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Busy Bees! | Bumblebees and Honeybees | Amazing Animals | SciShow Kids

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BrainPOP - Animated Educational Site for Kids - Science, Social Studies, English, Math, Arts & Music, Health, and Technology

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Space: Mission to Earth -- National Geographic Kids

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Learn about planet earth, including facts, why it’s a special spot in the solar system, and more.

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Journey Into Space 🪐 | Spaced Out FULL Compilation | Nat Geo Kids Compilation | @natgeokids

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Exploring Our Solar System: Planets and Space for Kids - FreeSchool

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We take our planet for granted. Though it doesn't have the Rings of Saturn or the moons of Jupiter, it's as intriguing and unique as of the others. People don't tend to take as much interest in the Earth as other planets, probably because we're living on it.

But the fact of the matter is that the Earth is an interesting as any other planet out there, if not more so! I mean, it's the only planet that we know So, let's take a look at some facts about the planet Earth.

1. Earth is the third planet away from the Sun, behind Venus and Mercury.

2. As you may know, Earth is the only object in our solar system that has life living on it.. that we know of!

3. Earth is the fourth biggest planet, bigger than Mercury, Venus and almost double the size of Mars.

4. Earth has a radius of 6371km, which is just under 4000 miles.

5. As well as Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, The Sun is much bigger than Earth, as it has more than 100x the radius of Earth.

6. Earth is roughly 150km (93 miles) away from the Sun, which varies depending on the point of orbit Earth is at.

7. A full day on Earth is not actually 24 hours, it's 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds. This is how long Earth takes to complete one full rotation, known as a sidereal day.

8. As we know, a full year on Earth is 365 days. However, every four years we have to add an extra day called a leap year, because it actually takes 365.25 days for the Earth to orbit the Sun!

9. The Earth travels around the Sun at a speed of 30km (18 miles) per second!

10. Earth doesn't move around the Sun in a typical circle fashion, it actually moves in an oval pattern.

The core of the Earth has interested scientists for thousands of years, and it's made up of the inner core, outer core, mantle and the crust. In the very center, we have a large ball of mainly iron that's a similar size to our moon. Outside of this, we have a fluid layer of molten iron, which is approximately 2750km thick.

Outside of the outer core we have the mantle, which is made up of silicate rock, which is primarily solid. This is divided into the inner mantle, the transition zone and the outer mantle. Then, we have the crust of the Earth, which is solid made up of rocks.

The Earth's crust only actually makes up around 1% of it's total volume, so it is relatively thin. The Earth's crust and its outer mantle are referred to as the lithosphere.

The atmosphere on Earth is primarily made up of Nitrogen (78%), as well as Oxygen (21%) - there are also traces of argon and carbon dioxide, amongst other gases. The large percentage of Oxygen in the atmosphere is part of what allows life on Earth.

The atmosphere is the reason why we have varying weather changes throughout the year and variations across the planet. This is actually due to the lowest region of our atmosphere, which we call the troposphere. It is an estimated 75% of the entire mass of the atmosphere.

1. Although we know a lot about Earth, there are still some things that we don't know, as much of Earth has changed since the past, so it's hard for us to determine how certain things began.

2. Whilst most of the planets are named after Greek Gods, and Jupiter is named after the Roman equivalent of Zeus, Earth takes it's name from the Germanic word for "ground".

3. Whilst Earth's core is made up primarily of Iron, the surface is primarily covered with water (our oceans!).

4. The average temperature on Earth is 15°c, which is good for us as it means it's habitable! The hottest planet, Venus, has a temperature of more than 450°c in comparison.

5. Our atmosphere is made up of primarily nitrogen and oxygen, with a small amount of argon and carbon dioxide.

6. Earth's mass is 5.972 × 10^24 kg. In figures, this is 5,972,190,000,000,000 BILLION kilograms!

7. Of course, the Earth only has one Moon! It's a race between Saturn and Jupiter to see who has the most Moons - currently it's Saturn with 82, but there are more to be discovered!

8. Earth doesn't have any rings around it like Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune do.

9. There are more than 190 confirmed craters on Earth, which are caused by meteors and comets. The largest is the Vredefort crater, which has a 300km diameter.

10. The most well known crater is probably Chicxulub, in Mexico. This is the crater that scientists think caused the dinosaurs to become extinct, as it's collision with the Earth changed it's temperature dramatically.

11. Up until the 1500s, we thought that the Earth was the center of the universe. This only changed when mathematician and astronomer Copernicus showed us otherwise.

12. It's theorized that in the past, Earth actually had two moons. This was until the second moon collided with our known moon.

13. Earth is the densest object in our entire solar system.

One of the most common questions about Earth is people wondering whether it's in the Milky Way. The short answer is that yes, Earth is in our solar system, which is part of the Milky Way galaxy. The Milky Way is the 2nd largest Galaxy in the "Local Group", which is what we call this group of Galaxies. It is smaller than the Andromeda Galaxy, and larger than the Triangulum Galaxy. However, it's estimated that there are at least another 100 billion galaxies in our universe.

