1 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:11,319 Speaker 1: Welcome to Creature Future production of iHeartRadio. I'm your host 2 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:15,680 Speaker 1: of Many Parasites, Katie Golden. I studied psychology and evolutionary biology, 3 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:20,080 Speaker 1: and today on the show, it's another listener questions episode. 4 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 1: I don't usually do these so close together, but I 5 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:30,639 Speaker 1: was pretty jet lagged this week. I visited the US, 6 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 1: visited family friends, went to a couple of weddings, did 7 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:37,680 Speaker 1: a whole thing, and now I'm back in Europe. So 8 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:41,879 Speaker 1: my brain is taking a little while to understand I'm 9 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 1: supposed to sleep at night. So I thought I would 10 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:49,239 Speaker 1: still do an episode this week, but make it a 11 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 1: listener questions episode. So I hope that you guys like it. 12 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 1: I as always really enjoy answering your questions. And if 13 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:02,600 Speaker 1: you have a question for me that is related to 14 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 1: evolutionary biology, animals, even people, I guess you can send 15 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 1: me an email at Creature Featurepod at gmail dot com. 16 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:17,319 Speaker 1: So let's get right into it. So this one is 17 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:22,360 Speaker 1: on the topic of otters. Hey, Katie, friend and I 18 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:25,039 Speaker 1: were chatting about this little guy. He was saying, they 19 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 1: have favorite rocks. I assume these are used as tools. 20 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:30,440 Speaker 1: I didn't even know that they had work pouches. And 21 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 1: there's a link to a video of an otter stuffing 22 00:01:34,319 --> 00:01:41,040 Speaker 1: stuff into its little armpit pouches. The listener continues, I 23 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:43,200 Speaker 1: was wondering, then if you knew more about what they 24 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:45,119 Speaker 1: do with these pouches and the stuff they keep in there, 25 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:47,200 Speaker 1: also if you knew more about other animals that have 26 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:50,280 Speaker 1: favorite implements that they hold on to. And this is 27 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:54,400 Speaker 1: from PK, So yeah, otters are really interesting. They have 28 00:01:54,760 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 1: these sort of armpits that have bit of loose skin 29 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 1: in there, and it can envelop small items like rocks, 30 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 1: and indeed the rocks that they collect are used to 31 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:12,079 Speaker 1: crack open buy valves and other hard shelled sea critters 32 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 1: which they like to eat. So sometimes they will even 33 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 1: store extra snacks in their pit pockets and they can 34 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 1: crack open their clams or mussels using these rocks. They 35 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:27,639 Speaker 1: can also use hard surfaces, but when they are floating 36 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 1: out at sea, there's usually not much in terms of 37 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:35,519 Speaker 1: surfaces to be had, so keeping their little rock there 38 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:38,240 Speaker 1: with them in that pouch can be really handy tool 39 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:41,960 Speaker 1: to have when they find a tasty mussel or clam 40 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:46,079 Speaker 1: that they need to crack open on their belly. There 41 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:51,080 Speaker 1: are indeed other animals who specialize in tool use and 42 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:55,919 Speaker 1: will retain tools that they like. There are primates who 43 00:02:55,919 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 1: will have sort of like favorite rocks or poken sticks 44 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:04,919 Speaker 1: that they like to keep because they are really good at, say, 45 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:10,079 Speaker 1: poking through rotting wood to pick up termites or cracking 46 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:15,120 Speaker 1: open nuts. But the little utility pouch that otters have 47 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 1: to store their rocks in is one of the cutest 48 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:21,360 Speaker 1: adaptations that I've seen in terms of toil use. But 49 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:24,640 Speaker 1: sea otters have a number of amazing adaptations for life 50 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:28,400 Speaker 1: at sea. Their feet are webbed and help with swimming, 51 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:34,240 Speaker 1: as does their little stubby tail. They have incredibly dense fur, 52 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 1: so they don't have any blubber unlike