(upbeat music) - [Gabriel] Coming up next on Newsdepth.

Wildfires in California are some of the most destructive the state has ever seen.

How do animals adapt to cold weather?

Margaret tells us how animals keep their cool.

Wildlife officials are worried about the bird flu.

And social media company Meta updates their fact checking protocols.

Newsdepth is now.

(upbeat music) Areas around Los Angeles have been destroyed by several wildfires that started last week.

Hello everybody, I'm Gabriel Kramer.

Thank you for joining us.

The five wildfires forced tens of thousands of California residents to evacuate.

High winds and dry conditions made it extremely hard for the crews that battled the fires.

Marybel Gonzalez is in Pacific Palisades, one of the worst hit areas.

- Something this big and this fast that, you know, just kind of wiped out the whole town was something that I personally and a lot of people from around here never saw coming.

- And I saw a big ball of orange with the smoke.

So it looked like it was here toward the top of the hill.

And I went back to the house and got some things.

- [Marybel] The palisades fire has destroyed more than 1,000 structures, making it the most destructive in L.A. County history.

- Everything is just gone, and I just want to wake up from this bad dream.

- [Marybel] And the Eaton fire has quickly reduced much of the Altadena area,to ash and rubble.

- This is our retirement.

This is our nest egg.

This is where we moved in when we got married.

- [Marybel] The nearby city of Pasadena told residents that the water there may be unsafe to drink because of debris from the Eaton fire.

And the health concerns are mounting.

The air quality across Southern California has been deemed a "hazardous" six out of six because of all the smoke and ash swirling around.

- We couldn't breathe anymore.

We had all the filters going in the house, the HEPA filters and nothing seemed to work.

- Thank you Marybel.

The U.S. Forest Service says battling wildfires is tough, and the profession attracts mostly men.

But the agency is hoping to change that.

It held a wildfire training camp in Northern California, and hopes more women will show up.

Dominic Garcia spoke with a forest service representative about the love she has for her job.

- [Dominic] The work can be grueling, the hours are long and then there's the danger of fighting wildland fires.

Despite all that I've never met a firefighter who doesn't love their job.

- Yeah, um, I love it.

- [Dominic] Brenna Jones actually used to be a middle school teacher but she needed a change.

- I played sports all my life, played basketball in high school and college.

And someone reached out and said, hey, there's a Women in Wildfire Training Camp on the Los Padres National Forest in southern California and maybe this is something you would wanna try out.

- [Dominic] And several years later, she's now in charge of a similar camp for northern California women interested in joining their ranks.

Training is two parts.

The classroom, and then there's the in person field training which is actually six days long and is in Redding.

Lodging is free and participants will also get paid for that week of camp.

- I've wanted to be able to show women, young girls, that this is an opportunity that they can do it.

- [Dominic] Brenna says, ask yourself a few questions.

Are you physically fit?

Do you like the outdoors?

Would you like to help out your country.

But perhaps most importantly do you want a meaningful career?

- [Brenna] When you've helped to suppress a fire and then years later you come back and see the impact of that where we get to enjoy the national forest.

I think that's pretty rewarding as well.

- Thank you Dominic.

Last week, we talked all about winter and winter sports.

And for our write-to-us we asked you: how do you stay active during winter?

Let's see what you had to say by opening our inbox.

(logo whooshes) Sadie from Kensington Intermediate School in Rocky River starts us off with: Over the winter I like to play volleyball.

I think it is a fun way to stay active and warm up before my first tournament in the spring.

Mackie from Copley Fairlawn Middle School in Copley stays active and warm by playing indoor softball: Dear Newsdepth, I stay active during winter by walking my dog outside in the snow and playing softball in an indoor facility.

My dog, Milo, needs at least three walks a day, so I walk him a lot during winter and play in the snow with him.

I play travel softball, so on Monday nights I have indoor softball practice.

Kyla from Bellevue Elementary in Bellevue also loves to play with their dog: Dear Newsdepth, I stay active in the winter by going sledding with my friends, and when I play games I favorite game to play is monopoly, and when I'm inside my dog chases me around the house.

Sawyer from Ella Canavan Elementary in Medina, that's where I went to elementary school, loves to warm up with hot chocolate after playing outside: Dear Newsdepth, there is a bunch of things but here are my favorites.

I like playing in the snow with my friends or playing online together.

We could also have hot chocolate after we played in the cold.

We could also go sledding.

And Mrs. Weber's Class at St. Hilary school in Fairlawn worked together to sent us their answer: We play indoor basketball for the St. Hilary Sabers!

