Brains On! Science podcast for kids
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362 episodes
Paper is all around us. There’s toilet paper and pizza boxes, wrapping paper, and receipts. Most of the paper in the U.S. is made from trees, but it can be made out of all sorts of plant material – banana peels, cotton, rice, you name it! Join guest host Rosie duPont and co-host Arya as they explore how paper is made (spoiler: most of it comes from trees!). Then, an old paper party hat named Crumplestiltskin will share how paper recycling works. To wrap things up, they’ll hear a real of a mystery sound. You won’t want to miss it! SUBSCRIBE TO SMARTY PASS https://www.smartypass.org/ for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts! TODAY’S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY: __ __
Bzzz. Shloop! Bang Bang. Wooooosh! It’s time for another Mystery Sound Extravaganza. Join Molly and co-host Violet as they figure out what’s making some seriously mysterious noises. Plus, they'll interview Foley artist Shelley Roden about the art of making sound effects for movies. And they'll help Bob sort out some mixed up mystery sounds! Tune in and turn on your ears, cuz it’s time to guess some confounding sounds! FEATURED GUESTS: Shelley Roden is an award-winning Foley artist at Skywalker Sound in Northern, CA. Read more about her work here. https://arts.vcu.edu/community/vcuarts-faculty-and-staff/directory/shelley-roden/
Listeners send us LOTS of questions. Like hundreds a month! We read every single one — and we love all of them! Every now and then, we get a special kind of question that starts with “Is it true that…?” These questions are special because they’re skeptical. They’re designed to seek out the truth. In this episode, Molly and co-host Meyer tackle three “Is it true that…” questions. First, they’ll explore whether twins can feel each other’s pain. Then, they’ll find out if the Vikings had horns on their helmets! They’ll end their quest by discovering whether dogs can see color like we do. All that, plus a tricky new mystery sound! SUBSCRIBE TO SMARTY PASS https://www.smartypass.org/ for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts! TODAY’S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY: __ __
Baleen whales sing. Toothed whales click. But how and why do they make these musical sounds? Join Molly and co-host Tyler as they dive into the wonderful world of whale sounds. First, they run into Anna Goldfield on her way to audition for a whale choir. She teaches them about the voice boxes of baleen whales. Then, biologist Shane Gero talks about sperm whale communication, and how humans are only just beginning to understand the complexity of the sounds they make. All that, plus a whale of a mystery sound! SUBSCRIBE TO SMARTY PASS https://www.smartypass.org/ for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts! TODAY’S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY: __ __
It’s almost midnight and Mr Bone Jangles has snuck into the studio to debut his new show -- Bones On! His plans are foiled when Molly pops in and asks him to guess some mystery sounds instead!
You – yes, you – are at the heart of the Brains On Universe! This is a public radio podcast and you are the public! That means we rely on your donations to keep us going strong. This Giving Tuesday, we’re offering a limited time deal. When you donate $72 you can choose to receive a personal message from hosts Molly Bloom or Joy Dolo. If you donate today, you’ll receive your special, one-of-a-kind personalized message by December 20th. Contribute today at brainson.org/donate https://support.americanpublicmedia.org/BOU-pod-ms and don’t forget – today is the ONLY day you can get a personalized message at this discount and in time for the holidays!
Brains On will be back with new episodes starting December 17! We’ve got a gaggle of mystery sounds, so many great questions to answer and surprises in store. We can’t wait for you to tune into our next season!
Molly’s got a case of poetry fever, and she’s ready to rhyme! She’s testing out her newest stash of stanzas on her pals, Marc and Sanden. They’ll have to guess the animals featured in four of Molly’s poems. It’s a case of AND in the…MYSTERY ANIMAL POETRY SLAM CHALLENGE!
Usually, bonus episodes like this are exclusively for Smarty Pass subscribers but this month we’re sharing them with all our listeners. If you like this bonus episode and want to hear fun games every month, plus ad-free episodes, sign up for Smarty Pass. Did you know Brains On host Molly Bloom likes to collect things? Oh yeah, she has a collection of doorknobs, stickers, Dolly Parton-themed rugs, and even a collection of collective nouns! Her collection of collective nouns is so great she has a new game just to show them off. Join producers Sanden Totten and Ruby Guthrie as they play Noun Noun! To get more bonus episodes like this every month, sign up for Smarty Pass at SmartyPass.org.