Although they are millions of miles away, you can actually see several different planets from Earth. The easiest to see is the planet Venus, as it is the closest to us and it's the brightest object in the sky. You can also see Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn throughout the year, typically at either dusk or dawn.

Another common question is about the size of the moon, and whether it is bigger or smaller than Earth. The moon is quite a lot smaller than Earth, about a quarter of the size. The moon is still quite big in comparison to many other moons, as it's the fifth biggest moon in our solar system. In terms of mass, the Earth is more than 80x that of the moon.

So, the universe first formed almost 14 billion years ago, with our solar system forming approximately 4.5 billion years ago. The Earth also formed at this time, essentially made up of tiny pieces of cosmic dust which come together to make a large sphere. Initially, the Earth was hot due to being hit by meteorites, but this eventually stopped. The surface cools, and the crust of the Earth forms into a solid rock. The inside of Earth is still hot liquid, which rises through the Earth's crust. This causes steam, which in turn causes clouds and rain, which creates our oceans. The volcanos, now submerged by water, shoot magma to the surface, which forms our continents. The crust splits into the continents we have today.

The Earth's makes one full rotation in just under 24 hours. This means that the surface of our Earth turns at around 1,000mph.

Planetary rings are made up from debris from either when a planet was forming, or from a collision that resulted in pieces and particles being scattered, eventually forming into a ring around the planet. Well, Earth cannot have an ice ring like the ice giants, as it's far too close to the Sun. The other type of ring we could have had would be made up primarily of dirt and rocks. In fact, we may have had a ring in the past, but this was theoretically destroyed in a collision - the rocks and particles from our ring ended up forming our moon!

Hopefully these facts about the Earth have given you all the information that you need. Whilst we know so much about the Earth, there are still many things that we don't know and are learning. If you have any cool facts about the Earth to add, leave them in a comment below!

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23 Earth Facts | Fascinating Facts About The Planet Earth

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We take our planet for granted. Though it doesn't have the Rings of Saturn or the moons of Jupiter, it's as intriguing and unique as of the others. People

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What would life look like in other parts of the galaxy, or beyond?

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Interactive Life Cycle Diagrams Of Animals & Plants | Mealworm Life Cycle | Octopus life Cycle | life cycle of a fly | life cycle of a mosquito | life cycle of a flowering plant | life cycle of a fish & more. Interactive online diagrams of animal and plant life cycles allow users to explore the stages of growth and development in an engaging and accessible way. With features like animations, videos, and audio, these diagrams bring the life cycles to life and provide a dynamic learning experience. These diagrams are ideal for students, teachers, and anyone interested in nature.

Life Cycle Diagrams Worksheets pdf

The life cycle of plants and animals is an important concept for children to understand. It helps them to understand how different organisms grow and change over time, and how they fit into the larger ecosystem. Life cycle worksheets can be a great tool for helping kids to learn about this concept in a fun and interactive way.

There are many different stages in the life cycle of plants and animals, and life cycle worksheets can help kids to understand each one. For example, a plant life cycle worksheet might include illustrations of the different stages of a plant's life, from seed to adult. Children can learn about how a seed germinates and grows into a seedling, and how the plant eventually produces flowers and fruit.

Animal life cycle worksheets can also be very informative for kids. They can learn about the different stages of an animal's life, from birth to adulthood. For example, a butterfly life cycle worksheet might include illustrations of the different stages of a butterfly's life, from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to adult butterfly.

Life cycle worksheets can be a great way to introduce kids to the concept of metamorphosis, or the process of transformation that many animals go through as they grow and change. They can also help kids to understand how different animals and plants fit into the larger ecosystem, and how they interact with other living things in their environment.

Overall, life cycle worksheets are a great educational tool for kids, and can help them to understand the fascinating world of plants and animals in a fun and interactive way.

Life cycle of a sunflower

Life cycle of a sunflower worksheet pdf printable

This page features a collection of interactive online life cycle diagrams for children to learn the different stages by dragging and dropping and also learning the spellings of each stage. This is a great classroom activity. It can be used as a life cycle worksheet resource online, hence students are spared the inconvenience of printing out worksheets and making mistakes. Learning the life cycle of animals in this way makes it easy to understand this essential biology skill. Generally, with insects, some have a complete metamorphosis going from egg, larva, pupa and adult. Others go from egg, nymph to adult directly. For animals, it is a bit different. In fish for example, it goes from eggs first right up to adults. For toads and frogs, it is a slightly different life cycle; it goes from eggs to tadpoles, froglet and then adult. Each stage is different. With some insects and animals, the different stages of the life cycle have a different diet. Butterflies are reputed for having a change in diet throughout the different stages. What is common amongst animals and insects is that the end of their life cycles are the adult stages which are either male or female, ready to start a new cycle allover. This page features life cycles of animals which can be seen below. The page covers science for children in 1st grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade and 6th grade. In the UK system of education, this is equivalent to science for year 2, year 3, year 4, year 5, year 6, year 7 and year 8. | Blowfly life cycle | Apple Life Cycle | Shrimp Life Cycle | Pine Tree Life Cycle | Duck Life Cycle | Silverfish Life Cycle | Crab Life Cycle | Maize Plant Life Cycle | Whitefly Life Cycle | Spotted Lanternfly Life Cycle |

What are the 5 stages of a plant life cycle?