We love to ski and go snowboarding!

Tubing is fun too.

We live near Brandywine and Boston Mills.

We also like to go on hikes with family .

We love the Hinkley reserve.

And of course snowball fights!

One group of people excited about the low temps is the crew of the Mackinaw Ship of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Their mission is keeping ships and commerce moving across the great lakes.

Commerce is the buying and selling of goods in a large scale.

As part of operation Taconite, the Mackinaw uses its unique ice-cutting capabilities like maneuvering in tight spaces, to break up the ice that would otherwise prevent commercial ships from sailing.

Sophia Lauber is in the Twin Ports in Minnesota onboard the ship.

- [Crew] Set the mission eye.

- [Sophia] The Mackinaw's crew is one group of people that's pretty excited about the recent cold temperatures in the Twin Ports.

- We're kind of hoping the ice forms because it's fun for us to get to do our job.

But mainly the hope is that the ships can keep moving.

- [Sophia] Keeping ships and commerce moving on the great lakes is the mission of the Mackinaw and other coast guard cutters.

- Here we're making impact every single day, we're helping out industry and we're helping to keep that commerce flowing and supporting basically the U.S. economy here in the Great Lakes.

- [Sophia] The name Operation Taconite is a nod to the important mission behind the ice cutting.

- While the ship offers a great view up top, the best view on the boat is actually right here out on the deck where you can actually see and hear the ice being broken.

- [Sophia] The Mackinaw has an ice cutting superpower as the only ship in the coast guard fleet with something called azipods.

They allow the ship to push water in any direction, making it more maneuverable in tight spaces.

- A lot of other boats can't really do what we do.

Like when we make all these crazy turns where we spin 360 degrees in the water.

Other boats can't do that, so it's been really cool to see.

- [Sophia] For many on the ship, it's their first time getting to see how the cutter works given last year's mild winter.

Commanding Officer Jeannette Greene says the experience is crucial for her crew's training so they're ready should a ship gets stuck.

- If we haven't had the chance to practice in close proximity to some of these thousand-foot vessels, then we might not be very good good at it.

We could put ourselves in a dangerous place.

- [Sophia] Working to keep themselves safe so they can continue to make the Great Lakes safer for those traveling on them.

- Great story, thanks Sophia!

Winter also brings a chilly transformation to wildlife in Ohio.

Many animals, like deer, foxes, and cardinals, adapt to the cold by growing thicker, warmer coats with two layers to trap heat.

Some animals also adjust their eating habits in the fall, consuming dense food that will provide them with warmth and energy during the harsh winter months.

Margaret has this week's Spot on Science to share how animals survive the winter, including warm layers, hibernation, and torpor.

(upbeat techno music) - Brr.

Now that winter is here, I'm not heading outside without some extra warm layers.

Actually, even when I'm inside, I like to sit as close to the heater as I can.

Well, it turns out, I'm not alone in this.

Many wild animals deal with Ohio's winters just like me by adding extra layers and seeking warm spaces.

But, instead of digging out the old winter sweaters and jackets, many birds and mammals grow their own warm layers in order to adapt to colder weather.

For example, mammals like deer and foxes replace thin summer coats with thicker, denser winter coats.

Even birds like cardinals, who don't fly south for the winter, grow thicker, warmer coats of feathers.

All of these wild winter coats actually have two layers, an inner layer that traps heat and an outer layer that repels water.

Mammals and birds also adapt by changing their eating patterns with the season.

In the fall, they chow down lots of extra dense food.

Their bodies store that food as a layer of fat, which helps keep them really warm underneath those good winter coats.

And, their bodies can use that fat for energy when food is scarce in the middle of winter.

But, what about when wild animals want to get out of the weather and go inside?

Well, it turns out there are a lot of kinds of places where wild animals find shelter from the elements.

Caves, crevices in trees, underground burrows can all provide cozy spots for animals to hunker down.

Wood piles and leaf piles also fit the bill for smaller animals like chipmunks, frogs, or snakes.

Speaking of cold-blooded animals like snakes and frogs and turtles, many of those species simply find a spot and stay there all winter, not doing much of anything.

So, you aren't likely to see them in the winter months.

You know another animal you aren't likely to see in the winter?

My favorite groundhogs.

Groundhogs are one of the few animals in Ohio that truly hibernate.

This means that their bodies slow waaay down and they basically sleep through the whole winter.

Other animals, like skunks and raccoons, can do a milder version of hibernation called torpor.

