Editor Alert — Tuesday, February 9, 2010
For Information Call Anne Peterson at 208-373-7368
           or Bob Evancho at 373-7369

February’s D4K Looks at Human Body Waste Systems

— Airs Tuesday, February 16 at 2:00/1:00 p.m. MT/PT

Just like homes and cities, the human body needs a waste disposal system. From food, liquids and air, humans create fuel to operate. But each operation leaves something to get rid of. Why and how does the body eliminate all this stuff? Host Joan Cartan-Hansen and her guests, pediatricians Dr. Heather Owens and Dr. Naya Antink, will answer these and other questions on this month’s D4K.

This month’s show airs Tuesday, February 16, at 2:00/1:00 p.m. MT/PT. Students can e-mail questions to D4K@idahoptv.org or fax them to (208) 373-7245 before the show or call in during the show to (800) 973-9800. Shortly after the show, students can view a Web-only video with Drs. Owens and Antink answering questions that were not part of the on-air broadcast.

The body has an amazing way to get rid of the things it doesn’t need through poop, urine, vomit, farts, sweat, even the carbon dioxide you exhale. There are also body wastes that protect humans such as mucus (also called snot), earwax and the pus that covers cuts and sores to battle harmful bacteria. How and why does the body produce this stuff and then get rid of it? What can be determined about health based on body waste? These and other answers will be revealed by Drs. Owens and Antink on D4K.

D4K is Idaho Public Television’s science education project for elementary age children. Students watch D4K over the air or on the D4K Web site at Idahoptv.org/d4k. The Web site offers facts, links, reading lists, a glossary, podcasts of programs, video shorts, full episodes and special D4K Web-exclusive programming.