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The category is science and the answer is the science of living things, the study of

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plant and animal life.

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The correct question of course, what is biology?

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Hello everyone, I'm Alex Trebek, host of Jeopardy, where we test your knowledge by

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giving you the answers and asking you to come up with the correct questions.

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If you're as excited about questions and answers as I am, then you don't want to miss this

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episode of the NASA Sci-Files, as the Treehouse Detectives help Jacob learn the answers to

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his questions about staying healthy.

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Stay tuned and learn more about math, science and technology with the Treehouse Detectives

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in the NASA Sci-Files, the Case of the Biological Biosphere.

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Be sure and look for the answers to the following questions.

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What is agar and what is it used for?

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How are bacteria and viruses different?

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How does a quarantine work?

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When you see this icon, the answer is near.

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Hey RJ, I was just checking on my itinerary and stuff for my vacation next week.

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Cool, where are you going?

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You won't believe it.

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I'm going to be spending a few days in the glorious dry Tortugas.

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I hope you don't get sick before you go.

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What do you mean get sick before I go?

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Oh, nothing.

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My Uncle Babar got sick before we went deep sea fishing one year.

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He missed everything.

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His whole vacation was ruined.

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Oh man, I can't get sick.

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My sister was coughing at the breakfast table this morning.

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I can't go home.

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Of course, there's a time my sister got Montezuma's Revenge on Christmas.

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Uh, dude, it wasn't pleasant.

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The Treehouse.

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I'll go to the treehouse.

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Send a flash priority message to all the treehouse detectives to meet at the treehouse.

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If any of them think they even might be sick, stay away.

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Got it?

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No problem.

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Calm down.

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Calm down.

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I'm gonna get sick, I'm gonna get sick, I'm gonna get sick.

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Ninety-eight point six.

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Perfect.

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So far, so good.

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Hi, Jacob.

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Wait, stop.

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Did you guys get RJ's message?

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We got the message.

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No, wait.

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If you're sick, under the weather, or not feeling well, I'm gonna have to ask you to

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leave.

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Or at least keep your distance.

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As usual, I'm in perfect health and illness free.

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Catherine?

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Except for a few soccer bruises, I'm just fine.

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But don't you think you're being a little paranoid?

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Sorry to be so serious, but I don't want to get sick before my trip.

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You can't just avoid all contact with people.

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I don't want to avoid everyone, just everyone who's sick.

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That's impossible.

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How do you know who's sick and who isn't?

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I was thinking about a quarantine, like the astronauts do before they go into space.

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Maybe I'll just stay in the treehouse until my trip.

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We're too late.

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He's already delirious.

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I think it's a great idea.

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Wait, Bianca!

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Don't worry, Jacob.

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RJ told me all about your problem.

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In fact, I'm doing a report on how people respond to different environments.

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If you quarantine yourself, you can be my subject.

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I've always wanted to donate my body to science.

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I'm not sure staying in the treehouse is such a great idea.

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We don't even have a bathroom.

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I've got it all taken care of.

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I can use the bathroom in Dr. D's lab.

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And my mom can send meals over.

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It's really no different than camping.

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I don't know.

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This idea seems pretty half-baked to me.

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No, it's fully baked.

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And it's perfect for my project.

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Would you mind going to the Sci-Files website and printing off a problem statement map?

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It'll help me organize how I'm going to keep track of you and your progress.

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Guys, KSNN is coming on.

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Good morning, I'm Ted Toon.

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It's cold and flu season once again.

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For a live report, we go live to I Am Listening, who's live at the Centers for Disease Control

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in Atlanta.

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Sorry, folks.

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Ted Toon again.

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Apparently, I Am has come down with the case of microphone flu.

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But don't worry.

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The CDC tells me that the microphone flu only affects, uh, animated news reporters?

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Uh-oh.

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This is exactly what I'm talking about.

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It isn't safe out there.

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It may not be safe in here.

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He's right, Jacob.

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You're jumping to conclusions.

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We don't even know how you catch the flu or any other illnesses.

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If you want to stay infection-free, we need to do some research.

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Let's go to the problem board.

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Do you really think the scientific method can help you avoid getting sick?

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The scientific method is an excellent tool for solving problems.

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Even this one.

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Okay, now that we've identified the problem of keeping Jacob well, we need to conduct

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research.

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What do we know?

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We know that I need to stay healthy for the next three days.

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And we know we're approaching the flu season.

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We also know that I want to quarantine myself in the treehouse.

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Okay, so what do we need to know?

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We need to know what the flu is and how it's spread.

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And we also need to know more about quarantine.

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Right.

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So where do we go?

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KSNN mentioned something about the CDC.

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Right, the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia.

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Wow, how did you know that?

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I remember reading about it in a stockholder's report on some biomedical companies I'm evaluating.

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Jacob, check the internet.

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Maybe you can find a contact person for the CDC.

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Let me go to a search engine.

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I'll type in CDC.

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Here we go.

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The Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia.

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Check and see if they have a Contact Us link.

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Yeah, they do.

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And hotline numbers, too.

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Maybe I'll give them a call.

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I don't think it's an emergency.

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Oh, here we go.

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We can email questions.

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I'll see if someone can help us.

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I'm going to meet Dr. D today at the Virginia Marine Science Museum at 2.30 this afternoon.

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Maybe he can help.

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I think Haley is in Atlanta visiting family.

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Why don't you send her an email and see if she can go to the CDC?

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Great.

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I'll also forward her a Get Up and Go sheet from the NASA Sci-Files website.

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You can get your own Get Up and Go sheets from the problem board when you visit the

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NASA Sci-Files website.

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I wonder where Dr. D is.

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Well, you never know with Dr. D.

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Wow.

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Someone's in the aquarium.

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Dr. D?

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Dr. D, what were you doing swimming in the aquarium?

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I was helping clean the Chesapeake Bay Aquarium here at the Virginia Marine Science Museum.

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I understand you're trying to help Jacob stay well before he goes on his vacation.

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Yes.

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We've learned about all kinds of ways that diseases can be transmitted.

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So Jacob quarantined himself in the treehouse.

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I've got just the thing for you to test your treehouse.

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Test it for what?

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This will be a test to see if the treehouse is free from airborne microbes.

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What's a microbe?

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Microbes are very small organisms, too small to see without a microscope.

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Microbes like bacteria, fungi, and viruses sometimes cause disease.

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So how do we do the test?

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This is called a Petri dish.

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All you have to do is take it to the treehouse tonight and leave it open for ten minutes.

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What's the stuff at the bottom of the dish?

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It's called nutrient agar.

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It's food for microbes.

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When microbes like bacteria or fungi land in the dish, they multiply and grow.

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Each microbe will grow into a colony.

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Wow.

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Will we be able to tell what grows in the dish?

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Yes.

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Let the microbes grow until tomorrow and you'll be able to go by and see my friend, Mr. Frank,

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a microbiologist at Tidewater Community College.

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He'll be able to show you what microbial colonies look like and help you count the colonies.

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I have an idea.

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Can I have a second dish to take to Jacob's house so we can see if the treehouse has more

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or less microbes and he will get it home?

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Sure.

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That's an excellent idea.

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But how do we know that the Petri dish doesn't already have microbes growing in it right now?

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Good question.

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What you need is a third dish that you never open.

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This will serve as a control.

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In any experiment, you need to have only one variable.

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We'll need to keep the exposure times the same in both Petri dishes and use the same

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kind of microbe food.

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That's nutrient alchemy.

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Right.

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And make sure nothing is already growing in the dish.

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Then you'll have a carefully controlled experiment.

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If we can prove that there are no airborne microbes that can cause illness and keep

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all infected people out...

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Then we can be totally sure that Jacob will stay well.

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Now wait a minute.

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Totally sure?

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I don't think you can do that.

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What do you mean?

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Well, sometimes if you miss a small detail, it can become a major problem.

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This is called the butterfly effect.

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Butterfly effect?

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Yes.

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Edward Lorenz, who is a pioneer in chaos theory, once gave a talk entitled,

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Predictability, as the flap of a butterfly's wing in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas.

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Let me show you.

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I'm going to try to release this ball exactly the same way each time.

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Now let's try it again.

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Look at how little variations in the beginning make a big difference in the end.

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Does that mean that our mission to keep Jacob well is impossible?

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No, it just means it's not as easy as you think to have complete control.

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You can stay away from crowds, but, for example, you can't stop breathing.

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Oh, I get it.

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There are just so many factors.

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There are also a lot of internal things to consider, like how the body fights diseases.

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You mean like whether or not we've had a disease before.

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And whether we've taken any medications.

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And if we have good genes.

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Yes, those are a few.

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Thanks, Dr. D.

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It sounds like we need to investigate this a little more.

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You're welcome.

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Let's get some more Petri dishes.

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Hi.

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I'm Kaylie, one of the treehouse detectives.

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You must be Dr. Beck-Sage.

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Yes, I am.

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How can I help you?

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Yes, I am.

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How can I help you?

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My friend Jacob is planning a vacation, but he's worried that he might get sick and not be able to go.

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We're trying to think of ways to keep him healthy.

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So we figured that we needed to know more about diseases and how people get sick.

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Well, you've come to the right place.

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I'm a detective, too, of sorts.

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A medical detective.

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And I work here at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC for short.

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What sort of detective work do you do?

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Medical epidemiology.

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That means I investigate how infectious diseases spread through a population and how to stop the spread.

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But CDC does epidemiology of many other things, including prevention of birth defects and prevention of injuries.

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What exactly is an infectious disease?

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Well, first you need to know a little bit about bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms.

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As we're standing here, we are not alone.

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We are covered inside and out with millions of microorganisms.

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What are microorganisms?

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With millions of them, I hope they're not all bad.

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Well, that word is just taken from a Latin word that means tiny living beings.

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And no, they're not all bad.

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Most of them are harmless, and some of them are even very helpful to us.

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That's good.

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Are viruses and bacteria microorganisms?

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Yes.

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Some microorganisms are one-celled.

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They're called bacteria.

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You can't see them with the naked eye, but you can see them with a light microscope.

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Viruses are so small that they can only be seen with an electron microscope.

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Other than size, how do bacteria differ?

255
00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:08,880
Bacteria have cell walls and nucleus with both DNA and RNA, which are the building blocks for replicating.

