And now it's time for Who's Smarted.
Psst, smarty pants, as you can hear, someplace cold, as in very cold.
As in the most cold I've ever been in the coldest place I've ever been which happens to be at the very bottom of earth.
So where am I? Am I in A Antarctica?
B, the Hey, Antarctica, you're right.
And right now, I'm freezing my tail feathers off, waiting to meet today's special guest.
Of course, my guest doesn't quite know they're going to be my guest on the show, but that's okay.
In the meantime, I think I'll crack open some more of these hand and feet warmers.
I'll put one in my gloves, my boots, inside my jacket, down the back of my pants, and one in my hat.
Ah, there. Yep, I'm still freezing.
Excuse me, are you lost?
What? Who said that?
I can't see anyone in this blinding wind and snow.
Try looking down. Oh, there you are.
Oh, hey, you're my special guest.
I am? Yes, you're a penguin.
I came to Antarctica to talk to a penguin.
Okay, do you often go to remote places to talk to random animals?
Why, as a matter of fact, I do.
This is Who Smarted, and I'm the trusty narrator.
Hi, I'm a penguin. Perfect, do you have a name I can call you?
My friends call me Penny.
Great, welcome to the show, Penny and Smarty Pants.
Get ready to dive into the world of penguins as we learn, why do penguins live where it's so cold?
How can they stand such frigid temperatures?
And can penguins fly?
So you're just gonna ask me questions and stuff?
Yes, is that okay? You're the one who's freezing.
I sure am. Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh.
It's time for a frosty whiff of science and history on.
How smart, Ed? Who's smarted?
Who's smart? Is it you?
Is it me? Is it science or history?
Listen up. Everyone, women's smarted.
Lots of fun on Who's Smarted.
Hey, everyone, trusty here.
One of the things I love about hosting Who's Smarted is getting to answer all those amazing questions from Curious Smarty Pants.
And that's why I'm excited to tell you about another show that does exactly that.
Our friends podcast, But Why, a podcast for curious kids.
Have you ever asked something like, why does the wind blow?
Or does skyscrapers actually scrape the sky?
And you weren't quite sure of the answer.
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They've answered questions from over 16 ,000 kids across 90 countries, and they're not afraid to tackle any topic, even the gross ones that make grown up squirm.
I mean, they have whole episodes about poop and making paint from spit and rocks.
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So if your family loves learning interesting stuff on Who's Smarted, you'll definitely want to check out But Why.
You can find But Why, wherever you get your podcasts.
Okay. I'm just chilling, literally, in Antarctica with my new friend Penny the penguin.
We're friends. We just met seconds ago.
Just go with it, Penny.
Anywho, penguins are very popular animals.
Penny, do you have any idea why people like you so much?
Um, because we're willing to talk to strangers with microphones on a glacier.
Penny, could you walk about 20 feet away?
Uh, sure. It just wants me to walk, wait, it says just 20 feet, just walking.
Oh, smarty pants, I wish you could see the way it looks when Penny walks.
It is so adorable. Oh, now turn around and come back, Penny.
Now turn around and come back, he says.
It's just, just, uh, uh.
Smarty pants, do you know what we call the way penguins walk?
Walking? Nope, waddling.
The funny way you waddle and sway back and forth like you're gonna fall over any second is absolutely irresistible to humans.
Oh. It's so cute. But it does feel like it would take you quite a long time to get where you're going.
Yeah, waddling might look cute and it helps us get across the land, slowly, but that's not our strong suit.
Penguins are much better designed for the water.
Oh yeah, how so? But one thing, our penguin feet work like the rudder of a boat in the water to make our movements graceful and smooth.
Ah, a far cry from your movements on land.
I get it, we walk funny.
Sorry, I just find it so irresistible.
Go on. It's not just our feet that work well in the water.
Our wings are like strong propellers.
They help us dive for food in the cold, dark sea.
As opposed to on land where we extend our flippers to the side to balance ourselves.
I won't even mention how cute that looks.
