NARRATOR: PRESENTATION OF

SCIENCE TREK ON IDAHO PUBLIC

TELEVISION IS MADE POSSIBLE

THROUGH THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF

THE LAURA MOORE CUNNINGHAM

FOUNDATION, COMMITTED TO

FULFILLING THE MOORE AND BETTIS

FAMILIES LEGACY OF BUILDING THE

GREAT STATE OF IDAHO.

BY THE FRIENDS OF IDAHO PUBLIC

TELEVISION AND BY THE

CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC

BROADCASTING.

JOAN CARTAN-HANSEN: HOW DO WE

INTERACT WITH THE WORLD?

W E USE OUR FIVE SENSES, SEEING,

HEARING, SMELLING, TASTING, AND

TOUCHING.

BUT HOW DO THEY ALL WORK AND

WHAT DO THEY HAVE IN COMMON?

FIND OUT.

SCIENCE TREK IS NEXT.

(MUSIC)

HI, I'M JOAN CARTAN-HANSEN, AND

WELCOME TO SCIENCE TREK .

AND WELCOME TO SAINT ALPHONSUS

HOSPITAL HERE IN BOISE.

DOCTORS ARE STANDING BY TO

ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.

AND LATER ON IN THE SHOW WE'LL

LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT

THE BRAIN.

BUT FIRST, LET'S LEARN MORE

ABOUT THE FIVE SENSES.

SO WHAT ARE YOUR FIVE SENSES?

STUDENTS: SEEING, HEARING,

SMELLING, TASTE, AND TOUCH.

CARTAN-HANSEN: WE ALL USE OUR

FIVE SENSES TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S

HAPPENING AROUND US.

FOR SOME, THAT MEANS NOT

BECOMING SOMEBODY ELSE'S DINNER.

SO LET'S LEARN ABOUT OUR FIVE

SENSES.

STUDENT: WE SEE WITH OUR EYES.

CARTAN-HANSEN: YOUR EYEBALL IS

ABOUT THE SIZE OF A PINGPONG

BALL.

IT'S COVERED BY THE SCLERA, A

TOUGH OUTER LAYER; THAT'S THE

WHITE PART OF YOUR EYE.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOMETHING LIGHT

TRAVELS THROUGH THE CORNEA, THE

FRONT PART OF YOUR EYE.

IT GOES THROUGH THE PUPIL,

THAT'S THE ROUND BLACK HOLE IN

THE CENTER.

A MUSCLE CALLED THE "IRIS," OR

THE COLORED PART OF YOUR EYE,

OPENS AND CLOSES THE PUPIL TO

REGULATE THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT

COMING IN.

LIGHT TRAVELS THROUGH THE LENS

WHICH FOCUSES THE IMAGE ON THE

BACK OF YOUR EYE OR THE RETINA.

NERVE CELLS ON THE RETINA SEND

THE IMAGE TO THE OPTIC NERVE AND

THEN TO YOUR BRAIN.

STUDENT: WE HEAR WITH OUR EARS.

(HARP)

CARTAN-HANSEN: A SOUND

CREATES ENERGY.

THOSE SOUND WAVES ENTER YOUR

EARS AND TRAVEL DOWN THE EAR

CANAL TO THE EARDRUM.

THIS THIN PIECE OF SKIN IS

STRETCHED VERY TIGHT, AND WHEN

THE SOUND WAVES HIT IT, IT

BEGINS TO VIBRATE.

THAT MAKES THREE TINY BONES,

KNOWN AS THE HAMMER, ANVIL, AND

STIRRUP, MOVE, TOO.

THIS MOVES OR TRANSMITS THOSE

SOUND WAVES INTO A SNAIL'S

SHAPED STRUCTURE CALLED THE

"COCHLEA."

THE COCHLEA IS FILLED WITH FLUID

AND 17,000 TINY HAIRLIKE

TISSUES.

SOUND WAVES MOVE THROUGH THE

FLUID AND BEND THE HAIR.

SOMEHOW THE MOVEMENT OF THE HAIR

STIMULATES THE FIBERS LEADING TO

THE ACOUSTIC NERVE, AND THAT

NERVE TAKES THE SOUND TO THE

BRAIN.

STUDENT: THE SENSE OF SMELL IS

PROBABLY OUR OLDEST SENSE.

CARTAN-HANSEN: TINY PARTICLES

TOO SMALL TO BE SEEN WITH YOUR

EYES FLOAT INTO YOUR NOSE WHEN

YOU BREATHE.

THEY DRIFT TO THE TOP END OF

YOUR NASAL CAVITY.

INSIDE YOUR NOSE ARE TWO SMALL

AREAS CALLED THE "OLFACTORY

EPITHELIUM."

THESE ARE ABOUT THE SIZE OF YOUR

THUMBNAIL, BUT THEY CONTAIN

ABOUT 20 MILLION OLFACTORY CELLS

WITH TINY HAIRS OR CILIA.

THOSE SCENT PARTICLES STICK TO

THE CILIA AND TRIGGER NERVE

CELLS.

THOSE NERVE CELLS SEND A MESSAGE

TO THE BRAIN WHICH IDENTIFIES

THE SCENT.

STUDENT: YOUR SENSE OF TASTE

BEGINS YOUR TONGUE.

CARTAN-HANSEN: YOUR TONGUE IS

COVERED WITH THOUSANDS OF TINY

BUMPS CALLED "PAPILLA."

INSIDE THOSE BUMPS, ON THE BACK

PART OF THE ROOF OF YOUR MOUTH,

AND IN THE VERY BACK OF YOUR

THROAT ARE 10,000 TASTEBUDS.

THE TINY CELLS HAVE LITTLE

HAIRS.

DISSOLVED FOOD PARTICLES SEEP

INTO THE HAIRS, AND THE TASTE

BUDS SENSE WHETHER THE FOOD IS

SWEET, SOUR, BITTER, OR SALT.