256
00:13:08,880 --> 00:13:12,880
Viruses only have DNA or RNA, not both.

257
00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:20,880
Another difference is that there are medicines called antibiotics that can cure most infectious diseases caused by bacteria.

258
00:13:20,880 --> 00:13:25,880
However, there are very few medicines that can treat diseases caused by viruses.

259
00:13:25,880 --> 00:13:28,880
How does a person get an infectious disease?

260
00:13:28,880 --> 00:13:30,880
By being exposed to a bacteria or virus.

261
00:13:30,880 --> 00:13:33,880
But not everyone who is exposed gets infected.

262
00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:34,880
Why not?

263
00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:42,880
If the microorganism gets past the body's defense mechanisms, then the person may become infected and they may become sick.

264
00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:44,880
This is called an infectious disease.

265
00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:47,880
We've all had infectious diseases in our lives.

266
00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:51,880
Colds, pneumonia, chicken pox, and even some cancers.

267
00:13:51,880 --> 00:13:54,880
Sounds like infectious diseases are very serious.

268
00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:55,880
Yes, some are.

269
00:13:55,880 --> 00:14:02,880
Infectious diseases kill more people on Earth than wars and accidents causing injuries.

270
00:14:02,880 --> 00:14:08,880
Yet some are so mild that after a little scratchy throat or a dry patch of skin, they're gone.

271
00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:09,880
How do they spread?

272
00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:11,880
Some are spread by food or water.

273
00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:16,880
If people drink or eat contaminated food or water, then they may become infected.

274
00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:18,880
Others are spread through the air.

275
00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:24,880
When a person speaks or coughs, the microorganisms become airborne, and then other people breathe them in.

276
00:14:24,880 --> 00:14:27,880
So that's why it's important to cover your mouth when you cough.

277
00:14:27,880 --> 00:14:31,880
Yes, and many others are spread through direct contact.

278
00:14:31,880 --> 00:14:40,880
So if a person has pink eye or a cold, and they touch their eye or nose, and then they touch another person's hand, they can transmit those microorganisms.

279
00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:43,880
So that's why it's important to wash your hands often.

280
00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:45,880
Yes, especially before eating.

281
00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:52,880
Just 15 seconds of washing your hands with warm water and soap can prevent so much spread of infectious diseases.

282
00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:53,880
Thanks, Dr. Beksage.

283
00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:54,880
You're welcome.

284
00:14:57,880 --> 00:14:58,880
Let's see.

285
00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:04,880
I need pajamas, toothbrush, sleeping bag, air purifier.

286
00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:06,880
I have to have an air purifier.

287
00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:08,880
What about surgical masks?

288
00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:11,880
Don't doctors use them to prevent spreading germs?

289
00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:12,880
Good idea.

290
00:15:12,880 --> 00:15:14,880
You should get some of those for you guys to wear.

291
00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:16,880
I was actually thinking about you wearing one.

292
00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:18,880
I'm not sick.

293
00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:20,880
I don't think I'm sick.

294
00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:23,880
So I've come up with a hypothesis for my problem.

295
00:15:23,880 --> 00:15:26,880
If I quarantine myself in a tree house, I can't get sick.

296
00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:28,880
I think it's too soon for a hypothesis.

297
00:15:28,880 --> 00:15:31,880
I think we need to learn more about how quarantines really work.

298
00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:34,880
I'll contact NASA Johnson Space Center and see if they can help.

299
00:15:34,880 --> 00:15:35,880
Good idea.

300
00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:40,880
Oh, here's an email from Bianca with notes from our meeting with Dr. D.

301
00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:41,880
98.7.

302
00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:43,880
I think that's still okay.

303
00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:48,880
Ms. Stevens from Johnson Space Center just emailed us and said she'll be happy to talk to us.

304
00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:49,880
Great. Let's dial her up.

305
00:15:51,880 --> 00:15:52,880
Hi, Ms. Stevens.

306
00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:54,880
Thanks for responding to our email.

307
00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:55,880
No problem.

308
00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:56,880
How can I help you today?

309
00:15:56,880 --> 00:16:01,880
As I mentioned in the email, Jacob is worried about getting sick before his vacation.

310
00:16:01,880 --> 00:16:03,880
We're considering quarantining him in the tree house.

311
00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:04,880
How does a quarantine work?

312
00:16:04,880 --> 00:16:10,880
Quarantine is a designated period of time for a person to stay away from other individuals and vice versa.

313
00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:14,880
How do you make sure the people who come around the astronauts are not sick?

314
00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:18,880
NASA created the Health Stabilization Program, or HSP for short.

315
00:16:18,880 --> 00:16:24,880
This program develops an awareness among all NASA personnel, crew families, and other guests

316
00:16:24,880 --> 00:16:28,880
of the importance of protecting a flight crew from infectious diseases.

317
00:16:28,880 --> 00:16:30,880
How does it work?

318
00:16:30,880 --> 00:16:34,880
During the quarantine period, individuals that must have contact with the flight crew

319
00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:38,880
are badged as primary contacts, or PCs.

320
00:16:38,880 --> 00:16:41,880
They're medically screened beforehand and monitored for illness.

321
00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:43,880
How long are the astronauts quarantined?

322
00:16:43,880 --> 00:16:49,880
A quarantine, the time of limited contact, begins seven days prior to a launch

323
00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:51,880
and extends through the actual launch date.

324
00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:55,880
This period may be extended depending on many factors.

325
00:16:55,880 --> 00:16:57,880
We're having a flu outbreak in our town.

326
00:16:57,880 --> 00:16:59,880
Would that affect the length of the quarantine?

327
00:16:59,880 --> 00:17:04,880
Yes, if there's an outbreak of illness in the community, we could lengthen the stay.

328
00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:08,880
It also depends on the crew's immunity to some illnesses.

329
00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:14,880
For the seven days prior to the launch, the PCs are the only ones that can be within six feet of the crew.

330
00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:18,880
They also need to minimize their contact with the flight crew as much as possible.

331
00:17:18,880 --> 00:17:23,880
Meetings should be held in large areas to maintain adequate spacing of people.

332
00:17:23,880 --> 00:17:28,880
Shaking hands and embracing of the flight crew should be minimized as much as possible.

333
00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:31,880
We certainly don't have to worry about embracing.

334
00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:35,880
PCs must also wash their hands before meeting with the flight crew.

335
00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:41,880
And most importantly, if a PC becomes ill, they should not have contact with the flight crew at all.

336
00:17:41,880 --> 00:17:44,880
It sounds like quarantine is the answer to my problem.

337
00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:46,880
Thanks, Ms. Stephens. You've been a lot of help.

338
00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:49,880
You're welcome. Good luck with your quarantine, and I hope you stay well.

339
00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:51,880
Email if you need anything else.

340
00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:55,880
According to Ms. Stephens, we don't exactly need a complete quarantine.

341
00:17:55,880 --> 00:17:58,880
You're right. What we need is our own health stabilization program.

342
00:17:58,880 --> 00:17:59,880
What?

343
00:17:59,880 --> 00:18:04,880
Each and every treehouse detective must be certified as healthy before entering the treehouse each day.

344
00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:05,880
Certified healthy?

345
00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:07,880
Yes. I'll get started on a checklist right away.

346
00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:10,880
I've got to get home to study for a math test.

347
00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:13,880
I've got a lot to do to get my health stabilization program up and running.

348
00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:17,880
So what's up?

349
00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:21,880
What will the Petri dishes tell Jacob about the treehouse?

350
00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:24,880
How will Jacob avoid infectious diseases?

351
00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:26,880
Is quarantine the answer?

352
00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:30,880
Find out next time in The Case of the Biological Biosphere.

353
00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:36,880
Don't forget to look for the answers to the following questions.

354
00:18:36,880 --> 00:18:39,880
What various tissues make up the skin?

355
00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:42,880
What are three kinds of bacteria?

356
00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:44,880
What is an epidemic?

357
00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:47,880
Science! Science!

358
00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:54,880
Are you sure you have everything?

359
00:18:54,880 --> 00:18:56,880
This should be it.

360
00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:02,880
By the way, thanks for wearing the badges, but don't forget to remove them if you start feeling sick.

361
00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:08,880
Day one. Subject is happy, confident, and cooperative.

362
00:19:08,880 --> 00:19:10,880
I don't know how you can be so calm.

363
00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:16,880
I read in her notes from the CDC that viruses and bacteria can attack our bodies in so many different ways.

364
00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:19,880
Don't forget what Dr. D said about airborne microbes.

365
00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:21,880
Have you checked the Petri dish?

366
00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:23,880
Guys, this is real simple.

367
00:19:23,880 --> 00:19:25,880
I'm healthy, you're healthy.

368
00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:28,880
As long as I stay here, I'm fine.

369
00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:30,880
I'm sure that my hypothesis is correct.

370
00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:33,880
Subject's way too confident.

371
00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:36,880
Well, it does say here that some bacteria can be good for you.

372
00:19:36,880 --> 00:19:38,880
Like I said, I should be fine.

373
00:19:38,880 --> 00:19:43,880
Doctor, we still have a lot to learn about the body and how it defends itself from these attacks.

374
00:19:43,880 --> 00:19:44,880
She's right.

375
00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:49,880
Know that viruses and infections attack cells, but I'm not sure what a cell is exactly.

376
00:19:49,880 --> 00:19:51,880
Do you have your encyclopedia?

377
00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:53,880
Let me see.

378
00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:57,880
I have A, D, and Q, but no C.

379
00:19:57,880 --> 00:19:59,880
You're slipping, RJ.

380
00:19:59,880 --> 00:20:00,880
Wait a minute.

381
00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:02,880
Dr. Textbook has something about the body.

382
00:20:02,880 --> 00:20:04,880
Check it out.

383
00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:07,880
Hello.

384
00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:12,880
Welcome to another demonstration of my technological brilliance.

385
00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:21,880
I have modified this ordinary television set to look inside the human body to see how the human body works.

386
00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:25,880
First, let's start with the respiratory system, which helps us to breathe.

387
00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:34,880
Oxygen is brought into our body through the mouth, nose, and trachea into the lungs where it can be absorbed into the bloodstream.

388
00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:37,880
Next, we have the circulatory system.

389
00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:48,880
This system includes the heart, which pumps the oxygenated blood wherever it is needed in the body through a vast network of arteries, veins, and capillaries.

390
00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:53,880
Boy, this demonstration is hard work, and it's beginning to make me hungry.

391
00:20:53,880 --> 00:20:56,880
Which leads to the digestive system.

392
00:20:56,880 --> 00:21:07,880
This system uses the teeth, mouth, esophagus, stomach, intestines, and more to help the body take the nutrients from the food we eat, yum yum, and turn it into energy.

393
00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:17,880
And before we look at the other body systems, I am going to boost the power of my latest invention to see what makes the body really tick.

394
00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:21,880
Not a very good idea.

395
00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:27,880
Dr. Textbook is too funny. I hope he finds himself.

396
00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:30,880
Me too, and he sure has given us a lot to think about.

397
00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:34,880
I didn't realize that the body was made up of so many different and complex systems.

398
00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:39,880
That's right. I mean, you're probably one good infection away from something really devastating.

399
00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:40,880
What?

400
00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:45,880
What RJ meant to say was that we need to learn more about how cells work to protect themselves.

401
00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:47,880
Just to be safe.

402
00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:53,880
Hi, Dr. D.

403
00:21:53,880 --> 00:21:54,880
Hi, kids.

404
00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:57,880
We need to learn more about cells and how they operate. Can you help us?

405
00:21:57,880 --> 00:22:03,880
Sure. A cell is a basic building block of the body, and your body has about 10 trillion cells.

406
00:22:03,880 --> 00:22:08,880
10 trillion? That's a one followed by 13 zeros. That's a lot.

407
00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:11,880
Here are some examples of cells you might find in your body.

408
00:22:11,880 --> 00:22:14,880
This nerve cell is long and has a lot of branches.

409
00:22:15,880 --> 00:22:18,880
It's very different from this white blood cell.

410
00:22:18,880 --> 00:22:20,880
What do they both have in common?

411
00:22:20,880 --> 00:22:22,880
Well, it looks like they all have that thing in the middle.

412
00:22:22,880 --> 00:22:24,880
That thing in the middle is called the nucleus.

413
00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:27,880
They also have a membrane which holds the cells together,

414
00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:31,880
and this semi-fluid region inside of each cell is called the cytoplasm.

415
00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:37,880
That's cool. Over there you have what looks like a lot of cells together. What's that called?

416
00:22:37,880 --> 00:22:41,880
Cells of the same structure and function that are grouped together are called tissue,

417
00:22:41,880 --> 00:22:45,880
and this muscle tissue, or like this tissue, which is the outer layer of the skin.

418
00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:47,880
This skin model looks like shingles on a roof.

419
00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:51,880
Very good. It's designed to keep moisture in and microbes out.

420
00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:54,880
Now, when you combine various tissues together, you get an organ.

421
00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:56,880
You mean like a heart or the lung?

422
00:22:56,880 --> 00:22:59,880
Exactly. Now here's a model of the largest organ in the body.

423
00:22:59,880 --> 00:23:01,880
It looks like skin.

424
00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:07,880
It is. Now, when you combine two or more organs that have a common task, they're called an organ system.

425
00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:11,880
Dr. Textbook mentioned something about body systems.

426
00:23:11,880 --> 00:23:13,880
Let's look at this human torso as an example.

427
00:23:13,880 --> 00:23:15,880
This is the digestive system.

428
00:23:15,880 --> 00:23:23,880
It starts with the teeth, the tongue and salivary glands, then the esophagus, then the stomach and the intestines.

429
00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:25,880
They all work together to digest food.

430
00:23:25,880 --> 00:23:27,880
The body is very complex.

431
00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:31,880
Yes, it is. It's amazing how the systems work together for the good of the body.

432
00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:34,880
The body works really hard to keep itself in homeostasis.

433
00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:36,880
Wait a minute, Dr. D. That's a big word.

434
00:23:36,880 --> 00:23:43,880
Okay. Homeostasis means keeping the body's internal environment, like its temperature, fairly constant.

435
00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:47,880
It has what are called feedback controls that act to reverse any changes.

436
00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:49,880
It's like a thermostat.

437
00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:51,880
Let me show you how a thermostat works.

438
00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:54,880
When I heat up this bimetal strip, it bends upward.

439
00:23:54,880 --> 00:24:01,880
When it touches this rod, it makes an electrical connection, which turns on this fan and cools things down.

440
00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:07,880
Then when the metal becomes cooler, it straightens out and breaks the electrical connection and turns off the fan.

441
00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:11,880
That's pretty cool, but what does it have to do with the body?

442
00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:18,880
When the body heats up, the feedback controls cause the body to perspire and the blood vessels near the skin dilate or get larger in diameter.

443
00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:21,880
When the perspiration evaporates, it cools the body.

444
00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:26,880
And the increased blood flow to the larger vessels also releases more heat.

445
00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:31,880
So when these things cool the body down, the perspiration stops and the blood vessels return to normal?

446
00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:32,880
That's right.

447
00:24:32,880 --> 00:24:35,880
So are different body systems affected differently?

448
00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:41,880
Yes. Some systems, like the digestive and the respiratory systems, are more susceptible to infection. Do you know why?

449
00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:47,880
I guess we all have to eat and breathe, and viruses and bacteria can get into the food that we eat and the air that we breathe.

450
00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:48,880
That's right.

451
00:24:48,880 --> 00:24:52,880
Thanks, Dr. D., but we still need to learn more about how cells are infected.

452
00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:58,880
Got you, Mike. You take your petri dishes to Mr. Frank at TCC this afternoon. You can also ask him about infection.

453
00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:00,880
Great. Thanks, Dr. D.

454
00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:02,880
You're welcome. Let me know what you find out.

455
00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:07,880
Hi. Are you Mr. Greg Frank?

456
00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:11,880
Yes. You must be the treehouse detectives. I hear you have some petri dishes for me to look at.

457
00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:15,880
This is the one from the treehouse. This is the control dish.

458
00:25:15,880 --> 00:25:18,880
It looks like you've been very careful in labeling these dishes.

459
00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:26,880
We made sure that each dish was only open for 10 minutes at the same time of day, so that any microbes would have the same chance of growing.

460
00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:32,880
And to make sure we were manipulating only one variable, we've kept them together for the last 24 hours.

461
00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:34,880
So they had the same growing condition.

462
00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:40,880
Let's take a look under this dark field colony counter. It will illuminate the colonies and make them larger.

463
00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:47,880
Wow. This is pretty cool. I count 45 colonies in the treehouse dish.

464
00:25:47,880 --> 00:25:50,880
I couldn't see anything yesterday. What's happened?

465
00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:55,880
Individual bacterial cells are so small, they're hard to see with your eye and even some microscopes.

466
00:25:55,880 --> 00:26:02,880
However, they grow so rapidly that over a 24-hour period, they grow from one to a thousand cells, and that's what you're seeing in these colonies.

467
00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:05,880
There are about 15 colonies in my dish.

468
00:26:05,880 --> 00:26:07,880
The control dish doesn't have any colonies.

469
00:26:07,880 --> 00:26:09,880
Why do you think the treehouse has more colonies?

470
00:26:09,880 --> 00:26:13,880
I think it has something to do with the fact that the treehouse is outside.

471
00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:14,880
That could be one reason.

472
00:26:14,880 --> 00:26:17,880
Dr. D warned us that it's hard to control everything.

473
00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:20,880
Perhaps the treehouse is not as isolated as you thought.

474
00:26:20,880 --> 00:26:25,880
We know that microbes like bacteria and viruses cause diseases, but we don't know much about them.

475
00:26:25,880 --> 00:26:27,880
Can you tell us about microbes?

476
00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:32,880
It would be very difficult to show you viruses since they are so small, but let's take a look at some bacteria.

477
00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:35,880
We can remove them from the inside of your mouth with this swab.

478
00:26:35,880 --> 00:26:41,880
RJ told us that there's bacteria inside us all the time, even when we're not sick.

479
00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:44,880
Let's rub this on a clean microscope slide.

480
00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:47,880
Before we look at it, let's stain the cells so we can see them better.

481
00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:53,880
Let's magnify this a thousand times and project it up onto the TV monitor.

482
00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:55,880
There are lots of different shapes.

483
00:26:55,880 --> 00:26:57,880
What's the round one?

484
00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:00,880
There are lots of different shapes.

485
00:27:00,880 --> 00:27:02,880
What's the round one?

486
00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:04,880
That's a bacteria that we call a coccus.

487
00:27:04,880 --> 00:27:06,880
That one looks like a cylinder.

488
00:27:06,880 --> 00:27:07,880
What's it called?

489
00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:10,880
Yes, we call that a rod shape or a bacillus bacteria.

490
00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:13,880
That bacteria is round, but it's in chains.

491
00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:15,880
Yes, we call that a streptococcus.

492
00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:17,880
Is that like strep throat?

493
00:27:17,880 --> 00:27:18,880
Does that mean I'm sick?

494
00:27:18,880 --> 00:27:19,880
Not necessarily.

495
00:27:19,880 --> 00:27:24,880
There are other bacteria that look like the strep throat kind, but they're actually beneficial to us.

496
00:27:24,880 --> 00:27:26,880
Are you saying that bacteria can be helpful?

497
00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:29,880
Most bacteria are good, and in fact, we couldn't survive without them.

498
00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:32,880
I never thought about bacteria being good.

499
00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:33,880
Think about termites.

500
00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:36,880
As you know, termites eat wood, but they cannot digest it.

501
00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:39,880
It is the bacteria in their gut that digests the wood.

502
00:27:39,880 --> 00:27:45,880
This is also true of our own stomachs, where a bacteria known as E. coli helps us digest our own food and produce vitamins.

503
00:27:45,880 --> 00:27:47,880
What about the bad bacteria?

504
00:27:47,880 --> 00:27:50,880
Some bacteria enters our cells and destroys them from within.

505
00:27:50,880 --> 00:27:53,880
Others produce very deadly toxins like botulism.

506
00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:59,880
If bacteria can multiply so fast and cause such damage to the body, how do we survive?

507
00:27:59,880 --> 00:28:02,880
The body has its own defense system to fight off disease.

508
00:28:02,880 --> 00:28:06,880
It's called the immune system, and most of the time, it keeps us pretty healthy.