The five stages of a plant life cycle are:

1. Seed stage: This is the starting stage of a plant's life cycle where a seed germinates and begins to grow.

2. Germination stage: During this stage, the seed sprouts, and a shoot emerges from the soil.

3. Vegetative stage: During this stage, the plant grows leaves and branches and becomes more established.

4. Reproductive stage: During this stage, the plant produces flowers and seeds, which will then grow into new plants.

5. Maturity and senescence: This is the final stage of a plant's life cycle, where it reaches full maturity and eventually begins to die and decay.

It's worth noting that the length of time for each stage can vary greatly between species and growing conditions.

What is the major environmental condition that affects the life cycle of animals?

The major environmental conditions that can affect the life cycle of animals include:

1. Climate: The type and variation of temperature, rainfall and humidity levels can influence the distribution, behavior, and survival of animals. For example, the polar bear is adapted to live in the Arctic, with a thick fur coat to protect from the cold, while reptiles, such as the Green Sea Turtle, need warm temperatures to regulate their body heat.

2. Habitat: The physical environment, such as the availability of food, water, and shelter, can have a significant impact on the survival of animals. Destruction of habitats, such as deforestation, can result in a decline in the populations of many species.

3. Pollution: Contamination of air, water, and soil by toxic substances can negatively affect the health and reproduction of animals, leading to population declines or even extinction. For example, mercury pollution in the ocean has led to the contamination of fish, which can pose a threat to animals that feed on these fish.

4. Over-exploitation: Hunting, fishing, and other human activities that target animals for their resources can have a profound impact on their populations. For example, over-fishing of certain species can lead to a decline in their populations and disrupt the balance of marine ecosystems.

5. Natural disasters: Natural disasters, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and wildfires, can have a significant impact on the populations of animals. These events can destroy habitats, alter migration patterns, and cause direct loss of life.

These environmental factors interact with each other and can have both direct and indirect effects on the life cycle of animals. Understanding the relationships between animals and their environment is crucial for the conservation and management of biodiversity and ecosystems.

Resources On this Page For Teachers

1. Life cycle games for 3rd grade

2. Life cycle games for kindergarten

3. Interactive life cycles

4. Life Cycle games for k-12

5. Drag and drop online life cycle activities

6. Printable worksheets on plant life cycles

7. Pdf worksheets on animal life cycles

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interactive life cycle diagrams of animals online

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Interactive Life Cycle Diagrams Of Animals & Plants

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This page features a collection of interactive online life cycle diagrams for children to learn the different stages by dragging and dropping and also learning the spellings of each stage. This is a great classroom activity.

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MARIMA: You're listening to Brains On, where we're serious about being curious.

SPEAKER: Brains On is supported in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation.

MARIMA: Whoa, what's going on around here?

MOLLY: Oh, hey, Marima. I know we're supposed to be taping an episode today, but--

MARIMA: What?

MOLLY: I said, I know we're supposed to be taping an episode, but-- hold on a second. Hey, guys, could you please keep it down? Excuse me. Could you, please--

[GASPING]

MARIMA: Hey.

MOLLY: Oh, thank you, Marima.

MARIMA: Don't mention it, Molly. What's going on? Are you doing construction on Brains On headquarters?

MOLLY: Yes, we thought it was time we tore down this wall and made a space for everyone at HQ to relax outside. Check this out. Here's where we'll put the smoothie river, a different flavor every day. And up there is the CD zipline. You can soar over the whole park using only pasta power, and up there is where we're installing the cotton candy cloud machine.

MARIMA: Smoothies, pasta, cotton candy, I'm sensing a theme here.

MOLLY: We call it the Garden of Eatin', the ultimate indoor-outdoor cafeteria.

BARTHOLOMEW: Indoor-outdoor? I thought you said it was outdoor-indoor. This changes everything, Molly.

MARIMA: Who are you?

BARTHOLOMEW: Bartholomew Buttress Balustrade, builder and backbone of this operation. Pleased to meet you.

MOLLY: Bartholomew, indoor-outdoor doesn't sound that different from outdoor-indoor.

bartholomew: Please, they're light years apart. Next thing you're going to tell me a firefly is the same thing as a lightning bug.

MARIMA: They are.

BARTHOLOMEW: That's it. I can't work under these conditions. If you two know so much, you can do it yourself. I, Bartholomew Buttress Balustrade, quit.

MOLLY: And he's gone. And he left a huge hole in the side of Brains On headquarters.

MARIMA: Looks more outdoor than indoor to me.

MOLLY: You're listening to Brains On from APM Studios. I'm Molly Bloom, and I'm here with my co-host, Marima, from Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Hey, Marima.

MARIMA: Hi, Molly.

MOLLY: Today, we're talking about animal homes. So, Marima, are you a big animal fan?

MARIMA: Yeah, I am a big animal fan.

MOLLY: What are some of your favorite animals?

MARIMA: If I were to pick my top three favorites, my third favorite would probably be a wild horse. My second favorite, a snake.

MOLLY: OK.

MARIMA: And my first favorite-- wolves. Very big wolf fan.

MOLLY: Very good choices. So can you tell me why wolves are your favorite?

MARIMA: Well, one, they look so cool. And I like how they are associated with night and moon and stuff like that.

MOLLY: Mhm.

MARIMA: My name means moon goddess as well.

MOLLY: Oh, cool.

MARIMA: And I've gotten a lot of favorite animals, but I feel like this one's stuck because I live with a canine, and it probably helps me.

MOLLY: Totally. Have you ever wondered about how these animals make their homes where they live in the wild?

MARIMA: I always wondered if these specific animals have specific homes. Or if they just find somewhere cozy, they just settle in.

MOLLY: So if you were living in the woods, what animal would you want helping you to build a home?

MARIMA: I would want a fox to help me build a home because if I was doing one, on the ground there, they're really fast stickers.

MOLLY: Very cool. And what animal would you definitely not want helping you?

MARIMA: A worm, probably.

MOLLY: Why?

MARIMA: Because they can't really do much.

MOLLY: Too tiny. Too slimy, maybe. Marima, isn't the only one thinking about animal builders. Lots of you have been asking how different animals create their homes.

HOSA: My name is Hosa. I'm from Carbondale, Colorado. My question is, how do ants build their ant nests?

RYAN: Hello. My name is Ryan.

BRADY: Hello my name is Brady. We're from Minnesota.

RYAN: And we want to know how do spiders make their web.

DRAKE: Hi. My name is Drake. I live in Bear Valley. I saw a hornet nest on our roof, and how do they build it? Why?

MOLLY: Nature, really, has some of the most creative builders.

Did somebody say nature?

MARIMA: Is that someone on the roof about to swing with a vine rope?

SHAHLA: Ooh-aah, Ooh-aah, Ooh-aah, Ooh. Oooh-ooh-aah-aah. And that's how you do a triple twist, quadruple flip, double dip, double decker, bacon and cheese dismount.

MOLLY: Brains On editor Shahla Farzan, what are you doing here?

MARIMA: And where'd you find that Vine to swing on? There aren't even any trees for it to attach to.

SHAHLA: Oh, I always carry a backup vine. I mean, you never know when you're going to need to swing somewhere. But what was this that I was just hearing about nature? Are you trying to make your own underwear out of bark or figure out which leaf shape is the prettiest? Because it's the Sycamore tree. No question.

MARIMA: Actually, we were just trying to figure out what to do with this giant gaping hole in the side of Brains On headquarters.

SHAHLA: Oh, yeah, I like it. Indoor-outdoor living is so in right now, or is it outdoor-indoor? Hang on, wasn't this where the Garden of Eatin' was supposed to go?

MOLLY: Our builder quit over artistic differences.

SHAHLA: Bummer, I was really looking forward to that all-you-can-eat-pizza-go-round. So it sounds like you've got a construction conundrum and a whole mess of critter questions. Oh, wait, I've got an idea. How about I introduce you to some animal builders? I've met tons of them in the woods whenever I'm collecting new leaves for my leaf collection.

MARIMA: That's a great idea.

MOLLY: Wait, did you say leaf collection? I thought you collected feathers.

SHAHLA: Yeah, I figured I should branch out more. This collection is all leaves that remind me of Taylor Swift songs. This leaf is You Belong With Me, and this leaf is You Belong With Me Taylor's Version. Totally different vibes. Wait, what was I just saying?

MARIMA: You were telling us about the animal builders you know.

SHAHLA: Right. Right. Right. Lots of animals are what scientists call ecosystem engineers, which means they change the environment around them in different ways. Some animals can even build homes that are so big, they change the entire ecosystem.

MARIMA: Cool.

SHAHLA: Wait right here. I've got someone for you to meet.

MARIMA: What's that sound?

SHAHLA: Hello. Incoming.

MOLLY: Whoa, are those wasps?

HORTENSIA: Hornets, actually. We're a type of wasp.

SHAHLA: Molly, Marima, this is my buddy Hortensia. I think the last time we saw each other was Vegas '96, right?

HORTENSIA: Oh, yeah, we were both dressed up like--

SHAHLA AND HORTENSIA: Giant cupcakes.

SHAHLA: Yeah. Good times. Anyway, Molly, Hortensia and her friends could really help us out here. Pretty much everything about hornet nests is designed to help raise their young and protect their queen. And these hornets have some great renovation ideas for the Garden of Eatin'. What do you think, Hortensia?

HORTENSIA: Well, the space does have good bones. I've got it. It's giving hexagons. It's giving paper mache. It's giving nest vibes. All right, everyone. Come on in. I'm going to need about 5,000 tons of wood pulp, so let's get chewing.

MARIMA: Chewing?

SHAHLA: When these hornets want to build their nests, they chew wood and mix it with their own spit to make sheets of paper-thin material. Then, they use it to build the walls and structures of their nests. It's super light and strong.

MOLLY: A house made out of spit and paper? That's a little unusual.

HORTENSIA: And where do you want the nursery? I think if we use all this vertical space, we can fit 100, maybe 200,000 babies in here, easy.

MARIMA: That's a lot of babies.