other types of 53 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 1: aquatic mammals, and so they need a lot of fur 54 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 1: to insulate them to keep them warm. So their fur 55 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:51,240 Speaker 1: is incredibly dense. They have nearly a million hairs per 56 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 1: square inch or six and a half square centimeters of skin, 57 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:59,880 Speaker 1: so in addition to their dense coats, they have ex 58 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 1: extremely high metabolisms to help them stay warm, and they 59 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 1: need to consume around a fourth of their body weight 60 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 1: every day to maintain this internal furnace. Their jaws are 61 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:19,000 Speaker 1: really powerful. I know they look cute, but they are 62 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 1: designed to maximize bite force, which allows them to crush 63 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 1: the shells of bivalves or the spines of sea urchins 64 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:34,719 Speaker 1: their hands. Their forelimbs, meanwhile, are optimized for grabbing things 65 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:38,400 Speaker 1: so that they can use things like manipulate tools, and 66 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 1: they aren't really used for swimming. They usually keep them 67 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:43,919 Speaker 1: tucked at their side while they undulate their body and 68 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:46,760 Speaker 1: their tails and their webbed feet to be able to swim. 69 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:52,640 Speaker 1: They can also use their very large lung capacity to 70 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:57,320 Speaker 1: stay buoyant, and they can effortlessly rest by floating on 71 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:02,000 Speaker 1: their backs. This is why the otters may hold hands 72 00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 1: with their mates, and mother see otters place their pups 73 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:09,680 Speaker 1: on their bellies, Otherwise they would get separated from their 74 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 1: families just through casually drifting apart, but literally drifting apart 75 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:20,279 Speaker 1: on the ocean. This is why sometimes mothers see otters 76 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 1: will anchor their babies to like these floating kelp debris 77 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:29,760 Speaker 1: or kelp forests to have a safe point for their 78 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:33,400 Speaker 1: baby to hang out and they the mother can go 79 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:36,920 Speaker 1: and hunt for things and then return back to where 80 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:40,960 Speaker 1: she's left her baby, And sometimes they do this near humans, 81 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:43,719 Speaker 1: like in a human bay where there are boats, and 82 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:46,360 Speaker 1: then you'll see an otter place her little baby, her 83 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:50,360 Speaker 1: pup up on like some moorings or on a boat 84 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:53,040 Speaker 1: because she is trying to keep it safe so it 85 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:57,120 Speaker 1: won't drift away while she is out collecting things. And 86 00:05:57,200 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 1: it also helps the baby float because when they're young 87 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:03,520 Speaker 1: they struggle more to float. But yes, if you want 88 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 1: to be a handyman like an otter, you would keep 89 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:13,200 Speaker 1: your tools in your armpits, in that flexible pouch of skin. 90 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:18,640 Speaker 1: And I highly recommend you look up videos of otters armpits. 91 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaker 1: And that sounds weird and bad, but it's really cute, 92 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 1: trust me. Next listener question, This one sent me into 93 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:32,120 Speaker 1: an existential crisis, not really, but close. Saltier bugs will 94 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 1: invade our home sometimes, and they seem to start out 95 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:37,360 Speaker 1: energetic and buzzy, flying into things and being weird until 96 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 1: we a victim to the outside. But once in a 97 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:43,400 Speaker 1: while a bug will stick around, wandering the walls and slowly, slowly, 98 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:47,080 Speaker 1: slowly lose vitality until they make the great transition into 99 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 1: the unknown. But how can you tell. I've poke bugs 100 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:52,039 Speaker 1: that have been motionless for days and they might fall 101 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:54,480 Speaker 1: to the ground dead. But sometimes they'll startle and begin 102 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 1: to walk. How can a creature be so apparently dead 103 00:06:57,279 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 1: not be dead? Is life and death more of a 104 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:03,240 