According to legend, vampires are creatures with pale skin and sharp teeth who drink blood. These creepy ghouls are not real, but in this episode, we'll meet some vampire animals that do exist! Join Molly and co-host Quinn as they learn about all kinds of bloodsuckers, from mosquitos to birds to fish! They'll hear about vampire bats from Dr. May Dixon. Then Molly will share her top eight reasons to love vampire squids! Mr. Bonejangles will also give us a sneak peek of his new musical, Squiddler on the Roof, plus a spooky new mystery sound! SUBSCRIBE TO SMARTY PASS https://www.smartypass.org/ for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts! TODAY’S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY: __ __
Molly has her sparkly special suit on which means it’s time for GAME SHOW MOLLY! Game show Molly is just like regular Molly but with an awesome new game! Grab your smarty pass to hear Molly’s new rhyming game.
Every sneeze is like a snowflake. Unique, beautiful, wet! Sneezes help our noses get rid of stuff that’s not supposed to be there, like dust, dirt, or pollen. But how fast do sneezes travel? And how exactly does our body make them? Join Molly and co-host Anna as they explore the science behind sneezes, snot, and boogers! They’ll take a tour inside Marc's nose and watch a daredevil booger attempt to break the sneeze speed record! Then they’ll learn all about nasal mucus from otolaryngologist a.k.a. self-described professional snot sucker, Dr. Andrew Redmann. Plus a honker of a mystery sound! SUBSCRIBE TO SMARTY PASS https://www.smartypass.org/ for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts! TODAY’S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY: __ __
People who are blind or have low vision use different tools to navigate the world. One of the most common is called a white cane. White canes are long, thin, and lightweight with a handle on one end and a special tip on the other. Join Molly and co-host Jaden as they explore how white canes work. They’ll log into an interactive game called Cane Quest 3000 where they'll use white canes to move through a fantastical world and capture a bunch of tiny, yodeling aliens! Then they’ll link up with fan Phoenix to chat about what it’s like to use white canes on the day-to-day. All that, plus a puzzler of a mystery sound! SUBSCRIBE TO SMARTY PASS https://www.smartypass.org/ for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts! TODAY’S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY: - Indeed.com/brainson https://www.indeed.com/hire/audio-promotion-highimpact - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson - Help your kids learn to earn, save, spend wisely, and invest with Greenlight, the debit card and money app for teens. Visit Greenlight.com/inclined http://greenlight.com/inclined. http://greenlight.com/
Here in the U.S., we’re gearing up for the 2024 election! We’re about to vote to pick a new president and choose other leaders too. Maybe you’ve seen yard signs for different candidates around your neighborhood or campaign commercials on TV. All this election fever got us wondering: how do differentanimals pick their leaders? Join Molly and cohost Emily as they get to know some of the leaders in the animal kingdom, from tiny ants to orca whales. Plus, they’ll learn about a special group of monkeys that vote! And as always, a new mystery sound! SUBSCRIBE TO SMARTY PASS https://www.smartypass.org/ for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts! TODAY’S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY: - Indeed.com/brainson https://www.indeed.com/hire/audio-promotion-highimpact - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson - Help your kids learn to earn, save, spend wisely, and invest with Greenlight, the debit card and money app for teens. Visit Greenlight.com/inclined http://greenlight.com/inclined. http://greenlight.com/
Ahoy, avast, and welcome aboard the good ship , captained by the host with the most in all of the Seven Seas, Molly Bloom! Molly’s brought producer pals Sanden and Jess on board to play a game of EYE-EYE, CAPTAIN! Sanden and Jess will have to guess the answers to some fiendish questions about EYES. Can they navigate their way to the answers, or will their trivia timbers be shivered? YAAARRR!
