1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,240 Speaker 1: I guess what mango? What's that? Will? So? One of 2 00:00:02,279 --> 00:00:04,280 Speaker 1: my favorite Moe Williams books that I used to read 3 00:00:04,280 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: with my kids was this book called Naked Mole Rat 4 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:09,960 Speaker 1: Gets Dressed. It is so much fun. Moe Williams is 5 00:00:09,960 --> 00:00:12,440 Speaker 1: the best agreed, and this story is great because it's 6 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:15,520 Speaker 1: all about a naked mole rat named Wilburt. It's pretty 7 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:18,000 Speaker 1: fancy and prefers to wear clothes instead of being naked 8 00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:20,239 Speaker 1: all the time. But I was thinking about the book 9 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 1: over the weekend. It made me wonder, why is nakedness 10 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:25,520 Speaker 1: the thing everyone knows about mole rats when they have 11 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 1: all these other superhero like qualities. I mean, the naked 12 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 1: is in the name, so it's kind of hard to avoid. 13 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:35,120 Speaker 1: But explain what you mean by superpowers? Well, first of all, 14 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:37,800 Speaker 1: they don't feel certain types of pain. They're totally immune 15 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 1: from the staying of chili peppers, are really hot temperatures, 16 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:43,839 Speaker 1: for instance. They also don't get cancer, which is crazy 17 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:46,640 Speaker 1: and this isn't a superpower, but their buck teeth actually 18 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:49,800 Speaker 1: move independently and can be used like chop sticks, which 19 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 1: is kind of just a cool move. But as I 20 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:54,640 Speaker 1: started thinking about the mole rat and its superior qualities. 21 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 1: I started wondering, what if we could take the coolest 22 00:00:57,080 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 1: superpowers of the world's most surprising animals then try to 23 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 1: Frankenstein the ultimate superhero animal. And while we can't promise 24 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:07,360 Speaker 1: it will turn out cuddly, building this designer animal is 25 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:26,840 Speaker 1: definitely going to be fun. So let's dig in. Y Hey, 26 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 1: their podcast listeners, welcome to Part Time Genius. I'm Will 27 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:31,360 Speaker 1: Pearson and as always I'm joined by my good friend 28 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:34,240 Speaker 1: Mangesh Ticketer Mango. Are you as excited as I am 29 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 1: about today's topic, creating the ultimate superhero animal? I'm so excited. 30 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:42,040 Speaker 1: I mean, this is something we've talked about for such 31 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:45,119 Speaker 1: a long time, trying to concoct the weirdest, funniest, most 32 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 1: badass creature. And over the years we've learned so many 33 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:51,360 Speaker 1: crazy things about animals. I mean we're talking about electric powers, 34 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 1: the ability to detect danger, X ray vision, the ability 35 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 1: to regenerate or brain like. This stuff is comic book gold. 36 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 1: It definitely is, all right. So for our listeners, this 37 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 1: used to be a dorm room obsession of ours, debating 38 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 1: the sexiest dinosaur or how ugly the world's ugliest badger 39 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:09,640 Speaker 1: could be, and probably not that ugly. I mean, even 40 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 1: a bad looking badger is pretty good looking. I think so. 41 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 1: But we decided it was finally time to tackle this 42 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:18,240 Speaker 1: topic of the ultimate superhero animal when some of our 43 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 1: favorite librarians from the Hoover Public Library and Hoover, Alabama 44 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 1: suggested we revisit a book that came out in two 45 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 1: thousand eleven. It's called Rat Sing, Mice Giggle. It's this 46 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:31,840 Speaker 1: terrific book by a neuropsychologist, Karen Shanner and jog Meet Conwall, 47 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 1: an associate professor in neurology at Georgetown, and several of 48 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:37,760 Speaker 1: the great facts you're here today come from there. That's right. 49 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:39,800 Speaker 1: It's like when you ask your kid which superhero they 50 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 1: want to be, and they say, I want to be 51 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 1: a superhero that combines all the most awesome parts of 52 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:47,640 Speaker 1: every other superhero exactly. Like, that's what we're going to 53 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:50,400 Speaker 1: do here, but with animals. Are you ready? Oh? I'm ready. 54 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:52,320 Speaker 1: And before we get going, we should probably tell you 55 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 1: that we've got a great guest on today, the wonderful 56 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:57,400 Speaker 1: YouTube star Emily grass Lee, the host of Brain Scoop, 57 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:00,080 Speaker 1: and we've got super fun listener quiz as well. So 58 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:02,240 Speaker 1: let's get to it. And to be clear, today's unt 59 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:04,959 Speaker 1: is not about finding the biggest and fastest animals we 60 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:07,560 Speaker 1: learned about as kids. No offense to the cheetah and 61 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:10,640 Speaker 1: the blue whale, both awesome animals, but we're looking for 62 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 1: something a little more creative and surprising. So where do 63 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:16,120 Speaker 1: we even start. Well, we are creating a superhero, so 64 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:17,640 Speaker 1: I feel like we need to start off with some 65 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:20,400 Speaker 1: of the supersensory stuff, or mebe even with the ability 66 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:24,359 Speaker 1: to sense electrical charges. I mean that feels very superhero e. 67 00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:26,400 Speaker 1: Oh definitely. And you know, part of the reason I'm 68 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:28,960 Speaker 1: so excited about this category is because it's a chance 69 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:32,400 Speaker 1: to bring back the duck build platypus. It seemed like 70 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:35,240 Speaker 1: as kids, the duck build platypus was the weird animal 71 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:37,800 Speaker 1: that we all talked about. Then the Internet came along 72 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 1: and we got to learn about all these other cool animals. Sure, 73 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: like the Pacific Northwest tree octopus. Was that a Is 74 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 1: that a real thing? It was this amazing internet hoax 75 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:49,520 Speaker 1: by this guy Lyles Apata. He had a whole Saved 76 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:53,560 Speaker 1: the Pacific Northwest tree Octopus campaign. It was elaborate, it 77 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:56,000 Speaker 1: sounds like it so my thing with the platypus is 78 00:03:56,040 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 1: that as much as we dropped its name into conversations 79 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 1: as a kid, I don't think we've fully appreciated just 80 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 1: how cool the platypus is. I mean, everybody knows that 81 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 1: it's this weird egg laying mammal with the tail of 82 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 1: a beaver and the feet of an otter and the 83 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 1: bill of a duck, and that the male has a 84 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 1: venomous spur on the back of its foot. That should 85 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:15,960 Speaker 1: be enough to make it an animal we should remember, yeah, 86 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:19,280 Speaker 1: or avoid touching, right, But none of that really makes 87 00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 1: it a superhero until you remember that the platypus is 88 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:25,479 Speaker 1: a master of electrolocation. Isn't that crazy. It's actually the 89 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:28,960 Speaker 1: most electro receptive of any land mammal. That means it's 90 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 1: able to detect electrical signals given off by other creatures. 