Body Bonanza: Bruises, scars and Band-Aids

Summary

Body Bonanza: Bruises, Scars, and Band-Aids - Detailed Summary

Podcast: Brains On! Science podcast for kids
Host: Molly Bloom
Co-Host: Nova (from Easton, Pennsylvania)
Guest Expert: Dr. Chase Schutak, Pediatrician
Release Date: May 13, 2025

---

1. Introduction to Body Healing

The episode delves into the fascinating processes behind how our bodies heal from injuries, focusing specifically on bruises, scars, and the role of Band-Aids. Molly Bloom and her co-host Nova engage listeners by sharing personal experiences and setting the stage for an informative and entertaining exploration of bodily healing.

Molly Bloom:
"Now, today's episode is all about how our bodies heal. And we're answering listener questions about bruises, band Aids, and scars."
(04:06)

2. Personal Anecdotes: Bruises and Scars

Molly and Nova kick off the discussion by sharing their own encounters with bruises and scars. Molly humorously recounts her clumsiness growing up, earning the nickname "banana legs" from her father due to frequent bruising.

Nova:
"I have a scar on my chin from falling off of the skateboard."
(05:11)

Nova describes how the accident left her with a chin scar, sparking a conversation about the sensations and healing process following such injuries.

3. Introducing Mark and His Musical Endeavor

Mark, a creative character in the studio, introduces his innovative invention—the Honey Tea headband designed to enhance singing performance. His interactions add a humorous and theatrical element to the episode, blending science with creativity.

Mark:
"My honey tea headband blends a proprietary ratio of tea and honey that guarantees a silky smooth singing. It's gonna revolutionize Broadway."
(02:34)

Mark's enthusiasm leads to a playful exploration of his new musical, Bruise the Musical, which serves as an engaging way to explain the science behind bruises.

4. Listener Questions: Understanding Bruises

The hosts present questions from listeners Keeva and Hunter about bruises, prompting a detailed scientific explanation.

Keeva's Question:
"How do bruises form, and why do they turn different colors, like blue, purple, green, and brown in the end?"
(07:41)

Hunter's Question:
"When you hurt yourself, why do your bruises turn black and purple?"
(07:52)

5. Mark Explains the Science of Bruises

Mark breaks down the formation and color changes of bruises in an accessible and entertaining manner, likening hemoglobin to an "oxygen taxi cab."

Mark:
"Bruises are kind of like cuts, but without breaking the skin. Blood sits underneath it, and as the hemoglobin loses oxygen, the bruise changes color."
(08:13)

He further explains the biochemical process, detailing how hemoglobin breaks down into biliverdin (green) and bilirubin (yellow), which accounts for the changing colors of bruises over time.

Mark:
"The color changing is because of a protein in your blood called hemoglobin. As it breaks down, it turns green and then yellow."
(09:08)

6. Musical Interlude: "Rainbow of Bruises"

Mark performs a catchy song from his upcoming musical, Bruise the Musical, which creatively encapsulates the scientific information about bruising.

Mark's Song Excerpt:
"I am a rainbow of bruises. Blue, green and yellow. I am a rainbow."
(25:36)

Nova reacts enthusiastically, highlighting how the musical effectively reinforces the episode's educational content.

Nova:
"Wow, Mark, you've made me a bruised believer. This show is going to be epic."
(28:13)

7. Mystery Sound Segment

The hosts introduce the popular Mystery Sound segment, encouraging listeners to guess unusual sounds. Nova initially misidentifies the sound but successfully guesses correctly after a second attempt.

Molly Bloom:
"What do you think? Any guesses?"
(12:22)

Nova's Correct Guess:
"I think it's a dog eating kibbles out of its bowl."
(31:17)

8. Listener Question: The Role of Band-Aids

Eager to address more aspects of healing, a listener named E from Cary, North Carolina, asks about how Band-Aids aid in healing and prevent cuts from stinging.

E's Question:
"How do band aids help your boo boo heal? And why do band aids stop cuts from stinging?"
(15:07)

9. Expert Interview: Dr. Chase Schutak on Band-Aids

Dr. Schutak provides a comprehensive explanation of how Band-Aids function in the healing process, emphasizing their role in preventing infections and maintaining a moist environment conducive to faster healing.

Dr. Chase Schutak:
"Band aids primarily help you heal by protecting your cut from an infection and irritation. They keep bacteria out and prevent the cut from being rubbed or touched, which can disrupt healing."
(16:40)

He clarifies common misconceptions, such as the necessity of scabs, explaining that Band-Aids can create an "artificial scab" that allows the body to heal without forming traditional scabs.

