Why Do Barnacles Stick So Hard?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hey there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why do barnacles stick so hard?

The Big Idea

A barnacle is a crustacean, so it is a cousin of crabs. A baby barnacle swims until it finds a spot. Then it cements its head to a rock, a boat, or even a whale! It builds a tiny stone house around its body, and it never moves again.

A Baby Swims

Step one: a baby swims and picks a spot. A baby barnacle is a tiny swimmer, drifting in the water. It lands on a rock and feels around, because it only gets one chance.

Head Glue Sets

Step two: the head glue sets. The baby squeezes out a strong cement from its head, and it hardens underwater. It is one of the strongest natural glues, and now the barnacle cannot be moved easily.

Feathery Feet Fish

Step three: a hard house grows and the feet go fishing. Plates grow into a little volcano shape. When the water comes in, the top opens, and feathery legs kick tiny bits of food into its mouth.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look inside a barnacle! The volcano shell is a hard, safe house. The feathery legs kick food in. And the glue plate holds it fast to the rock.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! Adult barnacles live upside down, standing on their heads. They stick to boats and whales, too. The scientist Charles Darwin studied barnacles for 8 years! And please look, don't scrape. Scraping kills them and can cut you.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! Visit a shore with a grown-up, and look for barnacles. Look closely, but never scrape. Sketch the little volcano shape. Why glue the head instead of walking? And what are the kicking feathers for?

Outro

A barnacle is a crab cousin that chose glue over walking. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!