Listener Questions P.6❓

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Speaker 1: Hi, science fans, Guess what. We are launching season four of sleep Tight Science this September, and we need your help to make it extra special. Did you know that your voice can be part of our show? We want to hear your amazing voices in our show opening. It's super easy and fun to join in. Just record yourself saying you are listening to sleep Tight Science, then send your recording to the email address in our show notes. How cool is that. We can't wait to hear all your fantastic voices. Thank you for listening. You're listening to sleep Tight Science. Did you you know that not everyone is ticklish and those who are may not be ticklish in the same way. What It turns out that our sensitivity to tickling varies from person to person, and it's actually a defense mechanism. Ticklish areas like the armpits and sides are some of the most vulnerable spots on our bodies, So being ticklish there might be a way for our bodies to protect themselves from potential threats like a playful friend or foe. 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 episodes just like this to answer them. Many listeners wrote us questions related to the human body, which are the coolest, most complex machines on Earth, and understanding what they're made of is really important. Before we answer listener questions, we decided to zoom in and first understand what the body is made of. Our bodies are made up of trillions and trillions of tiny building blocks called cells. These cells are like the lego bricks of life, and they come in all different shapes and sizes. Some cells help us see, some help us breathe, and others help us move. Cells are made up of atoms and molecules. Atoms are the tiniest particles you can imagine, and they're like the alphabet of the universe. There are about one hundred and eighteen different types of atoms, and they combine in different ways to make molecules, just like how letters combine to make words. One of the most important atoms in our bodies is carbon. Carbon atoms are like the building blocks of life because they can stick together in long chains to form molecules. These carbon based molecules are the foundation of all living things. They make up our DNA, which contains all of the instructions for how our bodies work, and they also make up proteins, which are like the workers that keep everything running smoothly. But we are not just carbon. We are also made of oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and a bunch of other elements. These elements combine in various ways to make up all the different molecules in our bodies. For example, water is made up of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, and it's essential for keeping us hydrated and helping our cells function. Our skeletons are like the framework of our bodies, and they are made primarily of calcium and phosphorus. These minerals give our bones their strength and structure. Without them, we'd be as floppy as a rubber chicken. We would look kind of silly too. Next, our muscles are a big part of what makes us move. They are made up of proteins and actin and myosin that can contract and relax to create movement. When you bend your arm or jump. Your muscles do all the hard work. And let's not forget about our skin. It's the body's largest organ, made of layers of cells called epidermis and dermis. Our skin protects us from germs, helps us feel things, and even helps us regulate our body temperature. We are going to talk about the skin a bit later. Now. Inside our bodies, we have a whole bunch of amazing organs. These are like specialized teams of cells that work together to do specific jobs. For example, your heart is an organ that pumps blood to deliver oxygen and nutrients to all the other parts of your body. Your lungs are organs that help you breathe by taking an oxygen from the air and getting rid of carbon dioxide. Our brains are incredibly cool organs too. They're like supercomputers that control everything we do, from thinking and feeling to moving and breathing. Our brains are mostly made of fat and water, and they're constantly firing off electrical signals to make our bodies function. Our bodies are made of cells, which are made of atoms and molecules. These molecules, like carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen, come together in various ways to build all the different parts of our bodies, from our bones and muscles to our organs and skin. Next, we will start answering some of the questions listeners have sent in. First up, we have a question from Yasmine, age five, who is from Wellington, New Zealand. She wants to know how many layers of skin do we have. Yazmin wrote, when you have an old bit of skin peeling off, you have more skin underneath, just like magic, we actually have three layers of skin. I don't want to make you feel hungry, but imagine you have a sandwich. The bread on the top is like the first or outermost layer of skin, called the epidermis. It's the part of our skin we can see and touch. The epidermis is like our bodies shield. It helps keep germs, dirt, and harmful stuff out of our bodies. It also has special cells called melanocytes that make melanin, which gives our skin its color and helps protect us from the sun's rays. Now, the middle part of the sandwich, like the lettuce and tomato, is the second layer of skin, called the dermis. The dermis is full of tiny blood vessels, hair follicles, sweat glands, and even nerves. These nerves help us feel things like touch, heat, cold, and pain. The blood vessels in the dermis bring oxygen and nutrients to our skin to keep it healthy and help it heal when it gets a cut or a scrape. Finally, the bottom piece of bread is like the third layer of skin, called the subcutaneous tissue. It's made up of fat and more blood vessels. This layer helps keep our body at the right temperature. It acts like insulation to keep us warm and stores extra energy. So we have these three layers of skin because they work together to do different important jobs. The epidermis protects us from the outside world, and the dermas helps us feel things. It keeps our skin healthy, and the subcutaneous tissue helps us regulate our body temperature. Thank you for your question. Yas mean. Jude, who is four and from Doncaster in the UK, asks why do things stick to my skin when I am sweaty? Things stick to your skin when you're sweaty because sweat is a bit sticky and can sometimes act like glue. When you're hot or exercising, your body starts to sweat to help cool you down. Sweat is mostly made of water, but It also contains some mineral and tiny bits of waste from your body. These substances can make your skin feel a bit sticky when you touch something like a piece of paper or a plastic toy. When you're sweaty, some of that stickiness from your sweat can make things stick to your skin. It's a bit like how glue holds things together. The moisture from your sweat can make the surface of your skin a little wet, and that wetness can help things stick to it. So when you're sweaty, things might stick to your skin because of the moisture and stickiness of your sweat. But don't worry. It's just a temporary thing and you can easily wipe it off once you're not sweaty anymore. Sweat is actually a helpful way for your body to cool down, even though it might cause a bit of stickiness from time