May the 4th Be With You: Star Wars Day! 🤖
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Episode 78 Description
It is May the 4th, Star Wars Day! 🌌 Celebrate with us and hear what tech in the movies can be found in our own world. 💡 Follow correspondent Bridget Todd as she visits a Star Wars super fan and challenges him with trivia! Do you know all the answers? ⁉️ Get caught up on the latest headlines. 📰 Plus, test yourself with our Trivia Question of the Day! 🎞️
Links
✍️ Visit our website for a list of sources used for this episode and a full episode transcript
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Sources for this episode
News Headlines:
https://www.npr.org/2021/04/25/990676453/u-s-pledges-medical-aid-to-india-where-covid-19-is-overwhelming-hospitals
https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/judge-tosses-suit-sought-block-transgender-athletes-77304914
https://www.npr.org/2021/04/25/990714129/there-can-only-be-one-battle-of-the-joshes-brings-hundreds-to-nebraska
Main story:
https://www.asme.org/topics-resources/content/10-humanoid-robots-of-2020
https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/robots/a33510654/electronic-skin-star-wars-prosthetics/
https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/hoverbikes-are-finally-here-don-t-expect-fly-cheap-ncna935191
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/will-holograms-be-the-next-innovation-in-the-post-pandemic-workplace/
Trivia:
https://www.newsweek.com/star-wars-day-2019-may-fourth-be-you-margaret-thatcher-history-explained-1414528
TRANSCRIPT:
Various Voices 0:00
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Bethany Van Delft 0:06
It's May 4, I'm Bethany Van Delft. And this is The Ten News, where we get the lowdown on what's up in the world. Today has jedis everywhere saying, May the fourth be with you. In the next 10 minutes, we'll find out more about Star Wars Day. Let's get into The Ten.
Whether you've seen All Star Wars movies or not, you surely heard the famous phrase, "May the force be with you." It's a Jedi thing. It's also the origin of the fan driven phenomenon known as Star Wars Day, which for obvious reasons, is celebrated on May the fourth. Even though the Star Wars saga takes place a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. Some of its amazing sci fi technology can actually be found in our world. While most of us don't have our own personal droids, like R2D2, to C3PO, or BB8, scientists have developed robots to help with all kinds of things from delivering packages to performing surgical procedures. There's even a hospital in China staffed with robots that help take care of COVID-19 patients. Then there are the researchers in Singapore who developed a type of electronic skin used for prosthetics. They said, that they were partially inspired by Luke Skywalker's bionic arm, the scientists created a kind of artificial nervous system that can sense touch, identify textures and shapes, feel temperature, and can even read Braille.
A Kid 1:48
That's incredible.
Bethany Van Delft 1:49
If you've ever dreamed of speeding across the galaxy on a hover bike, you may be closer than you think. A California based company called Hover Sir, has developed a flying motorcycle that's already available for purchase if you've got $150,000 to spend. And if you think being able to see friends and family through zoom is cool, imagine having them pop up as a hologram in your living room, Princess Leia style.
Holographic technology is already being used for things like concerts and virtual meetings. Seems like only a matter of time, until you could beam a projection of yourself to a friend and say, "Help me Obi Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope."
Next, let's go to our correspondent Bridget Todd.
Bridget Todd 2:43
It's May the fourth, which is pretty much unofficial Star Wars Day, because they're saying may the force be with you kind of sounds like the date May the fourth today, but I have to admit as much as I'm so excited to talk about Star Wars. I haven't actually seen a lot of Star Wars content. I watched the Mandalorian which I loved, and I loved baby Yoda. He was the cutest. I loved how he couldn't stop eating frog eggs. I love eating eggs so I could really relate. But I wanted to talk to people who loved Star Wars, so I decided to hang out with my good friend Mike, who has loved all things Star Wars since he was a little kid. He first got hooked on Star Wars back in the 1980s. Watching Luke Skywalker and Han Solo take on the evil forces of the Galactic Empire.
