How Muscles Move
How Muscles Move — an illustrated science story, set in United Kingdom. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Science.
Page 1
Stella stood on the windy deck of the lighthouse with her dad, watching the waves crash against the rocks below. "Dad, how can we move our arms and legs whenever we want? It's amazing!" she exclaimed, pointing at a flock of seagulls effortlessly soaring above.
Page 2
Her dad smiled, adjusting his glasses. "That's a fantastic question, Stella. It's all thanks to muscles. They contract and relax, pulling on our bones to make us move." Stella's friend, Ivan, who had curly golden-brown hair in a loose, casual style, leaned in. "So, muscles are like... engines inside us?" he asked, scratching his head.
Page 3
Her dad nodded. "Exactly! Now, imagine a time long ago, before we fully understood how muscles worked..." He paused, a twinkle in his eye. Stella's mind raced. Suddenly, she pictured an old laboratory. "Where are we going, Dad?"
Page 4
The scene shifted. "Italy, 1665," a voice narrated. "Meet Francesco Redi. He was an Italian physician, naturalist, biologist, and poet." We see him in his laboratory and learn that he was intensely curious about how living things worked. "He even disproved the idea that maggots spontaneously generated from rotting meat!"
Page 5
Redi meticulously recorded his observations. "Omne vivum ex ovo," he murmured, writing in his journal. "All life comes from the egg." His work was groundbreaking, showing that life comes from pre-existing life. He was determined to unlock the mysteries of nature. He then looks to Stella and smiles.
Page 6
Redi began experimenting with muscles. He carefully dissected animal limbs, observing how they moved. "Look at this," Redi exclaimed, pointing to a dissected frog leg. "These tiny fibers, when stimulated, cause the muscle to contract!" He pulls the muscle.
Page 7
"Redi's observations paved the way for future scientists to understand the intricate mechanisms of muscle movement," Dad continued. Because of his work on muscles, we now understand how muscle contractions power everything from walking to breathing!"
Page 8
The scene faded, and they were back on the lighthouse deck. "Wow!" exclaimed Stella. "So Redi figured out how muscles work?" Ivan nodded. "It makes sense now! When I kick a soccer ball, my leg muscles contract to swing my leg." Luka, who had short afro-textured black hair, chimed in. "I remember a quote from Newton, 'If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.'. Redi was one of those giants!"
Page 9
Stella scribbled in her notebook. "So, a body builder lifting weights uses their muscles? And a bird flapping its wings?" Ivan added, "And when I smile, it's my facial muscles?" Luka grinned, saying "Exactly! And even when you're sleeping, your heart is pumping, using muscles!"
Page 10
Stella looked up, beaming. "So, muscle movement is all about those fibers contracting and relaxing to make us move!" Then, she squinted, gazing out at the ocean. "But what makes those fibers contract in the first place?"
About this story
- Location: United Kingdom
- Audience: kids (ages 6–12)
Questions and answers
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