91 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:34,040 Speaker 1: So even when it's hunting around for food at night 92 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 1: in very dark waters, it's able to locate its prey 93 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:41,960 Speaker 1: by actually detecting their electrical fields using the electro sensors 94 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:44,039 Speaker 1: in that big old snout it's so very proud of. 95 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:46,919 Speaker 1: It's basically making a map of what it's surveying in 96 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:49,880 Speaker 1: those dark waters. That's right. So let's bring some respect 97 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:52,320 Speaker 1: back to the platypus by adding this ability as the 98 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 1: first on our list of superhero animal traits. Totally agree. Now, 99 00:04:56,320 --> 00:04:58,320 Speaker 1: you mentioned that it's the most electro receptive of the 100 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 1: land mammals, but according to the Pelagic Shark Research Foundation, 101 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:05,920 Speaker 1: sharks are actually the most electrically sensitive animals known. Now, 102 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:08,840 Speaker 1: I know sharks aren't exactly underappreciated. I mean, they get 103 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:10,919 Speaker 1: their own week on TV every year. I'm kind of 104 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:13,440 Speaker 1: surprised TV Land doesn't run a Happy Day's Marathon that 105 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:16,559 Speaker 1: same week and call it Jump the Shark Week. Brilliant idea. 106 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:19,040 Speaker 1: Now they should do that. So and this only makes 107 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:21,720 Speaker 1: them more intimidating. So they've got this gel and their 108 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:24,560 Speaker 1: snouts and their heads that helps them detect incredibly low 109 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 1: currents of electricity, which then helps them find even small 110 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 1: fish that might be hiding from them under the sand. 111 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:34,080 Speaker 1: As those sharks needed one more advantage, So that's another 112 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:36,560 Speaker 1: type of electric locator. And I think between the shark 113 00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:39,080 Speaker 1: gel and their snout and the platypus beak, I'd rather 114 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 1: have the beak on style points, but maybe a little 115 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 1: of that special gel to spread on my hands. Sounds good, 116 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:47,960 Speaker 1: but what about the ability to actually generate electricity. I 117 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 1: don't think most people would be surprised that this title 118 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 1: is going to the electric eel, but there are a 119 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:54,280 Speaker 1: couple of interesting facts that most people probably don't know. 120 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:57,120 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, like what, well, first, electric eels are not 121 00:05:57,160 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 1: actually eels their type of knife fish. Well, that just 122 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 1: it's them on our long list of things that aren't 123 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:05,040 Speaker 1: things like how the koala barry isn't a bear, or 124 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 1: a strawberry isn't a berry, but apparently a banana is. 125 00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:10,840 Speaker 1: Don't get me started on the banana. So according to 126 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:14,400 Speaker 1: the Stanford Researcher, tomatoes and bananas are scientifically berries, while 127 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:17,240 Speaker 1: strawberries and raspberries aren't. Sounds like I got you started 128 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:20,279 Speaker 1: on the banana. I mean, my whole world is upside down. 129 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:23,640 Speaker 1: But back to eels. While there are multiple types of 130 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:26,080 Speaker 1: fish that can produce electric charges, did you know that 131 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:29,360 Speaker 1: freshwater fish like the electric eel typically produce electricity at 132 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 1: a higher voltage And it's because they don't have the 133 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:35,960 Speaker 1: advantage of salt water, which conducts electricity more effectively. So 134 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:39,120 Speaker 1: an electric eel puts out an insanely strong shock. It's 135 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:41,840 Speaker 1: like six hundred volts. That is crazy. So to put 136 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:44,880 Speaker 1: that in perspective, Atlantic torpedo rays can generate shocks of 137 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:47,560 Speaker 1: over two hundred volts, which is enough to power your 138 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:51,080 Speaker 1: microwave at home. So six hundred volts, that's three microwave. 139 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:53,520 Speaker 1: This is such a dumb tangent. But I've read this 140 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:56,479 Speaker 1: profile on Scott Adams, the guy who created Dilbert, and 141 00:06:56,520 --> 00:06:58,920 Speaker 1: he has three microwaves in his kitchen, stacked on top 142 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 1: of one another, and when the writer asked him why, 143 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:02,680 Speaker 1: he said he needs them to make a lot of 144 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:05,520 Speaker 1: popcorn at the same time. You could power all of 145 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:08,080 Speaker 1: that with a single eel. I want to confess that 146 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:10,040 Speaker 1: you've shared that fact with me a week or so ago, 147 00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 1: and I actually set that up because I knew this 148 00:07:12,640 --> 00:07:16,400 Speaker 1: was the perfect three microwave fact. So back to the 149 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:19,760 Speaker 1: knife fish. So we're taking the platypus bill, the shark gel, 150 00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 1: the electric eel's ability to shock this knot out of something. 151 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:25,080 Speaker 1: Maybe we keep that in our super Animals power pack. 152 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:26,680 Speaker 1: I don't know. So I think we're off to a 153 00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:30,600 Speaker 1: strong start, definitely, but we're not done with our supercharged powers. 154 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 1: That may cover our electric powers, but we also need 155 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:35,920 Speaker 1: the ability to harness the powers of Earth's magnetic field. 156 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 1: Have you ever wondered how some animals travel such crazy 157 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:41,000 Speaker 1: long distances but managed to get where they're going with 158 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:43,760 Speaker 1: such accuracy. Yeah, I've always been baffled by this. Yeah, 159 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 1: me too. And before smartphones, I used to get lost 160 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:48,160 Speaker 1: all the time. Like I felt like every time I 161 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:50,720 Speaker 1: tried to navigate my mom anywhere, we'd end up in Scranton, 162 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: and we were never going to Scranton, as anyone ever 163 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 1: going to Scranton. Yes, So it turns out several animals 164 00:07:56,960 --> 00:07:59,640 Speaker 1: have evolved to detect Earth's magnetic field and then use 165 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:03,200 Speaker 1: it to navigate, Like birds are the most obvious with migrations, 166 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:06,240 Speaker 1: but I think about creatures like the monarch butterfly, and 167 00:08:06,240 --> 00:08:08,760 Speaker 1: then there are several species of fish, turtles, and plenty 168 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:11,760 Speaker 1: of others, all using their internal compasses to determine where 169 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:14,000 Speaker 1: they're going. And I think it's funny that even animals 170 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 1: that don't travel long distances, like cows, will frequently be 171 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:19,800 Speaker 1: found standing north to south, and that termites orient their 172 00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:22,600 Speaker 1: mounds in the same way. It's really bizarre, and it's 173 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:25,160 Speaker 1: funny when you look at something like the monarch butterfly, 174 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:27,560 Speaker 1: which has a brain smaller than the head of a pin. 175 00:08:28,120 --> 00:08:31,920 Speaker 1: It's still equipped with an internal compass and timekeeper. Actually 176 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:34,560 Speaker 1: know what the strangest thing I learned researching this. Some 177 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 1: scientists think that many bird species are even capable of 178 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:41,040 Speaker 1: seeing the Earth's magnetic field. Well, I'm glad you mentioned birds, 179 00:08:41,080 --> 00:08:43,240 Speaker 1: because there's actually a migrating bird that I think we 180 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:46,040 Speaker 1: should use for