THAT INFORMATION IS SENT TO YOUR

BRAIN, AND THEN YOU DECIDE IF

THE FOOD IS GOOD OR BAD.

STUDENT 1: DID YOU KNOW MOST OF

YOUR SENSE OF TASTE COMES FROM

YOUR SENSE OF SMELL?

STUDENT 2: SO LET'S SHARE.

STUDENTS TOGHER: HEY!

STUDENT: YOUR SENSE OF TOUCH IS

REALLY A BUNCH OF SENSE THAT

WORK TOGETHER, AND YOU START

WITH YOUR SKIN.

CARTAN-HANSEN: YOUR SKIN IS THE

LARGEST ORGAN IN THE BODY.

THE LAYERS OF SKIN HAVE AT LEAST

SEVEN DIFFERENT KINDS OF

SENSORS.

AND THERE ARE AS MANY AS A

MILLION OF THESE MICROSCOPIC

TOUCH SENSORS IN A SQUARE INCH

OF SKIN.

SOME OF THESE NERVES RESPOND TO

LIGHT PRESSURE; OTHERS RESPOND

TO HEAVY PRESSURE.

SOME ARE ACTIVATED BY HEAT,

COLD, OR EVEN VIBRATIONS.

SO WHEN YOU TOUCH SOMETHING ALL

THAT INFORMATION ACTIVATES THE

NERVES, AND THAT INFORMATION

GOES TO YOUR BRAIN.

YOUR BRAIN IS REALLY THE MOST

IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR FIVE

SENSES.

THE BRAIN COLLECTS INFORMATION

FROM ALL THESE DIFFERENT

SOURCES, AND THAT'S HOW WE MAKE

SENSE OF THE WORLD.

YOU GUYS READY?

LET'S EAT.

STUDENTS: YEAH!

CARTAN-HANSEN: AND JOINING ME

NOW TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS

ABOUT THE FIVE SENSES ARE TWO

PEDIATRICIANS, DR. NAYA ANTINK

AND DR. BRADLEY BISHOP.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

DR. NAYA ANTINK: THANK YOU,

JOAN, FOR INVITING US.

DR. BRADLEY BISHOP: IT'S OUR

PLEASURE TO BE HERE.

CARTAN-HANSEN: OKAY, LET'S GO TO

YOUR QUESTIONS.

(MUSIC)

KARLI: HI, MY NAME IS

KARLI.

I GO TO SAGLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

AND MY QUESTION IS DO WE REALLY

ONLY HAVE FIVE SENSES?

DR. ANTINK: CARLEY, THAT'S A

GREAT QUESTION.

YES, WE HUMANS ONLY HAVE FIVE

SENSES: SIGHT, SOUND, SMELL,

TASTE, AND TOUCH.

SOME ANIMALS HAVE MORE THAN

FIVE, BUT THAT'S PRETTY RARE.

JORGE: HI, MY NAME IS JORGE.

I GO TO WHITE PINE ELEMENTARY

SCHOOL.

AND MY QUESTION IS WHAT SENSE DO

WE USE THE MOST?

DR. BISHOP: SO, JORGE, THAT

DEPENDS ON WHAT SENSES YOU USE.

FOR, I BELIEVE, MOST PEOPLE

VISION IS PROBABLY THE MOST USED

SENSE, SINCE WE USE IT ALL DAY,

AS OUR EYES ARE OPEN.

WE DO USE OUR SENSE OF SMELL AND

TASTE AT TIMES, AND OUR SENSE OF

HEARING IS ALWAYS THERE, AS

WELL.

BUT I WOULD SAY THE ONE WE

PROBABLY USE THE MOST AND RELY

ON THE MOST IS OUR VISION.

CADEN: HI, MY NAME IS CADEN.

I GO TO WHITE PINE ELEMENTARY

SCHOOL.

AND MY QUESTION IS WHAT MAKES US

HEAR SOUND?

DR. ANTINK: SO THE EAR WORKS

LIKE A CONE TO ABSORB WAVE

LENGTHS OF SOUND.

AND AS THE SOUND COMES INTO OUR

EAR, IT HITS OUR EARDRUM, WHICH

THEN CONVERTS THE SOUND WAVE

INTO A MECHANICAL MOVEMENT THAT,

THEN, GETS TRANSMITTED INTO AN

ELECTRICAL SIGNAL, THROUGH THE

COCHLEA, THAT GETS SENT UP TO

THE BRAIN TO OUR HEARING SECTION

OF THE BRAIN, AND THEN WE HEAR

THE SOUND.

RHONE: HI, MY NAME'S RHONE.

I GO TO JEFFERSON.

AND MY QUESTION IS HOW DO

TASTEBUDS WORK?

DR. BISHOP: SO TASTEBUDS ARE

VERY SPECIFIC CELLS WITHIN YOUR

TONGUE THAT HELP YOU SENSE

FLAVOR.

WHEN YOU EAT SOMETHING THAT'S

SWEET, LIKE SUGAR, IT ACTUALLY

HAS A RECEPTOR ON THERE THAT CAN

SIGNAL THAT YOU ARE TASTING THAT

SWEET SUBSTANCE.

IT SENDS THAT SIGNAL TO THE

BRAIN.

THE TASTEBUDS WITHIN YOUR TONGUE

CAN SENSE FOUR DIFFERENT THINGS.

THEY CAN SENSE SWEETNESS, SOUR,

BITTER, AND SALTY.

ROSE: HI, MY NAME IS ROSE.

I GO TO WHITE PINE ELEMENTARY

SCHOOL.

AND MY QUESTION IS WHAT IS THE

FIRST OF THE FIVE SENSES THAT

DEVELOPS IN AN UNBORN BABY?

DR. ANTINK: WOW, THAT IS A VERY

COMPLICATED QUESTION.

