Brains On! Science Podcast For Kids

20 years ago, we pictured dinosaurs as green, scaly animals. But times have changed! Now, we know some dinosaurs had feathers. And who knows — maybe some even had stripes.This episode looks at how we figure out what color dinosaurs might’ve been. We talk to Jingmai O’Connor, who studies fossil reptiles, about finding color pigment in fossils. And paleoartist Emily Willoughby talks to a “museum” about how her dino-depictions have changed over the years. Our co-host, Elyana, also brought us this important question: If dinosaurs evolved from birds and birds don’t fart, did dinosaurs fart? Wha-wha-what!?! Look no further than this episode for an extensive investigation.Remember to keep your ears open for the brand new Mystery Sound. And break out your kilns, because today’s Moment of Um answers this question: How do you make clay for pottery?There’s so much dino-tastic information that we decided to make a second dinosaur episode. So if you haven’t had enough (and who has?), make sure to check out next week’s sho

In this episode, we're using our zoom ray to zoom way in and answer your questions about the COVID vaccine. What's in the COVID vaccine? How does it work? And how do they make it? We'll also look at how our fight against the new coronavirus has had a huge impact on another virus: influenza. And, we'll head to a stadium to learn what 95% effective means for a vaccine. (Warning: There are seagulls overhead!)Plus, we'll have a brand new mystery sound and a Moment of Um that answers the question: what do scientists eat in Antarctica?Read Katherine Wu’s article about what’s happening with the flu this year: https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2021/02/covid-19-flu-season/617924/ Find the rest of our episodes about coronavirus here, including episodes on the vaccine, masks, social distancing, and how we’re processing this historic time: https://www.brainson.org/page/coronavirus This episode is sponsored by: Sitka Salmon Shares (sitkasalmonshares.com/brainson) and Purple.com (Purple.com: purple.com/brainson10

In this encore episode, we answer the questions: How does the moon control the tides? Where do waves come from? And what’s it like to live in a tide pool?Sir Isaac Newton drops by and drops some knowledge. He helps explain why the tides ebb and flow. Then, an oceanographer/surfer tells us where waves come from and how they get their shape – cowabunga! Plus we hear about what it’s like for marine life that move to a new neighborhood once or twice a day. Sometimes it’s underwater, sometimes it’s not. Plus a brand new Moment of Um answers the question: Why don’t our ears have bones? And there’s a new group of listeners to be added to the Brains Honor Roll.This episode was originally published on Aug. 30, 2016.This episode is sponsored by Sun Basket (sunbasket.com/brainson and promo code BRAINSON)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

