Sticky Honey and a 194-Year-Old Turtle - Answering Curious Questions From Kids

Summary

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Sticky Honey and a 194-Year-Old Turtle: Answering Curious Questions From Kids

Podcast: Nat Theo Nature Lessons Rooted in the Bible
Host: Eryn Lynum
Date: March 26, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this lively Q&A episode, Eryn Lynum answers curious nature questions submitted by young listeners, using each natural wonder as a springboard for learning about God’s design, wisdom, and creativity. The episode weaves together fascinating animal facts, kid-driven wonder, and gentle biblical reflection, helping children (and adults!) marvel at how creation points back to its Creator. Each segment tackles a different creature or phenomenon, exploring both scientific detail and a sense of awe for God’s wild and wonderful world.

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Key Questions & Discussion Points

1. Why are Snow Foxes White?

Listener: Chandler, age 6, Arkansas
Segment starts: [02:16]

• The Arctic fox’s white coat is a purposeful design by God, helping it blend into snowy environments and stay hidden while hunting.
• Its coat changes color with the seasons: fluffy and white in winter for warmth and camouflage; short, thin, brownish-gray in spring to blend with rocks and dirt.
• Quote:

  “The Arctic fox displays a wonderful design thought up by our brilliant and kind creator.” — Eryn Lynum [03:25]

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2. How Long Do Turtles Live?

Listener: Ezra, age 10, Kentucky
Segment starts: [03:58]

• Turtle lifespans vary by species.
  • Pond turtles: ~20–50 years.
  • Box turtles: typically 25–30 years.
  • Sea turtles can live around 80 years.
  • Tortoises are land turtles and can live far longer.
• The world record: Jonathan, the tortoise, believed to be 194 years old (hatched in 1832!).
• Quote:

  “That is a lot of candles to fit on a birthday!” — Eryn Lynum [04:55]

• Turtles and tortoises show God’s creativity and the extraordinary variety in animal lifespans.

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3. Why Is Honey Sticky?

Listener: Joanna, age 6, Michigan
Segment starts: [05:55]

• Honey is made by bees through a complex, teamwork-driven process. Bees collect nectar with a proboscis, digest it in a special “honey stomach,” and repeatedly pass it from bee to bee, breaking down sugars and reducing water content.
• Bees fan the honeycomb to further evaporate water. Finished honey is about 80% sugar and less than 20% water — the reason for its stickiness.
• Quote:

  “After so much of the water has evaporated out, it turns into the sticky, sweet treat that we enjoy in tea or on toast.” — Eryn Lynum [07:43]

• The process is detailed and wondrous—a testament to divine design.

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4. Why Does Looking at the Sun Hurt Our Eyes?

Listener: Amari, age 8, Florida
Segment starts: [08:32]

• The sun emits powerful ultraviolet (UV) light, which can burn both skin and the sensitive cells in our eyes.
• Many animals (like birds and bees) can see UV light, but humans cannot.
• God made the sun powerful for important jobs on Earth, but we must take precautions to protect ourselves.
• Quote:

  “God designed the sun to be very powerful, which is why we should always be careful to guard our skin and eyes.” — Eryn Lynum [09:47]

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5. How Do Kestrels Hover in One Spot While Flying?

Listener: Sam, age 6, Italy
Segment starts: [10:36]

• Kestrels, small falcons, can hover or stay “still” in the air while looking for prey.
• They do this by flying into the wind at the same speed it’s blowing against them and constantly adjusting their wings and tail.
• This adaptation, unique hunting style, and “surfing the wind” allow kestrels to keep their heads still and eyes on the ground.
• Quote:

  "God designed kestrels to sort of surf the wind. They fly into the wind at the same speed that the wind is blowing against them, which makes them appear completely still.” — Eryn Lynum [11:36]

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6. Do Polar Bears Have Enemies?