SHAHLA: Hornets use their nests like giant nurseries. They make tons of these little six-sided cells that are like cribs.

MARIMA: So does the queen lay eggs in the cribs?

SHAHLA: Yeah. So when the eggs hatch into little grubs called larvae, worker Hornets feed them and keep them warm until they grow into adults.

MARIMA: That all sounds cool. But if this whole room is filled with babies, would there be any room for the zip line or that pizza-go-round, or, you know, us?

MOLLY: That's a good point. I do love the paper thin walls. They let in so much light. But I'm not sure if Hortensia's vision is right for us. Sorry to kill your buzz, Hortensia.

HORTENSIA: You heard her. Drop your wood pulp, everyone. We're moving out.

SYNTHESIZED VOICE: Brains, Brains, , Brains On.

SHAHLA: OK, I know the hornets weren't the right fit, but don't worry. I've got another great animal builder for you to meet, someone who loves food just as much as we do and really knows their way around a picnic.

MARIMA: Army ants?

SEARGEANT ARMY: We're not army ants. We are an ant army. I'm Sergeant Ant. Now, Cadet Shahla tells me you're in need of some builders?

SHAHLA: Molly, Marima, I know the wasps weren't on your wavelength, but I think these ants could make this place something special. Ants are really good at making big, beautiful homes that use every square inch of space.

MOLLY: Yeah, they must be pretty good builders because every colony has hundreds or even thousands of ants, right?

SHAHLA: Right. And they're constantly digging tunnels, storing food, and taking care of their queen. Sergeant, you think you could help us out?

SEARGEANT ARMY: You betcha, Shahla. You've saved my thorax too many times to count, and you're the only reason I survived the Battle of the Backyard Barbecue. So anything you need, we're your ants.

MOLLY: We're just trying to build our Garden of Eatin'.

MARIMA: But now, all the construction materials are chewed up, and everything is covered in wood pulp and hornet spit. Yuck.

MOLLY: And it's a big job. No offense, but you're small.

SEARGEANT ARMY: Don't you worry, ma'am. Each of my soldiers can lift more than 50 times their weight. Easy. That's like an adult human picking up about 2 and 1/2 walruses. All right, ants, cart out that wood pulp. I want to see this place shine.

MOLLY: Wow, I like them already.

MARIMA: I thought ants lived in anthills?

SHAHLA: Oh, the ant hill is just the tip of the antburg. Ants live in massive underground cities sometimes, with tunnels reaching up to 25 miles underground.

MOLLY: Whoah, 25 miles? That's like if you buried more than 3,000 school buses in one long line underground.

MARIMA: Or more than 400 statues of liberty.

SHAHLA: Hey, Sarge, it's nice and warm near the ceiling.

SEARGEANT ARMY: Great. The kids will love it.

MARIMA: Oh, no, babies again?

SHAHLA: I know. I know. You weren't too keen on the baby hornets, but check out these awesome ant larvae. They need to be at just the right temperature. So worker ants are constantly scurrying up and down, bringing them close to the surface to get warm, then back down into the Earth to cool down.

MARIMA: I've heard about this. By warming up and cooling down the ant babies, the worker ants can control how fast they develop.

MOLLY: Yeah, I don't mind a few new ant friends, as long as they're not taking up the whole space with cribs. It's OK by me.

SEARGEANT ARMY: All right, soldiers, that's enough clean up. Start doing toil and hull and soil.

MARIMA: Soil?

SEARGEANT ARMY: Once we get a few thousand pounds of dirt in here, we can get started on those tunnels for you. We'll have to make them human-sized, I guess. How tall are you? Say, 300 ant lengths?

MOLLY: Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Wait a minute. Sergeant Ant, we already have a basement. We don't need you to build tunnels.

MARIMA: Or to bury us alive. I don't think this is what Molly meant when she said she wanted to get outside.

SEARGEANT ARMY: So let me get this straight. You don't want a nice cozy anthill to stay in?

MOLLY: No, sorry.

SEARGEANT ARMY: You want to be outside, exposed to the elements? The enemy?

MOLLY: That's a weird way to put it, but, yes, I guess?

SEARGEANT ARMY: I don't know anything about indoor-outdoor living or outdoor-indoor living. You'll need to find another animal builder to help you with that.

SEARGEANT ARMY: Ten-hut. Ants, let's roll out.

MARIMA: At least they helped clean up our wood pulp spit situation. So we're back where we started.

MOLLY: Before any other messes get made, let's take a quick break for the--

SPEAKER 2: Mystery Sound.

MOLLY: Are you ready to hear the mystery sound?

MARIMA: Yes.

MOLLY: OK, here it is.

[SPOON ON DRIED ICE]

OK, I do not know what this is. You and I are in the same place here. So what do you think it is?

MARIMA: I think, one, it sounds a bit like, either like a bee or a fly. And it's like buzzing with that, or it's like that, but really loud.

MOLLY: Mhm.

MARIMA: But it also sounds like when you're reeling in a fishing pole?

MOLLY: Yes, that is where my brain went to. Yeah, like the cranking of the little reel. Have you ever been fishing?

MARIMA: Yeah, I've been fishing quite a few times, and I don't catch things very often.