Dr. Chase Schutak:
"Cuts do not need to breathe. The second and third stages of healing occur faster in moist or slightly wet environments. Band Aid can bypass the scab part because we're creating essentially an artificial scab with the band aid."
(19:09)

10. Exploring Scars with Sandon

Sandon, another creative contributor, introduces his movie franchise idea centered around scars, humorously titled Scar Wars. This segment provides a theatrical narrative to explain how scars form through the production of collagen by fibroblasts.

Sandon:
"When your body fixes a deep cut or scrape, it uses collagen to fill in the areas of torn skin. In scars, collagen is laid down in straight lines, unlike the tangled mesh in uninjured skin."
(23:08)

He and Mark collaboratively depict the scientific process in a mock-heroic style, making the information memorable and engaging for young listeners.

11. Recap of Key Points

Molly and Nova summarize the episode's main insights, reinforcing the scientific explanations provided throughout.

Molly Bloom:
"Bruises happen when we get a bump and blood gets trapped underneath our skin. They change color as the hemoglobin breaks down."
(28:39)

Nova:
"Band aids help cuts heal by protecting them from irritation and infection, and collagen repairs deep wounds, forming scars with different patterns."
(28:51)

12. Honor Roll and Credits

The episode concludes with the Brains Honor Roll, recognizing young listeners for their contributions, and credits acknowledging the team behind the show.

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Molly Bloom:
  "We're doing an episode all about how our bodies heal, and we got some questions about bruises."
  (07:27)

• Mark:
  "Bruises are kind of like cuts, but without breaking the skin. Blood sits underneath it, and as the hemoglobin loses oxygen, the bruise changes color."
  (08:13)

• Dr. Chase Schutak:
  "Band aids primarily help you heal by protecting your cut from an infection and irritation."
  (16:40)

• Sandon:
  "Fibroblasts help repair sliced skin by connecting the two sides of a cut together."
  (22:26)

• Mark's Song:
  "I am a rainbow of bruises. Blue, green and yellow. I am a rainbow."
  (25:36)

---

Conclusion

In this episode of Brains On!, Molly Bloom and Nova provide an engaging and informative exploration of how our bodies heal from injuries. Through personal stories, creative musical performances, and expert insights, listeners gain a comprehensive understanding of bruises, scars, and the healing power of Band-Aids. The episode successfully blends education with entertainment, making complex scientific concepts accessible and memorable for young audiences.

Transcript

[Molly Bloom]

Hi, this is Molly with something important to ask you. Like, very important. Like, so important. Imagine everything I'm saying is in all caps with giant font and underlined in glitter. The Brain Zon universe is public media, and public media is threatened like never before. To keep doing what we do, we need your help. We need you. That part's double, underlined in glitter. Your donation can make sure Brainson smashboom best and more stick around through all of this uncertainty. But we need you to give now. Like, right now. Please go to brainson.org donate we have an amazing community of listeners, and we love answering your questions, hearing your mystery sounds, and admiring your incredible drawings. And the cool thing is this audience is big. Big. If every family that listens donated just $10, we'd be all set. But we truly mean it when we say any amount is helpful. $5, $25. Maybe you like prime numbers and want to give $31 or $83? Just head to brainson.org donate that's brainson.org donate and when you give, picture me saying thank you so much in rainbow font surrounded by heart emojis with extra glitter. Thank you.

[Nova]

You're listening to Brains on, where we're serious about being curious. Brains on is supported in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation.

[Molly Bloom]

What's all that racket?

[Nova]

It sounds like Mark. Is he yelling about keys and money?

[Mark]

Has anyone seen my cup of tea with honey?

[Nova]

Oh, tea and honey.

[Molly Bloom]

Mark, is everything okay? We could hear you yelling through the soundproof studio walls.

[Mark]

Oh, thank goodness. Molly Nova. I set down my cup of tea and my bottle of honey, and now they're gone. Disappeared. Vanished. And on today of all days.

[Nova]

Um, are you referring to those squeezy bottles labeled honey and tea that are attached to the opposite sides of the belt strap to your head?

[Molly Bloom]

And it looks like there are tubes attached to each of them, dangling next to your mouth.

[Mark]

Oh, thank goodness. I've been so focused on dress rehearsal for the big musical I'm writing, I forgot that I was testing my new invention, the Honey Tea headband. In addition to looking super cool, um, in addition to looking super cool, my honey tea headband blends a proprietary ratio of tea and honey that guarantees a silky smooth singing. Check it out. Me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me. It's gonna revolutionize Broadway. The only problem is that it's a little tough to do choreography with this thing on. Let me just take it off for a second. Therehere we go. 5, 6, 7, 8. Heel, toe, shuffle, heel, toe, shuffle. Kick, Kick, toe, hop.