HARVEY, our omnipresent virtual voice assistant, gets a software update that makes him go bananas for bananas. And if we talk about anything except bananas, he turns the microphones off! We talk to geneticist Dr. Janina Jeff about how much DNA we share with a banana, find out why bananas make other fruits ripen, how bananas grow, and where that slipping on a banana peel joke came from. Speaking of jokes, we'll hear a bunch of banana jokes from listeners too! Plus: The Moment of Um answers the question: "Why are peaches fuzzy?"You can hear more from Dr. Jeff on her podcast In Those Genes.Silent film expert Lea Stans has a wonderful blog post about the history of the banana peel joke that you can read right here. You can see some of those early comics that featured the joke! https://www.youtube.com/watch/RMDgmHB4zncToday’s episode is sponsored by: KiwiCo (kiwico.com/brainson code: BRAINSON)Purple (purple.com/BRAINSON10 promo code BRAINSON10)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In December, people started getting vaccinated against COVID-19. This is a huge scientific accomplishment and important step in making it safe for us to hang out in person again. So how did scientists develop these vaccines so fast? And how did they test the vaccines to make sure they’re safe? And how do these mRNA vaccines work?We have answers to all your questions, plus New York Times science journalist Apoorva Mandavilli explains what scientists have found out about how long immunity lasts to this new coronavirus. And Kara and Gilly are back with a cow-side chat about herd immunity. Plus: A new mystery sound and a Moment of Um that answers the question, "What would happen if the moon fell down onto earth?"Today’s episode is sponsored by Sitka Salmon Shares (http://sitkasalmonshares.com/brainson)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we have a special episode featuring an old friend of ours -- scientist and inventor Gitanjali Rao. Time Magazine recently named her the first-ever Kid of the Year! We first met Gitanjali back in 2018, when she was the co-host for a series of episodes we did all about water. Back then, she was a 12 year old who had recently won 2017 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge. Now, she's a very busy 15 year-old who is an inventor, STEM advocate and author. Molly and Gitanjali chat about how kids can turn their ideas into reality, and why kids shouldn't be afraid to share their viewpoints and skills with the world -- we need them!Gitanjali has also written a book, which you can check out here.Also, you can hear Gitanjali judge a very science-y Smash Boom Debate: Helium vs Neon!Check out the water series that Gitanjali co-hosted:What’s in your water?The wonderful weirdness of waterKeeping water healthy, one clue at a timeBurning rivers of fireSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Synthesizers are a very recent invention, especially when you compare them to acoustic instruments, like pianos and guitars. In this episode, we learn how these machines with keys, knobs, switches, buttons and sliders actually make sound. We’ll also travel back to the 1960’s and hear how synth pioneers like Bob Moog helped bring these sound making devices into the mainstream. Plus, we’ll check in with Suzanne Ciani, who has been using her synthesizer to create iconic sounds for movies, television and video games for over 50 years! All that plus a striking Mystery Sound and Moment of Um that answers the question: Do airplanes have a speed limit?Want to take a deeper dive into the world of synthesizers? Check out Francis Preve’s digital book, AudioKit Synth One: The Ultimate Guid‪e‬. It’s free!Today’s episode is sponsored by Sun Basket (sunbasket.com/brainson promo code: brainson) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If habits are really stuck, we don't think much about them -- we just do them! Some habits are good (like brushing your teeth in the morning) and others are not as good (like biting your nails). Today we find out what parts of our brains help us form habits and why it's actually super useful to not have to think so hard about everything. Gungador tries to break a bad habit, and we find out the best tips for ditching habits we want to leave behind. Plus: A brand new mystery sound and a Moment of Um that answers the question: "How do 3D glasses work?If you want to join the Brains On fan club and get a mailing of awesome temporary tattoos, have an adult sign up or update your mailing address at brainson.org/fanclubToday’s episode is sponsored by KiwiCo (kiwico.com and promo code BRAINSON) and Purple (purple.com/brainson10 and promo code BRAINSON10).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ll be back with new episodes in January. But we wanted to share another show with you that we’ve been working on: Smash Boom Best!It’s a debate show where we take two cool things, smash them together and let you decide which one is best. Today we’re sharing with you an excerpt from a debate featuring our very own Sanden Totten: Flowers vs RainbowsSanden is repping team flowers and our good friend Joy Dolo, host of Forever Ago, is arguing for team rainbows.To hear the rest of the debate, find Smash Boom Best wherever you listen to podcasts. There are over 30 debates ready for your binge listening this holiday season! Play along at home by yourself -- or with your family! You can find score sheets and other fun stuff at smashboom.orgSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bones! They’re spooky. They’re creepy. They’re utterly fascinating!This episode we dig up the science behind skeletons. We’ll look at how our bones grow, what happens when we break a bone and why bones last so long. Plus, we’ll meet a talking skeleton who will help us bone up on bone trivia!And we have a mystery sound to tickle your auditory ossicles and a Moment of Um that answers the question: Why does time fly when you're having fun?We’re taking a break after this episode and will be back with new episodes on Jan. 5th. Until then, we’d love for you to go check out our sister show Smash Boom Best (smashboom.org). We’re also going to be doing a live virtual hangout in November where you can ask Molly, Marc, Sanden and Menaka all your questions. Anything you want to ask, we’ll answer! If you want to join us, the first step is to sign up for our totally free fan club (brainson.org/fans). In November we’ll send an email out to the fan club with more details about this free, virtual hang out. So keep an eye out

