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  • Smart Learning for All

  • Why are flamingos pink?

  • Wait.

  • I will explain.

  • A baby flamingo is not pink.

  • It is actually born with grey feathers.

  • So, does it spray paint itself with pink color?

  • No.

  • Flamingos get their pink or orange color from their food which is mainly algae and shrimps.

  • These organisms contain carotenoids.

  • Carotenoids are reddish orange colored pigments.

  • When a flamingo eats algae and shrimps, its liver extracts the colored pigments.

  • The pigments are then absorbed by fats.

  • These fats start depositing in the flamingo's growing feathers.

  • Which eventually cause the flamingo to turn pink or orange.

  • Now, an interesting fact is that we also eat fruits that contain carotenoids.

  • Such as carrots, apricots, mangoes, etc.

  • But we do not eat enough of these fruits for them to affect our skin color.

  • How do fireflies glow?

  • Using a magic wand.

  • No.

  • Fireflies glow because they produce light by a biochemical reaction.

  • In the lower abdomen of fireflies.

  • There is a chemical called luciferin and an enzyme called luciferase.

  • When oxygen enters into their lower abdomen through tracheal tubes.

  • It basically reacts with luciferin in the presence of luciferase.

  • This reaction produces light.

  • This production and emission of light by a living organism is called bioluminescence.

  • Bioluminescence is a cold light.

  • This means the light produced generates very less heat.

  • Thus, preventing the firefly's abdomen from getting overheated.

  • Yes.

  • It is not hot.

  • However, one more interesting fact.

  • Is that not only adult fireflies but also their eggs and larvae are bioluminescent.

  • Wow.

  • They look so stunning.

  • How are pearls formed?

  • It's a top secret.

  • I can't reveal it.

  • All right.

  • I will tell you.

  • Pearls are the result of a biological process within living sea creatures.

  • Like an oyster as it protects itself from foreign substances.

  • The oyster looks beautiful.

  • Indeed.

  • An oyster has two shells.

  • Inside the shells, there is an organ called mantle.

  • Mantle covers and protects all the internal organs of the oyster.

  • Whenever any foreign substance like a grain of sand or a parasite makes its way into the oyster.

  • Gets stuck in between the shell and mantle.

  • The mantle's natural reaction is to cover that foreign substance to protect the oyster's internal organs.

  • For this, the mantle secretes a mineral called nacre around the foreign substance in layers.

  • Over time, layer upon layer of nacre leads to the formation of a pearl.

  • Why can we see our breath in the cold?

  • So that we can make weird shapes.

  • No.

  • Our lungs help us to exchange gases.

  • They are always moist and warm.

  • Now when we breathe, we inhale oxygen rich air and exhale carbon dioxide rich air.

  • However, as the lungs are warm and moist.

  • The exhaled air is warm and has more moisture in the form of water vapor.

  • Really.

  • In cold months, when this warm and moist exhaled air comes in contact with the cool air.

  • The moisture in the exhaled air condenses to form tiny water droplets.

  • Thus, we can see these tiny water droplets as cloud or fog in our breath.

  • Why does helium make you sound funny?

  • Because helium converts you into a joker.

  • No.

  • Air mainly consists of gases such as nitrogen and oxygen.

  • It is present in our surroundings, lungs, mouth, nose, etc.

  • When we speak, air from our lungs passes through the vocal folds making them vibrate.

  • These vibrations make the air in our mouth and nose to vibrate back and forth, producing sound.

  • The speed of sound in air is about 340 meters per second.

  • My running speed is 500 meters per second.

  • Please listen.

  • Helium is lighter than nitrogen and oxygen.

  • Being lighter, sound travels faster in helium as compared to air.

  • Hence, when we inhale helium and try to speak.

  • The sound produced travels faster, thus producing that funny voice.

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