Today, Explained - The Island of Explained: It’s electric!

Episode Date: August 27, 2022

A magical theme park ride on the Island of Explained demonstrates the damage done by fossil fuels and why renewable energy might be the best way to power the future.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Gambling problem? Call 1-866-531-2600 or visit connectsontario.ca. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Let's try something a little different. Today! Explain! What? Today!

Oh. Explain! Okay. Today! I get it. Explain! What? Today! Oh. Explain! Okay. Today! I get it. Explain! Today! Today! Explain! What? Explain! Today! Today I explain! Welcome to the final episode of this summer's Today Explained to Kids series

where we last left off our favorite PI, Izzy, had another successful case closed. Time to kick back with a glass of ice cold soda and a video game knowing the job was done well. But there can be no rest for a PI on Today Explained to Kids. Aren't you going to answer that? Kiara, I'm on vacation. You have like 500 voicemails. What if these kids really need you? You know what else needs me? My video games. But don't you miss the thrill of a new case? The rush of a good question? Chasing down answers?

Okay, okay, fine. I guess I can take a break from my break. Play the voicemails. How do you get energy from fossil fuels? How does solar power work? How do you convert, like, the energy from the sun that comes on a solar panel into the electricity we use to, like, plug in things? There are a bunch of different energies that I just need to know about. Hmm. Interesting. Very interesting. I think these kids are on to something. I've heard that fossil fuels are bad, but why?

And what even are fossil fuels anyhow? Sounds like we've got a solid mystery on our hands. And you know what that means. You bet I do. Wait, what does that mean? It means it's time for a visit to our favorite island, the Island of Explained. Come on, just step into my portal here. Whoa, I didn't know there was an amusement park on the Island of Explained. Well, I'm supposed to be on vacation, so if I'm gonna work, I'm also gonna have some fun.

Welcome to Amusement Spark, the best place to have fun and learn. The Amusement Spark sparks your interest in things by making them exciting. And I bet they have a ride that can answer our questions. But what kind of ride will be able to teach us about fossil fuels and why they're bad? Have you ever asked yourself, what are fossil fuels and why are they bad? Well, then step right up to our newest ride. It's an old world. Fossil fuels, aka coal, oil, and natural gas,

are actually some of the oldest things on Earth. So It's an Old World will take you back in time to tell you everything you need to know. That sounds perfect. And look, there are two seats left. I hope this isn't a scary ride. Ah, we're moving. Welcome to It's an Old World.

I'm Doc, your brave and wise time guide. Sit back and relax as we journey back to a time before humans, before Neanderthals, and even before dinosaurs. Behold, our first stop. Hmm, what exactly are we looking at here? All I see is a swampy-looking forest. But wait, this looks different from a regular forest. I've never seen so many giant ferns in my life. Oh yeah, and look at those super tall trees. Their bark looks all scaly, like snakeskin.

And is that a millipede as long as this cart? Oh yeah, that's Millie. Hi, Millie! Sup, Doc? Where are we? I think you mean, when are we? Welcome to the Carboniferous Period. We've journeyed to a time before humans, approximately 300 million years ago. You might not believe it, but all of these giant trees and ferns and

plants? They're the earliest forms of fossil fuels. Now as we move forward in time… Ahhh! We're going fast now! Ooh, the plants are wilting. And look, all that sand and dirt is blowing over them, covering them up. Yep, we're moving through millions of years now. Think of how many storms and floods and earthquakes happen over the course of millions of years. My guess is a lot. A lot, a lot.

And all of that changes the surface of the Earth. Rocks break down, places flood, sand and dirt blows in, and each new layer settles on top of the buried plants and animals. Through those millions of years, one layer forms, then another, and another, and another. It looks like dirt lasagna. Gross. Those layers add a ton of pressure, squishing and crushing what's left of those plants. And this process is happening in swamps and forests all across the planet. The plants die, then get buried as the surface of the

earth changes. And the same thing is happening to plankton in the ocean too. New layers of sand and water and dirt keep forming and pressing down on these plants and animals for a million years. Then another million. Then hundreds of millions of years. We're going even faster now. Izzy, pull my hand. Look, dinosaurs. Oh, and now everything's freezing over. Hey, this must be the Ice Age.