[Molly Bloom]

Mark, you forgot your honey tea Headband. You're listening to brains on from 8pM Studios. I'm Molly Bloom, and my co host today is Nova from Easton, Pennsylvania. Hi, Nov. Hi, Molly. Brainson is a nonprofit public radio program, which means your support keeps this show going.

[Nova]

Whether you donate, subscribe to Smartypast, buy.

[Molly Bloom]

Brains on shirts or books, sign up.

[Nova]

For our newsletter, or even just tell.

[Molly Bloom]

Your friends about the show. It's a huge help and it means a lot to us. Head to brainson.org fans to show your support for the show.

[Nova]

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[Molly Bloom]

Now, today's episode is all about how our bodies heal. And we're answering listener questions about bruises, band Aids, and scars. Nova, how do you feel about band aids?

[Nova]

I don't really like them because it hurts to pull them off.

[Molly Bloom]

Oh, yes. You're so right. Do you have any tricks for making it hurt less?

[Nova]

Just going really slowly. But my mom does it super fast.

[Molly Bloom]

Oof. I know. There's two schools of thought there. The fast and the slow. I have done a new thing lately where I get it wet with a washcloth where I just, like, soak it. And then it's not quite as horrible. So do you feel like you get a lot of scrapes and bruises?

[Nova]

No, not really.

[Molly Bloom]

That's great. I am super clumsy. And when I was little, I would get tons of bruises on my legs because I guess I was just like, bumping into things all the time. Actually, I still do that. It's not that far in the past. And growing up, my dad would call me banana legs because they kind of look like, you know, bruisey bananas. And, you know, I didn't mind. Cause it was kind of cool. Have you ever. Do you have any scars?

[Nova]

Yes. I have a scar on my chin from falling off of the skateboard.

[Molly Bloom]

Ah, so that means you skateboard.

[Nova]

No, I was playing with my cousins.

[Molly Bloom]

So. Did that hurt?

[Nova]

Yeah, my ears were ringing. It was weird.

[Molly Bloom]

Oof. Did you have to get stitches?

[Nova]

No, my mom just put a band aid on, but it kept leaking through.

[Molly Bloom]

Oh, no. And now you've got a cool scar, though.

[Nova]

Yeah.

[Molly Bloom]

Do people ask you about it ever?

[Nova]

No, not really. It's on my chin, so it's okay.

[Molly Bloom]

So it's kind of hidden.

[Nova]

Yeah.

[Molly Bloom]

Cool.

[Nova]

Hey, do you hear that?

[Molly Bloom]

It sounds like an army of professional musicians, highly trained actors, choreographers and dancers. Oh, didn't Mark say he's writing a new musical? I bet they're rehearsing in the hall of curtains and chairs. Let's Go check it.

[Mark]

Simple salmon swims upstream. Simple salmon swims. My throat is so dry. It's like if that Sahara desert and a box of stale crackers had a baby.

[Nova]

Mark, you forgot your honey tea headband.

[Mark]

Nova. Perfect timing. Ah, Juniper mint tea with a hint of lavender. Mu, mu, mu, mu, mu, mu. Much better.

[Molly Bloom]

So, what's the musical about? And before you answer, are you okay? Your arms and legs are covered in bruises.

[Mark]

I'm fine, thanks. And these bruises are actually the inspiration for my new show, Bruis the Musical. I got pretty banged up trying to feng shui my living room.

[Nova]

Uh, feng shui? The ancient Chinese art of arranging a room to be more harmonious.

[Mark]

That's it. I thought I had the layout perfected, but every time I walked into the room, I kept forgetting where I had moved the furniture and bumping into stuff.

[Molly Bloom]

So more of a wrong way instead of a feng shui?

[Mark]

I guess so. It was pretty frustrating until I had the idea to make these bruises come to life on stage. So I started digging into what's happening when we bruise.

[Molly Bloom]

What a coincidence. We are doing an episode all about how our bodies heal, and we got some questions about bruises. Maybe you could help answer them.

[Mark]

Molly, I would love to muse on your bruise questions. Let's hear them.

[Molly Bloom]

Hi, my name's Keeva, and I'm from Ireland. My question is, how do bruises form, and why do they turn different colors, like blue, purple, green, and brown in the end?