MY THOUGHT WOULD BE THAT SOUND

MIGHT BE THE FIRST SENSE THAT

DEVELOPS, BECAUSE STUDIES HAVE

SHOWN THAT WHEN BABIES ARE BORN,

EVEN ON THE FIRST DAY OF LIFE,

THEY WILL HAVE SPECIFIC SIGNALS

IN THEIR BRAIN THAT GET

TRIGGERED WHEN THEIR MOM SPEAKS

TO THEM.

MOST MOMS, WHEN THEY'RE PREGNANT

ARE TALKING TO THEIR UNBORN

BABIES IN THEIR TUMMY, AND SO

THEY HEAR THOSE SOUNDS EVEN

DURING DEVELOPMENT IN MOM'S

TUMMY.

HYFA: HI, MY NAME IS HYFA.

I GO TO JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY.

HOW DO YOUR FINGERS FEEL?

DR. BISHOP: SO WITHIN YOUR

FINGERS YOU HAVE CERTAIN CELLS

THAT ARE SENSORY CELLS THAT CAN

HELP YOU FEEL TOUCH.

DEPENDING ON HOW CLOSE THESE

CELLS ARE TOGETHER HELPS YOU

DETERMINE WHETHER THERE'S ANY

TEXTURE TO WHAT YOU'RE FEELING.

IF YOU'LL NOTICE THAT IT'S

EASIER TO FEEL SOMETHING WITH

YOUR FINGERS THAN IT IS TO FEEL

SOMETHING WITH THE BACK OF YOUR

HAND, AS FAR AS WHETHER THERE'S

TEXTURE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

BUT THESE LITTLE CELLS ARE ABLE

TO SENSE AS YOU TOUCH SOMETHING

IS ABLE TO SENSE THAT PRESSURE

AS YOU TOUCH AND THEN SENDS THE

SIGNALS TO YOUR BRAIN AND LET'S

YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE TOUCHING

SOMETHING.

GEORGIA: HI, MY NAME IS GEORGIA.

I GO TO WHITE PINE ELEMENTARY.

AND MY QUESTION IS WHEN YOU SEE

A COLOR HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT

EVERYBODY ELSE SEES THE SAME

COLOR?

DR. ANTINK: SO COLOR PERCEPTION

ACTUALLY IS A DIFFICULT SCIENCE.

WHEN WE SEE A COLOR, WE LEARN

THAT THE APPLE IS RED, AND THE

WAVELENGTH THAT IS EMITTED FROM

THE APPLE INTO OUR BRAIN

TRIGGERS A SPECIAL CELL IN THE

EYEBALL, CALLED A "CONE CELL,"

THAT SENDS A SIGNAL TO THE

BRAIN, AND WE INTERPRET THAT AS

RED.

NOW, SOMETIMES PEOPLE THINK THAT

THEY SEE THE SAME COLOR AS OTHER

PEOPLE, BUT THEY MAY BE

COLORBLIND.

AND SO THERE ARE SPECIAL TESTS

WHERE YOU CAN DETERMINE THAT, TO

DIAGNOSE THAT, BY COMPARING WHAT

THE PATIENT SEES VERSUS WHAT THE

DOCTOR OR EVERYONE ELSE SEES.

BUT SO WE REALLY, ACTUALLY,

DON'T KNOW UNTIL WE DO THOSE

TESTS IF EVERYBODY ACTUALLY IS

SEEING THE EXACT SAME COLOR.

MASHA: HI, MY NAME IS MASHA.

I GO TO WHITE PINE ELEMENTARY

SCHOOL.

AND MY QUESTION IS WHY DO KIDS

LIKE SWEET THE BEST?

DR. BISHOP: WELL, WE DO HAVE THE

SWEET RECEPTORS ON OUR TONGUES,

THE TASTEBUDS THAT TASTE SWEET.

THERE ARE SOME WHO BELIEVE THAT

THERE ARE MORE SWEET TASTEBUDS

WHEN WE'RE LITTLE AND THAT THOSE

DISSIPATE WITH TIME OR THEY GO

AWAY WITH TIME.

AND THERE ARE ALSO THOSE WHO

BELIEVE THAT SUGAR OR THAT

FLAVOR CAN ACTUALLY STIMULATE

OUR BRAIN AND GIVE US

EXCITEMENT.

AND WE ACTUALLY USE THAT IN

SMALL INFANTS; WE USE SUGAR

WATER TO HELP CALM THEM DOWN

WHEN WE'RE DOING PROCEDURES WITH

THEM.

KAYLANI: HI, MY NAME IS KAYLANI.

I GO TO JEFFERSON.

WHY ARE OUR EARS SHAPED LIKE

THIS?

DR. ANTINK: EARS ARE SHAPED LIKE

A CONE TO HELP ABSORB THE SOUND

WAVES AND CHANNEL THEM DEEP INTO

THE EAR TO THE EARDRUM WHERE,

THEN, THEY ARE TRANSMITTED INTO

ELECTRICAL SIGNALS THAT GET SENT

TO YOUR BRAIN.

CARTAN-HANSEN: DR. ANTINK, WHY

DID YOU WANT TO BECOME A DOCTOR?

DR. ANTINK: SO I HAVE ALWAYS

LOVED WORKING WITH KIDS,

SPECIFICALLY, AND ALSO

ADVOCATING FOR HEALTH AND TRYING

TO KEEP PEOPLE HEALTHY.

AND SO WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE I

THOUGHT THAT BEING A DOCTOR

WOULD BE A GOOD FIT, SO I DID

ALL THE PREREQUISITES AND WENT

TO MEDICAL SCHOOL.

AND FROM DAY ONE, I WANTED TO BE

A PEDIATRICIAN.

AND EVEN NOW, WORKING AT THIS

JOB FOR 11 YEARS, I STILL LOVE

IT EVERY SINGLE DAY.

