The Migration Situation

"The Migration Situation"

Cyberchase episode
Season 11, episode 9

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today Original air date
April 19, 2018

person Directed by
Jason Groh

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Adam Rudman
George Arthur Bloom

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Citizen science

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"The Migration Situation" is the ninth episode of Season 11 of Cyberchase.

Characters

Main characters

• Digit
• Jackie
• Inez
• Matt
• Professor Bob de Bob Bobson (debut)
• Hacker
• Buzz
• Delete

Minor characters

• Milo from Sensible Flats (debut)
• Slider
• Fluff
• Raz
• Motherboard

Places

• Puzzle Pyramid
• Hidden Cliffs
• Northern Frontier

Plot

Hacker finds the Secrets of Cyberspace book.

Hacker, Buzz and Delete travel to the Puzzle Pyramid with Hacker navigating to their destination with a yellowed, weathered map. After avoiding obstacles of water spraying from the wall, moving walls and falling down a hidden slide trap, Hacker finds what he has been looking for: the Secrets of Cyberspace book. He takes it from its glass cover and explains to Buzz and Delete that "This is the most powerful book in all of Cyberspace." and "[it's] not just any book. It contains the secrets of Cyberspace." Once he learns its secrets, he would take over Cyberspace forever. He makes several attempts to open it, but he fails. After the attempt where he says "I command you! Open!", a blue slip of paper comes out stating: "The book of such secrecy cannot be accessed so easily. To open it you need-"

The scene cuts to the CyberSquad in Hidden Cliffs at the Migration Celebration. They are all there to see the Teal-Footed Triller, a special rare bird. Digit explains all he knows about the birds and answers a stranger's questions about how many toes they have on each foot. The stranger introduces themselves as Professor Bob de Bob Bobson. Digit further introduces Professor Bobson by saying that he learned everything he knew about the Teal-Footed Triller from the professor. The professor was also a leading expert on the Triller and the host of the Migration Celebration. He hosts the celebration and explains when the Trillers will come. As the sun shines through the tower, the time when the Trillers would usually arrive, something is amiss. The Trillers don't come and everyone is questioning and wondering what is going on. The professor says to wait and over time, most of the spectators left. Digit flies and searches for the Trillers. Once he returns, he says that there's "Nothing up there. Not a Triller in sight!" Professor Bobson doesn't understand why the Trillers aren't coming as he states that "The Trillers have always arrived. Always." Inez says that there has to be an explanation, but the professor says that he doesn't have one. Fans from all over Cyberspace are watching, but there are no Trillers. The professor states that he would have to cancel the Migration Celebration. Digit says that he can't do that, but the professor says that he doesn't have a choice. "No Teal-Footed Trillers, no celebration.". Digit states that he wasn't going to give up and he leaves.

Milo from Sensible Flats

The professor tells his fans in an online video about the canceled celebration. He leaves his office lab to get some fresh air. The Cybersquad was in the lab when there was a call from the Professor's phone. Inez picks it up. Milo from Sensible Flats saw the professor's announcement about the missing Trillers, but he found Triller in his backyard. Jackie picks up the next call from Slider. He says that he sees a Triller in Radopolis. Matt sees a lot of comments about Triller sightings on the professor's computer and decides to log them. The group ends up getting information from all over Cyberspace and they started to frantically take notes. Digit comes in saying that he did not find any Trillers while they are busy taking calls. He asks what is going on and they tell him about the Triller sightings everywhere in Cyberspace, but not being able to tell the professor because they were busy. Digit tells the professor the news about the Trillers.

Once the calls stop coming, everyone gathers their notes in a pile, but everything is disorganized. Jackie finds notes stuck to her back and hair. Professor Bobson is grateful for the data, but the problem is that the data does not say why the Trillers did not show up and that they need more information. Digit asks how they can accomplish this because the information is from all over Cyberspace. Professor Bobson exclaims that citizen scientists are the answer. Matt is confused, so the professor explains that citizen scientists are ordinary citizens who gather specific information to help solve a scientific problem. He has an idea to ask citizen scientists from all over Cyberspace to answer an online observation form with three questions when they see a Triller. The three questions are: (1) Where is the Triller, (2) Is it alone or with others?, and (3) Is it eating? If so, what? Once they get the information back, there should be enough information to determine why the Trillers did not come.

