(upbeat bright music) (icon clicks) - Coming up next on "NewsDepth."

The US has ceasefire negotiations with Iran.

China is leaning on its renewable energy.

California is trying to put out fires with sound waves.

And did you know that Cleveland is the birthplace of rock and roll?

"NewsDepth" is now.

(upbeat music) The United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire to start negotiations to end the war.

Hello, everyone.

I'm Gabriel Kramer.

Thank you all for joining us.

Both US President Donald Trump and leaders in Iran have portrayed the last minute ceasefire deal as a victory for both nations.

A ceasefire is when all sides agree to stop the war in order to conduct peace talks.

Trump suggested the US may be involved in securing the Strait of Hormuz in a quote, "joint venture," with Iran, but it's unclear if the Iranian government is open to that plan.

Ivan Rodriguez has the latest.

- [Ivan] The ceasefire deal between Iran and the US struck less than two hours before President Donald Trump's deadline is now in place.

But the temporary agreement is fragile.

Secretary Pete Hegseth and the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff cautiously welcome the planned two-week pause.

- We hope that Iran chooses a lasting piece, but as Secretary Hegseth said, let us be clear, a ceasefire is a pause and the joint force remains ready if ordered or called upon to resume combat operations.

- [Ivan] The ceasefire may leave Tehran in effective control of the world's most important maritime choke point, the Strait of Hormuz.

The continued control over the Strait and Iran's potential charging of tolls for passage would mark a dramatic break from the international maritime order, giving Tehran effective veto power over what passes through from food imports to oil and gas exports from its Arab neighbors.

Pakistan has emerged as a key mediator between the US and Iran and recent weeks with the country's prime minister inviting delegations from both countries to Islamabad for talks Friday.

- The parties, the conflicting parties, need to be afforded enough space void of any pressures outside exogenous pressures.

- Thanks for the report, Ivan.

Gas prices continue to fluctuate across the country due to the war in Iran.

When something fluctuates, it means that it is moving up and down irregularly.

And now some people are opting out of road trips and opting for rail trips.

Train travel has become a better option for some travelers in California.

Nina Burns has more.

- [Ahdel] A lot of these gas surges have happened quite recently.

- [Nina] Commuting without breaking the bank: As gas prices climb, some travelers are looking for a cheaper way to get around.

- So you're spending almost four times more driving to that location as opposed to taking a train.

- [Nina] The Gold Runner, a recently rebranded Amtrak San Joaquin line, launched under its new name last year, running through the Central Valley, connecting cities like Modesto, Merced, and Fresno.

- Well, the primary rail line runs from Bakersfield to Oakland, as well as Bakersfield to Sacramento.

- [Nina] Exact numbers are still coming in, but officials say they're already noticing more people making the switch.

- Our conductors on board, our staff, they do know the trains are getting a little bit more busy and more folks are using that opportunity to ride the train.

- [Nina] Something riders say they've noticed on recent trips.

- I'd say pretty sparse to medium, and now it's pretty medium to full.

- [Nina] But a cheaper alternative means a longer journey.

A trip runs about five and a half hours, about an hour longer than driving.

- So it's four hours from here to Modesto, but if we would've took it from Oakland, it's six hours.

- [Nina] And the cost difference is hard to ignore.

According to the SJJPA, driving from Sacramento to Bakersfield can cost just over $200 when factoring in current fuel costs, insurance, and vehicle maintenance.

The same trip on the Gold Runner?

About 50 bucks.

- It's worth like a lot.

Like 50 to 200.

Like its better to ride the train, obviously.

- His dad, he travels to go see us, and I think he said last time, just to go see us, it was like 140 for gas.

- [Nina] And as prices keep climbing, for many, it's a simple decision.

- [Commuter] You know, people are smart.

They're not gonna blow money they don't need to.

- Thank you, Nina.

And that brings us to our poll for the week.

What is your preferred mode of transportation?

Drive on over to our poll page to vote.

You could choose between walking, biking, driving, taking the bus, taking the train, or flying.

This conflict in Iran is having ripple effects around the world.

The Strait of Hormuz is the only sea channel connecting the Persian Gulf out to the sea and handles about 20 million barrels of oil per day, roughly 20% of global petroleum consumption, making it the world's most critical oil choke point.

