April 26, 2023
Do you know about worms?🪱
In this episode, we will learn about worms and try to answer some of the questions you, our listeners, have submitted about this topic and others. We will learn about worms by following along with the story of a little bear named Bernice, who you might already be familiar with if you listen to Sleep Tight Stories. Bernice has many interests, including science, and Papa Bear will help her learn.
Sleep Tight!, Sheryl & Clark
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About Sleep Tight Science
Sleep Tight Science is an engaging bedtime show for the whole family that answers the questions kids have about science. Each episode explores a fascinating topic in science and technology, from the mysteries of outer space to the wonders of the human body. Sleep Tight Science is the perfect bedtime companion for curious minds of all ages. Have an interesting science topic you would like featured? Send us an email at hello@sleeptightscience.com and we may feature it in an upcoming show.
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Transcript
00:00:00
Speaker 1: You're listening to sleep Tight Science. Did you know that some species of octopuses are known to be escape artists and have been known to sneak out of their aquariums to explore other tanks, steal food, or even turn off the lights. What I guess we can say that they are the Houdinis of the ocean. Hello, friends, and welcome back to sleep Tight Science, a bedtime show that answers your science questions. In this episode, we will learn about worms and try to answer some of the questions you our listeners have submitted about this topic and others. We love getting all your questions, so please don't hesitate to send them to us via our email address. We will learn about worms by following along with the story of a little bear named Bernice, who you might already be familiar with if you listen to sleep Tight Stories. Bernice has many interests, including science, and Papa Bear will help her learn. So let's start learning about worms. Worms are legless invertebrates, and invertebrate is an animal that doesn't have a backbone. This means that they don't have a long row of bones in their back like we do. Instead, they come in all shapes and sizes from tiny insects to squishy jellyfish, and include creatures like snails, spiders, crabs, and worms. Some worms live in soil or in water. Others are parasites and live inside other animals. There are well over fifty five thousand species of worms. The four main groups are ribbon worms, flatworms, round worms, and segmented worms. First up, we've got segmented worms. These worms have bodies that are made up of many segments or sections that can move independently of each other. Segmented worms include earthworms, leeches, and marine worms. They can be found in soil, water, and even inside other animals. Earthworms are the ones you're most likely to see in your backyard. They're long and skinny, and they wiggle around in the dirt, helping to keep the soil healthy by breaking down dead plants and leaves. Next, we've got the flatworms. These guys are really flat, like a piece of paper, and they come in all sorts of bright colors. Some of them even glow in the dark. Flatworms live in water. Some can even regenerate or regrow their body parts if injured. Some flatworms are predators that hunt small animals, while others feed on decaying matter. Then there are the round worms. These are some of the tiniest worms around and you can only see them with a microscope. But don't let their size fool you. Some of them can cause diseases in humans and animals. They have long, slender bodies that are tapered at both ends and can be found in a variety of environments, including soil and water. Finally, we've got ribbon worms, which are also called the martians. These worms have long, flattened bodies that look like ribbons, and they come in a variety of bright colors. Ribbon worms are found in water and they use their long bodies to capture and eat small prey. There are also other less common groups of worms, such as horse hair worms and arrowworms. Each group of worms has its own unique characteristics and adaptations that allow them to thrive wherever they live. Did you know that the underside of a typical earthworm is covered with tiny bristles. The worm uses these to pull itself along. Earthworms breathe through their skin. Our first question comes from Dylan, who is five years old and from Indianapolis. Dylan asks how do minerals and gems form minerals and gems are created through a process called crystallization. This happens when certain chemicals and minerals combine under specific temperatures, pressure, and time conditions, forming beautiful, unique, and valuable materials. For example, some minerals are created deep underground when liquid rock or magma cools and hardens over a very long time. The minerals can also form due to volcanic activity, or when water with dissolved minerals and other substances evaporates and leaves behind crystals. Other materials and gems can be formed by other natural processes, such as the slow accumulation of tiny mineral particles over time, or through the transformation of existing minerals due to changes in their environment like heat or pressure. Did you know that the most expensive gem ever found is the Pink Star diamond, sold at an auction in twenty seventeen for a record breaking seventy one point two million dollars. The Pink Star is a fifty nine point six carrot diamond mined in South Africa in nineteen ninety nine. Thank you, Dylan. Our next question comes from Frankie, who is seven years old and lives in Oak Park, Illinois. Frankie