Listener Questions, P.2 ❓

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Speaker 1: You're listening to sleep Tight Science. Did you know that there is a species of jellyfish that is technically immortal? What that's right? The Torritopsis dornie jellyfish can go back to its youthful form after becoming fully mature. Wow. This means it can reset its biological clock and start its life cycle again. So while we mere mortals may not have the power to turn back time, the Torritopsis dornie jellyfish sure does talk about a fountain of youth. Hello, friends, and welcome back to sleep Tight Science, a bedtime show that answers your questions about science. In this episode, instead of following a specific topic, we will spend all our time together answering questions that listeners have sent us. There have been so many questions that we decided to create a number of special episodes to answer them. If you have a question you would like answered or feedback, please email us. Now, let's start with a question submitted to us by Zoe, who is six years old and lives in Langley, BC, Canada. Zoe asked us, I would like to know how many seeds a strawberry has and why are its seeds on the outside of the berry not inside like most fruit. Although it might look like the seeds on a strawberry are on the outside, they are not true seeds, but tiny fruits themselves. Each of these small brownish red bumps that dot the outside of a strawberry is an individual fruit that contains a seed inside. These seeds are called akeenes. On average, a single strawberry has about two hundred achenes on its surface. However, this can vary depending on the size and type of strawberry. Akeenes are on the outside of the strawberry because they are part of the strawberry's reproductive system. When the strawberry plant blooms, its flowers are pollinated by bees and other insects. The akeenes on the strawberries outside result from the fertilization of the flower's ovaries. As the fruit grows, the achenes are carried along with it, eventually becoming set in the surface of the strawberry. Great question, Zoe. Next we have a question from Oliver, who is eight and lives in Perth, Australia. Oliver asks, what happened if you don't have a shower for a long time? Have you ever played outside on a hot summer day and notice that your skin feels sweaty and sticky. Our bodies always produce sweat and oils, which can build up on our skin over time. In addition to creating a stinky odor, this build up can also attract bacteria, fungus, and other microorganisms that naturally live on our skin. When these microorganisms mix with sweat and oils, they can start to break down and produce even more unpleasant odors. This can lead to conditions like body odor or even infections like folliculitis and inflammation of the hair follicles. In addition to causing physical discomfort, not showering regularly can also impact our mental health. So while it might be tempting to skip a shower or two, it's important to prioritize our hygiene to keep our bodies clean, healthy, and happy. Plus, taking a nice, warm shower can be a relaxing and enjoyable way to take a break from the busyness of our daily lives. When you shower is really up to you and how busy you were throughout the day. Some people prefer to shower in the morning to help wake them up and start their day feeling refreshed, while others prefer to shower in the evening to wash off the day's sweat, dirt and grime and feel squeaky clean before climbing into bed. Thank you, Oliver. Did you know scientists have discovered a species of fungus that can turn ants into zombies? That's right. The fungus infects the ants and then takes control of their minds, causing them to climb to a high point and bite onto a leaf or twig. This parasitic fungus is called ophio cortesps unilateralists, which is a little difficult to pronounce now that might seem kind of scary. Still, Scientists have also discovered that some ants have grown to detect when their fellow ants have been zombified by the fungus, and they will carry the infected ants far away from the colony to prevent the infection from spreading. Speaking of zombies, our next question comes from Oliver, who is seven and lives in Perth, Washington. Oliver asks, if zombies were real, would they be green? The idea of zombies being green is popular in movies, TV shows, and I think at least one video game. The green color makes them scarier and yucky. But if we're talking about real life zombies, like those created by the afio cordyceps unilateralist fungus we already mentioned that infects ants, then the zombies would probably not be green. In fact, they would look pretty much like regular ants, except that they have been taken over by a parasitic fungus. The idea of a zombie is just something people made out for stories and movies, and each story and movie has a different idea of what they might look like. Some people think that if zombies were real, they might look like regular people who are really sick and not feeling well. They might be pale and move slowly, but they wouldn't necessarily be green or look like the ones you see in movies, So the color green might just be considered artistic license by the creator of a particular zombie. Thank you, Oliver. Our next question comes from Ellef Burkle, who is seven and lives in Turkey. Ellef asks why is poop sometimes soft and sometimes hard. The consistency of our poop can be affected by what we eat and drink. For example, if we eat a lot of high fiber foods like fruits and vegetables, our poop is likely to be softer and well be much more or voluminous. On the other hand, if we eat a lot of processed foods that are low in fiber, our poop may be harder and smaller. Another factor that can affect poop consistency is hydration. If we're not drinking