Brains On! Science podcast for kids

Sports and science go hand in hand, especially when it comes to softball and baseball. Join Molly and co-host Caris as they answer more of your questions about these two ballgames. Like why are bats measured in ounces? Or why do some players wear black paint under their eyes? Plus, we’ll hear more of your chants and guess an all new Mystery Sound. Want to support the show? Join Smarty Pass to listen to ad-free episodes or donate! Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. More shows announced soon! April 25 - Marines Memorial, San Francisco, CA (2nd show added!) April 26 - Newmark Theater, Portland, OR May 30 - Electric City, Buffalo, NY May 31 - Royal Theatre, Toronto, ON (2nd show added!) June 6 - Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor, MI June 20 - Southern Theater, Columbus, OH June 21 - Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI Click here for a transcript of this episode.

Sports and science go hand in hand, especially when it comes to softball and baseball. Join Molly and co-host Caris as they answer more of your questions about these two ballgames. Like why are bats measured in ounces? Or why do some players wear black paint under their eyes? Plus, we’ll hear more of your chants and guess an all new Mystery Sound. Want to support the show? Join Smarty Pass to listen to ad-free episodes or donate! Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. More shows announced soon! April 25 - Marines Memorial, San Francisco, CA (2nd show added!) April 26 - Newmark Theater, Portland, OR May 30 - Electric City, Buffalo, NY May 31 - Royal Theatre, Toronto, ON (2nd show added!) June 6 - Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor, MI June 20 - Southern Theater, Columbus, OH June 21 - Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI Click here for a transcript of this episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Baseball and softball are both a feat of physics, from the curve of a pitch to the swing of a bat. Today, we’re exploring the science of these popular pastimes. Join Molly and co-host Kian as they learn about curve balls and the stuff inside a ball. Plus, our listeners share their chants for Team Science! Oh, and what’s that noise? It’s a brand new mystery sound. Play ball! Want to support the show? Join Smarty Pass to listen to ad-free episodes or donate! Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. More shows announced soon! April 11 - Walker Theater, Chattanooga, TN April 12 - Carolina Theater, Durham, NC April 25 - Marines Memorial, San Francisco, CA (2nd show added!) April 26 - Newmark Theater, Portland, OR May 30 - Electric City, Buffalo, NY May 31 - Royal Theatre, Toronto, ON (2nd show added!) Click here for an episode transcript See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever look closely at a raspberry and notice it could use a shave? Those tiny hairs are actually super important. And thankfully totally edible. Join Molly and co-host Zoe-Samarah as they learn all about this fantastic little fruit, and why some raspberry flavored foods are actually colored blue. All that and a Mystery Sound that’ll feel like a snack for the ears! Want to support the show? Join Smarty Pass to listen to ad-free episodes or donate! Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. More shows announced soon! April 11 - Walker Theater, Chattanooga, TN April 12 - Carolina Theater, Durham, NC April 25 - Marines Memorial, San Francisco, CA (2nd show added!) April 26 - Newmark Theater, Portland, OR May 30 - Electric City, Buffalo, NY May 31 - Royal Theatre, Toronto, ON (2nd show added!) Click here for an episode transcript See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you heard of the Bermuda Triangle? It’s an area of the Atlantic Ocean that some people think can make ships and planes mysteriously disappear. In this episode, Marc and Sanden, aka the Hoax Hunters, investigate this weird and wild patch of water. Turns out the Triangle isn’t as unusual as it seems. Plus, Molly tries to stump the Hoax Hunters with a new mystery sound. Want to support the show? Join Smarty Pass to listen to ad-free episodes or donate! Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. More shows announced soon! March 28 - Center Stage, Atlanta, GA March 29 - Amaturo Theater, Fort Lauderdale, FL April 11 - Walker Theater, Chattanooga, TN April 12 - Carolina Theater, Durham, NC April 25 - Marines Memorial, San Francisco, CA (2nd show added!) April 26 - Newmark Theater, Portland, OR May 30 - Electric City, Buffalo, NY May 31 - Royal Theatre, Toronto, ON (2nd show added!) Click here for an episode transcript See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Flowers are famous for their smells. Most are sweet, but a few are downright stinky. Either way, the science of how and why they make these scents is fascinating. Join Molly and co-host Isla as they learn about pollinators, flower smells and the mighty corpse flower! Plus a smell for your ears: the Mystery Sound! Guest: Dr Kelsey Byers, evolutionary chemical ecologist and group leader at the John Innes Center. Want to support the show? Join Smarty Pass to listen to ad-free episodes or donate! Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. More shows announced soon! March 7 - Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI March 8 - Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul, MN March 28 - Center Stage, Atlanta, GA March 29 - Amaturo Theater, Fort Lauderdale, FL April 11 - Walker Theater, Chattanooga, TN April 12 - Carolina Theater, Durham, NC April 25 - Marines Memorial, San Francisco, CA April 26 - Newmark Theater, Portland, OR May 30 - Electric City, Buffalo, NY May 31 - Royal Theatre, Toronto, ON Click here for an episode transcript See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's better than a mystery sound? How about 11 mystery sounds! We have mystery sounds from listeners all over the world to share with you, plus two from scientists. And our co-host Juniper will try to stump Molly with a mystery sound of her own! Click here to read a transcript of this episode. Want to support the show? Join Smarty Pass to listen to ad-free episodes or donate! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every spring we set our clocks one hour forward. Every fall we move them one hour back. It’s a strange ritual when you think about it, so why do we do it? Join Molly and co-host Ava as they explore the seasons and why days are shorter in the winter and longer in the summer. We’ll hear about the history of Day Light Saving and play a game. And it’s always time for a Mystery Sound! So set an alarm so you don’t forget to tune in to this episode! Want to support Brains On and all of the shows in the Brains On Universe? Sign up for Smarty Pass. You'll get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus content, virtual hangouts, discounts on merch and more! Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. More shows announced soon! March 7 - Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI March 8 - Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul, MN March 28 - Center Stage, Atlanta, GA March 29 - Amaturo Theater, Fort Lauderdale, FL April 11 - Walker Theater, Chattanooga, TN April 12 - Carolina Theater, Durham, NC April 25 - Marines Memorial, San Francisco, CA April 26 - Newmark Theater, Portland, OR May 30 - Electric City, Buffalo, NY May 31 - Royal Theatre, Toronto, ON Click here for a transcript of this episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Exciting news! We’ve announced a bunch of new tour stops for this spring! Learn more about the show and get tickets here! Mar 7............MILWAUKEE Mar 8..................ST PAUL Mar 28..............ATLANTA Mar 29.....FT LAUDERDALE Apr 11......CHATTANOOGA Apr 12.................DURHAM Apr 25.....SAN FRANCISCO Apr 26.............PORTLAND May 30...............BUFFALO May 31..............TORONTO Jun 6.............ANN ARBOR Get tickets at brainson.org/events -- hope to see you there!! 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/RMDgmHB4znc Want to support Brains On and all of the shows in the Brains On Universe? Sign up for Smarty Pass. You'll get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus content, virtual hangouts, discounts on merch and more! Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. More shows announced soon! March 7 - Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI March 8 - Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul, MN March 28 - Center Stage, Atlanta, GA March 29 - Amaturo Theater, Fort Lauderdale, FL April 11 - Walker Theater, Chattanooga, TN April 12 - Carolina Theater, Durham, NC April 25 - Marines Memorial, San Francisco, CA April 26 - Newmark Theater, Portland, OR May 30 - Electric City, Buffalo, NY May 31 - Royal Theatre, Toronto, ON See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re all part of a generation, that’s a large group of people born around the same time as us. These generations have names too, like Gen X, Baby Boomers or Gen Alpha. Who came up with these generations and why do we have them? We’ll speak to experts and learn what makes each generation unique. Plus, what if you could rename your generation? Plus, Mr. Bonejangles can’t remember his birthday so he has no idea what generation he’s part of! All this and a timeless mystery sound. Enjoy! Guests:Dr Jean Twenge: Professor of psychology at San Diego State University, and author of iGen, Generations, and 10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World. Kim Parker: Director of social trends research at Pew Research Center. Corey Seemiller: Professor of leadership studies in education and organizations at Wright State University, and author of Generation Z. Want to support Brains On and all of the shows in the Brains On Universe? Sign up for Smarty Pass. You'll get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus content, virtual hangouts, discounts on merch and more! Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. More shows announced soon! Feb 21 - Just for Laughs Festival, Vancouver, BC Feb 22 - The Neptune, Seattle, WA March 7 - Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI March 8 - Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul, MN March 28 - Center Stage, Atlanta, GA March 29 - Amaturo Theater, Fort Lauderdale, FL Click here for a transcript of this episode See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our stomachs are full of a powerful acid, one that can burn your skin and even melt metal. So why doesn’t this stuff burn a hole through our bellies? We’ll find out how our stomachs protect the rest of us from this acid. Plus, we’ll learn about some of the wildest ways animals digest food and learn about how a serious accident helped us. Don't forget to listen to the Mystery Sound and the latest suggestions for new rooms in our headquarters. Want to support Brains On and all of the shows in the Brains On Universe? Sign up for Smarty Pass. You'll get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus content, virtual hangouts, discounts on merch and more! Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. More shows announced soon! Feb 21 - Just for Laughs Festival, Vancouver, BC Feb 22 - The Neptune, Seattle, WA March 7 - Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI March 8 - Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul, MN March 28 - Center Stage, Atlanta, GA March 29 - Amaturo Theater, Fort Lauderdale, FL Click here for a transcript of this episode See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we’re stepping into the ring for a battle of the insect world. Molly and co-host Kiaan try to find out if a spider can eat a wasp. They speak with Dr. Paula Cushing. She has been researching spiders for over three decades. Plus, we flip the script and ask if a wasp can eat a spider. Then, Molly goes full game show mode and puts Kiaan in the contestant chair to play Spidey Sense. We also have a brand new Mystery Sound and a big mailbag reveal. Want to support Brains On and all of the shows in the Brains On Universe? Sign up for Smarty Pass. You'll get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus content, virtual hangouts, discounts on merch and more! Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. More shows announced soon! Feb 21 - Just for Laughs Festival, Vancouver, BC Feb 22 - The Neptune, Seattle, WA March 7 - Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI March 8 - Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul, MN March 28 - Center Stage, Atlanta, GA March 29 - Amaturo Theater, Fort Lauderdale, FL Click here for a transcript of this episode See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stickers are everywhere. They label our groceries, cover our car bumpers, and decorate our notebooks. But how do they stick? We’ll zoom in on a sticker to see how a special glue helps a sticker cling to a surface. Plus, we’ll hear about stickers that can help people heal from surgeries. We’ll also find out what kind of stickers Bob collects, and guess a new Mystery Sound. Guest: Phillip Messersmith, professor of material science and engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. Want to support Brains On and all of the shows in the Brains On Universe? Sign up for Smarty Pass. You'll get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus content, virtual hangouts, discounts on merch and more! Click here for a transcript of this episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s more to sloths than slowness. They’re great at saving energy, hanging upside down, and swimming! In this episode, Sloth Appreciation Society founder Lucy Cooke stops by to tell us all about these amazing animals. We also get into a sloth mystery: The Case of the Perilous Poop Journey. Luckily, there’s a sloth sleuth on the case. And sloths aren’t the only animals who aren’t in a hurry — a few others show off their slowest skills. There’s also a Mystery Sound for you to guess. Stay sloooooooooow! Guests Lucy Cooke, zoologist and founder of the Sloth Appreciation Society Jonathan Pauli, UW-Madison Forest and Wildlife Ecology Dr. Sushma Reddy, Breckenridge Chair of