509
00:28:06,880 --> 00:28:09,880
Sounds like we need to learn more about the immune system.

510
00:28:09,880 --> 00:28:10,880
Thanks, Mr. Frank.

511
00:28:10,880 --> 00:28:11,880
You're welcome.

512
00:28:11,880 --> 00:28:13,880
Good luck, and come back if you need anything else.

513
00:28:18,880 --> 00:28:20,880
Let's see it.

514
00:28:20,880 --> 00:28:22,880
Oh, sorry about that.

515
00:28:22,880 --> 00:28:23,880
Here it is.

516
00:28:23,880 --> 00:28:25,880
As usual, I'm perfectly fit.

517
00:28:27,880 --> 00:28:29,880
Which is more than I can say about this treehouse.

518
00:28:29,880 --> 00:28:31,880
Don't worry, I'll clean it up.

519
00:28:31,880 --> 00:28:35,880
By the way, I talked to Bianca and Kaylee about meeting with Dr. D and Mr. Frank.

520
00:28:35,880 --> 00:28:38,880
Jacob, I think you need to take this a little more seriously.

521
00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:42,880
You may be right, but I feel fine, and I'm sticking to my hypothesis.

522
00:28:42,880 --> 00:28:45,880
If I don't come into contact with sick people, I can stay healthy.

523
00:28:46,880 --> 00:28:48,880
After reading Kaylee and Bianca's notes,

524
00:28:48,880 --> 00:28:52,880
there must be more to staying healthy than setting up quarantines and avoiding people who are sick.

525
00:28:52,880 --> 00:28:56,880
According to Dr. D and Mr. Frank, that's what the immune system does.

526
00:28:56,880 --> 00:28:57,880
What is the immune system?

527
00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:00,880
I was just reading something on the immune system.

528
00:29:00,880 --> 00:29:01,880
Oh, here it is.

529
00:29:01,880 --> 00:29:08,880
It says that the immune system is made up of bone marrow, the thymus, the lymphatic system, and the tonsils and spleen.

530
00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:09,880
Wow.

531
00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:13,880
And it's responsible for protecting the body from viral and bacterial infections.

532
00:29:13,880 --> 00:29:16,880
I think we need to do some more research on the immune system.

533
00:29:16,880 --> 00:29:18,880
Let's go to the problem board.

534
00:29:21,880 --> 00:29:23,880
Okay, what do we know?

535
00:29:23,880 --> 00:29:28,880
We know that everyone is healthy, and I've established a quarantine and health stabilization program.

536
00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:33,880
We also know that the body is made up of different systems that are constantly being attacked by bacteria and viruses.

537
00:29:33,880 --> 00:29:35,880
On a cellular level.

538
00:29:35,880 --> 00:29:37,880
And the body protects itself with the immune system.

539
00:29:37,880 --> 00:29:39,880
Okay, what do we need to know?

540
00:29:39,880 --> 00:29:42,880
We need to know more about the immune system and how it works.

541
00:29:43,880 --> 00:29:44,880
Okay, where do we go?

542
00:29:44,880 --> 00:29:46,880
Well, I'm going to Houston.

543
00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:48,880
That isn't going to help us much.

544
00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:49,880
Oh, ye of little faith.

545
00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:52,880
I'm going to Houston to attend a Young Investors Convention.

546
00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:56,880
However, I'm consulting my contacts at NASA Johnson Space Center.

547
00:29:56,880 --> 00:29:57,880
I bet they can help.

548
00:29:57,880 --> 00:29:58,880
That's great.

549
00:29:58,880 --> 00:30:00,880
We could still do more research on the Internet.

550
00:30:00,880 --> 00:30:02,880
Could you print off a website evaluation sheet?

551
00:30:03,880 --> 00:30:06,880
Go to the NASA Sci-Files website to get your website evaluation sheet.

552
00:30:06,880 --> 00:30:09,880
It's a great tool to use while conducting research on the Internet.

553
00:30:09,880 --> 00:30:12,880
And I'll try to bring my encyclopedia tomorrow.

554
00:30:12,880 --> 00:30:15,880
And if everyone follows the rules of my quarantine, I should be fine.

555
00:30:15,880 --> 00:30:17,880
And now, I've got to go pack for Houston.

556
00:30:17,880 --> 00:30:18,880
Later, Tony.

557
00:30:18,880 --> 00:30:20,880
What about the Sci-Files Kids Club?

558
00:30:20,880 --> 00:30:21,880
Will they be able to help out?

559
00:30:21,880 --> 00:30:22,880
Good idea.

560
00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:24,880
I'll contact SWEET.

561
00:30:24,880 --> 00:30:26,880
They work with classrooms all over the country.

562
00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:27,880
That's right.

563
00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:28,880
They've helped us before.

564
00:30:28,880 --> 00:30:29,880
Cool.

565
00:30:29,880 --> 00:30:30,880
Ms. Tholen is online.

566
00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:31,880
I'll instant message her.

567
00:30:33,880 --> 00:30:38,880
It says that Sakes Bay Elementary School in Key West, Florida is doing an experiment on bacteria.

568
00:30:38,880 --> 00:30:41,880
You don't think I could catch something through the transmission, do you?

569
00:30:41,880 --> 00:30:42,880
Don't worry.

570
00:30:42,880 --> 00:30:43,880
Here they are now.

571
00:30:43,880 --> 00:30:45,880
Hi, I'm Kia.

572
00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:46,880
And I'm Justin.

573
00:30:46,880 --> 00:30:48,880
You must be the treehouse detectives.

574
00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:50,880
Yes, we are.

575
00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:52,880
And I'm trying to avoid infectious bacteria.

576
00:30:52,880 --> 00:30:55,880
We need to learn more about how infectious diseases spread.

577
00:30:55,880 --> 00:30:56,880
We can help.

578
00:30:56,880 --> 00:31:01,880
Our mentor from the Society of Women Engineers helped us with a great experiment that simulates an epidemic.

579
00:31:01,880 --> 00:31:06,880
An epidemic occurs when the majority of people in a group all get an infectious disease.

580
00:31:06,880 --> 00:31:08,880
How do you simulate an epidemic?

581
00:31:09,880 --> 00:31:13,880
First, our teacher, Ms. Fracker, prepared the test tubes for each student.

582
00:31:13,880 --> 00:31:18,880
All the test tubes had water in them except for one, which had a solution of ammonia.

583
00:31:18,880 --> 00:31:20,880
But we didn't know which one was which.

584
00:31:20,880 --> 00:31:21,880
Why only one?

585
00:31:21,880 --> 00:31:24,880
To simulate the student who has the cold virus.

586
00:31:24,880 --> 00:31:25,880
What did you do next?

587
00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:32,880
We each used an eyedropper to exchange four drops of fluid with four other people to simulate an exchange of body fluids,

588
00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:34,880
such as eating or drinking after another person.

589
00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:38,880
We also made sure to record the name of the person we exchanged the fluid with.

590
00:31:38,880 --> 00:31:39,880
Why was that important?

591
00:31:39,880 --> 00:31:43,880
We wanted to see if we could trace the virus back to the original person.

592
00:31:43,880 --> 00:31:45,880
How could you tell who was infected?

593
00:31:45,880 --> 00:31:54,880
After we finished exchanging the fluids, Ms. Fracker added 100 drops of an indicator made from cabbage leaves to our test tubes.

594
00:31:54,880 --> 00:31:59,880
If the test tube was infected, it changed color to yellow, green, blue, or purple.

595
00:31:59,880 --> 00:32:01,880
Why the different colors?

596
00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:04,880
The color differences were due to the amount of ammonia in each test tube.

597
00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:09,880
The infected test tube turned yellow, and the ones with the next greatest amount of ammonia turned green.

598
00:32:09,880 --> 00:32:15,880
The ones that were only slightly infected with ammonia turned blue, and the ones that weren't infected at all turned purple.

599
00:32:15,880 --> 00:32:21,880
I understand. The test tubes with the most ammonia had the most exposure to the cold virus.

600
00:32:21,880 --> 00:32:27,880
That's correct. That particular student had exchanged or been exposed to the virus more than the other students.

601
00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:30,880
How many students were infected at the end of the experiment?

602
00:32:30,880 --> 00:32:35,880
12 out of 15 students were infected. That's 80% that contracted the cold virus.

603
00:32:35,880 --> 00:32:38,880
It's good to know that not all students were infected.

604
00:32:38,880 --> 00:32:44,880
Yes, it is. And it's even better to know that you can prevent the spread of disease by not exchanging body fluids with other people.

605
00:32:44,880 --> 00:32:50,880
To be safe, it's best not to eat or drink after anyone and to try to avoid contact with sick people.

606
00:32:50,880 --> 00:32:52,880
That's good advice. Thanks for all your help.

607
00:32:52,880 --> 00:32:54,880
You're welcome. Anytime.

608
00:32:54,880 --> 00:32:57,880
Good luck, Jacob. Hope you stay well.

609
00:32:57,880 --> 00:32:59,880
And thanks to SWE for all their help.

610
00:32:59,880 --> 00:33:03,880
Goodbye from Sixby Elementary School in Key West, Florida.

611
00:33:05,880 --> 00:33:07,880
That was a cool experiment.

612
00:33:07,880 --> 00:33:10,880
It's scary to think how we can be infected and not even know it.

613
00:33:10,880 --> 00:33:14,880
Yes, but not everyone was exposed to the bacteria, so there is some hope.

614
00:33:14,880 --> 00:33:16,880
This research is making me hungry.

615
00:33:16,880 --> 00:33:18,880
Are you going to be okay tonight?

616
00:33:18,880 --> 00:33:19,880
I'll be fine.

617
00:33:19,880 --> 00:33:21,880
Okay. Well, see you tomorrow.

618
00:33:21,880 --> 00:33:23,880
See you later, RJ.

619
00:33:24,880 --> 00:33:26,880
So, what's up?

620
00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:30,880
How can Jacob prevent an infection to his respiratory and digestive systems?

621
00:33:30,880 --> 00:33:33,880
What can Jacob do to help his immune system?

622
00:33:33,880 --> 00:33:37,880
How can Jacob avoid becoming a victim of the flu epidemic?

623
00:33:37,880 --> 00:33:43,880
Stay tuned for the answer in the next exciting chapter of The Case of the Biological Biosphere.