Having a sibling is a special thing -- but, wow, can they be annoying! In this episode we’ll look at why our brothers and sisters are so good at pushing our buttons. Plus, is there any truth to the idea that oldest kids are the most mature and the youngest ones are the most charming? We’ll look at the science of personality and birth order. We also visit a sibling drive-thru, get quizzed about animal relationships and answer this question in our Moment of Um: why does rain come in small droplets?This episode is sponsored by:KiwiCo (https://kiwico.com/brainson)Ancestry (https://ancestry.com/brainson)White Hat Jr. (https://www.whitehatjr.com/)General Mills Pillsbury (https://www.pillsbury.com/products/cinnamon-rolls)If you want to find out more about how to stop bullying, please go to Stop Bullying Speak Up: http://includesomeone.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The flu shot changes every year. But why is the flu special, if other illnesses have much longer-lasting vaccines? This episode takes us into the world of viruses and immunity.We released this episode about flu vaccines last year but we wanted to share it with you again since it’s flu vaccine season but also because vaccines are in the news a lot lately. Scientists are testing a bunch of vaccines for the new coronavirus right now. This episode gets into the details of how vaccines work and how they’re made.A friendly lymphocyte fills us in on how flu shots work, and science journalist Anna Rothschild shares how vaccines started around the world. We'll hear from some virus-busting detectives to see how scientists solve the case of how to make next year’s flu shot as effective as possible. Author Maryn McKenna will stop by and drop some flu knowledge, too!Get your ears ready for a good, thumping mystery sound, and a new Moment of Um: how do straws work?This episode is sponsored by KiwiCo (KiwiCo.com/brainson),

If time feels weird to you lately, you’re not alone. The pandemic has changed the pace of life for people around the world. We’ll talk to a psychologist about how our sense of time works. We’ll look back into the past to see how a similar pandemic played out 100 years ago. Plus, we’ll ask experts to tell us what they think life will be like six months from now. Oh yeah, and virus podcasters Kara and Gilly are back to tell you how you can be a part of history! Warning: Boogers are involved. Our Moment of Um answers the question: why do your arms move when you walk?This episode is sponsored by:Stop Bullying Speak Up (http://includesomeone.com)KiwiCo (https://kiwico.com/brainson)Laurel Springs Online School (https://laurelsprings.com/brainson)AncestryHealth (https://ancestryhealth.com/brainson)Daily Harvest (https://dailyharvest.com)General Mills Pillsbury (https://www.pillsbury.com/products/cinnamon-rolls)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How are mountains made? What causes an earthquake? How does hot lava come bubbling up? The answer in each case is…tectonic plates!These are giant, moving slabs of rock covering the Earth’s surface. When they slide past or smash into each other it shakes the planet. But, they also helped shape the land we live on.Find out how they work with an extreme cooking demonstration (you’ll never see peanut M&Ms the same way). Meet the scientist who thought long ago all the continents were smushed together in a super-continent (spoiler: he was right!). Plus an interview with a USGS scientist about what our planet might look like in a million years.All that plus a mystery sound and a Moment of Um about stinky breath. Listen up and rock on!This episode is sponsored by: Guardian Bikes (https://guardianbikes.com/brains)Pillsbury cinnamon rolls (https://www.pillsbury.com/products/cinnamon-rolls)Hank the Cowdog podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hank-the-cowdog/id1529174742)See omnystudio.com/listener for priv

