1 00:00:01,120 --> 00:00:04,280 Speaker 1: Welcome to you Stuff you should know front House stuff 2 00:00:04,280 --> 00:00:10,800 Speaker 1: Works dot Com. Hey, and welcome to the podcast. I'm 3 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: Josh Clark, and there's Charles W. Chuck Bryant and the 4 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:19,239 Speaker 1: Stuff you should know, right, Yeah, Zoological Edition. Yeah, I 5 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 1: like these. Yeah. We we try to cover like interesting animals, 6 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:26,479 Speaker 1: not that I mean all interesting animals are fairly interesting, 7 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:29,440 Speaker 1: I think, but we try to like hit up things 8 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:35,440 Speaker 1: like the optopus and the platypus and other pluses. Butterflies 9 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 1: is what you mean. And we did butterflies ones. Yeah, 10 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:40,120 Speaker 1: with the narwhal. We gotta do that at some point too, 11 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:44,199 Speaker 1: not like it's like a dolphin with the tusk. Well, 12 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:47,879 Speaker 1: they'll just be a short one. We just did the narwal. Uh. Yeah, 13 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:50,400 Speaker 1: we were talking today about the platypus. We have not 14 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 1: ever done it before, and despite Jerry's protests to the contrary, 15 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 1: we haven't recorded one. If we have, Chuck and I 16 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:01,480 Speaker 1: have both gone totally insane and have no recollection of it. 17 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:04,200 Speaker 1: So if we did, let us know, well we covered uh, 18 00:01:04,880 --> 00:01:08,560 Speaker 1: weird animals in Australia or deadly animals in Australia, venomous 19 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:13,759 Speaker 1: animals in Australia. But we have not covered the platypus specifically. 20 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:16,280 Speaker 1: Did we mention the platypus in that because I don't don't. 21 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:19,640 Speaker 1: I don't recall knowing that the platypus had venom. We 22 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 1: definitely didn't. So that's the big twist of this episode. 23 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 1: I'm ruined it for everybody. I'm sorry. Oh man, there's 24 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 1: so many twists with the platypus. You can't this is 25 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:30,200 Speaker 1: spoiler free. So, um, did you know much of this 26 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:33,760 Speaker 1: stuff beforehand? No? And in fact, I did not know 27 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 1: that they were so small. I didn't either. That took 28 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:37,920 Speaker 1: me by surprise. I thought there may be the size 29 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 1: of like my torso. Yeah, I thought it was like 30 00:01:39,959 --> 00:01:42,639 Speaker 1: the size of a of a medium sized dog or something, 31 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 1: or a large beaver. And it kind of looks like 32 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:47,800 Speaker 1: a beaver that stuck its face and something and got 33 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:50,760 Speaker 1: it stuck. Like it looks like a beaver that stuck 34 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:53,560 Speaker 1: its face in a fake duck bill and can't get 35 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 1: it off. It's not a very cute animal. I want 36 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 1: it to be very cute, and it's just not. I 37 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 1: like it. But they are tiny. That's like the size 38 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 1: of a very small cat even Yeah, they run to 39 00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 1: about five pounds a little more, is that, right? I 40 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 1: saw five pounds somewhere. Yeah. They what's interesting is they 41 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:12,280 Speaker 1: well they're only found in Eastern Australia up and down 42 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:14,920 Speaker 1: the coast down to the island of Tasmania, right, and 43 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 1: they live in woodlands and rivers. Yeah. And the ones 44 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:23,440 Speaker 1: in the south though are um larger, is there? Yeah, 45 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: though they can get up to like six pounds, and 46 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:28,560 Speaker 1: the ones in the north up in like the Queensland coast, 47 00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:30,399 Speaker 1: they're like some of those like two and a half 48 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 1: three pounds. They're just teeny little cute guys. They're like 49 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 1: teacup platypus. Yeah. So I've always just seen pictures of 50 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 1: them without a human around a human did I say human? 51 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:43,000 Speaker 1: And um, then when I saw I watched a bunch 52 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:44,960 Speaker 1: of videos today when I saw the people holding them up, 53 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 1: I was like, that's just a little thing. So yeah, 54 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 1: my answer the long window lay saying I didn't know 55 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 1: much about them, Well, you know, I didn't know much 56 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:54,520 Speaker 1: about him either, And it turns out that, um, most 57 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:57,240 Speaker 1: people don't because I've seen a lot of different stuff 58 00:02:57,280 --> 00:03:00,639 Speaker 1: like that. Just that weight discrepancy is is just one example. 59 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 1: Like um, like we said, platypuses They spend most of 60 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 1: their lives along river banks and freshwater river banks, we 61 00:03:07,919 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 1: should say, are there saltwater rivers? Truly, there's like tidal 62 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 1: creeks and stuff like that. These guys are freshwater animals, um, 63 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:19,080 Speaker 1: And they hold their breath when they go eat food 64 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 1: because they're actually bottom feeders. But um, they I saw 65 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:26,280 Speaker 1: a lot of different variations and estimates of how long 66 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:28,960 Speaker 1: they could hold their breath. Thirty seconds I saw all 67 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:31,919 Speaker 1: over the place. One person said, eight minutes. I think 68 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 1: one source said, I don't know five. I think it's 69 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 1: what one source said. So I've seen all over the place. 70 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:44,880 Speaker 1: But the point is there's a lot of random facts 71 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 1: floating around about platypuses, and we're gonna compile them all 72 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:52,760 Speaker 1: together here. That's right. Um. I was instantly surprised by 73 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 1: the fact that they were just on the east coast 74 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 1: of Australia. Didn't know that, right, I knew Australia. I 75 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:00,720 Speaker 1: didn't even know that now first some reason, I don't know. 76 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:04,320 Speaker 1: I just didn't know that. So apparently, after Pangaea split, 77 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 1: it evolved on one of the huge chunks of land 78 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 1: called Gondwana. Then that split formed Australia and South America 79 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 1: and some other places, and they were in South America 80 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 1: and Australia at the time, and then the ones in 81 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 1: South America died off and all he's just like, it's ours, right, 82 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 1: what was that? What happened? Just now? That was Australia. Okay, 83 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 1: that was my best stab um and we the duck 84 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:35,680 Speaker 1: built platypus. As far as it it's called today, that's 85 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 1: obviously a European term for it. And it wasn't until 86 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:44,360 Speaker 1: almost the nineteenth century that the platypus um was first 87 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:48,880 Speaker 1: encountered by Europeans. Before that, Aborigines obviously had run into 88 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:53,240 Speaker 1: them before. They had names for him like Malanong, Bundabura, 89 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 1: uh tambret a, better names than duck build platypus. Yeah, 90 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 1: agreed um. So that the Aborigines knew about it, and 91 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:07,240 Speaker 1: the first white colonists that showed up in Australia, I guess, 92 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 1: heard legends of these things and then started to see 93 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 1: them themselves. And even though these were Europeans telling other Europeans, Hey, 94 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 1: there's this really weird animal down here. There's a bunch 95 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:19,279 Speaker 1: of weird animals, like you're not gonna believe the kangaroo 96 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:21,480 Speaker 1: but this thing has got it, like all of them 97 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 1: beat and people in Europe are like, you're full of it. 98 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:28,480 Speaker 1: And they even sent them specimens, stuffed specimens, and the 99 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 1: the Texa germists and the naturalists and biologists back in 100 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:35,359 Speaker 1: Europe said, I still don't believe it because at the time, 101 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 1: have you ever seen the mermaid mummies? Yeah, the Chinese 102 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 1: were they were in the fabricating animals. Yeah, so everybody 103 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:45,640 Speaker 1: thought it was just a Chinese thing until somebody finally 104 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:48,839 Speaker 1: got their hands on one, uh and dissected it. His 105 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:52,400 Speaker 1: name was Everard Jones, and he proclaimed them real in 106 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 1: eighteen o two. Yeah. It's funny that for a while 107 00:05:55,560 --> 00:05:57,240 Speaker 1: they're like, no, no, no, this went through that. I 108 00:05:57,240 --> 00:05:59,039 Speaker 1: think they call it the Indian Seas at the time, 109 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:01,839 Speaker 1: they're like went close to China and you know that 110 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:04,160 Speaker 1: they're just nuts over there with this stuff. Yeah, it's 111 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:06,840 Speaker 1: a rogue taxidermy pretty much. What's kind of cool that 112 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 1: they were doing that, though, I wonder if it was 113 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:12,360 Speaker 1: just like a creative thing or what were they doing. 