asks how do fish swim? Fish have a special organ called a swim bladder, which helps them control their buoyancy and stay at the right depth in the water. When a fish wants to move forward, it uses its tail fin to push against the water and propel itself forward. Fish can also use their other fins to help them swim in different directions, stop or turn. They have pectoral fins on their sides, dorsal fins on their back, and anal fins on their bottoms. These fins work together to help the fish move gracefully through the water. Some fish, like sharks, can swim very fast by moving their bodies in a special way called undulation. This means they move their bodies back and forth, creating a powerful wave that propels them forward. Thank you for the question, Frankie. Our last question comes from Dean who lives in Minnesota. Dean asks how do air bags work. Air Bags work with sensors that are placed around the car. If the sensors detect that the car is going to crash, they send an electric signal to the air bag system to start a chemical reaction that inflates the air bag. This happens in a split second, faster than you can blink your eyes. After receiving the signal, the air bag system quickly inflates the air air bag, which is made of a special fabric that can inflate rapidly when filled with gas. The gas used to inflate the air bag is usually nitrogen, which is stored in a canister within the air bag system. When the air bag inflates, it provides a cushion for the passengers in the car, preventing them from hitting the hard surfaces of the car's interior. This can help to prevent serious injuries such as head injuries, broken bones, and internal injuries. After the air bag inflates, it deflates quickly so the person can see and move again. Great question, Dean. Now let's continue with our story featuring Bernice and Papa Bear. Hi, Papa, I'm home, yelled Bernice as she walked in the front door of their small house. Guess what, Papa Bernice yelled as she took off her favorite rubber boots and her rain jacket. What little bear? Papa Bear said from the kitchen where he was taking something special out of the oven. I smell something super yummy, and I am one hundred percent positive that what I smell are super yummy cookies. Well, I did bake some fresh cookies, but I can't say whether or not they are super yummy until we run an experiment. An experiment, Papa Bernice said, as she walked into the kitchen. Aren't your cookies just automatically super yummy delicious? Well, your hypothesis is that my cookies are delicious, and we need to test if that is true or not, Papa Bear said, trying to look serious. Oh, I know it is true, Papa, I eat your cookies every day, Bernice said, laughing. But how could we test it? To test if a cookie tastes delicious? We can design a taste test experiment with a hypothesis, variables, and a control group. Papa Bear said. This sounds familiar, Papa, I think we studied that in science class. I think we need to get two types of cookies to compare and make sure they are the same size and shape. Then we need to get a group of people to participate. But since I am the only person here, it will be me, Bernie said, with a smile. Then what happens, Papa Bear asked, Then I give myself a small piece of one type of cookie and then rate the taste on a scale from one to five. Then we do the same with the other cookie. Maybe we could use a store bought one. Then I collect and record the data and compare the rating for each type of cookie. I think. Then I would analyze the data to see which type of cookie received higher ratings and draw a conclusion about which cookie tastes more delicious, Bernie said, as she started washing her hands. You've got the hang of it, little bear. That's a simple experiment, except for one problem. Papa Bernie said, with a big smile. What's that, little bear? I have a bias. I love your cookies too much, so I will always pick yours no matter what. Well, in that case, I should just give you a plate of my cookies and we can run the experiment another time. Good idea, Papa, Because I am super hungry and my belly is making all kinds of gurgling noises. It always starts to get excited when I smell your freshly baked cookies. Ok, little bear, have a seat and I will bring you some cookies and a glass of milk. Bernice sat down and had a great big bite of each of the cookies on her plate with crumbs all over her mouth. Bernice said, super delicious, Papa. I love oatmeal cookies. I'm glad you like them, Little Bear. How was school today? School was okay? I guess. We painted more in art class and did some math problems as a group, and Bobby and I worked on a science project together. The teacher said, we worked well together and followed her instructions, which is very important. It is important to follow the instructions from your teacher, and I'm happy to hear that you and Bobby work well together. Papa. I have some questions. What questions did you have, Little Bear? It's about all the mini snakes slithering all over the ground outside, Papa, it rained, and there were many moving around on the sidewalk. I tried not to step on them while walking because it's yucky to hurt them, but there were so many I had to jump all over the place. I think you mean earth worms, right, Papa, Bear said, smiling, yeah, Papa, but I like to use the word mini snakes. Why are there so many, Papa? Well, little Bear, it's spring and it's been raining a bit and the ground is getting warmer all the rain we have had may have flooded the soil and forced the worms to the surface. They may move onto sidewalks to escape the water and find drier ground. And because the soil is warmer now, the worms