Shownotes Transcript
This Friday, from Disney, the musical movie event of the year arrives in theaters. My name is Snow White. Flawless. Exquisite. Get tickets now. Waiting on you.
Snow White will have you on your feet. I think that's a wonderful idea. And cheering for more. I was thinking the same thing. Experience the magical story. Magic mirror on the wall. Who's the fairest one of all? Snow White. Disney's Snow White. Only in theaters Friday. Rated PG. Parental guidance suggested. Tickets on sale now. Hi, friends. Did you catch our little experiment, Moment of Calm?
It was a week of soothing science and chill sounds, plus a sleepy time dragon story. We'd love to hear your thoughts. Did it help you sleep better or help calm you down? Maybe you didn't notice the difference. Let us know by going to brainson.org slash contact. Thanks. Again, share your thoughts about Moment of Calm at brainson.org slash contact. From the brains behind Brains On, this is the Moment of Um.
Moment of Um comes to you from APM Studios. I'm Nico Gonzalez-Whistler. And much like Olivia Rodrigo, I like to rock out. What can I say? It's just in my nature. And you know what? I think lizards are the same way. They're total punk rockers.
Think about it. They have tough skin. Some have spines or forked tongues. Very punk. Some lizards can even detach their own tails at a drop of a hat and then regrow an entirely new one. That's hardcore. But how do lizards even do that? Carrington was curious about this too. How do lizards detach their tails?
We asked a lizard expert to help us find the answer. So when the lizards detach their tail, the tail actually just pops off. Hi, I'm Laura Kojima. I'm a graduate student at the University of California, Davis, studying reptile and amphibian management and conservation. So...
When lizards attach their tails, they typically will break off right underneath their cloaca. So that's where they go pee and poo. They'll break a few spinal bones below the cloaca. And so they basically break off that tailbone along with the muscles that are around that bone will tear off in a quick process and detach laterally.
And so because of that detachment, sometimes you'll see if a lizard's tail breaks off, it'll still be moving because the nerves in that tail will actually still be working since it's such an abrupt process. And those nerves that make the tail kind of wag almost like a dog's tail wagging.
will help distract a predator so that the predator is more likely to grab the tail than pursue the lizard that's running away. If a predator tries to come and grab them, the lizard will release their tail so that the predator ends up grabbing the tail instead of the lizard themselves. Even if a human grabs a lizard, I usually tell people when we're out
looking for different animals. If you're going to grab a lizard, grab it from behind the head because if you grab it by the tail, it will release its tail and it is very energetically expensive for them to regrow them. So while they are able to regrow it, it takes a lot of effort from their body to do so and that can interfere with them actually escaping other predators in the future while they're regrowing their tail or having enough energy to go and find food. So it's really important to just
So, lizards detach their tails to protect themselves from predators. When the tails drop, they even keep moving for a bit to confuse the predator and give the lizard time to skedaddle.
But ditching a tail is only for really serious situations. Even though they can drop their tails really quickly, it can take months or even a whole year for a lizard to grow a new tail. It takes a lot of energy for them to grow a whole new body part. That said, it's possible for a lizard to detach and regrow its tail multiple times in its lifetime. I stand by what I said. Lizards rock.
If you like this episode, take a second to subscribe to Moment of Um wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you can't get enough Tales About Tales, check out the Brains On podcast where we have a whole episode all about why dogs wag their tails. Want to see our shows come to life? Head to YouTube where we've got awesome animated Brains On episodes. Search Brains On Universe on YouTube and subscribe. If you have a question, we'd love to help you answer it.
Drop us a line by going to brainson.org slash contact. See you next time and the next day and every weekday. Until then, um... If only I could grow my own tail, it would look so good with my new leather jacket. Hey, friends. Molly, Sandin, and Mark here with some very big news. Drumroll, please. ♪
We're hitting the road in search of adventure, fresh air, and you. That's right. We're going to be live at the Boulder Theater in Boulder, Colorado on Sunday, April 27th. Our science-themed live stage show takes the audience on an adventure through the brain, complete with magic tricks, dance moves, out-of-body experiences, mystery sounds, and a game show. Molly, you almost left out the most important part. Yeah, Molly, don't forget the big party. Oh,
Oh, right. After the shows, we're throwing a brain-tastic bash. Join us afterward for a VIP party where we'll play games, guess mystery sounds, pose for photos, and give as many high fives as humanly possible. Snag a spot by purchasing a VIP pass when you buy your show ticket. Oh, that reminds me. I've got to start training. These hands aren't going to high five by themselves. Five and five. Good idea.
And remember, spots are limited, so grab your tickets today at brainson.org slash events.