114 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: They were selling them to sailors. It's like as some 115 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 1: sort of scam as a yeah, as a mermaid. They're like, 116 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:21,840 Speaker 1: these are real mermaids from what I understand, like the 117 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:28,320 Speaker 1: sea monkeys that you defend, but even less real. So, um, 118 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 1: we finally established a ten o two that platypuses are real, 119 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:34,960 Speaker 1: and we start to just really dig in to figure 120 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:38,400 Speaker 1: out what is going on with these things, and the 121 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:42,919 Speaker 1: more we dig in, the stranger things become. So, for example, 122 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:47,080 Speaker 1: chuck platypus, it's a mammal, and the reason it's a 123 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:51,120 Speaker 1: mammal is because it nurses, it's young, and it has 124 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:56,440 Speaker 1: for yet it doesn't have nipples. No, it secretes its 125 00:06:56,480 --> 00:06:59,119 Speaker 1: milk through its abdomen like it's just leaking or something 126 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:02,320 Speaker 1: through poor and the little they're called puggles, they're young, 127 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:06,800 Speaker 1: are and the puggles just suckle on the abdomen and 128 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:10,080 Speaker 1: it's a very odd thing in in nature for that 129 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:13,960 Speaker 1: to happen. It is peculiar. Yeah, very peculiar. Yeah. Um, okay, 130 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 1: so they're mammals, but they're not just mammals. They also 131 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:21,160 Speaker 1: straddle the line like that. Basically, the platypusts exists to 132 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:27,280 Speaker 1: strain the taxonomic system of classification of animals. They have 133 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 1: that duck bill, that pesky duck bill. Yeah, and the 134 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:33,120 Speaker 1: web feet so it's like, all right, so they're birds, right, 135 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:38,160 Speaker 1: I guess, but I thought we just said they were mammals. 136 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:41,400 Speaker 1: Officially they are mammals. That's not going to change, although 137 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:43,800 Speaker 1: you never know. But yeah, they do have the web 138 00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 1: feet and the duck bill and then they also have 139 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:51,080 Speaker 1: um certain uh, they have eyes like a reptile. They 140 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:54,880 Speaker 1: lay eggs like a reptile. Amphibians they suckle their young 141 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:59,320 Speaker 1: through their abdomens with milk, but they give birth to eggs, 142 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:03,880 Speaker 1: so that's not supposed to happen either. No, the female 143 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:06,360 Speaker 1: they have two ovaries, one of them functions, one of 144 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:08,800 Speaker 1: them doesn't, and they lay these, you know, one to 145 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:11,480 Speaker 1: three little leathery eggs. They're a little more round than 146 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:15,200 Speaker 1: the oval bird eggs, but there their eggs. And they're 147 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:17,480 Speaker 1: born with teeth that fall out. Then they have these 148 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:19,800 Speaker 1: little horny plates that they mash their food up with. Yeah, 149 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:22,760 Speaker 1: they don't have teeth, they're just weird. They're born with teeth, right, 150 00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:28,440 Speaker 1: which actually it's funny because um, both creationists and evolutionists 151 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 1: hold the platypus up as evidence of their beliefs. The 152 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:36,600 Speaker 1: creationists are like, if anything, it's reverse evolutions. They lose 153 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:40,599 Speaker 1: their teeth right, and like you this this thing was 154 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:44,559 Speaker 1: obviously assembled, right, Like what what evolves over hundreds of 155 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:46,839 Speaker 1: millions of years living by water but can only hold 156 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:49,680 Speaker 1: its breath for thirty seconds? Thirty seconds means depending on 157 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:54,200 Speaker 1: who you ask, say the