may become more active and move around in search of food. How do they move, Papa, They don't have legs. Do they move like snakes? Do? Let me go get a science book and we can have a look. I know more about baking cookies than worms, Papa Bear said, laughing as he went to get a science book from the shelf. Returning to the table, Papa Bear opened his science book, took a big drink of tea, and started, Well, it would seem that earthworms slither and slide. They don't have legs like you or I do. You can see that when you look at them closely on the ground or pick them up. Yeah, they are super slimy, Papa. I picked one up at break time today and it wiggled in my hand. Gertrude thought it was yaki, but I like them. Earthworms are pretty important to the health of the soil because they eat decaying plant material and other organic matter. Papa Bear said. Now, while they don't have legs to move. They have muscles that help them slither and slide through the soil. They also have tiny bristles called setae on their bodies that help them grip onto the soil and move around. Let me see, Papa Bear said, looking closely at the book. When earthworms move, they stretch and contract their muscles, which helps them to move forward. They also use their seatae to grip onto the soil and anchor themselves while they move. This is kind of like when you are swimming and you use your arms and legs to move through the water. I swim faster than a worm, though, Papa, yes, you do, little bear, Papa Bear said, laughing. One cool thing about earthworms is that they can move backwards and forwards. They can quickly move backwards if they need to get away from something, and if they need to get to a new place, they can move forwards. Can worms see or hear? Papa Bobby kept telling the worms to go a different way, but they didn't seem to be listening. Bernice said with a laugh that Bobby, Papa Bear said, let me see what the book says. So worms don't have eyes like we do, but they do have light sensitive cells in their skin that can detect changes in light and dark, so they might be able to tell when Bobby stands over them. And as for hearing, worms don't have ears like we do either, but they can sense vibrations in the soil around them. That's pretty cool, Papa. How about we stop our talk about worms for now and we can finish preparing dinner before Mama Bear gets home. Can we talk about worms at dinnertime? Papa, I'm not sure that that would be a good idea, Little Bear. We are having spaghetti for dinner and Mama Bear might not like the topic very much while she is eating, Papa Bear said, laughing, yeah, I think she might not. Bernice said, I love you, Papa. I love you too, little Bear. In this episode, we learned about minerals and gems and how they are formed. We talked a bit about how fish swim and how they use their fins to go in different directions and stop and turn. We also talked about how airbags work, and we learned a lot about worms. We looked at some of the different kinds of worms and what they can do, and then we listened to Bernice and Papa Bear talk about worms. This episode was made with questions from Dylan, Frankie and Dean. Thank you to Lucas, Soren and Charlie and Jenny. We hope to have a chance to use your ideas in future episodes. If you'd like to send us your questions, please send them to hello at sleep tightscience dot com. Thank you and sleep tight Yeah.
Speaker 1: You're listening to sleep Tight Science. Did you know that some species of octopuses are known to be escape artists and have been known to sneak out of their aquariums to explore other tanks, steal food, or even turn off the lights. What I guess we can say that they are the Houdinis of the ocean. Hello, friends, and welcome back to sleep Tight Science, a bedtime show that answers your science questions. In this episode, we will learn about worms and try to answer some of the questions you our listeners have submitted about this topic and others. We love getting all your questions, so please don't hesitate to send them to us via our email address. We will learn about worms by following along with the story of a little bear named Bernice, who you might already be familiar with if you listen to sleep Tight Stories. Bernice has many interests, including science, and Papa Bear will help her learn. So let's start learning about worms. Worms are legless invertebrates, and invertebrate is an animal that doesn't have a backbone. This means that they don't have a long row of bones in their back like we do. Instead, they come in all shapes and sizes from tiny insects to squishy jellyfish, and include creatures like snails, spiders, crabs, and worms. Some worms live in soil or in water. Others are parasites and live inside other animals. There are well over fifty five thousand species of worms. The four main groups are ribbon worms, flatworms, round worms, and segmented worms. First up, we've got segmented worms. These worms have bodies that are made up of many segments or sections that can move independently of each other. Segmented worms include earthworms, leeches, and marine worms. They can be found in soil, water, and even inside other animals. Earthworms are the ones you're most likely to see in your backyard. They're long and skinny, and they wiggle around in the dirt, helping to keep the soil healthy by breaking down dead plants and leaves. Next, we've got the flatworms. These guys are really flat, like a piece of paper, and they come in all sorts of bright colors. Some of them even glow in the dark. Flatworms live in water. Some can even regenerate or regrow their body parts if injured. Some flatworms are predators that hunt small animals, while