[Nova]

Hi, my name is Hunter, and I'm from Cochrane, Alberta, Canada. And my question is, when you hurt yourself, why do your bruises turn black and purple?

[Mark]

Amazing questions. I'll make sure to get Hunter and Keeva tickets to opening night, because the musical has the answers.

[Nova]

Do tell.

[Mark]

Okay, so under our skin, blood is moving through these tiny, thin tubes called capillaries. But they're pretty delicate. When we bump into something, these little tubes can break and blood comes out under our skin, which makes bruises, bruises, bruises. Bruises for the win. Decorating under my skin. Like I was saying, bruises are kind of like cuts, but without breaking the skin. You know how when we get a cut, our skin opens up and blood comes out?

[Molly Bloom]

Oh, like when we were folding paper airplanes the other day and I got a paper cut. Ouch.

[Mark]

Exactly. Well, if you bump into something but your skin doesn't open up, blood sits underneath it. I've got some blood to give. It hurts, but I think I live.

[Dr. Chase Schutak]

Oh, that's good.

[Mark]

I gotta write that down. Hold on.

[Nova]

So is that why your skin changes color when you get a bruise? The blood that gets trapped underneath your skin.

[Mark]

Yes. The color changing is because of a protein in your blood called hemoglobin.

[Molly Bloom]

We learned about hemoglobin in our episode about blood. It's what gives our blood its bright red color. And one of its jobs is to carry oxygen around our bodies.

[Nova]

You can think of hemoglobin like an oxygen taxi cab.

[Molly Bloom]

Hemoglobin picks up oxygen passengers in our lungs and takes that oxygen to every part of the body.

[Mark]

Molly, allow a Bruizian to take a stab at this. Picking up fast. Night and day gonna drive oxygen all the way. My cab is always open. Yeah, I'm hemoglobin. Look. So like we mentioned, when you bump into something, blood gets trapped under your skin. That blood has hemoglobin in it, which is carrying oxygen passengers. Over time, the oxygen that was in the hemoglobin taxi leaves. When your blood has oxygen in it, it's bright red. But once the oxygen is gone, it looks dark blue or black or purple through your skin.

[Nova]

Ta da.

[Mark]

Over time, they can start to turn lots of different colors.

[Molly Bloom]

Oh, I've seen some real doozies. Green, yellow, brown.

[Mark]

That's because the hemoglobin starts to break down as a bruise heals. Our bodies know that hemoglobin isn't supposed to be hanging out under our skin. And so it starts to get rid of it. First it turns it into a chemical called biliverdin, which has kind of a greenish tint. Then it changes into another chemical called bilirubin, which has a yellow color.

[Nova]

So the color of a bruise can actually tell us how old it is.

[Mark]

Yeah. This purple one on my ankle is from this morning when I kicked the coffee table. Oh.

[Sandon]

Ooh.

[Mark]

And I got this bluish green one on my arm when I ran into the coat rack a few days ago. And the yellowy brown one underneath my shoulder here, that's from almost two weeks ago. It's from the floating bookshelf I installed on the wall just above the light switch. Don't let floating bookshelves fool you. They can be the source of bruises, the sour of pain. They are the enemy, Mark.

[Molly Bloom]

Your living room sounds downright dangerous.

[Mark]

I kind of came to the same conclusion this morning after the coffee table incident. So I decided to move everything back. It's much safer.

[Nova]

Good call. Thanks for dropping all the bruise knowledge, Mark.

[Mark]

No problem.

[Molly Bloom]

Is there a song from the musical that you're ready for us to hear?

[Mark]

There's one that's pretty close. Let me run through it a couple Times with the band, and I'll let you know when I'm warmed up. Okay.

[Molly Bloom]

Can't wait. While we're waiting for Mark to finish his song, how about something else that's music to the ears? It's time for the.

[Dr. Chase Schutak]

Mystery sound.

[Molly Bloom]

All right, Nova, are you ready to hear the mystery sound?

[Nova]

Kind of nervous. I don't know.

[Molly Bloom]

Oh, you're going to do great. All right, here it is. What do you think? Any guesses?

[Nova]

I think it's a dog eating kibbles out of its bowl.

[Molly Bloom]

Whoa. That is a specific guess, and I am into it. All right, we're gonna hear it again and get another chance to guess after.

[Nova]

The credits, so stick around.

[Molly Bloom]

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to float around in space? Well, you're in luck, because we're making an episode about astronauts, and we want to know what food do you think would be hardest for astronauts to eat in space? Flying popcorn or a cup of hot cocoa? Nova, what do you think? What would be the hardest food to eat in space?