creationists evolutionists say, well, no, 158 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:57,559 Speaker 1: I mean, like what this is probably the earliest example 159 00:08:57,559 --> 00:09:02,000 Speaker 1: of a mammal to branch off from the the mammalian line, 160 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:05,480 Speaker 1: so it fills in the gaps between us and our distant, 161 00:09:05,640 --> 00:09:10,520 Speaker 1: distant ancestry. It's a great example of evolution. The fact is, 162 00:09:10,559 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 1: like we're we still don't quite know what the deal 163 00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:17,480 Speaker 1: is with this thing, even after mapping it's genome. Yeah, 164 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:19,880 Speaker 1: I bet you there's a political, great political cartoon out 165 00:09:19,880 --> 00:09:24,440 Speaker 1: there with a like a Christian pulling on the duck 166 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:27,600 Speaker 1: bill and an evolutionist pulling on the tail the platypus 167 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:30,760 Speaker 1: in the middle, Like, yeah, I just want to live, right, 168 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 1: I guess it just wrote a political cartoon. Don't put 169 00:09:33,520 --> 00:09:36,559 Speaker 1: your hang ups on me. Yeah, exactly. All we need 170 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:38,679 Speaker 1: to do is be able to draw, would be said, 171 00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:46,760 Speaker 1: so the the the the strange parade of character traits, 172 00:09:47,559 --> 00:09:49,920 Speaker 1: character traits that would be what, like whether it was 173 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:53,440 Speaker 1: good to its mother or something. Um of um what 174 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:57,120 Speaker 1: is it called phenotypes? Just biological traits? I guess yeah, 175 00:09:57,280 --> 00:10:01,079 Speaker 1: that strange parade of those that has ended yet. No 176 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:11,600 Speaker 1: platypuses are just one of two members of monotreams mammalion monotreams. Okay, 177 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:15,520 Speaker 1: because birds are monotreams because they poop and hatche eggs 178 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 1: out of the same hole called the cloaca. Yeah yeah, um, 179 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:24,080 Speaker 1: but I guess as far as what you're saying mammals 180 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:26,840 Speaker 1: are concerned, there's the spiny ant eater and the platypus 181 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:29,959 Speaker 1: are the only ones who excrete and shoot eggs out 182 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:32,400 Speaker 1: of one hole? Is that the what the kidneys? That 183 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:35,320 Speaker 1: is spiny an eater. It looks like a porcupine with 184 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:39,800 Speaker 1: like kind of a longer nose. Yeah. So they have 185 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 1: one one hole to do their business with and one 186 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:45,000 Speaker 1: hole to lay their eggs with, which is also business. 187 00:10:45,640 --> 00:10:49,319 Speaker 1: I guess you're right, and that is very much bird like. 188 00:10:49,679 --> 00:10:51,719 Speaker 1: But like I said, the eye structure is more reptilian. 189 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:55,800 Speaker 1: So you said the eggs were leathery, that's pretty reptilian. Yeah, 190 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:58,320 Speaker 1: they're just all over the map. It gets even stranger 191 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:00,760 Speaker 1: than that that. What else we go let's let's look 192 00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:05,000 Speaker 1: a little deeper on that duck bill. There's tiny little pores. Right. 193 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:07,400 Speaker 1: For a long time, scientists were like, how we know 194 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:09,679 Speaker 1: that these things when they dive, their bottom feeders, they 195 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:13,000 Speaker 1: feed on shellfish, insects, things that live along the muck 196 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:16,040 Speaker 1: of the bottom of the river. Um, we know that 197 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:19,280 Speaker 1: they close their eyes and they close their nostrils when 198 00:11:19,320 --> 00:11:23,079 Speaker 1: they dive, So how are they locating food? And they 199 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:25,520 Speaker 1: figured out that there's tiny little holes on their duck 200 00:11:25,559 --> 00:11:29,160 Speaker 1: bill that um have electro receptors in them, just like 201 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:32,720 Speaker 1: a shark. Yeah. Like I think we've talked multiple times 202 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:35,560 Speaker 1: about the nose of a shark. That's why you punch 203 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:37,840 Speaker 1: the shark in the nose, and that's how they feed 204 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:40,800 Speaker 1: is because that will disrupt their their brain if you 205 00:11:40,880 --> 00:11:44,520 Speaker 1: give them a good sock in those electrical receptors. And yeah, 206 00:11:44,559 --> 00:11:48,480 Speaker 1: and it's very similar this. Um. They they sense movement 207 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:51,760 Speaker 1: through these receptors and they're blind to everything, and this 208 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:54,000 Speaker 1: is how they find the shell fish and all that stuff. Yeah, 209 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:57,760 Speaker 1: these receptors are so sensitive that even just the tiny 210 00:11:57,840 --> 