where we get our magnetic field detection 181 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:48,600 Speaker 1: sense from? Which bird is that? Well, there are lots 182 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:51,000 Speaker 1: of birds that make really impressive flights each year, but 183 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:55,080 Speaker 1: I'm thinking of the bar tailed godwit. So I have 184 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:57,640 Speaker 1: to admit I don't know anything about the bar tailed 185 00:08:57,720 --> 00:09:00,679 Speaker 1: god with Yeah, it takes a big man to admit that, 186 00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:03,599 Speaker 1: Thank you, um. But listen to this. The god what 187 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:07,080 Speaker 1: actually flies from Alaska to New Zealand every single year. 188 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:10,960 Speaker 1: Alaska to New Zealand. That is not possible. Well believe it. 189 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:13,680 Speaker 1: The trip is over seven thousand miles long, or since 190 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:16,719 Speaker 1: we're measuring things in microwaves, that's about fourteen point eight 191 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:20,679 Speaker 1: billion microwaves pent. And that's good science right there. It's 192 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:24,240 Speaker 1: the longest NonStop flight observed among birds. So that is 193 00:09:24,280 --> 00:09:26,720 Speaker 1: such a crazy long trip. I just can't even wrap 194 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:28,800 Speaker 1: my head around that. So, yeah, this is definitely the 195 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:31,760 Speaker 1: bird we want to borrow magnetic detection powers from. Yeah, 196 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:34,440 Speaker 1: I'm glad we agree on that. So anything else before 197 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:36,240 Speaker 1: we get to things like the best weapons and the 198 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:39,439 Speaker 1: scariest features and immortality, well, I think we should probably 199 00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:41,600 Speaker 1: create an animal that has the ability to sense when 200 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 1: danger is nearby or something's going on around it, like 201 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:48,400 Speaker 1: a spidy sense exactly. So spiders have this amazingly fine 202 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 1: tuned sense of touch that helps them know what's happening 203 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:54,079 Speaker 1: all over their web. So when something, even a tiny something, 204 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:57,000 Speaker 1: touches the web, a single hair on that spider could 205 00:09:57,000 --> 00:09:59,960 Speaker 1: detect the smallest vibration. I like that. There's even a 206 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:02,679 Speaker 1: certain type of vibration that allows a female spider to 207 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:05,160 Speaker 1: know that the suitor has arrived, and she can send 208 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:07,320 Speaker 1: a certain jiggle back to him to let him know 209 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:09,800 Speaker 1: it's time for one of those upside down spider kisses, 210 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:12,840 Speaker 1: you know, like from the Toby McGuire Kirsten Dun's version 211 00:10:12,840 --> 00:10:16,080 Speaker 1: of Spider Man. The jiggle. I like that, but I 212 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:17,560 Speaker 1: think I want to put in a vote for a 213 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:19,880 Speaker 1: different creature for best spidy Sense. Even though it's not 214 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:22,840 Speaker 1: a spider, and what's that the alligator. So this is 215 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:25,280 Speaker 1: something I didn't know before reading up for this episode, 216 00:10:25,559 --> 00:10:28,400 Speaker 1: but alligators have these tiny black dots all over their 217 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:31,600 Speaker 1: faces and especially around their jaws, and really only in 218 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:34,040 Speaker 1: the past couple of decades of researchers started to better 219 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:37,520 Speaker 1: understand what these things are. They're these little receptors that 220 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:40,000 Speaker 1: helped the alligator sense movement from the other things in 221 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:43,120 Speaker 1: the water. That's so crazy. I always assume that they 222 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:46,080 Speaker 1: were just freckles or blemishes, but now that you mention it, 223 00:10:46,120 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 1: with those receptors being around the jaw, it kind of 224 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:51,800 Speaker 1: explains why we see alligators floating with just a little 225 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:54,079 Speaker 1: of their mouths above the water. That's right. So these 226 00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:57,400 Speaker 1: receptors helped them detect even the smallest disturbances in the water, 227 00:10:57,840 --> 00:11:00,360 Speaker 1: and they also helped the alligator know where the sermons 228 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:03,600 Speaker 1: has came from. That's so weird. While you're processing just 229 00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:05,959 Speaker 1: how crazy alligator receptors are, why don't we take a 230 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:14,280 Speaker 1: break for a quiz. So our guest today is the 231 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:17,200 Speaker 1: host of one of our favorite YouTube channels, The Brain Scoop, 232 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 1: which is hosted at the Field Museum in Chicago. And 233 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:21,800 Speaker 1: it just made too much sense to have her on 234 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:24,960 Speaker 1: today because she's taught us so much about crazy, cool animals. 235 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:28,760 Speaker 1: Emily Grasslely, Welcome to Part Time Genius. Hey, thank you 236 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:31,080 Speaker 1: for having me so Emily, I think you have one 237 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 1: of my favorite job titles. You're the Chief Curiosity Correspondent 238 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:36,680 Speaker 1: at the Field Museum, which kind of sounds like you 239 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:39,000 Speaker 1: just get to sit around and ponder things. But so, 240 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:42,080 Speaker 1: so what exactly does this mean? Yeah, so, you know 241 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:45,880 Speaker 1: I love my job title. Um, and it's my primary 242 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:48,160 Speaker 1: role at the museum, of course, is you know, writing 243 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:53,280 Speaker 1: and producing and hosting these educational YouTube videos about natural 244 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:56,720 Speaker 1: history and the work and research of the Field Museum. 245 00:11:56,800 --> 00:11:59,320 Speaker 1: But really, you know, it is kind of my job 246 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:03,000 Speaker 1: to how to around the museum and find topical stories 247 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:06,880 Speaker 1: of of interest and to help shape those science stories 248 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:08,600 Speaker 1: and in any kind of way that I can. So 249 00:12:08,679 --> 00:12:10,760 Speaker 1: I do a lot of public speaking and a lot 250 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:14,480 Speaker 1: of outreach and a lot of community engagement type things 251 00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:18,760 Speaker 1: for the Field Museum. And yeah, I mean I'm usually 252 00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:26,960 Speaker 1: there corresponding my curiosities, which is so great. So this episode, 253 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:29,760 Speaker 1: we're combining the real abilities of real animals to build 254 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:32,800 Speaker 1: this ultimate animal superhero and we wanted to hear if 255 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:35,240 Speaker 1: you have any favorite animal skills or talents that you 256 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:38,320 Speaker 1: could tell us about. Oh my gosh, so many. I mean, 257 00:12:39,320 --> 00:12:42,400 Speaker 1: you know, like our humans are real strong. Ability is 258 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:46,400 Speaker 1: our brain right like it, We're actually pretty limited in 259 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:50,640 Speaker 1: like physical prowess just innately. Of course, I'm not like 260 00:12:50,679 --> 00:12:54,280 Speaker 1: talking about you know, Olympic athletes. But the one good 261 00:12:54,520 --> 00:12:58,880 Speaker 1: physical trade is that being bipedal and with the respiratory 262 00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 1: system that we have, we can run really long distances, right, 263 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:06,200 Speaker 1: Like we can outrun almost any animal and endurance wise, 264 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:10,839 Speaker 1: but that's about always got going. But you know, like 265 00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:16,040 Speaker 1: we can't breathe underwater without rereading systems to accommodate that. 266 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:19,880 Speaker 1: We can't fly without creating systems and machines to accommodate that. 267 00:13:20,080 --> 00:13:22,280 Speaker 1: So I think it's just like, look at any environment 268 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:25,080 Speaker 1: of the natural world and that it has been colonized 269 00:13:25,880 --> 00:13:30,199 Speaker 1: through evolutionary adaptation for some organism to thrive no matter 270 00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:34,040 Speaker 1: what it is, Like the most hostile environments I'm talking 271 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:37,280 Speaker 1: about like deep sea hydrothermal events, there's still life down there. 