Yep, he's a grown up y'all. So I got on my speeder bike, aka my little moped and jetted over to his place. But on the way, I saw something amazing. I don't know what it is that brought us together. Maybe it was the force. On the way to talk to Mike and friends about Star Wars for this very podcast in honor of May the fourth, I passed a house in Washington DC, decorated with Yoda and Darth Vader and death stars and all kinds of Star Wars stuff. jumped off my moped I was riding on, ran 2 blocks, rang the doorbell to find out whether the person who set out those decorations was from the light side or the dark side. Here's what he had to say
Star Wars Home Decoration Owner 4:15
I created a display in my front yard that says May the fourth be with you. And next that is R2D2 and a baby Yoda.
Bridget Todd 4:25
I couldn't believe it. someone wanting to use Star Wars to spread hope amongst the galaxy. And when I got to my ex he could really relate. So why do you love Star Wars so much? What's What is it? What is it about Star Wars? Why do you love it so much?
Star Wars Home Decoration Owner 4:39
When I was a little boy I grew up in the 1980s, shortly after Star Wars came out. And Luke Skywalker was just the coolest guy like I wanted to be him. He was, he was the aspirational version of myself. He was like I that I could be. And he was in this movie with Han Solo, who was the coolest older guy I could ever imagine, right? Like, Han Solo was the man that I aspired to be. Luke Skywalker was the boy that I was.
Bridget Todd 5:21
Did you ever play the Star Wars games when you were a kid?
Star Wars Home Decoration Owner 5:25
Oh, I totally did. I mean, me and my friends, I can remember just like, sitting around, like, trying to use the Force, right? Like looking at a thing. Looking at a spoon and trying to move the spoon using the force like Luke could lift a whole x wing. I got to be able to lift the spoon, you know, but that never worked for me.
Bridget Todd 5:49
You were not able to use the Force?!
Star Wars Home Decoration Owner 5:51
I was, I've never been able to use the Force. Maybe I don't have enough midichlorians? I don't know.
Bridget Todd 5:56
So are there lessons that you think that kids can take away from Star Wars today?
Star Wars Home Decoration Owner 6:01
Totally. Ultimately, Star Wars is about doing the right thing. And listening to that voice inside that tells you what the right thing is and tells you that when you go with it, you get power from that.
Bridget Todd 6:20
It really felt like the force was trying to put me where I needed to be. But before we get to that galaxy far, far away, let's do a little trivia.
Mike, young Jedi, will you play a little Star Wars trivia with me today?
Star Wars Home Decoration Owner 6:35
I'll give it my best shot.
Bridget Todd 6:37
Okay, from a galaxy far, far away. Here are some questions.
Star Wars Home Decoration Owner 6:42
I'm ready. Bring it on.
Bridget Todd 6:46
According to the Emperor, what was Luke Skywalker's weakness? A) his faith in the light side of the Force, B) his faith in his friends C) his lack of vision. D, his resistance to the dark side of the force?
Star Wars Home Decoration Owner 7:04
B! His faith in his friends. That's what the Emperor said was his weakness. And you know what, his friends came through for him.
Bridget Todd 7:14
When you're right, you're right. Correct. Question two. What was the first job that Finn told Han Solo he had at the Starkiller base? A) pilot, B) sanitation, C) guard, D) Chef ?
Star Wars Home Decoration Owner 7:32
B) sanitation.
Bridget Todd 7:35
That your final answer?
Star Wars Home Decoration Owner 7:37
Yes, it is.
Bridget Todd 7:37
You are right! Sanitation!
Star Wars Home Decoration Owner 7:41
It's so consistent with the humility that runs through the Star Wars heroes.
Bridget Todd 7:47
Next question. Who freed Princess Leia from her chains at Java's palace? A) C2PO, B) Chewbacca, C) Luke Skywalker, D) R2D2?
