Earthworms

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com. What is dirt? – Belle and Ryatt, ages 7 and 5, Keystone, South Dakota When you think about dirt, you might picture the rock dust that gets on your pants. But there’s so much more going on in the ground under our feet. When I began studying soil, I was amazed at how much of it is actually alive. Soil is teeming with life, and not just the earthworms that you see on rainy days. Keeping this vibrant world healthy is crucial for food, forests and flowers to grow and for the animals that live in the ground to thrive. Here’s a closer look at what’s down there and how it all works together. Soil is a vibrant ecosystem. Gabriel Jimenez via Unsplash, CC BY-SA...