The online observation form is posted and it is accessed in many parts of Cyberspace: on a phone in Gollywood, Chef Foodie's computer in his bakery in Sensible Flats, on a penguin's computer in Penguia, on a zombie's phone in front a food stand in Castleblanca, a phone from Perfectamundo, a computer in Poddleville and in many other places.

The first form came from two friends in Gollywood who found a Triller eating a worm on the second O of the Gollywood sign. Raz a citizen from Poddleville, a zombie from Castleblanca, a citizen from EcoHaven, and a penguin from Penguia are seen reporting a Triller or multiple Trillers. In some of the locations, the Trillers are behaving oddly by nesting in a flower box, swimming in a lake, or gliding on a frozen pond in Penguia.

The Cybersquad is now entering data from the observation forms. Digit tries to help, but accidentally knocks over Jackie's pile of paper. Jackie accepts his apology and says that there isn't a lot of space to move around. Digit feels left out and leaves Professor Bobson's office. Jackie says that they must have enough information to determine why the Trillers did not come, to which the professor replies, "Let’s hope so."

In the Northern Frontier, it turned out that Hacker stole the Trillers and put them in a large cage. Delete asks Hacker if they were going to release the birds. Hacker only needs them to sing their song to open the Secrets of Cyberspace book, and their song is the only way to open the book. After Hacker used them to open the book, the birds would be returned.

Hacker asks the birds to sing multiple times, he asked with the word please once, No matter how many times Hacker asked the birds to sing, they wouldn't sing. Hacker is fed up and he says that he would keep them away from home for as long as it takes for them to sing, even if it would be forever.

Digit is crestfallen that no one wants for him to help when he wants to help them in their efforts to find out what happened to the Trillers. He kicks at birdseed on the ground that almost hits one of the two Triller enthusiasts that remained. Digit apologizes for his actions and asks why they are still there. The pink enthusiast states that they couldn't leave without seeing the Trillers and that they know the Trillers will show up. The blue enthusiast says excitedly that when the Trillers do show up, the enthusiasts will be ready. The blue enthusiast brought bird seeds for the Trillers. Digit mentions how Trillers only eat purple berries, and how they don’t like to get wet in water. The enthusiast commends Digit for his knowledge on the Trillers and asks why he isn’t he helping Professor Bobson. Digit says that the professor already has the help he needs.

Inez enters the last observation form. Now everyone can analyze the data to determine what happened to the Trillers. The professor uses his computer to display the data. Professor Bobson’s mother calls on the phone and the professor has to take a call outside. Matt, Jackie, and Inez decide to use the data and try to determine the cause of the problem. Digit finishes telling the Triller enthusiasts about the legend of the Teal-Footed Trillers. The enthusiasts are impressed. Arguing is heard from outside Professor Bobson’s office lab. The enthusiasts encourage Digit to help the CyberSquad in the office lab. Digit agrees that he is needed since he is a Triller expert. The Triller enthusiasts cheer for Digit.

Jackie exclaims that they have too much information and everyone doesn’t know where to start. Inez mentions how most of the Trillers were found alone. Digit interjects with saying how that was unusual. Jackie says that some Trillers were found eating apples in Castleblanca, Matt mentions about them eating cabbage in Poddleville, Inez finishes with worms in Gollywood. Digit says that the Trillers are not acting like Trillers at all because Trillers only eat purple berries. Inez suggests that perhaps something is making the Trillers act strangely. Digit makes the statement that maybe the Trillers are not Trillers at all.

Everyone is in their own way of thinking. Inez is in her handstand, Digit is hovering, Matt is playing with his yo-yo, and Jackie is pacing back and forth. Jackie asks the question of how the Trillers are not Trillers, and how it doesn’t make any sense. Matt says that everyone is seeing them, so they have to be Trillers. Digit doubts this and says that by looking at the map, something’s not right. In Penguia, a frigid, snowy cybersite there are six Trillers. Trillers hate the cold. In other places, most Trillers were spotted alone, but Trillers typically travel in pairs. Jackie mentions about some kids who sent in pictures. Digit immediately tells that something is off about the picture. The Triller has two toes instead of three. All other Trillers have the same mistake, and they do not look like real birds. If all the birds in the pictures are fake, where are the real ones?

