Brains On! Science podcast for kids
334 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 days ago - ★★★★★ - 12.1K ratingsBrains On!® is a science podcast for curious kids and adults from American Public Media. Each week, a different kid co-host joins Molly Bloom to find answers to fascinating questions about the world sent in by listeners. Like, do dogs know they’re dogs? Or, why do feet stink? Plus, we have mystery sounds for you to guess, songs for you to dance to, and lots of facts -- all checked by experts.
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Episodes
Big universe, big questions
June 14, 2016 19:34 - 16 minutes - 14.9 MBHave you ever wondered about what’s beyond the edge of the universe? Or maybe a better question: is there even an edge of the universe? And what does it mean that the universe is expanding? Nine-year-old Thea talks with astrophysicist Katie Mack to find answers to her many questions about the universe.
Why don't carnivores need to eat their vegetables?
May 17, 2016 19:12 - 12 minutes - 11.4 MBWe’re back with new episodes! Carnivores are animals that only eat other animals – so how do they get the vitamins, minerals and fiber that we humans get from eating plants? We take a trip to a salad bar with some animal pals to find out.
How do you catch a cold?
April 22, 2016 16:48 - 23 minutes - 21.6 MBWe’ve been catching colds for millennia – but it wasn’t until fairly recently that we actually understood how and why we get sneezy, coughy, and achy. In this episode, we find out more about the common cold: Does standing outside in the cold actually make it easier to get sick? Is there a cure that really works? Could there be a benefit to catching the rhinovirus? Listen for all the answers + the mystery sound!
Is there life on other planets?
April 07, 2016 16:43 - 27 minutes - 25.3 MBIs there anybody out there? Like, WAAAAY out there? In this episode we hear from astronomer Laura Danly about the search for life on other planets. We’ll also learn what that search has in common with a fairy tale.
Extinction!
March 22, 2016 19:35 - 33 minutes - 30.6 MBDid Dinosaurs have feathers? Can you bring back species that have gone extinct? Find out here.
Brains On! Besties
March 08, 2016 19:50 - 23 minutes - 21.8 MBMeet the Brains On! Besties… kid-friendly audio finds we think you’ll love.
Living Large with the International Space Station
February 21, 2016 19:46 - 28 minutes - 26.3 MBThe International Space Station sits 250 miles above Earth, but how did it get there? And what’s it like to live in space?
Mystery sound extravaganza!
February 10, 2016 19:42 - 22 minutes - 20.8 MBOMG, this is the episode you’ve been waiting for… an all-out, wall-to-wall, super-duper Mystery Sound show. Guess the sounds sent in from listeners and scientists alike. Plus, if you like having fun (and dancing), stick around to the end of the episode. An extra-special audio treat awaits. Shhhhhhhhhh!
Mystery sound extravaganza!
February 10, 2016 19:42 - 22 minutes - 20.8 MBOMG, this is the episode you’ve been waiting for… an all-out, wall-to-wall, super-duper Mystery Sound show. Guess the sounds sent in from listeners and scientists alike. Plus, if you like having fun (and dancing), stick around to the end of the episode. An extra-special audio treat awaits. Shhhhhhhhhh!
Spider sense
January 26, 2016 19:33 - 26 minutes - 24.1 MBDo spiders give you the heebie-jeebies? If so, we want to change your mind about our eight-legged buddies!
Why are no two snowflakes the same?
January 13, 2016 19:30 - 11 minutes - 10.3 MBIn this episode, Dr. Ken Libbrecht answers all of our snowflake questions: How are snowflakes made? Why are they different shapes? How is it that they’re all unique? And how does a scientist who lives in southern California study snow?
The science of baking
December 22, 2015 19:24 - 21 minutes - 20.1 MBBaking can seem kind of magical. You take a bunch of ingredients, mix them all together, put them in the oven, and then a little time passes — and you have cake! Or cookies! Or bread! But there’s no magic wand involved in the process — it’s chemistry!
Barks, growls, meows and purrs: Translating cats and dogs
December 08, 2015 19:20 - 15 minutes - 14 MBThis episode brings you a slew of dog and cat mystery sounds to puzzle over. Can you tell the difference playful barks and warning barks? How about decoding the meaning behind a cat’s meow?
How do meteorologists predict the weather?
November 25, 2015 19:10 - 23 minutes - 22 MBThere’s all sorts of weather happening right now around the world. Rain, sun, wind, snow… you name it, somewhere it’s happening. It may seem hard to keep track of it all, but scientists have it figured out. We’ll find out how they collect data on weather around the globe and turn it into a forecast.
The great cat debate: Evil or misunderstood?
November 18, 2015 16:00 - 15 minutes - 13.8 MBWe're transporting you to the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul for a segment from a recent live show: Cats vs. Dogs. In this very important debate, producers Marc Sanchez and Sanden Totten try to get the bottom of our feline friends' mysterious behavior. Plus: The mystery sound!