MOLLY: Is it fun? Do you recommend it? Should I try it?

MARIMA: Yeah, it is fun.

MOLLY: OK.

MARIMA: But just don't expect to catch anything.

MOLLY: So if you're not catching fish, what do you enjoy about fishing?

MARIMA: I honestly just enjoy the thrill of like when you realize you've got something, and then just like looking at what you got, and then, of course, you have to-- well, unless you're fishing for dinner or something. But you do have to throw it back in the water. But it's just fun to see what kind of fish it is and reel it in.

MOLLY: So that reeling in sound is one that is exciting to you? So maybe, I bet, you're right. OK, well, we'll listen to it again. Get another chance to guess and hear the answer after the credits.

Hi, friends. We're working on an episode about why we're sometimes afraid of the dark. But the dark is also totally cool. So we want to know. What do you love about the dark? Does it feel mysterious, exciting? Do you like telling stories around a campfire?

Are you a night owl? Do you think nocturnal animals, like possums, are awesome? We want to hear from you. Record yourself describing what you love about the dark, and send it to us at brainson.org/contact. While you're there, you can also send us mystery sounds, drawings, high fives, and questions.

MARIMA: Like this one.

ELLIS: Hi. My name is Ellis, and I'm from New Orleans. My question is, do flies ever blink?

MARIMA: You could find an answer to that question on our Moment of Um podcast. It's a daily dose of facts and curiosity you can find wherever you listen to Brains On. Again, that's brainson.org/contact.

MARIMA: Keep listening.

You're listening to Brains On from APM Studios. I'm Marima.

MOLLY: And I'm Molly. Brains On pal, Shahla Farzan, has been trying to help us find an animal builder to create the Garden of Eatin' Cafeteria at Brains On headquarters, but we keep running into problems.

MARIMA: The hornets had too many babies.

MOLLY: And the ants wanted to bury us in 5,000 pounds of dirt.

SHAHLA: Well, you're in luck because I've got another candidate. Guys, meet webster.

MARIMA: Ah, a spider.

WEBSTER: Ah, a human. See how that sounds? Pretty rude, I'd say.

MARIMA: Oh, sorry, Webster.

SHAHLA: Spiders might look different from us, but they're not out to hurt you. Webster and I go way back, ever since we were in that Swedish hair metal band.

MOLLY: Oh, you mean Black Widow? You guys rocked.

WEBSTER: Black Widow. Those were the days.

SHAHLA: I know. What I wouldn't give to be a tour bus full of spiders right now. Anyway, spiders are master builders, using light, strong silk to craft their webs. They also don't live in colonies, like ants or wasps. Most live alone. And their webby home is also their greatest strength for catching lunch.

WEBSTER: I'm not here to hurt humans, just snag some sweet, sweet bugs, and help you build your Garden of Eatin'.

MARIMA: So how do spiders build their webs anyway?

SHAHLA: Oh, I was just talking to Mark Milne about this. He's a spider scientist at the University of Indianapolis. And he told me that spiders start their building process by picking a good-looking leaf or branch close to a food source.

MARK: And so once they find that nice spot to start building a web, they'll sit on a location near there, and then they'll send out a string of silk.

SHAHLA: Once that silk snags on something else, the spider has a line. From there, they can build their whole web. They send out more silk strings, which catch on other sticks or leaves, until they have a whole network of silk.

MARK: So basically, these strands of silk interconnecting and crossing each other, they can then build the circles, concentric circles, getting smaller and smaller and smaller. Usually, it's actually the opposite of small to large.

MARIMA: Where does this all come from?

WEBSTER: From my butt, of course, or my abdomen, if you want to get technical. It starts as a liquid, which turns into a solid, when it hits the air.

MOLLY: I mean, I love butt silk as much as the next person, but are you sure it's strong enough? We're building a pasta-powered zipline, remember? I don't want people crash landing in the middle of the ice cream lagoon.

SHAHLA: Sure, it is. Even though spider silk is incredibly thin, it's actually five times stronger than steel. In fact, some scientists have already made artificial spider silk. That could be used in everything, from parachutes to bike helmets.

WEBSTER: Not only is it strong, if you hire me, I can guarantee a Garden of Eatin' will have the freshest food anywhere. Once I lay down my sticky adhesive, it'll be an all you can eat bug buffet.

MARIMA: Tasty, but not quite what I had in mind. I might just stick to cotton candy and smoothies.

MOLLY: Yeah, if we cover everything in here with sticky webs, won't we stick to everything?

WEBSTER: Of course, not. All you have to do is just walk around using the tiny claws on the bottom of your feet, like us spiders.

MOLLY: Webster, we don't have tiny claws on our feet.

WEBSTER: Really? Are you sure? Like, did you even check?

MARIMA: No claws, just fingers and toes.

WEBSTER: Oh, well, that could be a problem.

MOLLY: Sorry, Webster, I don't know if you're the right fit to build the garden for us.

MARIMA: Yeah, I don't want to get stuck trying to get a snack.

WEBSTER: Oh, well, my mom always told me to stick to what I know. And wouldn't you know it, what I know is being sticky. See you around.