Star Wars Home Decoration Owner 8:01
Well, this is a complicated one because Luke orchestrated the escape. But technically, it was R2 who removed the chains.
Bridget Todd 8:10
Is that your final answer?
Star Wars Home Decoration Owner 8:12
My final answer is R2.
Bridget Todd 8:13
You are right. Good job zeroing in on that nuance.
Star Wars Home Decoration Owner 8:19
Like a, like a pilot with a targeting system.
Bridget Todd 8:23
There you go. There you go.
Star Wars Home Decoration Owner 8:26
I mean, it's more like, more like when Luke threw off his targeting system and just used the Force. That's why I'm answering these questions from the hip.
Bridget Todd 8:38
Okay, let's ask one last question. About my number one dude. You knowm him, you love Yoda. What was Yoda's species? A) a trellis? B) a yowar, C) Gangrar? D) Nobody knows.
Star Wars Home Decoration Owner 9:00
Nobody knows the name of Yoda species. Nobody even knows that there are multiple individuals within that species. I'd love to know if you do but I guess I'm gonna have to go with D. Nobody knows.
Bridget Todd 9:15
You are correct.
Lightning round. Is baby Yoda, Yoda.
Star Wars Home Decoration Owner 9:23
It's name is Grogu. And I'm not sure.
Bridget Todd 9:29
All right, fair enough. Mike, any last parting words for our listeners today about Star Wars or the force and how it may be with them.
Star Wars Home Decoration Owner 9:41
I appreciate that they listened to this segment. And the force is always with them.
Bridget Todd 9:49
The force is always with you. And I hope you feel it this May the fourth.
Bethany Van Delft 9:56
Now that we've charged our lightsabers, let's check in on what else is going on in the world. The US has pledged to send medical aid to India as the country experiences a dramatic spike in COVID-19 cases, a federal judge has dismissed the case aimed at keeping transgender athletes from competing in girls high school sports in Connecticut. Four year old Josh Benson Jr. was the big winner in the Josh fight, an event in Lincoln, Nebraska, that drew hundreds of people all named Josh to battle each other with pool noodles. And this week is Teacher Appreciation Week. Make sure to thank a teacher in your life. And check out our social media accounts for our week long appreciation of great educators. A big big, big heartfelt thank you to all the hard working committed creative teachers that made these crazy 13 months a little bit better. We thank you.
Sound Bit 10:57
When I left you I was but a learner, now I am the master.
Bethany Van Delft 11:04
And now for your
Sound Bit 11:05
What, what, what's the big idea?
Bethany Van Delft 11:08
Trivia on The Ten what event inspired the first mainstream use of the phrase May the fourth be with you? Was it A) astronauts Sally Ride becoming the first American woman to go to space B) Deepak Chopra setting the Guinness world record for the largest meditation gathering? Or C) Margaret Thatcher getting elected Prime Minister of the UK.
Did you get it? The answer is C! Margaret Thatcher became the first woman to serve as prime minister of the UK on May 4, 1979. To celebrate, her political party read a newspaper ad that said May the fourth be with you, Maggie. Congratulations, considering she went on to become the longest serving British Prime Minister of the 20th century. I'd say the force was strong with this one. Time's up. Thanks for listening to The Ten News. Look out for new episodes on Tuesdays, Thursdays and extras on Saturdays. You can go deeper into today's stories by visiting thetennews.com The Ten News is a co production of Small But Mighty Media and Next Chapter Podcasts that is distributed by iHeart Radio. The Ten News creative team has no Joshua's but includes Tracey Crooks, Pete Musto, Jenna Pascua, Stephen Tompkins, and Sarah Olender. Bridget Todd contributed to today's episode. Our production director is Jeremiah Tittle, and our executive producers are Donald Albright and show creator Tracy Leeds Kaplan. I'm Bethany Van Delft and thanks for listening to The Ten News. May the fourth be with you. And watch out tomorrow for revenge of the fifth. Get it?