[Nova]

I think a cup of hot cocoa, because it's liquid.

[Molly Bloom]

Yeah.

[Nova]

And it could break the ship if it gets in the engine.

[Molly Bloom]

Yeah. And like, I don't want hot liquid flying around, you know?

[Nova]

Yeah.

[Molly Bloom]

Doesn't sound like a good idea. Well, listeners, we want to know what food you think would be hard to eat in space and why. Record your answer and send it to [e-mail] contact and while you're there, you can send us your mystery sounds, drawings, and questions like this one.

[Nova]

Why is the moon white? And why does the moon have different shapes?

[Molly Bloom]

Find answers to questions like this on the Moment of Am podcast. A short dose of facts and fun every weekday. You can find a moment of AM and [e-mail] and keep listening. Brains on Universe is a family of podcasts for kids and their adults. Since you're a fan of Brains on, you'll love the other shows in our universe. Come on, let's explore. It's Alien exercise Hour. Hi yah hoo ha.

[Mark]

While I stretch my snoodles and bounce on my trampolini, I'll listen to a new podcast. I'm going to try Fort Words Ever.

[Molly Bloom]

Ago, the best history podcast ever. To understand why anyone would think a TV show could change the world, we need to go way back.

[Mark]

To America.

[Molly Bloom]

In the 1960s.

[Nova]

Rock and roll was pretty new.

[Molly Bloom]

Ford released the iconic Mustang muscle.

[Mark]

Zorp.

[Molly Bloom]

Come back here.

[Mark]

Podcast must listen to Forever ago. Now.

[Molly Bloom]

Listen to Forever Ago. Wherever you get your podcasts.

[Mark]

Brains On.

[Nova]

You're listening to Brains On. I'm Nova.

[Molly Bloom]

And I'm Molly. So far, we've learned that bruises are kind of like cuts underneath our skin. Blood gets stuck there and changes color as it loses its oxygen and breaks down. It looks like Mark is still rehearsing for his bruises, the musical song, and he's locked us out of the hall of curtains and chairs. Well, I guess a true artist needs his privacy.

[Nova]

Well, there is another listener question. Let's check it out. Hi, my name is E. From Cary, North Carolina. And my question is, how do band aids help your boo boo heal? That's a great question. And I've also wondered, why do band aids stop cuts from stinging?

[Molly Bloom]

Hmm. Very interesting. Yeah. And I've heard that you need to let cuts breathe, so you shouldn't leave band aids on all the time. Is that even true?

[Nova]

I wonder that, too.

[Molly Bloom]

We have a lot of questions about band aids and how cuts heal, so We've invited pediatrician Dr. Chase Schutak to the studio today.

[Nova]

Hi, Dr. Strutek.

[Dr. Chase Schutak]

Hi, Nova. Hi, Molly.

[Nova]

We have some questions for you. First, how do band aids help you heal?

[Dr. Chase Schutak]

Band aids primarily help you heal by protecting your cut from an infection and irritation. The band aid prevents bacteria that can cause infections from getting into your cut. It also prevents the cut from being rubbed or touched, which can disrupt the healing process. If you get the band aid on really quickly, before the bleeding has fully stopped, it can help with the first stage of healing, where the bleeding stops. The band aid does this by applying pressure to the cut as well. Our body actually heals faster if there's a moist or slightly wet environment surrounding the cut. So if you use a band aid with an ointment, like an antibiotic cream or moisturizer, the body will heal faster.

[Molly Bloom]

Whoa.

[Nova]

Cool.

[Molly Bloom]

You said cuts heal better in, like, a wet environment. Is that, like, water? Like, any kind of wet?

[Dr. Chase Schutak]

So not any kind of wet. If it is very wet, that will not help the healing either. It needs to be a little wet, what we like to call moist. So that's why we put antibiotic ointment on or Vaseline or some other moisturizer.

[Molly Bloom]

Gotcha. And so, like, when I take my band aid off my finger and it's kind of all, like, pruney underneath, is that probably just because, like, I washed my hands and, like, water got underneath, or why is that happening?

[Dr. Chase Schutak]

Right. It's because you've trapped some moisture under the band aid, and so it's pruning because you've kept that moisture in there. And while the moisture helps the healing process, it also causes that pruning up. And if you left that for many days, it can affect the healing process.

[Nova]

Do cuts really need to breathe?