624
00:33:47,880 --> 00:33:50,880
Don't forget to look for the answers to the following questions.

625
00:33:50,880 --> 00:33:52,880
What is the immune system?

626
00:33:52,880 --> 00:33:55,880
How can you strengthen the immune system?

627
00:33:55,880 --> 00:33:58,880
What is mucus, and how does it help protect the body from infection?

628
00:33:58,880 --> 00:34:02,880
What is mucus, and how does it help protect the body from infection?

629
00:34:28,880 --> 00:34:30,880
That kind of freaks me out.

630
00:34:49,880 --> 00:34:51,880
I kept tossing and turning all night.

631
00:34:51,880 --> 00:34:55,880
There were animal noises, and I had weird dreams.

632
00:34:55,880 --> 00:34:58,880
It was an awful, miserable night.

633
00:34:58,880 --> 00:35:01,880
Subject is very tired.

634
00:35:01,880 --> 00:35:03,880
Have you had any breakfast?

635
00:35:03,880 --> 00:35:04,880
No.

636
00:35:04,880 --> 00:35:07,880
I accidentally stepped on my Pop-Tarts in the middle of the night.

637
00:35:07,880 --> 00:35:09,880
Now I can't find them.

638
00:35:09,880 --> 00:35:12,880
They were probably eaten by some wild raccoon.

639
00:35:12,880 --> 00:35:17,880
Subject is tired, disoriented, and grumpy.

640
00:35:17,880 --> 00:35:18,880
I'm not grumpy.

641
00:35:18,880 --> 00:35:21,880
Subject is very grumpy.

642
00:35:21,880 --> 00:35:23,880
Well, at least you still have your health.

643
00:35:23,880 --> 00:35:27,880
But if you want to keep it, you're going to have to get some rest and some decent food.

644
00:35:27,880 --> 00:35:30,880
Speaking of health, let's see those badges.

645
00:35:31,880 --> 00:35:35,880
These badges are great, but we still don't know very much about the immune system.

646
00:35:35,880 --> 00:35:37,880
Have we heard from Tony yet?

647
00:35:37,880 --> 00:35:38,880
Not yet.

648
00:35:38,880 --> 00:35:42,880
I talked to my mom about it, and she said we should talk to an immunologist.

649
00:35:42,880 --> 00:35:44,880
Immunologist? What's that?

650
00:35:44,880 --> 00:35:47,880
It's a doctor that specializes in the immune system.

651
00:35:47,880 --> 00:35:49,880
I'll see if I can look one up on the Internet.

652
00:35:49,880 --> 00:35:51,880
And I'll help you straighten up.

653
00:35:51,880 --> 00:35:53,880
This place is a mess.

654
00:35:53,880 --> 00:35:55,880
Only one day to go.

655
00:35:55,880 --> 00:35:57,880
After today.

656
00:35:57,880 --> 00:36:00,880
Guys, my mom found a specialist on the immune system.

657
00:36:00,880 --> 00:36:03,880
I'm sure the immune system is important.

658
00:36:03,880 --> 00:36:05,880
But I still think...

659
00:36:07,880 --> 00:36:10,880
My health stabilization program is working great.

660
00:36:10,880 --> 00:36:12,880
I'm going to be...

661
00:36:15,880 --> 00:36:18,880
I can't believe that Jacob actually kicked you out of the treehouse.

662
00:36:18,880 --> 00:36:21,880
He may be healthy, but he has cabin fever really bad.

663
00:36:21,880 --> 00:36:25,880
I'm just glad Dr. Ziliaks agreed to meet with us at our office.

664
00:36:26,880 --> 00:36:29,880
Hi, you must be Dr. Ziliaks. We're the treehouse detectives.

665
00:36:29,880 --> 00:36:31,880
Hello. Glad you could come.

666
00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:34,880
I hear you need to learn more about the immune system.

667
00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:37,880
Yes. We're trying to figure out how to help Jacob stay well.

668
00:36:37,880 --> 00:36:40,880
What exactly is the immune system?

669
00:36:40,880 --> 00:36:45,880
The immune system is a body-wide coordinated group of cells that help protect you against serious infection.

670
00:36:45,880 --> 00:36:50,880
These cells act like an army to help defend us against attack from dangerous germ invaders.

671
00:36:50,880 --> 00:36:52,880
Where are these cells located?

672
00:36:52,880 --> 00:36:58,880
Well, with most body systems, there's a large part that you can point to, like your brain or your heart or your lungs.

673
00:36:58,880 --> 00:37:01,880
But with the immune system, it's not found in just one place.

674
00:37:01,880 --> 00:37:04,880
These cells travel throughout your body.

675
00:37:04,880 --> 00:37:06,880
So how does the immune system work?

676
00:37:06,880 --> 00:37:09,880
Well, the immune system is made up of lots of different small cells.

677
00:37:09,880 --> 00:37:14,880
These cells have some funny names like neutrophils, eosinophils and lymphocytes.

678
00:37:14,880 --> 00:37:17,880
Those are funny names. What do they mean?

679
00:37:17,880 --> 00:37:22,880
Well, those are actually Greek and Latin names that describe what these cells look like under the microscope.

680
00:37:22,880 --> 00:37:26,880
Why does your body have more than one kind of cell to fight off infection?

681
00:37:26,880 --> 00:37:32,880
Well, just like an army has different kinds of soldiers, each of these cells has their own special job.

682
00:37:32,880 --> 00:37:37,880
They cruise around quietly through your bloodstream, waiting to get a call into action.

683
00:37:37,880 --> 00:37:43,880
When an infection occurs, they swarm in at the sight of the infection, ready to defend you against the germ.

684
00:37:43,880 --> 00:37:48,880
The cells sound like they are really important in helping our body fight off infections and diseases.

685
00:37:48,880 --> 00:37:52,880
Is there any way that you could strengthen your immune system to make it work better?

686
00:37:52,880 --> 00:37:55,880
There are things you can do to keep your immune system strong and healthy.

687
00:37:55,880 --> 00:37:58,880
You need to certainly eat right and get plenty of sleep and exercise.

688
00:37:58,880 --> 00:38:00,880
Is there anything else you can do?

689
00:38:00,880 --> 00:38:03,880
Well, there is another trick to keep your immune system smart and strong,

690
00:38:03,880 --> 00:38:07,880
and that's to get all the immunizations that the doctors give you when you're young.

691
00:38:07,880 --> 00:38:09,880
What is an immunization?

692
00:38:09,880 --> 00:38:11,880
Well, immunizations are also called vaccines.

693
00:38:11,880 --> 00:38:17,880
They're either weakened forms of the germ or germ parts that help protect us against dangerous infectious diseases.

694
00:38:17,880 --> 00:38:19,880
How do they work?

695
00:38:19,880 --> 00:38:23,880
Well, when a vaccine enters the body, it shows your immune system important parts of the germ,

696
00:38:23,880 --> 00:38:28,880
and that allows your immune system to create specialized proteins called antibodies.

697
00:38:28,880 --> 00:38:32,880
If the vaccine puts germs in our bodies, why don't we get sick?

698
00:38:32,880 --> 00:38:38,880
Well, it's just enough germ exposure to help us build antibodies, not enough to actually have you get sick.

699
00:38:38,880 --> 00:38:41,880
Then later, when that germ tries to enter your body,

700
00:38:41,880 --> 00:38:47,880
there's lots of good stockpiled antibodies available to fend off infection from that particular germ.

701
00:38:47,880 --> 00:38:49,880
Can you get immunized for all illnesses?

702
00:38:49,880 --> 00:38:52,880
Well, no, not every infection can be prevented in this way.

703
00:38:52,880 --> 00:38:56,880
First, scientists have to learn an awful lot about the germ and exactly how it's built

704
00:38:56,880 --> 00:39:01,880
to be able to make a vaccine that coaxes your immune system into making the right antibodies.

705
00:39:01,880 --> 00:39:04,880
I wish they had a vaccine for the common cold.

706
00:39:04,880 --> 00:39:10,880
Well, I do too, but with a cold, it's just you and your immune system battling it out against the cold germ.

707
00:39:10,880 --> 00:39:16,880
So for now, to avoid colds, it's best to do everything you can to keep your immune system as healthy as possible.

708
00:39:16,880 --> 00:39:20,880
That's right. You need to rest, eat right, and sleep.

709
00:39:20,880 --> 00:39:23,880
I think Jacob needs to rethink his quarantine idea.

710
00:39:23,880 --> 00:39:26,880
Thanks, Dr. Ziliacs. You've been a lot of help.

711
00:39:26,880 --> 00:39:28,880
You're welcome. Call if you have any other questions.

712
00:39:28,880 --> 00:39:29,880
Bye.

713
00:39:29,880 --> 00:39:30,880
Bye.

714
00:39:34,880 --> 00:39:35,880
Bye.

715
00:39:43,880 --> 00:39:45,880
Dr. D said that he would meet us here.

716
00:39:45,880 --> 00:39:49,880
He's been to some pretty weird places, but this really takes the cake.

717
00:39:53,880 --> 00:39:56,880
Look at that nose. Gross.

718
00:39:56,880 --> 00:39:57,880
Dr. D?

719
00:39:57,880 --> 00:39:58,880
Yes?

720
00:39:58,880 --> 00:40:01,880
Catherine and I just talked to Dr. Ziliacs.

721
00:40:01,880 --> 00:40:04,880
We noticed that the body has a number of ways of protecting itself from infection,

722
00:40:04,880 --> 00:40:07,880
but we need to know some other ways the body defends itself.

723
00:40:07,880 --> 00:40:09,880
Well, you're in the right place.

724
00:40:09,880 --> 00:40:16,880
This grossology exhibit here at the Virginia Marine Science Museum is a perfect spot to investigate some of the gross ways the body protects itself,

725
00:40:16,880 --> 00:40:18,880
like snot and vomit.

726
00:40:22,880 --> 00:40:25,880
What does vomit have to do with protecting your body?

727
00:40:25,880 --> 00:40:26,880
I think I know.

728
00:40:26,880 --> 00:40:30,880
If you eat something that might harm the body, then the body gets rid of it as fast as possible.

729
00:40:30,880 --> 00:40:31,880
Very good.

730
00:40:31,880 --> 00:40:36,880
Poisons, bacteria, and viruses can upset the stomach and cause an upchuck.