Animals in a state of torpor might just sleep through a couple days of really, really cold weather.

But, they don't hibernate for the entire winter.

There are times when I'd like to nap through winter, but, alas, hibernation isn't something humans can do.

We've just got to stick to our coats and our hats.

- So our winter coats are almost like a person's second layer of fur?

Well, thank you Margaret.

Speaking of fur, what do you say if we check in our furry friend Newshound!

It's time for Petting Zoo.

(playful music) (dog barking) Hey there Newshound!

I hope you're staying warm out there!

Oh, you're wearing your winter coat to go out on walks.

That looks pretty warm.

Anyway, what animal story did you find for us this week?

Oh, it's a story about elephant seals migrating to California for the winter.

Migrating is when animals move from one region to another according to the seasons.

- [Earl] We started seeing some large bulls in December, and now females and pregnant moms are coming back.

So right now on Drake's beach we estimate over 30, with more on the way.

- [Gabriel] To watch these giant seals spend the day at the beach, click the petting zoo thumbnail on our website.

(logo whooshes) Thanks as always Newshound.

And I'm glad you're bundled up out there, we wouldn't want you to catch a cold.

After a relatively slow start to flu season, the US is kicking off 2025 with a surge in several illnesses.

In today's Health Minute, Mandy Gaither looks at the latest data and has more on how you can help prevent getting sick.

- [Mandy] It's a new year!

But we're starting 2025 with the same old viruses, several now surging across the U.S.

Right now, nationally, CDC surveillance of wastewater shows Covid-19 levels are high, influenza A and RSV levels are both moderate.

And the agency says cases of norovirus, sometimes called the stomach flu or stomach bug, are also surging.

Between August 1st and December 11, there were 36-percent more norovirus outbreaks reported by states who share data on this virus than in the same period last seasonal year.

- Norovirus is the most common cause of gastrointestinal symptoms, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.

It's really kind of a miserable illness.

- [Mandy] Dr. Paul sax with Brigham and Women's Hospital says norovirus is spread through direct contact with contaminated surfaces and other people's hands, cleaning things like countertops and washing hands can help stop the spread that can also help keep respiratory viruses from passing between people.

And Sax says, if you're sick, stay home.

- Sharing is not always caring, at least when it comes to these viral infections.

- Thanks for the tips Mandy.

Animals are also being affected by the spread of the flu, in this case bird flu.

The outbreak is largely affecting geese, but wildlife officials are also concerned it could spread to other waterfowl.

Waterfowl are aquatic birds like ducks, swans, and geese.

Cecil Hannibal reports.

- [Cecil] At Mather regional park you see the glistening lake water geese floating around.

(geese cawing) And a hand full of swans.

But what you don't see are any people.

You can see the locks in the gates.

This park has been closed since late November after dozens of mute swans were found dead.

Now wildlife officials have confirmed it was in fact the bird flu.

- Mute swans are a non-native bird.

They don't migrate and they tend to be resident.

And so they will concentrate in these, you know, park ponds.

- [Cecil] The state department of fish and wildlife are closely watching these swans kept away from the public.

Two of the roughly 30 dead animals were tested for bird flu and the results came back positive this week.

But now the concern is, will it spread to our native water fowl?

You can see these geese hanging out here at Lake Natoma.

Well, this is a big body of water.

The problem with Mather lake is it's much smaller, meaning the geese are much closer and the virus spreads much faster.

- So when we see particular fowl along the river, we'll stop and use this.

- [Cecil] Husband and wife Robert and Lynette Baird travel here to bike and watch the water birds.

- That's part of the enjoyment of coming down here.

It is a really nice place to ride along the river with all the waterfowl.

- [Cecil] They've watched and admired these aquatic birds for nearly 50 years and hope this virus doesn't stop their favorite pastime.

- Well, it's a scary prospect.

It's a very scary process.

- It's scary 'cause one thing affects everything else.

- [Cecil] Wildlife officials say there's several ways that you can help.

If you see a dead waterfowl don't touch it, report it to park staff.

And even though it might ruffle some feathers don't feed the ducks, geese, or swans.

- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the risk of people getting bird flu from wild birds is low.

Veterinarians in Wichita, Kansas are on high alert for bird flu.

They are sharing tips for how to keep your cats safe, mainly avoiding giving them raw milk.

Abby Wray has what you can look out for if you think your pet has been infected.

- [Abby] As more reports come out every day, more cat owners are watching closely to see if there's a risk of bird flu for their pet.

If a cat gets H5N1 or bird flu, it can be deadly 75% to 100% of the time.

