[The Science of Slowness: Why Some Animals Move at a Glacial Pace]-[WeWow Summer Week 2024 - Day 1: Dennis is Bored! (6/17/24)]

Wow in the World · B1 · 2024-06-17

📋 Summary

The Science of Slowness: Uncovering the World's Most Sedentary Creatures

In this episode of Wow in the World, hosts Mindy and Guy Raz embark on a humorous quest to understand the nature of "doing nothing" and the science behind the world's slowest animals. By attending the fictional "100-meter Nada Dash" at the Snoozefest Arena, they explore the biological and ecological reasons why certain species, such as koalas, sloths, and the remarkable olm salamander, embrace a lifestyle of extreme lethargy.

The Energy Economy: Why Koalas and Sloths Take It Slow

Mindy and Guy Raz investigate why animals like Gary the koala and Barney the sloth move so slowly. The primary culprit is their diet. Koalas, for instance, are "fussy eaters" that consume eucalyptus leaves. These leaves are not only filled with "tiny fibers" that are difficult to digest, but they also lack high nutritional value. Because they do not receive a significant energy boost from their food, koalas must "conserve their energy" by sleeping for up to 19 hours a day and moving at a very deliberate, slow pace. The sloth, similarly, does not have a "nutritious diet" and therefore lacks the energy to spare for rapid movement, often traveling less than half the length of a football field in an entire day.

The Champion of Stillness: Deborah the Olm

The highlight of the episode is the introduction of Deborah, an olm salamander from the caves of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Unlike the other competitors, Deborah is a newcomer with an almost unbelievable track record. Scientific research conducted by Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary monitored 26 olms over several years, revealing that these creatures move, on average, only "five meters, or 16 feet, every year." Deborah herself became a standout subject for "refusing to move at all for seven years," remaining in the exact same spot for 2,569 consecutive days.

Evolutionary Advantages of the "Sit and Wait" Strategy

Why would an animal evolve to be so inactive? The hosts explain that for the olm, this "glacial pace" is an evolutionary benefit. Firstly, these salamanders have "no natural predator in the wild," removing the need for high-speed escape mechanisms. Furthermore, they live up to 100 years and have a very infrequent mating cycle, occurring only once every 12.5 years.

To feed, they employ a "sit and wait" technique. Rather than exerting energy to hunt, they wait for small crustaceans to come within reach. Because their metabolic rate is so low, they can sometimes go "one or two years between meals." This masterclass in biological efficiency allows them to thrive in their damp, cave-dwelling environments without the need for constant motion.

Conservation and Future Insights

The episode concludes by noting the importance of studying these "super slow movers." Because they operate at such a slow pace, these species are particularly "susceptible to things like climate change and habitat destruction." By understanding their behavior and extreme energy conservation, researchers hope to advocate for better protection of their habitats. As Mindy humorously notes, if it takes an olm 20 years to finish a 100-meter race, it is vital that we ensure their environment remains "safe and sound" for the next century.

🎯Key Sentences

But for now, let's get on with the show.

Well, for your information, I'm getting my MBA.

What do you mean you don't know?

Well, let's go snoop around and find out.

This is so bananas, it just might work.

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📝Key Phrases

music to your ears

get on with

for your information

pain in the neck

snoop around

Expand All

📖 Transcript

Grownups, Wondery Plus subscribers can listen to Wow in the World early and ad-free right now.

Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or Wondery Kids Plus on Apple Podcasts.

Hey, Wowzer fans, Mindy here.

And before we start the show, I gotta let you know that this November, with a special new episode featuring our friends at Circle Round and Terrestrials on Radiolab for Kids,

And don't miss when Elmo from Sesame Street stops by Wow in the World to make us all belly laugh on November 24th.

Oh, but that's not all, Reg.

Or study on the web version →