Earth Has More WormsThan People--by Far
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Q: My 7-year-old wants to know if there are more worms on the Earth than humans.
A: Yes, indeed. Worms in soil can be brought to the surface for counting by sprinkling it with a potassium permanganate solution or a pepper extract. In 1877, Charles Darwin cited German studies showing that there are about 53,800 worms per acre. With a global human population of about 6 billion, that means there are as many earthworms in about 175 square miles as there are people on Earth.
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