But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids
231 episodes - English - Latest episode: 10 days ago - ★★★★ - 4.3K ratingsBut Why is a show led by kids. They ask the questions and we find the answers. It’s a big interesting world out there. On But Why, we tackle topics large and small, about nature, words, even the end of the world. Know a kid with a question? Record it with a smartphone. Be sure to include your kid's first name, age, and town and send the recording to [email protected]!
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Episodes
What Happens To The Forest After A Fire?
July 17, 2020 13:22 - 33 minutes - 30.6 MBWhy are there forest fires? What happens to the forest after a fire? Sometimes you send us questions about things you’ve heard about, and sometimes you send us questions about your experiences. We’ll hear from 5-year-old Abby in Australia who wanted to know more about the bush fires near her home earlier this year. Liam and Emma tell us about their wildfire experiences in California, and we get answers to your questions from Ernesto Alvarado, professor at the University of Washington.
Why Do Ladybugs Have Spots? Do Dragonflies Bite?
July 03, 2020 12:20 - 20 minutes - 19.1 MBThis week, we're getting out our bug nets and talking about dragonflies and ladybugs! Why do ladybugs have spots? How many different types of ladybugs are there? How do they crawl on the ceiling without falling down? Where do dragonflies and ladybugs sleep? Why are dragonflies called dragonflies? Do they bite? We're joined by Kent McFarland, a research biologist at the Vermont Center for Ecostudies and the co-host of another great VPR podcast called Outdoor Radio. Download our learning guid...
But Why Live: A Musical Celebration
June 27, 2020 12:30 - 49 minutes - 45.2 MBIn this special live episode But Why had a musical celebration with Mister Chris, the Junkman and May Erlewine, and we heard your songs. You can listen to But Why Live at vpr.org and call-in every Friday at 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time through June 26, 2020. This program is in collaboration with the Vermont Agency of Education to bring interactive educational opportunities to students while schools are closed. TRANSCRIPT | EDUCATION RESOURCES
But Why Live: A Discussion About Race And Racism
June 19, 2020 09:30 - 47 minutes - 43 MBIn this special live episode But Why held a discussion about race and racism with the authors of ABCs of Diversity, Y. Joy Harris-Smith and Carolyn Helsel. You can listen to But Why Live at vpr.org and call-in every Friday at 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time through June 26, 2020. This program is in collaboration with the Vermont Agency of Education to bring interactive educational opportunities to students while schools are closed. TRANSCRIPT | EDUCATION RESOURCES
But Why Live: Trees
June 13, 2020 12:30 - 48 minutes - 44.4 MBIn this special live episode learned about trees and tree communication with scientists Alexia Constantinou and Katie McMahen of the Simard Lab at the University of British Columbia. You can listen to But Why Live at vpr.org and call-in every Friday at 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time through June 26, 2020. This program is in collaboration with the Vermont Agency of Education to bring interactive educational opportunities to students while schools are closed. TRANSCRIPT | EDUCATION RESOURCES
But Why Live: Kid Press Conference with Governor Phil Scott
June 06, 2020 12:30 - 49 minutes - 45.7 MBIn this special live episode we held a kid press conference with Vermont Governor Phil Scott. You can listen to But Why Live at vpr.org and call-in every Friday at 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time through June 19, 2020. This program is in collaboration with the Vermont Agency of Education to bring interactive educational opportunities to students while schools are closed. TRANSCRIPT | EDUCATION RESOURCES
Why Do Spiders Have Eight Legs?
June 05, 2020 12:30 - 29 minutes - 27.4 MBWhy don't spiders stick to their own webs? How do spiders walk up walls and on ceilings without falling? Why do spiders have eight legs and eight eyes? How do they make webs? And silk? What's a cobweb? How do spiders eat? And why are daddy long legs called daddy long legs when they have to have a female to produce their babies?! We're talking spiders today with arachnologist Catherine Scott. Download our learning guides: Transcript| Coloring Page
But Why Live: Words and Language
May 30, 2020 12:30 - 49 minutes - 45.2 MBIn this special live episode we learn about words and language with linguist John McWhorter, host of the podcast Lexicon Valley. You can listen to But Why live at vpr.org and call-in every Friday at 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time through June 19, 2020. This program is in collaboration with the Vermont Agency of Education to bring interactive educational opportunities to students while schools are closed. TRANSCRIPT | EDUCATION RESOURCES
But Why Live: Space Exploration
May 23, 2020 12:30 - 51 minutes - 47 MBIn this special live episode we learn about space and space exploration with Jim Green, NASA's Chief Scientist. You can listen to But Why live at vpr.org and call-in every Friday at 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time through June 19, 2020. This program is part of a collaboration with the Vermont Agency of Education to bring interactive educational opportunities to students while schools are closed. TRANSCRIPT | EDUCATION RESOURCES
How Does Slime Work?
May 22, 2020 12:30 - 21 minutes - 19.8 MBWhat is slime and how do you make it? What makes glue sticky? Why does mixing diet coke and Mentos make an explosion? How does glow in the dark stuff glow without batteries? We're talking about sticky things like slime and glue in this episode. Plus, bonus: explosions! The branch of science we're focusing on is called chemistry. Chemistry is basically the study of stuff and what it's made of, and how different substances interact with one another, sometimes even combining to make new stuff. ...
But Why Live: Poetry
May 16, 2020 12:10 - 49 minutes - 45 MBIn this special live episode we learn about poetry and writing with Poetry Guy Ted Scheu, Rajnii Eddins, and we hear your poems! Get your pencils ready; we’ll be doing some fun writing exercises as well. You can listen to But Why live at vpr.org and call-in every Friday at 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time through June 19, 2020. This program is part of a collaboration with the Vermont Agency of Education to bring interactive educational opportunities to students while schools are closed. TRANSCR...
But Why Live: Bats and Beavers
May 09, 2020 12:30 - 47 minutes - 43.1 MBIn this special live episode, we learn about bats and beavers! First up, all about bats with Barry Genzlinger of Vermont Bat Center. Then, we learn about the industrious beaver with wildlife biologist Kim Royar of the Vermont Department for Fish & Wildlife. Listen live at vpr.org and call-in every Friday at 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time through June 19, 2020. This program is part of a collaboration with the Vermont Agency of Education to bring interactive educational opportunities to students...
Where Does The Sky End?
May 08, 2020 12:27 - 23 minutes - 21.2 MBWhere is the border between sky and space? That's what 5-year-old Matthias of Durham, New Hampshire wants to know. Allesandra, 3 of Bella Vista, Arkansas wants to know why we can't hold air. We're going to get scientific, but also philosophical and imaginative with anthropologist Hugh Raffles, astronomer John O'Meara, and, a special treat, cellist Zoë Keating, who scored the episode for us to help us really feel it! Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript
Circle Round: The Fallen Sparrow
May 01, 2020 19:00 - 18 minutes - 17.3 MBWe're sharing a new episode from one of our favorite podcasts, Circle Round. Jane Lindholm co-stars with Molly Bloom (Brains On!, Smash Boom Best) as twin sisters who reap what they sow in this story with origins in Korea, Tibet, Japan and China.
Why Do Cookies Taste Better With Salt? And Other Cooking Questions
April 24, 2020 12:00 - 23 minutes - 21.2 MBWe head to the kitchen to answer cooking and food questions. Why does food taste better with salt? Why do we need salt to make sweet things like cookies? Why do seasonings taste good in food but not so much on their own? Why are marshmallows soft? Why do egg whites go from clear to white when they're cooked? How are expiration dates determined? Answers to your food questions with Molly Birnbaum, host the podcast Mystery Recipe and editor of America's Test Kitchen Kids. Download our learning...
Why Do Baby Teeth Fall Out?