272 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:41,559 Speaker 1: Like So so when you're talking about like cool animal adaptations, 273 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:44,440 Speaker 1: it's like you could really like combine them all and 274 00:13:44,520 --> 00:13:48,200 Speaker 1: you would have something that can you know, exist at 275 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:52,480 Speaker 1: high altitude to be able to fly, breathe underwater. It 276 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:54,839 Speaker 1: would be an extreme of file, something that could live 277 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:58,199 Speaker 1: in a hydrothermal vent area. It would be able to 278 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:02,640 Speaker 1: eat almost anything, did anything around. It lives forever. You know, 279 00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:06,000 Speaker 1: Like there's just like so many cool different animal adaptations. 280 00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:07,439 Speaker 1: I don't know if I could pick what I think. 281 00:14:07,520 --> 00:14:09,440 Speaker 1: I think she's gonna I think she's gonna like this, 282 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:12,360 Speaker 1: uh this episode. Are there any favorite animals that you've 283 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:14,560 Speaker 1: been studying recently? They're is just a group that I 284 00:14:14,679 --> 00:14:17,600 Speaker 1: just learned about that is blowing my mind. These are 285 00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:23,360 Speaker 1: called uh solifuges or camel spiders, and they're arachnids. They're 286 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:26,240 Speaker 1: not spiders, but they are arachnids. They're in that group. 287 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:30,520 Speaker 1: Um they're they're not scorpions, they're not spiders. But I 288 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:33,440 Speaker 1: was recently talking to an expert who works on this 289 00:14:33,480 --> 00:14:37,320 Speaker 1: group describing new species, and she described them herself as 290 00:14:37,560 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 1: the spawn of Satan. Look it's because how you know, 291 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:46,560 Speaker 1: really how they look. So they're they're pretty small. Actually 292 00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:49,240 Speaker 1: they're you know, six to eight inches. They're not huge, 293 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:52,600 Speaker 1: but they have these huge, fleshy like maggot like abdomens. 294 00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:57,280 Speaker 1: But these things can run super fast, and they are nocturnal, 295 00:14:57,520 --> 00:15:01,120 Speaker 1: so they are only active at night and they're usually 296 00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:04,160 Speaker 1: found in desert like environments, so if they're active in 297 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:06,480 Speaker 1: the day, they don't want to be in the sun, 298 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:09,520 Speaker 1: And so they will chase after people now because they 299 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:12,360 Speaker 1: want to attack person. They're like chasing you for your shadow. 300 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:15,080 Speaker 1: So people will see these and they'll see it coming 301 00:15:15,120 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 1: at them and they'll try to run away and it'll 302 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:19,080 Speaker 1: just keep coming and they're like, what is it trying 303 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:22,600 Speaker 1: to do? But they also have their jaws are super interesting. 304 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:25,280 Speaker 1: It's like two lobster claws on the front of their 305 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:29,600 Speaker 1: face and they independently move. So like, these things are 306 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:33,840 Speaker 1: pretty pretty amazing. They're pretty terrifying, and they're just really 307 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:36,480 Speaker 1: cool little creatures. I think we should have included this 308 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:38,640 Speaker 1: in the the episode. I'm glad you've added this to it. 309 00:15:38,760 --> 00:15:41,040 Speaker 1: This is this will be good superpowers to add to it. 310 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:43,440 Speaker 1: So back in April, you were the keynote speaker at 311 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:46,000 Speaker 1: the March for Science in Chicago, and we were just 312 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:50,280 Speaker 1: curious what the experience was like. Oh my gosh, um, 313 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:54,760 Speaker 1: one of the most simultaneously like gratifying and terrifying experiences 314 00:15:54,800 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 1: of my life, you know, because like I I'd never 315 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:03,680 Speaker 1: obviously been in front of that many people before. You know, 316 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:07,600 Speaker 1: I do public speaking, but it's in like bite sized doses, right, 317 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:09,920 Speaker 1: It's like a it's a college class here and a 318 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:13,360 Speaker 1: science communications event there. And I don't think before then 319 00:16:13,400 --> 00:16:15,720 Speaker 1: I'd ever really talked to more than a thousand people. 320 00:16:15,920 --> 00:16:19,440 Speaker 1: And that's a pretty big audience. But there were more 321 00:16:19,480 --> 00:16:22,200 Speaker 1: people at the March for Science in Chicago than in 322 00:16:22,240 --> 00:16:24,760 Speaker 1: the town that I grew up in, you know, like 323 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:29,280 Speaker 1: a larger population in a couple of square blocks city 324 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:33,000 Speaker 1: blocks than in rapid city South Dakota. And so to 325 00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:35,600 Speaker 1: stand up there and to deliver this speech that I 326 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:40,440 Speaker 1: felt pretty emotional about about taking ownership and pursuing curiosity, 327 00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:43,800 Speaker 1: and then for the audience to just be so warm 328 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:46,720 Speaker 1: and so receptive and like you could even pin drop right, 329 00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:50,520 Speaker 1: I mean, there wasn't there wasn't like heckling or you know, 330 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:53,320 Speaker 1: it was just like such a warm, inviting environment. I 331 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:56,960 Speaker 1: found it to be really inspiring personally, um to see 332 00:16:57,040 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 1: so many people there in supportive science. It was it 333 00:16:59,880 --> 00:17:03,000 Speaker 1: was awesome. That's great. Well, something almost as inspiring, I 334 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:05,120 Speaker 1: think is this quiz that you're about to play with us, 335 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:08,679 Speaker 1: So we we appreciate having you on. So what's the 336 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:11,240 Speaker 1: quiz we're gonna be playing today, Mango? Because Emily knows 337 00:17:11,280 --> 00:17:13,479 Speaker 1: too much about real animals, we thought we'd give her 338 00:17:13,520 --> 00:17:16,960 Speaker 1: one about fictional animals. So this one's about fictional bears. 339 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:20,600 Speaker 1: That's right. So all the answers have the word bear 340 00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:22,840 Speaker 1: in it, and we're trying to get Emily to say 341 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:28,440 Speaker 1: as many correct fictional bear names in thirty seconds as possible. Emily, 342 00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:32,640 Speaker 1: are you ready? Oh my gosh, um I gain. We're 343 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:35,800 Speaker 1: going to prompt you. Don't worry. I'll tell you a 344 00:17:36,280 --> 00:17:37,920 Speaker 1: We'll give you a clue and you have to tell 345 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:40,600 Speaker 1: us the name. So Mango, you got the time? You're ready? 346 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:44,560 Speaker 1: All right? Here we go. Number one Bear who's good 347 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:49,880 Speaker 1: at putting out forest fires. Bear, that's right. Bear who 348 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:53,480 Speaker 1: hangs with Christopher Robin and eats lots of honey. Bear 349 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:59,360 Speaker 1: known for stealing picnic baskets. Comedian Bear from the Muppets. 350 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:03,639 Speaker 1: His catch for is his waka waka. Oh geez, I 351 00:18:03,720 --> 00:18:07,680 Speaker 1: know him. I can't think of this one. That's okay, 352 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:12,520 Speaker 1: Bear who hails from Darkness, Peru and loves Marmalade. Oh 353 00:18:12,600 --> 00:18:15,800 Speaker 1: my gosh, I have no clue that would be Paddington's 354 00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:21,680 Speaker 1: all right sidekick to Picnic Baskets. But she did pretty well. 355 00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:23,879 Speaker 1: And I think she probably knew Fozzy right at the 356 00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:26,159 Speaker 1: comedian bear from the Muppets. I think we should. Probably 357 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:28,520 Speaker 1: it was in your brain. It just wasn't there right now. 358 00:18:28,720 --> 00:18:32,960 Speaker 1: So yeah, I was thinking of us and that's not 359 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:38,439 Speaker 1: a bear? What scientific order you would put that one in? 360 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:42,440 Speaker 1: Speaking of animals with superpowers? Yeah, So, how did Emily 361 00:18:42,480 --> 00:18:45,560 Speaker 1: do today? Mango? Emily got four right, which wins her 362 00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:53,359 Speaker 1: the grand prize of our endless admiration. Congratulations on that 363 00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:57,360 Speaker 1: or absolutely well. Everybody should be sure to check out 364 00:18:57,400 --> 00:19:00,479 Speaker 1: Emily's delightful YouTube show, The Brain, Scoop and the Grassy. 