DR. BISHOP: SO I ACTUALLY

DECIDED TO BECOME A DOCTOR

DURING COLLEGE.

I ACTUALLY WENT TO COLLEGE TO

BECOME AN ENGINEER.

I WAS VERY INTERESTED IN MATH.

I REALLY DID LOVE THE SCIENCES.

BUT DURING THAT TIME I ACTUALLY

TOOK A TIME OFF OF COLLEGE, AND

I WENT AND WORKED WENT TO BRAZIL

AND SPENT SEVERAL YEARS IN

BRAZIL.

AND DURING THAT TIME I REALLY

FOUND OUT THAT I ENJOYED WORKING

WITH PEOPLE.

AND SO WHEN I CAME BACK AND WENT

BACK TO COLLEGE I REALIZED I

WANTED TO CHANGE MY FIELD.

I NO LONGER WANTED TO BE AN

ENGINEER, AND I WANTED TO WORK

WITH PEOPLE.

AND I THOUGHT THE BEST FIT FOR

ME WOULD BE TO BE A DOCTOR.

(MUSIC)

CARTAN-HANSEN: FEMALES HAVE A

BETTER MORE SENSITIVE SENSE OF

TASTE AND SMELL THAN DO MALES.

MALES ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE

COLORBLIND; THAT IS, NOT BEING

ABLE TO SEE COLORS LIKE RED OR

GREEN.

BUT FOR ALL HUMANS THE FIRST

SENSE WE DEVELOP IS THE SENSE OF

TOUCH.

AUSTIN: HI, MY NAME IS AUSTIN.

AND I GO TO SAGLE ELEMENTARY

SCHOOL.

AND MY QUESTION IS HOW DOES THE

EYEBALL ACTUALLY WORK?

DR. BISHOP: SO THE EYEBALL IT

RECEIVES LIGHT.

IF YOU NOTICE, THERE'S A SMALL

BLACK DOT IN THE FRONT OF YOUR

EYE, AND THAT'S A HOLE THAT

ALLOWS LIGHT TO ENTER THROUGH

YOUR EYE.

BEHIND THAT IS A LENS, JUST LIKE

THE LENS OF A CAMERA THAT, THEN,

HELPS TO FOCUS THAT LIGHT ONTO

THE BACK OF YOUR EYEBALL.

AND ON THE BACK OF YOUR EYEBALL

THERE ARE RECEPTORS CALLED

"CONES" AND "RODS" WHICH HELP

YOU PERCEIVE THE LIGHT AND

WHICH, THEN, SENDS THOSE SIGNALS

TO YOUR BRAIN TO HELP YOU SEE.

GUS: MY NAME IS GUS, AND I GO TO

JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY.

AND WHEN I WAS ASKING TO DO WAS

HOW CAN YOU SMELL WHEN YOU'RE

HOW CAN YOU SMELL SOMETHING

WHILE YOUR NOSE IS CLOGGED UP?

DR. ANTINK: SO YOUR NOSE HAS

RECEPTOR CELLS THAT SENSE A

PARTICLE, THE SMELL OF A ROSE OR

PARTICLES FROM FOOD AND THAT

TRANSMIT THOSE SENSATIONS INTO

YOUR BRAIN TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE

SMELL.

WHEN YOUR NOSE IS CLOGGED UP

SOMETIMES SOME OF THOSE CELLS

GET COVERED, AND SO IT MAY BE

DIFFICULT TO SMELL THINGS WHEN

YOUR NOSE IS STUFFY.

CARTAN-HANSEN: MASON WOULD LIKE

TO KNOW: DO ANY OTHER ANIMALS

HAVE SIX SENSES BESIDES THE

PLATYPUS?

DR. BISHOP: SO THE PLATYPUS DOES

HAVE A SIXTH SENSE; IT'S AN

ELECTRORECEPTOR.

THE SHARK ALSO HAS THAT SAME

SENSE.

SO THE SHARK ALSO HAS SIX

SENSES.

THERE ARE OTHER ANIMALS, AS

WELL, LIKE THE PORPOISE, OR THE

BAT WHO HAVE AN ECHO RECEPTOR,

WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO USE LIKE

SONAR TO SENSE OBJECTS THAT ARE

IN FRONT OF THEM.

AND THERE ARE OTHER SENSES, AS

WELL, IN OTHER SPECIES OF

ANIMALS THAT THEY DO HAVE.

AND SO THE PLATYPUS IS NOT THE

ONLY ANIMAL THAT HAS SIX SENSES.

STUDENT: HI, MY NAME IS LOGAN.

I GO TO SAGLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

AND MY QUESTION IS ARE THERE

REALLY AN ANVIL AND HAMMER BONE

IN OUR EAR?

DR. ANTINK: YES.

THERE ARE THREE BONES IN THE

MIDDLE EAR THAT CONNECT THE

EARDRUM TO THE COCHLEA, WHICH

TRANSMITS SOUND WAVES INTO

ELECTRICAL SIGNALS TO SEND TO

YOUR BRAIN.

THOSE THREE BONES ARE THE

HAMMER, THE ANVIL, AND THE

STIRRUP.

DR. BISHOP: AND LET ME ADD TO

THAT.

SO THE HAMMER, ANVIL, AND

STIRRUP ARE JUST THE COMMON

NAMES THAT WE USE HERE IN

AMERICA.

BUT THE LATIN TERMS FOR THOSE

ARE MALLEUS, INCUS, AND STAPES.

CAITLYN: HI, MY NAME IS CAITLYN.

AND I GO TO WHITE PINE

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

AND MY QUESTION IS HOW DO OUR

EYES SENSE PERIPHERAL VISION?

DR. BISHOP: SO PERIPHERAL VISION

IS THE VISION THAT YOU SEE ON

THE SIDES, WHICH YOU CAN'T

NECESSARILY FOCUS ON, BUT YOU DO

NOTICE MOVEMENT THERE.