00:12:01,720 Speaker 1: movement of an insect's leg, the change in the electrical 211 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:04,520 Speaker 1: current in the water that that produces their electro receptors 212 00:12:04,559 --> 00:12:06,960 Speaker 1: pick up. That's how they go eat, and they get 213 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:10,120 Speaker 1: a scoop ful of food and they kind of pocket 214 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:12,719 Speaker 1: it in their cheek for a little while until they 215 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:14,720 Speaker 1: come back up. And then once they do, they use 216 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:17,400 Speaker 1: a bit of the grit on the river bottom to 217 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:20,160 Speaker 1: help with their teeth plates or whatever you call it, 218 00:12:20,559 --> 00:12:25,000 Speaker 1: to grind the food downs. Well, their their horny plates 219 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:28,400 Speaker 1: are aided with gravel. Yeah, Ok, then they choose. So 220 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 1: all right, we're starting to get kind of a handle 221 00:12:30,040 --> 00:12:31,600 Speaker 1: on this thing, right, So that's got to be the 222 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:34,800 Speaker 1: last weird thing, right, it is not we we've already 223 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:38,600 Speaker 1: mentioned it. But they produce venom. They're one of only 224 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:41,560 Speaker 1: three types of mammals that produce vendom. So think about this. 225 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:48,240 Speaker 1: You've got the kidness, the spiny anneater. It's the only 226 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:50,920 Speaker 1: other monitoring but it doesn't have a duck bill. It 227 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:53,199 Speaker 1: doesn't play because it doesn't do all this other weird stuff. 228 00:12:53,520 --> 00:12:59,079 Speaker 1: You've got a certain kind of shrew and selinodones dons. 229 00:13:00,559 --> 00:13:05,000 Speaker 1: Uh they are. They produce phantom, right, but they also 230 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:06,880 Speaker 1: don't have duck bills. They also don't have a lecture. 231 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:10,960 Speaker 1: A senters duck built Platypuses are the strangest, hands down 232 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:15,240 Speaker 1: animal around. Hodgepods is the best way to describe them. 233 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:17,280 Speaker 1: They are a hodgepods and they straddle all these different 234 00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:21,960 Speaker 1: um different classes. And in the end, I saw an 235 00:13:21,960 --> 00:13:24,160 Speaker 1: interview with one lady who had worked on the genome project, 236 00:13:24,160 --> 00:13:26,000 Speaker 1: which we'll get to, and she was like, when you're 237 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:28,320 Speaker 1: talking genetics like this, she was like, weird is good. 238 00:13:28,760 --> 00:13:32,160 Speaker 1: She's like, this is awesome for us because it shows uh. 239 00:13:32,280 --> 00:13:36,880 Speaker 1: I think she called it um informative variation. And so 240 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:40,120 Speaker 1: if you learn about all these weird things that a 241 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 1: platypus has and it's in its genetic code, it can 242 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:45,439 Speaker 1: help fill in because we're mammals too, some of the 243 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:48,200 Speaker 1: stuff that we may not know about and ways that 244 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:52,560 Speaker 1: we are different and similar. It just helps inform you know, 245 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:56,720 Speaker 1: everything basically all there with a little genome of the platypus, right, 246 00:13:56,760 --> 00:14:00,000 Speaker 1: And actually not only the differences are good, but also 247 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:04,240 Speaker 1: any similarities between us and them also shows well, this 248 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:06,800 Speaker 1: is a very very ancient trait since they branched off 249 00:14:06,880 --> 00:14:09,280 Speaker 1: of mammals a hundred and sixty six million years ago. 250 00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:17,120 Speaker 1: Like you have any venomous stabber in your heel, right now. 251 00:14:17,200 --> 00:14:21,160 Speaker 1: I try not to use it sometimes, you know, it's 252 00:14:21,240 --> 00:14:24,040 Speaker 1: it's easier to just not use than other times. But yes, 253 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:27,560 Speaker 1: I do well, and they actually do. They have venom, 254 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:29,640 Speaker 1: and I think it's that just the males have that 255 00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:32,360 Speaker 1: spur on the hind foot. Yeah, and they mostly produce 256 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:34,960 Speaker 1: the venom during spring, which is why they think that 257 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 1: it's probably used to fight with other males. They live solitary. Yeah, 258 00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:41,800 Speaker 1: that would make sense because the females are born with 259 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:44,080 Speaker 1: one and it falls off, so they wouldn't need one 260 00:14:44,160 --> 00:14:46,920 Speaker 1: for that. Yeah, and then so males will fight with 261 00:14:46,960 --> 00:14:50,080 Speaker 1: one another, four females mate and then take off, and 262 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:52,640 Speaker 1: then that's that. Like everybody's kind of lives on their 263 00:14:52,640 --> 00:14:56,320 Speaker 1: own over like a set amount of territory as a platypus. Right, 264 