Your booger questions, answered
October 21, 2015 18:01 - 11 minutes - 10.4 MBNasal mucus is very important to our health – and actually kind of magical. There’s a lot going on in our noses all the time that we don’t appreciate. Where do boogers come from? Why does your nose run when you’re out in the cold? Why does your nose get stuffy when you’re sick?
Why does tickling make you laugh?
September 15, 2015 17:41 - 11 minutes - 10.9 MBCan you tickle yourself? Probably not. Almost everybody is ticklish, but what’s happening to us is a bit of a mystery.
Bridges vs. Tunnels
August 26, 2015 17:31 - 28 minutes - 26.4 MBWe’ve gotten a lot of questions about bridges and tunnels: How do bridges stay up? How are tunnels built? How do they build bridges over water? How do they put tunnels underwater? To answer these questions we’re staging a little friendly competition: bridges vs. tunnels!
Mission to Pluto!
July 10, 2015 17:07 - 11 minutes - 10.4 MBWe talk to Dr. Alan Stern, the leader of NASA’s mission to Pluto – New Horizons. He’s been working on the mission for over 20 years and he’s excited to see the surprises that New Horizons will be sending back. Plus: Take a quiz to test your New Horizons knowledge!
Cuttlefish: Ultimate Shapeshifters!
June 09, 2015 22:07 - 9 minutes - 8.32 MB… and you thought chameleons could hide.
Trees: From seed to shining seed
May 27, 2015 21:54 - 20 minutes - 18.9 MBHow do trees make oxygen? How do they grow? How do evergreens stay green all year? Why do tree leaves change color? How long can trees live? We’re branching out to tackle all these questions in this episode.
Why does the sun make some people sneeze?
May 12, 2015 21:46 - 10 minutes - 9.16 MBThis question has been a mystery for millennia. Turns out there’s a name for the phenomenon: photic sneeze reflex.
How and why do jellyfish sting?
April 09, 2015 20:48 - 8 minutes - 7.71 MBAll jellyfish sting – but not all jellyfish sting people. In this episode, we learn about how jellyfish sting and how they eat. Plus: stro-bi-la-tion (how jellyfish grow up).
Volcanoes in space!
March 18, 2015 15:10 - 10 minutes - 9.46 MBThe biggest volcano in our solar system is not on Earth -- and its footprint is as big as the entire state of Arizona.
When parasitoids attack!
February 13, 2015 20:47 - 8 minutes - 8.21 MBAfter a caterpillar goes into its chrysalis, you would expect a beautiful butterfly to emerge. But when this parasitoid attacks, the results are very different.
The mystery of gravity
January 09, 2015 20:40 - 8 minutes - 7.56 MBGravity is a very familiar force to us here on Earth. We know how it behaves and how it affects us. But where does it come from? We’ll also talk to a NASA astronaut about what it’s like to experience micro-gravity.
How do monarch butterflies travel so far?
September 09, 2014 17:03 - 21 minutes - 19.7 MBMonarch butterflies are unique — they’re the only butterfly to travel thousands of miles when the seasons change. They travel from as far north as Canada all the way down to a few very specific mountaintops in central Mexico. They don’t have a car, or an airplane ticket. They just have their two little wings. So we’re asking: How do they do it? How do they migrate thousands of miles? And why?
Water, water everywhere - but how does it get there?
July 08, 2014 16:51 - 21 minutes - 9.62 MBIt’s easy to take water for granted. After all, you just turn a faucet and it pours right out. But how does it get to our faucet? We’ll explore the water cycle from rain to your drain. And did you know that space is full of water? It’s one of the most common features of the universe. We’ll also look at all the important things our bodies do with water — and how that’s a cycle too. Caution: this episode may make you very thirsty.
Numbers!
December 06, 2013 17:30 - 31 minutes - 14.3 MBThe questions we have about numbers are uncountable. But here are a few of them: Where does zero come from? How is there more than one kind of infinity? What is it like to do math when numbers have different colors — and personalities?
Secrets!
October 14, 2013 19:38 - 24 minutes - 11.3 MBIf you look a little closer, listen a little harder, you’ll notice the secret life of things all around you. Want to know about the secret lives of bees, crickets, coral — and your own backyard? Give a listen!
Sleeping!
August 01, 2013 19:31 - 19 minutes - 9.02 MBWe have some questions about sleep: It’s ok to stay up late, right? Is it possible to control your dreams? Do all animals sleep? Why do we need to sleep anyway?
Music!
August 01, 2013 19:30 - 20 minutes - 9.58 MBThe questions asked and answered in this episode include: What is harmony exactly? What does it take to be a great rapper? How does sound travel?
Growing!
August 01, 2013 17:00 - 21 minutes - 9.63 MBAmong the questions answered in this episode: Is it better to be taller or shorter? Do animals grow the same way that humans do? What superpowers does your brain have before it’s done growing?
Eating!
July 25, 2013 20:15 - 20 minutes - 9.41 MBIn this episode, we ask: Why do some foods taste better to adults than kids? And what happens to food once you’re done tasting it?