Oh, and now look, humans. Over these millions of years, the pressure from those layers, plus heat from the Earth's core, transforms our plants and animals. Some of the material becomes shiny black rocks. We call that coal. Other times, there's so much heat and pressure that it transforms into a liquid that we call crude oil. Or, if there's a ton of heat and pressure, we get a gas, natural gas. Wow, love a good transformation story. These three things are all versions of what we call fossil fuels. The fossil part is just because they're made from really, really old stuff.

And the fuel part is because we use them to make power. In fact, it turns out that burning fossil fuels is a really powerful source of energy. Which brings us to our next stop on this ride, the late 1700s. Wow, look. Trains, steamboats. And factories to build more trains and more steamboats.

Right. This is what we call the Industrial Revolution. Humans started to build factories and invent machines that depended on burning fossil fuels. In another hundred years or so, cars powered by fossil fuels came on the scene. And around the same time, people start burning coal to make electricity. So you're telling me that the giant ferns and plants and plankton we saw hundreds of millions of years ago, those power stuff like our air conditioning and phones? And video games?

You bet. In fact, more than half of all the electricity used in the United States today comes from burning fossil fuels. Not just coal, but natural gas, too. Okay, this is fascinating and all, but my P.I. senses are tingling. Something's not adding up here. What do you mean? Well, the time guide said this ride would show us why fossil fuels are bad, but so far we've only seen what makes them good.

So why are they bad? Ah, that is an excellent question. If you all reach under your seats, you'll find a special pair of goggles. Please put those on. Ooh, mad scientist vibes. I like it. Whoa, what's all this stuff in the air? So these goggles let you see something that's usually invisible, a gas called carbon dioxide. Remember how fossil fuels included the remains of a bunch of plants and animals pressed together over a really long time?

Well, those plants and animals contained a lot of different chemicals, including carbon. That means when humans burn fossil fuels, it creates carbon dioxide. Sometimes we call that CO2. That's what you're seeing in the air now. Uh-oh. Is that what's bad? Well, it's not good. See how the carbon dioxide is floating up and forming a layer in the sky? That wraps all around the planet, like a blanket. And just like a real blanket, it traps in heat, making the surface of the Earth hotter. As more carbon dioxide is released,

that blanket keeps getting heavier and heavier, which makes the Earth even warmer. So the more fossil fuels we burn, the more of this carbon dioxide we have. And the more carbon dioxide we have, the hotter our planet gets? Exactly. This is part of what scientists call climate change. Burning fossil fuels isn't the only contributor to climate change, but it's a pretty big one. Today, the Earth is around 2 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than it was in the 1800s.

Okay, but why is it bad if the planet gets a little bit hotter? Well, two degrees might not sound like much, but even a small rise in temperature comes with big effects, like rising sea levels or serious heat waves or more wildfires and more storms. But Doc, it seems like we still use a ton of fossil fuels. You said it yourself. More than half of the electricity we use at home comes from burning fossil fuels. So what happens if we keep using them so much?

Ah! Why did we stop? Huh. I think we've reached our time, as in present day, 2022. My dear riders, we are now at a crossroads, and you get to choose where we go next. To the right, a future without fossil fuels. To the left, fossil fuels future. So basically what the future will look like if we keep using fossil fuels at our current rate. Which will you choose?

I do not have a good feeling about fossil fuels' future. But what else do we have besides fossil fuels? I'm not ready to give up everything that uses electricity. I'm not sure, but I don't like the idea of all those chemicals in the sky. Oops, you waited too long. Here we go. We're moving towards fossil fuels future. Climate change is affecting snow and rain patterns. More places are having droughts.

