42
One elementary school in California just marked two years of running a prerecorded hotline that helps anyone in need of a pick me up.
Student Hotline:
00:00:50
If you need words of encouragement and life advice, press two. Be grateful for yourself. Dude, live it up. It's okay to be different. Never back down. Never give up. The world is a better place with you in it.
Krista Bo:
00:01:03
The school's lead teaching artist, Jessica Martin, started the project with artist Asherah Weiss. Martin said kids participating were dealing with a lot more than just the aftermath of the pandemic at the time.
Jessica Martin:
00:01:15
We were also coming out of wildfire. Some of the kids had lost their homes to fires. These kids had really been through a lot, and I was really struck by how wise and supportive they were.
Krista Bo:
00:01:29
And within days of launching, the hotline blew up on social media.
Student Hotline:
00:01:33
You look better than a star in a sky. Lady, you're doing great. Rainbows are jealous of you.
Krista Bo:
00:01:39
And now, Martin says it's received nearly 17 million calls, with many people saying that it's saved their lives.
Jessica Martin:
00:01:47
This is a generation of children that are seeing that no matter what age you are, just one kind word can change the world.
Krista Bo:
00:01:56
'It can be expensive to keep the hotline running. So if you feel compelled, text the word GOOD to 707070 to donate now. And if you ever need a pick me up, well, call (707) 873-7862.
Krista Bo:
00:02:12
If you ever find yourself in Midtown Manhattan and need a coffee, Cafe Joyeux opened up about a month ago and makes great espresso.
Cafe Joyeux Staff:
00:02:20
Order up! I got an egg and cheese as well.
Krista Bo:
00:02:24
It's a cafe chain that employs people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Many have autism spectrum disorder and April is actually Autism Acceptance Month. Cafe Joyeux, the French word for happy, has 20 locations in Europe, but this is its first ever in the US.
Cafe Joyeux Staff:
00:02:42
Flat white whole, and au pain chocolate.
Krista Bo:
00:02:47
Sylvie Giret, the CEO of the US cafe, wants customers to feel the good vibes right when they walk in.
Sylvie Giret:
00:02:53
What they're getting is this sense of, like inclusion, this sense of inclusion and diversity. You can feel it.
Krista Bo:
00:03:00
Employee Peter Anderson says his favorite thing off the menu is a bacon, egg and cheese on a brioche.
Peter Anderson:
00:03:04
Best thing is I get to meet new people and also use my skills like being a waiter here and also using the espresso machine.
Krista Bo:
00:03:14
Cafe Joyeux trains people for two years and the employees get paid above minimum wage.
Sylvie Giret:
00:03:19
So you're combining a great hospitality experience with this very, human connection.
Krista Bo:
00:03:28
Most of us probably remember this iconic scene from the Disney Pixar film Finding Nemo.
Finding Nemo movie:
00:03:34
Dory! What are you doing?
Finding Nemo movie:
00:03:39
Are you sure you speak whale?
Krista Bo:
00:03:42
At least she's trying her best to communicate. And so are some scientists, actually. In a first of its kind discovery, a group of researchers say they had a 20 minute long conversation with a humpback whale named Twain off the coast of Alaska. Animal behavioral researcher Josephine Hubbard was there and said it was quite the eureka moment because, she says, there's a lot we still don't know about whales.
Josephine Hubbard:
00:04:06
It's some sort of connection. And I think as humans, sometimes we want that or strive for that. I think any advance to better understand how we can connect to nature is a worthwhile endeavor.
Krista Bo:
00:04:21
Hubbard works with the nonprofit Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute, or SETI for short. The group's goal is trying to understand how whales speak, to help inform how to potentially communicate with other intelligent creatures that aren't human, like aliens, perhaps. For this experiment, researchers played a recording of a humpback greeting call that sounded like this:
WHALE NOISE:
00:04:45
WHALE NOISE
Krista Bo:
00:04:46
Twain the whale approached the boat, circled it, and responded.