[Dr. Chase Schutak]

So, no, cuts do not need to breathe. The second and third stages of healing, the inflammation stage, where old body cells and bacteria are removed, and the proliferation stage, where new body cells are made actually occur faster in moist or slightly wet environments. Allowing a cut to breathe does help your body to make a scab faster, but cuts that have scabs actually take longer to fully heal. If you do have a scab, though, you should not pick it. Scabs are like nature's band aids.

[Nova]

Okay. I do that a lot.

[Dr. Chase Schutak]

Yeah, we all do.

[Molly Bloom]

And I. Okay, you kind of blew my mind when you said that you don't actually need to have a scab for the cut to heal.

[Nova]

Yeah.

[Molly Bloom]

Tell me more about that.

[Dr. Chase Schutak]

Right. So the band aid can bypass the scab part because we're creating essentially an artificial scab with the band aid. And so you can have all of the healing process occurring and be protected from the outside, be protected from infection with the band aid without the scab.

[Molly Bloom]

Gotcha. So the scab is not a necessary part of the healing. It's there to, like, protect what's happening underneath.

[Dr. Chase Schutak]

Yes, exactly.

[Molly Bloom]

Gotcha. So if the band aid's protecting it, your body's like, I don't need to grow a scab. Thank you so much.

[Dr. Chase Schutak]

Yes. And you'll form the new skin cells and the new blood vessels faster.

[Molly Bloom]

Fascinating. That's so cool.

[Nova]

Awesome. What else should we know about how to help our bodies heal?

[Dr. Chase Schutak]

Most importantly, always make sure to wash any cuts you get. Washing cuts with soap and water helps to clear out any bacteria that could cause an infection.

[Nova]

Okay, good to know.

[Molly Bloom]

Very cool.

[Nova]

Why do band aids stop it from stinging?

[Dr. Chase Schutak]

So band aids help to kind of keep the skin in place. And so because the skin isn't moving around as much, it's not getting irritated. And so if it's not getting irritated, if you're not getting that new feeling from all the movement, it doesn't sting quite as much as. Well, there are two parts to pain. There's the physical part and the mental part. All pain has both of those parts. The physical part is kind of the reactions that are happening in our body. The nerves, the inflammation, all of that. The mental part is in our mind. And there are things we can do that help decrease the mental part, but aren't actually doing anything for the physical part. So sometimes putting a band Aid on. Just makes you feel better because you did something cool.

[Nova]

Thanks, Dr. Shutak.

[Dr. Chase Schutak]

You're welcome.

[Molly Bloom]

Brazen. So band aids help protect cuts by keeping out dirt and germs that could cause infections, and that helps your body heal.

[Nova]

But let's rip off the band aid and see what's happening. After that initial burst of healing, we.

[Sandon]

Open on the black emptiness of space. The title crawl reads scar wars, the Skin Pyre Strikes back.

[Molly Bloom]

Hello, Sandon.

[Nova]

Let me guess. Are you also making a musical based on some kind of injury? What?

[Sandon]

No, of course not. Don't be absurd.

[Molly Bloom]

Oh, okay. We just assume since Mark was.

[Sandon]

I'm making an entire movie franchise based on some kind of injury. Yeah, I got inspired after Ansel sent this question.

[Nova]

Hi, my name is Ansel and I'm from Salt Lake City. My question is, what makes scars form on our bodies?

[Sandon]

It seemed like the perfect subject for my epic film, Scar Part 2. It's a sequel.

[Molly Bloom]

Was there a Part 1?

[Sandon]

Of course not. If I'm gonna establish this as the next big movie franchise, I gotta get right to the good stuff. And sequels are always better than the original.

[Nova]

Are they, though?

[Molly Bloom]

Dubious.

[Sandon]

The movie begins with. In a body far, far away, there was some skin dealing with a major calamity. A super deep paper.

[Mark]

Ow.

[Molly Bloom]

Ouchie.

[Sandon]

As the cut begins to heal, the body sends in special cells. Cells called fibroblasts. Fibroblasts help repair sliced skin by connecting the two sides of a cut together. And the bravest of all fibroblasts is our hero, Luke Skabwalker.

[Dr. Chase Schutak]

Wow.

[Molly Bloom]

What a tear.

[Mark]

I've never seen anything like it. But no time for scab gazing.

[Molly Bloom]

I better get to work.

[Sandon]

Luke and the other fibroblast cells use a special power to fix the cut.

[Nova]

Let me guess, is it the force?

[Sandon]

Even cooler. They make something called collagen.

[Molly Bloom]

Oh, yeah, collagen. That's a protein you find all over the body in skin, hair, bones, nails, and more.