The ocean's getting warmer, which is causing more powerful hurricanes and dangerous storms. Different plants and animals are losing their habitats. And if average global temperatures rise by more than 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit compared to pre-industrial times, then things could get bad. Like, really bad. I'm too scared to look anymore. Can we go back? Well, there's a button here. Magical Emergency Rewind for Emergencies Only. I wonder what it does. Press it. Press the button. I don't know. Izzy, please press it now.

Whoa! Will Izzy and Kiara be saved by the magical rewind button? Or is it too late? Find out after this short break. back in your pocket. Ramp says they give finance teams unprecedented control and insight into company spend. With Ramp, you're able to issue cards to every employee with limits and restrictions and automate expense reporting so you can stop wasting time at the end of every month. And now you can get $250 when you join Ramp. You can go to ramp.com slash explained,

ramp.com slash explained, R-A-M-P dot com slash explained. Cards issued by Sutton Bank, member FDIC. Terms and conditions apply. We're back on the island of Explained with Kiara and Izzy. They just pressed the magical emergency rewind button and now they're having a spot of deja vu. Um, am I losing my mind or were we just here? You're not losing your mind

I think that magical rewind button really worked Look, there's the same fork in the road With the same sign pointing to fossil fuels future And if I remember correctly Doc is about to tell us that we're at a crossroads My dear riders, we are now at a crossroads, and you get to choose where we go next. To the right, a future without fossil fuels. To the left, fossil fuels future. So basically what the future will look like if we keep using

fossil fuels at our current rate. Which will you choose? Right. Let's go right to the future without fossil fuels. I love your enthusiasm. I was going to suggest going left, but okay, right it is. We're leaving Amusement Spark and heading to the most amazing city on the island of Explained, Electra City. Oh, the track is so high up. We can see the whole city under us. Look at all the trees and the parks and the bike lanes. Okay, I'm liking this a lot more. Huh, I'm curious though. I wonder if there's also bad stuff in the air here that we just can't see. Let me put on those special CO2 goggles again.

Ooh, me too. Hmm, I barely see any carbon dioxide in the air. Do you? Nope, but the city still seems to be running on electricity. Look, I see air conditioners, refrigerators, TVs. How is that possible? Ah, here comes the mayor of Electricity on her hoverboard. Hi! Or should I say, hydro. Water is one of our main power sources here. Electricity actually doesn't use any fossil fuels at all. Not any? None. Let me point out the energy sources we do use. Like, oh, see those shiny blue

panels on the roofs of the buildings? Those are solar panels. They're made up of a special type of solar cell that turns sunlight into electricity. We also have a wind farm over on your left. Those are some big windmills. The wind spins the blades, which spin a generator, and that creates electricity. Let's see, what else? Oh, we also have a nuclear power plant, which you'll see over on your right. Look for the big, curvy towers with steam coming out of the tops.

Ooh, I see them! Our city also uses a bunch of sources that you can't see, like geothermal energy, which uses the heat from the Earth's core, or different types of biomass, which come from plants and animals. Our scientists are even experimenting with making power from algae photosynthesis. Algae? That slimy green stuff in Deep Dive Lake? Good to know it's useful for something. All of our energy sources produce way less carbon dioxide than fossil fuels. But that's not all. Most of them are also renewable, which means we can easily replace what we use. There will always be more wind or sun, and we can grow more trees.

Fossil fuels, on the other hand, are non-renewable. Since those take hundreds of millions of years to form, we can't exactly make more. But wait, if these sources of energy are so much better than fossil fuels, why isn't every city like your city? Why does most of our energy at home still come from fossil fuels? Great question. Fabulous question. Listen, the world is a big place, unlike our island.

So cities or towns that use the most energy aren't always the sunniest or windiest places. That means that you need a way to get energy from the places with the most to the places that need it the most. We also have it a bit easier here because it's almost always sunny and almost always breezy. So we don't have to worry about making batteries to store energy for cloudy days or days without wind. There's also the matter of money. And politics.