A listener asked how making  Brains On is different during the pandemic. So with this episode we're giving you a peek into how we're making the show while staying safe. Spoiler alert: we're doing it all from our homes! What's the best way to record crystal clear sound at home? (Hint: Lots of soft surfaces!) How do we make sound effects? How do we get all the animals, humans and machines in our homes to keep it down while we tape? Plus: We asked our co-hosts to share what it was like for them to record and episode from home. All that, plus a brand new mystery sound and a Moment of Um that answers the question: how do rocks form?This episode is sponsored by:Purple.com (https://purple.com/brainson10 Promo code: brainson10)Daily Harvest (https://dailyharvest.com Promo code: brainson)PayPal - you can download the PayPal app at https://paypal.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this second episode on bees (a bee-quel, you might say!) we’re taking a look at pollination: the many pollination talents of different bees, why pollination is so important, and what you can do to help wild bees! The tables are turned in the Mystery Sound department: our beekeeping cohosts have a sound for Menaka and Sanden to guess! And the Moment of Um answers an age-old stumper: how are alligators and crocodiles different?Want to hear more about bees? Listen to The buzz about bees, pt. 1 (https://www.brainson.org/episode/2020/09/08/the-buzz-on-bees-pt-1)This episode is sponsored by: Ancestory.com (http://ancestry.com/brainson), General Mills Pillsbury (https://www.pillsbury.com/products/cinnamon-rolls) and Varsity Tutors (http://varsitytutors.com/brainson)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re making a big buzz about bees! Our pollen-collecting friends get so much done, and we’re taking a look at how they live. We’ll bust some bee myths and meet some honeybees for a look at life inside the hive. Our mystery sound is from a listener (here’s a hint: they recorded the sound in Alaska!), and our Moment of Um answers a buzzworthy question: Why do beehives look like hexagons? And! One episode on bees just isn’t enough. We’ll be back next week with more buzz on pollination.Want to hear more about bees? Listen to The buzz about bees pt. 2 (https://www.brainson.org/episode/2020/09/15/the-buzz-on-bees-pt-2)Today’s episode is sponsored by Native (https://native.com/brainson | Promo code: brainson), Laurel Springs (http://laurelsprings.com/brainson) and Daily Harvest (http://dailyharvest.com Promo code: brainson)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Those tiny pinpoints of light glittering in the night sky are actually incredibly distant, giant, churning balls of gas. They produce huge quantities of light and heat. In this episode, Mars interviews the biggest star in his eyes: the sun! We also ask astronomer Moiya McTier to help us count all the stars in the universe. And we'll hear a couple of the stories that people here on earth tell about the stars. Plus, a brand new mystery sound and a Moment of Um that answers the question: how do whales drink?This episode is sponsored by Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com/brains) and School Mask Pack (http://schoolmaskpack.com/brainson). You can support the show at brainson.org/fans. Find out more about our book at bit.ly/brainsonbook and our book events at brainson.org/eventsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fair warning: Today we’re gonna get gross! We’re talking sounds, smells, and tastes that some people might find repulsive. But we're asking: why? What's the purpose of disgust? Is it something we're born knowing or do we learn to dislike things? When will entomophagy (the eating of insects) catch on everywhere? Plus: The Moment of Um answers the question "Why do worms come out when it rains?"Today’s episode is sponsored by KiwiCo (kiwico.com/brainson), Ancestry (ancestry.com/brainson) and How to Raise Successful People (RaiseSuccessfulPeople.com). You can support Brains On at brainson.org/fans. And find out more about our book at bit.ly/brainsonbook.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Warning! This episode is all about the fascinating and gross world of doo doo. We know you have a lot of poo questions because you’ve sent many, many of them to us. So we’re finally bringing you the poo answers! It’s a poop party!We’ve invited scientists to tell us about weird animal feces. (It’s true! Wombats have cube-shaped poop!)We tune into a news channel all about dookie (see the Bristol Stool Chart here: https://www.bladderandbowel.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/BBC002_Bristol-Stool-Chart-Jan-2016.pdf).We hear from our favorite “poo-tuber” Taylor the Turd about how some poops are helping fight serious illnesses. (Remember Taylor? Here’s her first appearance: https://www.brainson.org/shows/2019/03/19/flush-where-does-our-poo-and-pee-go)Plus, a sorta stinky Mystery Sound and a Moment of Um answering a question: why is pee yellow?This episode is sponsored by KiwiCo (kiwico.com/brainson) and Laurel Springs (laurelsprings.com/brainson). Fill out a quick survey to tell us more about yourself: podsurvey.com/b