In 1973, Velma Anstadt, a 10th-grade student from Turbotville, Pennsylvania, made national news by baking and serving protein-rich “earthworm cookies”.

The Experiment: To demonstrate alternative, highly nutritious, low-cost protein sources to combat food shortages, Anstadt harvested earthworms, thoroughly washed and dried them, ground them into a powder/flour, and incorporated them into chocolate chip cookie dough.

The Result: Her project won top honors at local and regional science fairs, subsequently qualifying her to present her work at the 26th International Science and Engineering Fair. The story gained widespread media attention at the time as a novelty example of entomophagy (and invertebrate consumption) for human nutrition.

10 Surprising Facts About Earthworms

1. They Have 5 “Hearts”
   Earthworms don’t have a single heart like humans do. Instead, they have five pairs of muscular arches called aortic arches that pump blood through their circulatory system.
2. They Breathe Through Their Skin
   Earthworms have no lungs. They absorb oxygen and release carbon dioxide directly through their skin. To make this work, their skin must remain moist at all times; if an earthworm dries out, it suffocates.
3. Every Earthworm Has Both Male and Female Organs
   Earthworms are hermaphrodites. Each worm possesses both male and female reproductive structures. However, they still usually need a partner to mate, exchanging sperm to fertilize each other’s eggs.
4. They Can Eat Their Own Body Weight Every Day
   In rich soil conditions, an earthworm can consume and process its own weight in soil, decaying leaves, and organic matter every 24 hours.
5. Their Digestion Creates “Black Gold” for Soil
   When earthworms digest organic material, their excretions—called worm castings—are rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium. Castings serve as a powerful natural fertilizer, while worm tunnels aerate soil and help retain water.
6. They Can Live for Up to 8 Years
   While most wild earthworms die early due to predators (like birds and moles) or drying out, some species can live for 4 to 8 years under safe, ideal conditions.
7. Cutting One in Half Doesn’t Make Two
   Contrary to popular belief, if you cut an earthworm in half, it will not become two living worms. Only the head end might survive and regenerate its tail if the cut occurs behind vital organs. The tail portion cannot grow a new head and will die.
8. Giant Earthworms Can Reach 10 Feet Long
   The Giant Gippsland earthworm (Megascolides australis), native to Australia, averages around 3 feet long but can grow to over 9 to 10 feet in length and can be as thick as a human thumb.
9. They Are Covered in Microscopic Bristles
   Earthworms aren’t completely smooth; they are covered in tiny, hair-like bristles called setae. They anchor these bristles into the surrounding dirt to push and pull themselves forward through the soil.
10. They Are Not All Native to North America
    Glaciers wiped out native earthworm populations across northern North America thousands of years ago. Most common species found in gardens today, such as nightcrawlers (Lumbricus terrestris), were accidentally introduced by European settlers in plant soil and ships’ ballast.