731
00:40:36,880 --> 00:40:38,880
Well, here's some vomit right here.

732
00:40:38,880 --> 00:40:40,880
You're kidding.

733
00:40:40,880 --> 00:40:42,880
Well, it's just fake vomit.

734
00:40:42,880 --> 00:40:44,880
In fact, it's edible.

735
00:40:49,880 --> 00:40:51,880
Gross.

736
00:40:51,880 --> 00:40:53,880
Kids, don't try this at home.

737
00:40:53,880 --> 00:40:58,880
Real vomit is a combination of food, stomach acid, mucus, and other stuff.

738
00:40:58,880 --> 00:41:00,880
Let's talk about mucus.

739
00:41:00,880 --> 00:41:02,880
You mean what we call snot?

740
00:41:02,880 --> 00:41:03,880
That's right.

741
00:41:03,880 --> 00:41:08,880
Mucus is a slimy liquid that traps microbes, along with dust and other foreign particles.

742
00:41:08,880 --> 00:41:14,880
I read on a website that bodily fluids like mucus, saliva, and tears contain enzymes that kill bacteria.

743
00:41:14,880 --> 00:41:15,880
That's right.

744
00:41:15,880 --> 00:41:21,880
These fluids are found in the nose, eyes, and mouth, which are the easiest places for microbes to enter the body.

745
00:41:21,880 --> 00:41:25,880
Do you know that you swallow about a quart of snot every day?

746
00:41:25,880 --> 00:41:27,880
Did you have to tell us that?

747
00:41:27,880 --> 00:41:33,880
Nose mucus, or snot, traps invading microbes like bacteria, viruses, and fungus spores.

748
00:41:33,880 --> 00:41:39,880
Little hairs called cilia then push the snot toward the back of the nose and into the throat, where you swallow it.

749
00:41:39,880 --> 00:41:44,880
What ends up in the stomach, stomach acid, kills a lot of the dangerous microbes.

750
00:41:44,880 --> 00:41:46,880
We have acid in our stomach?

751
00:41:46,880 --> 00:41:47,880
Yes, we do.

752
00:41:47,880 --> 00:41:48,880
Hydrochloric acid.

753
00:41:48,880 --> 00:41:52,880
It's not only deadly to certain microbes, it also aids in digestion.

754
00:41:52,880 --> 00:41:53,880
It's pretty strong stuff.

755
00:41:53,880 --> 00:41:56,880
Watch as this acid dissolves this piece of zinc.

756
00:41:57,880 --> 00:42:12,880
Music

757
00:42:12,880 --> 00:42:15,880
So why doesn't our stomach get dissolved?

758
00:42:15,880 --> 00:42:18,880
The stomach also creates that magic stuff called mucus.

759
00:42:18,880 --> 00:42:21,880
This tiny mucus is a protective coating for the stomach.

760
00:42:21,880 --> 00:42:26,880
Music

761
00:42:26,880 --> 00:42:29,880
Here's some mucus right here.

762
00:42:29,880 --> 00:42:32,880
Please tell me that's fake mucus.

763
00:42:32,880 --> 00:42:34,880
Okay, I admit it is.

764
00:42:34,880 --> 00:42:36,880
It's made of corn syrup and gelatin.

765
00:42:36,880 --> 00:42:40,880
But it has a lot of the same characteristics and ingredients of real mucus.

766
00:42:40,880 --> 00:42:44,880
I hate to ask, but what are some other ways the body defends itself?

767
00:42:44,880 --> 00:42:51,880
Something as simple as a sneeze can expel infected mucus from the nose at a speed of up to 100 miles an hour.

768
00:42:51,880 --> 00:42:52,880
Wow, that's fast.

769
00:42:52,880 --> 00:42:54,880
I guess a cough does the same thing.

770
00:42:54,880 --> 00:42:55,880
Yes, it does.

771
00:42:55,880 --> 00:42:59,880
But a cough is expelling particles of microbladed mucus out of the throat and lungs.

772
00:42:59,880 --> 00:43:05,880
We learned at the Centers for Disease Control that coughing is also a way to spread diseases.

773
00:43:05,880 --> 00:43:06,880
One more example.

774
00:43:06,880 --> 00:43:08,880
What do you know about sweat?

775
00:43:08,880 --> 00:43:11,880
We learned in school that it helps to cool the body when you get overheated.

776
00:43:11,880 --> 00:43:12,880
Very good.

777
00:43:12,880 --> 00:43:17,880
Did you also know that it provides food for bacteria and fungi that live on the surface of the skin?

778
00:43:17,880 --> 00:43:20,880
I don't want bacteria living on my skin.

779
00:43:20,880 --> 00:43:23,880
Mr. Frank told us about good bacteria.

780
00:43:23,880 --> 00:43:25,880
Is that what you're talking about?

781
00:43:25,880 --> 00:43:26,880
Indeed.

782
00:43:26,880 --> 00:43:31,880
This good bacteria munches on sweat and oil on the skin and produces acidic waste products.

783
00:43:31,880 --> 00:43:36,880
These acids make it difficult for invading harmful bacteria to survive on the skin.

784
00:43:36,880 --> 00:43:38,880
So bacteria is part of the immune system.

785
00:43:38,880 --> 00:43:41,880
Yes, it acts as a barrier to harmful bacteria.

786
00:43:41,880 --> 00:43:45,880
It's a good thing the body has lots of ways of defending itself.

787
00:43:45,880 --> 00:43:47,880
I think we have a new hypothesis.

788
00:43:47,880 --> 00:43:51,880
If Jacob stays away from people who are sick and strengthens his immune system with rest,

789
00:43:51,880 --> 00:43:54,880
good nutrition, and exercise, then I'll stay healthy.

790
00:43:54,880 --> 00:43:56,880
Thanks, Dr. D.

791
00:43:56,880 --> 00:43:58,880
You're welcome. Enjoy the exhibit.

792
00:44:03,880 --> 00:44:04,880
Jacob?

793
00:44:10,880 --> 00:44:13,880
Jacob, I have good news. All you need to is...

794
00:44:13,880 --> 00:44:15,880
All I need is to see your badge.

795
00:44:15,880 --> 00:44:17,880
I understand. You're fine.

796
00:44:17,880 --> 00:44:22,880
I just read Cale and Bianca's revised hypothesis, and they say that you just can't quarantine yourself.

797
00:44:22,880 --> 00:44:24,880
You have to strengthen your immune system.

798
00:44:24,880 --> 00:44:25,880
How do I do that?

799
00:44:25,880 --> 00:44:28,880
All you have to do is get plenty of sleep and eat the right food.

800
00:44:28,880 --> 00:44:29,880
Great.

801
00:44:29,880 --> 00:44:31,880
What are you doing?

802
00:44:31,880 --> 00:44:33,880
I'm just relaxing.

803
00:44:33,880 --> 00:44:35,880
Here by the pool.

804
00:44:38,880 --> 00:44:42,880
The subject is groggy and delusional.

805
00:44:43,880 --> 00:44:47,880
Hey, Jacob, wake up. KCNN is coming on.

806
00:44:47,880 --> 00:44:51,880
Good morning. I'm Ted Toon.

807
00:44:51,880 --> 00:44:56,880
It seems that the microphone flu has caught up with this reporter.

808
00:44:56,880 --> 00:45:00,880
The CDC recommends that to keep from getting sick,

809
00:45:00,880 --> 00:45:05,880
be sure to stay away from sick people and wash your hands often.

810
00:45:05,880 --> 00:45:10,880
And if you are sick, please cover your mouth when you cough.

811
00:45:10,880 --> 00:45:12,880
I'm Ted Toon.

812
00:45:12,880 --> 00:45:17,880
Jacob, I know you put a lot of stock into your health stabilization program,

813
00:45:17,880 --> 00:45:19,880
but you still need to take care of yourself.

814
00:45:19,880 --> 00:45:24,880
What can I do? I'm too tired to exercise, and my next meal isn't for a couple hours.

815
00:45:24,880 --> 00:45:26,880
Time for the problem board.

816
00:45:28,880 --> 00:45:30,880
Okay, what do we know?

817
00:45:30,880 --> 00:45:33,880
We know that the immune system helps protect the body from infection.

818
00:45:33,880 --> 00:45:38,880
Right. And we also know that the immune system can either be strengthened or weakened by diet and sleep.

819
00:45:38,880 --> 00:45:39,880
So what do we need to know?

820
00:45:39,880 --> 00:45:42,880
We need to know more about how to strengthen the immune system.

821
00:45:43,880 --> 00:45:44,880
So where do we go?

822
00:45:44,880 --> 00:45:48,880
Tony's meeting Beth Shepard at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston.

823
00:45:48,880 --> 00:45:52,880
I'll email him and send him a copy of the Get Up and Go Cheatin' Problem Board.

824
00:45:52,880 --> 00:45:56,880
Visit the NASA Sci-Fi's website for your own Get Up and Go Cheatin' Problem Board.

825
00:45:58,880 --> 00:46:01,880
So what's up? Is Jacob weakening his immune system?

826
00:46:01,880 --> 00:46:04,880
Is the health stabilization program working?

827
00:46:04,880 --> 00:46:06,880
What else can Jacob do to stay healthy?

828
00:46:06,880 --> 00:46:11,880
Find out next time in the conclusion of The Case of the Biological Biosphere.

829
00:46:14,880 --> 00:46:19,880
Answer these final questions and help solve the case of the biological biosphere.

830
00:46:19,880 --> 00:46:21,880
What are physiological losses?

831
00:46:21,880 --> 00:46:24,880
What are endorphins and how do you get them?

832
00:46:24,880 --> 00:46:27,880
What do astronauts do when they get sick in space?

833
00:46:34,880 --> 00:46:35,880
Hi, Mrs. Shepard.

834
00:46:35,880 --> 00:46:38,880
Hi, you must be Tony. I understand you have some questions for me.

835
00:46:38,880 --> 00:46:43,880
Yes, our friend Jacob quarantined himself in the treehouse to avoid getting sick,

836
00:46:43,880 --> 00:46:45,880
but we don't think that's a very good idea.

837
00:46:45,880 --> 00:46:47,880
Isn't exercise important for staying healthy?

838
00:46:47,880 --> 00:46:51,880
Yes, exercise is very important in maintaining a healthy body.