The internet can feel like magic. You send a video of a squirrel eating an acorn to your friends and BOOM! A few seconds later, they can watch it! But how does the internet actually work? In today’s episode, Molly and co-host Kayson take a tour of the internet. They find out where information on the internet is stored and how that information moves around the world using long skinny cables on the ocean floor! They also call on Shark Manchez the computer hacker to explain the secret language computers speak. Plus, another tricky mystery sound! SUBSCRIBE TO SMARTY PASS https://www.smartypass.org/ for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts! TODAY’S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY: - Indeed.com/brainson https://www.indeed.com/hire/audio-promotion-highimpact - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson - Help your kids learn to earn, save, spend wisely, and invest with Greenlight, the debit card and money app for teens. Visit Greenlight.com/inclined http://greenlight.com/inclined. http://greenlight.com/
About 1 out of 13 kids has a food allergy. Some are allergic to peanuts, others can’t eat dairy or shellfish or – you name it! So, why do some of us have food allergies and others don’t? Join Molly and co-host Gemma as they learn all about food allergies. First, they’ll explore the immune system, the tiny army inside our bodies that fights off things that can make us sick. Turns out, these fighter cells sometimes think certain foods are a threat! Then they’ll chat with Dr. Adora Lin about why some people are allergic to certain foods and others aren’t — and visit a cafeteria to hear from kids with food allergies! Plus, a new mystery sound you won’t want to miss. SUBSCRIBE TO SMARTY PASS https://www.smartypass.org/ for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts! Today’s episode is sponsored by: - Indeed.com/brainson https://www.indeed.com/hire/audio-promotion-highimpact - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson - Help your kids learn to earn, save, spend wisely, and invest with Greenlight, the debit card and money app for teens. Visit Greenlight.com/inclined http://greenlight.com/inclined. http://greenlight.com/
Eyes are incredible. But sometimes they need a little help to see clearly. Enter: glasses! In this episode, we'll hear how eyes take in light and paint a picture of the world around us. We'll take a peek inside the eye to see why sometimes vision can be blurry and how glasses help. Then, we'll learn all about eye exams with a visit to the eye doctor! All that, plus a brand new mystery sound! SUBSCRIBE TO SMARTY PASS https://www.smartypass.org/ for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts! Today’s episode is sponsored by: - Indeed.com/brainson https://www.indeed.com/hire/audio-promotion-highimpact - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson - Help your kids learn to earn, save, spend wisely, and invest with Greenlight, the debit card and money app for teens. Visit Greenlight.com/inclined http://greenlight.com/inclined. http://greenlight.com/
Have you ever wondered how things in space get their names? Us, too! In this week’s episode, Molly and co-host Cassie hear the story of a funky little moon with a very strange name. It all started when Radiolab https://radiolab.org/podcast/zoozve co-host Latif Nasser noticed something unusual on his son’s map of the solar system: a moon next to Venus called Zoozve. He’d never heard of Venus having a moon – and he’d never heard of a moon named Zoozve. So, he called up his friend at NASA, and a wild space quest began! Plus, Latif will share how YOU can enter a contest to name one of Earth’s quasi-moons. And of course, a new mystery sound that we’re really FEATURED EXPERTS: Radiolab https://radiolab.org/team/latif-nasser co-host and host and executive producer of Latif Nasser. RESOURCES: Learn more about the contest at radiolab.org/moon https://woobox.com/wc2qxd — and submit your own idea! SUBSCRIBE TO SMARTY PASS https://www.smartypass.org/ for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts! Today’s episode is sponsored by: - Indeed.com/brainson https://www.indeed.com/hire/audio-promotion-highimpact - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson - Greenlight - Help your kids learn to earn, save, spend wisely, and invest with Greenlight, the debit card and money app for teens. Visit Greenlight.com/inclined
Smash Boom Best producers Rosie duPont and Aron Woldeslassie are a little early for the BIG game. Looking to kill some time they decide to play Impression Sound. Just like the great Brains On game Mystery Sound, Impression Sound has players guessing sounds. BUT unlike Mystery Sound, Aron and Rosie will be making the sounds with their mouths -- like an impression. Hence the very appropriate name for this game: Impression Sound!