Listener: Barrett, age 7, Louisiana
Segment starts: [12:28]

• Adult polar bears are apex predators—top of their food chain in the Arctic.
• Their only significant threat is humans, who sometimes hunt them. Polar bear cubs may be threatened by wolves and even adult male polar bears.
• Polar bears were originally not designed (before sin) to hunt other animals, but God equipped them to survive in a harsh environment.
• Quote:

  “Polar bears are the ultimate predator of the Arctic. As adults, they are considered apex predators, which means they are at the top of the food chain.” — Eryn Lynum [12:46]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “What a magnificent and detailed process to create honey.” [07:52]
• “Turtles and tortoises are amazing creatures — and how cool is it that God created them to live such long lives.” [05:05]
• “The more we look at the details of nature, the more we see the wisdom, care and love of our creator.” [14:13]
• “Always keep learning more about the wonders God has made.” [14:28]

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Memorable Takeaways

• Each animal adaptation or phenomenon points back to thoughtful, purposeful, and creative design.
• Curiosity about the natural world deepens understanding of both science and the character of God.
• Listener questions are both celebrated and used to inspire learning for all ages.
• Episodes often suggest related content for deeper exploration (e.g., which links in show notes).

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Episode Flow & Structure

• [02:16] Snow Foxes/Arctic Fox Camouflage
• [03:58] Turtle Lifespans and Record-Holders
• [05:55] Honey’s Stickiness and the Bee’s Role
• [08:32] Sunlight, UV Rays & Eye Health
• [10:36] Kestrel Hovering and Aerodynamics
• [12:28] Polar Bears and Predators

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Final Thoughts

Eryn Lynum masterfully makes science and theology accessible to kids, celebrating curiosity and weaving each animal’s “why” or “how” into a bigger story of God’s care and creativity. The episode’s tone is warm, knowledgeable, and affirming, encouraging families to keep asking questions and to see wonder—in honey, in turtles, in birds, and even in sunlight.

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For more detailed lessons on many of these creatures, listen to the linked episodes in the show notes.

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Transcript

[Narrator]

Hello world. Wake me up to another good Good morning. Time to go.

[Erin Lyneum]

Are you ready to explore God's wild and wonderful world? Welcome to the naptheo Podcast. I'm your host, Erin Lyneum. I'm a certified Master naturalist, Bible teacher and author and I am so excited to dive into God's written word, the Bible and His created world with. Hi listeners. Today we are answering some super fun nature questions that you kids are asking. I love hearing your questions because they spark my own curiosity. You ask questions that I never even would have thought of to ask. And I am so glad you do because those questions can help us uncover the marvelous mysteries of what God has made. Before we get to today's questions, let's thank our amazing sponsor who made this special episode possible. Master Books When I have questions about God's creation, I reach for books by Master Books. When it comes to sensational sea creatures, breathtaking birds, magnificent mammals, busy bugs, or dangerous dinosaurs, Master Books uncovers the mysteries and marvels of nature while pointing every detail back to our creator, God. Recently, I have been enjoying their marvels of Creation three Book Set and Dinosaurs by Design. Find the links to both of those in our show notes. With Books for every age, Master Books guides readers on an adventure to discovering truth, wisdom and wonder throughout creation. Take your nature and science curiosity to the next level with trusted books by Master Books at the link in our show notes. Alright, let's answer some curious questions from you kids. Here is our first question.

[Children (Chandler, Ezra, Joanna, Amari, Sam, Barrett)]

My name is Chandler and I'm six years old and I live in Arkansas and I want to know, why are snow foxes white?

[Erin Lyneum]

What a good question, Chandler. Why are snow foxes white? The Snow Fox, also called the Arctic Fox, has a coat that is very well designed from our thoughtful creator, God. Arctic foxes live in very cold areas like Greenland, Scandinavia, Northern Russia, Alaska and Canada. The places where they live are often snowy and icy and they can get as cold as negative 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Talk about frigid. The Arctic fox's white coat helps it blend in with its snowy surroundings, which allows it to stay hidden while it hunts. The Arctic fox is an example of God's very good design for another reason. Also, its coat changes as the seasons change. In the winter, the Arctic fox's coat is white and extra fluffy, which helps it to stay warm in the cold. But in the spring, when the temperature is warmer and there isn't as much snow, the Arctic Fox has a short, thin, brownish gray coat. This darker coat helps the Arctic fox blend in with the rocks and the dirt no matter the season. The Arctic fox displays a wonderful design thought up by our brilliant and kind creator. Thanks for your great question, Chandler. Here is our next curious question.