365 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:02,520 Speaker 1: Thanks so much for joining us on Part Time Genius. 366 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:19,000 Speaker 1: Oh thanks for having me. Welcome back to Part Time 367 00:19:19,080 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 1: Genius or PTG. As I hear people are starting to 368 00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 1: call it. So, we're talking about creating the ultimate animal 369 00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:28,880 Speaker 1: superhero using actual traits and abilities of real animals. Now 370 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:31,560 Speaker 1: so far, this animal is part platypus for its forty 371 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:35,520 Speaker 1: thou electro sensors, part electric eel for its crazy high 372 00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:39,040 Speaker 1: voltage shock, part bar tailed godwod, which I did not 373 00:19:39,119 --> 00:19:42,040 Speaker 1: know about, for its ability to see the Earth's magnetic 374 00:19:42,119 --> 00:19:46,440 Speaker 1: field and it's insanely long annual migration, and part alligator 375 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:49,240 Speaker 1: for its thousands of tiny pressure receptors which give this 376 00:19:49,359 --> 00:19:51,800 Speaker 1: sort of a spiky sense of what's happening around it. 377 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:55,040 Speaker 1: I have such a clear picture of this hybrid animal. Yeah, 378 00:19:55,320 --> 00:19:56,960 Speaker 1: I think we're doing a good job so far, but 379 00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 1: our creation definitely needs some more amazing abilities. So what 380 00:19:59,560 --> 00:20:01,600 Speaker 1: do you think we should add next? Maybe we should 381 00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:04,040 Speaker 1: sprinkle in some X ray vision. All right, Well, that 382 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:06,320 Speaker 1: would definitely be cool, But we're talking about real animal 383 00:20:06,359 --> 00:20:08,680 Speaker 1: traits here. You can't just say stuff that sounds cool. 384 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:11,320 Speaker 1: I know, and I know what I'm about to say 385 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:14,520 Speaker 1: isn't technically X ray vision. But dolphins have this thing 386 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:16,680 Speaker 1: that's about as close to it as you can get, 387 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:19,719 Speaker 1: with their echolocation system. Okay, right, right, So when an 388 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:23,000 Speaker 1: animal uses echolocation, they're sending out pulses of sound and 389 00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:25,760 Speaker 1: then the sound bounces back as an echo. They use 390 00:20:25,840 --> 00:20:28,800 Speaker 1: that information to understand the objects around them exactly. But 391 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:32,919 Speaker 1: dolphins are insanely good at this, Like in ratsing mice giggle. 392 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:35,199 Speaker 1: The author's described this ability. Let me just read this 393 00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:38,320 Speaker 1: paragraph for you. Dolphins are able to discriminate between two 394 00:20:38,320 --> 00:20:40,520 Speaker 1: metal discs place in front of them, in which the 395 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:42,639 Speaker 1: only difference is the texture on the surface of the 396 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:45,600 Speaker 1: backside the sign opposite to the surface that the dolphin 397 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:50,240 Speaker 1: is scanning with its echolocation pulse. Disability to detect internal 398 00:20:50,280 --> 00:20:53,879 Speaker 1: structure is simply mind boggling. It's more like Superman's X 399 00:20:53,960 --> 00:20:57,560 Speaker 1: ray vision underwater. In fact, an echolocating dolphin can detect 400 00:20:57,560 --> 00:21:01,480 Speaker 1: a one inch object from over two away. Oh wow, Yeah, 401 00:21:01,520 --> 00:21:03,840 Speaker 1: that really is crazy. So we need some dolphin X 402 00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:06,840 Speaker 1: revision for sure. And I want to apologize for doubting 403 00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:08,960 Speaker 1: you on that one. Hey I doubted it too, but 404 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:11,560 Speaker 1: now I'm a believer. Okay, So what treat do you 405 00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:13,439 Speaker 1: want to add next? All right, So, no doubt. When 406 00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:16,240 Speaker 1: we create our animal superhero and it decides to save 407 00:21:16,280 --> 00:21:20,080 Speaker 1: the day despite all its other crazy abilities, it'll probably 408 00:21:20,119 --> 00:21:22,679 Speaker 1: face injury from time to time. So I think we 409 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:25,639 Speaker 1: need the ability to regenerate post injury. So when I 410 00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:29,439 Speaker 1: say regeneration, what animal comes to mind. The starfish, of course. 411 00:21:29,560 --> 00:21:32,800 Speaker 1: I mean they can regrow pretty significant chunks of their body. Yep, 412 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:34,920 Speaker 1: that's one of the things that always comes to mind, 413 00:21:35,280 --> 00:21:38,080 Speaker 1: and it's obviously moderately impressive, but it's not the one 414 00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:41,639 Speaker 1: I'm thinking of. I'm thinking about the salamander. What just 415 00:21:41,680 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 1: because they can regrow their tails, yeah, but it's even 416 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:46,400 Speaker 1: more than that. Not only are they capable of regenerating 417 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:49,400 Speaker 1: their tails and their retinas and intestines, what they can 418 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:51,960 Speaker 1: regrow their intestines. Yeah, and it's so much more impressive 419 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:55,840 Speaker 1: than that. So when neuroscientists removed to salamander's brain, ground 420 00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:57,760 Speaker 1: it up, and then returned it to its normal spot 421 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:00,919 Speaker 1: in the brain cavity, the salamander is able to return 422 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:04,680 Speaker 1: to pretty normal function and relatively short order. Good god, 423 00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:07,679 Speaker 1: I mean, first of all, what the hell signed to like? 424 00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:09,760 Speaker 1: That doesn't seem like it should be an experiment? And 425 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:12,760 Speaker 1: also one again, I know it's crazy, and so it's 426 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:15,560 Speaker 1: weird to imagine scientists just the sitting around deciding, like, 427 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:16,680 Speaker 1: you know, what I want to do with the new 428 00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:20,919 Speaker 1: office blender. So it's pretty gross. Yeah alright, well, I 429 00:22:20,920 --> 00:22:23,240 Speaker 1: guess the ability to regrow brain is way better for 430 00:22:23,280 --> 00:22:26,040 Speaker 1: a superhero animal than having to wear a helmet. But 431 00:22:26,480 --> 00:22:28,840 Speaker 1: staying on the gross track. I'd like our critter to 432 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:31,119 Speaker 1: be able to look and act scary, to hopefully avoid 433 00:22:31,160 --> 00:22:34,159 Speaker 1: real battle whenever possible, and you know, just get the 434 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:37,360 Speaker 1: job done with intimidation. And I've got two really good 435 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:39,680 Speaker 1: ones for this, the kind of scare tactics that will 436 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:43,400 Speaker 1: leave a foe saying, Okay, the superhero is clearly not stable, 437 00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:45,480 Speaker 1: so I think I'll just move on, all right. I 438 00:22:45,480 --> 00:22:47,720 Speaker 1: can't wait to hear these. So the first is the 439 00:22:47,720 --> 00:22:50,520 Speaker 1: hairy frog. First, I just like the name Harry Frog. 440 00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:52,879 Speaker 1: But you know what it does when it feels like 441 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:56,160 Speaker 1: it's in danger. It breaks its own bones, which then 442 00:22:56,240 --> 00:22:59,000 Speaker 1: stick through its skin making cloths. I mean, this is 443 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:01,960 Speaker 1: like Wolverine. It's so much more insane. Good God, that's 444 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:04,080 Speaker 1: definitely crazy. I mean it seems like that should do 445 00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:06,199 Speaker 1: the trick right there, but I guess go ahead and 446 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:07,919 Speaker 1: tell me the other one. The other one also has 447 00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:10,840 Speaker 1: a great name, the Texas Horned Lizard, and it's just 448 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:13,680 Speaker 1: as crazy. So if one of these feels threatened, it 449 00:23:13,760 --> 00:23:16,800 Speaker 1: can actually shoot this tight stream of blood right out 450 00:23:16,800 --> 00:23:19,399 Speaker 1: of its eye. And we're not talking just a little squirt, 451 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:22,440 Speaker 1: We're talking more than six ft and the blood contains 452 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:25,560 Speaker 1: this chemical that has this horrible taste which makes predators 453 00:23:25,640 --> 00:23:28,400 Speaker 1: just want to get out of there. It's called auto hemorrhaging. 