Speaker 1: content for some creatures? And this is from Janito m. 105 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for the question. Wanito. I wouldn't 106 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:11,400 Speaker 1: necessarily say that life and death is more of a 107 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 1: continuum for some animals, but I mean one could make 108 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:20,080 Speaker 1: that argument. So death is defined as far as I understand, 109 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 1: like the total, irreversible cessation of biological processes. But I 110 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:29,560 Speaker 1: guess the closest you get to being dead without actually 111 00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:33,960 Speaker 1: being dead is the slowing of biological processes. And this 112 00:07:34,040 --> 00:07:39,680 Speaker 1: actually happens in many animals from the hibernation of certain 113 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 1: mammals during the winter the estivation during the summer of 114 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:48,560 Speaker 1: many species of reptiles and amphibians. By the way, estivation 115 00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:51,600 Speaker 1: and hibernation are only distinct in terms of this season. 116 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:55,320 Speaker 1: So like hibernation is done during the winter during cold temperatures, 117 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 1: estivation is done during the summer or during warm temperatures. 118 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:03,480 Speaker 1: Also torpoor, which is a more generalized term for the 119 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:10,560 Speaker 1: reduction of physiological activity to conserve energy. So an animal 120 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 1: can go into torpoor daily, it can go into torpoor 121 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:16,160 Speaker 1: a few days at a time, a few weeks at 122 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 1: a time, maybe even a few months at a time. 123 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:24,120 Speaker 1: So insects can hibernate, they can estimate, and they can 124 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:29,240 Speaker 1: go into torpoor daily torpor or torpor for any number 125 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:34,000 Speaker 1: of days or period of time. So none of these 126 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:37,880 Speaker 1: insects or even animals that we talk about when they 127 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:42,280 Speaker 1: go into torpoor really quote unquote come back from the dead, 128 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 1: even though it really seems that way sometimes because death 129 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:53,160 Speaker 1: again is the complete irreversible cessation of biological processes. So 130 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:56,920 Speaker 1: like I feel, I mean, maybe this is pedantic, I 131 00:08:56,960 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 1: don't really know, but like when someone says that they 132 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:04,959 Speaker 1: died on the operating table or something, I personally wouldn't 133 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 1: really define that as death, say, even if your heart stops, 134 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 1: because it's not an irreversible cessation of your biological processes 135 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:17,400 Speaker 1: because you're brought back to life in that situation. But 136 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:21,160 Speaker 1: I'm not here to gate keep death. I guess that's 137 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:25,600 Speaker 1: not that's not my job. But yeah, so I would 138 00:09:25,640 --> 00:09:29,720 Speaker 1: say that these insects do not really come back from 139 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:35,360 Speaker 1: the dead, but some come pretty close. So the mountain 140 00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:41,360 Speaker 1: Stone Wetta of New Zealand must survive very very cold temperatures, 141 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:44,439 Speaker 1: so wettas. If you don't know, they look like these 142 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:49,200 Speaker 1: really large fat crickets. They're quite big. They're about the 143 00:09:49,280 --> 00:09:53,760 Speaker 1: size of like an adult's palm. But in New Zealand, 144 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:58,960 Speaker 1: this species, the mountain stone wetta, lives in the mountains 145 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:01,960 Speaker 1: and it gets quite cold. You've seen Lord of the Rings, 146 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:04,559 Speaker 1: you know that New Zealand ranges from being these beautiful 147 00:10:05,559 --> 00:10:09,640 Speaker 1: rolling green hills to cold mountainous regions with snow. So 148 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:15,080 Speaker 1: they freeze in icing conditions in the mountains, but somehow 149 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:18,520 Speaker 1: they don't die. So proteins in their hemal lymph so 150 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:23,200 Speaker 1: hemal imph is essentially blood for insects, these proteins in 151 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:27,240 Speaker 1: their hemal liff prevent their cells from forming ice crystals. Now, 152 00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:29,959 Speaker 1: if you're been listening to the show for a while, 153 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 1: you might say that this sounds similar to the wood frog, 154 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:36,840 Speaker 1: which also can be frozen