How many legs does an insect have?
Category:
Invertebrates,
Rant,
Teaching
Not a question one would think one would have to ask an undergraduate. Especially, an undergraduate majoring in biology.
However, if such a question does need to be asked, one would like to think that the answer would not be:
"Eight? More than eight? I don't know."
EIGHT!?!?!?!?!?! MORE THAN EIGHT?!?!?!?!?! I DON'T KNOW!?!?!?!?!?!?!
I'm pretty sure my 4-year old knows this answer. And if he doesn't, my 7-year old certainly does.
Hell in a hand basket, people. Hell in a hand basket.
However, if such a question does need to be asked, one would like to think that the answer would not be:
"Eight? More than eight? I don't know."
EIGHT!?!?!?!?!?! MORE THAN EIGHT?!?!?!?!?! I DON'T KNOW!?!?!?!?!?!?!
I'm pretty sure my 4-year old knows this answer. And if he doesn't, my 7-year old certainly does.
Hell in a hand basket, people. Hell in a hand basket.
4 comments:
Hailing the Queen -
we soon shall, once the Obama insurrection is dispatched. Why am I haunted by vision of Ouroboros?
Well, I asked Jack... he thought 8. Your 3 year old isn't so smart... Best start educating him. I'll go ask your first grader.
And your 1st grader... she just looked at me and said "six" and then asked me "Why did you ask that" in this tone that was almost like "Why did you ask me how many legs I have... that's such a stupid question, of course I know the answer."
So I said "6", but then my always contrary teenager said "what about caterpillars". Oh my! I was stumped.
Thank goodness for google,
http://www.backyardnature.net/caterpil.htm
... six jointed legs... those other legs on caterpillars just look like legs and function like legs but are not legs because they're not jointed (prolegs). Hmm. It gets pretty particular.
(I also had to google centipedes: they're not insects. Its not easy to have a teenager.)
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