454 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:31,160 Speaker 1: By the way, Wow, those are both so gross. Swell 455 00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:33,720 Speaker 1: done on that. So the hairy frog and the Texas 456 00:23:33,760 --> 00:23:37,000 Speaker 1: horned lizard, and both of those seemed like really necessary skills, 457 00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:39,040 Speaker 1: I have to say, so hopefully they don't have to 458 00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:41,680 Speaker 1: be put to use that often. So you know something 459 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:43,560 Speaker 1: we need to keep in mind, though, is that all 460 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:46,679 Speaker 1: the popular superhero movies always show the hero as a 461 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:49,480 Speaker 1: good lover too, Right, so we need to make sure 462 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:52,680 Speaker 1: that our creation knows how to woo its lover. That's 463 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:54,919 Speaker 1: a pretty good point. We definitely want our hero to 464 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:57,280 Speaker 1: have a healthy dating life. So what animal are you 465 00:23:57,280 --> 00:23:59,480 Speaker 1: thinking about? Well, it just so happens I have the 466 00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:02,600 Speaker 1: perfect reacher, and it also happens to be the loudest 467 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:04,879 Speaker 1: animal on earth, at least relative to its size. Well 468 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:07,320 Speaker 1: that doesn't sound that sexy. Oh just wait, So have 469 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:10,199 Speaker 1: you ever heard of the water boatman? Never? Well, the 470 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:13,520 Speaker 1: water boatman also known as the Singing penis bug. I 471 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:15,920 Speaker 1: definitely haven't heard of that. I'm pretty sure I would 472 00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:18,000 Speaker 1: have remember that name. Well, let me introduce it to. 473 00:24:18,119 --> 00:24:20,240 Speaker 1: So this little critter just hangs out at the bottom 474 00:24:20,240 --> 00:24:22,840 Speaker 1: of the river and produces a love song that's as 475 00:24:22,880 --> 00:24:26,480 Speaker 1: loud as an orchestra. We're talking a hundred decibels and 476 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:28,480 Speaker 1: this thing is only about the size of a grain 477 00:24:28,520 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 1: of rice. Wait, it's penis is. I don't understand why 478 00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:34,200 Speaker 1: it's called a penis bug. Mango, quit saying penis so much, 479 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:37,000 Speaker 1: But it's called that because the water boatman sings by 480 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:40,000 Speaker 1: rubbing its penis along its abdomen, you know, the old 481 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:42,840 Speaker 1: washboard app move. And it's so loud that you can 482 00:24:42,880 --> 00:24:45,080 Speaker 1: hear this from the bank of a river. So think 483 00:24:45,119 --> 00:24:46,840 Speaker 1: about how loud that has to be. You know, when 484 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:49,240 Speaker 1: used to go underwater as a kid and scream things 485 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:51,880 Speaker 1: to see if another person could hear what you were saying, Well, 486 00:24:51,880 --> 00:24:54,520 Speaker 1: screaming at the top of your lungs, you couldn't possibly 487 00:24:54,520 --> 00:24:56,960 Speaker 1: get someone standing outside the water to hear you. It's 488 00:24:57,040 --> 00:25:00,240 Speaker 1: that loud. High need a minute to recover. Maybe you 489 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:05,840 Speaker 1: should break for a quiz. I agree, so Ango. I 490 00:25:05,840 --> 00:25:09,120 Speaker 1: know our show today is about creating the ultimate animal superhero, 491 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:12,760 Speaker 1: combining the real abilities of lots of different animals. But 492 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:14,920 Speaker 1: for today's quiz, I thought we talked to two people 493 00:25:14,960 --> 00:25:20,840 Speaker 1: who handle a wonderful animal that really doesn't need much improvement. Dogs. Yeah, 494 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:23,440 Speaker 1: we've got two incredible dog handlers on the line. We've 495 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:27,520 Speaker 1: got Julie from New York City and Mark Colleen from Alexander, Virginia. 496 00:25:27,720 --> 00:25:30,600 Speaker 1: So Julie, let's start with you. We're thrilled to have 497 00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:32,879 Speaker 1: you on. I know you're a very serious dog walker 498 00:25:32,920 --> 00:25:36,200 Speaker 1: in the city, and I'm curious to know, like, what's 499 00:25:36,200 --> 00:25:38,879 Speaker 1: been the most bizarre experience for you as a dog 500 00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:42,600 Speaker 1: walker in New York City. Yeah, it's a great time 501 00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:44,600 Speaker 1: being a dog walker in New York City. And there's 502 00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:47,800 Speaker 1: lots of stories, but one that comes to mind is 503 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:51,280 Speaker 1: it's really hard to get an uber taxi with a 504 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:54,720 Speaker 1: dog during rush hour. And it was stead of winter 505 00:25:54,880 --> 00:25:59,080 Speaker 1: one time, and um, we all the ubers and taxis 506 00:25:59,119 --> 00:26:01,080 Speaker 1: were stopping the and they would see I had a 507 00:26:01,080 --> 00:26:03,679 Speaker 1: French bulldog with me and they would say, no, I 508 00:26:03,680 --> 00:26:06,560 Speaker 1: don't take dogs in my car. So finally, after a 509 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:10,560 Speaker 1: like half hour in the freezing cold standing outside, We've 510 00:26:10,680 --> 00:26:13,439 Speaker 1: finally got an uber that would take us. And I 511 00:26:13,560 --> 00:26:17,520 Speaker 1: was just like, oh, thank goodness, I'm freezing, the dog's cold, blah. 512 00:26:17,560 --> 00:26:20,320 Speaker 1: Blah blah, and we're on our merry way to go 513 00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:24,200 Speaker 1: back to Brooklyn. Two dogs at him, and the dog 514 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:28,879 Speaker 1: starts to fart like crazy and like rolling down the 515 00:26:28,920 --> 00:26:30,960 Speaker 1: windows to kind of air out the car and just 516 00:26:31,200 --> 00:26:35,600 Speaker 1: really that the driver doesn't realize it, and of course 517 00:26:35,640 --> 00:26:39,200 Speaker 1: he realizes it, and he just kind of is so dramatic, 518 00:26:39,320 --> 00:26:47,240 Speaker 1: like bulls over in the middle of Manhattan, and she 519 00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:49,639 Speaker 1: just yells at me and he's like, get out of 520 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:52,080 Speaker 1: my car, get out, And I was like, oh no, 521 00:26:52,680 --> 00:26:59,520 Speaker 1: And I'm just looking at Joey the French bulldog like bloody. Yeah, 522 00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:06,240 Speaker 1: Joey's always causing problems. That that's pretty great. Wow, Well, Mark, 523 00:27:06,280 --> 00:27:07,760 Speaker 1: what about what about for you? I know you're in 524 00:27:07,760 --> 00:27:10,040 Speaker 1: the DC area that have there been any any big 525 00:27:10,040 --> 00:27:13,879 Speaker 1: surprises for you as you've as you've become a dog walker. Yeah, 526 00:27:14,040 --> 00:27:17,240 Speaker 1: you know, I'm originally from Ohio, so I'm more of 527 00:27:17,280 --> 00:27:19,439 Speaker 1: a Midwestern guy. When I first moved down here, I 528 00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:23,320 Speaker 1: was just blown away by the the amount of strollers, 529 00:27:23,560 --> 00:27:25,760 Speaker 1: the amount of dogs and strollers tonight see on a 530 00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:29,199 Speaker 1: daily basis, the dogs actually living the good life. And 531 00:27:29,240 --> 00:27:31,120 Speaker 1: we're all we're all out here trying to work, but 532 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:33,240 Speaker 1: we should all just be little tiny dogs and strollers. 533 00:27:33,240 --> 00:27:37,720 Speaker 1: I could be not a bad life. All right, Well, 534 00:27:37,760 --> 00:27:39,919 Speaker 1: thank you guys again for joining us today. Mango, what 535 00:27:39,960 --> 00:27:42,159 Speaker 1: game do we have them playing today? So this is 536 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:44,720 Speaker 1: a really stupid game. It's called the Most Powerful Quiz 537 00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:47,919 Speaker 1: Ever And basically we used Atlas Obscure to locate some 538 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:50,520 Speaker 1: very punny dog store names across the US and turned 539 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:52,840 Speaker 1: them into quiz answers. All right, we'll shore there are 540 00:27:52,840 --> 00:27:56,480 Speaker 1: lots of wonderful places given penny names like Citizen Canine 541 00:27:56,600 --> 00:27:58,800 Speaker 1: and how to the Chief. So we're going to give 542 00:27:58,840 --> 00:28:00,680 Speaker 1: you some clues to figure the is out and see 543 00:28:00,680 --> 00:28:03,119 Speaker 1: how many you can get. Right, So are you guys ready? 