WHALE RESPONSE
00:04:51
WHALE RESPONSE
Krista Bo:
00:04:51
36 times, to be exact. Now, Hubbard said this conversation was mainly just hellos, but they're working on having more meaningful conversations in the future.
Krista Bo:
00:05:01
Now how some high school students cut loose at a prom they'll never forget, while also giving back to a good cause.
Footloose music:
00:05:07
Let's dance. Cut loose, footloose!
Krista Bo:
00:05:12
Actor Kevin Bacon starred in the iconic film Footloose from Paramount Pictures, which was filmed at Payson High School in Utah. The 40 year old movie culminates at prom, so student body class president Rubie Raff said it only made sense for them to try to convince Bacon to come back one last time for their prom, since the school is relocating after next year.
Rubie Raff:
00:05:33
So this whole school year, we have deemed as the footloose year. We've gotten our whole school involved.
Krista Bo:
00:05:39
Months after the students launched the #BacontoPayson social media campaign...
Kevin Bacon:
00:05:44
Here we are with this this beautiful, beautiful spot on this beautiful, beautiful day. I tell you, it's been...
Krista Bo:
00:05:51
The movie star actually showed up and complimented their determination.
Kevin Bacon:
00:05:54
You talked me into it. You know, I think it's great to see that kind of commitment to anything.
Krista Bo:
00:06:01
He also thanked them for creating 5000 essential resource kits for his foundation sixdegrees.org that will benefit underserved communities. Later that night, Rubie said the Footloose themed prom was a night to remember, and all the hard work throughout the school year was worth it.
Rubie Raff:
00:06:17
Don't be afraid to dream big and to try new things.
Krista Bo:
00:06:23
Coming up, imagine cell service on the moon. We'll tell you what NASA is up to after a quick break. But before we go, can't get enough of all this goodness? Well, then you've got to sign up for CNN's The Good Stuff newsletter for a weekly dose of more uplifting news and cute animal videos straight to your inbox every Saturday. You can find the link to sign up in our show notes. We'll be right back.
Krista Bo:
00:06:50
What if you could text on the moon or post on Instagram pic of some craters? Well, NASA and Nokia are teaming up to put a 4G cell network on the moon. CNN's Taylor Galgano's here. Hey, Taylor.
Taylor Galgano:
00:07:02
Hey.
Krista Bo:
00:07:03
So will people be able to binge their favorite shows from space now? That's what it sounds like!
Taylor Galgano:
00:07:08
Yeah so believe it or not, that actually is the plan here Krista. A SpaceX rocket is going to bring the network to the moon sometime this year. Of course, this is key for NASA's Artemis program to bring people to the moon again so this way, they could easily talk to Mission Control and their families from their phones. Or maybe, like you said, binge a Netflix show.
Krista Bo:
00:07:27
I mean, Taylor, it's 2024. About time if you ask me!
Taylor Galgano:
00:07:31
I mean, hey, I guess so. Listen, they are really trying to lay the groundwork here to get more humans on other planets. And you know what? I should note here, Krista, they also want to use this network to get pictures of ice on the moon in real time. Now, that would be a first. And that ice could actually be used to create breathable oxygen or fuel to go to Mars.
Krista Bo:
00:07:56
Alright, that's all for now. Join us tomorrow for the next edition of One thing. You'll hear about one woman's quest to continue her education ten years after being abducted by a terror group in Nigeria. 5 Good Things is a production of CNN Audio. This episode was produced by Taylor Galgano and me, Krista Bo. Our senior producer is Faiz Jamil. Greg Peppers is our supervising producer. Matt Dempsey is our production manager. Dan Dzula is our technical director. And Steve Lickteig is the executive producer of CNN Audio. We get support from Joey Salvia, Haley Thomas, Alex Manasseri, Robert Mathers, Jon Dianora, Leni Steinhardt, Jamus Andrest, Nichole Pesaru, and Lisa Namerow. And special thanks to Katie Hinman. Thanks for listening. Til next time.