839
00:46:51,880 --> 00:46:54,880
As the lead astronaut strength, conditioning and rehabilitation specialist

840
00:46:54,880 --> 00:46:56,880
here at Johnson Space Center,

841
00:46:56,880 --> 00:47:00,880
my main responsibility is to design and implement strength and conditioning programs

842
00:47:00,880 --> 00:47:05,880
for the astronaut corps so they can remain healthy here on Earth and in space.

843
00:47:05,880 --> 00:47:07,880
Astronauts exercise in space?

844
00:47:07,880 --> 00:47:09,880
Yes, but it begins here on Earth.

845
00:47:09,880 --> 00:47:12,880
There are three segments to the astronaut fitness program.

846
00:47:12,880 --> 00:47:14,880
First, there is a pre-flight training phase

847
00:47:14,880 --> 00:47:19,880
where we work on improving the astronauts' weaknesses and enhancing their strengths.

848
00:47:19,880 --> 00:47:23,880
With only microgravity in space, why do astronauts have to be strong?

849
00:47:23,880 --> 00:47:28,880
Sometimes astronauts need to perform an extravehicular activity or EVA for short.

850
00:47:28,880 --> 00:47:30,880
This is where they go outside the spacecraft

851
00:47:30,880 --> 00:47:33,880
and sometimes work on a satellite or the space station.

852
00:47:33,880 --> 00:47:38,880
An EVA is very strenuous work and it requires a lot of strength.

853
00:47:38,880 --> 00:47:40,880
What is the second segment of training?

854
00:47:40,880 --> 00:47:42,880
Well, the second segment is in-flight training

855
00:47:42,880 --> 00:47:47,880
where the astronaut focuses on maintaining or increasing their level of fitness

856
00:47:47,880 --> 00:47:50,880
and limiting their physiological losses.

857
00:47:50,880 --> 00:47:52,880
What are physiological losses?

858
00:47:52,880 --> 00:47:56,880
Living in a microgravity environment can cause bone and muscle loss,

859
00:47:56,880 --> 00:47:58,880
a reduction in cardiovascular responses,

860
00:47:58,880 --> 00:48:01,880
and a decrease in the neuromuscular system.

861
00:48:01,880 --> 00:48:03,880
Exercise can help decrease those losses

862
00:48:03,880 --> 00:48:09,880
and can even make you feel better mentally by increasing your endorphins or your happy hormones.

863
00:48:09,880 --> 00:48:12,880
Why does your body lose bone and muscle in space?

864
00:48:12,880 --> 00:48:16,880
In a microgravity environment, everything is floating, including yourself,

865
00:48:16,880 --> 00:48:20,880
and it makes living pretty easy since you don't have to lift, pull, or push very much.

866
00:48:20,880 --> 00:48:26,880
Therefore, the body tells itself that it doesn't need to keep the muscles strong or the bones dense,

867
00:48:26,880 --> 00:48:29,880
and the heart figures out that it doesn't need to work very hard

868
00:48:29,880 --> 00:48:31,880
since the blood can float where it needs to go.

869
00:48:31,880 --> 00:48:33,880
How do astronauts exercise in space?

870
00:48:33,880 --> 00:48:36,880
On the International Space Station, there is a cycle ergometer,

871
00:48:36,880 --> 00:48:38,880
a treadmill, and a weight-lifting device.

872
00:48:38,880 --> 00:48:41,880
Astronauts exercise about two and a half hours a day.

873
00:48:41,880 --> 00:48:43,880
Wow, that must help.

874
00:48:43,880 --> 00:48:46,880
Exercise is very important in maintaining a healthy body

875
00:48:46,880 --> 00:48:48,880
and a good mental attitude at all times.

876
00:48:48,880 --> 00:48:50,880
Thank you, Mr. Shepard. You've given us a lot of information.

877
00:48:50,880 --> 00:48:54,880
You're welcome, and call if you need any help putting together a fitness program for Jacob.

878
00:48:59,880 --> 00:49:02,880
There isn't anything wrong with the quarantine.

879
00:49:02,880 --> 00:49:03,880
Nothing at all.

880
00:49:03,880 --> 00:49:07,880
It's just that you're not doing yourself any good by staying here.

881
00:49:07,880 --> 00:49:09,880
Losing sleep, skipping meals,

882
00:49:09,880 --> 00:49:14,880
it's just making it more difficult for your body to fight off possible infections.

883
00:49:14,880 --> 00:49:16,880
And don't forget about what we saw in the Petri dish.

884
00:49:16,880 --> 00:49:19,880
There's no telling how much bad bacteria is floating around in here.

885
00:49:19,880 --> 00:49:21,880
RJ!

886
00:49:21,880 --> 00:49:23,880
But I'm sure you're fine.

887
00:49:23,880 --> 00:49:27,880
Anyway, we all think the best thing to do is to head home and get some sleep.

888
00:49:27,880 --> 00:49:29,880
And get some decent food in your system.

889
00:49:31,880 --> 00:49:34,880
Maybe you're right. I could use some good food.

890
00:49:34,880 --> 00:49:36,880
Right.

891
00:49:36,880 --> 00:49:40,880
And since your suit isn't connected to an external air supply,

892
00:49:40,880 --> 00:49:43,880
you're only protected for about five minutes.

893
00:49:44,880 --> 00:49:47,880
And I'm sure I'll sleep better in my own bed.

894
00:49:47,880 --> 00:49:51,880
We just want you to be in the best possible shape to enjoy your vacation.

895
00:49:51,880 --> 00:49:56,880
Plus, rescheduling a vacation can cost a lot of unnecessary cash and additional fees.

896
00:49:56,880 --> 00:50:00,880
Okay, you guys. You win. I'm heading home.

897
00:50:03,880 --> 00:50:05,880
Wait. What about your project?

898
00:50:05,880 --> 00:50:07,880
Isn't my leaving going to upset your results?

899
00:50:07,880 --> 00:50:11,880
I'll be fine. Believe me, we've gathered plenty of data.

900
00:50:11,880 --> 00:50:14,880
Oh, okay. See you guys later.

901
00:50:14,880 --> 00:50:16,880
Bye!

902
00:50:16,880 --> 00:50:19,880
Now all we have to do is figure out how to keep Jacob healthy during his trip.

903
00:50:19,880 --> 00:50:21,880
What do you mean?

904
00:50:21,880 --> 00:50:25,880
I was doing some research on the drive to Tougas, and it turns out that before it was a national park,

905
00:50:25,880 --> 00:50:27,880
Fort Jefferson used to be a prison.

906
00:50:27,880 --> 00:50:30,880
Okay, but what does that have to do with Jacob's health?

907
00:50:30,880 --> 00:50:32,880
It had several serious outbreaks of yellow fever.

908
00:50:32,880 --> 00:50:37,880
It says here that Dr. Samuel Mudd helped save many lives during an outbreak of yellow fever,

909
00:50:37,880 --> 00:50:39,880
which eventually led to Dr. Mudd's party.

910
00:50:39,880 --> 00:50:40,880
Who was Dr. Mudd?

911
00:50:40,880 --> 00:50:44,880
He's the doctor who set the leg of John Wilkes Booth, the man who assassinated President Lincoln.

912
00:50:44,880 --> 00:50:48,880
Wow. But I doubt Jacob will have to worry about yellow fever.

913
00:50:48,880 --> 00:50:51,880
No, but RJ does have a point.

914
00:50:51,880 --> 00:50:55,880
Even if Jacob is healthy once he leaves, he might run into some sort of epidemic.

915
00:50:55,880 --> 00:50:57,880
He needs to stay healthy once he gets there.

916
00:50:57,880 --> 00:51:01,880
And getting sick at the drive to Tougas would be no picnic.

917
00:51:01,880 --> 00:51:04,880
Jacob certainly can't quarantine himself on vacation.

918
00:51:04,880 --> 00:51:06,880
No, you're right.

919
00:51:07,880 --> 00:51:09,880
I've got an idea.

920
00:51:11,880 --> 00:51:13,880
So what's your idea?

921
00:51:13,880 --> 00:51:15,880
Beth Shepard works with astronauts.

922
00:51:15,880 --> 00:51:18,880
I bet they can tell us about how they stay healthy during space flights.

923
00:51:18,880 --> 00:51:21,880
Good idea. I'll also try to phone my doctor.

924
00:51:21,880 --> 00:51:23,880
She may be able to help as well.

925
00:51:23,880 --> 00:51:25,880
Jacob doesn't leave until tomorrow.

926
00:51:25,880 --> 00:51:27,880
We'll have to be sure to tell him everything we learned.

927
00:51:27,880 --> 00:51:30,880
Be sure to print off a get-up-and-go sheet from the NASA Sci-Files website.

928
00:51:30,880 --> 00:51:33,880
We don't want to forget to record everything we learned.

929
00:51:33,880 --> 00:51:35,880
Beth Shepard says we should email Dr. Baker.

930
00:51:35,880 --> 00:51:37,880
She's an actual astronaut.

931
00:51:37,880 --> 00:51:39,880
That's awesome.

932
00:51:39,880 --> 00:51:41,880
KSNN is coming on.

933
00:51:42,880 --> 00:51:47,880
Good morning. This is Wally Blubber for KSNN.

934
00:51:47,880 --> 00:51:50,880
And Ted, too, is sick as a dog.

935
00:51:50,880 --> 00:51:52,880
Hey!

936
00:51:52,880 --> 00:51:57,880
The doctor says that Ted will be fine in a few days.

937
00:51:57,880 --> 00:52:01,880
The microphone flu is a virus, and it just has to run its course.

938
00:52:01,880 --> 00:52:04,880
Letting the white blood cells do their job.

939
00:52:04,880 --> 00:52:06,880
To make sure you don't get sick,

940
00:52:06,880 --> 00:52:11,880
be sure to eat right, exercise, and get plenty of rest.

941
00:52:11,880 --> 00:52:13,880
Right, Ted?

942
00:52:13,880 --> 00:52:19,880
And it might be a good idea to stay away from contaminated microphones.

943
00:52:20,880 --> 00:52:22,880
Uh-oh.

944
00:52:23,880 --> 00:52:26,880
Guys, I just got an email from Dr. Baker.

945
00:52:26,880 --> 00:52:29,880
Great. Let's dial her up.