[Nova]

Yeah, it's really important and does a lot. It helps make bones strong and makes skin stretchy.

[Sandon]

Exactly. And when your body fixes a deep cut or scrape, it uses collagen to fill in the areas of torn skin. So back to the movie. Luke Skab Walker and his fibroblast friends are there in the wound, making these big, long strings of stretchy material called collagen. It's helping to thin fill in the gap created by the cut, but they're laying the collagen in a unique way. Okay, fibroblasts.

[Mark]

I know. In typical uninjured skin Collagen is kind of woven like a web or a basket. But this is Scar wars, and we have to work fast.

[Molly Bloom]

So we're gonna lay our collagen in straight lines. You got that, everybody? Roger, That's Gab Walker. Straight lines of collagen. Copy, loud and clear. Awesome work, team.

[Mark]

This cut was no match for fibroblasts.

[Nova]

Wait, so why do fibroblasts make collagen in the same direction after a cut?

[Sandon]

Well, we're not really sure why, but that's part of what makes a scar a scar. So picture like a pack of uncooked spaghetti. You know how all the spaghetti is kind of lined up in a neat row? Collagen in a scar is like that. Now, in uninjured skin, it's more like a tangled mesh of cooked spaghetti. You know, like all the noodles criss crossing in kind of a web.

[Molly Bloom]

So is that why scars look different from the skin around them?

[Sandon]

Yeah, that's part of it. The new skin also doesn't have things like hairs or sweat glands anymore either. But not all cuts will leave a scar. If you just injured the very top layer of your skin, you probably won't have a scar souvenir.

[Nova]

Well, I gotta say, Scar wars sounds pretty cool.

[Molly Bloom]

Yeah, seems like a great and totally original idea. That certainly won't have any copyright issues.

[Sandon]

None whatsoever. Now I gotta go start working on the next movie. Scar Wars 3 Revenge of the Zits. See ya, Molly. See ya, Nova.

[Molly Bloom]

Later.

[Nova]

Bye, Sandin. Looks like Mark and the band are ready to give us a sneak peek of the musical.

[Molly Bloom]

I do love a show tune. We're all ears, buddy.

[Mark]

Okay, at this point in the show, the stage is pitch black. I'm moving around in the dark and.

[Sandon]

Oof.

[Mark]

Not again. I should have never rearranged the furniture in my room. I keep running into stuff, and I'm covered in these awful bruises. And then, spotlight. I bumped into my couch today. I bruised my left shin. Matching knocks on both my knees. Man, I just can win. But what if my bruise is like artwork changing under my skin? Does that make me a blank canvas for my hemoglobin? I am a rainbow of bruises. Blue, green and yellow. I am a rainbow of bruises. Head, arm, legs, elbow. I am a rainbow. I am a rainbow. I am a rainbow. Let's break down the proteins and paint with Billy Rubin. Goodbye, my friend. Until I bruise again, I look forward to healing. I am a rainbow of bruises. Blue, green and yellow. I am a rainbow of bruises. Hat, arm, legs, elbow. I am a rainbow of bruises. Blue, Green and yellow. I am a rainbow of bruises. Head, arm, legs, elbow. I am a rainbow. I am a rainbow. I am a rainbow. I am a rainbow.

[Nova]

Wow, Mark, you've made me a bruised believer. This show is going to be epic.

[Molly Bloom]

You are a rainbow. So beautiful.

[Mark]

Aw, thanks you two. I could have never done it without my soon to be patented honey tea headband. Mmm. My favorite hibiscus boba tea. I am a rainbow of bruises.

[Molly Bloom]

Blue, green and yellow. Bruises happen when we get a bump and blood gets trapped underneath our skin.

[Nova]

They usually start out dark blue or purple, but as the hemoglobin in our blood breaks down, they change to green and yellow.

[Molly Bloom]

Band aids help cuts heal by protecting them from irritation and infection.

[Nova]

And your body repairs deep wounds with a stick special protein called collagen.

[Molly Bloom]

But that collagen is in a different pattern from the collagen in the rest of your skin. That's what makes a scar. That's it for this episode of Brains On. This episode was written by Mark Sanchez, Sandon Totten and me, Molly Bloom. It was edited by Shayla Farzon. We had engineering help from Josh Savageo and Joe Gangemi with sound design by Rachel Brees and fact checking by Rebecca Randy. Original theme music by Mark Sanchez.

[Nova]

We had production help from the rest of the Brain Zone universe team.

[Molly Bloom]

Rosie Dupont, Anna Goldfield, Nico Gonzalez Whistler, Ruby Guthrie, Lauren Humpert, Joshua Ray, Charlotte.