[Children (Chandler, Ezra, Joanna, Amari, Sam, Barrett)]

My name is Ezra. I live in Louisville, Kentucky. I am 10 years old. My question is how old, how many years do turtles normally live?

[Erin Lyneum]

What a good question, Ezra. Turtles lifespans, or how many years they live can be very different depending on what species or kind of turtle it is. A turtle that you might see in a pond will likely live for around 20 to 50 years. Box turtles, for example, typically live around 25 to 30 years in the wild. God designed large turtles, like sea turtles, to live longer than smaller species. One scientist from the NOAA Southeast Fisheries and Science center says that the age of sea turtles is difficult to study, but most scientists estimate that sea turtles can live for around 80 years. Tortoises are land turtles and they can live many, many years. In the year 2022, the Guinness World Records awarded a tortoise named Jonathan the record of the oldest tortoise. It's believed that Jonathan hatched from an egg in the year 1832 and is now around 194 years old, although some people say he might even be older than that. That is a lot of candles to fit on a birthday. Turtles and tortoises are amazing creatures and how cool is it that God created them to live such long lives. Thank you Ezra. Stay curious about God's amazing turtles and if you want to learn more about them, listen to lesson 31. What is the difference between a turtle and a tortoise? I'll put that link in the show notes. Here is our next question.

[Children (Chandler, Ezra, Joanna, Amari, Sam, Barrett)]

Hi, my name is Joanna and I live in Michigan and I'm 6 years old and I like to know why is honey sticky?

[Erin Lyneum]

Joanna, I love this question because I love eating honey sticky and all. But what makes honey so sticky? Honey is a tasty treat made by bees. It is made through a detailed multi step process of teamwork that only God could have designed. Honey begins from a flower's nectar. Bees use a straw like mouthpart called a proboscis to get the sweet nectar from inside flowers. I actually was just watching this today in my yard as bees were busily buzzing around our cherry tree that just blossomed this week and they were collecting sweet nectar from the blossoms. After slurping up sugary nectar with their proboscis, the bees store the nectar in a special honey stomach which is separate from their regular stomach. Inside the honey stomach, the sugars inside the nectar begin to break down back at the hive, the bee regurgitates, kind of like spitting up the nectar, and passes it to a worker bee, who then passes it on to another bee. By passing the nectar around, the bees continue to break down the sugars in the nectar. Passing it also reduces the amount of water in the nectar. When it's ready, the nectar gets put into a cell in the honeycomb. Next, the bees fan the honeycomb with their wings to evaporate any leftover water from the nectar. When there is hardly any water left, the honey is ready and the bees seal the honeycomb cell with wax. The finished product is about 80% sugar and less than 20% water, and that is why it is so sticky. When the bees first collected the nectar, it was like sugary water. But after so much of the water has evaporated out, it turns into the sticky, sweet treat that we enjoy in tea or on toast. What a magnificent and detailed process to create honey. Thank you for your question, Joanna. If you want to dive deeper into a beehive and discover how God designed bees to work together, listen to lesson 35, Can Bees Dance? the link in our show notes, here is our next question.

[Children (Chandler, Ezra, Joanna, Amari, Sam, Barrett)]

Hey, my name's Amari and I'm eight and I live in Florida. I wonder why when we if we look at the sun, it will hurt our eyes.

