You're my wonder 'whal
This week’s Pocket Polymath comes to you from Roisin, a dear friend, former colleague and one of my co-writers on the HEX Science newsletter. She’s excellent. Enjoy.
Hello sunshine,
Joanna is off this week, but never fear – I’m here and I’ve even got a theme (sort of).
Have you ever wondered what’s inside a slug? My 3-year-old broached this burning question last night over dinner. Then cried until I found a picture of a dissected slug for him on my phone. Did you know slugs have approximately 27,000 tiny tooth-like protrusions know as denticles? I have to live with this information, and now so do you.
If you want to become a repository of random but rather interesting facts, it turns out being interrogated by a toddler is a strangely effective method. What are clouds? Why do we have toes? How much sand is there? The mind of a child is fascinating and exhausting in equal measure.
The queries below are all ones that he’s actually asked me. Now if you need me I’ll be feigning sleep on the couch to avoid further questions.
Róisin
Let’s dabble!
Are unicorns real?
Afraid not, pet – but the sea unicorn is. Or so the Vikings claimed when they were making bank selling narwhal horns and claiming they came from unicorns. One London doctor claimed powdered horn could cure scurvy, ulcers, dropsy, gout, consumption, coughs, heart palpitations, fainting, rickets and melancholy. Sounds like just the ticket on a Sunday afternoon when you’ve got the fear.
Where do bananas come from?
Well, when a mummy banana and a daddy banana love each other very much… no, wait. Bananas – the common yellow kind you put on your toast, anyway – are a hybrid that can't reproduce. A fact to cling to during your next dry spell.
Why can’t animals talk?
I’m sure the adults in the room are aware that parrots talk and that great apes have been known to learn a bit of sign language, but what about mushrooms? Turns out they could be conspiring against us with up to 50 “words”. Something to think of next time you’re scoffing that Quorn.
What does a soul look like?
… you’ve got me there. Anyone care to chime in?