China is pivoting its energy sources to its renewable energy sector.

Renewable energy is energy coming from natural resources that can be replenished at a faster rate.

Mike Valerio reports.

- [Mike] As you hike through the mountains outside Beijing, dwarfed by none other than towering windmills, you can see and hear (wind whooshing) China's green energy revolution.

It's incredible standing this close to one of China's colossal wind turbines.

In fact, China is installing roughly two of these every single hour.

And analysts say in one month alone last year, China added enough renewable energy to power a country the size of Poland.

- For Chinese government, we have a long desire for stable supply of energy for the whole country.

- [Mike] Long before the Iran war oil shock, Beijing is viewed reliance on Middle Eastern fossil fuels as a possible security risk.

That in part has helped fuel China's green energy push for the past two decades.

And look at what's up ahead on this ridge line.

China now has the world's largest wind energy generation system.

You could see it still even in the outskirts of Beijing where we are right now.

Wind and solar contribute to about 20%, about a fifth, of China's energy generation.

That's already ahead of the United States where it stands at about 17%.

- There's definitely going to be greater appeal of Chinese clean tech exports.

- [Mike] And those include electric vehicles, with China's BYD overtaking Tesla to become the world's top EV maker and now exporting more than one in five of its vehicles to over 100 countries.

- They want technologies and investments from China's side in green energy industries because they want to be less dependent on oil export.

- So certainly the scale of what China's building is leading the cost of renewable energy to plummet, but what remains to be seen is what scale China will export of its green energy technology in this new moment for global energy.

- Thanks, Mike.

For our Write to Us for the week, we want you to put on your scientist hats and research renewable energy and then determine what green energy source you think would work best for your community.

And then jump to our inbox forum at newsdepth.org to report on your findings and your conclusions.

We spent our last episode up in the NewsDepth Space Station.

We learned that NASA had outlined a plan to eventually build a long-term base on the moon, and we asked you to describe what you think life on the moon would be like.

Let's launch over tour inbox to see what you had to say.

(upbeat bright music) A 3rd grader from Revere local schools in Richfield thinks life on the moon would be a blast.

"I think life on the moon would be super fun and cool because we will be able to get low gravity so we can float and we will get to see more of space."

A 5th grade student from Holland Intermediate in Holland is already feeling creative, thinking about living in outer space.

"If I lived on the moon, I would have water, food, sketchbooks, and books.

I would also bring my friends so I don't get lonely.

I would bring my electronics too."

A 5th grader from Preston Elementary School in Cuyahoga Falls has a practical solution so you don't float away.

"First, you will have to wear weighted boots to keep you down.

You will also need to live in a big house so that you can have air in your house."

A 4th grader from Lincolnview Elementary in Van Wert is describing their perfect day on the moon.

"My life on the moon would be eating a nice, healthy breakfast to stay in shape and then take a nice float on the moon and then eat some pancakes and after that, just chill until it's time for supper.

And then after supper, I would read a book while orbiting the moon and then go to bed."

And a 6th grade student from Freedom Elementary in West Chester recognizes that it will take a lot of legwork to get the base settled.

"It would be really fun and a lot of things would float around when you try to make your lunch.

There would be a lot of exploration to do, but it would be really fun."

Thank you all for writing.

What do you think?

Would it be easier or harder with the zero gravity to style my hair on the moon?

Anyway, last episode, we learned about some out of this world astronauts from our home state.

And for the weekly poll, we wanted to know who was your favorite Ohio astronaut.

65% of you said you look up to Neil Armstrong.

About 15% of you voted for Judy Resnik.

11% of you said your favorite Ohio astronaut was someone else.

Now I want to know who you're talking about.

5% of the votes went to Sunita Williams.

That's our producer Natalia's favorite astronaut too.

And I agree with the 4% who think John Glenn was a very important figure to our state.

Thank you all for voting.

Last Friday, the Artemis II crew landed back on Earth after completing their 10-day mission to orbit the moon.

They brought home with them great new images and data from outer space.

Let's check in on commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen after their return from the moon.

- The Artemis II astronauts have safely returned back to Earth and the stats of their historic journey are now in.