[Erin Lyneum]

This is an important question, Amari. I love that you asked it. I remember when I was growing up and adults warned me not to look directly at the sun. And now I give that same warning to my own kids. But sometimes we are told not to do something without being told why. Understanding the danger can help us follow the warning and instruction. So why should we not look directly at the sun? And why might it hurt our eyes if we do? God designed the sun to give off different kinds of light. One kind is called ultraviolet light, or uv. UV light travels in shorter waves than other kinds of light, so we can not see UV light just with our eyes. However, God created some animals, including some birds and bees, to be able to see ultraviolet light. When we are exposed to too much UV light, it can cause our skin to burn. This is why your parents or your caregivers might ask you to wear a hat or put on sunscreen when you're at the beach or playing outside. And just like the sun's, UV rays can burn our skin, it can also burn the sensitive cells in our eyes in just a few seconds of looking at the sun. God designed the sun to be very powerful, which is why we should always be careful to guard our skin and eyes. But because it is so powerful, it can do many important jobs here on Earth. You can learn about the many ways God designed the sun to support life on earth in lesson 112, how hot is the Sun? At the link in our show notes. Stay curious about God's wild and wonderful world and keep enjoying his sunshine outside. Just take precautions. Here is our next question.

[Children (Chandler, Ezra, Joanna, Amari, Sam, Barrett)]

Hello, my name is Sam and I live in Italy and I'm six and I want to know how kestrels can stay in one spot when they're flying.

[Erin Lyneum]

Sam, I loved when I heard your question because I love watching kestrels hover in the air. Kestrels are one of my favorite birds to see because of their unique hunting style and because they are a falcon and we don't get to see falcons very often. Kestrels are around the size of an American robin and are the smallest falcons that we have here in North America. And I was thrilled to discover that you have kestrels over in Italy, too. Falcons, including kestrels, are predatory birds, meaning that they hunt for their food. Staying in one spot while flying or hovering helps a kestrel keep their head still so they can search the ground beneath them for prey. God designed kestrels to sort of surf the wind. They fly into the wind at the same speed that the wind is blowing against them, which makes them appear completely still, like they are hovering. As we watch them from the ground, kestrels constantly adjust the shape and angle of their wings and tail to resist changes in the wind. These constant adjustments allow them to remain steady in the air. If you ever look up and see a bird that seems to be hovering in place, you have probably spotted a kestrel, an amazing creature that was thoughtfully designed by God so that it can find and hunt its prey. Thanks for calling in, Sam. Keep learning more about God's incredible birds, including the kestrel. Here's our next question.

[Children (Chandler, Ezra, Joanna, Amari, Sam, Barrett)]

My name is Barrett and I am seven years old. I live in Louisiana and I really like your show, Aaron, and my question is, do polar bears have enemies? And if they do, what are they?

[Erin Lyneum]

Thanks for your fun question, Barrett. Polar bears are the ultimate predator of the Arctic. As adults, they are considered apex predators, which means they are at the top of the food chain. God designed the tough polar bear to survive in their frigid habitat by eating lots and lots of food. In God's original perfect creation, before sin entered in, polar bears did not hunt other animals for food. But God made polar bears to be skilled hunters so they could keep up with their massive diets. Can you guess what the only threat to an adult might be? It is humans. Sometimes people who live where polar bears do will hunt and kill the bears for food. Though no animal hunts adult polar bears, baby polar bears called cubs are sometimes hunted by wolves or even adult male polar bears. If you want to learn more about how God designed polar bears to thrive in the harsh Arctic, listen to lesson 55 what color is a polar bear? The answer to that question might surprise you. Tune in at the link in our show notes. From sticky honey to hovering kestrels, mighty polar bears to long living turtles, God's creation is full full of wonder, listeners. The more we look at the details of nature, the more we see the wisdom, care and love of our creator. Thank you Chandler, Ezra, Joanna, Amari, Sam and Barrett for your great questions. Listeners, stay curious about God's wild and wonderful world and keep asking your wonderful nature questions. Always keep learning more about the wonders God has made. Why not scroll down to the show notes and click an episode to learn more about one of the creatures that we mentioned today? Thank you so much for listening. If you enjoyed this listener question episode, please take a moment to send it to a friend and subscribe. Rate and review Nat Theo wherever you listen. Until next time, keep exploring God's wild and wonderful world.

[Narrator]

We are all looking for adventure. We are all looking for adventure. We are all looking for adventure. We are all looking for adventure.