[Mark]

Traver, Anna Weigel and Aron Woldeselassi.

[Molly Bloom]

Beth Pearlman is our executive producer and the executives in charge of APM Studios are Chandra Kavati and Joanne Griffith. Special thanks to Judaline Young and Nova's little sisters, Ezra Lala and Ashira.

[Nova]

Brainzone is a non profit public radio program.

[Molly Bloom]

There are lots of ways to support the show. Join Smartypass for bonus episodes and ad free versions of all four shows in the Brainzone universe. Become a Smarty Pass subscriber today for just $5 a month or $45 for the whole year. To sign up, head to smartypass.org while.

[Nova]

You'Re there, you can send us news, mystery sounds, drawings and questions.

[Molly Bloom]

Okay, Nova, are you ready to listen to that mystery sound again?

[Nova]

Yeah.

[Molly Bloom]

All right, here it is. All right. Last time you had a very specific and immediate guess which was a dog eating kibble. Do you stick with that answer? Do you have a new thought?

[Nova]

I mean, okay, so at first I felt like cereal because it just sounded like that. But it's too wet to be a human, so I still think it's a dog eating kibbles.

[Molly Bloom]

Do you have a dog?

[Nova]

No, but I've lived with dogs multiple times in my life, so.

[Molly Bloom]

Gotcha. Okay, so you've heard of dog eating before and you're like, that is a dog. Yeah, I love it. All right, let's hear the answer.

[Nova]

Hi, my name's Beau. My name's Tay and we're from Papamoa, New Zealand. That was the sound of our dog eating. Kibble.

[Molly Bloom]

Oh.

[Nova]

I got it. I never get them right.

[Molly Bloom]

You got it. Not only did you get it right, you got it like exactly right. You said kibble. They said kibble. I'm so impressed. Holy cow. Woohoo. If you had to pick a time to get it right, I'm glad it was today, you know? Yeah. This one's for all the cute puppies that you've lived with. Because of them, so cute you were able to get it. Tell me one of the dogs names that you've lived with.

[Nova]

Sheba.

[Molly Bloom]

Sheba. This one's for Sheba.

[Nova]

Yeah.

[Molly Bloom]

Now it's time for the brains honor roll. These are the incredible kids who keep the show going with their questions, ideas, mystery sounds, drawings and high five. Millie from Simsbury, Connecticut. Amelie from Centennial, Colorado. Maya from La Mesa, California. Simone from San Jose, California. Evan from Marlboro, Connecticut. Zadie from Santa Fe, New Mexico. Ava from Missouri. Kaden from Calgary. Teagan and Maeve from Boise, Idaho. Anderson from Singapore. Seneca from New York City. Devin and Alicia from Richmond, Texas. Dane from Phoenix, Henry from Simbridget, uk. Saia from Boulder, Colorado. Lila from Safety Harbor, Florida. Elliot from San Francisco. Susanna from Yasu, Sugi, Japan. Esme from Ypsilanti, Michigan Harper from Ohio. Jack and Callan from Locust Valley, New York. Lauren from West Long Beach, New Jersey Truman from Indiana, Pennsylvania. Jade from Murfreesboro, Tennessee Aubrey from Hudson, Wisconsin Ava from Lakewood, Colorado. Arindam from Hyattsville, Maryland. Eleanor from Chappaqua, New York. Jane, Eleanor, Lucy and Jack from Vicksburg, Michigan. Abigail from San Francisco. Sheena from Honolulu. Adeline from Sevierville, Tennessee. Laurel from Boyertown, Pennsylvania. Bharat from Istanbul. Grayson from Minnetrista, Minnesota. Charles from Virginia, Virginia. Naomi from Huntsville, Ontario. Simon from Waxhaw, North Carolina. Christine from Cupertino, California. Annie from Boise, Idaho. Tripp and Maisie from Louisiana. Miles from Portland, Oregon. Elizabeth from Clarksville, Maryland, Artemis from Redmond, Washington. Tess from Bodingham, Maine Rowan from Centerville, Virginia, Ved from Austin, Texas. Sebastian from Golden, Colorado. Sadie and Elsie from Morton, Illinois. Elizabeth from New York, Sebastian from Portland, Oregon. Emily from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Hugo from Brisbane, Australia. Adelaide from Chattanooga, Tennessee. Anna from Horseheads, New York. Senna from Blacksburg, Virginia. And Matthew from Bangkok, Thailand. We'll be back next week with an episode all about trees.

[Nova]

Thanks for listening.