Here at Science Sparks, we love audiobooks and podcasts, especially if they are science-related. Several years ago, we reviewed a brilliant audiobook from Rockford’s Rock Opera, now called Lost on Infinity. The audiobook tells the story of a boy called Moog and his dog who accidentally end up on the island of Infinity, where the last member of every species lives. The catchy songs and fun characters made the story hugely enjoyable while covering a serious topic, and it is something we’ve listened to over and over again over the last few years.
Chapters 1 and 2 and associated lesson plans are available to download or play free from Rockford’s Rock Opera website.
We were intrigued to discover a new podcast, Stories, Science and Secrets, which has just been released, filled with engaging and fact-packed discussions on the themes explored in Lost on Infinity.
Each episode features a chapter from Lost on Infinity, followed by chats with the creators of the podcast and expert guests, including wildlife TV presenters and comedians, where they explore the science behind the story and answer questions from listeners.
Stories, Science and Secrets is a fantastic podcast for teaching children about endangered animals, extinction, biomimicry and ecology.
The final episode has just been released, and we can’t wait to listen.
A main theme throughout the stories is biomimicry.
What is Biomimicry?
Biomimicry is learning from nature to solve problems, innovate and create materials and products. Bio means life, and mimicry means to imitate.
Nature is full of ingenious ideas and solutions that have evolved over the life of our planet to coexist with the Earth.
Examples of Biomimicry
The podcast explores real-life examples of biomimicry. Did you know bones and bamboo inspired the design of the Eiffel Tower, and Cocklebur seeds were the inspiration for Velcro?
Sloth fur is great at absorbing water vapour, so researchers are studying it to create new energy-efficient building materials!
Shark skin has helped scientists to develop new germ-resistant surfaces.
The ocean is now being cleared of plastic thanks to a filter inspired by the mouth of the Whale Shark.
There’s a huge directory of links to research and discoveries around biomimicry on Rockford’s Rock Opera website, which we have found fascinating.
Isn’t the natural world incredible?
Stories, Science and Secrets is a hopeful, engaging, inspirational view of the future. My 6-year-old has loved listening to the stories, and my older children and I have enjoyed the discussions. We’ve all learned an enormous amount and are now fascinated by the possibilities of biomimicry and surprised by how little we know about it.
Where can you listen to Stories, Science and Secrets?
The first five episodes are available on the website, and all 15 can be played via Apple Music, Amazon Music, Spotify, and anywhere else you listen to podcasts.
I’m also quite excited to see that all the stories from Rockford Rock Opera are available on Yoto and Voxblock. My 6-year-old loves his Yoto, so I’ll definitely add all the Rockford’s Rock Opera cards to his collection.
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Last Updated on December 12, 2023 by Emma Vanstone
