Dirt is alive. It’s full of billions of creatures so small you can’t even see them under a microscope. For 10,000 years, dirt has helped humans convert the limitless energy of the sun into the plants and animals we eat to keep us alive. Dirt has been good to us. But it turns out, we haven’t been very good to the dirt. Roll up your sleeves. It’s time to get dirty.
This excellent video from Vox, was designed for kids, but it’s not only for kids. Informative for all ages, The Secret History of Dirt also covers farming trends in the Americas and Europe, as well as the challenges of an industry that pushed for speed and volume over the health of microfauna, soil, plants, food, and humans.
One in a series of Vox videos created for kids, this smart soil explainer is perfect for learning in the classroom or at home.
Here’s info for trying the featured dirt experiment.
Related reading: The Three Sisters: Corn, beans, and squash and more about Companion Planting.
Also: One amazing substance allowed life to thrive on land.
Then watch these composting videos next:
• Vermicomposting: How worms can reduce our waste
• Vermicomposting with red wigglers, a time lapse
• Soil Life in Action: Bioturbation with and without soil fauna
• Inside the Compost Cycle: Turning waste to nutrient-rich soil
Bonus: The Soil Food Web, claymation shorts.
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