00:14:56,760 --> 00:15:00,880 Speaker 1: But that that venom doesn't kill other platypus is, but 265 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:03,000 Speaker 1: it could kill a dog and it has before. Yeah, 266 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:05,080 Speaker 1: I'm surprised it doesn't kill another platypus. They might have 267 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:07,880 Speaker 1: some resistance, that's what I think. Yeah, it's got to 268 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:12,080 Speaker 1: because they're smaller than most dogs exactly. Um, it hasn't 269 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:15,000 Speaker 1: ever killed a human, but humans have been known to 270 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:18,680 Speaker 1: get stung by these things, and brother. Does it hurt? 271 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:21,960 Speaker 1: And the reason it hurts is because it is a 272 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:26,640 Speaker 1: mammalian venom and we have no known cure or treatment 273 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:29,680 Speaker 1: for the pain caused by that. So if you are 274 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:32,720 Speaker 1: stung by one of them, you are totally on your 275 00:15:32,760 --> 00:15:35,120 Speaker 1: own as far as pain management goes. There's nothing that 276 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:37,480 Speaker 1: can be done. You're just sitting there in agony for 277 00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:40,120 Speaker 1: like a week or two until it works itself out. Yeah. 278 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:42,560 Speaker 1: I think it's supposed to suck pretty bad, like swelling 279 00:15:42,560 --> 00:15:45,000 Speaker 1: and just lots of pain, right, And like you said, 280 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:47,320 Speaker 1: if there's nothing that can be done, you just ride 281 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:50,360 Speaker 1: around and curse the platypus, I guess. And that's why 282 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:51,640 Speaker 1: you hold them by the tail too. By the way, 283 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:54,440 Speaker 1: if you ever got to grab a platypus, grab him 284 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:57,760 Speaker 1: by the tail because they don't mind. Yeah, and they 285 00:15:57,800 --> 00:15:59,720 Speaker 1: can't well yeah, but a possum doesn't have a spur 286 00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:02,760 Speaker 1: in the No. But they'll bite you, Oh man, they will. 287 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 1: They're mean. I don't know if that's true actually, but 288 00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:07,880 Speaker 1: they hiss. Oh no, they're real means, are they. Yeah, 289 00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:09,600 Speaker 1: they'll try to bite you. They'll try to curl up. 290 00:16:09,640 --> 00:16:11,400 Speaker 1: If you hold the end of their tail, they'll curl 291 00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:13,800 Speaker 1: themselves up trying to get to your wrist, which you 292 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:15,600 Speaker 1: really can't blame them. They're trying to get you to 293 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:19,000 Speaker 1: let them go. But yeah, they'll bite you. They'll they'll 294 00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 1: kill you in your whole family if you'd let them. 295 00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:23,480 Speaker 1: I remember I was actually one of my first dates 296 00:16:23,640 --> 00:16:27,600 Speaker 1: with my high school girlfriend. We know, it may have 297 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:29,800 Speaker 1: been my first date. Actually I walked her back up 298 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:31,120 Speaker 1: to the front porch at the end of the night 299 00:16:31,120 --> 00:16:32,880 Speaker 1: and it was that, you know, it's like something on 300 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:35,200 Speaker 1: Norman Rockwell, like, all right, I'm gonna get that first kiss. 301 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:37,840 Speaker 1: We walked up on the porch and it was probably 302 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:39,600 Speaker 1: like four by four or small, and there was a 303 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:43,080 Speaker 1: freaking possum up there that got stuck like trying to 304 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:45,560 Speaker 1: get out, and was just we were sharing this very 305 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:48,760 Speaker 1: small space with this bowesome like hissing at us and 306 00:16:48,840 --> 00:16:52,720 Speaker 1: screaming at us, and it made for a very memorable 307 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:54,880 Speaker 1: into the evening. I'm sure. And I don't think I 308 00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:57,280 Speaker 1: got the kissing. I know. I thought, you're gonna say 309 00:16:57,320 --> 00:16:58,760 Speaker 1: her dad came out to meet you, and he turned 310 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 1: out to be a giant post them that didn't happen. Um, 311 00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:06,000 Speaker 1: what else we were talking about the Platypus Genome Project. 312 00:17:06,080 --> 00:17:08,400 Speaker 1: Do you sound like you know more about that than me. Well, 313 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:11,399 Speaker 1: they did this, um a hundred scientists got together in 314 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:13,520 Speaker 1: two thousand eight and said, you know what, if we 315 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:15,520 Speaker 1: can figure this thing out, maybe we can help inform 316 00:17:15,600 --> 00:17:20,359 Speaker 1: our own, you know, human species. And uh. One thing 317 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:24,600 Speaker 1: they did found out is that we have two chromosomes. 