NASA reveals asteroid contains the building blocks for life

NASA ASTEROID
Remember that NASA spacecraft that returned to Earth last month with a sample from an asteroid? Well, scientists have been carefully examining that sample, and they're very excited by what they've found. So far, the first analysis shows samples that contain abundant water in the form of hydrated clay minerals and they contain carbon. It's a pretty big deal and it's exactly what scientists were hoping to find when they opened this capsule full of 4.6 billion year-old material from an asteroid more than 90 million kilometres away. They're so excited because the carbon and water molecules they found are basically the building blocks for life on Earth and scientists think material like this could have brought life to our planet billions of years ago. There's still a lot more to learn from the asteroid soil as we get one step closer to understanding our planet and solar system.

ISRAEL FLIGHTS
As conflict continues to grow in Israel and Gaza, the Australian Government has arranged flights to help Australian citizens leave Israel. While Aussies have been told to try to take commercial flights where possible lots of airlines are cancelling their scheduled flights, leaving many stranded. So, three special QANTAS flights have been organised to start flying citizens home from tomorrow. There'll be more information on this story and what's happening on BTN Classroom next week.

SOCCER GOALIES
When I say: superhuman reflexes, you might think of Spiderman or The Flash. But what if I told you that goalkeepers in soccer might have some super reflexes of their own. A recent study has shown that professional goalkeepers can use their senses more effectively than non-keepers. Researchers in Dublin tested pro goalkeepers, pro outfield players, and regular Joes to see how they'd respond to a mix of audio and visual cues.  The results show that goalkeepers are able to process cues from different senses more quickly than other groups and can separate audio cues from visual cues more effectively. The researchers say these skills help goalkeepers to react quickly and accurately when they need to make a save and a similar thing is also seen in trained musicians and video gamers. We don't know whether these skills can be learned or if professional keepers got their jobs because of a natural skill set.

AI ROBOT
Researchers from Northerwestern University in the US have used AI to design a robot capable of walking on a flat surface. It took 3 attempts, but eventually came up with this design for a weird looking thing made out of silicone that when pumped with air, mimics a walking motion.

INJURED COYOTE
A Coyote Pup in the US walked or rather ran back into the wild after recovering from a broken Tibia. The little guy was rescued back in May by a wildlife group who noticed his broken leg and he's spent the past few months recovering and being adorable with other coyote pups, before being released back into his natural habitat.

FLORIDA SWANS
A town in Florida in the US has held it's 43rd annual swan round-up where city employees capture the 50 swans that call this lake home, so they can be given wellness exams from the local animal hospital.

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For the past 55 years, Behind the News has been helping to break down current issues and events for young people all around the world. The program is a high-energy, fun way for people to learn about the stories we see in the news while providing background information that isn’t usually given by other news bulletins.