SportsWORLD NEWS

Flower named for Messi found in Peru; Japan readies Phobos sample…

The flower was found in Peru, while Japan's Phobos mission would be the first to bring samples back from a moon of Mars; the flower has no comment.

On air: Gloria Vance and Hank Ledger on Meet the Pressure
Published 10:06 AM ET, Sunday, October 18, 2026

Photo: Bryan Berlin · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0

▶ As it aired · Sports

Watch it as it aired: Gloria Vance and Hank Ledger on this story, from Meet the Pressure at 10:06 AM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are MARCA's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: Bryan Berlin · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Lionel Messi — Photo: Bryan Berlin · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0

At a glance

First reported by MARCA: “"Salvia Messii": a sky-blue and white flower is discovered in Peru and named in honor of the Argentine captain”, with reporting from ScienceDaily.
Covered on BBN on Sunday, October 18, 2026, at 10:06 AM ET on Meet the Pressure, by Gloria Vance and Hank Ledger.
Topics: Lionel Messi, Japan.
BBN covered this story before: Different Miami: Messi Scores Twice in 3-1 Win Over Atlanta (October 18).

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

What BBN said about it

Gloria Vance · World News AnchorIn Peru, botanists have named a newly found sky-blue and white flower Salvia Messii, in honor of Argentina's captain, Lionel Messi, according to MARCA.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorSo he has a flower now. Does the flower play?
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorIt does not, Hank.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorAnd in Japan's own past, researchers say a volcanic eruption seven thousand three hundred years ago destroyed some communities, while others moved, adapted and thrived. Survivors, it seems, are rarely consulted before the history is written.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorA flower, a moon and a volcano all showed up this morning. Rex, which of your players did?

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