318 00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:27,000 Speaker 1: We have a pair if your female give me xx 319 00:17:27,040 --> 00:17:30,080 Speaker 1: if you're male gam x y. Birds have ZW for 320 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:35,080 Speaker 1: female zz for male. Platypuses have is the platypuses, Yeah, okay, 321 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:40,520 Speaker 1: they have ten chromosomes, sex chromosomes, and they don't know why. 322 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:45,000 Speaker 1: It's that complicated. So females have ten xs and males 323 00:17:45,040 --> 00:17:48,200 Speaker 1: have x y x y x y x y x y. 324 00:17:48,359 --> 00:17:52,120 Speaker 1: And the deal is they're similar birds in that their 325 00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:55,240 Speaker 1: X one chromosome has eleven genes that are found in 326 00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:58,640 Speaker 1: almo million X chromosomes, but their X five gene carries 327 00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:01,480 Speaker 1: something called d MRT one, and that's found on the 328 00:18:01,560 --> 00:18:05,640 Speaker 1: Z chromosomes of birds. So they sort of share these 329 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:09,199 Speaker 1: sex chromosomes with regular mammals and birds. But they have 330 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:11,560 Speaker 1: ten sets of them. I'm not tin sets, five sets, 331 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:13,639 Speaker 1: and they're superfluous like there's no reason for them to 332 00:18:13,640 --> 00:18:15,560 Speaker 1: have this. They haven't figured it out yet, huh. And 333 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:17,280 Speaker 1: they're still working on that, I guess. But that was 334 00:18:17,320 --> 00:18:20,600 Speaker 1: definitely like an interesting find. And they're they're eighty percent 335 00:18:20,680 --> 00:18:24,080 Speaker 1: mammal or they share eighty percent of their DNA with mammals, right, 336 00:18:24,520 --> 00:18:27,640 Speaker 1: So that means if they also share some with birds 337 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:30,200 Speaker 1: and they branched off of mammals a hundred and sixty 338 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:32,200 Speaker 1: six million years ago and went off on their own, 339 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:37,000 Speaker 1: then um, that would mean that we're we possibly are 340 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:40,920 Speaker 1: descended from birds as well. Yeah, it definitely writes that question. Um. 341 00:18:40,960 --> 00:18:44,919 Speaker 1: And my other question is this like the venom, Like 342 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:48,560 Speaker 1: it's very similar in composition to reptile venom even though 343 00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:52,120 Speaker 1: it's mammalian produced. But they figured out from the Platypus 344 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:56,240 Speaker 1: Genome project that it came up independently. Yeah, they didn't 345 00:18:56,280 --> 00:19:00,679 Speaker 1: get it from like a reptilian ancestor. So it almost 346 00:19:00,680 --> 00:19:03,680 Speaker 1: like the platypus is almost like this idea that nature 347 00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:06,760 Speaker 1: has a finite number of tools and its tool kit 348 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:12,560 Speaker 1: to handle things like reproduction, defense, whatever, and the platypus 349 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:16,480 Speaker 1: represents like all these things just kind of evolving independently 350 00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:18,840 Speaker 1: on its own. After it branched off a hundred and 351 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:21,840 Speaker 1: sixty six million years ago. It's pretty neat. Yeah, I 352 00:19:21,840 --> 00:19:24,320 Speaker 1: mean it's maybe the platypus there in lines the key 353 00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:27,480 Speaker 1: to it all. Who knows, I sincerely hope not. It's 354 00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:30,400 Speaker 1: a very strange creature. Well, at the very least, it's 355 00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:33,919 Speaker 1: it could help us locate and identify new genes and 356 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:36,120 Speaker 1: then sequences that could turn those genes on and off 357 00:19:36,160 --> 00:19:40,359 Speaker 1: in us and uh yes, supposedly ovarian cancer there's some 358 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:45,720 Speaker 1: DNA and varying cancer tumors that's found in platypus sex chromosomes. 359 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:49,679 Speaker 1: So who knows that? That was as far as they 360 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:52,159 Speaker 1: got in what I read. They just discovered that, so 361 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:54,040 Speaker 1: they didn't know what to do with it yet. Yeah. 362 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:56,800 Speaker 1: I think this was a great like load up on 363 00:19:56,800 --> 00:20:00,400 Speaker 1: this one people for your next cocktail party, because everyone's like, yea, yeah, 364 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:02,360 Speaker 1: I get it. They got referring, they got a duck bill, 365 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:04,200 Speaker 1: but you can hit him with a bunch of more 366 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 1: cool stuff. Yeah, like, oh yeah, what about the spur 367 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:09,960 Speaker 1: in the heel? Yeah? What about these chromosomes? How do 368 00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:12,200 Speaker 1: you like them? Apples? Like the apples? Put that in 369 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:16,000 Speaker 1: your pipe and smoking, right, So that's it. For platypus 370 