Brains On! Science podcast for kids

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)

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)

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.com

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)

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)

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/events

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.

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/brains

We’re thrilled to share a brand new show with you. It’s called Million Bazillion and it’s all about money -- how we earn it, how we save it and how we spend it.In the first episode you’ll travel back thousands of years to learn the ways people got what they needed before money was invented. Back then some people traded goods, others made pacts to share what they had. We’ll also meet the king who came up with the idea for coins. Plus, Kristen Bell designs her own money!This show is a collaboration between Brains On and Marketplace. It’s hosted by Jed Kim with Bridget Bodnar. You can listen to more episodes here, or subscribe at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Since the world first learned about this new coronavirus at the end of 2019, we’ve been watching science happen in real time. Scientists all over the world are studying this virus and learning how to protect us from it. As they learn new things, we learn new things too.One thing they’ve learned is how this virus spreads. The primary culprit is droplets from our noses and mouths. That’s why masking up is so important to protect our communities.We’ve also been hearing from a lot of listeners wanting to know about the future: when will the vaccine be ready? what will it be like at school? when will things go back to normal? We're going to do our best to answer some of these questions in our next coronavirus episode. But they don’t have concrete answers right now.Right now, trying to look a month, or a year into the future is hard. We call this feeling of not knowing what will happen -- uncertainty. And it’s hard to deal with.Our brains likes being able to predict what’s going to happen because it makes us feel safe. When we feel unsafe, that’s when anxiety kicks in. One way to deal with this anxiety is to focus on the present -- what’s happening right now. It’s also important to let yourself feel your feelings and know you’re not alone in them. It’s normal right now to feel frustrated, or angry, or sad, or all of them at the same time. But also try to think about the moments you have that are fun, and the times you feel contentment and happiness.If you’re having trouble staying focused on the present there are some tricks you can try:Look around you and make a list in your head of everything you see that is green.Try to think of all the character’s names in your favorite book or tv showTake deep breaths -- inhale for four counts, hold that breath for four, and then exhale for fourDistract yourself by going outside, or watching a movie or reading a book. If you’re still having trouble keeping your mind off the “what ifs” it’s great to talk to your parents or another adult you trust.There are always people who want to help you. If you need help and aren’t sure who to talk to, you can call 800 273-8255. It's a free phone call, and people are there all the time, ready to listen and help.MORE: The Child Mind Institute has a lot of resources for families about how to deal with this uncertain time. (https://childmind.org/coping-during-covid-19-resources-for-parents/)This episode is sponsored by KiwiCo (kiwico.com/brainson) and Native (nativedeo.com/brainson) - use promo code: BRAINSON at checkout.