Ping! Another episode of Brains On just dropped! And it’s all about phones: how they help us, why they’re so hard to put down – and how to have a balanced relationship with them. In this episode, Molly and co-host Linden do a deep dive on phone use. They’ll chat with an expert about whether screens are bad for us and hear from some teenagers about how they really feel about their phones! Meanwhile, Marc takes his camels Humpty and Dumpty to a phone-free picnic, and Dwayne the Brain demonstrates the powerful connection between phones and dopamine. All that, plus a stumper of a mystery sound! We’ve been thinking about our phones a lot here at Brains On – so we started this new thing called ANALOG AUGUST, a month-long campaign to unplug our phones and get out in the world. If this episode inspires, we hope you and your family will join in the fun, and do your best to use your phones less! Parents can attend our virtual event https://www.brainson.org/page/analogaugust about kids and phones on Thursday, August 15th from 12pm PT / 2pm CT / 3pm ET and sign up for our newsletter https://www.brainson.org/page/analogaugust of ideas for phone-free adventures and tips on finding a healthy screen-life balance. Read more here. https://www.brainson.org/page/analogaugust FEATURED EXPERTS: Julia Storm https://www.reconnect-families.com/about is a digital wellness specialist, educator, and advocate. She helps families work through issues around tech. Jacqueline Nesi https://cdh.brown.edu/people/jacqueline-nesi-phd is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University and a Clinical Psychologist at Rhode Island Hospital. She specializes in issues affecting kids and teens. SUBSCRIBE TO SMARTY PASS https://www.smartypass.org/ for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts! Today’s episode is sponsored by: - Indeed.com/brainson https://www.indeed.com/hire/audio-promotion-highimpact - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson
Have you ever seen an aurora? These spectacular night-time displays can fill our skies with dancing lights and bursts of color. But why do they happen in the first place? Join Molly and co-host Mariam as they learn about what makes an aurora (hint: it starts with spicy sun burps) and chat with scientist Dr. Liz MacDonald about the best places to see them. Stick around for aurora trivia with Gameshow Molly and a dazzling new mystery sound! SUBSCRIBE TO SMARTY PASS https://www.smartypass.org/ for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts! Today’s episode is sponsored by: - Indeed.com/brainson https://www.indeed.com/hire/audio-promotion-highimpact - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson
Seahorses can be as tiny as a grain of rice or more than a foot long. They also beat their small fins up to 70 times per second – about as fast as hummingbird wings. These cowboys of the sea are full of surprises! Join Molly and co-host Noemi as they swim through an episode full of seahorse facts. They’ll hear from seahorse expert Heather Koldewey about what it’s like to swim with these fabulous little fish. Then they’ll head down to the beach to chat with a seahorse dad who’s expecting! Plus, an all-new mystery sound. SUBSCRIBE TO SMARTY PASS https://www.smartypass.org/ for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts! Today’s episode is sponsored by: - Indeed.com/brainson https://www.indeed.com/hire/audio-promotion-highimpact - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson
Whether you hum in the shower or yodel on stage, you can make music with your voice! But what’s going on inside of your body when you do it? And are there ways to change how your voice sounds? Molly and co-host Kate will explore these questions and more in this episode all about singing. They’ll join Marc to watch a famous opera star do her thing and learn about what happens in our bodies when we sing. They’ll hear samples of everything from throat singing to rock and roll. Plus they'll chat with voice teacher and opera singer Mikalia Bradberry about all the ways we can learn to control our voice and sing in different styles – from Broadway belting to crooning like Taylor Swift. Plus, a noteworthy mystery sound! SUBSCRIBE TO SMARTY PASS https://www.smartypass.org/ for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts! Today’s episode is sponsored by: - Indeed.com/brainson https://www.indeed.com/hire/audio-promotion-highimpact - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson
Curious about cats? Us too! Join Molly and co-host Lynx as they sniff out the answers to some of your most pressing cat questions. They’ll head to a chaotic cat café to learn the history of house cats, they'll hear a song all about cat breeds, and chat with cat expert Mikel Delgado about catnip, cat naps, and why cats love to lick themselves! Plus a purr-plexing new mystery sound. SUBSCRIBE TO SMARTY PASS https://www.smartypass.org/ for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts! Today’s episode is sponsored by: - Indeed.com/brainson https://www.indeed.com/hire/audio-promotion-highimpact - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson
Molly is working on a musical about trees that live in cities. But she can’t finish her rhymes! So she enlists Ruby and Anna to help. Molly gives them some of her unfinished lyrics and it’s up to them to help her turn a single sentence into a fact-filled musical couplet!
