Why Does the Star-Nosed Mole Have a Nose Shaped Like a Star?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why does the star-nosed mole have a nose shaped like a star?

The Big Idea

A star-nosed mole has a star-shaped nose because the star is a super touch sensor! It has 22 pink tentacles covered in tiny touch sensors. It taps them on the ground very fast to find food.

22 Tentacles

Step one: spread the star. The mole's nose has 22 small pink tentacles that form a star. They are covered in thousands of tiny touch sensors.

Tap Fast

Step two: tap fast. The mole taps its star on the ground very fast, touching up to a dozen spots every second. It does this in dark, wet tunnels.

Find a Meal

Step three: grab the food. The mole can find and eat a tiny worm in a fraction of a second. It lives in wet soil, including parts of eastern Canada.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look! The nose forms a star shape. There are 22 pink tentacles. They tap very quickly on the ground. That helps the mole find tiny worms.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! The star is one of the fastest touch sensors known in any animal. The mole's eyes are tiny, so it relies on touch. It can swim and look for food underwater too. Find pictures of star-nosed moles with a grown-up.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! Close your eyes and use only your fingertips to figure out what some small objects are. Tap quickly and lightly, like the mole. How fast can you identify each one? Which object was the hardest?

Outro

The star-nosed mole feels its way with a star. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!