But speaking of wings, can penguins use their wings to fly?
What do you think, smarty pants?
Can penguins fly? The answer is?
No, penguins can't fly.
Follow up question.
If penguins can't fly, are they classified as birds?
The answer is? Yes, penguins are birds.
I'm what's known as an emperor penguin.
True or false, smarty pants?
Emperor penguins are the largest penguins in size.
If you said true, you're right.
About how big do emperor penguins get, Penny?
We're about 45 kilograms or a hundred pounds and grow to be about 1 .2 meters or nearly four feet tall.
That's bigger than my Labrador retriever, Luna.
So, I gotta ask, why do penguins live here?
What's wrong with Antarctica?
Are you kidding? Look, I get that it's cold here, but penguins are highly adaptable.
In fact, we've adapted to living in a bigger range of climates on Earth than any other species.
Whoa. But we only live in one hemisphere.
Smarty pants, can you guess which hemisphere penguins all live in?
Is it the northern hemisphere, which is above the equator, or the southern hemisphere, which is below the equator?
The answer, of course, is the southern hemisphere.
Good job if you got that right.
Yep, penguins only live below the equator, but we live all over the place.
Banded African penguins live on the tip of South Africa.
Humble penguins, a medium -sized penguin, live mostly near Peru and South America.
And Phillip Island in Australia is home to the largest colony of little penguins, the smallest of all penguins.
They only weigh one kilogram, or two pounds, and they're the only penguin with blue and white feathers.
Wow, it sure sounds like there are a lot of different kinds of penguins out there.
Oh yeah, it's believed that there are 2 .23 million pairs of king penguins living in the sub -antarctic.
Aaah! So now that we know some of the different kinds of penguins and where they live, what can you tell us about the way penguins look?
Well, one thing that scientists believe about penguins is that our dark -colored backs and light -colored fronts help provide camouflage in the water.
Ooh, Smarty Pants, if you remember our Animal Camouflage episode, you know camouflage helps animals stay hidden so they can find food while avoiding being food.
A penguin's white belly makes them hard to see from below while their dark back makes them hard to see from above.
Is there anything else special about your feathers, Penny?
Each feather has a separate shaft covered with down.
Hmm, Smarty Pants, why would penguins need down on their feathers?
Is it A, to stay dry in the water, B, to look fuzzy and adorable, or C, to trap heat?
While I definitely think they're adorable, the real answer is...
C, to trap heat. This is how we can tolerate the freezing temperatures of Antarctica a lot better than you can.
Even with all ya hand warmers.
Nope, still freezing!
Smarty Pants, true or false?
All penguins live in cold climates.
The answer, surprisingly, is false.
Yep, like I said, penguins live all over including the warm beaches where African penguins make their home.
And they can move more easily than those of us who live in colder climates.
I'm curious, is there anything all penguins have in common?
Oh, besides being penguins of course.
We'll find out the answer to that question and a lot more right after this quick break and a word from our sponsors.
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Now back to who smarted.
Hey, Fanny, any chance I can borrow?
Some of your down feathers to stay warm?
Sorry, trustee, I'm using them.
But if you're done asking questions, I could get back to preening myself.
Actually, I was in the middle of asking what all penguins have in common.
Oh, that's easy. We all preen ourselves for hours a day.
Ah, smarty pants, do you know what preening is?
Penny, care to explain?
Preening or grooming means cleaning and taking care of our feathers.
And why would penguins need to preen or groom?
Their feathers for hours a day, smarty pants.
Is it A, to keep their feathers waterproof, B, to look cute, or C, in case there's any food in their feathers?
While it might make sense to check our feathers for food, the answer is A, to keep our feathers waterproof.
Penguins must constantly work to keep their feathers clean, well -oiled, and waterproof in order to stay warm, even in the freezing water.
Ooh. Whoa, did you just bend your head all the way behind you?
Yes, I did. It's no big deal.
Being flexible is just part of being a penguin.
