How Do Bugs Breathe?

That is a bigger question than you would think. When you hear bug, most people only think of insects. But not all bugs are insects. Rollie pollies are actually  crustaceans. Spiders and ticks are arachnids. Then there are centipedes, millipedes and all kinds of worms. Yet they all get put into the group called bugs.

Most bugs do not have lungs. The have tiny holes in their abdomens called spiracles. These can be opened and closed as needed. These lead to little channels called tracheae that carry oxygen to the cells. Some bugs just let air come in by itself; Others, like grasshoppers, can expand and contract their abdomens to obtain more oxygen. Bugs don’t have blood. They have a clear, yellowing fluid called hemolymph that carries nutrients and oxygen inside their bodies.

Some creatures, like spiders, have what are called book lungs. They are structures that have thin, stacked, membranes that look something like pages in a book. They can fan these and let oxygen in. Others like rollie pollies have gills! They need to always remain moist. That’s why the need to live in moist areas like under rotten logs.

Water insects like the larva of mosquitoes and midges have an air snorkel that they can use at the water’s surface to breathe while they look for prey under the water. Others have visible gills. Some insect even carry a bubble of air around their abdomens while they are diving under water.

There are even bugs, like worms, that can breathe through their skin. They also need to always stay moist so that oxygen can absorb into their bodies.

Because most bugs have to get their oxygen these ways, it puts a limit on how big they can grow. It is thought that back in history (probably before the Great Flood) oxygen levels may have been greater. This could help them to grow much bigger, something we can see in some fossils.

What amazing creatures we have around us! I hope you liked hearing about them.

Until next time,

Love Papaw.

Gardening with Papaw

 

Spring is here at last! This is the time of year that people start planting their gardens. Some grow flowers. Others like to grow vegetables and fruit. Papaw likes to do both! I like flowers because they look pretty and also make Mema happy. I like to grow vegetables and fruit because I like to eat them. This year I’m a little behind, because things have been very busy. I may not put out as many plants this year.

We started in the fall with a flower for Mema. It’s called hydrangea. They can be white, pink, blue or purple. She like the purple ones. It’s still kinda small but it really had a lot of flowers this spring. It’s right by the back door so we can see it if we go out in the evening.

I also planted 3 tomato plants. Two are called cherry tomatoes because they have tiny cute tomatoes. If you look close at the picture you can see little tomatoes already. One is red; The other is a golden yellow. They will taste really good in salads and on Mema’s homemade pizzas! The other tomato is called a “zebra tomato” because it has purple and yellow stripes. It think that might look good on a hamburger.

I still would like to plant a few peppers. Mema doesn’t like them hot, but I do! I’m going to plant some Jalapeños and some cayenne peppers. Cayenne pepper are really hot, but I think they taste good on almost anything. Auntie B likes hot peppers also.  Maybe Mema will make some of her homemade salsa for us. Yum!

You could also grow corn or beans, They are fun to grow. I may even try to grow some more pumpkins or cantaloupe this year. They take a lot of room so I’m going to have to look for a good spot.

Gardening as a family can be fun. What would you like to grow?

Until Next Time,

Love, Papaw.

Jumping Spiders!

 

I know that a lot of people don't like spiders, so you may not want mom to look at the picture for this one. There are some spiders that I don't want hanging around. I don't like black widows and I'm not really fond of cellar spiders either. Still, there is one spider that I find really cool. It's the jumping spider. They just look happy and don't really bother people so I don't mind watching them or having them hang around in the flowers. Well, as long as they don't eat the butterflies.

Like all spiders, jumping spiders have 8 legs and two body parts, a cephalothorax (they have no neck) and an abdomen. They are usually covered with fuzzy hairs and can often be very colorful. they are different for other spiders in that two of their eight eyes are really big. This helps them see what is around them. Most spiders cannot see very well. Because of this, they are hunting spiders. They can jump long distances to attack insects like flies and caterpillars. They would be very good ion the track team. Some can jump 50 times their length. I bet you can't do that!

They don't usually spin webs but instead use their silk as as safety live when they make long jumps. Kind of like spider man. They do make little silk tents to sleep in. 

