With Valentine’s Day here, and millions of dollars being spent on roses, chocolates and cards, we’re unlocking the surprisingly wild story behind February 14.

Long before heart-shaped boxes and candlelit dinners, this day had its roots in an ancient Roman festival called Lupercalia — and yes, it involved goats.

In this episode of From the Vault, we explore when Valentine’s Day began, how it’s celebrated around the world, and some of the biggest and most surprising romantic gestures ever recorded.

This week’s Squiz Kids Science Short, we explore how robotic arms really work — from the tiny electrical signals your muscles send, to the clever sensors that help artificial limbs move. And we uncover something surprising: movement is only half the story. To truly work, a robotic limb needs to feel.

So how do scientists restore touch and that hidden superpower called proprioception — your body’s sense of where it is in space?

It’s a fascinating look at biology, engineering and the question at the heart of it all:

If technology works alongside your body… does that make you less human — or simply show how adaptable humans have always been?

Listen now to find out.

A fun kids vs adults news quiz to test who’s been paying the most attention to the week in news.

For the full episode transcript, click here.

Your daily kids news podcast.

A shark in the Antarctic; kites dance in Pakistan’s skies; AI unlocks a Roman boardgame; and when politics gets sloppy.

Scientists caught a sneaky shark on camera near Antarctica — the first time ever!

After nearly two decades, Lahore’s skies were filled with colourful kites once more! The Basant festival made a joyful comeback with strict safety rules.

A carved rock from Roman times puzzled archaeologists — until AI stepped in! It might be an ancient game board, showing Romans were serious about their playtime.

AI is being used to create wild, fake political images online — some funny, some shocking, and some downright offensive. Our trusty hound Squiz-E found out it’s called “slopaganda” — and it’s causing quite the internet stink!

For the full episode transcript, click here.

Your daily kids news podcast.

Call out for space cadets; Roblox in trouble again; Snow leopard patrol in the Himalayas; and K-pop Demon Hunters' new music.

Australia’s Defence Force wants real-life space cadets! With Space Command growing, it’s time to reach for the stars—literally.

Way up in India’s icy mountains, a team of mighty women is saving snow leopards—with cameras, courage, and cold toes.

Forget touchdowns, we want tail wags! While football fans cheered, over 150 adoptable pups ran, barked, and tumbled through the cutest game of the year... Puppy Bowl!

K-pop Demon Hunters fans, rejoice—a sequel is on the way. Get ready to dance!

For the full episode transcript, click here.

Each fortnight, we give the world globe a spin and see where we land. Then we take the kids of Australia on an audio excursion to visit that country and its people.

Join your captain, Christie, aboard the Squiz Kids Super Fast Supersonic Jetliner as we head to Greenland — a place of towering glaciers, cracking ice, and some of the most extreme light and darkness on Earth. Known to its people as Kalaallit Nunaat, Greenland is the world’s largest island, with more ice than almost anywhere else on the planet and a history stretching back thousands of years.

So buckle up and get ready to explore a land that’s far more than a large white shape on a map. This is Squiz the World: Greenland.

For the full episode transcript, click here.

Links:
Suaasat Recipe: https://culinary-adventures-with-cam.blogspot.com/2022/10/suaasat-greenlandic-christmas-stew.html

Your daily kids news podcast.

Winners and grinners at Winter Olympics; Deer rescued on frozen lake; Super Bowl kicks off with Bad Bunny; and the Gruffalo has a granny.

The Winter Olympics kicked off with fireworks, flags, and frosty fun! Snowy countries grabbed medals, but Aussie snowboarder Valentino Guseli won hearts by landing a super-scary trick.

People in north-west WA had a nervous night as Cyclone Mitchell rolled toward land. With strong winds and wild weather on the way, locals were told to batten down the hatches, hug their pets, and stay safe until the storm passed.

In the USA, a young deer slid onto a frozen lake and couldn’t get back! A brave rescuer carefully slid out, strapped the deer into a harness, and pulled it to safety.

Millions will tune in today for the Super Bowl, where American football, flashy ads, and huge music performances collide! The Seattle Seahawks are facing the New England Patriots, and Bad Bunny will be rocking the halftime show.

Aussie families voted Magic Beach their favourite picture book—splashing past Possum Magic! Even better, a brand-new book called Gruffalo Granny is coming soon.

For the full episode transcript, click here.

Rockets. Rivalries. Moon landings. Mars missions.

In this episode of From the Vault, we rewind to one of the biggest science and politics stories of the last 100 years: the Space Race.

Why did countries suddenly start competing to leave Earth? How did World War II technology lead to rockets pointed at space instead of enemies? And why did the rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union turn the sky into a global battleground?

Then, we fast-forward to today’s new space race: missions to Mars, powerful new space nations, and billionaire-backed companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin competing for the future beyond Earth.

Listen carefully — there’s a Squiz at the end!

Does the Moon really have a dark side?

In this Squiz Kids Science Short, we bust one of space’s biggest myths and explain why the Moon always seems to show us the same face. You’ll find out what the so-called “dark side” really is, why it isn’t dark at all, and how gravity slowly put the brakes on the Moon’s spin billions of years ago.

We explore what the Moon’s far side looks like, when humans finally saw it for the first time, and why scientists think it might be one of the quietest places near Earth... perfect for listening to the universe.

And yes… for the adults listening along, there’s even a tiny nod to Pink Floyd.

Science, space, and a little lunar myth-busting - all in just a couple of minutes.

🌕🚀

A fun kids vs adults news quiz to test who’s been paying the most attention to the week in news.

For the full episode transcript, click here.

Your daily kids news podcast.

Winter Olympics kick off in Italy; the groundhog sees his shadow; SuperBowl for blind people; and helping your parents fight fake news.

Get your skates and snow boots ready — the Winter Olympics are here! With 3,000 athletes from 90 countries, plus pop star Mariah Carey and two stoat mascots named Tina and Milo.

Punxsutawney Phil popped out of his burrow in Pennsylvania and saw his shadow — which apparently means six more weeks of winter. He didn’t look too thrilled about it either.

This weekend’s Super Bowl is making history — not just with touchdowns, but with tech! A clever vibrating gadget will help blind fans feel the game as it happens.

Squiz-E the trusty Newshound is back, warning us about fake Facebook news and AI-tricked photos. Don’t let your grown-ups fall for scams!

For the full episode transcript, click here.