and similarly not dye and 155 00:10:37,160 --> 00:10:40,560 Speaker 1: also has kind of like anti freeze like proteins and 156 00:10:40,640 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 1: sugars in its blood. Very similar, very similar, of course, 157 00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:47,640 Speaker 1: different evolutionary paths, completely different evolutionary paths, but they've both 158 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:52,640 Speaker 1: come to this in a sort of a convergent evolution. Yeah, 159 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:56,120 Speaker 1: so these these wettas will freeze and the proteins in 160 00:10:56,160 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 1: their hemolymph prevent ice crystals from forming in their cells, 161 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:02,480 Speaker 1: So that means that when they thaw, these ice crystals 162 00:11:02,520 --> 00:11:05,040 Speaker 1: don't explode their cells, which is very important if you 163 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:07,680 Speaker 1: want to keep living. So they can spend up to 164 00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:10,080 Speaker 1: two and a half weeks in the state of being 165 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:13,560 Speaker 1: frozen solid at a time, and I would say this 166 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:18,240 Speaker 1: is not really death. This is more suspended animation, the 167 00:11:18,320 --> 00:11:22,440 Speaker 1: difference being that death is permanent and suspended animation can 168 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:26,960 Speaker 1: potentially be reversed. And so when it warms up, these 169 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:31,520 Speaker 1: wedahs will thaw out and they will start moving again. 170 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:34,840 Speaker 1: And it is really really interesting. I mean, it does 171 00:11:34,960 --> 00:11:39,240 Speaker 1: I suppose somewhat blur the lines between life and death, 172 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:44,120 Speaker 1: because you can have your biological processes slow or even 173 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:50,200 Speaker 1: stop without really being dead, because if there is a 174 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:54,160 Speaker 1: chance or a good chance that you will reverse that, 175 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 1: right then you are not technically dead. I don't think, 176 00:11:58,880 --> 00:12:00,760 Speaker 1: but I don't really know what that means for people. 177 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 1: Like if you could freeze a person before they've died, 178 00:12:04,880 --> 00:12:09,160 Speaker 1: or as they're dying, cryogenically freezing someone, would that person 179 00:12:09,240 --> 00:12:11,640 Speaker 1: not be dead if there's some hope in the future 180 00:12:11,679 --> 00:12:15,199 Speaker 1: that they could be revived. I don't know, interesting thought experiment. 181 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:20,600 Speaker 1: I just know that a certain someone who invented a 182 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:27,360 Speaker 1: certain mouse is probably frozen somewhere and will be revived 183 00:12:27,559 --> 00:12:32,079 Speaker 1: in the future to take over the world. Which mouse 184 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:34,480 Speaker 1: am I talking about? You couldn't. You couldn't say, and 185 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:45,000 Speaker 1: so I'm unsuable onto the next listener question. Hi Katie, 186 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:48,600 Speaker 1: thank you for your explanation about bird bones. I didn't 187 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:50,160 Speaker 1: have a clear idea of how it works, and now 188 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:53,120 Speaker 1: my understanding is better. But as often happens, as soon 189 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:56,080 Speaker 1: as I learn something new, I have more questions. Without 190 00:12:56,160 --> 00:13:00,760 Speaker 1: diaformatic pumping, does that er in the bone stagnate? Do 191 00:13:00,840 --> 00:13:03,120 Speaker 1: birds have other muscle groups or some other mechanism to 192 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:06,559 Speaker 1: somehow keep the air inside this non flexible bone structure circulating? 193 00:13:06,920 --> 00:13:08,880 Speaker 1: Is it more about buoyancy so it doesn't really matter. 194 00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:12,760 Speaker 1: This is from Amanda M. Hi Amanda, thank you so 195 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:15,479 Speaker 1: much for this question. I am very happy to clarify 196 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:19,199 Speaker 1: if I am able to. So It's true that birds 197 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:23,480 Speaker 1: don't have diaphragms like mammals, but like you guessed, they 198 00:13:23,559 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 1: do have muscles that move to fill the air sacks 199 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:31,719 Speaker 1: that they have inside their bodies, facilitating the flow of 200 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:34,440 Speaker 1: air in and out. So essentially, when you look at 201 00:13:34,440 --> 00:13:36,960 Speaker 1: a bird, they have these air sacks both in the 202 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:39,400 Speaker 1: front of their body and in the back of their body, 203 00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:42,880 Speaker 1: and they have lungs kind of in the center. But 204 00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:50,240 Speaker 1: they also have these pneumatic bones, pneumatized bones, and in 205 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:53,920 Speaker 1: these bones, they're not completely hollow, but they have these 206 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:56,240 Speaker 1: huge air