AND IT'S A PERCEPTION OF LIGHT.

AND THIS IS ACTUALLY DONE

THROUGH YOUR RODS, WHICH ARE A

SPECIFIC CELL WITHIN YOUR EYE.

SO THE CONES OF YOUR EYE ARE IN

THE CENTER PART, AND THAT'S WHAT

SENSES THE COLOR.

THE RODS ACTUALLY EXTEND FURTHER

PAST THAT, AND THAT'S WHAT GIVES

YOU YOUR VISION AT NIGHT AND

ALSO GIVES YOU YOUR VISION TO

SENSE MOVEMENT WITHIN YOUR

PERIPHERY OF YOUR VISION.

DR. ANTINK: YOU CAN TRY AT NIGHT

TONIGHT LOOKING UP AT THE STARS.

IF YOU TRY TO LOOK AT A STAR

USING YOUR PERIPHERAL VISION,

YOU MIGHT ACTUALLY SEE IT

BRIGHTER THAN IF YOU LOOK AT IT

STRAIGHT ON.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE THERE ARE

MORE RODS ON THE SIDES OF YOUR

EYE TO PERCEIVE THE LIGHT THAN

THERE ARE IN THE MIDDLE WHEN YOU

LOOK DIRECTLY AT SOMETHING.

JACK: HI, MY NAME IS JACK.

I GO TO JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY.

AND MY QUESTION IS WHY DO WE

HAVE HAIR IN OUR NOSE?

DR. BISHOP: SO THE HAIR IN OUR

NOSE PROVIDES A VERY SPECIFIC

PURPOSE, BESIDES STICKING OUT OF

YOUR NOSE LIKE YOUR GRANDPA'S

HAIR DOES.

IT'S THERE TO HELP COLLECT DUST,

HELP COLLECT DIRT PARTICLES OR

PARTICLES WITHIN THE AIR THAT

COULD DAMAGE OUR LUNGS IF THEY

WERE TO CONTINUE TO PASS THROUGH

YOUR AIRWAY.

AND SO THE NOSE HAS THESE SMALL

HAIRS IN THERE THAT HELPS TO

COLLECT THAT.

AND THAT'S WHERE YOUR BOOGERS

ARE FORMED.

AURORA: HI, MY NAME IS AURORA.

AND I'M FROM JEFFERSON

ELEMENTARY.

AND MY QUESTION IS HOW DOES YOUR

EYES GET BLURRY?

DR. BISHOP: SO NOT EVERYONE'S

EYES GET BLURRY, BUT THAT IS

SOMETHING THAT CAN OCCUR.

SO WHAT HAPPENS IS WITHIN YOUR

EYE, BEHIND YOUR IRIS, SO THE

HOLE WITHIN YOUR EYE, THERE'S A

LENS.

AND SO DEPENDING ON HOW THAT

LENS DEVELOPS, IT CAN CAUSE YOUR

VISION TO GET BLURRY.

SO IF IT GETS MISSHAPEN FROM

WHAT IT USUALLY WAS, THAT CAN

CHANGE YOUR VISION.

THERE'S ALSO PEOPLE WHO GET

SOMETHING THAT'S CALLED

"GLAUCOMA," SO THEY ACTUALLY GET

A DEPOSIT OF SOMETHING WITHIN

THEIR LENS THAT CAUSES THEIR

VISION TO BE BLURRY AND ALSO GET

OBSCURED.

AND SO THAT IS HOW OUR VISION

GETS BLURRY IS THAT LENS CHANGES

SHAPE AND CHANGES THE WAY IT

REFLECTS THE LIGHT ON THE BACK

OF OUR EYE.

DR. ANTINK: NOW, SOMETIMES MY

EYES GET BLURRY IF I KEEP THEM

OPEN AND DON'T BLINK.

AND IF THAT EVER HAPPENS TO YOU,

I THINK THAT'S BECAUSE YOU HAVE

FLUID THAT'S LUBRICATING YOUR

EYE, AND EVERY TIME YOU BLINK,

IT PUTS ANOTHER LAYER OF FLUID

TO HELP LUBRICATE YOUR EYE.

AND IF YOU TRY NOT TO BLINK FOR

A LONG TIME, THEN YOUR EYE GETS

KIND OF DRY, AND SOMETIMES THAT

CAN MAKE MY VISION BLURRY.

EDANA: HI, MY NAME IS EDANA.

I GO TO SAGLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

AND MY QUESTION IS WHEN WE TOUCH

SOMETHING, WE CAN FEEL THE

TEXTURE.

WHY CAN WE FEEL THE TEXTURE?

DR. ANTINK: SO OUR SKIN CELLS

HAVE RECEPTORS THAT SENSE WHEN

WE TOUCH SOMETHING.

AND THEY ARE VERY, VERY CLOSE

TOGETHER.

AND SO WHEN YOU FEEL SOMETHING

THAT'S ROUGH VERSUS SMOOTH, YOU

ARE STIMULATING MORE OF THE

SEPARATE SKIN RECEPTORS THAN A

CONTINUOUS FEELING FROM

SOMETHING SMOOTH.

YOU CAN ALSO FEEL IF SOMETHING

IS SHARP VERSUS SOFT BASED ON

HOW MUCH PRESSURE IT EXERTS ON

YOUR SKIN WHEN YOU TOUCH IT.

AND SOME PARTS OF YOUR BODY HAVE

MORE SENSITIVE RECEPTORS BECAUSE

THERE'S MORE OF THEM IN A SMALL

AREA THAN IN OTHER PARTS OF YOUR

BODY.

(MUSIC)

CARTAN-HANSEN: THE BRAIN

IS THE COMMAND CENTER OF YOUR

NERVOUS SYSTEM.