544 00:28:03,560 --> 00:28:06,960 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, alright, So Julie, I'm going to start with you, 545 00:28:07,080 --> 00:28:08,640 Speaker 1: and if you don't know the answer, you can throw 546 00:28:08,640 --> 00:28:10,880 Speaker 1: it to Mark. Remember you guys can work together. So 547 00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:15,240 Speaker 1: here's the first one. Store pund that combines a movie 548 00:28:15,320 --> 00:28:18,520 Speaker 1: about Dorothy and her friends trying to get to the 549 00:28:18,560 --> 00:28:27,320 Speaker 1: Emerald City plus a word for a dog's feet one 550 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:30,840 Speaker 1: for one. Okay, well done, Here we go. Question number two. 551 00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:34,320 Speaker 1: This one's for you, Mark, all right. Store pund that 552 00:28:34,440 --> 00:28:39,440 Speaker 1: combines another word for wolf with a pink Floyd album 553 00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:43,560 Speaker 1: title Okay, bark side of the movie. Yeah, Baron is 554 00:28:43,600 --> 00:28:46,880 Speaker 1: located in Chicago. These guys are so smart. I thought 555 00:28:46,920 --> 00:28:50,120 Speaker 1: these are gonna okay, alright. Question number three, this one's 556 00:28:50,120 --> 00:28:53,200 Speaker 1: coming to you, Julie. Okay, store pund that combines what 557 00:28:53,320 --> 00:28:56,960 Speaker 1: a dog will do at the moon plus a popular 558 00:28:57,040 --> 00:29:00,440 Speaker 1: and affordable hotel chain. So what a dog will do 559 00:29:00,560 --> 00:29:04,280 Speaker 1: at the moon plus a popular and affordable hotel chain. 560 00:29:04,320 --> 00:29:08,200 Speaker 1: This is a hard one. Oh my goodness, how at 561 00:29:08,240 --> 00:29:13,520 Speaker 1: the Oh god, I can't even think of I'm blanking 562 00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:20,520 Speaker 1: on hotel chain all right, m m. I'm trying to 563 00:29:20,520 --> 00:29:26,800 Speaker 1: think myself the rich, the rich, Howilton, But you said 564 00:29:26,800 --> 00:29:35,920 Speaker 1: it was affordable. Unfortunately, we're looking for a holiday in 565 00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:38,280 Speaker 1: I think they deserve a bonus point for that one. 566 00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:42,040 Speaker 1: Well done, Okay. Question number four, we're coming back to you, Mark. Okay, 567 00:29:42,080 --> 00:29:45,880 Speaker 1: here we go. Doggy daycare that's named for the author 568 00:29:45,960 --> 00:29:49,800 Speaker 1: of To the Lighthouse. Although her last name is replaced 569 00:29:49,840 --> 00:29:53,800 Speaker 1: with a word for bark, her first name is the 570 00:29:53,840 --> 00:29:57,880 Speaker 1: state that you live in. It's got to be Virginia. 571 00:29:58,440 --> 00:30:00,840 Speaker 1: I hope ye. I'm gonna toss this one back to 572 00:30:00,920 --> 00:30:03,920 Speaker 1: Jewels here. I you know, I don't really. Yes, so 573 00:30:05,120 --> 00:30:10,000 Speaker 1: Virginia say that again. Yes, Virginia Woolf. Here we go. 574 00:30:10,120 --> 00:30:12,840 Speaker 1: Last question. You guys can this is a really this 575 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:15,320 Speaker 1: is terrible, so you guys can work together if anybody 576 00:30:15,320 --> 00:30:18,280 Speaker 1: knows this one? Alright? Question number five? Last one. This 577 00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:21,640 Speaker 1: pet styling Place has not one but two puns in 578 00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:24,720 Speaker 1: its title. The first part of the name combines a 579 00:30:24,800 --> 00:30:29,320 Speaker 1: Harrison Ford archaeologist character with a thing dogs like to 580 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:32,880 Speaker 1: chew on, and the second part refers to a holy 581 00:30:32,920 --> 00:30:37,000 Speaker 1: place he visits in the second movie, combined with another 582 00:30:37,080 --> 00:30:40,240 Speaker 1: word for styling. Oh my god, man, go this is horrible. Okay, 583 00:30:40,280 --> 00:30:42,080 Speaker 1: all right, so let's see if we can figure out 584 00:30:42,120 --> 00:30:47,400 Speaker 1: the character's name. So it's actually got it? Okay, let's 585 00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:49,680 Speaker 1: hear it. I feel I feel pretty good about it. 586 00:30:49,720 --> 00:30:53,640 Speaker 1: I'm probably certainly you're you're hinting at Indiana Bones and 587 00:30:53,720 --> 00:31:02,240 Speaker 1: the Temple of Groom is unbelievable, and there's one located 588 00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:08,600 Speaker 1: in Simi Valley, California that is so impressive. Mark. Well, 589 00:31:08,640 --> 00:31:11,240 Speaker 1: let's let's let's tell them what they've won. Mango. Yeah, 590 00:31:11,400 --> 00:31:14,400 Speaker 1: so Julian Mark combined for a total of five points, 591 00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:17,000 Speaker 1: which wins them handwritten notes to their mom or Boss 592 00:31:17,080 --> 00:31:20,120 Speaker 1: from us singing their praises, and this week we're also 593 00:31:20,120 --> 00:31:23,080 Speaker 1: going to send you a Mr. Tuniverse to doll, which 594 00:31:23,120 --> 00:31:26,600 Speaker 1: is the world's Squeakiest strong Man Doll from bark Box. Wow. Well, 595 00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:28,960 Speaker 1: congratulations guys, and thank you guys so much for being 596 00:31:29,000 --> 00:31:46,680 Speaker 1: on part time Genius. Thanks, thank you, thank you. Okay, 597 00:31:46,720 --> 00:31:48,880 Speaker 1: so before the quiz, we had just added some pretty 598 00:31:48,920 --> 00:31:51,920 Speaker 1: incredible skills to our superhero animal. I mean, the ability 599 00:31:51,960 --> 00:31:54,240 Speaker 1: to scare predators with the powers of the Hairy Frog 600 00:31:54,360 --> 00:31:58,040 Speaker 1: and the Texas Horned Lizard while having the serenading skills 601 00:31:58,040 --> 00:32:01,320 Speaker 1: of the water Boatman. Those make a pretty unbeatable combination. 602 00:32:01,720 --> 00:32:03,719 Speaker 1: But we need to bring it all together with a 603 00:32:03,760 --> 00:32:06,640 Speaker 1: few other amazing qualities. We've got to have a good weapon, 604 00:32:07,040 --> 00:32:09,560 Speaker 1: not just any weapons, the kind that makes our foes 605 00:32:09,560 --> 00:32:12,400 Speaker 1: say do what. Wait, we want them to say do what. 606 00:32:13,040 --> 00:32:16,680 Speaker 1: That means they're super surprised and confused and possibly scared. Okay, 607 00:32:16,680 --> 00:32:18,480 Speaker 1: all right, well, let's talk about something that can make 608 00:32:18,480 --> 00:32:21,080 Speaker 1: a foes say do what? So what weapon do you 609 00:32:21,120 --> 00:32:22,840 Speaker 1: think we should add? Well, do you know about the 610 00:32:22,880 --> 00:32:24,800 Speaker 1: pistol shrimp? Oh that's a good one, so tell me 611 00:32:24,840 --> 00:32:28,080 Speaker 1: more So. An article from wired called pistol shrimp the 612 00:32:28,120 --> 00:32:31,120 Speaker 1: greatest real life gun slingers, and that's because they have 613 00:32:31,160 --> 00:32:33,480 Speaker 1: the ability to shoot these bubble bullets out of a 614 00:32:33,560 --> 00:32:36,680 Speaker 1: huge claw. And it's loud too. So if you consider 615 00:32:36,720 --> 00:32:39,440 Speaker 1: that the average gun produces a shot that's about hundred 616 00:32:39,480 --> 00:32:44,400 Speaker 1: fifty decibels, well, this shrimp fires an insanely loud decibls. 617 00:32:44,560 --> 00:32:47,960 Speaker 1: Holy cow, how does that happen? Well, they have two claws, 618 00:32:48,040 --> 00:32:50,480 Speaker 1: but as I mentioned, one of them is enormous, up 619 00:32:50,480 --> 00:32:53,160 Speaker 1: to half their body limb. And inside the bigger claw 620 00:32:53,320 --> 00:32:56,960 Speaker 1: is this crazy muscle system that builds tension, and when 621 00:32:56,960 --> 00:33:00,840 Speaker 1: it's closer, muscle contracts. A tiny plunger slams down into 622 00:33:00,840 --> 00:33:04,120 Speaker 1: the socket of this claw, and that's when the magic happens. 623 00:33:04,160 --> 00:33:06,800 Speaker 1: Like water comes jetting out at over a hundred miles 624 00:33:06,840 --> 00:33:10,280 Speaker 1: per hour. Yeah, and in this explosion, these water bubbles 625 00:33:10,280 --> 00:33:13,200 Speaker 1: swell and then collapse, and that's where the sound comes from. 626 00:33:13,400 --> 00:33:15,920 Speaker 1: But what's crazier than the sound is that the collapsing 627 00:33:15,960 --> 00:33:20,080 Speaker 1: of this bubble, it creates temperatures of eight thousand degrees fahrenheit. Wow. 628 00:33:20,120 --> 00:33:22,040 Speaker 1: I didn't know that, but that is incredible. So I 629 00:33:22,080 --> 00:33:23,880 Speaker 1: was going to put a vote in for the bullet ant, 630 00:33:23,880 --> 00:33:26,800 Speaker 1: which is also a pretty incredible creature. So, according to 631 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:29,960 Speaker 1: entomologist Justin Schmidt, who's been bitten by over a hundred 632 00:33:30,040 --> 00:33:33,320 Speaker 1: and fifty venomous animals, a hundred and fifty, I don't 633 00:33:33,360 --> 00:33:35,840 Speaker 1: want to be anywhere near this guy. So this thing 634 00:33:35,960 --> 00:33:38,080 Speaker 1: is so bad that it feels like you've been shot 635 00:33:38,120 --> 00:33:40,640 Speaker 1: by a gun. So Schmidt called it the worst pain 636 00:33:40,760 --> 00:33:44,040 Speaker 1: known to man. But for sheer coolness, it's pretty tough 637 00:33:44,080 --> 00:33:46,080 Speaker 1: to argue with a water bullet shot from a claw 638 00:33:46,200 --> 00:33:49,120 Speaker 1: that blast temperatures of eight thousand degrees, So we'll go 639 00:33:49,160 --> 00:33:51,400 Speaker 1: with that one. But I would just add that the 640 00:33:51,440 --> 00:33:53,880 Speaker 1: fearlessness of the honey badger is something that we should 641 00:33:53,920 --> 00:33:56,320 Speaker 1: probably consider as well. It's an animal that I feel 642 00:33:56,320 --> 00:33:58,000 Speaker 1: like it's gotten a lot of attention in the past 643 00:33:58,040 --> 00:34:00,840 Speaker 1: decade or so, but for good reason. So the Guinness 644 00:34:00,840 --> 00:34:03,840 Speaker 1: Book described the savannah dwelling relative of the weasel as 645 00:34:03,880 --> 00:34:07,560 Speaker 1: the world's most fearless animal, and in an Esquire article 646 00:34:07,560 --> 00:34:09,720 Speaker 1: I was reading, I saw them described as a tiny 647 00:34:09,760 --> 00:34:12,239 Speaker 1: skunk or from the front, like a tiny bear wearing 648 00:34:12,239 --> 00:34:15,560 Speaker 1: an old man's tuppee. I mean, I know that sounds 649 00:34:15,640 --> 00:34:17,800 Speaker 1: kind of funny, but these things have been witness chasing 650 00:34:17,800 --> 00:34:21,400 Speaker 1: off lions and eating cobras. They're not afraid of anything. 