pockets. So they look sort of like a 207 00:13:56,280 --> 00:13:59,160 Speaker 1: fluffy sour dough bread, except you know, it's hard and bone. 208 00:13:59,679 --> 00:14:03,760 Speaker 1: And so inside of their bones there's space for air. 209 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:08,040 Speaker 1: And I mentioned previously on the Listener Questions episode that 210 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:11,599 Speaker 1: this air can help increase sort of the total abundancy 211 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:16,880 Speaker 1: of air circulating through the bird's body. So to understand 212 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:19,080 Speaker 1: how this works, let's talk a little bit more about 213 00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 1: how the bird's respiratory system works. So essentially, muscles expand 214 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:30,320 Speaker 1: the chest cavity, which fills the air sacks, and then 215 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:34,720 Speaker 1: to deflate the air sacks to exhale. Essentially, these skeletal 216 00:14:34,800 --> 00:14:40,360 Speaker 1: muscles will compress their lungs, however, remain inflated throughout this 217 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:45,240 Speaker 1: whole process. They don't inflate and deflate like our lungs. 218 00:14:45,280 --> 00:14:49,320 Speaker 1: There's a constant flow of air from these air sacks 219 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:54,560 Speaker 1: that kind of move in sequence that continuously ventilate the lungs. 220 00:14:55,040 --> 00:14:59,240 Speaker 1: This allows a greater efficiency and a greater intake of oxygen, 221 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 1: which is a really important adaptation for the rigors of flight, 222 00:15:03,080 --> 00:15:06,160 Speaker 1: particularly for birds who fly at high altitudes and have 223 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:10,600 Speaker 1: no problem so their bones being quote unquote hollow in 224 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 1: that they actually have extra space inside, but of course 225 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:16,720 Speaker 1: they're not entirely hollow. They have struts, and there are 226 00:15:16,760 --> 00:15:19,600 Speaker 1: some bones that birds have that are not hollow at all. 227 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 1: They have marrow. They produce the cells, the sort of 228 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:26,760 Speaker 1: immune cells and blood cells inside of the marrow, just 229 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:30,200 Speaker 1: as we do. But there are bones in the bird's 230 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:33,880 Speaker 1: body that are pneumatized that have this sort of bubbly 231 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:39,160 Speaker 1: space inside, so this allows air to enter the bones, 232 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 1: and the bones are actually connected to the respiratory system 233 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:48,320 Speaker 1: through fleshy tub being called diverticula. So the diverticula connect 234 00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:51,800 Speaker 1: to the bird's air sacks and lungs, so the air 235 00:15:51,960 --> 00:15:54,920 Speaker 1: inside the skeleton is connected to the rest of the 236 00:15:55,040 --> 00:15:59,760 Speaker 1: respiratory system, so this air doesn't get stale. It's connected 237 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:03,080 Speaker 1: to the airflow of the rest of the respiratory system. 238 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 1: So we actually do have some pneumatized bones in our 239 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:14,320 Speaker 1: sinuses which helps airflow into our respiratory system. Just the 240 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:16,960 Speaker 1: difference between us and birds is that birds have these 241 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:22,200 Speaker 1: air canals throughout their skeletons. Onto the next list and 242 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:27,080 Speaker 1: heer question. Just finish your episode about extraterrestrial like animals, 243 00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 1: and you mentioned a fact about the platypus that I 244 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:31,720 Speaker 1: hadn't been aware of. You mentioned that it has the 245 00:16:31,800 --> 00:16:36,360 Speaker 1: ability to sense things by their electrical charges from sensors 246 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:39,760 Speaker 1: in its bill. Is this the same sensors that sharks 247 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:43,760 Speaker 1: have the ampules of Lorenzini. I'm one hundred percent certain 248 00:16:43,760 --> 00:16:46,840 Speaker 1: I'm misspelling it, but hopefully you know what I'm talking about. Eh, 249 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:49,920 Speaker 1: it's a tough word, I understand. Or if it's not 250 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:52,640 Speaker 1: the same, is it similar? Feel free to use this 251 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:55,240 Speaker 1: for you listener questions episode. Thanks again for your five 252 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:58,520 Speaker 1: star podcast. Your fan Dan, Hi, Dan, this is a 253 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:03,640 Speaker 1: fantastic question. So both sharks and platypuses are capable of 254 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:10,399 Speaker 1: electro reception, the ability to detect electrical fields. This is 255 00:17:10,440 --> 00:17:17,120 Speaker 1: also true of other animals including echidnas, lungfishes, rays, So 256 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:21,240 Speaker 1: sharks raise lungfishes, echidnas, and platypuses are capable of what's 257 00:17:21,280 --> 00:17:26,120 Speaker 1: known as passive electrolocation, meaning they have organs that can 258 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:30,639 Speaker 1: pick up electrical signals without sending anything out. There's also 259 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:35,240 Speaker 1: something called active electrolocation, which is when the animal generates 260 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:38,640 Speaker 1: an electrical field and uses that to detect its environment 261 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:43,160 Speaker 1: through the interference of the electrical field with things in 262 00:17:43,240 --> 00:17:47,280 Speaker 1: its environment such as other animals or obstacles or whatever. 263 00:17:47,359 --> 00:17:50,800 Speaker 1: So this is much like a bat who sends out 264 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:55,680 Speaker 1: sound a you know, basically a sonar ping that bounce 265 00:17:55,840 --> 00:17:58,280 Speaker 1: off bounces off something in its environment and then they 266 00:17:58,640 --> 00:18:04,879 Speaker 1: listen for it with their ears. These active electrolocation species 267 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:07,960 Speaker 1: will send out an electrical field and then they sense 268 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:10,720 Speaker 1: when it bounces back to them as having an interference. 269 00:18:11,119 --> 00:18:16,960 Speaker 1: So animals who do active electrolocation include elephant fish, electric rays, skates, 270 00:18:17,320 --> 00:18:22,800 Speaker 1: electric eels, electric catfishes, and knife fishes. So let's talk 271 00:18:22,840 --> 00:18:28,240 Speaker 1: about the ampulaa of Lorenzini. So ampulae of Lorenzini are 272 00:18:28,920 --> 00:18:34,119 Speaker 1: sensory organs that detect electrical signals, and these are specific 273 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:39,440 Speaker 1: to sharks, rays, skates, and lungfishes. Platypuses, meanwhile, do have 274 00:18:39,720 --> 00:18:43,159 Speaker 1: electro receptive organs of its own in its bill that 275 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:49,200 Speaker 1: evolved independently. So these are distinct from the ampulae of Lorenzini, 276 00:18:49,320 --> 00:18:53,600 Speaker 1: but researchers have noted that they are somewhat similar structures, 277 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:55,639 Speaker 1: and so that actually, I think was one of the 278 00:18:55,680 --> 00:18:59,560 Speaker 1: reasons they were interested in whether these could be capable 279 00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:06,760 Speaker 1: of a lecture reception, So they are somewhat structurally similar. 280 00:19:07,800 --> 00:19:12,760 Speaker 1: The sensory organs and platypuses are actually modified mucous glands. 281 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:15,840 Speaker 1: So these mucus glands would keep the bill moist, but 282 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:18,280 Speaker 1: these ones have been modified to actually be able to 283 00:19:18,280 --> 00:19:23,960 Speaker 1: detect electrical pulses. So they are arranged in stripes along 284 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:27,200 Speaker 1: the bill, which is useful when you're trying to detect 285 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:30,199 Speaker 1: where the electrical signal is coming from, because you have 286 00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:33,920 Speaker 1: an array of these sensory organs and then you can 287 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:37,560 Speaker 1: kind of know, like well, which ones are being activated, 288 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:40,440 Speaker 1: and then you know which direction it's coming from. These 289 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:44,520 Speaker 1: are then attached to nerves. Now species of Echidna have 290 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:47,760 Speaker 1: the same system, but it's not nearly as well developed 291 00:19:47,840 --> 00:19:53,280 Speaker 1: as the platypus. Platypuses have around forty thousand electro receptors 292 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:57,280 Speaker 1: versus echidnas who only have hundreds to a couple thousand. 293 00:19:57,400 --> 00:20:02,920 Speaker 1: It's not super clear how much akinnas use these electroceptors, 294 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:07,600 Speaker 1: but platypuses definitely use them. And it's helpful for platypuses 295 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:12,440 Speaker 1: because they live in muddy environments. The waters that they 296 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:15,399 Speaker 1: swim around and are often muddy and silty, so it 297 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:20,480 Speaker 1: would be hard to see something your prey like invertebrates, worms, 298 00:20:21,359 --> 00:20:26,199 Speaker 1: small fish, and so they can use this electroception to 299 00:20:26,320 --> 00:20:37,240 Speaker 1: see in otherwise visually unclear environments. Next listener question, Hey Katie, 300 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:39,879 Speaker 1: it's the puppet person again. Okay, note from me, Katie. 301 00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:43,400 Speaker 1: This is a listener who sent me this amazing photo 302 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:47,199 Speaker 1: of a drag a massive dragon puppet. It was like 303 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:50,320 Speaker 1: the size of two people that looked like it was 304 00:20:50,359 --> 00:20:54,840 Speaker 1: made out of coconut crab exoskeletons. Really cool. Love it? 305 00:20:54,920 --> 00:20:57,879 Speaker 1: Love a crab dragon all right. Back to the email. 