November update - when leaves rustle before they fall
The well of news stories this month
Have you ever booked a ride on Uber to travel by auto or cab? What about by boat? Uber has added another slice of adventure to its list of offerings. You can now book a ‘boat ride’ in Srinagar’s Dal lake (Kashmir). Exciting, isn’t it? Just as I was wondering if this was Uber’s first-ever water-ride hailing service, Google promptly informed me that it’s not. Uber launched this service in Venice earlier this year in July, and it’s been a success there! If you’ve been considering a trip to Kashmir, here’s one more reason to go.
The Lighter Side is a weekly newsletter I write for kids and families. There is such a thing as writing for kids and there is such a thing as narrating news stories. In this newsletter, I combine the two to tell kids about the news stories from the real world in a way they can go ‘ohhh…gah…now that makes sense.’ This edition is a monthly roundup of what we’ve written and spoken. Hope you’ve had a rollicking November!
1. A street in Prague was renamed after a man who saved many children
Earlier this year, a street in Prague, Czech Republic, was renamed after Nicolas Winton. This man was neither a native of the Czech Republic nor had he ever shown any particular fondness for the country. Yet, the nation chose to honor this British businessman. After all, he had made a brave attempt during the Second World War to bring hundreds of Jewish children to safety. Their journey began at a railway station in Prague.
History is filled with compelling stories like this. Winton’s story holds particular significance today, as we witness wars and conflicts around the world. There may come a time when you and I are called upon to act with courage to help refugees fleeing such zones. Will we rise to the occasion with the same spirit that Nicolas Winton once did? Listen to his full story here.
2. The science behind why some people see and hear ghosts
As a child, I was captivated by ghost stories—the thrill, the mystery, the shivers down my spine. Yet, deep down, I knew it was all made up by the adults around me, likely to ensure I went to bed on time (or at least stayed out of trouble).
Surprisingly, many years later, I discovered that some adults genuinely believe in ghosts and think they haunt homes, graveyards, or abandoned buildings.
This got me wondering—why do some people believe in ghosts? Is there a scientific explanation for it? It turns out there are seemingly simple, science-backed reasons behind this belief. One of them is sleep paralysis and the other relates to how our brains automatically fill gaps in our reasoning.
3. South Koreans buy more strollers for dogs than children
If you happen to walk through the streets of South Korea, you’re likely to see more people pushing strollers with dogs than with human babies. When I first saw a picture of this, I found it both cute and amusing. But to the South Korean government, this spells worry for its future.
In a recent podcast episode, a 10-year-old joins me to explore the effects of a country having more pets than children. He shares plenty of funny ideas, including what might happen if an army were to invade. Click the link below to listen to the full episode!
4. The Million Pound Prize Winners
Entrepreneurs who build massive factories to produce video games find it easy to attract investors. However, those working to regenerate the Earth face greater challenges (try selling a video game versus a solar panel).
Recognizing this, a group of people came together to support entrepreneurs building socially conscious businesses. They also instituted a prize called ‘The Earthshot Prize’. According to their website, ‘we search the globe for game-changing innovations that will help us repair our planet. we award the very best solutions each year with £1 million to scale their work’. Discover the inspiring stories of this year’s winners by clicking the link below!
5. The man with one leg who won a gold medal for India
I’m sure you celebrated when Neeraj Chopra won a gold medal for India at the Tokyo Olympics and later a silver at the Paris Olympics. Around the same time, another young man also brought India gold medals—one in Tokyo and another in Paris. Like Neeraj, he competed in the javelin throw.
The difference? He achieved this incredible feat with just one leg, while Neeraj has both legs intact.
Every now and then, when I record podcasts, I seek out stories that are remarkable yet often overlooked. The one-legged hero of this story is a young man named Sumit Antil. In this episode, an 8-year-old joins me as we trace Sumit’s fascinating life journey. Listen to the full story here.
6. India Tests Long-Range Hypersonic Missiles
If you had been on a holiday in Odisha in November, and if you had been strolling along the edge of the coast, you might have witnessed something extraordinary. Giant rockets were streaking skywards. But no, India wasn’t sending a space shuttle to the moon once again.
This was a hypersonic missile—a marvel of engineering that zipped through the air faster than you could say “Hello!” It’s the kind of weapon that makes enemies faint and their radars weep in despair. Curious to know what a hypersonic missile is and why this test is such a big deal for India? Read the full story!
7. Braving the Poles and Saving the Planet
Recently, a friend of mine met an extraordinary young man—a traveler who has explored over 100 countries. He’s been to both the Poles, worked at an Antarctic research base, walked alongside elephants in African forests, and stayed with local communities in the forests of South America. His adventures are as incredible as they sound!
His name is Ramcharan Vijayaraghavan, and he joined my friend in a podcast episode to share some of the fascinating stories from his journeys. If you’d like to hear them, head over to our travel podcast channel, Misadventures of a Sneaker, and listen to the episode. It’s just a click away—check the link below!
Every month, a group of children join me in reading a book, reviewing it and sharing their thoughts on a podcast episode. To be a part of the book review and join other children who will be reading alongside you, click here.
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