Hi, you're listening to cultivate
curiosity, a.
Podcast that inspires the next generation
to stay curious.
Cultivate curiosity is brought to you by
the Emerald Coast Science Center, a
nonprofit.
Interactive science museum and steam
educational facility in Fort Walton Beach,
Florida.
This podcast is perfect for anyone curious
about the world we live in because
you never know what we'll talk about
next.
Hey, my name's Jacie and by now
you should know that I'm the social
media coordinator here at the Emerald
Coast Science Center.
Today on cultivated curiosity.
Since Halloween is just right around the
corner, we're going to dive into something
spooky, but with a scientific twist, of
course.
Were going to explore the eerie and
mysterious world of spooky science.
From strange creatures with remarkable
adaptations to mysterious constellations
that have haunted the skies for centuries,
well uncover the creepy and often
misunderstood side of nature.
So grab your flashlight because its time
to discover some spine tingling science.
So lets start with the animal kingdom
where we'll find creatures that are not
only bizarre, but also play important
roles in their ecosystems.
First up is the vampire bat.
These small nocturnal mammals have
developed an extraordinary way to survive
by drinking the blood of other animals.
Hence the name vampire bat.
While this may sound scary, vampire bats
are fascinating creatures with some
impressive adaptations.
For example, they have heat sensors on
their noses to find the perfect spot
spot on their prey to make a
quick, painless bite.
But what makes the vampire bats truly
remarkable is their social behavior.
They live in colonies where they share
food with others who might not have
eaten.
If a bat misses out on a
meal, another bat will regurgitate blood
to share a form of social cooperation
that is quite rare in the animal
world.
Next, lets venture into the deep sea
to meet the anglerfish, one of the
oceans most mysterious inhabitants.
Anglerfish may look terrifying with their
huge teeth and bioluminescent lures, but
they are perfectly adapted for life in
one of the most extreme environments on
earth, the deep ocean.
In a place where food is scarce
and sunlight never reaches, anglerfish
have developed a unique hunting strategy.
Their glowing lure attracts prey, allowing
them to survive in an environment where
most animals would struggle.
Anglerfish also play an important role in
the deep seafood chain, helping maintain
the balance of this isolated ecosystem.
Another remarkable, yet eerie creature is
the aye aye, a nocturnal lemur found
in Madagascar.
With its large glowing eyes and long
bony finger, the aye aye looks straight
out of a horror movie.
But this unique adaptation allows it to
tap on trees and use echolocation to
find insects hiding inside the bark.
Though its often misunderstood due to its
strange appearance, the aye aye aye plays
an important role in controlling insect
populations, making it a vital part of
Madagascar's ecosystem.
Now, let's talk about the tarantula hawk
wasp.
While its predatory behavior might send
chills down your spine, this wasp plays
an important role in controlling spider
populations.
By targeting tarantulas, these wasps help
maintain a balance in the ecosystem,
preventing spider population from growing
too large.
In addition to that, the tarantula hawk
wasps venom has fascinated scientists for
years, as it could lead to medical
breakthroughs in pain management due to
its unique properties.
So while it might seem scary, this
insect has some very useful qualities for
both nature and science.
Now that we've learned about some spooky
creatures, let's turn our gaze to the
night sky.
There are constellations with stories that
are equally eerie and captivating.
One of the most famous spooky
constellations is Draco, the dragon.
This ancient constellation wraps itself
around the northern celestial pole, and
according to Legendhe, it represents the
dragon that guarded the golden apples of
immortality.
While dragons are mythical creatures,
Draco has played an important role in
guiding ancient civilizations.
In navigation, it served as a landmark
for sailors, helping them find their way
through the dark seas.
Today, it continues to inspire stargazers
with its mysterious presence in the night
sky.
Another constellation tied to Halloween
worthy mythology is Perseus, who famously
defeated the Gorgon Medusa.
Medusa, with her snake covered head and
petrifying gaze, is one of the most
chilling figures in greek mythology.
The star algal, which represents the eye
of Medusa, is often called the Niemann
star.
Its fluctuating brightness, caused by two
stars eclipsing one another, was once
considered an evil omen.
But now we understand this variable star
offers valuable insight into stellar life
cycles.
What was once thought of as spooky
is now seen as a treasure trove
of astronomical knowledge.
Another spooky constellation is Hydra, the
serpent.
Stretching across the southern sky, Hydra
is the largest of all constellations in
greek mythology.
Hydra represents the multi headed serpent
slain by Hercules as one of his
twelve labors.
The constellations sheer size gives it a
mysterious presence, and its twisting form
can be hard to track in the
night sky.
Adding to its eerie vibe, Hydra's long,
sinuous shape reminds us of the vastness
of space and the untamed forces that
lie beyond our world.
And of course, there's Orion the hunter,
locked in an internal battle with Taurus
the bull.
But what's truly fascinating is the Orion
Nebula, a massive cloud of gas and
dust where stars are born.
While its ghostly appearance might be
unsettling.
It's actually one of the most important
stellar nurseries in the sky, providing
scientists with a glimpse into how stars
and solar systems form.
So even in the dark reaches of
space, there's beauty and life being
created.
So now that we've explored spooky
creatures and eerie constellations, let's
end with something hands on.
Halloween is the perfect time to bring
some spooky science experiments to life.
One fun experiment you can try is
making glowing slime.
You only need some white glue, baking
soda, contact blend solution, or saline
solution on a few drops of glow
in the dark paint or tonic water.
Mix them together, and you'll have a
spooky glowing slime that's perfect for
Halloween night.
This experiment teaches about chemical
reactions, and the glow effect
demonstrates how certain materials absorb
and emit light in different ways.
Another simple, yet eerie experiment is
ghostly vinegar balloons.
Take a balloon, draw a spooky face
on it, and then fill it with
a little bit of baking soda.
Pour some vinegar into a bottle, attach
the balloon to the top, and watch
as the balloon inflates on its own.
This experiment teaches about gas
production from chemical reactions.
The carbon dioxide produced by the vinegar
and baking soda causes the balloon to
inflate.
It's a spooky visual that's educational
and fun.
So that wraps up today's spooky science
episode of cultivate curiosity.
We hope these creepy creatures, mysterious
constellations, and spooky science
experiments get you into the Halloween
spirit.
And if you're looking for something to
do for Halloween, we do have our
planetarium special feature, spooky
secrets of the stars.
That's on October 29.
There are five, six, or 07:00 p.m.
showings five and 06:00 p.m.
showings are for ages five and up.
And then the 07:00 p.m.
is just a little bit spookier.
So that is for ages eight and
up.
And we'll be talking about all kinds
of constellations, I think, especially
monster constellations.
This year you can dress up in
your Halloween costumes and come and
experience these awesome planetarium
shows.
If you check out our website,
ecscience.org events, you can go ahead and
get your tickets now on our website,
or you can come in, purchase them,
or even call us at 850-664-1261 thank
you for listening to this week's episode.
Be sure to follow us on social
media and subscribe to cultivate curiosity
so you never miss an episode.
And as always, stay curious and
have a spooktacular Halloween thanks for
listening to this week's episode of
cultivate Curiosity.
If you have any questions, feel free
to email us at socialmedia@ecscience.org.
Tune in for our next episode in
two weeks.