306 00:20:58,560 --> 00:21:00,960 Speaker 1: I've had an animal question flow. I'm partly formed around 307 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:02,719 Speaker 1: my head for a while, and today I found a 308 00:21:02,720 --> 00:21:05,240 Speaker 1: way to express it. Why do so many patterns on 309 00:21:05,320 --> 00:21:08,199 Speaker 1: secretors look like the patterns created by the magnetic fields 310 00:21:08,200 --> 00:21:10,600 Speaker 1: in this video? And they linked a really cool looking 311 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:15,600 Speaker 1: video of I think ferro fluid forming some patterns on 312 00:21:15,720 --> 00:21:20,439 Speaker 1: like this microscope slide in a magnetic field. Back to 313 00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:23,240 Speaker 1: the email. This video is the strongest example I've seen, 314 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:26,240 Speaker 1: but I've seen similarities while playing with both ferro fluids 315 00:21:26,280 --> 00:21:28,360 Speaker 1: and the way sand arranges itself on a metal plate 316 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:31,760 Speaker 1: near speaker playing a clear tone. It's possible there is 317 00:21:31,760 --> 00:21:34,520 Speaker 1: no link, but they do seem strikingly similar. I figured 318 00:21:34,600 --> 00:21:37,800 Speaker 1: you have contact with a lot of weird corners of 319 00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:41,119 Speaker 1: the animal world, so might have some answers. Also, we 320 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:45,080 Speaker 1: made another animal puppet film. This one's about bets. I'm 321 00:21:45,119 --> 00:21:48,919 Speaker 1: going to thoroughly enjoy this bat's videos. Cheers. This is 322 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:52,840 Speaker 1: from IZZYB. So this is a big question and it 323 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:55,040 Speaker 1: might be a little over my head because it has 324 00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:59,240 Speaker 1: to do with mathematics, which I'm all right at but 325 00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:03,040 Speaker 1: you know, I'm not a mathematician. In fact, this was 326 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:06,719 Speaker 1: something that Alan Turing was interested in and came up 327 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:12,399 Speaker 1: with a theory about regarding zebra fish's patterns. So modern 328 00:22:12,440 --> 00:22:16,760 Speaker 1: biologists have actually looked at Alan Tering's theories there. It's 329 00:22:16,880 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 1: very interesting because Alan Turing was definitely on the right track, 330 00:22:19,640 --> 00:22:24,680 Speaker 1: but he was mostly wrong. But it really interestingly he 331 00:22:24,840 --> 00:22:29,720 Speaker 1: was kind of like coincidentally, not not quite coincidentally, but 332 00:22:29,840 --> 00:22:33,040 Speaker 1: like he was, he opened up the path for figuring 333 00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:37,960 Speaker 1: out how this actually works. So basically, there are diffusion 334 00:22:38,119 --> 00:22:43,320 Speaker 1: models based on reaction diffusion of chemicals, like these movements 335 00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:50,159 Speaker 1: of chemicals of the molecules that result in these patterns. 336 00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:53,920 Speaker 1: So in the case of a living organism, it might 337 00:22:53,960 --> 00:22:57,440 Speaker 1: be the cells under development doing some kind of movement 338 00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:00,639 Speaker 1: and there being some kind of pattern of interactions of 339 00:23:00,680 --> 00:23:04,000 Speaker 1: movement of these cells which would result in the generation 340 00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:09,560 Speaker 1: of asymmetrical patterns that we see in fish, in reptiles, 341 00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:14,000 Speaker 1: in you know, so many animals. But in fact, even 342 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:16,840 Speaker 1: though these patterns look very much like a reaction to 343 00:23:16,920 --> 00:23:21,680 Speaker 1: fusion pattern at least in zebra fish, researchers of you know, 344 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:24,879 Speaker 1: modern day researchers have found that these are not actually 345 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:28,520 Speaker 1: the results of cell movement of cells sort of like 346 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:32,520 Speaker 1: moving around and interacting with each other, but cell growth, 347 00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:36,440 Speaker 1: which is kind of an interesting distinction. So essentially, there 348 00:23:36,520 --> 00:23:39,679 Speaker 1: are rules in the way that developing skin cells and 349 00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:44,400 Speaker 1: pigment cells interact with each other as they're growing and developing, 350 00:23:44,920 --> 00:23:48,640 Speaker 1: and these rules in terms that guides like how these 351 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:52,560 Speaker 1: cells will interact with each other and grow next to 352 00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:58,600 Speaker 1: each other create these patterns. So it's basically the interference 353 00:23:59,200 --> 00:24:03,520 Speaker 1: of these cells as they're growing and what you see 354 00:24:03,560 --> 00:24:07,879 Speaker 1: with things like magnetic fields, or say you put sand 355 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:11,240 Speaker 1: on speakers and you see these like sound fields and stuff. 