April 10, 2020 12:30 - 26 minutes - 24.4 MBWe're talking about teeth with a friendly dentist! How do teeth become loose? Why do our baby teeth fall out? Why do people only have two sets of teeth? Why don't babies have teeth when they're born? Why are teeth white? Why do we have gums in our mouth? How does toothpaste clean your teeth? How does sugar make cavities? We get answers from Theron Main, a pediatric dentist at Timberlane Dental Group in South Burlington, Vermont. Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript
'Are Llamas Ticklish?' And Other Silly Questions
March 27, 2020 16:57 - 19 minutes - 18.3 MBWe're answering 9 questions that put a smile on our faces, and we hope they make you chuckle, too. Plus, you might actually learn something from some of the answers! Are llamas ticklish? Why do pickles and cacti look alike? What are boogers made out of? How do fish see underwater without goggles? Do skunks like their smell? Do pigs poop? Are elephants afraid of mice? Are jellyfish made of jelly? Why are yawns contagious? Guests include Jo Blasi from the New England Aqarium, naturalist Marr...
Brave Little State: Tips From A Homeschooling, Remote-Working Mom
March 25, 2020 01:14 - 17 minutes - 15.7 MBWe’re sharing an episode of a Vermont Public Radio's Brave Little State. We know many of you are experiencing some changes now that schools in lots of states and countries are closed to slow the spread of COVID-19. For some families this is the first time you’ve had to try to do something like school at home. But others of you might do homeschooling all the time; and you’ve probably got some great advice for families who are new to this routine! This episode of Brave Little State brought t...
Coronavirus For Kids, And The Science Of Soap
March 13, 2020 20:31 - 31 minutes - 28.6 MBAs COVID-19 spreads across the globe, the World Health Organization has declared the novel coronavirus a pandemic. We’re answering questions about the virus with infectious disease doctor Krutika Kuppalli, who studies global pandemics. And chemistry professor Palli Thordarson, from the University of New South Wales on the science of why washing your hands with plain old soap and water is so effective against germs. Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript
Why Do People Have Nightmares?
February 28, 2020 15:43 - 26 minutes - 24.3 MBWhy do people dream? Why do people have nightmares? How do dreams happen? Can people who are blind can see in their dreams? We're listening back to our episode about dreams with psychiatrist Dr. David Kahn of Harvard Medical School. Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript
How Do We Fall Asleep?
February 14, 2020 12:30 - 26 minutes - 24.1 MBWhy do people need to sleep? How do we actually go to sleep? How does sleeping get rid of toxins in the brain? And how come when it's nighttime I don't want to go to sleep but when it's morning I don't want to wake up? Those questions and more, all about sleep. We're highlighting an episode from 2018 with pediatric sleep psychologist Dr. Lisa Meltzer. And stay tuned; our next episode is all about dreams! Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript
What Happens When A President Is Impeached?
February 06, 2020 01:29 - 19 minutes - 17.4 MBCurious kids are hearing about the impeachment trial of US President Donald Trump. So But Why is helping them understand what impeachment is and what happens when a president is impeached. We'll explain why impeachment is an important part of the US constitution and why impeaching a president doesn't mean removing him or her from office. Our guests for this episode are Loyola Law School professor and legal analyst Jessica Levinson and Kenneth C. Davis, author of Don't Know Much About History...
Do Animals Get Married?
January 17, 2020 15:23 - 26 minutes - 24.6 MBDo animals get married? Do they fall in love and have friends? Do they laugh when they're happy and cry when they're sad? When you talk to your pets, can they understand you? Why can't they speak to us? And do animals know what kind of animal they are? Alyssa Arre of the Comparative Cognition Lab at Yale tackles these interesting questions. Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slides | Transcript | Coloring Page
Why Do Lions Roar?
January 03, 2020 19:09 - 17 minutes - 15.8 MBWhy do lions roar? Why do crickets chirp? Why do bucks shed their antlers every year? How can porcupines and hedgehogs avoid poking themselves? Do fish pee? What is the fastest fish? What do jellyfish eat? A roundup of animal questions, with answers from Paola Bouley of Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique, Kent McFarland of the Vermont Center for Ecostudies, naturalist Mary Holland and Jo Blasi of the New England Aquarium. Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slides | Transcript | C...
How Do We Taste Food?
