Lab Rat Academy

10/11/2026

565 - Why Do Cicadas Scream? | The Science Behind China’s Loudest Love Songs

Why do cicadas make such incredibly loud, screaming sounds? And what does all that noise have to do with LOVE?

While exploring Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie, China, we heard something that sounded like screaming electrical wires coming from the trees! When we investigated, we discovered cicadas producing some of the most incredible insect sounds we’ve ever heard!

In this Science Snippet, we explore the fascinating science behind these noisy insects!

Discover how male cicadas use specialized organs called tymbals to produce their powerful buzzing sounds, why their calls are actually love songs designed to attract females, and how their hollow abdomens help amplify the noise.

Some cicadas can produce sounds exceeding 100 decibels—comparable to a motorcycle!

We’ll also explore their remarkable life cycle, including how cicadas spend years underground feeding on fluids from plant roots before emerging as winged adults.

Best of all, we captured real footage of cicadas screaming in the trees along Tianmen Mountain’s trails!

Turn up the volume and experience one of nature’s most extraordinary sound-producing insects!

Join Lab Rat Academy as we explore the amazing science behind our adventures in China!

Wow! Science is so amazing.

Check out what science and art labs Becky offers at Lab Rat Academy. Http://LabRatAcademy.com

You can find Lab Rat Academy on all these social media platforms.

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/Lab Rat Academy - Becky Cook
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/labratacademy/
FaceBook - https://www.facebook.com/LabRatAcademy/

LabRatAcademy

10/11/2026

565 - Why Do Cicadas Scream? | The Science Behind China’s Loudest Love Songs

Why do cicadas make such incredibly loud, screaming sounds? And what does all that noise have to do with LOVE?

While exploring Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie, China, we heard something that sounded like screaming electrical wires coming from the trees! When we investigated, we discovered cicadas producing some of the most incredible insect sounds we’ve ever heard!

In this Science Snippet, we explore the fascinating science behind these noisy insects!

Discover how male cicadas use specialized organs called tymbals to produce their powerful buzzing sounds, why their calls are actually love songs designed to attract females, and how their hollow abdomens help amplify the noise.

Some cicadas can produce sounds exceeding 100 decibels—comparable to a motorcycle!

We’ll also explore their remarkable life cycle, including how cicadas spend years underground feeding on fluids from plant roots before emerging as winged adults.

Best of all, we captured real footage of cicadas screaming in the trees along Tianmen Mountain’s trails!

Turn up the volume and experience one of nature’s most extraordinary sound-producing insects!

Join Lab Rat Academy as we explore the amazing science behind our adventures in China!

Wow! Science is so amazing.

Check out what science and art labs Becky offers at Lab Rat Academy. Http://LabRatAcademy.com

You can find Lab Rat Academy on all these social media platforms.

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/labratacademy/
FaceBook - https://www.facebook.com/LabRatAcademy/

09/30/2026

564 - How Suspension Bridges Stay Up | Engineering at Tianmen Mountain in China

What keeps a suspension bridge from falling?

Come with me across a suspension bridge high in the mountains of Tianmen Mountain, China, as we explore the engineering that keeps these incredible structures standing.

In this Science Snippet, we’ll look at how tension, compression, steel cables, and cement towers work together to support the bridge and safely transfer its weight. It’s an amazing example of physics and engineering at work in the real world!

Science is everywhere—even when you’re walking across a mountain in China!

Would YOU trust this bridge?

Wow! Science is so amazing.

Check out what science and art labs Becky offers at Lab Rat Academy. Http://LabRatAcademy.com

You can find Lab Rat Academy on all these social media platforms.

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/Lab Rat Academy - Becky Cook
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/labratacademy/
FaceBook - https://www.facebook.com/LabRatAcademy/

Musical artist: Sven Karlason
Title of Music Piece: Up and Ahead
Courtesy of http://www.epidemicsound.com

China STEM LabRatAcademy

09/30/2026

564 - How Suspension Bridges Stay Up | Engineering at Tianmen Mountain in China

What keeps a suspension bridge from falling?

Come with me across a suspension bridge high in the mountains of Tianmen Mountain, China, as we explore the engineering that keeps these incredible structures standing.

In this Science Snippet, we’ll look at how tension, compression, steel cables, and cement towers work together to support the bridge and safely transfer its weight. It’s an amazing example of physics and engineering at work in the real world!

Science is everywhere—even when you’re walking across a mountain in China!

Would YOU trust this bridge?

Wow! Science is so amazing.

Check out what science and art labs Becky offers at Lab Rat Academy. Http://LabRatAcademy.com

You can find Lab Rat Academy on all these social media platforms.

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/labratacademy/
FaceBook - https://www.facebook.com/LabRatAcademy/

Musical artist: Sven Karlason
Title of Music Piece: Up and Ahead
Courtesy of http://www.epidemicsound.com

09/27/2026

563 - High Above China | Exploring Tianmen Mountain’s Guigu Cliffside Path

Come with me high above China as we explore the Guigu Cliffside Path on Tianmen Mountain!

