00:00 Snails are a common part of living on Earth, but there is a lack of academic information about them, with much of what we think we know being based on old gardening tales.

05:07 Snails are diverse creatures that have been around for a long time and can be found in various environments, with some species being endangered due to mass extinction.

10:44 Snails have a shell that serves as a protective device, and their body is arranged in a way that allows them to double back on themselves, with their head and tail next to each other at the opening of their shell.

16:12 Snails have a unique body structure due to torsion, which causes their organs to be arranged asymmetrically and their head and anus to be located next to each other.

21:22 The mantle of a snail holds all of its organs in place and secretes the material that eventually becomes the shell, with the oldest and hardest part of the shell being closest to the center.

26:53 Snails are born with a tiny shell and grow it over time by secreting material, they breathe through a lung-like opening called a pneumostome, and their mucus trail serves multiple purposes including allowing them to crawl up walls, protecting their body, and attracting mates.

32:20 Snails have a unique mating process that involves the formation and use of a love dart, which is a sharp harpoon-like structure that is shot or stabbed into the partner, and while it is not necessary for reproduction, it helps in protecting the sperm as it makes its way to fertilize the eggs.

37:19 Snails play important roles in ecosystems by recycling plant matter, distributing nutrients, and even acting as pollinators.

42:38 Snails can be a nuisance to gardeners because they eat a lot of plants, but it's best to leave them alone and try natural methods like introducing predators or manually removing them rather than using chemical pesticides.

47:54 The giant African land snail is a hardcore snail that can grow up to eight inches long, eat over 500 species of plants, and even eat the stucco off houses in Florida, and they can carry diseases that are harmful to people and animals.

53:15 Snails have been found to have potential benefits in studying Alzheimer's disease and their mucus may be used to develop drugs for treatment, and they have also been associated with religious beliefs and even depicted in medieval manuscripts battling knights.

58:21 The hosts read a listener correction about the difference between isotopes and ions, and encourage listeners to never give up on science.