← Who Smarted? - Educational Podcast for Kids
Loading summary
Transcript1 lines
- [00:04]
A
Hey there, smarty pants. Trusty narrator here. Back with another episode of Smarty Q, where I trusty answer questions from you, the smarty pants. We got some great ones today, so let's get smarty. Question one comes from Aidan in Sydney, Australia, who asks, can people sleep too much? And what happens if we do? That is a great question, smarty pads. Usually we hear people complaining about not getting enough sleep. But can a person sleep too much? The answer, surprisingly, is yes. But what counts as too much? Well, most kids need about nine to 12 hours of sleep a night, and adults need about seven to nine hours. So sleeping a little extra once in a while is totally normal. But regularly sleeping way more than your body needs can sometimes lead to feeling groggy or foggy, headaches, trouble concentrating, and lower energy instead of more energy. So why does that happen? Sleep works best in cycles, so if you keep sleeping past the point your body is ready to wake up, those cycles get interrupted. Kind of like restarting a song over and over again instead of letting it finish. Also, sleeping too much can sometimes be a sign of something else going on, like illness, stress, or not getting good quality sleep. So the goal isn't about getting as much sleep as possible. It's about getting the right amount for your body. Okay, question two comes from Giada from Worcester, Massachusetts, who is wondering, how does a rattlesnake's tail rattle? Well, that's a cool question. Okay, the first thing to know is rattlesnakes don't shake their tails against something. The rattle is built right in. Here's how it works. A rattlesnake's rattle is made of dry, hollow segments of keratin, the same stuff your fingernails are made of. Every time the snake sheds its skin, a new segment gets added to the rattle. When the snake vibrates its tail up to 90 times per second, the segments bang into each other. And this is what causes the famous rattlesnake rattling sound. And for some bonus smarting, why do rattlesnakes rattle? Not to attack, but to warn. The rattle says, I'm down here. Please back away. It's one of nature's clearest leave me alone signals. Okay, time for question three from Smartypants. Lauren, who wants to know why can birds fly but humans cannot? That is a great question, Lauren. Birds can fly because their bodies are built specifically for it. Here's what birds have that humans wings shaped to push air downward and backward. Lightweight bones, many of which are hollow. Huge chest muscles that power all that flapping feathers that create lift and bodies shaped to reduce air resistance. Humans, on the other hand, are much heavier, have solid bones, and don't have wing shaped arms, and don't have flight muscles strong enough to lift our body weight. Even if humans had wings, we'd need muscles way bigger than our legs just to get off the ground. So humans can't fly on our own. But we were smart enough to invent airplanes, helicopters and and jetpacks to help us cheat a little. Okay, three cues down and a few more to go, including one about a curiously named fruit. And it's all coming up right after a quick break and a word from our sponsors. Hey there homeschool parents. Trusty here and wow. February. Oof. Am I right? The days are short, the calendar is packed, and you want to keep learning consistent and moving towards spring goals without more stress for you or your kids. That is where IXL comes in. IXCEL is an award winning online learning platform that fits seamlessly into homeschooling. It offers interactive personalized practice across math, language arts, science and social studies from Pre K through 12th grade. Whether your kids need to reinforce a tricky concept or they're ready to zoom ahead, IXL handles the heavy lifting at your kid's pace, including immediate and simple explanations of anything they get wrong so you don't have to be an expert on, well, everything. Make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now and who SmartEd listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when you sign up today at www.ixl.com smarted. Visit www.ixl.com smartEd to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price. Hey smarty friends Trusty here. Are you looking for another kids and family podcast that combines humor with learning in a way that captivates? Then check out welcome to Hope Springs. It is the newest audio drama from the Augustin Institute, the award winning team behind the adventures of Nick and Sam and the Trials of St Patrick. Set in the fictional mountain town of Hope Springs, the story follows a close group of friends who spend their days at the old depot and a newly restored train station until an innocent prank sparks a mystery that stretches across the entire town. Created by award winning writer Paul McCusker, it's packed with humor, adventure and really thoughtful moments of friendship, courage and faith. It's the kind of show that sparks imagination without screens, and it's perfect for listening together in the car or at home. Don't miss out. Follow welcome to Hope Springs on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you're listening now, as the trusty narrator, I've taken the smarty pants on countless adventures. I'll do anything for the fans, but off mic, I prefer to keep my adventures in the safe space of my own backyard. However, even a homebody like me can't avoid the unexpected chaos that comes with family life. Take last week, for example. My niece was staying with me when she came down with a nasty cold in the middle of the night. I couldn't leave her alone to get medicine. And. And that's when I remembered Doordash is there