MOLLY: Shahla, we've met three animal builders already, and were no closer to the Garden of Eatin'.

MARIMA: I've been dreaming of that smoothie river. We have to make it happen.

SHAHLA: That's it. A river. Of course, why didn't I think of it before? Molly, Marima, I've got someone for you to meet. Sigourney-- Sigourney Beaver.

MOLLY: Sigourney Beaver?

MARIMA: The actor?

SIGOURNEY: Not so loud. Just call me Sigourney. I retired a long time ago so I could pursue my true passion, building dams, lots of dams.

SHAHLA: Beavers change their entire ecosystem by building dams, you know, that big wall-like structure made of sticks and logs that sits in a body of water. Sometimes, these can even block the flow of a river, creating deep ponds around them.

MOLLY: That's actually exactly what we want. I thought it would be so nice to have the ice cream lagoon over there in that corner.

SIGOURNEY: Oh, we don't have to worry about keeping it in one little corner. Why not a whole ice cream lake?

MARIMA: I like the sound of that.

SHAHLA: Oh, yeah, Sigourney and her beaver buds are all about making ponds. You know, my friend, Emily Fairfax could probably help me explain. She's an environmental science professor at California State University Channel Islands, who specializes in beaver builders. She told me beavers like to build dams that create ponds because they're pretty awkward on land.

EMILY: They are large, 40 to 100 pounds, shaped like a bowling ball. They've got a big paddle tail coming out of the back end, webbed back feet, and then grabby little hands. And so when they walk across the land, it's truly more of a waddle. They're really ungainly and which makes it easy for predators to hunt them when they're out on the land.

SHAHLA: So beavers chew down trees and use them to make a dam across the stream. This creates a pond, where the beavers can stay underwater and out of sight of predators.

SIGOURNEY: We're much more graceful in the water.

MARIMA: So cool. Do you think you could throw in a couple of beaver lodges? They look like great big piles of sticks, but inside their rooms, they keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

SIGOURNEY: Absolutely. We can build you a couple lodges, right next to the ice cream lagoon. Instant cabanas.

SHAHLA: And that's not all. Emily told me that beaver dams and beaver lodges actually help our environment.

EMILY: So when beavers make their wetlands, they slow down, and they store a ton of water.

SHAHLA: So by blocking the flow of a stream or river, beaver dams can create these lush wetlands. And if a fire breaks out, the wetland is like a natural fire break. All that water stops the fire in its tracks.

MARIMA: So beavers are like nature's firefighters.

SIGOURNEY: And let me tell you, me and my crew, we never take a break. Every day, we're digging. We're cutting down trees, slapping mud on walls, reinforcing dams. You get built-in maintenance for life.

MOLLY: I mean, out of all the animal houses we've heard about, so far, this might be the best inspiration for the Garden of Eatin', but it's still not quite right.

MARIMA: Molly, you like the beaver pond, right? And didn't you also like the paper walls the hornets used to build their nests?

MOLLY: Yeah, it was the perfect material. Strong enough to keep out the rain, but it lets in a lot of light, too.

SHAHLA: And I don't know about you, but I could go for a few of those ant tunnels in the Garden of Eatin'. I'm running out of air vents to explore an HQ.

MARIMA: Yeah, those tunnels are pretty cool, and I bet, Webster's super strong spider silk will come in handy. We can make a spider web climbing gym.

MOLLY: I love that idea.

MARIMA: All right, animal buddies, let's get to work

MOLLY: Animals are pretty incredible builders.

MARIMA: They make all kinds of different homes to keep themselves safe, escape from things that want to eat them, and raise their young.

MOLLY: So whether they build paper nests--

MARIMA: Underground cities--

MOLLY: Sticky webs--

MARIMA: Or even wooden dams and lodges, even the smallest animal homes can have a big impact.

MOLLY: That's it for this episode of Brains On.

MARIMA: This episode was produced by Molly Quinlan, Rosie DuPont, Molly Bloom, Anna Goldfield, Aaron Waldeslassi, Anna Wegel, Nico Gonzalez Wisler, Ruby Guthrie, and Marc Sanchez.

MOLLY: Our editors are Sanden Totten and Shahla Farzan, sound design by Marc Sanchez. And we had engineering help from Alex Simpson and Josh Kelly. Beth Perlman is our executive producer. The executives in charge of APM Studios are Chandra Kavati, Alex Schaffert, and Joanne Griffith. Special thanks to Kate Epstein, Andy Doucette, and Erica Romero.

MARIMA: Brains On is a non-profit public radio program.

MOLLY: There are lots of ways to support the show. Head to brainson.org.

MARIMA: While you're there, you can send us mystery sounds, drawings, and questions.

MOLLY: And you can subscribe to our Smarty Pass, gives you a special ticket to Brains On Universe bonus content plus ad-free episodes.

OK, Marima, are you ready to hear the mystery sound again?

MARIMA: I think so.

MOLLY: OK, here it is.

[SPOON ON DRIED ICE]

All right, any new thoughts?

MARIMA: That time it made my teeth hurt a little.

MOLLY: Sorry about that.

MARIMA: I still think it's either like an insect buzzing or a fishing pole reeling in.