- The sooner we can start treating it, the more likely it is to survive.

- [Abby] Doctor Kelly Jones has been a veterinarian at the cat hospital of Wichita on east central for more than 30 years.

She says the Hospital hasn't seen any local cases of cats with bird flu yet, but they are getting ready just in case.

- It has spread through birds and through eating raw meat and also unpasteurized milk.

- [Abby] Wild geese and ducks are two of the most common bird flu carriers.

Doctor Jones warns against feeding your cats a raw food diet or giving them raw milk, as this is how many cats have already gotten sick across the country.

- The best way to protect your cat from the bird flu is to ensure it always stays inside instead of allowing it to travel outside and interact with birds in the area.

- I don't think a lot of people in the area maybe understand the true implications of this disease and what it can do to our animals, our livestock, our, you know, companion animals that we have ourselves.

- [Abby] Symptoms a cat could experience include lethargy, breathing issues, nasal and eye discharge, and a slew of neurologic symptoms similar to rabies like drooling, inability to walk or circle walking, and seizures.

- If you live near a water feature or a local park, you might want to consider taking off your shoes when you get home for the day and disinfecting them with some kind of spray to further prevent contaminants in your home.

- [Abby] The Kansas Humane Society has also not yet seen any cases of bird flu in cats, but it agrees with the veterinarians.

Keep a close eye on your furry friend and always take them to the vet if you notice an extreme change in behavior or a clear illness.

- Thank you Abby Okay, we are now switching over to another trendy topic, Tiktok.

Tiktok is making a last-minute push to avoid a U.S. ban that's set to take effect this month.

It's appealing to the Supreme Court after losing earlier legal battles.

It's also trying to gain support from President-elect Donald Trump.

As Amy Kiley reports, that part of its strategy might be paying off.

- [Amy] President-elect Donald Trump is signaling he might re-evaluate a pending ban on Tiktok.

It's set to take effect January 19th, the day before his inauguration.

That's unless Tiktok's parent company, Bytedance, sells it to a non-Chinese buyer.

The ban is part of a law Congress passed with bipartisan support, that President Joe Biden signed in April.

It stems from concern among lawmakers that Bytedance poses a national security risk.

That's because it's a Chinese company subject to the Chinese Government.

- Trump's gonna have a play here, but they did pass a law.

- [Amy] Tiktok is suing over the ban.

In a filing yesterday, it asks the Supreme Court to intervene.

Tiktok's attorneys want the justices to review their free speech arguments and give the incoming Trump administration time to weigh in.

Tiktok says that would give it time to shutdown if it looks like the ban will take effect.

- We'll wait to see what the Supreme Court does.

I'm assuming they'll weigh in, in some way because it's a big constitutional issue.

- Thank you Amy.

Some of us chronically online, might soon notice a difference in content when scrolling through Instagram, Facebook or Threads.

The parent company of these platforms, Meta is making significant adjustments to its content review policies.

Meta's CEO and Founder Mark Zuckerberg says their fact checking protocol might've disrupted free speech, but also acknowledges the new policy could let more harmful content on to its platforms.

Natalia Garcia has the update.

- It's time to get back to our roots around free expression on Facebook and Instagram."

- [Natalia] Changes are coming to Meta.

Meta is an American technology conglomerate.

A conglomerate in business terms refers to a corporation of several different, sometimes unrelated, businesses.

Meta owns and operates Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Whatsapp, among other products and services.

Meta is changing how videos and other posts are moderated on Facebook and Instagram.

- We're going to get rid of fact checkers and replace them with community notes similar to X starting in the U.S. - [Natalia] In 2016, the company launched an independent fact-checking program to address concerns and claims that their platforms could be used to spread misinformation.

- What started as a movement to be more inclusive has increasingly been used to shut down opinions and shut out people with different ideas, and it's gone too far.

- [Natalia] Instead of fact-checkers, Meta will use what they are calling "Community Notes" to monitor content.

Notes that any Facebook or Instagram user can post.

As Meta's new Chief of Global Affairs, Joel Kaplan, explains.

- So somebody can write a note, and then the way it works is different people on the platform can sort of vote on that note.

And if you get people who usually disagree, who all say, "Yeah that sounds right," then that note gets put on the post and people see it.

- Thank you Natalia.

And that brings us to our Write to Us for the week: How can social media content affect others?

Students can use our inbox form online or send us an email to newsdepth@ideastream.org to share their answers.

The Oxford dictionary's' word of the year for 2024 is "Brain rot."