946
00:52:30,880 --> 00:52:33,880
Hello, Dr. Baker. We're the Treehouse Detectives.

947
00:52:33,880 --> 00:52:37,880
Hi. Hey, I read your email about Jacob. How can I help you?

948
00:52:37,880 --> 00:52:40,880
We're trying to figure out how to stay healthy in different environments.

949
00:52:40,880 --> 00:52:43,880
We were wondering if you could tell us what it's like to work in space.

950
00:52:43,880 --> 00:52:46,880
Isn't it tough working in such a small place?

951
00:52:46,880 --> 00:52:50,880
The space station is actually quite big, and it's quite easy to work here.

952
00:52:50,880 --> 00:52:53,880
You'd be amazed at how roomy it is. It's like a laboratory on Earth.

953
00:52:53,880 --> 00:52:56,880
The space shuttle is a lot smaller,

954
00:52:56,880 --> 00:53:00,880
and it has some challenges, but actually it's quite easy,

955
00:53:00,880 --> 00:53:03,880
even with six or seven other crew members, to get your work done.

956
00:53:03,880 --> 00:53:06,880
Have you ever been sick during a space shuttle mission?

957
00:53:06,880 --> 00:53:08,880
Actually, I've been very lucky. I haven't.

958
00:53:08,880 --> 00:53:13,880
But it's quite common the first couple of days for astronauts to feel a little bit sick,

959
00:53:13,880 --> 00:53:17,880
very much like seasickness, but for the most part, people are pretty healthy in space.

960
00:53:17,880 --> 00:53:21,880
We go into space healthy, and we try and stay healthy when we get there

961
00:53:21,880 --> 00:53:25,880
by getting a lot of rest and exercising and eating good food.

962
00:53:25,880 --> 00:53:30,880
Diet, exercise, and proper rest seem to be important to good health in every environment.

963
00:53:30,880 --> 00:53:33,880
What happens if someone does get sick in space?

964
00:53:33,880 --> 00:53:35,880
We're prepared for all sorts of things.

965
00:53:35,880 --> 00:53:40,880
We carry a first aid kit that has a lot of medical material in it,

966
00:53:40,880 --> 00:53:43,880
pills and bandages, things like that.

967
00:53:43,880 --> 00:53:47,880
We also are able to talk to a doctor on the ground any time we need to.

968
00:53:47,880 --> 00:53:50,880
What if the illness or injury is really serious?

969
00:53:50,880 --> 00:53:54,880
If somebody got very sick, like somebody had a heart attack or needed surgery,

970
00:53:54,880 --> 00:53:58,880
we would have to return them to Earth to have the proper medical procedure done.

971
00:53:58,880 --> 00:54:01,880
Do you have to have special medical training to go into space?

972
00:54:01,880 --> 00:54:05,880
Well, actually, we always train at least two crew members in medical procedures,

973
00:54:05,880 --> 00:54:11,880
so even the pilot who might be the chief medical officer would know how to put stitches in

974
00:54:11,880 --> 00:54:16,880
if that became necessary or give injections or place a bandage

975
00:54:16,880 --> 00:54:20,880
or even stabilize a fractured bone if something like that happened.

976
00:54:20,880 --> 00:54:23,880
Is it more difficult to treat patients in space?

977
00:54:23,880 --> 00:54:25,880
Well, the simple things are still simple.

978
00:54:25,880 --> 00:54:29,880
Drawing blood or giving a shot, putting a bandage or a band-aid on,

979
00:54:29,880 --> 00:54:32,880
even taking medications are fairly simple.

980
00:54:32,880 --> 00:54:36,880
We don't know about other medical procedures, for example, performing surgery,

981
00:54:36,880 --> 00:54:42,880
and that is something that we'll have to learn about if we ever expect maybe to go back to the Moon or to go to Mars.

982
00:54:42,880 --> 00:54:44,880
What happens to the body during space flight?

983
00:54:44,880 --> 00:54:46,880
Well, there's lots of things that happen to the body.

984
00:54:46,880 --> 00:54:51,880
I like to think that it's the body's normal reaction to an unusual environment.

985
00:54:51,880 --> 00:54:57,880
The fluids in your body shift around, your face gets a little puffy, your heartbeat changes a little bit,

986
00:54:57,880 --> 00:55:01,880
but really you feel quite normal, very much the way you do on Earth.

987
00:55:01,880 --> 00:55:02,880
Thanks, Dr. Baker.

988
00:55:02,880 --> 00:55:06,880
Well, you're quite welcome, and tell Jacob to stay away from the junk food.

989
00:55:06,880 --> 00:55:09,880
Being an astronaut must be awesome.

990
00:55:09,880 --> 00:55:12,880
I wonder how much it costs to build the mock-up of the ISS.

991
00:55:12,880 --> 00:55:17,880
Guys, don't forget that we have to talk to Jacob and let him know how to prepare for his trip.

992
00:55:17,880 --> 00:55:20,880
Right, and then we need to go see Dr. D.

993
00:55:21,880 --> 00:55:23,880
Hi, kids.

994
00:55:23,880 --> 00:55:27,880
By the way, RJ, here's the C Encyclopedia you were looking for.

995
00:55:27,880 --> 00:55:28,880
Thanks.

996
00:55:28,880 --> 00:55:31,880
So, how are you doing, or should I say, how is Jacob doing?

997
00:55:31,880 --> 00:55:33,880
Jacob left this morning, and he's fine.

998
00:55:33,880 --> 00:55:35,880
We think we've figured out how to keep him healthy.

999
00:55:35,880 --> 00:55:38,880
Great. Is it a sure thing?

1000
00:55:38,880 --> 00:55:41,880
Now, Dr. D, we know better than that.

1001
00:55:41,880 --> 00:55:45,880
You taught us that it's almost impossible to control all of the variables.

1002
00:55:45,880 --> 00:55:48,880
Well, at least we know all the variables now.

1003
00:55:48,880 --> 00:55:52,880
We learned that diseases are caused by microbes, such as bacteria and viruses.

1004
00:55:52,880 --> 00:55:56,880
Yes, and we also learned that diseases are spread in a number of different ways,

1005
00:55:56,880 --> 00:55:58,880
like through the air or by direct contact.

1006
00:55:58,880 --> 00:56:00,880
Jacob tried to stay away from people.

1007
00:56:00,880 --> 00:56:02,880
He thought that that would prevent him from catching anything.

1008
00:56:02,880 --> 00:56:07,880
And, of course, you can't avoid all people, so he tried to only have well people visit him.

1009
00:56:07,880 --> 00:56:11,880
But even that wasn't a perfect plan, because we found microbes in the treehouse.

1010
00:56:11,880 --> 00:56:13,880
Then we learned about the immune system,

1011
00:56:13,880 --> 00:56:16,880
which is how the body protects itself against diseases.

1012
00:56:16,880 --> 00:56:20,880
Which is how the body protects itself against infection, from invading microbes.

1013
00:56:20,880 --> 00:56:23,880
But the treehouse weakens his immune system.

1014
00:56:23,880 --> 00:56:25,880
How did the treehouse do that?

1015
00:56:25,880 --> 00:56:27,880
Well, actually, it wasn't the treehouse.

1016
00:56:27,880 --> 00:56:31,880
It was no exercise, poor nutrition, and lack of sleep.

1017
00:56:31,880 --> 00:56:32,880
Oh, I see.

1018
00:56:32,880 --> 00:56:36,880
We learned that you need a strong, properly nourished body to fight off diseases.

1019
00:56:36,880 --> 00:56:41,880
We thought about getting Jacob immunizations, but he can't be immunized for everything.

1020
00:56:41,880 --> 00:56:46,880
It also takes weeks for the body to build up its defenses against a particular disease after immunization.

1021
00:56:46,880 --> 00:56:47,880
He didn't have that much time.

1022
00:56:47,880 --> 00:56:52,880
We learned that even gross stuff, like mucus and saliva, can help us stay healthy.

1023
00:56:52,880 --> 00:56:57,880
We learned that we just needed to have confidence that the body could take care of itself.

1024
00:56:57,880 --> 00:57:01,880
Our final plan consisted of a good diet, plenty of exercise, and a good night's sleep.

1025
00:57:01,880 --> 00:57:07,880
It also included Jacob washing his hands frequently and avoiding contact with sick people.

1026
00:57:07,880 --> 00:57:09,880
It sounds like you really did your homework.

1027
00:57:09,880 --> 00:57:10,880
Did it work?

1028
00:57:10,880 --> 00:57:12,880
So far, Jacob is well.

1029
00:57:12,880 --> 00:57:14,880
We really hope that he stays well.

1030
00:57:14,880 --> 00:57:17,880
I thought Bianca was coming over with you today.

1031
00:57:17,880 --> 00:57:19,880
No, she couldn't make it.

1032
00:57:19,880 --> 00:57:20,880
She's sick.

1033
00:57:20,880 --> 00:57:21,880
It's just a cold.

1034
00:57:21,880 --> 00:57:23,880
I hope she gets better soon.

1035
00:57:23,880 --> 00:57:24,880
We do, too.

1036
00:57:24,880 --> 00:57:27,880
We also wish that we were going on vacation with Jacob.

1037
00:57:27,880 --> 00:57:28,880
That would be great.

1038
00:57:28,880 --> 00:57:30,880
I wonder how he's doing.

1039
00:57:30,880 --> 00:57:32,880
And if he's staying healthy.

1040
00:57:32,880 --> 00:57:37,880
I'm the king of the world!

1041
00:57:37,880 --> 00:57:40,880
I'm the king of the world!

1042
00:57:50,880 --> 00:57:53,880
It's not odd that you end up with lots of mariners coming right down through the passage,

1043
00:57:53,880 --> 00:58:00,880
because you've essentially got a 90-mile-wide passageway between Cuba and the islands that we came along today.

1044
00:58:00,880 --> 00:58:03,880
And that passageway is called the Strait of Florida.

1045
00:58:03,880 --> 00:58:28,880
The NASA Science Files was made possible through the generous support of Bush Gardens, SeaWorld,

1046
00:58:28,880 --> 00:58:32,880
and NASA Langley Research Center's Aerospace Vehicle System Technology Office.

1047
00:58:32,880 --> 00:58:36,880
Captioning provided by NEC Foundation of America.