to time. Did you know that sweat is actually odorless. The sweat itself doesn't have a smell. But what's funny is that the stickiness we associate with sweat comes from bacteria on our skin. When we sweat, it creates a damp environment on our skin, and certain bacteria love to hang out there. These bacteria munch on the sweat and produce smelly chemicals as a result, So it's not the sweat that smells, but the bacteria having a little party on your skin that creates those not so pleasant odors. Thank you for the question. Jude Miller, age five, from Berry, Ontario asks how does blood get made in our body and what is it made of. Blood is made in a special place inside your bones called the bone marrow. It's located in the center of your bones, like the ones in your arms, legs, hips, and spine. Inside the bone marrow, there are special cells called stem cells. These stem cells are like the superbuilders of your body because they can turn into many different types of cells, including the ones that make up your blood. There are three main types of blood cells that your body makes. First, red blood cells. These are like little oxygen delivery trucks. They contain a molecule called hemoglobin that grabs onto oxygen in your lungs and carries it to the cells in your body. Hemoglobin also gives blood it's red color. Second are white blood cells. These are your body's defenders. They help fight off germs like bacteria and viruses. To keep you healthy. White blood cells are like the soldiers of your immune system. Third are platelets. These are like the repair crew. When you get a cut or a scrape, platelets rush to the scene and help stop the bleeding by forming a clot. Clots are like patches that cover the wound until it heals. Blood is made up of a liquid part called plasma and the different types of blood cells we just talked about. Plasma contains important things like nutrients, hormones, and waste products. Plasma carries these things around your body to where they are needed, so your body makes blood in the bone marrow and blood is made up of plasma, the liquid part, and three types of blood cells, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Together they play a crucial role in transporting oxygen, defending your body against infections, and helping with wound healing. Thank you for your question, Miller. Have you ever wondered why we get a brain freeze, Like when you eat something cold like ice cream too quickly. It happens because the cold food touches the roof of your mouth, causing blood vessels to constrict and then rapidly expand. This quick change in blood flow can give you a sudden, intense headache, which we call a brain freeze. It's like your brain saying, hey, slow down on the ice cream. Our last question comes from Novalie, who lives on Prince Edward Island. Novalie asks a big question, how is life made? Well, Novalie, The question of how life is made is one of science's most profound and complex questions. Scientists have developed several theories and hypotheses, but the origin of life on Earth continues to be an actively researched area of study, and it's a mystery that scientists are still working to unravel. While the exact process of how life began on Earth is still not completely understood, I can give you an overview of the most widely accepted scientific theories about the origin of life. One of the leading theories is called a biogenesis, which suggests that life arose from non living matter on Earth billions of years ago. The basic idea is that under the right conditions, simple molecules could have combined to form more complex molecules, eventually forming the first living organisms. These conditions might have included a mixture of chemicals, a source of energy like lightning, or underwater hydrothermal vents and a suitable environment. Another important theory is the RNA world high hypothesis. This idea suggests that before the first true living cells, there might have been a stage where self replicating molecules similar to RNA, a molecule related to DNA, existed. These early molecules could have carried genetic information and helped initiate the process that led to life. Third, there is panspermia, a different theory that proposes life might not have originated on Earth at all. Instead, it suggests that life could have started on another planet or celestial body and then traveled to Earth, perhaps on meteorites or comets. This theory raises the possibility that life is more widespread in the universe. It's important to note that these are theories and hypotheses, and the exact details of how life began on Earth remains a topic of ongoing research and debate among scientists. Creating life from non life in a laboratory setting, known as biogenesis in a lab, has been challenging. While researchers have made some progress, it's still not the same as explaining how life naturally originated on Earth. Thank you for your question. Novale. In this episode, we explored several intriguing aspects of biology and the human body. We learned that the human body is an intricate system composed of trillions of cells, which are made up of atoms and molecules, with carbon being a vital element. These cells form the foundation of our organs and tissues. We also delved into the layers of our skin, discovering that it has three layers, the protective epidermis, the middle dermis with the blood vessels and nerves, and the subcutaneous tissue that helps regulate body temperature. We discussed why things can stick to sweaty skin, uncovering that sweats slight stickiness is responsible for objects temporarily adhering to our skin. Shifting our focus to blood, we explored how it's made within the bone marrow, where stem cells give rise to various types of blood cells, including red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Each type of blood cell plays a unique role in our bodies, such as care being oxygen, defending against infections, and aiding in clotting. Lastly, we delved into the question of how life originated. While the exact process remains a mystery, we discussed notable theories such as a biogenesis, which suggests life could arise from non living matter under specific conditions, and the RNA world hypothesis proposing the role of self replicating molecules. We also explored the idea of panspermia, where life might have originated elsewhere in the universe and reached Earth. This episode was made with questions from Yasmine age five, who is from Wellington, New Zealand, Jude who is four from Doncaster in the UK, Miller age five from Barry, Ontario, and Nova Lee who lives on Prince Edward Island. Thank you to Aria Korman who is six almost seven sen in Troy in Seattle, Washington, Danny from Des Moines, Iowa, Michael age seven from Moraga, California, Emily eight years old from California, Sam from Edwardsville, Illinois. I'm Amira, Eliah age five, Fergus six years old from Australia, and Jericho who is eight years old. We love getting your feedback on our show. If you have any feedback, please send it our way, and if you want to make sure you get all the episodes, please ask your parents to subscribe. You can find us on apple Pot or wherever your parents listen to podcasts, and please, if you love learning about science with us, leave us a review. It may help others find our show. If you'd like to send us your questions, please send them to Hello at sleeptightscience dot com sleep Tite