651 00:34:21,719 --> 00:34:23,480 Speaker 1: I mean, you kind of have to be fearless to 652 00:34:23,480 --> 00:34:26,359 Speaker 1: pull off a tupee in the savannah. That's a good point. Also, 653 00:34:26,400 --> 00:34:28,400 Speaker 1: can I just point out that the description sounds like 654 00:34:28,400 --> 00:34:31,080 Speaker 1: a bad definition of a mullet toupe in the front, 655 00:34:31,120 --> 00:34:34,080 Speaker 1: tiny skunk in the back. So perhaps we need a 656 00:34:34,080 --> 00:34:36,399 Speaker 1: little more self control than the honey badger. But when 657 00:34:36,400 --> 00:34:39,279 Speaker 1: aggression is necessary, you definitely don't want to mess with 658 00:34:39,320 --> 00:34:42,399 Speaker 1: this one. Okay, agreed? And also I really do love 659 00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:44,399 Speaker 1: that this fearsome creature of ours is going to wear 660 00:34:44,400 --> 00:34:47,279 Speaker 1: a two pet. But finally, I feel like we need 661 00:34:47,320 --> 00:34:50,440 Speaker 1: to wrap up with mere immortality, like we need to 662 00:34:50,520 --> 00:34:53,759 Speaker 1: know this creature is built to be indestructible. We talked 663 00:34:53,800 --> 00:34:55,719 Speaker 1: about naked mole rats at the beginning of the show, 664 00:34:55,760 --> 00:34:57,600 Speaker 1: but who else do you think we should consider? Well, 665 00:34:57,680 --> 00:34:59,719 Speaker 1: naked mole rats are definitely a good one. I think 666 00:34:59,760 --> 00:35:02,480 Speaker 1: I'm I prefer the scarlet jellyfish though now I know 667 00:35:02,520 --> 00:35:05,920 Speaker 1: we talked about regeneration earlier with the salamander, but scarlet 668 00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:09,839 Speaker 1: jellyfish do something a bit different that's equally amazing. Shin 669 00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:14,320 Speaker 1: Kubata researcher at the Sto Marine Biological Laboratory at Kyoto University. 670 00:35:14,600 --> 00:35:17,880 Speaker 1: He's been studying these creatures for nearly four decades, and 671 00:35:17,920 --> 00:35:21,240 Speaker 1: he describes them as being nearly immortal because, as he says, 672 00:35:21,400 --> 00:35:24,799 Speaker 1: they rejuvenate. They rejuvenate. Like, what's that mean? Well, as 673 00:35:24,840 --> 00:35:27,640 Speaker 1: Kubata describes, one day in my plank to net, there 674 00:35:27,640 --> 00:35:30,080 Speaker 1: was a small scarlet jellyfish from the south. It had 675 00:35:30,120 --> 00:35:32,600 Speaker 1: all these sharp sticks in its body, and I thought, 676 00:35:32,600 --> 00:35:35,200 Speaker 1: poor thing. Removed all the sticks, hoping maybe it would 677 00:35:35,200 --> 00:35:38,960 Speaker 1: get better and swim again, but it didn't and it shrunk. However, 678 00:35:39,200 --> 00:35:43,160 Speaker 1: it rejuvenated. You just keep saying rejuvenated over but I 679 00:35:43,200 --> 00:35:45,200 Speaker 1: don't understand what's I mean? All right, So here's the 680 00:35:45,200 --> 00:35:47,440 Speaker 1: crazy part. What he observed is that when a scarlet 681 00:35:47,480 --> 00:35:51,080 Speaker 1: jellyfish gets hurt, it goes to the ocean floor. Then 682 00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:53,840 Speaker 1: it morphs from its adult state, which is called the medusa, 683 00:35:54,040 --> 00:35:57,080 Speaker 1: back to an infant state or polyp, and the polyp 684 00:35:57,160 --> 00:36:00,400 Speaker 1: grows back into a medusa again. That's crazy, z. So 685 00:36:00,520 --> 00:36:03,960 Speaker 1: it's basically Benjamin buttoning itself into an infant again. Well, 686 00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:06,040 Speaker 1: it's more like it hits the reset button and then 687 00:36:06,080 --> 00:36:08,960 Speaker 1: starts life all over again. It's really crazy. So Kubata 688 00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:11,440 Speaker 1: believes there's much more to learn from these amazing creatures, 689 00:36:11,480 --> 00:36:13,440 Speaker 1: and that they may hold the key to humans living 690 00:36:13,560 --> 00:36:15,840 Speaker 1: much longer if we can just figure out what's happening 691 00:36:15,880 --> 00:36:18,120 Speaker 1: that allows them to do this. I don't know about you, 692 00:36:18,160 --> 00:36:20,759 Speaker 1: but I feel like we've created a pretty incredible superhero 693 00:36:20,760 --> 00:36:22,719 Speaker 1: animal today to me too. In fact, I want to 694 00:36:22,760 --> 00:36:25,280 Speaker 1: see this thing. So maybe we should challenge our listeners 695 00:36:25,280 --> 00:36:27,680 Speaker 1: to see if anyone's up for drawing it. So let's 696 00:36:27,719 --> 00:36:31,320 Speaker 1: recap the beautiful combo we've put together. Yes, that's pretty easy. 697 00:36:31,440 --> 00:36:34,879 Speaker 1: It's part platypus, part electric eel, a little shark gel, 698 00:36:35,360 --> 00:36:39,600 Speaker 1: part barteled godwit does a dash of alligator, dolphin and salamander, 699 00:36:39,960 --> 00:36:43,120 Speaker 1: some harry frog in Texas horned lizard. Oh when it's 700 00:36:43,120 --> 00:36:45,439 Speaker 1: got the charm of the water boatman, the quick draw 701 00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:48,040 Speaker 1: of the pistol shrimp, the aggression of the honey badger, 702 00:36:48,520 --> 00:36:51,399 Speaker 1: and a reset button of a scarlet jellyfish. Easy enough. 703 00:36:51,440 --> 00:36:53,360 Speaker 1: I feel like I could draw that my sleeve. Well 704 00:36:53,400 --> 00:36:56,879 Speaker 1: you're not. You're not eligible for a prize, But any 705 00:36:56,920 --> 00:36:58,840 Speaker 1: listeners that want to take a stab at drawing this 706 00:36:58,920 --> 00:37:01,480 Speaker 1: thing will be choose the top three drawings and send 707 00:37:01,520 --> 00:37:04,160 Speaker 1: you a part Time Genius shirt, and our top artists 708 00:37:04,160 --> 00:37:06,120 Speaker 1: will actually get a part Time Genius Award and get 709 00:37:06,160 --> 00:37:09,879 Speaker 1: added to our Hall of Genius, our ultimate honor. Yeah, 710 00:37:09,920 --> 00:37:12,480 Speaker 1: so you can either send your picks to us on Facebook, Twitter, 711 00:37:12,760 --> 00:37:15,320 Speaker 1: or email as a part time genius at how stuff works. 712 00:37:15,560 --> 00:37:17,080 Speaker 1: And you should also send us a message if you 713 00:37:17,080 --> 00:37:19,319 Speaker 1: feel like we've left out a real superpower that just 714 00:37:19,400 --> 00:37:22,160 Speaker 1: might make this animal even more heroic. We can't wait 715 00:37:22,160 --> 00:37:24,080 Speaker 1: to see what you come up with. Well, I can't 716 00:37:24,080 --> 00:37:26,360 Speaker 1: wait to see what you've come up with because you 717 00:37:26,400 --> 00:37:28,080 Speaker 1: know what time it is, time for the Part Time 718 00:37:28,120 --> 00:37:33,160 Speaker 1: Genius Fact Off. That's right, it's the ptg FO Animal Edition, right, 719 00:37:40,920 --> 00:37:42,320 Speaker 1: and I'm going to kick this off with a little 720 00:37:42,320 --> 00:37:45,440 Speaker 1: fact about fingernail clans. Did you know that scientists in 721 00:37:45,440 --> 00:37:49,479 Speaker 1: the nineties experimented with giving prozac to clans and while 722 00:37:49,520 --> 00:37:52,319 Speaker 1: it didn't actually make them happier, it did cause them 723 00:37:52,360 --> 00:37:55,600 Speaker 1: to spawn prolifically. By the way, this is a total aside, 724 00:37:55,719 --> 00:37:57,480 Speaker 1: but one of the articles I saw about this was 725 00:37:57,520 --> 00:38:01,520 Speaker 1: titled clam dunk, which makes me no sense, but it 726 00:38:01,520 --> 00:38:04,360 Speaker 1: made me laugh. Clam dunk definitely belongs on a novelty 727 00:38:04,360 --> 00:38:07,240 Speaker 1: beach t shirt. So if we're talking about pure strength, 728 00:38:07,320 --> 00:38:09,600 Speaker 1: one of the most incredible creatures on Earth has to 729 00:38:09,640 --> 00:38:11,759 Speaker 1: be the dung beetle. This is the friend you want 730 00:38:11,760 --> 00:38:14,080 Speaker 1: to call over when you're moving, because dung beetles can 731 00:38:14,160 --> 00:38:17,600 Speaker 1: haul up to one thousand, one forty one times their 732 00:38:17,640 --> 00:38:20,799 Speaker 1: own body weight. That's the most in the animal kingdom, 733 00:38:20,840 --> 00:38:23,480 Speaker 1: and as the website One Kind Planet put it in perspective, 734 00:38:23,560 --> 00:38:25,880 Speaker 1: that's the equivalent of an average person being able to 735 00:38:25,880 --> 00:38:29,400 Speaker 1: lift six double deck or busses full of people. Wow. 736 00:38:29,600 --> 00:38:32,600 Speaker 1: Total respect for the dung beetle. So I'm generally not 737 00:38:32,640 --> 00:38:35,640 Speaker 1: that impressed by bird calls, but the superb liar bird 738 00:38:35,800 --> 00:38:38,840 Speaker 1: is something to behold. It's basically like the Michael Winslow 739 00:38:38,880 --> 00:38:42,480 Speaker 1: of birds. And not only will liar birds imitate other calls, 740 00:38:42,800 --> 00:38:45,799 Speaker 1: but in a National Geographic Wild episode, they showed how 741 00:38:45,800 --> 00:38:48,240 Speaker 1: it can recreate the sound of a camera taking a picture, 742 00:38:48,520 --> 00:38:51,680 Speaker 1: or a chainsaw felling a tree, even a car alarm. 743 00:38:51,880 --> 00:38:54,759 Speaker 1: The bird can basically imitate any sound it's exposed to. 744 00:38:55,480 --> 00:38:57,600 Speaker 1: So we all know cockroaches are grows for a whole 745 00:38:57,600 --> 00:39:00,560 Speaker 1: host of reasons. But here's something amazing about out them. 746 00:39:00,600 --> 00:39:03,400 Speaker 1: They have three knees on each of their six legs. 747 00:39:03,800 --> 00:39:06,400 Speaker 1: That's a lot of knees, right, So it's crazy, But 748 00:39:06,480 --> 00:39:09,520 Speaker 1: that dexterity allows them to make twenty five rotations in 749 00:39:09,560 --> 00:39:12,799 Speaker 1: a second, the most of any animal. So this is 750 00:39:12,840 --> 00:39:15,239 Speaker 1: more of an animal's kryptonite than a superpower. But did 751 00:39:15,239 --> 00:39:19,000 Speaker 1: you know kangaroos can't hop backwards like they can swim 752 00:39:19,040 --> 00:39:21,360 Speaker 1: if they need to, or jump about the distance of 753 00:39:21,440 --> 00:39:24,239 Speaker 1: three times their height, but they'd never be able to 754 00:39:24,360 --> 00:39:28,160 Speaker 1: foxtrot with you. Sad but also kind of a funny 755 00:39:28,160 --> 00:39:29,719 Speaker 1: mental image. So I think you're going to be the 756 00:39:29,760 --> 00:39:34,360 Speaker 1: winner of today's Fact Officer. Congratulations. I am truly honored. 757 00:39:34,800 --> 00:39:36,759 Speaker 1: That's it for this episode of Part Time Genius. Thanks 758 00:39:36,760 --> 00:39:52,439 Speaker 1: so much for listening. Thanks again for listening to Part 759 00:39:52,440 --> 00:39:54,680 Speaker 1: Time Genius. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to 760 00:39:54,680 --> 00:39:56,960 Speaker 1: your podcast. And because we're a brand new show, if 761 00:39:56,960 --> 00:39:59,000 Speaker 1: you're feeling extra generous, we'd love it if you'd give 762 00:39:59,040 --> 00:40:01,840 Speaker 1: us a rating on Apple Podcast. Part Time Genius is 763 00:40:01,840 --> 00:40:04,480 Speaker 1: produced by some of our favorite geniuses. It's edited by 764 00:40:04,520 --> 00:40:07,360 Speaker 1: Tristan McNeil. Theme song and audio mixing by Noel Brown. 765 00:40:07,680 --> 00:40:10,719 Speaker 1: Our executive producer is Jerry Rowland. Our research team is 766 00:40:10,760 --> 00:40:14,680 Speaker 1: Gabe Bluesier, Lucas Adams, Autom Whitefield, Madronto, Austin Thompson and 767 00:40:14,760 --> 00:40:17,320 Speaker 1: Meg Robbins. Jason Hook is our chief cheerleader.