I gotta say, you'd be pretty good at yoga.
Oh, yeah? I might have to try that with my rookery.
What's a rookery? Smarty pants, do you know?
A rookery is a big group of penguins.
Ah, smarty pants, when do you think you'd be most likely to see a big group of penguins?
Is it A, at a penguin pizza party?
B, when there's going to be baby penguins?
Or C, when it's time to find food?
Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a penguin pizza party.
I'm pretty sure that pizza wouldn't be the best food for us.
But if you said B, baby penguin time, you're right.
Since big groups of penguins gather before the babies are born, it sounds like there's a lot that needs to be done to prepare for the baby's arrival.
Yep, one of the most important things is finding a nesting spot.
That's usually a male penguin's job.
When he finds a good nesting spot, he calls out.
Wait, do penguins talk?
Penguins actually make several noises to communicate with each other, including honking, and braying like a donkey.
Interesting, what makes a good nesting spot?
We like to nest near food, and we look for a place where lots of penguins can huddle together.
But that's not the biggest job of a male emperor penguin when it comes to a baby penguin egg.
Smarty Pants, do you know what important job a male emperor penguin has to do?
The male emperor penguin must incubate the egg, which means keep it warm.
That does not sound like an easy job in Antarctica.
It isn't, but that's not all.
Emperor and king penguins are the only penguin species that lay and incubate one egg at a time.
The males must keep the egg safe and warm, which means taking it with them wherever they go.
Smarty Pants, how does a penguin carry their egg around?
Any ideas? I don't think they can pick it up or tuck it under their arm like a football.
Nope, they put it on top of their feet and walk with it.
Aw, if you thought penguins waddling was cute before, wait till you see them waddling with an egg on their feet.
And once the egg hatches.
Baby emperor penguins stay close to their parents.
Aw. Emperor penguin parents take turns feeding their chick, or baby.
Oh, does it eat penguin baby food?
No, it's parents feeding it regurgitated seafood.
Ew. Regurgitated as in like the parent eats it first, then barfs it up, and then feeds it to the baby?
Is there another kind of regurgitated?
Oh boy. But hey, while that would be disgusting for you or me, Smarty Pants, it is perfectly healthy and normal for baby penguins.
Nom, nom, nom, nom, nom.
About how much food do emperor penguins eat in one sitting?
Is it A, 30 pounds, B, 20 pounds, or C, 40 pounds?
The answer is? A, 30 pounds.
Good job, Smarty Pants, if you got that.
Also, 30 pounds? I couldn't eat 30 pounds of anything in one sitting.
Even pizza. Yeah, I wouldn't advise challenging a penguin to an eating competition.
Nope. So what do penguins eat?
Any idea, Smarty Pants?
Penguins eat three kinds of seafood.
We like fish, squid, and crustaceans like krill.
But here's the thing.
When male penguins are protecting their egg and keeping it warm, they aren't able to hunt for food.
Which means male emperor penguins will go as long as four months without eating.
Hm, I bet if I started a penguin food delivery service, I could make a fortune.
Just when I was starting to warm up to you, you're only interested in penguins to make money.
What? No, no, it was just a joke.
But now that you mentioned warming up, I gotta go.
I'm freezing. A big shout out to Smarty Fanmatics and his smarty family in Linden, Washington.
We're so happy you love listening to Who Smarted as a family and that even Mom and Dad learn things.
Well, guess what? I learned things too, Smarty Pants.
So thanks for smarting with us.
This episode, penguins was written by Sarah Sweetsick and voiced by Heather Simsay and Jarry Colburn.
Technical direction and sound design by Josh Happy Feet Han.
Who Smarted is recorded and mixed at the Relic Room Studios.
Our associate producer is Max March of the Penguins, Comaskey.
The theme song is by Brian Swaz with lyrics written and performed by Adam Textavus.
Who Smarted was created and produced by Adam Textavus and Jarry Colburn.
This has been an atomic entertainment production.
Who Smarted. Star glow.