YOUR BRAIN HELPS FIGURE OUT WHAT

YOUR FIVE SENSES ARE DETECTING.

SO LET'S LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE

ABOUT YOUR BRAIN.

THE BRAIN WEIGHS ABOUT 3 POUNDS.

IT'S MADE UP OF 100 BILLION

NERVE CELLS OR NEURONS.

ELECTRICAL IMPULSES PASS FROM

CELL TO CELL.

MESSAGES GO OUT OF YOUR BRAIN,

DOWN YOUR SPINAL CORD, AND OUT

TO YOUR BODY AND THEN BACK AGAIN

ALL IN AN INSTANT.

THE BRAIN, THE SPINAL CORD, AND

ALL THOSE NERVES MAKE UP THE

NERVOUS SYSTEM.

IT'S YOUR BODY'S INFORMATION

SYSTEM.

STUDENT: SCIENTISTS SAY THERE'S

ENOUGH ELECTRICITY FROM ALL

THOSE MESSAGES IN YOUR BRAIN AND

BODY TO TURN ON A LIGHT IN A

REFRIGERATOR.

CARTAN-HANSEN: THE BRAIN IS MADE

UP OF SEVERAL PARTS.

THERE'S THE BRAIN STEM; IT

CONTROLS YOUR BODY'S BASIC

AUTOMATIC FUNCTIONS, LIKE

BREATHING.

THERE'S THE CEREBELLUM, WHICH

CONTROLS THINGS LIKE MOVEMENT,

YOUR PHYSICAL SKILLS.

AND THEN THERE'S THE LIMBIC

SYSTEM, THAT MAKES UP ABOUT

ONEFIFTH OF YOUR BRAIN.

THERE ARE GLANDS, LIKE THE

PITUITARY AND THE HYPOTHALAMUS;

THEY WORK WITH THE BRAIN STEM TO

CONTROL BODY TEMPERATURE,

GROWTH, AND BLOOD PRESSURE.

THEN THERE'S THE CEREBRUM;

THAT'S THE THINKING, CREATIVE

PART OF YOUR BRAIN.

IT'S ALSO THE BIGGEST PART OF

YOUR BRAIN.

ALONG WITH ITS THIN COVERING,

THE CORTEX, IT'S THE PART OF THE

BRAIN THAT GOVERNS VOLUNTARY

MOVEMENTS.

IT'S WHERE YOU THINK, WHERE YOU

PERCEIVE OR SENSE THINGS.

AND BECAUSE OF YOUR CORTEX, YOU

CAN UNDERSTAND AND REMEMBER,

COMMUNICATE AND CREATE.

THE BRAIN HAS TWO SIDES.

EACH CONTROLS THE OPPOSITE SIDE

OF THE BODY.

EACH SIDE ALSO CONTROLS CERTAIN

SKILLS.

THE RIGHT SIDE OF YOUR BRAIN

CONTROLS MUSIC AND ART, THE

CREATIVE STUFF.

AND THE LEFT SIDE HANDLES

NUMBERS AND WORDS AND

PROBLEMSOLVING.

AND THERE'S A BAND OF CELLS

BETWEEN THE TWO PARTS OR

HEMISPHERES OF THE BRAIN SO THAT

THE LEFT SIDE KNOWS WHAT THE

RIGHT SIDE IS DOING.

STUDENT: THE HUMAN BRAIN IS SO

SOFT THAT YOU COULD CUT IT WITH

A BUTTER KNIFE.

THAT'S WHY YOU SHOULD WEAR YOUR

HELMET WHEN YOU RIDE YOUR BIKE.

YOU NEED TO PROTECT YOUR BRAIN.

CARTAN-HANSEN: YOUR BRAIN AND

BODY ALSO PUT OUT CHEMICALS,

CALLED "HORMONES" OR

"NEUROTRANSMITTERS."

HORMONES HELP REGULATE YOUR

BODY'S GROWTH, HELP YOU MATURE,

MAINTAIN YOUR DIGESTION, EVEN

TELL YOU WHEN TO SLEEP.

NEUROTRANSMITTERS ARE CHEMICALS

THAT SEND MESSAGES BETWEEN

CELLS.

SOME NEUROTRANSMITTERS TELL YOUR

HEART TO BEAT OR YOUR LUNGS TO

BREATHE, WHILE OTHERS HELP

REGULATE YOUR MOOD, WHETHER

YOU'RE HAPPY OR SAD.

THESE CHEMICALS PLAY A PART IN

HOW YOU REMEMBER THINGS, WHY YOU

DREAM, WHO YOU ARE, YOUR

THOUGHTS AND YOUR FEELINGS.

YOUR BREATHING AND YOUR GROWING

ARE ALL CONTROLLED BY YOUR

BRAIN.

AND YOUR BRAIN CONTINUES TO

DEVELOP EVEN AFTER YOU'RE BORN

AND CONTINUES TO GROW AND CHANGE

EVEN AS AN ADULT.

YOUR BRAIN IS WHAT MAKES YOU,

YOU.

(MUSIC)

REBECCA: HI, MY NAME IS REBECCA.

AND I GO TO GALILEO STEM

ACADEMY.

MY QUESTION IS HOW DO NERVES

CONNECT FEELING TO YOUR BRAIN?

DR. BISHOP: REBECCA, THE NERVES

THAT WE HAVE IN OUR BODY, THEY

DO SENSE MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.

SO OUR SENSE OF TOUCH.

WE ALSO HAVE SENSE OF VIBRATION

AND SENSE OF HEAT OR COLD.

AND ALL OF THESE NERVES ARE

WITHIN OUR SKIN.

AS THEY GET TRIGGERED, OR IF WE

TOUCH SOMETHING THAT'S COLD,

TOUCH SOMETHING THAT'S SHARP, OR

TOUCH ANYTHING, THOSE NERVES

THEN SEND A SIGNAL, WHICH

TRAVELS UP THE NERVE INTO YOUR

SPINAL CORD AND THEN UP INTO

YOUR BRAIN.