It refers to the feeling you get after spending long hours aimlessly scrolling online.

Medical experts say it's a real condition and very concerning.

Jenn Sullivan explains how "doom scrolling" can affect our brains.

- [Jenn] Many of us are guilty of it, mindlessly binge scrolling through internet content.

But could that be doing damage to our brains?

Medical experts say it can cause what's referred to as "brain rot."

- It's a real thing and it's concerning for a lot of people.

- [Jenn] Medical experts say consuming long stretches of low-quality content online can trigger cognitive decline, brain fog, and shorten our attention span.

But overindulging in internet content can cause even more severe symptoms like depression in teens.

- More than three hours for teens seemed to double their risk for depression.

- [Jenn] So how does excessive binge-watching impact our brains?

- It tends to thin certain areas of the brain called the cortex that is responsible for your memory and your perception.

- [Jenn] What can we do to prevent brain rot?

Limiting our screen time can help.

The most recent survey from Pew research center asked a group of teens ages 13-17 about their tech usage.

95% say they have access to a smartphone, 46% say they use the internet almost constantly.

But it's not just a teen problem.

A different Pew survey found that 90% of adults say they use the web daily.

And 41% say they are online almost constantly.

Medical experts say it's important to keep track of how much time you spend online to prevent binge watching.

- Thank you Jenn For this week's poll, we want to know: do you use social media?

Jump over to our poll page to vote.

You can choose between: Yes, I use it everyday.

Yes, I some times use social media.

Or no, I'm not on social media.

Last week, we learned that the Earth's tilt in space makes the Norther Hemisphere warm for part of the year, and cold for part of the year and that is why we have seasons.

For our poll, we asked you what was your favorite season.

Let's check out the results.

52% of you said you loved summer!

I do love summer too!

21% of you said your favorite season is winter.

Another 16% of you voted for fall.

That's favorite.

And about 11% of you said your favorite season was spring.

Thanks to everyone for voting.

Throughout this school year we've been highlighting students from across Ohio who are doing their part to make sure people are informed about candidates for a wide range of elected offices, registering to vote, and then, the most important part, voting!

We recently spoke with six students who are taking advanced placement government at Lakewood High School, in Lakewood that are really making a difference in their community and it earned them this week's A+ award.

Collum, who is a 12th grader, told us that the students had the opportunity to participate in the Youth Voting Summit at the Cleveland Public Library.

He said that the event really helped the students develop a real understanding of the issues, how to register to vote, and more importantly, how to motivate others to vote.

Alexa, who gets an extra special Newsdepth shout-out for being a first-time voter, told us that the experience really illustrated how important it is for everyone to participate in their government by learning about their candidates and doing their civic duty of voting.

Alexa, along with Ava and Madison, also got to participate in a Women in Politics Forum this election season.

While they were at the forum, they got to meet U.S. Congresswoman Shontel Brown, who represents Ohio's 11 congressional district, which covers a large portion of Cuyahoga County in Northeast Ohio.

Ava told us that she found Congresswoman Brown to be very inspirational.

Madison added that the Congresswoman pointed out that every vote matters.

We also want to thank Madison for volunteering her time this year to help work at a polling site in her community.

Peter told us that they also hosted a mock election at Lakewood High right before the November 5th election.

He told us that it was a really valuable experience because he not only got to experience voting, but he also got to see a full ballot that included judges and local issues that voters had to consider.

Chari told us that the most important thing she wants all of you to know is that it's important for you to stay engaged in your community and that your voice matters so make sure you do your part to make our communities and nation a strong democracy.

This week's A+ award goes to the civically engaged students at Lakewood High for doing their part and participating in democracy!

And that is a wrap for this episode of Newsdepth, but before I go, I wanted to share a positive message from my friend Avery from Little Miami in Morrow.

Avery sent us a letter and said you can do anything if you choose to believe you can do it!

P.s.

Newshound is the best!

That's great advice Avery, and Newshound is the best!

Thanks for writing!

We love when we receive letters because we always want to hear from you!

You can send a letter.

We're at 1375 Euclid Avenue, that's cleveland, Ohio.

Zip code here, 44115.

And you can email us at newsdepth@ideastream.org.

Plus, you can catch all of our special segments on youtube.

Hit subscribe if you're old enough, so you don't miss out on any of our new videos.

Thanks for joining us.

I'm Gabriel Kramer.

And we'll see you right back here next week!

(upbeat music) - [Presenter] Newsdepth is made possible by a grant from the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation (bright music)