The Skipper Caterpillar

Skipper caterpillars have an anal plate that covers their butthole. When hemolymph pressure builds up enough, the anal comb latch bursts open to shoot a pellet of frass away at a speed of around 1.3 meters per second or more. Skippers look like a cross between a butterfly and a moth.

Transcript

chevron_right

Play full episode

chevron_right

Transcript

Episode notes

This week we're talking about our old friend, Mr. Distance-Over-Time himself: Speed! From the speediest hedgehog to the slowiest slug, we all have speed, and we can all come together and listen to this podcast to learn more about how and why that is.

SciShow Tangents is on YouTube! Go to www.youtube.com/scishowtangents to check out this episode with the added bonus of seeing our faces!

Head to www.patreon.com/SciShowTangents to find out how you can help support SciShow Tangents, and see all the cool perks you’ll get in return, like bonus episodes and a monthly newsletter!

And go to https://store.dftba.com/collections/scishow-tangents to buy your very own, genuine SciShow Tangents sticker!

Follow us on Twitter @SciShowTangents, where we’ll tweet out topics for upcoming episodes and you can ask the science couch questions!

While you're at it, check out the Tangents crew on Twitter: Ceri: @ceriley Sam: @im_sam_schultz Hank: @hankgreen

[Trivia Question]

Walter Arnold first ever speeding ticket

https://automotivehistory.org/january-28-1896-the-first-speeding-ticket-2/

https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Walter-Arnold-Worlds-First-Speeding-Ticket/

https://blog.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/2014/01/28/the-first-speeding-fine-for-travelling-at-8-mph/

[Fact Off]

The Oh-My-God particle (high-energy cosmic ray)

https://www.quantamagazine.org/the-particle-that-broke-a-cosmic-speed-limit-20150514/

https://www.science.org/content/article/oh-my-god-its-real-particle