Jumping spiders live in almost every country around the world. If you look at your flowers or even on the outside walls of your house, you can probably find one in no time. 'My favorite jumping spider is Lucas the Jumping Spider. I put a shots video of him on here. He can be pretty funny!

Until next time!

Love, Papaw.

https://kids.kiddle.co/Jumping_spider

How Do Birds Breathe?

This week my second oldest grandson ask me what a one-way breath loop was. My first response was, what? (They are getting too smart!) I had to look it up. I found out it was related to the way birds breathe. I’ve taught biology for years and never paid any attention to it. I mean, birds have lungs so they breathe in and breathe out. No big deal right?

Turns out, it’s a huge deal. Whereas humans and other mammals breathe in to fill their lungs and breathe out to empty them reversing the flow each time, birds on the other hand keep air going through the system in one direction all the time. It means there is fresh air constantly flowing through their lungs all the time. They do this by using a series of air sacks that keep the air moving through their lungs. Only after it goes through the whole circuit does it get exhaled.

Birds need this system because they need extra oxygen to fly and they also may spend a lot of time at higher altitudes where the air is thinner. They also breathe many times faster than most mammals. Smaller birds like canaries may breathe 60-100 times a minute! Larger soaring birds like vultures may only breathe 18 times per minute. (Humans average 12.)

According to https://www.birdfact.com/articles/how-do-birds-breathe:

A bird takes two breaths to complete one full cycle of breathing. Here’s a summary of how it works:

Inhalation: Air flows in through the nostrils, moves through the trachea, and fills the posterior air sacs.

Exhalation: Air leaves the posterior air sacs and travels into the lungs, moved by the contraction of muscles in the ribcage. Gaseous exchange takes place in the lungs, where the waste carbon dioxide is swapped for fresh oxygen.

Inhalation: Air leaves the lungs, flowing into the anterior air sacs.

Exhalation: Air passes from the anterior air sacs into the trachea, leaving the beak through the nostrils.

That seems like a lot of work, but if you are a bird, you need it. Isn’t it amazing how God has given each creature the things they need to survive? He sure is a great designer!

Well, my head is spinning from all that science stuff. Until next time!

Love Papaw.

Magnetism: Magic or Just Cool Science?

 Have you ever wondered how a magnet works? On the surface, it almost looks like magic. It can pick up things made of iron. It can repel other magnets. It can even tell us north and south. Magnets are all around us. They keep your papers on the refrigerator. The can hold closet doors shut. They help motors to turn in all of our gadgets. But how does it work?

A magnet is a material that produces a magnetic field that attracts the metals Iron, Nickel, and Cobalt. It happens when most or all of the molecules line up going the same direction. This gives a metal a North and South Pole. Magnetic lines of force form like in the diagram. The more molecules that are aligned, the stronger the magnetic force.

There are two main types of magnets – temporary and permanent.  Temporary magnets are usually made of softer metal and do not keep their charge well. They are often used as electromagnets. These are magnetic when an electric current is flowing around them but lose their magnetism when the electricity is turned off. They can be used in cranes that move iron pieces from one place to another. They are usually mad of soft iron.

Permanent magnets are magnetic
all the time. They are usually made of much harder metal. The strongest magnets are mad of something called “neodymium”. They are usually made of three metals, neodymium, iron, and boron. They are so strong that larger ones have are really hard to pull apart. They can actually hurt you if you get pinched between them.

Magnets are fun to use, but you need to be careful and take care of them. Here are some rules for safe magnet use.

1. Never heat a magnet. If it gets too hot it may lose its magnetism.

2. Do not pound on them or drop them. This can disorganize the molecules and weaken the magnet.

3. Use a “keeper if provided with your magnet.

4. Never put magnets in your mouth, especially the neodymium magnets! There have been people who ended up with holes in their intestine because the magnets were so strong.

If you don’t have any magnets at home, there are many kinds of kits you can buy in stores and online. Many have little extras that make magnets even more fun. Have fun exploring!

Love, Papaw.

 Here is a fun video about magnets.

How Do We Grow?

So what really happens when we grow up? Human growth happens in three ways, physically, emotionally, and mentally. We also can grow spiritually if we choose to. We all start as a single cell that starts to divide. Soon there are many cells that are basically exactly alike. Then something fantastic happens. The cells begin to differentiate. That’s a big word for they become different. There are signals that are controlled by the genes we have (our DNA) that cause some cells to change into heart cells, nerve cells, skin cells, brain cells, and a whole lot of other kinds. There are even genes called Hox genes that tell the cells where they are supposed to go. Imagine having brain cells in our feet. That just wouldn’t work! Once these different cells are in the right place they continue to divide. Soon there are millions of cells and the tiny human is starting to look like a baby.

Once the baby is born, it begins to eat and grow. Some cells stop dividing. The brain has all of the cells it needs. The bones continue to elongate by adding new cells to an area called the growth plate. Our skin keeps dividing and stretching to keep up. Our heart and other organs grow and mature. There are many hormones and other chemicals that help keep everything growing on schedule. One gland, located at the base of our brains called the pituitary gland is like the head guy. He tells all the other parts of the body when to grow, stop, or do their various functions. The pituitary gland is the one that secretes a hormone called growth hormone. Without it we would stay small. When we reach about 18-20, we may stop growing taller, but that doesn’t mean we are finished growing. Our brain’s keep developing. The cartilage in our nose and ears never really stops growing. If we get injured the body repairs itself by growing new cells.
We also grow emotionally. We learn how to relate to other people and solve problems. We can learn from our parents, our friends, and especially from reading the Bible. The more we experience and see how others adjust to situations, the more mature emotionally we can become. It may take some time and you will have to be patient.

We grow mentally by learning new things. We go to school. We learn skills from our parents and other relatives. One way we can grow mentally is to read. Books can teach us many things about nature, the world, and even ourselves. The greatest book is the Bible. It can help us grow physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. If we do all four we can become the person God intended us to be and be able to do all the good things he wants us to accomplish.

There’s a whole lot more to growing up that you will learn along the way, but I hope this helps!

Till next time!

Love Papaw.

Celebrating Easter in Other Countries

 This week the Musings and the Notes from Papaw collide. (It means they’re both the same.)

Have you ever wondered how other countries celebrate Easter? Easter is when we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. In America, many go to a special church service, have a special Easter lunch with family, and decorate with flowers like the Easter lilies in this picture. Children often get Easter baskets with eggs that are supposed to come from the “Easter Bunny”.

Easter Around The World.

Here in America, it’s the beginning of Spring. For the Southern Hemisphere however, it’s turning to Fall. Things are getting colder. In Australia, many celebrate with hot cross buns - a spiced sweet bread marked with a cross. They think of rabbits as pests so there is no Easter Bunny. Instead they have the Easter Bilby, an endangered species that kind of looks like a rabbit. In Vanuatu, a South Pacific island, they like to have a sunrise service for worship. In Columbia, there are solemn processions in the streets during Holy week.

In Africa churches are adorned with butterflies, flowers and bright colors. The night before Easter morning they have a vigil that begins quietly but erupts into singing and dancing at sunrise.

In the Philippines, Easter morning begins with two separate processions. The men follow an image of Jesus, while the women follow one of his mother Mary. At the church, they encourage each other that Jesu has risen.

In India, there is not a very large percentage of Christians. Instead they have a Spring festival. They often purchase lavishly decorated egg for their children.

In Europe, there are many different fun traditions. Germany is the originator of the Easter egg. They even put them on Easter trees.  In Poland, families gather for Easter Sunday breakfast, which often includes a sweet bread called babka. In the French town of Bessières, people gather together to cook a giant omelet. It is said to go back to the time of Napoleon. I guess he really liked omelets!

Meals, festivals, and candy are all fun as long as we don’t forget What Easter really stands for. Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord was crucified, buried in a tomb, and according to the scriptures raised the third day to take His place in heaven as our mediator and High Priest before God. Enjoy the season; just don’t forget the sacrifice!

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Matthew 28:5-8

Until Next Week!

Most information is from https://www.wycliffe.org/blog/featured/how-easter-is-celebrated-in-countries-around-the-world