Hi there! It’s Doug. This summer, I got to take care of a cool pet named Mr. Lizard. He’s a bearded dragon, which sounds like a fierce name, right? But don’t worry, Mr. Lizard isn’t scary at all. Even though he has spikes and sharp claws, he loves being petted!
Today, we’re going to talk about dangerous animals. Someone named Kiawah asked a really interesting question: What do you think is the most dangerous animal in the world? Take a moment to think about it. Maybe you thought of sharks or lions because they have sharp teeth and are hunters. Or perhaps you thought of snakes or scorpions because they have venom.
Believe it or not, the most dangerous animal in the world is actually the mosquito! I know, it sounds surprising. Mosquitoes are tiny and they bite, making you itch, but they don’t seem dangerous, right?
Here’s why mosquitoes are so dangerous: In warm, swampy places, people noticed that where there are lots of mosquitoes, many people get sick. Scientists discovered that mosquitoes can carry germs inside their bodies. When they bite, some of their saliva gets into our bodies, and that’s how germs spread.
These germs can cause diseases like malaria and dengue fever. In some parts of the world, especially in warm tropical areas, these diseases are common, and people have to be very careful. They use mosquito nets and repellent to protect themselves.
Scientists are working hard to find better ways to keep people safe from mosquitoes. Hopefully, one day, mosquitoes won’t be the most dangerous animal anymore.
So, even though mosquitoes don’t look scary, they can carry germs that make people very sick. That’s why they’re considered the most dangerous animal in the world, even more than sharks, lions, or snakes!
Thanks, Kiawah, for the great question! For the next episode, I have three questions you can vote on: Why do we sweat when we play sports? Where do thunderstorms come from? Or what do AM and PM stand for? Let me know which one you want to learn about next. Remember, there are mysteries all around us. Stay curious, and see you next time!
Build a Mosquito Trap: With the help of an adult, create a simple mosquito trap using a plastic bottle, sugar, and yeast. Cut the bottle in half and invert the top into the bottom. Mix warm water, sugar, and yeast in the bottom half. This mixture attracts mosquitoes. Observe how many mosquitoes you catch over a few days. Discuss why mosquitoes are attracted to the trap and how this relates to their behavior in nature.
Draw and Discuss: Draw a picture of a mosquito and label its parts. Discuss with a friend or family member how mosquitoes use their body parts to find and bite humans and animals. Talk about why it’s important to protect ourselves from mosquito bites and what methods we can use, like wearing long sleeves or using mosquito repellent.
Role-Playing Game: Pretend to be a scientist working on a solution to keep people safe from mosquitoes. Think about what tools or inventions you might create to stop mosquitoes from spreading diseases. Share your ideas with the class or your family and discuss how these inventions could help people in tropical areas.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Hi, it’s Doug! This summer, I was pet-sitting for my daughter’s class. This is their classroom pet, Mr. Lizard, who is a bearded dragon. Now, that name sounds really ferocious, and some people, when they first see him, are a little startled. You can tell he has spikes and sharp claws, but bearded dragons aren’t dangerous at all. In fact, Mr. Lizard likes to be petted!
Someone named Kiawah has a question about dangerous animals. Let’s give him a call now. Hi, Dad! Hi, Kira! I have a question for you. That’s a great question! Before I say anything more, I’ll give you some time to come up with your own ideas. What do you think is the most dangerous animal in the world? Now would be a good time to pause the video and discuss.
Okay, you ready? Well, maybe you thought of animals like sharks or lions. They’ve got sharp teeth and they’re hunters. Or maybe you thought of animals like snakes or scorpions. They’ve got venom in their fangs or stingers. While these animals might be really scary, would you believe me if I told you they’re actually not very dangerous?
Here’s the thing: people have noticed that very few people in the world actually get hurt by these animals each year. In fact, if we add up all the numbers of people hurt by animals like these, it doesn’t even come close to the number of people hurt by the most dangerous animal in the world, and that animal is the mosquito. Seriously! When I first learned that, I couldn’t believe it. Mosquitoes are the most dangerous animal in the world. I mean, come on! Mosquitoes bite you and they make you itch. They might be annoying, but dangerous?
Here’s the thing, though: people who live in warm, swampy areas have always noticed that where there are a lot of mosquitoes, it seems like there are a lot of people who get sick. People in these areas would get certain diseases. Today, these diseases go by names like malaria and dengue fever. For most of history, no one could figure out why people were getting sick with these diseases, but about a hundred years ago, scientists discovered an important clue: these diseases would always start with a mosquito bite.
What scientists eventually discovered was that some mosquitoes carry germs inside their bodies. When a mosquito sucks blood, some of its saliva gets into a person’s body, allowing germs to enter. Even today, many people get sick from these diseases—so sick that they have to go to a hospital for help. In most parts of the world today, like where I live in the United States, these diseases aren’t very common, but they are common in other parts of the world, especially in warm tropical places.
It’s in these warm tropical places that people have to be very careful. They often hang mosquito nets and spray themselves with mosquito repellent. Scientists are working on even better ways to keep people safe from mosquitoes. Hopefully, one day not long from now, mosquitoes won’t be the most dangerous animal in the world anymore.
So, in summary, mosquitoes may not look very scary, but in some places, they carry germs that can make people extremely sick, which makes mosquitoes the most dangerous animal in the world—more dangerous to people than sharks, lions, and snakes. That’s all for this week’s question. Thanks, Kiawah, for asking it!
Now, for the next episode, I reached into my question jar and found three questions submitted to me that I’m thinking about answering. When this video is done playing, you’ll get to vote on one. You can choose from: Why do we sweat when we play sports? Where do thunderstorms come from? Or what do AM and PM stand for? So submit your vote when the video is over. I want to hear from all of you watching. There are mysteries all around us. Stay curious, and see you next week!
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