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Build-A-Dragon

2025/1/23
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Radiolab for Kids

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Lu Dajie
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Lulu Miller
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Lu Dajie: 我是中国的龙舞传承人,龙在中国文化中象征着所有动物和自然的力量,自古以来,人们在新年前祈求龙带来好运和丰收,龙舞也因此成为庆祝新年的重要活动。龙的形象代表着吉祥和好运,人们会收集龙的饰物作为幸运符。 Lulu Miller: 全世界各地不同文化中都有龙的传说,这些文化在古代并没有互相联系,这引发了一个疑问:龙的传说是否源于某种真实存在的生物?为了解答这个问题,我们展开了一项研究,探索龙是否真实存在,以及能否用现有的生物特征创造出一个龙。 Anna & Alan: 通过研究,我们发现可以用鳄鱼的身体、科莫多巨蜥的鳞片和牙齿、蜻蜓的翅膀、火鹰的爪子以及 bombardier beetle 的喷射液体来创造一个龙。虽然没有证据表明龙真实存在过,但自然界中生物的多样性和奇特性甚至超过了人们对龙的想象。 Lulu Miller: 尽管没有发现龙真实存在的证据,但不同文化中龙的传说可能源于人们对未知化石的误解。在缺乏科学知识的古代,人们将看到的未知骨骼与想象中的生物联系起来,创造出龙的形象。

Deep Dive

Chapters
This chapter explores the role of dragons in Lunar New Year celebrations, specifically focusing on the dragon dance tradition in China. It explains the significance of dragons in Chinese culture and how they are associated with luck, fortune, and the power of nature.
  • Dragons in Lunar New Year are represented by massive puppets that dance through cities.
  • The dragon dance is a full-body workout and involves many people.
  • In Chinese tradition, the dragon holds the power of all animals and nature, bringing good fortune and harvest.

Shownotes Transcript

On January 29, in places like China, Malaysia, Korea and Chinatowns across the globe, dragons will rise in the form of massive puppets. Today we bring you a special Terrestrials episode on dragons to understand what they have to do with the New Year, what the dragon myth means, and explore the tiny chance that dragons could have ever been real. 

First, we meet Mr. Lu Dajie, one of China's most renowned dragon dancers, who tells us about the significance of dragons in China. Then producer bud Ana and song bud Alan ask whether there’s any chance that dragons were ever real. And if not, could we make  a dragon out of the things already evolved on Earth? Were there any reptiles as large as and shaped like dragons? Any large reptiles that flew? Any that spat fire? The answers may surprise you.

Terrestrials was created by Lulu Miller with WNYC studios. This episode was produced by Brenna Farrel, Mira Burt-Wintonick, Alan Goffinski, Ana González, Tanya Chawla, Joe Plourde, Sarah Sandbach, Valentina Powers and Lulu Miller. Fact-checking by Diane Kelly. 

Learn more about storytellers, listen to music, and dig deeper into the stories you hear on Terrestrials with activities you can do at home or in the classroom on our website, Terrestrialspodcast.org).Badger us on social media: @radiolab )and #TerrestrialsPodcast or by emailing us at [email protected]).

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Support for Terrestrials is provided by the Simons Foundation, the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, the Kalliopeia Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation.