Are horseshoe crabs…crabs?

But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids

Vermont Public

Nature, Language, Kids & Family, Science

4.4 • 4.9K Ratings

🗓️ 30 May 2025

⏱️ 35 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

How did horseshoe crabs get their names? Are they even crabs? And did they really exist before the dinosaurs? Early spring presents a unique opportunity to see these living fossils up close as they scuttle up to the shoreline along the Atlantic coast of the United States to mate and spawn. But Why traveled to Cape Cod to see horseshoe crabs up close. There we met up with horseshoe crab expert Sara Grady, who works for Mass Audubon. We learn all about these arthropods and answer questions like: Can humans eat horseshoe crabs? What’s with the pointy tails? Do they pinch? How long do they live? And what’s so special about their blood?

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Pps, are you still there?
0:02.6	We hope so, because we wanted to tell you about a show we love called Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls.
0:09.2	Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls is a fairy tale inspired podcast about real-life women who are doing incredible things.
0:16.8	There are stories about the first woman who climbed Mount Everest, the first woman who sent a rocket into space, the first woman to discover a new chemical element, and more.
0:27.1	Prepare to be inspired.
0:29.6	Listen to goodnight stories for Rebel Girls wherever you get your podcasts, or find out more at Rebelgirls.com slash audio.
0:37.1	And whatever you do, stay Rebel. or find out more at rebelgirls.com slash audio.
1:05.1	And whatever you do, stay rebel. This is But Why, a podcast for Curious Kids from Vermont Public.
1:06.4	I'm Jane Lindholm.
1:11.4	On this show, we take questions from curious kids just like you, and we find answers.
1:16.7	If you've been listening for a while, you already know we love field trips at OI,
1:23.1	when we get out of the podcast studio I've created in my closet and go somewhere cool to make an episode.
1:29.3	Earlier this month, we got the chance to go to the ocean to learn more about a very unique creature, one that's been around since way before humans. In fact, this creature has been alive
1:35.7	and living mostly like it does today for well over 400 million years. And we got to go see them.
1:46.6	So to get you in the mood for the episode as we get started, I want you to close your eyes and imagine you're along on this field trip with us.
1:53.0	We're on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. If you've never heard of Cape Cod or you can't picture it,
1:58.8	see if you can find a map of the United States. All right, I guess you can open your eyes for that. Cape Cod or you can't picture it. See if you can find a map of the United States.
2:01.5	All right, I guess you can open your eyes for that.
2:04.5	Cape Cod is out at the eastern tip of Massachusetts, and it's shaped kind of like how your arm would look if you bent it up to show off your bicep muscles.
2:14.8	We're heading out to a beach not far from where your elbow would be, just above your
2:19.6	elbow, but not near your wrist. It's a little too early to swim. The water is really cold,
2:25.8	although it's always pretty cold in this part of the Atlantic Ocean. But it's a beautiful sunny day,
	...

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