MOLLY: OK, I think those are great guesses. Let's hear the answer.

ANAIS: My name is Anais, and I'm from Austin Texas. And that was the sound of a spoon against dried ice.

MARIMA: Dried ice?

MOLLY: What in the world.

MARIMA: I don't even know what dried ice is.

MOLLY: Wow. It's like a block of dried frozen CO2?

MARIMA: And that's supposed to make the same sound as a fishing pole reeling in?

MOLLY: Apparently. OK, that was a very tricky one.

MARIMA: OK.

MOLLY: Thank you so much. And now we know if we ever need to make a movie, and we don't have a fishing reel handy, and we need a sound effect of a fishing reel, we'll just get a block of dry ice because that's easier, right?

MARIMA: Yeah.

MOLLY: Yeah.

MARIMA: And a spoon.

MOLLY: Totally. All right, we got a plan.

[SPOON ON DRIED ICE]

Now it's time for the Brains Honor Roll. These are the kids who keep the show going with their mystery sounds, drawings, questions, and ideas.

[LISTING HONOR ROLL]

We'll be back next week with more answers to your questions.

MARIMA: Thanks for listening.

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When it comes to animal homes, creatures can be more inventive than humans!

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Termites build damp nests in wood or underground. Some underground nests rise partly above the ground as mounds or towers. The nests are made of dirt, clay, and chewed wood.

Termites live in organized groups called colonies. Each colony has three kinds of termites: royalty, soldiers, and workers. Each kind of termite has a certain job within the colony.

The royalty is made up of a king and queen. They are responsible for reproduction. These termites have wings and eyes. A queen can grow to more than 4 inches (10 centimeters). Kings are smaller.

Once a year pairs of young kings and queens leave the nest. Each pair starts a new colony. Soon the young queens begin laying 3,000 to 5,000 eggs a day.

The soldiers and the workers are grayish white, blind, and wingless. They are usually less than 0.25 inch (1 centimeter) long. Soldiers guard the nest against enemies, mainly ants. Workers provide the colony with food.

Termites eat mostly wood. They attack and often destroy trees, fence posts, houses, and furniture. But termites also help nature by breaking down dead wood into nutrients. The nutrients can then be recycled and used by bacteria and plants.

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Termites are insects that eat wood. They can damage buildings, furniture, and other wooden items. There are more than 1,500 species, or kinds, of termites. They are most common in tropical rainforests. Termites build damp nests in wood or underground. Some underground nests rise partly above the ground as mounds or towers.

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A queen stretches out in her spacious home as her subjects scurry around her. The queen's workers try to make her comfortable and keep her dwelling clean. This "royal" is well cared for, but you couldn't exactly call her lifestyle luxurious. That's because she's a termite!

LARGE AND IN CHARGE

Over 2,000 species of termites can be found around the world. Termite colonies, which can include thousands of individuals, often live in large dirt mounds. When a female termite hits breeding age, she may emerge from her colony and find a mate. The pair then creates a burrow in the ground and the female (called a queen) begins to produce eggs- a lot of them. In fact this female generates around 30,000 eggs a day! Once her offspring hatch, they become part of her colony.

As the female produces more and more eggs, she begins to grow. Over time she can become the length of an adult human's index finger. That's a hundred times bigger than any of the termites that surround her. Eventually the queen gets so large that she can barely move. Luckily members of the queen's community are there to wait on her, um, antenna and foot.

TERMITE TOWERS

Many of the offspring that hatch from the queen's eggs become worker termites. They help the queen by keeping her clean, feeding her plant fibers, and looking after newly laid eggs. These insects may also double as construction workers, carrying up soil from underground to create the colony's mound. Some termite mounds can reach over 17 feet in height. Sounds like the termite queen and her workers really know how to go big!

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A queen stretches out in her spacious home as her subjects scurry around her. The queen's workers try to make her comfortable and keep her dwelling clean. This "royal" is well cared for, but you couldn't exactly call her lifestyle luxurious. That's because she's a termite!

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I am awesome

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Honeybees live in colonies with one queen running the whole hive. Worker honeybees are all females and are the only bees most people ever see flying around outside of the hive. They forage for food, build the honeycombs, and protect the hive. Many species still occur in the wild, but honeybees are disappearing from hives due to colony collapse disorder. Scientists are not sure what is causing this collapse. Honeybees are important pollinators for flowers, fruits, and vegetables. They live on stored honey and pollen all winter and cluster into a ball to conserve warmth. All honeybees are social and cooperative insects. Members of the hive are divided into three types. Workers forage for food (pollen and nectar from flowers), build and protect the hive, clean, and circulate air by beating their wings. The queen’s job is simple—she lays the eggs that will spawn the hive’s next generation of bees. There is usually only a single queen in a hive. If the queen dies, workers will create a new queen by feeding one of the worker females a special food called “royal jelly.” This elixir enables the worker to develop into a fertile queen. Queens regulate the hive’s activities by producing chemicals that guide the behavior of the other bees. Male bees are called drones—the third class of honeybee. Several hundred drones live in each hive during the spring and summer, but they are expelled for the winter months when the hive goes into a lean survival mode.