356 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:15,720 Speaker 1: You're getting kind of interference patterns. So same thing in 357 00:24:15,840 --> 00:24:19,640 Speaker 1: terms of like water or laser. It's not necessarily all 358 00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:23,080 Speaker 1: them following the same rules of interaction. You're gonna have 359 00:24:23,119 --> 00:24:27,399 Speaker 1: different rules with like interference of say photons versus water, 360 00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:32,880 Speaker 1: versus sound waves versus magnetic fields, but they all are 361 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:37,080 Speaker 1: forming these interference patterns, and it is really interesting that 362 00:24:37,320 --> 00:24:42,600 Speaker 1: you see somewhat similar patterns emerge with interference patterns, even 363 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:48,320 Speaker 1: though they're maybe following slightly different rules. But yeah, essentially 364 00:24:49,119 --> 00:24:52,600 Speaker 1: probably what's happening with cells and animals. You're getting this 365 00:24:52,760 --> 00:24:58,680 Speaker 1: interference pattern not through movement, but through these rules that 366 00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:02,480 Speaker 1: they follow chemical when they are developing and growing next 367 00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:05,959 Speaker 1: to each other and basically interfering with each other's growth 368 00:25:06,040 --> 00:25:08,720 Speaker 1: and influencing how they grow. It's sort of like there 369 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:11,960 Speaker 1: was this really old video game, I think just called Life. 370 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:14,040 Speaker 1: There was just some pixels on the screen, but pixels 371 00:25:14,040 --> 00:25:16,920 Speaker 1: would have just a few simple rules when they would 372 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:19,760 Speaker 1: like interact with each other and that would result in 373 00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:22,320 Speaker 1: these interesting patterns, and so it's kind of the same 374 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:27,320 Speaker 1: thing going on here. If there are any like actual 375 00:25:27,600 --> 00:25:32,840 Speaker 1: legit mathematicians out there who study this kind of thing about, 376 00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:36,439 Speaker 1: like or physicians particle physicists, although I do know on 377 00:25:36,520 --> 00:25:38,640 Speaker 1: I guess I could call him up and ask him. 378 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:42,320 Speaker 1: But yeah, if any of you understand the math or 379 00:25:42,359 --> 00:25:44,880 Speaker 1: the science of interference patterns and you want to write 380 00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:48,160 Speaker 1: into me, I would love to read your perspective, because 381 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:51,200 Speaker 1: this is definitely a little over my head. But I'm 382 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:56,320 Speaker 1: hoping I'm giving a decent enough explanation, and I'm you know, 383 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:58,520 Speaker 1: I'm kind of guessing as well, Like you know, I 384 00:25:58,520 --> 00:26:02,199 Speaker 1: don't know. I just assume that, you know, when you 385 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:05,199 Speaker 1: have sort of an interference pattern with one thing is 386 00:26:05,320 --> 00:26:10,119 Speaker 1: kind of partially coincidence but partially not coincidence, where you 387 00:26:10,280 --> 00:26:15,719 Speaker 1: have similar patterns emerge from, you know, even different types 388 00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:22,159 Speaker 1: of interference mechanisms. All right, So thank you guys so 389 00:26:22,359 --> 00:26:26,240 Speaker 1: much for your questions. Love answering them before we go. 390 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:30,240 Speaker 1: I do have so we play game every week called 391 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:34,520 Speaker 1: Guess Hugh Squawkin the Mystery Animal Sound game. I don't 392 00:26:34,560 --> 00:26:38,520 Speaker 1: want to answer it this time. I want to wait 393 00:26:38,600 --> 00:26:41,959 Speaker 1: until I have a guest on. So sorry for keeping 394 00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:45,200 Speaker 1: you on tinter hooks. I know everyone's biting their nails 395 00:26:45,240 --> 00:26:48,880 Speaker 1: about what animal is making this sound? Just the biggest 396 00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:54,520 Speaker 1: cliffhanger in history. Anyways, here was the hint for the 397 00:26:54,600 --> 00:26:58,400 Speaker 1: last mystery animal sound. Squeakers here doesn't like being handled. 398 00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:01,560 Speaker 1: In fact, his own hands have turned into something else. 399 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:13,919 Speaker 1: If you can guess who is making that sound, you 400 00:27:13,920 --> 00:27:17,160 Speaker 1: can write to me at Creature Featurepod at gmail dot com. 401 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:19,200 Speaker 1: Next week, I am probably gonna have a guest on 402 00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:21,200 Speaker 1: the show, so we're going to go back to the 403 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:25,199 Speaker 1: OG format of the show. But I do these listener 404 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:28,960 Speaker 1: questions episodes every so often. Again, if you have a 405 00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:30,920 Speaker 1: question that you would like me to answer, you can 406 00:27:30,960 --> 00:27:35,240 Speaker 1: email me at Creature Featurepod at gmail dot com. Thank 407 00:27:35,280 --> 00:27:39,520 Speaker 1: you guys so much for listening. If you're enjoying the 408 00:27:39,560 --> 00:27:42,040 Speaker 1: show and you leave a ratio review, I read every 409 00:27:42,040 --> 00:27:45,880 Speaker 1: single review and I appreciate all the feedback, and thank 410 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:48,600 Speaker 1: you so much to the Space Classics for theirs super 411 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:52,840 Speaker 1: awesome song. XO Lumina. Creature Feature is a production of iHeartRadio. 412 00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:54,720 Speaker 1: For more podcasts like the one you just heard, Visit 413 00:27:54,760 --> 00:27:58,520 Speaker 1: the Ihart Radio, ap Apple podcast or are you guess what? Where? 414 00:27:58,520 --> 00:28:01,280 Speaker 1: Have you listen to your favorite shows? I don't judge yet, 415 00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:02,840 Speaker 1: See you next Wednesday.