AND SO THE NERVE CELLS ARE VERY

GOOD AT ALLOWING THAT TO TRAVEL.

THE SPEED AT WHICH IT TRAVELS

CAN BE UPWARDS OF 200 MILES PER

HOUR AS IT TRAVELS FROM YOUR

FINGER TO YOUR BRAIN.

THAT'S WHY THERE'S NO LAG TIME

FROM WHEN YOU TOUCH SOMETHING TO

WHEN YOU ACTUALLY FEEL IT.

JOSHUA: HI, MY NAME IS JOSHUA.

I GO TO JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY.

AND MY QUESTION IS WHY DO WE

HAVE EYELASHES?

DR. ANTINK: WE HAVE EYELASHES TO

HELP PROTECT OUR EYE FROM DUST

AND OTHER PARTICLES IN THE AIR.

YOUR EYE GETS VERY IRRITATED IF

SOMETHING GETS ONTO THE EYEBALL.

AND SO THE EYELASHES HELP TO

PROTECT YOU FROM THAT.

SAM: HI, MY NAME IS SAM.

I GO TO JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY.

WHY DO WE HAVE LITTLE BLACK DOTS

IN OUR EYES?

DR. BISHOP: SO THE BLACK DOT IN

THE MIDDLE OF YOUR EYE, OR YOUR

PUPIL, IS ACTUALLY A HOLE THAT

ALLOWS LIGHT TO PASS THROUGH TO

THE BACK OF YOUR EYE SO THAT YOU

CAN ACTUALLY SEE.

SOME PEOPLE MIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE

FLECKS OF BLACK WITHIN THE IRIS,

WHICH IS THE COLORED PART OF THE

EYE, WHICH ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTES

TO THE COLOR OF THEIR EYES.

BUT THE BLACK DOT IN THE MIDDLE

IS ACTUALLY A HOLE AND ALLOWS

THE LIGHT TO PASS THROUGH.

EVAN: HI, MY NAME IS EVAN.

I GO TO WHITE PINE ELEMENTARY

SCHOOL.

AND MY QUESTION IS HOW DO WE

DECIPHER DIFFERENT SMELLS?

DR. ANTINK: EVAN, THAT IS A

GREAT QUESTION.

IN OUR NOSE WE HAVE LOTS OF

RECEPTORS THAT SEND SIGNALS OF

SMELL PARTICLES TO OUR BRAIN TO

SENSE THE SMELL.

AND BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCES

WHEN WE HAVE DIFFERENT SMELLS,

THAT HELPS US DETERMINE WHETHER

WE SEE SOMETHING OR SMELL

SOMETHING AS PLEASURABLE OR

UNPLEASURABLE.

SOMETIMES CERTAIN SMELLS CAN

EVOKE A MEMORY IN SOMEBODY OF A

BAD THING, AND SO THEY CONSIDER

THAT SMELL UNPLEASURABLE, WHILE

THE SAME SMELL MIGHT EVOKE A

PLEASURABLE MEMORY TO SOMEBODY

ELSE, AND THAT WOULD BE

CONSIDERED A GOOD SMELL.

SUMMIT: HI, MY NAME IS SUMMIT.

I GO TO JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY

SCHOOL.

AND MY QUESTION IS HOW DO WE SEE

COLOR?

DR. BISHOP: SO OUR PERCEPTION OF

COLOR OR HOW WE SEE COLOR IS

CONTROLLED BY THE CONE CELLS,

WHICH ARE IN THE BACK OF OUR

EYE.

SO THESE ARE SPECIFIC CELLS THAT

ARE ABLE TO PROCESS THE COLORS

THAT WE SEE, AND THEY THEN SEND

THAT SIGNAL TO THE BRAIN AND

ALLOW US TO SEE THE COLOR THAT

WE ARE SEEING BEFORE US.

CARTAN-HANSEN: ERIC WOULD LIKE

TO KNOW: HOW DO YOUR EARS PICK

UP SOUND WAVES?

DR. BISHOP: SO THE EARS HAVE A

VERY SPECIFIC DESIGN TO THEM.

IF YOU ACTUALLY LOOK AT YOUR

EAR, IT HAS A CUPPING SHAPE,

WHICH HELPS US COLLECT THAT

SOUND WAVE AND THEN CARRY THAT

IN THROUGH OUR EAR CANAL TO THE

MIDDLE EAR.

AND THAT'S WHERE THAT SOUND WAVE

IS THEN TURNED INTO AN

ELECTRICAL SIGNAL THAT THEN GOES

OUR BRAIN.

SAKSHAM: HI, MY NAME IS SAKSHAM.

I GO TO WHITE PINE ELEMENTARY

SCHOOL.

AND MY QUESTION IS WHAT SENSE IS

THE LEAST IMPORTANT AND WHY?

DR. ANTINK: SO I THINK IT'S

DEBATABLE AS TO WHICH SENSE IS

THE LEAST IMPORTANT.

TO SOMEBODY WHO IS BLIND,

PROBABLY VISION IS SIGHT IS THE

LEAST IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEIR

EYES DON'T WORK.

BUT FOR EVERY DIFFERENT PERSON,

THEY MAY HAVE CERTAIN STRENGTHS

IN WHICH SOME OF THEIR SENSES

ARE MORE ACUTE OR STRONGER THAN

OTHERS.

SO I THINK THAT'S A VERY

DIFFICULT QUESTION TO ANSWER.

DR. BRAD, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

DR. BISHOP: I BELIEVE IT IS VERY

DEPENDENT ON THE PERSON.

I KNOW, FOR MYSELF, I WOULD

PROBABLY SAY TASTE IS THE LEAST

IMPORTANT FOR ME.