We're learning that the crew flew over 700,000 miles and reached a peak velocity of over 24,000 miles per hour.

All of NASA's predictions and their calculations were spot on.

We also know that the capsule landed within one mile of the target.

- [Announcer] A new chapter of the exploration of our celestial neighbor is complete.

- [Marybel] A historic moment watched around the world: the four astronauts aboard Artemis II returning home to Earth.

- We sent four amazing people to the moon for the first time in more than 50 years.

- [Marybel] The Orion capsule landing off the coast of San Diego Friday evening.

But to get to this moment, the crew wandered a high-stakes journey, traveling more than 30 times the speed of sound at temperatures between 4,000 and 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

- The air molecules outside the capsule will be so hot, it will split apart creating what we call plasma.

- [Marybel] This marks the end of a 10-day journey where the crew traveled to the far side of the moon, reaching deeper into space than any human has traveled before and capturing stunning images of the moon's surface.

- And ultimately we're building toward a moon base to establish a sustained presence on the lunar surface.

- [Marybel] The crew will undergo a series of medical exams and NASA says their bodies will go through a transition after being in space.

- Maybe a little bit of, you know, wobbly legs for the first three to four hours after landing, but it's not the equivalent of say, a long duration international space station flight in terms of the rigors on the body.

- [Marybel] Families of some of the crew members say they couldn't be more proud of this moment.

- It makes me really, really, really proud of the fact that I know that there are probably millions and millions of young people around the country and around the world that will look at him and point to him and look at their mom and dad and say, "I can do that."

- Now from space news, let's shift over to environmental news.

The start of the wildfire season is already making an impact in Southern California where the Springs Fire in Riverside County has burned more than 4,000 acres.

Fanned by strong Santa Ana winds, the state's first major wildfire of the year forced evacuations and put neighborhoods on edge as crews battled the flames from the ground and air.

Reid Binion reports on how firefighters are working hard to keep communities safe.

- I noticed it started getting orange outside and I said to her, I said, "Wow!

We experiencing eclipse or something like that?"

- [Reid] Residents in Southern California... - She said, "No, looked like a fire."

- [Reid] Reacting to the state's first major wildfire of the season.

- We're very afraid.

- There's a concern.

I mean, we're out here, you know?

We're all scared for the threat of our homes.

- The Springs Fire in Riverside County started on Friday, powerful Santa Ana wind gust fanned the flames, causing the blaze to grow in size.

- We have the advantage that we don't have 60 mile an hour winds.

Now they've been up pretty good today.

- [Reid] CAL FIRE crews sprang into action immediately from the ground, and the air.

Planes dropping fire retardant and helicopters dumping water on the flames.

The blaze prompting evacuations.

- Police knock on everybody's door telling them, "Leave."

- [Reid] Some residents staying as long as possible to spray down their homes with water.

- Just hosing down the eaves just to take a little precaution.

That's about it.

That's all I can do.

It may not help, I don't know, maybe it will.

- [Resident] Fire department's strong out here, so they're doing what they have to do and keep us aware and safe.

- Thanks, Reid.

A new firefighting technology is showing promise by using sound waves instead of water to put out flames.

During a demonstration for the San Bernardino County Fire Department, Sonic Fire Tech showcased a system that detects fire using infrared sensors and then emits low frequency sound waves that disrupt the fire's chemical reaction by vibrating oxygen.

This system was originally designed for indoor use in hopes to help firefighters control small fires before they spread.

Joy Benedict shows us how it works.

- [Joy] Sound the alarm.

There is a new way to fight fire as this demonstration shows the flames seem to vanish into the air.

- That's really intriguing.

- [Joy] Firefighter Ryan Becker was there when a technology company tested out its newest firefighting system for the San Bernardino County Fire Department.

They set trees on fire, even grease, but this hose doesn't shoot out water.

It shoots out sound waves.

- They use infrared technology to detect flames and that sets off a trigger to start the sound waves.

- [Joy] It's a product by Sonic Fire Tech, which, although sounds like science fiction, is really just science.

- We vibrate the oxygen at a rate where fire can't consume it and it breaks the chemical reaction.

- [Joy] Remington Hotchkis is the company's chief commercialization officer.

He says all fires need oxygen to burn, but removing it completely can be dangerous.

Their technology just breaks it up.

- We use infrasound, which are sound waves that are inaudible to the human ear.

- [Joy] Right now, the technology is starting small with systems being built inside homes to replace sprinkler systems.

- A water sprinkler system is highly ineffective at putting out a grease fire.

It actually spreads the fire and makes it worse, but yet we're mandated to have sprinklers above our kitchen stoves.

And so our system was shown to suppress the fire, prevent the ignition from occurring with a autonomous detection device.

- [Joy] And doing it without wasting water or leaving water damage behind.

But the hope is eventually this technology can be used on the outside of homes to prevent the spread of wildfires.

- If you keep a fire small because a fire was detected while it was small and put out right away, that's gonna save money.

That's gonna help with insurance rates.

- [Joy] A win for the department and homeowners, as we've seen too frequently how something small can easily spread to devastation.

- I can't believe that works.

Pretty cool.

Lalo, the "NewsDepth" lizard, is back from his winter hibernation and he told me he's got a great animal story for us this week.

It's time for Petting Zoo.

(upbeat folk music) (dog barks) Hi, Lalo.

Oh, didn't realize you were on your lunch break.

Do you have a story for us this week?

Okay, cool.

You found a story about goats, otherwise known as nature's lawnmowers, or LeBron James, helping prevent wildfires one bite at a time.

To learn more about these hardworking goats, you can check out the full story on our website and YouTube channel.

(bright playful music) Thanks for the story, Lalo.

I guess you can get back to your lunch.

Now, let's turn the volume up to 11.

Cleveland played a pivotal role in the birth of rock and roll.

In the early 1950s, radio DJ Alan Freed worked at Cleveland radio station WJW where he was one of the first to play rhythm and blues records by Black artists for a general audience and then famously coined the term rock and roll.

He also helped organize the Moondog Coronation Ball in 1952, widely considered the first rock concert.

Cleveland continued championing rock music for decades, eventually earning its place as the home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which opened in 1995.

Zaria has this week's Know Ohio all about how much Cleveland rocks!

- [Alan] Hello, everybody.

How y'all?

This is yours truly, Alan Freed.

Get your dancing shoes on and welcome to the Rock and Roll Dance Party!

(audience cheering) (upbeat bright music) - There are many places that claim to be the home of rock and roll.

Whether it's Memphis, Chicago, or New Orleans, none can hold a candle to our wonderful Buckeye State.

Let's rewind to the year 1951.

Radio DJ Alan Freed worked for Cleveland's radio station WJW.

- [Alan] This is WJW in Cleveland.

- [Zaria] Out of the very building where I'm standing today, he was one of the first to play rhythm and blues records by Black artists for a general audience.

But he didn't just play the music, he gave it a name: Rock and roll.

- Hello, everybody.

How y'all tonight?

This is Alan Freed, the old King of the Moondoggers.

And it's time again for another of your favorite rock and roll sessions.

Blues and rhythm records for all the gang in the Moondog Kingdom.

- [Zaria] Freed's energetic on-air style and his promotion of rhythm and blues music helped to pave the way for rock and roll music's mainstream acceptance.

In 1952, Freed, along with music store owner Leo Mintz, organized the Moondog Coronation Ball at the Cleveland Arena, now considered the first ever rock concert.

Headlining the event was Paul Williams and his Hucklebuckers.

Also on the bill were Tiny Grimes and his Rockin' Highlanders, The Dominoes, Varetta Dillard, and Danny Cobb.

Tickets were only $1.50.

An estimated 20,000 people showed up for the concert.

But since the venue couldn't fit that many people, the Cleveland Fire Department had to shut it down just 30 minutes into the concert.

But that did not slow down a young generation from embracing rock and roll.

Through the decades, Cleveland kept the rock spirit alive, supporting artists from David Bowie to Bruce Springsteen before they were legends.

And in 1986, Cleveland's love for rock and roll earned it a permanent place in music history.

It was chosen as the home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which officially opened its doors in 1995.

Designed by architect I. M. Pei, the Hall is now a global pilgrimage site, celebrating the sound style and spirit of rock.

So next time someone asks why Cleveland rocks, just tell them: it's where rock and roll got its name, held its first concert, and built its Hall of Fame.