others feed on decaying matter. Then there are the round worms. These are some of the tiniest worms around and you can only see them with a microscope. But don't let their size fool you. Some of them can cause diseases in humans and animals. They have long, slender bodies that are tapered at both ends and can be found in a variety of environments, including soil and water. Finally, we've got ribbon worms, which are also called the martians. These worms have long, flattened bodies that look like ribbons, and they come in a variety of bright colors. Ribbon worms are found in water and they use their long bodies to capture and eat small prey. There are also other less common groups of worms, such as horse hair worms and arrowworms. Each group of worms has its own unique characteristics and adaptations that allow them to thrive wherever they live. Did you know that the underside of a typical earthworm is covered with tiny bristles. The worm uses these to pull itself along. Earthworms breathe through their skin. Our first question comes from Dylan, who is five years old and from Indianapolis. Dylan asks how do minerals and gems form minerals and gems are created through a process called crystallization. This happens when certain chemicals and minerals combine under specific temperatures, pressure, and time conditions, forming beautiful, unique, and valuable materials. For example, some minerals are created deep underground when liquid rock or magma cools and hardens over a very long time. The minerals can also form due to volcanic activity, or when water with dissolved minerals and other substances evaporates and leaves behind crystals. Other materials and gems can be formed by other natural processes, such as the slow accumulation of tiny mineral particles over time, or through the transformation of existing minerals due to changes in their environment like heat or pressure. Did you know that the most expensive gem ever found is the Pink Star diamond, sold at an auction in twenty seventeen for a record breaking seventy one point two million dollars. The Pink Star is a fifty nine point six carrot diamond mined in South Africa in nineteen ninety nine. Thank you, Dylan. Our next question comes from Frankie, who is seven years old and lives in Oak Park, Illinois. Frankie asks how do fish swim? Fish have a special organ called a swim bladder, which helps them control their buoyancy and stay at the right depth in the water. When a fish wants to move forward, it uses its tail fin to push against the water and propel itself forward. Fish can also use their other fins to help them swim in different directions, stop or turn. They have pectoral fins on their sides, dorsal fins on their back, and anal fins on their bottoms. These fins work together to help the fish move gracefully through the water. Some fish, like sharks, can swim very fast by moving their bodies in a special way called undulation. This means they move their bodies back and forth, creating a powerful wave that propels them forward. Thank you for the question, Frankie. Our last question comes from Dean who lives in Minnesota. Dean asks how do air bags work. Air Bags work with sensors that are placed around the car. If the sensors detect that the car is going to crash, they send an electric signal to the air bag system to start a chemical reaction that inflates the air bag. This happens in a split second, faster than you can blink your eyes. After receiving the signal, the air bag system quickly inflates the air air bag, which is made of a special fabric that can inflate rapidly when filled with gas. The gas used to inflate the air bag is usually nitrogen, which is stored in a canister within the air bag system. When the air bag inflates, it provides a cushion for the passengers in the car, preventing them from hitting the hard surfaces of the car's interior. This can help to prevent serious injuries such as head injuries, broken bones, and internal injuries. After the air bag inflates, it deflates quickly so the person can see and move again. Great question, Dean. Now let's continue with our story featuring Bernice and Papa Bear. Hi, Papa, I'm home, yelled Bernice as she walked in the front door of their small house. Guess what, Papa Bernice yelled as she took off her favorite rubber boots and her rain jacket. What little bear? Papa Bear said from the kitchen where he was taking something special out of the oven. I smell something super yummy, and I am one hundred percent positive that what I smell are super yummy cookies. Well, I did bake some fresh cookies, but I can't say whether or not they are super yummy until we run an experiment. An experiment, Papa Bernice said, as she walked into the kitchen. Aren't your cookies just automatically super yummy delicious? Well, your hypothesis is that my cookies are delicious, and we need to test if that is true or not, Papa Bear said, trying to look serious. Oh, I know it is true, Papa, I eat your cookies every day, Bernice said, laughing. But how could we test it? To test if a cookie tastes delicious? We can design a taste test experiment with a hypothesis, variables, and a control group. Papa Bear said. This sounds familiar, Papa, I think we studied that in science class. I think we need to get two types of cookies to compare and make sure they are the same size and shape. Then we need to get a group of people to participate. But since I am the only person here, it will be me, Bernie said, with a smile. Then what happens, Papa Bear asked, Then I give myself a small piece of one type of cookie and then rate the taste on a scale from one to five. Then we do the same with the other cookie. Maybe we could