December 20, 2019 12:37 - 23 minutes - 21.5 MBWhy do we like to eat certain foods? Why do some people like to eat spicy food? And what's up with kids not liking vegetables? Why does pineapple hurt your mouth when you eat too much of it? Why do we taste things and how? Why do different foods taste different? Do animals have the same taste buds as people? In this episode of But Why we get answers to all of those questions from chef, author, and TV personality Chris Kimball, Dr. Leslie Stein of the Monell Chemical Senses Center, and Vermon...
Why Are Some Words 'Bad'?
December 06, 2019 12:28 - 23 minutes - 21.2 MBIn this episode, we tackle why some words are "bad". Plus: Why do people say bad words? Why aren't kids allowed to say cuss words? Why is the middle finger bad? And adults, don't worry, we won't actually be using any bad words in this episode! But we will explore the psychology and brain science behind bad words with Benjamin Bergen, professor of cognitive science at University of California, San Diego. He's the author of What the F: What Swearing Reveals About Our Language, Our Brains, and ...
Ice, Ice, Baby: Why Is Ice Slippery?
November 22, 2019 12:44 - 21 minutes - 19.5 MBHow does water turn into ice? Why is ice sometimes slippery and other times sticky? Why is it so cold? Why does it float? How are icicles made? Why are icebergs mostly underwater? What was the ice age? We'll get answers to all of those questions with help from Celeste Labedz of the California Institute of Technology. And we'll take a trip to the world's largest skating rink, the Rideau Canal in Ottawa, Ontario. Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript
How Do Meteorologists Predict The Weather?
November 08, 2019 18:09 - 25 minutes - 23.3 MBHow do weather people predict the weather and know what's going to happen tomorrow? Why is a meteorologist called a meteorologist? We learn about weather forecasting with National Weather Service Meteorologist Jessica Neiles and NBC5 Chief Meteorologist Tom Messner. Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript
Are Unicorns Real?
October 25, 2019 16:04 - 22 minutes - 20.9 MBAre unicorns real? Who made them up? Where do they come from? What do they eat, how big are they, and do they have rainbow manes? We're answering all of your questions about unicorns-and learning about other mythical creatures as well with Adam Gidwitz, creator of The Unicorn Rescue Society and Dana Simpson cartoonist and author of Phoebe and Her Unicorn. Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript | Coloring Page
Are Jellyfish Made Of Jelly?
October 11, 2019 16:35 - 15 minutes - 14.5 MBIn this episode we're answering a few short questions about animals! Are jellyfish made of jelly? Do fish stink in the water or on land? Where do fish sleep? Do chickens have tongues? Can spiders sleep or not? How many types of animals are there in the world? Do snakes live in Antarctica? Is a springbok faster than a grizzly bear? Do skunks have big tails or small tails? Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript| Coloring Page
Why Do We Have To Go To School?
September 27, 2019 11:30 - 24 minutes - 22.7 MBWhy does school exist? When did kids start going, and why is it mandatory? Why are there 12 grades in school? Why do we call teachers by their last names? In this episode, we get schooled on school by sociologist Emily Rauscher and National Teacher of the Year Rodney Robinson. Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript
How Are Noodles Made?
September 13, 2019 17:24 - 21 minutes - 19.2 MBThis week, we answer a question from 4-year-old Hugo in Burlington, Vt. Hugo wants to know how noodles are made. But he's about to get more than he bargained for! For this episode we visit a restaurant called M.Y. China, in San Francisco, CA to watch executive chef Tony Wu hand-pull 16,000 noodles in 2 minutes. The restaurant's owner, chef Martin Yan of the PBS show Yan Can Cook narrates the action. And to give us some historical context, Jen Lin-Liu, author of On the Noodle Road: From Beij...
How Is Paper Made?
August 30, 2019 20:10 - 27 minutes - 25.6 MBHow is paper made from trees? Why does paper fall apart when it gets wet? Why does it lose color in the sun? Who invented paper? We make a few sheet of paper and learn all about how it's made with artist Carol Marie Vossler at BluSeed Studios in Saranac Lake, New York. Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Step By Step | Transcript
What Do Mosquitoes Do In Winter?