Definitely politics. This all sounds impossible. Not the I word. What? What's so bad about the word impossible? Ugh, please, no more. Of all the things you need to make big changes, one of the most important is belief. If you don't believe that change is possible, you'll never try. And if you never try, then things will never change. Right. Because let me tell you a secret. My city, electricity, we used to use fossil fuels too. Really? You used fossil fuels too?

Yep. And switching to clean energy was really, really hard. It almost felt, well, impossible. A lot of people here were used to doing things a certain way, and some residents owned or worked in fossil fuel factories, and they didn't want those factories to close. So what changed? Well, we started to understand just how bad those fossil fuels were for the environment, and we all realized that we had to change if we wanted to avoid fossil fuels' future. So it took some time. A lot of time.

And some effort. A lot of effort. But once we started making small switches, like adding just a few solar panels at a time, we realized it wasn't so scary. And that's not all. This could just be the beginning. Ah, what an excellent segue to the very last part of our ride.

Thanks, Mayor. Back we go into Amusement Spark. Bye, Mayor. Bye. Or should I say, bye, Omas. We're almost at the end of our ride, but before we close our loop, I want to take you all even further forward into the future. This is a brand new part of the ride that I'm still kind of working on. Whoa!

Welcome to the year 3022 in the great city of Greenville. Wow, is that a rocket ship? It's a whole bunch of them. Oh, that's the local rocket port. Not only did the citizens of Greenville figure out how to use algae photosynthesis for electricity, they figured out how to channel all photosynthesis into electricity. Now every park and garden generates enough electricity to power rockets to the moon. Oh, there goes one now.

And what are those over there? The pretty bird looking things. Oh, those are wind energy kites. Instead of huge wind turbines that take a long time to build, you can fly those kites whenever and wherever there's wind. Oh, and see those people dancing over there? They're having a piezo electric thon. The special street material absorbs the pressure from their dancing and turns it into electricity. That's my kind of party. What about those roller coasters over there? What do those do? Oh, those are just regular roller coasters. For some reason, the people here are really into roller coasters. This is pretty awesome, but it all looks so different from back home. How will we ever get here? Well, like the mayor of Electricity said, change is hard. But if you

believe that it's possible, then imagination and invention can take you a long way. After all, you need to imagine a new world before you can make it. In fact, there's a whole section of Greenville devoted to imagining new inventions. Let's listen in. I wonder if they could make like a lighter windmill that could like that you could like put on like your roof because it would be like lighter. Wouldn't it be that heavy? Oh, that would make a great addition to my office. I thought you were on vacation. Consider my vacation officially over. There's too much to do. Here we are, back at the start of the ride. But before you go, would you mind if I record a review from you?

I like to see if our little ride here changed people's minds. Here, let me play you some reviews I've gotten from other riders in the past. I asked them if they want to work toward a future free of fossil fuels in order to take better care of the planet, and they said stuff like, yes, definitely. This is what we live on and what our kids will live on if you have kids. It's beautiful. The beautiful stuff. We have to make sure we have this planet, because it's the only one we've got. We don't have a plan B. Well, I'm with those people. I can't wait to get home and start researching solar panels. I feel like I could probably talk my parents into getting some.

And I want to start the first green private eye practice in my city. I guess we better get back to the office, Izzy. We have a lot of clients to call. We? Come on. Every successful private eye needs a partner. Hmm. How about we start with Sidekick and go from there? Done.

This episode was produced by Daphne Chen. The team at Transmitter Media includes Shoshi Shmulevitz, Isabel Carter, Kiara Powell, and Sarah Nix. The team at Vox includes Noam Hassenfeld, Bert Pinkerton, and Jillian Weinberger. Our executive producers are Greta Cohn and Catherine Wells. Meryl Agish is our fact checker. Sophia Landman sound designed and mixed the series. Special thanks to our voicemail leavers, inventors, and rollercoaster riders,

Alex, Gaspare, Liv, Piper, Sydney, and Wilder. You can hear all of our episodes and find related activities at vox.com slash today dash explained dash two dash kids. Oh, and by the way, Piper has a message for all of you adults listening too. Could you please stop messing up the planet? Maybe like a little bit. That would be nice.