for you. Whatever you need, whenever you need it. With a few taps on my phone, I had cough syrup and tissues delivered right to my door. Doordash saved the night, and my niece was back to her energetic self in no time. Oh, and did I order a little ice cream for myself. Yes, I did, and Doordash brought it right to my door. So while I may not be the biggest fan of real life adventures, I'm grateful that Doordash is always there to help me navigate life's little emergencies. When life happens, get a little order delivered with Doordash Order now. Now back to Smarty Qs. Ok, it's time for question number four from smarty fan Rasa in Berkeley, California. Who wants to know why is a grapefruit called a grapefruit? It doesn't look like a grape. You're right, Rasa. Grapefruits look nothing like grapes. They're called grapefruits because of how they grow and not how they look. Here's the story. Grapefruits grow on trees in clusters. Those clusters look a bit like bunches of grapes. Early farmers thought that was interesting, so they started calling them grapefruit. And the name stuck, even though the fruit itself is much bigger, rounder, and pink or yellow inside. Okay, our next question comes from Nora and her brother Cavan, who want to know how are dyes made, especially the dyes that are used to color our clothes. Great question, smarty pantses. Let's start with what a dye actually is. A dye is a substance that adds color to something like fabric and sticks to it instead of washing away. Long ago, all dyes came from nature. People used plants like berries, roots, leaves and bark, minerals from rocks and soil, and even insects like a tiny bug called the cochineal, which makes a bright red dye. People would crush these materials, soak them in water, and heat them to pull out the color. Then fabric was soaked in that colorful liquid so the dye could soak in, too. Today, most clothing dyes are man made and are created by scientists using chemistry. They mix different safe chemical ingredients to make dyes that have very bright colors, last a long time, don't fade easily in the wash, and work well on different fabrics like cotton wool or polyester. When clothes are dyed in factories, the fabric is dipped into big tanks of colored liquid. Heat and time help the dye bond to the fabric's fibers, kind of like the color becoming part of the fabric instead of just sitting on top. But whether a dye comes from a plant, a bug, or a lab, the goal is the same to make sure the color stays put even after lots of wearing and washing. Alrighty. Five questions asked, five questions answered. We've got time for one more and it's a good one about human's best friend dogs. And we'll find out what it is right after this quick break and a word from our sponsors. Smarty pants, Smarty parents. Trusty here, and I've got something kind of emotional to share with you. So many of you have asked how you can start your own podcast and we've been thinking hard about how to help you do that. So we created the first ever who Smarted Podcast camp. This is the kind of program that I wish someone had given me as a kid, or honestly, even as an adult, because it would have made everything so much easier. Parents, here's what you need to know. This is designed for kids age 6 to 11 and your kids can do this on their own. You don't need any special equipment, just whatever you already have. And by the end, your kid will have actually made a real podcast. Something their friends will love, something their grandparents will love. And smartypants, if you've ever had ideas or stories in your head that you wish other people could hear, this is how you make that happen. Plus, you'll learn how to tell better stories and think more clearly, which honestly helps with everything. It's a self paced camp with lessons dropping starting March 1st and we've got your back anytime you get stuck or need some advice. Oh, and you know how so many of you have asked for a trusty narrator face reveal? Well, you're gonna get it because I'll be on camera personally teaching the video lessons. We're announcing this to the world next week, but we wanted to give you guys our whosmarted family first crack at a very special early bird price of just $78. That's more than 50% off the regular price, but it's only good through February 18th. Head to WhoSmarted.com and click on Podcast Camp and check out all the details. I cannot wait to see what you guys create. But don't wait, because when this family discount goes away on the 18th, it's gone. That's WhoSmarted.com and click podcast Camp. Now back to Smarty Q. Okay, last question. My smarty friend Noah on Spotify asked. Why did dogs eat grass when they are sick? Ah, yes, this is something lots of dog owners notice. I've even noticed it myself. When my doggie Luna, isn't feeling so well, she likes to munch whatever green plants, leaves, or tall grass she can get her snout on. But why? The truth is, scientists aren't 100% sure, but there are a few possible reasons dogs eat grass. For one thing, it can help settle their stomach. It also may help them throw up if something doesn't feel right. Grass also contains fiber, which can help digestion, and some dogs just do it because they feel uncomfortable and are trying to fix it. Interestingly, many dogs graze on grass even when they're not sick, which suggests it's a natural behavior, something dogs have done for thousands of years. Most of the time, it's harmless as long as the grass isn't treated with chemicals. And that does it for this episode of Smarty Q. Remember, if you have a question you've been curious about, send it to whosmarted@whosmarted.com so I can answer it on a future episode. Until next time, keep on smarting, smarty pants. Who smarted.