August 16, 2019 11:30 - 20 minutes - 18.9 MBThis episode is all about bugs! We've gotten a lot of questions from you about insects and other critters. So we're tackling them with the help of Jessica Honaker and Kristie Reddick, otherwise known as the Bug Chicks. Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript
Why Do Earthquakes Happen?
August 02, 2019 17:29 - 27 minutes - 25.1 MBWhy do earthquakes happen? How do the tectonic plates move underground? How do we stay safe during an earthquake? Why are continents so far apart? Why do buildings sometimes catch fire after earthquakes? Why are there tsunamis after earthquakes? For this week's show we headed to California to visit Jennifer Strauss at the Berkeley Seismology Lab and we hear from Celeste Labedz at the California Institute of Technology. Download our listening guides: PDF | Google Slides | Transcript
How Do Circuits Work?
July 19, 2019 12:00 - 23 minutes - 21.2 MBHow do circuits work? How do electric plugs work? Why do some things conduct electricity and some things do not? How does a battery make a phone work? How do lights turn on? Where do electrons go when the electricity is off? How fast is electricity? How do light bulbs work? How does solar power work? How do electric cars work? Why is electricity dangerous? Electrical Engineer Paul Hines answers our questions for the second half of our electricity live call-in program. Hines is a professor a...
What Is Electricity?
July 05, 2019 13:11 - 24 minutes - 22.2 MBWhere does electricity come from? What is electricity made of? Who invented it? How does electricity work? What are electrons made of? Electrical Engineer Paul Hines answers our questions, in part one of our live call-in program. Hines is a professor at the University of Vermont and co-founder of Packetized Energy. Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript | Watch On Facebook Live
Why Do Trains Run On Tracks?
June 21, 2019 20:10 - 21 minutes - 19.2 MBHow do trains work? What about electric trains? Steam trains? Bullet trains? Why do they have to go on tracks? How can trains go so fast even though they're so heavy? And why don’t trains have seat belts? We’re traveling to Union Station in Washington, DC and answering all of your questions with Amtrak’s Patrick Kidd. Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript
Why Are Boys Boys And Girls Girls?
June 07, 2019 11:30 - 33 minutes - 30.9 MBThis week we're answering questions about gender. We've gotten a lot of questions about the differences between boys and girls so we're tackling them with Vanderbilt anthropologist Anna Catesby Yant and Dr. Lori Racha of UVM Medical Center. This is a frank but age-appropriate conversation about male and female bodies and about how biological sex differs from gender. We think the whole family will enjoy this episode, but you're always free to give our episodes a listen to see if it's right fo...
How Do Mussels Get Their Shells?
May 24, 2019 18:51 - 24 minutes - 22.3 MBWe're heading to the coast of Maine to learn a little bit about why the sea is salty and how mussels get their shells with Zach Whitener, a research associate at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute in Portland, Maine. We also get an answer to a question to how you get a ship in a bottle from Colorado-based ship-in-bottle builder Daniel Siemens in this encore episode from 2016. Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript | Ship In Bottle Plans
Why Am I Afraid Of The Dark?
May 10, 2019 11:25 - 33 minutes - 30.5 MBLots of people are afraid of the dark, including many kids who have shared that fear with us. In today's episode we explore the fear of the dark with Daniel Handler, better known as Lemony Snicket, the author of the Series of Unfortunate Events books, and a picture book for young kids called The Dark. Then we go on a night hike with Vermont Fish and Wildlife biologist Steve Perren, to talk about ways to embrace the darkness. We practice our night vision by not using flashlights and we thin...
Why Is Sugar Bad For You?
April 26, 2019 15:10 - 29 minutes - 27 MBWhy do we need to eat and how does food give us energy? Why do you have to eat vegetables? Why does junk food taste so good? So many questions about food and nutrition. We get answers from Wesley Delbridge, of the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Other questions in this episode include: Why does eating salty food make you thirsty? Why is sugar bad for you? Why are vitamins in food? Why is breakfast so important? Why do children get hungry at night? Why is fast food so popular?