This incredible walkway hugs the side of the mountain, offering breathtaking views of towering cliffs, forest-covered peaks, and valleys below. In this Science Snippet, we’ll take a walk along the path and discover just how long it is, how high above sea level we are, and some of the amazing sights you can see along the way.

Would you be comfortable walking this close to the edge? 😳

Join me as we explore another incredible corner of China—and discover a little science along the way!

Wow! Science is so amazing.

Check out what science and art labs Becky offers at Lab Rat Academy. Http://LabRatAcademy.com

You can find Lab Rat Academy on all these social media platforms.

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/labratacademy/
FaceBook - https://www.facebook.com/LabRatAcademy/

Musical artist: Kikoru
Title of Music Piece: Land of Freedom
Courtesy of http://www.epidemicsound.com

09/22/2026

562 - China’s Tianmen Mountain Glass Walkways | The Science Behind the Glass

Would YOU walk on a glass pathway thousands of feet up the side of a mountain?

At Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie, China, we stepped out onto one of its famous cliffside glass walkways. Looking straight through the floor to the mountainside below definitely gets your attention—but there’s some impressive engineering beneath your feet!

These walkways aren’t made from ordinary window glass. They use multiple layers of heat-treated, tempered and laminated safety glass. Tempering strengthens the glass, while lamination helps hold the layers together if one is damaged. The glass panels are supported by a steel structural framework anchored into the mountain, transferring the load from the walkway into the rock.

In this Science Snippet, we explore how engineers combine the properties of glass, steel, and rock to create a walkway that can be transparent enough to make your stomach drop—and strong enough for people to walk across.

Sometimes the best science laboratory is the world around us!

Would YOU walk on it?

Wow! Science is so amazing.

Check out what science and art labs Becky offers at Lab Rat Academy. Http://LabRatAcademy.com

You can find Lab Rat Academy on all these social media platforms.

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/Lab Rat Academy - Becky Cook
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/labratacademy/
FaceBook - https://www.facebook.com/LabRatAcademy/

Musical artist: Bonsaye
Title of Music Piece: Querido
Courtesy of http://www.epidemicsound.com

STEM Science LabRatAcademy

09/22/2026

562 - China’s Tianmen Mountain Glass Walkways | The Science Behind the Glass

Would YOU walk on a glass pathway thousands of feet up the side of a mountain?

At Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie, China, we stepped out onto one of its famous cliffside glass walkways. Looking straight through the floor to the mountainside below definitely gets your attention—but there’s some impressive engineering beneath your feet!

These walkways aren’t made from ordinary window glass. They use multiple layers of heat-treated, tempered and laminated safety glass. Tempering strengthens the glass, while lamination helps hold the layers together if one is damaged. The glass panels are supported by a steel structural framework anchored into the mountain, transferring the load from the walkway into the rock.

In this Science Snippet, we explore how engineers combine the properties of glass, steel, and rock to create a walkway that can be transparent enough to make your stomach drop—and strong enough for people to walk across.

Sometimes the best science laboratory is the world around us!

Would YOU walk on it?

Wow! Science is so amazing.

Check out what science and art labs Becky offers at Lab Rat Academy. Http://LabRatAcademy.com

You can find Lab Rat Academy on all these social media platforms.

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/labratacademy/
FaceBook - https://www.facebook.com/LabRatAcademy/

Musical artist: Bonsaye
Title of Music Piece: Querido
Courtesy of http://www.epidemicsound.com

09/19/2026

09/16/2026

I love teaching! It’s even more enjoyable when my students love learning, and share their appreciation with me. 🥰🤩🥰

09/16/2026

561 - Inside Tianmen Cave | China’s 999 Steps to the Gateway to Heaven

Come with us to Tianmen Cave, the enormous natural arch high in the mountains of Zhangjiajie, China—often called the “Gateway to Heaven.”

Reaching the cave is an adventure all by itself! We travel through the mountain on an incredible series of escalators and make our way to the famous 999 steps leading to the cave. After our exhausting five-peak hike on Mount Huashan, however, we were VERY thankful we didn’t have to climb all 999! 😂

Along the way, we’ll take a closer look at the spectacular geology of Tianmen Cave, the engineering that makes this mountain accessible, and why the number 999 has special significance in Chinese culture.

And yes… even after taking the escalator, Jimmy still had a little trouble with those last few steps. 😂

Join Lab Rat Academy as we explore the science, engineering, geology, and incredible landscapes we discovered during our travels through China!

Wow! Science is so amazing.

Check out what science and art labs Becky offers at Lab Rat Academy. Http://LabRatAcademy.com

You can find Lab Rat Academy on all these social media platforms.

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/Lab Rat Academy - Becky Cook
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/labratacademy/
FaceBook - https://www.facebook.com/LabRatAcademy/



Musical artist: Bonnie Grace
Title of Music Piece: Only The Brave
Courtesy of http://www.epidemicsound.com