OR I WISH I DIDN'T HAVE TASTE

BECAUSE THERE ARE CERTAIN FOODS

THAT I DO NOT LIKE AND I DON'T

WANT TO TASTE.

AND THAT'S PROBABLY THE SAME FOR

MOST OF YOU, AS WELL.

BUT THE FIVE SENSES ARE ALL VERY

IMPORTANT IN ALLOWING US TO

PROCESS OUR ENVIRONMENT AND TO,

AS WE SAY, WITH TASTE, ALL THE

SENSES ARE KIND OF INVOLVED WITH

THAT.

JUST THE SENSATION OF TOUCH

WITHIN OUR TONGUE, THE SENSATION

OF SMELL WITHIN OUR NOSE.

SO THERE'S ALL THE SENSES ARE

VERY WORK VERY WELL TOGETHER,

AND SO I FEEL THAT THEY ARE ALL

VERY IMPORTANT.

CARTAN-HANSEN: IF SOMEONE IS

INTERESTED IN BECOMING A

PEDIATRICIAN, WHAT SHOULD HE OR

SHE STUDY IN SCHOOL?

DR. ANTINK: TO BECOME A

PEDIATRICIAN, YOU NEED TO GO

THROUGH COLLEGE AND DO

PREREQUISITES FOR MEDICAL

SCHOOL.

THEN YOU GO THROUGH MEDICAL

SCHOOL, WHICH IS TYPICALLY FOUR

YEARS, AND DURING THAT TIME YOU

GET TO PRACTICE DIFFERENT KINDS

OF DOCTOR TYPES.

AT THE END OF THAT YOU DECIDE

WHAT KIND OF DOCTOR YOU WANT TO

BE.

AND IN MY CASE A PEDIATRICIAN.

SO THEN YOU DO A SPECIFIC

TRAINING PROGRAM JUST FOR

PEDIATRICS, WHICH IS USUALLY

ABOUT THREE YEARS.

DR. BISHOP: SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE

TO BECOME A PEDIATRICIAN, OR

JUST A DOCTOR IN GENERAL, THERE

IS A LOT OF SCHOOL THAT DOES

TAKE PLACE.

THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO NOW TO

HELP PREPARE YOU FOR THAT, TO GO

TO MEDICAL SCHOOL, IS BY

STUDYING A LOT OF THE SCIENCES,

SO BIOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY,

PHYSICS ARE THINGS THAT YOU'LL

HAVE TO TAKE.

BUT ALSO, THEY ALSO WANT PEOPLE

WHO THEY ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO A

LOT OF SERVICE AND ALSO TO

BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE MEDICAL

FIELD.

THEY ENCOURAGE YOU TO ACTUALLY

GO AND SHADOW PHYSICIANS, NOW,

IN ORDER TO APPLY FOR MEDICAL

SCHOOL.

AND SO THAT'S SOME OF THE THINGS

YOU WOULD NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO

GO TO MEDICAL SCHOOL TO THEN

BECOME A PEDIATRICIAN.

CARTAN-HANSEN: I'M SORRY, WE'VE

RUN OUT OF TIME.

MY THANKS TO DRS.

ANTINK AND BISHOP FOR ANSWERING

STUDENTS QUESTIONS TODAY.

DR. ANTINK: THANKS, JOAN.

THAT WAS FUN.

DR. BISHOP: YEAH, WE LEARNED

SOMETHING, TOO.

CARTAN-HANSEN : MY THANKS, ALSO,

TO THE FOLKS HERE AT SAINT

ALPHONSUS FOR HOSTING US.

NOW, YOU CAN LEARN LOTS MORE

ABOUT THE FIVE SENSES AND OTHER

SCIENTIFIC TOPICS ON THE SCIENCE

TREK WEBSITE.

AND WE'LL ANSWER MORE QUESTIONS

ABOUT THE FIVE SENSES ON SCIENCE

TREK: THE WEB SHOW .

YOU WANT TO SUBMIT A QUESTION

FOR SCIENCE TREK , IT'S EASY,

AND

YOU AND YOUR CLASS CAN WIN

PRIZES.

YOU CAN SEND IT AS AN EMAIL OR

AS A VIDEO QUESTION, RECORD IT

ON YOUR WEBCAM OR CELL PHONE.

AND IF YOU'RE AN EDUCATOR, WE'LL

EVEN LEND YOU A CAMERA.

OUR LAST PRIZE WINNER WAS PAIGE

IN MRS. MANNING-FLOCK'S CLASS AT

WHITE PINE ELEMENTARY.

SO TO FIND OUT ALL ABOUT THE

FIVE SENSES AND HOW TO SEND IN

YOUR QUESTIONS AND HOW TO WIN,

GO TO THE SCIENCE TREK WEBSITE.

AND EACH WEEK CHECK OUT MY BLOG

FOR THE LATEST SCIENCE NEWS FOR

KIDS.

YOU'LL FIND IT ALL AT

IDAHOPTV.ORG/SCIENCETREK.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON

SCIENCE TREK .

(MUSIC)

NARRATOR: PRESENTATION OF

SCIENCE TREK ON IDAHO PUBLIC

TELEVISION IS MADE POSSIBLE

THROUGH THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF

THE LAURA MOORE CUNNINGHAM

FOUNDATION, COMMITTED TO

FULFILLING THE MOORE AND BETTIS

FAMILIES LEGACY OF BUILDING THE

GREAT STATE OF IDAHO.

BY THE FRIENDS OF IDAHO PUBLIC

TELEVISION AND BY THE

CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC

BROADCASTING.

CARTAN-HANSEN: IF YOU WANT TO

LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS TOPIC OR

WATCH OUR VIDEOS, CHECK OUT THE

SCIENCE TREK WEBSITE AT

IDAHOPTV.ORG/SCIENCETREK.