"Do Skunks Like Their Own Smell?" And Other Stumpers!
April 12, 2019 19:12 - 20 minutes - 18.7 MBToday, 10 questions with one answer in common: "That's a good question!" We've picked 10 stumpers, like: Why don't we suffocate in cars when we're driving? How do we know where our mouths are? Why are there more boys than girls in books? Do monkeys every touch the ground? Why don't fish get electrocuted when lightning strikes? Where does the sidewalk end? Our experts include naturalists Mary Holland, author Grace Lin, primatologist Sofia Carrara, pediatrician Laurie Racha, Dan Goodman of AA...
Who Makes The Laws?
March 29, 2019 15:29 - 24 minutes - 22.1 MBWho makes the laws? That's what 5-year-old Paxton from Kelowna, British Columbia wants to know! We learn about laws with Mike Doyle of the Canadian organization Civix, and Syl Sobel, author of How the U.S. Government Works. We also answer a question from Charlotte in North Carolina: how do elections work? And Hattie in England asks why her country has a government and a queen.
Still Funny: Why Do We Laugh?
March 15, 2019 15:42 - 25 minutes - 23.6 MBWhy do we laugh? Why do you feel ticklish when someone tickles you? Why can't you tickle yourself? In this episode, originally from 2018, we learn about how humor develops with Gina Mireault of the Infant Laughter Project at Northern Vermont University. Plus: April Fools traditions and we listen to jokes sent in by kids with Vermont comedian Josie Leavitt.
How Is But Why Made? What Is Sound?
March 01, 2019 14:51 - 29 minutes - 27.2 MBIn this episode of But Why, we're answering your questions about...us! Why do you make But Why? How are podcasts made? And we're answering questions about the physics of sound and radio. What is sound and how is it made? Why are sound waves invisible? How do echoes work? How do microphones work? How do radio signals work? Answers to your sound and radio questions from our VPR colleagues: sound engineer Chris Albertine and Chief Technology Officer Joe Tymecki.
Why Is There A Big Patch Of Garbage In The Pacific Ocean?
February 15, 2019 15:42 - 24 minutes - 22.1 MBWhy is there a big patch of garbage in the Pacific Ocean? Four-year-old Leon has heard of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and he wants to know what the deal is. So we speak with someone who's actually been there! Teen Vogue News and Politics Editor Alli Maloney visited the garbage patch last year for a series called Plastic Planet. But in this episode we'll also explore how young people are becoming activists, trying to reduce the amount of plastic waste produced, waste that sometimes goes i...
Why Do Elephants Have Trunks? Why Do Giraffes Have Purple Tongues?
February 01, 2019 19:02 - 20 minutes - 18.9 MBWe're exploring two different animals in today's episode. One has a long neck and the other has a long trunk! We'll answer: Why are elephants so big? How do their trunks work? Why do they have tusks? Why is elephant skin so rough? Do elephants stomp? Are they actually afraid of mice? And Why are elephants being poached? Peter Wrege of the Elephant Listening Project, which studies elephants in Central African Republic, answers elephant questions. And Steph Fennessy, from the Giraffe Conservat...
Why Do Days Start At 12 O'Clock?
January 18, 2019 16:51 - 30 minutes - 28.3 MBHow was time created? How did one minute become 60 seconds and one hour became 60 minutes? Why is time segmented into 12-hour periods? How do clocks work? Why is a year 365 days? Why is there an extra day in February every four years? Does time have a beginning or an end? Is time travel possible? Answers to all of your time questions with Andrew Novick of NIST, the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Why Do We Sometimes See The Moon During The Day?
January 04, 2019 22:18 - 20 minutes - 18.9 MBWhy does the moon change shape? How much does the moon weigh? What color is the moon? Why does the Earth only have one moon? Why does the moon have holes? Where does the moon go when we can't see it? Why do we sometimes see the moon in the daytime? Why does the moon look like it's following you when you're in the car? Answers to your moon questions with John O'Meara, chief scientist at the W.M. Keck Observatory.