Did you know that more than half the people in the world lives in cities? The hustle and bustle of a city can be awesome, but cities can also be hot and polluted. Luckily, there’s a solution we can all get behind – trees! Join Molly and co-host Nallini as they learn how these magnificent towering giants make our cities better places to live and help fight climate change. They’ll also visit an urban orchard that grows fruit in the middle of Philadelphia. All that plus a -mendous mystery sound! SUBSCRIBE TO SMARTY PASS https://www.smartypass.org/ for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts! Today’s episode is sponsored by: - Poshpeanut.com/brainson http://poshpeanut.com/brainson - Receive 20% off your first order - Indeed.com/brainson https://www.indeed.com/hire/audio-promotion-highimpact - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson - Inside Out 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEjhY15eCx0&ab_channel=Pixar - Disney and Pixar's Inside Out 2 is coming to theaters, June 14th - PRX's Jamming on the Job https://pbskids.org/jammingonthejob/ - Check out new episodes of PRX's Jamming on the Job https://pbskids.org/jammingonthejob/ wherever you get your podcasts. - Mrs. Wordsmith https://mrswordsmith.com/?utm_sorce=google&utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{ad.name}}&tw_source=google&tw_adid=635889998780&tw_campaign=1902065980&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw6auyBhDzARIsALIo6v-VgP24eCDib984I0LijCo7aFyzlkM6j9UXve-L5vySP1QSWhvCr-0aAkKwEALw_wcB - Visit mrswordsmith.com https://mrswordsmith.com/ and use code brainson15 to get 15% off your order.
98.6 degrees is hot. If it were that hot outside, you’d be sweaty and want to go jump in a nice cold pool. But the insides of our bodies are that hot all the time! And that’s because there’s going on in there that creates heat. In this episode, Molly and co-host Saathvik find out how our bodies keep our insides at a nice steady temperature (and why that’s harder to do when it’s hot outside!). And we’ll talk with Dr. Joe Alcock about why humans and lots of other animals get fevers. Plus, a new mystery sound guaranteed to make you sweat! SUBSCRIBE TO SMARTY PASS https://www.smartypass.org/ for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts! Today’s episode is sponsored by: - Poshpeanut.com/brainson http://poshpeanut.com/brainson - Receive 20% off your first order - Indeed.com/brainson https://www.indeed.com/hire/audio-promotion-highimpact - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson - Inside Out 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEjhY15eCx0&ab_channel=Pixar - Disney and Pixar's Inside Out 2 is coming to theaters, June 14th - PRX's Jamming on the Job https://pbskids.org/jammingonthejob/ - Check out new episodes of PRX's Jamming on the Job https://pbskids.org/jammingonthejob/ wherever you get your podcasts. - Mrs. Wordsmith https://mrswordsmith.com/?utm_sorce=google&utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{ad.name}}&tw_source=google&tw_adid=635889998780&tw_campaign=1902065980&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw6auyBhDzARIsALIo6v-VgP24eCDib984I0LijCo7aFyzlkM6j9UXve-L5vySP1QSWhvCr-0aAkKwEALw_wcB - Visit mrswordsmith.com https://mrswordsmith.com/ and use code brainson15 to get 15% off your order.
Looking for some sneaky sound puzzles to solve? Tune in to our all-new mystery sound extravaganza! Join co-host Maggie as she listens to recordings of sounds from listeners – and tries to figure out what they are. You’ll hear Maggie and her brother Sam go head-to-head in a sibling mystery sound battle and listen to podcast producers Nichole Hill and Yowei Shaw struggle to solve some sonic stumpers. Get your listening ears ready for this one! SUBSCRIBE TO SMARTY PASS https://www.smartypass.org/ for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts! Today’s episode is sponsored by: - Poshpeanut.com/brainson http://poshpeanut.com/brainson - Receive 20% off your first order - Indeed.com/brainson https://www.indeed.com/hire/audio-promotion-highimpact - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson - Inside Out 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEjhY15eCx0&ab_channel=Pixar - Disney and Pixar's Inside Out 2 is coming to theaters, June 14th.
Vacuums are full of surprises! Did you know that they blow air to suck things up? Or that old-fashioned vacuums were so huge, they had to be hauled from house to house by horses?! Join Molly and co-host Baker as they learn all about these awesome appliances. They’ll dig into vacuum history, shrink to the size of air molecules and explore the inside of this curious contraption, and even check out a vacuum museum in Missouri. All that, plus a tricky new mystery sound that will blow you away! SUBSCRIBE TO SMARTY PASS https://www.smartypass.org/ for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts! Today’s episode is sponsored by: - Poshpeanut.com/brainson http://poshpeanut.com/brainson - Receive 20% off your first order - Indeed.com/brainson https://www.indeed.com/hire/audio-promotion-highimpact - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson - Inside Out 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEjhY15eCx0&ab_channel=Pixar - Disney and Pixar's Inside Out 2 is coming to theaters, June 14th.