In the Northern Frontier, Hacker asks what’s taking so long as Buzz and Delete bring a crate full of purple berries. Buzz remarks about purple berries being hard to find in the Northern Frontier. As Buzz and Delete are feeding the Trillers the purple berries, Delete commented on the birds appearing “adorable” when they are eating. Hacker asks the Trillers to sing again, but they are just flying and eating. Hacker demands Buzz and Delete to think of another idea. No one has any ideas. Hacker says they have to think thinking and that his robotic trillers can’t fly forever.

The Cybersquad tells the Professor the birds are fake. The professor worries about the real Trillers. “If something has altered their migratory pattern, there could be serious ornithological consequences.” In simpler terms, we have to find the real Trillers now.

Buzz has a bunch of squeaky toys for the Triller and he asks where the bird swing went.  Delete is swinging in the bird swing in the Triller cage. Buzz tells Delete to get out of there, but Delete says that he loves swings. Buzz replies that the swing is not for him, and Delete comes down and helps Buzz put the toys into the Trillers’ cage.

After a period of time of the Trillers playing with their squeaky toys, Hacker demands the Trillers to sing and he gets frustrated. Buzz suggests that maybe the birds need some sun. Delete agrees with Buzz’s suggestion, mentioning how the birds haven’t been outside in a while. He accidentally flips a switch that sent a signal to all of Hacker’s robotic birds to return to the Northern Frontier. The robotic Trillers immediately starts flying away from their current cybersite. Delete asks what the switch did and Hacker explains that it calls the robotic birds to the Northern Frontier and asks why Delete wanted to know. Delete does not admit his mistake.

The Cybersquad receives a call from Slider about the Trillers in Radopolis flocking together and flying away abruptly.  Fluff from Penguia contacted Jackie by phone and told her the same thing happened in Penguia. From a comment, Matt reads that it same strange phenomenon occurred in Sensible Flats as well. Digit asks how they were going to track the Trillers. Professor Bobsen calls for the citizen scientists to help report the location of the imposter Trillers. The data is tracked by the professor’s computer. By looking at a special map on the computer with the all the cybersites in Cyberspace, all the birds seem to be migrating farther north. Only one cybersite would be in the far north: the Northern Frontier, which meant that Hacker had to be involved. Digit calls for Motherboard to open a portal immediately.

The Secrets of Cyberspace book is opening.

Hacker yells that he tried everything to make the Trillers sing and asks why they will not sing. The Trillers finally began to sing and the Secrets of Cyberspace book is glowing yellow. Hacker was almost successful with opening the book before the Cybersquad enters with his robotic Trillers. Delete revealed himself to have the key to the triller cage and Digit took it from him. The Cybersquad played catch with it to prevent Hacker or his henchmen to take it, and Digit finally is able to free the real Trillers. Digit is shocked that Hacker had been in possession of the Secrets of Cyberchase book and asked where he got it from. Buzz answers that they got it from the Puzzle Pyramid. Digit states firmly as he put the book in his compartment that he would relocate to “a safe place where it belongs.”

The birds surrounded Hacker and his henchmen and led them to the same cage they had been in. Inez calls Professor Bobson on her Skwak Pad and tells him to tell everyone to return to the Cliffs and that the Trillers would come.

The Migration Celebration was going to happen, and on stage, Professor Bobson thanks the citizen scientists who helped them locate the Trillers, Cybersquad, and he honors Digit for his expertise on Trillers saving the day. The Teal-Footed Trillers come and perform their dance and song.

Extras

• Math Topics: "The Migration situation" deals with how to manage and organize data.
• Science Topics: "The Migration situation" deals with seasonal migration.
• For Real Segment: Harry learns about citizen scientists and how he can help scientists gather data.

Gallery

Puzzle Pyramid

The Puzzle Pyramid's obstacles

"The book of such secrecy cannot be accessed so easily. To open it you need-"

The Cybersquad meets Professor Bob de Bob Bobsen.]]

A triller in flight is shown on one of Professor Bobsen's computers.

Map of cybersites in Cyberspace