enough water, our poop can be harder and more difficult to get rid of. On the other hand, if we drink a lot of fluids, our poop will likely be softer and easier to get rid of. Certain medical conditions can also affect poop consistency. For example, suppose someone has a gastro intestinal disorder like irritable bowel syndrome or IBS or Crohn's disease. In that case, their poop may be consistently soft or hard, depending on the specific condition. According to doctors, to help ensure good poop, we should eat a balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and other fresh food that are high in fiber. We should also drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Thank you, ellaf our. Next question comes from Alise and Chesca, who ask why does the cold make you pee when we are exposed to cold temperatures, our bodies react by constricting or narrowing blood vessels in our extremities or the outer parts of our body, to keep our core warm. This process, called vassal constriction, can actually increase blood pressure and cause an increase in urine production. In addition to this constricting of the blood vessels, when we're cold, our bodies release a hormone called antidiuretic hormone, or ADH, which signals our kidneys to reabsorb water instead of excreting or discharge it as urine. However, in some cases, the cold can actually suppress the release of ad H, leading to increased urine production and the need to pee more frequently. Simply put, when it's really cold outside, our bodies try to stay warm by making our blood vessels smaller and causing us to pee more. This can happen because of special chemicals in our body that tell our kidneys to make more pea. So if you feel like you need to pee more when it's cold outside, it's just a result of your body trying to stay warm. Thank you, Alise and Chesca. Last, but certainly not least is a question from Christopher in Wayland. Massachusetts, who is four years old. Christopher asks why do animals need different food than people? Animals are designed to eat the things that nature provides for them. Some animals have big, strong teeth for chewing up tough plants, while others have sharp, pointy teeth for tearing into meat. Some animals have long necks for reaching high branches, while others have strong legs for running fast. Some animals, like cows, are called herbivores, which means they eat only plants. Other animals, like lions, are called carnivores, which means they eat only other animals or meat, and some animals, like us humans are called omnivores, which means we eat both plants and animals. But why do animals need different food than people? Well, it's because animals have different digestive systems and different ways of getting the nutrients they need. For example, cows have four stomachs that allow them to break down tough plant fibers and extract or take out the nutrients from them. On the other hand, lions have powerful jaws and teeth that allow them to rip and tear meat and eat it quickly. So while humans can eat a wide variety of foods and get the nutrients we need. Animals have very specific diets tailored to their unique digestive system and eating behaviors. Animals need different foods than people because they have different bodies and abilities. Some animals have strong teeth for chewing plants, while others have sharp teeth for eating meat. Like people, animals have their favorite foods that make them healthy and strong. Thank you for your question, Christopher. Fun Facts. While researching the answers to these questions, we learned some interesting and funny facts. Hippos produce a special kind of poop called hippo butter, which they use to mark their territory lies poop every time they land, which is why they're such good carriers of bacteria. Contrary to what we might think, pigs are very clean animals and will avoid eating or sleeping near their poop. Do you think you would like to live with a little pig? Some animals, like beavers and rabbits, eat their own poop. This is called caprophagy, and it helps them digest their food more completely. Yach elephants eat up to three hundred pounds of food every day. That's more than most people weigh. Strawberries are not actually berries, but bananas are. Giraffes have a special valve in their throats that prevents them from choking when they eat leaves from tall trees. Some animals, like snakes and spiders, can go weeks or months without eating. Did you know that goats have rectangular pupils. It's true, and that's why they can see almost all around them without moving their heads, which makes them great at spotting predators. So if you ever see a goat, you can tell them apart from other animals by their funky, rectangular shaped eyes. In this episode, we learned about strawberries and that the seeds on the outside of the strawberries are not actually seeds, but tiny fruits. We also learned what might happen if we don't shower for a long time and what that might mean for our body. We talked about zombies and whether they are really green or if that is just artistic expression. We discussed why our poop is sometimes hard and sometimes soft. We looked at why the cold makes you want to pee more and why animals need different food than we do. This episode was made with questions from Zoe from BC, Oliver from Perth Australia, Ellif from Turkey, Oliver from Perth, Washington, Ali's and Chesca and Christopher from Wayland, Massachusetts. Thank you, Charlie and Jenny, Andrew, Zelda, Frank and Alan. We hope to use your ideas in future episodes. We would love it if you left us a review. Wherever you listen to podcasts, your review might help others decide to listen to our show too. If you'd like to send us your questions, please send them to Hello at sleep tightscience dot com. Thank you and sleep tight