00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:18,400 Speaker 1: is for now until they find some other weird thing 371 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:22,800 Speaker 1: about it, right, yeah, yeah, do you got anything else? Um? 372 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:25,320 Speaker 1: If you want to learn more about platypus is just 373 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:28,240 Speaker 1: type duck bill into the search bar at how stuff 374 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:32,399 Speaker 1: works dot com. It will bring up this amazing article. Um. 375 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:35,800 Speaker 1: And actually no, this article is written by Conger how 376 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:38,879 Speaker 1: stuff Works Ryer, it's on animal Planet. To check out 377 00:20:38,920 --> 00:20:42,440 Speaker 1: animal planet dot com and try searching for duck Bill platypus. 378 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:45,359 Speaker 1: Very cool. And and now it's time for listener mal right, great, 379 00:20:47,359 --> 00:20:50,879 Speaker 1: all right, Josh, I'm gonna call this from Penelope. Okay, 380 00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:54,480 Speaker 1: how simple is that? Hey, guys, big fan. I remember 381 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:57,119 Speaker 1: when how gender reassignment works came up. It was a 382 00:20:57,119 --> 00:21:01,879 Speaker 1: little worried because I fall into the genderquer slash transgender 383 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:06,240 Speaker 1: spectrum somewhere. That's all she says. As most people who 384 00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:07,880 Speaker 1: try to talk about it in a non offensive way, 385 00:21:08,119 --> 00:21:10,520 Speaker 1: UH usually fail. Y'all did a really good job, and 386 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:13,080 Speaker 1: I've had faith ever since then. But I have one 387 00:21:13,119 --> 00:21:17,480 Speaker 1: note in the CPR podcast and you think it happeness related, right, 388 00:21:17,920 --> 00:21:20,560 Speaker 1: I know because I've read this email, So you're not 389 00:21:20,560 --> 00:21:23,840 Speaker 1: thinking that y'all talked about giving blood and how everyone 390 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:25,960 Speaker 1: should give blood. UM, I think in times like these 391 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:28,720 Speaker 1: it's important to keep in mind there's a huge population 392 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:31,159 Speaker 1: of people in the world who cannot give blood because 393 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:33,399 Speaker 1: of the backwards and outdated thinking of the Red Cross. 394 00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:37,520 Speaker 1: Her words, I'm of course talking about anyone who has 395 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 1: had sex with a man, who has had sex with 396 00:21:39,840 --> 00:21:43,560 Speaker 1: a man ms MS men who have sex with men 397 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:47,879 Speaker 1: are indefinitely banned from giving blood. Women who have sex 398 00:21:48,240 --> 00:21:51,600 Speaker 1: with M s M have a one year waiting window 399 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:54,680 Speaker 1: before they can wait M. I didn't know this. Uh. 400 00:21:54,680 --> 00:21:59,160 Speaker 1: This thinking obviously came from the UH media created aid 401 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:02,240 Speaker 1: scare that we are just now coming out of. However, 402 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:07,080 Speaker 1: the Red Cross continues this discriminatory policy even though they're 403 00:22:07,480 --> 00:22:11,480 Speaker 1: testing abilities that we have are incredibly incredibly accurate. To 404 00:22:11,560 --> 00:22:13,200 Speaker 1: quickly sum it up, guys in the future, when we 405 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:15,879 Speaker 1: talk about getting blood in your general daily life on 406 00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:18,320 Speaker 1: the podcast wherever, it's a good idea to say something 407 00:22:18,359 --> 00:22:21,600 Speaker 1: like those who are allowed should get blood. And so 408 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:23,520 Speaker 1: I didn't know this, and it's always great to get 409 00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:25,760 Speaker 1: this kind of message out. So thank you, that is, 410 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:29,520 Speaker 1: she says, love, which is very sweet. Penelope Poppers, thanks 411 00:22:29,520 --> 00:22:31,720 Speaker 1: a lot of Penelope. That's awesome. Yeah, thank you for 412 00:22:31,760 --> 00:22:35,160 Speaker 1: pointing out it's extraordinarily important. I would say, yeah, and 413 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:36,680 Speaker 1: you know, if that's the case, and I say, get 414 00:22:36,720 --> 00:22:39,159 Speaker 1: with it and UH allow people to give blood. I 415 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:41,920 Speaker 1: fits safe. You just directed a message to the Red 416 00:22:41,920 --> 00:22:44,960 Speaker 1: Cross calling them out. UH. If you want to call 417 00:22:45,040 --> 00:22:48,760 Speaker 1: somebody out through us, we would like to help as 418 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:51,399 Speaker 1: any way possible. You can tweet to us at s 419 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:53,720 Speaker 1: Y s K podcast. You can join us on Facebook 420 00:22:53,720 --> 00:22:56,120 Speaker 1: dot com, slash stuff you Should Know. You can send 421 00:22:56,200 --> 00:22:59,040 Speaker 1: us an email to Stuff Podcasts at Discovery dot com, 422 00:22:59,119 --> 00:23:01,160 Speaker 1: and you can join us our home on the web, 423 00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:09,080 Speaker 1: Stuff you Should Know dot com For more on this 424 00:23:09,240 --> 00:23:11,760 Speaker 1: and thousands of other topics. Is it how Stuff Works 425 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:19,680 Speaker 1: dot com