Ornithology, Bell Museum Want to support Brains On and all of the shows in the Brains On Universe? Sign up for Smarty Pass. You'll get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus content, virtual hangouts, discounts on merch and more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever heard of Lake Natron? It’s located in Tanzania, Africa, and, if you believe the internet, it can instantly petrify anything that touches it. Lucky for us, we have a direct line to the Hoax Hunters (aka Sanden and Marc) - they love myths, and they hate getting tricked. Along the way to saying yea or nay to this stoney phenomenon, the Hoax Hunters speak with Neovitus Sianga. Not only does he have firsthand knowledge of the lake, but he works for African People and Wildlife, where he helps protect the environment around Lake Natron. We also have a brand new Mystery Sound… and Marc and Sanden start a cleaning service?!? Guest: Neovitus Sianga Want to support Brains On and all of the shows in the Brains On Universe? Sign up for Smarty Pass. You'll get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus content, virtual hangouts, discounts on merch and more! Click here for a transcript of this episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Skunks can stink, no doubt about it. But that stink is actually a superpower! Join Molly and co-host Diya as they find out how these critters use their smell to scare away enemies, what the smell is made of, and how to make your own de-skunking potion. Plus, Wombat Pete drops by to promote his new music festival, we speak to some skunk experts, and we try our best to guess a new Mystery Sound. Don't forget the de-skunking potion mnemonic: 4 Cats Had Problems Queen Coughed Beside Suzie's Tenth Lasagna, Don't Sneeze Translation: 4 Cups hydrogen peroxide Quarter Cup baking soda Teaspoon Liquid Dish Soap Guest: Marie Tosa, Research Scientist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Guest: Ted Stankowich, Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and CSU Long Beach. Want to support Brains On and all of the shows in the Brains On Universe? Sign up for Smarty Pass. You'll get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus content, virtual hangouts, discounts on merch and more! Click here for a transcript of this episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're on a little winter break and we're gonna be back with a new Brains On episode next week. This week we have an episode of our Sister show forever ago to share with you. If you're interested in origin stories or history, this is the show for you. You can subscribe wherever you listen to Brains On. Get ready for an out-of-this-world episode! Joy and co-host Elsa are trapped in a black hole with a baby elephant and a mountain of old junk! They’ll explore the history of a super secret astronaut testing program for women called the “Fellow Lady Astronaut Trainees.” This group of bold, highly-trained pilots spent years making a case for why women are just as qualified to become astronauts as men! Want to support Brains On and all of the shows in the Brains On Universe? Sign up for Smarty Pass. You'll get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus content, virtual hangouts, discounts on merch and more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're on a little winter break here, but we're gonna be back with a new episode of Brains On January 6th. Until then, we have an episode of our sister podcast, smash Boom. Best to share with you the episode. Features some familiar voices. Me, mark, and Sandon, enjoy the show! Whether you like your wheels big or small, this debate is for you! It’s Monster Trucks vs Hot Wheels. It’s a battle between Brains On besties Marc Sanchez and Sanden Totten. Marc goes full throttle for Team Monster Trucks and Sanden speeds toward victory for Team Hot Wheels. Who will win? Head over to smashboom.org to vote and listen to see who our judge crowns the king of cars. Want to support the show? Join Smarty Pass to listen to ad-free episodes or donate! Click here or a transcript of this episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Brains On crew is hitting the road in 2026, and our first shows have just been announced. If you like fun, games, dancing, optical illusions and... Mystery Sounds, check out Your Brain is Magic. Head to brainson.org/events to get tickets for the following shows: 1/17 Newark, NJ Victoria Theater 1/18 Red Bank, NJ The Vogel 1/23 San Diego, CA The Observitory 1/24 Aneheim, CA House of Blues 2/21 Vancouver, BC Playhouse Theater (JFL Festival) 2/22 Seattle, WA Neptune Theater If you don't see your city listed, we're adding more dates, so keep checking back! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.