use a store bought one. Then I collect and record the data and compare the rating for each type of cookie. I think. Then I would analyze the data to see which type of cookie received higher ratings and draw a conclusion about which cookie tastes more delicious, Bernie said, as she started washing her hands. You've got the hang of it, little bear. That's a simple experiment, except for one problem. Papa Bernie said, with a big smile. What's that, little bear? I have a bias. I love your cookies too much, so I will always pick yours no matter what. Well, in that case, I should just give you a plate of my cookies and we can run the experiment another time. Good idea, Papa, Because I am super hungry and my belly is making all kinds of gurgling noises. It always starts to get excited when I smell your freshly baked cookies. Ok, little bear, have a seat and I will bring you some cookies and a glass of milk. Bernice sat down and had a great big bite of each of the cookies on her plate with crumbs all over her mouth. Bernice said, super delicious, Papa. I love oatmeal cookies. I'm glad you like them, Little Bear. How was school today? School was okay? I guess. We painted more in art class and did some math problems as a group, and Bobby and I worked on a science project together. The teacher said, we worked well together and followed her instructions, which is very important. It is important to follow the instructions from your teacher, and I'm happy to hear that you and Bobby work well together. Papa. I have some questions. What questions did you have, Little Bear? It's about all the mini snakes slithering all over the ground outside, Papa, it rained, and there were many moving around on the sidewalk. I tried not to step on them while walking because it's yucky to hurt them, but there were so many I had to jump all over the place. I think you mean earth worms, right, Papa, Bear said, smiling, yeah, Papa, but I like to use the word mini snakes. Why are there so many, Papa? Well, little Bear, it's spring and it's been raining a bit and the ground is getting warmer all the rain we have had may have flooded the soil and forced the worms to the surface. They may move onto sidewalks to escape the water and find drier ground. And because the soil is warmer now, the worms may become more active and move around in search of food. How do they move, Papa, They don't have legs. Do they move like snakes? Do? Let me go get a science book and we can have a look. I know more about baking cookies than worms, Papa Bear said, laughing as he went to get a science book from the shelf. Returning to the table, Papa Bear opened his science book, took a big drink of tea, and started, Well, it would seem that earthworms slither and slide. They don't have legs like you or I do. You can see that when you look at them closely on the ground or pick them up. Yeah, they are super slimy, Papa. I picked one up at break time today and it wiggled in my hand. Gertrude thought it was yaki, but I like them. Earthworms are pretty important to the health of the soil because they eat decaying plant material and other organic matter. Papa Bear said. Now, while they don't have legs to move. They have muscles that help them slither and slide through the soil. They also have tiny bristles called setae on their bodies that help them grip onto the soil and move around. Let me see, Papa Bear said, looking closely at the book. When earthworms move, they stretch and contract their muscles, which helps them to move forward. They also use their seatae to grip onto the soil and anchor themselves while they move. This is kind of like when you are swimming and you use your arms and legs to move through the water. I swim faster than a worm, though, Papa, yes, you do, little bear, Papa Bear said, laughing. One cool thing about earthworms is that they can move backwards and forwards. They can quickly move backwards if they need to get away from something, and if they need to get to a new place, they can move forwards. Can worms see or hear? Papa Bobby kept telling the worms to go a different way, but they didn't seem to be listening. Bernice said with a laugh that Bobby, Papa Bear said, let me see what the book says. So worms don't have eyes like we do, but they do have light sensitive cells in their skin that can detect changes in light and dark, so they might be able to tell when Bobby stands over them. And as for hearing, worms don't have ears like we do either, but they can sense vibrations in the soil around them. That's pretty cool, Papa. How about we stop our talk about worms for now and we can finish preparing dinner before Mama Bear gets home. Can we talk about worms at dinnertime? Papa, I'm not sure that that would be a good idea, Little Bear. We are having spaghetti for dinner and Mama Bear might not like the topic very much while she is eating, Papa Bear said, laughing, yeah, I think she might not. Bernice said, I love you, Papa. I love you too, little Bear. In this episode, we learned about minerals and gems and how they are formed. We talked a bit about how fish swim and how they use their fins to go in different directions and stop and turn. We also talked about how airbags work, and we learned a lot about worms. We looked at some of the different kinds of worms and what they can do, and then we listened to Bernice and Papa Bear talk about worms. This episode was made with questions from Dylan, Frankie and Dean. Thank you to Lucas, Soren and Charlie and Jenny. We hope to have a chance to use your ideas in future episodes. If you'd like to send us your questions, please send them to hello at sleep tightscience dot com. Thank you and sleep tight Yeah.