(playful music) - Who knew this place had so much music history?

Thank you, Zaria.

On another musical note, a Cincinnati favorite is striking a chord once again.

Some of your favorite songs have a whole bunch of different instruments: violin, bass, cymbals, plenty more, coming together to make the music you can listen to.

The Cincinnati Musical Hall holds the Lollipops concert where talented musicians play some of your favorite pop music for you to dance and groove to.

Hernz Laguerre Jr.

sat down with the conductor of the ensemble and one of the violinists to see how they use this playful performance to introduce the orchestra to younger audiences.

Take a listen.

(dramatic orchestral music) - [Hernz] An orchestra allows you to witness all the different elements that make up a song.

(audience applauding) And some members of this audience are witnessing it for the first time.

(dramatic music) - The idea was for kids to be able to come in and hear different kinds of music that hopefully they can latch onto.

One style perhaps that they like and they can have that be their gateway into the rest of the classical music.

- [Hernz] Alex Amsel is the assistant conductor of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra.

He is leading a group of musicians and performers in a program titled Let's Dance, which is part of the Cincinnati Music Hall's Family Concert series known as Lollipops.

And as the title of the show reminds you, there is just something about music that just makes you want to get out of your seat and move.

- So the program is titled Let's Dance and it dances from all sorts of places, all different parts of the world.

We have different kinds of dancers that we're working with in the community that are coming in different dance groups.

- [Hernz] And no matter when you were born, there are some timeless hits that everybody knows.

- [Alex] One, two, three!

(upbeat music) - [Hernz] And these families can't deny the great time that they had.

- I think she really took it in this year where she saw the instruments on stage and then the performers.

- I like the dance that they were always doing and the songs.

- Music opens the door for a kid to be creative.

It opens the door for kids to learn how to understand diversity, because dance and music is in every culture.

- [Hernz] And that's the heart of why Cincinnati Pops exist: to inspire connection with art and with each other.

For "NewsDepth," I'm Hernz Laguerre Jr.

(playful music) - Special thanks to Hernz Laguerre Jr.

for sharing that sketchbook with us.

Teachers, if you liked that special segment, let us know by filling out the survey at the bottom of this episode page.

Your input will help us share more stories from across the state.

One of the really neat things about "NewsDepth" is that we get to know a lot about your schools, your teachers, your classrooms, and when we're lucky, we even get to meet a lot of you in person.

One thing that makes me really proud is when the "NewsDepth" team gets to be learning partners with our audience.

This week's A+ award winners are the students at St.

Benedict's for working to earn their Ohio STEM School Designation and becoming great partners with us along the way.

Over the past few months, students from St.

Ben's visited us twice to learn all about the technology and science behind producing radio and television.

During their time here at NewsDepth Headquarters, they learned about how we use drones to get video and take pictures from above.

They learned how to use our remote cameras.

And they learned about the importance of light and sound in television and radio production.

When they were here touring our studios, they even got to see the NewsDepth Studio where I'm standing right now.

A few of them even got to read off of our teleprompters, which are the devices we use to display the script of the show.

You didn't think I memorized all this news, did you?

If you were wondering, an Ohio STEM School Designation is a state-level honor for schools that provide instruction focused on science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and even the arts.

Schools with this designation use project-based learning, community partnerships, and real-world applications to prepare students for future careers.

You probably noticed that I also mentioned the arts.

Well, after the students left our headquarters, they visited our neighbors here in the Playhouse Square Theater District of Cleveland to watch a show.

Here's a big congratulations to the students at St.

Benedict's for working towards their STEM designation and being great learning partners with us.

Well, that's a wrap for today's show, but we'll be back next week with more news and more stories.

Teachers, we'd love to hear your thoughts on this show.

To share your feedback with us, you can fill out the end of season survey link at the bottom of this episode page.

And students, you know we always want to hear from you as well, and there are plenty of ways for you to stay in touch with us.

You can write to us.

We're at 1375 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio.

Our zip code here is 44115.

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.

Thank you for joining us.

I'm Gabriel Kramer.

We'll see you next week at the zoo!

(upbeat music) - [Kid] "NewsDepth" is made possible by grant from the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation.

(upbeat music) (bright music)