Ancient Egyptians did lots of amazing things, from building pyramids to inventing a form of writing called hieroglyphics. They also mummified important people after they died. In this episode, we’ll explain how that process was done and why. We’ll also meet a museum curator who thinks it might be time to rethink how we study mummified people. Plus, we’ll find out why so many things from ancient Egypt are still around, meet a biker club that loves respecting other cultures and hear an all new Mystery Sound.

Do insects see the world in slow motion? Do animals see the same rainbow we do? How do eagles see so far away? Our listeners have a lot of questions about the way animals see the world, and this episode tackles lots of them. We'll visit a lab where scientists are observing predatory insects to find out how their brains work, we'll drop in on the Eyes Open Wider support group for animals, and give you a catchy melody that will help you remember the electromagnetic spectrum -- that's all the light that's both visible and invisible to us.This episode was sponsored by:Elfster (Elfster.com/podcast - Set up a free Secret Santa gift exchange.)Shopify (Shopify.com/brainson - Sign up for a free 14-day trial and full access to Shopify's entire suite of features.)Storyworth (Storyworth.com/brains - Save $10 on your first purchase.)WOW in the World podcast by Wondery

Do you like games? Do you like space? Then this is the episode for you! We’ve got five space-inspired games for you: Cosmic Couplets, Infini-Trivia, First Things First, Stars in Space or Pasta Shapes and, of course, Mystery Sounds! Plus we’ll hear some of the super catchy, dance-your-pants-off space jingles you’ve been sending to us! Get your astronaut gear on, gaze up at the cosmos and get ready to play along!This episode was sponsored by:Elfster (Elfster.com/podcast - Set up a free Secret Santa gift exchange.)Indeed (Indeed.com/BRAINS - For a $100 sponsored job credit Terms and conditions apply. Offer good for a limited time.)Shopify (Shopify.com/brainson - Click for a free 14-day trial and full access to Shopify's entire suite of features.)Storyworthy (Storyworth.com/brains - Save $10 on your first purchase.)WOW in the World podcast by Wondery

Every time you flush, your poo and pee start an epic journey. From the toilet, to the sewers, to a treatment plant, our waste travels quite a distance only to end up cleaner by the end. We'll hear from a "PooTube" star about her experience with "the flush." We'll also hear about ancient sewers, a "fatberg" under London and a toilet that cleans waste on site. Plus, our Moment of Um answers why you can feel your heart beating in your neck of all places.This episode was sponsored by:Indeed (Indeed.com/BRAINS - For a $100 sponsored job credit Terms and conditions apply. Offer good for a limited time.)Shopify (Shopify.com/brainson - For a free 14-day trial and full access to Shopify's entire suite of features.)

When most bodies get hot, sweat starts pouring out. Why? In this episode, we'll hop in the Amazing Truck of Minimization (ATOM) to see how sweat glands work from the inside out, take a peek back in time to figure out how we evolved to be so sweaty, and we'll find out if there are any other animals as sweaty as we are. All that plus a brand new mystery sound!This episode was sponsored by:Indeed (Indeed.com/BRAINS - For a $100 sponsored job credit Terms and conditions apply. Offer good for a limited time.)Shopify (Shopify.com/brainson - for a free 14-day trial and full access to Shopify's entire suite of features)Outschool (Outschool.com/brains - save $15 on your child's first class)Bombas (Bombas.com/brainson - get 20% off your first purchase)

Become a Smarty Pass subscriber today to access bonus episodes and ad-free episodes of Brains On!, Smash Boom Best, Moment of Um, and Forever Ago -- all right here in your favorite podcast player.Visit smartypass.org/brainson to get your Smarty Pass! It's $4/month or $36/year (a three-month discount!)Don't worry: This feed will stay free and we’ll be posting new episodes just like we always have.Whether you choose to subscribe, or keep listening in our free feeds, we so appreciate you listening to our shows and being a part of the Brains On universe. Thank you so much for your support!

The full moon is bright, beautiful, and reappears in the sky like clockwork. Many cultures use the full moon to mark the passing of time and organize calendars around the moon’s cycle. So why does the full moon also have a reputation for causing mischief and mayhem? In this episode, we’ll learn where some of these beliefs come from and investigate whether the full moon actually does affect humans and our behavior. We’ll also hear about folklore tied to the full moon and examine how the moon’s phases work. All that plus a brand new mystery sound!This episode was sponsored by:Indeed (Indeed.com/BRAINS - For a $100 sponsored job credit Terms and conditions apply. Offer good for a limited time.)Shopify (Shopify.com/brainson - for a free 14-day trial and full access to Shopify's entire suite of features)Outschool (Outschool.com/brains - save $15 on your child's first class)Bombas (Bombas.com/brainson - get 20% off your first purchase)

We listen to music with our ears – and that amazing electric meatball between our ears: our brain! But why do our brains find some music scary?We’re born with some fears baked into our brains, because our ancestors thought they were scary too! That’s why sudden loud noises startle us sometimes. But there’s another reason certain sounds freak us out – we’ve been taught to find them scary.We’ll hear how composer Heather McIntosh uses these fears to write scary film scores, and we’ll explore some of the ways scary sounds make their way into music with pianist and musical magician, Jae Kyo Han. Plus an extra mysterious mystery sound!This episode was sponsored by:Mathnasium (Mathnasium.com - Contact Mathnasium for a free in-center or online consultation)Indeed (Indeed.com/BRAINS - For a $100 sponsored job credit Terms and conditions apply. Offer good for a limited time.)Shopify (Shopify.com/brainson - For a free 14-day trial and full access to Shopify's entire suite of features)Outschool (Outschool.com/brains - Save $15 on your child's first class)Bombas (Bombas.com/brainson - Get 20% off your first purchase)

This episode was sponsored by:Mathnasium (Mathnasium.com - contact Mathnasium for a free in-center or online consultation)Indeed (Indeed.com/BRAINS - For a $100 sponsored job credit Terms and conditions apply. Offer good for a limited time.)Shopify (Shopify.com/brainson - for a free 14-day trial and full access to Shopify's entire suite of features)Outschool (Outschool.com/brains - save $15 on your child's first class)Bombas (Bombas.com/brainson - get 20% off your first purchase)

Today’s episode is all about one of the most dynamite dinosaurs, the Brontosaurus! This long-necked icon has been featured in books, cartoons, movies, and even logos. But did the Brontosaurus really exist in the first place? We’ll dig into that question and uncover the history of Brontosaurus with science writer and bronto-enthusiast Riley Black. We’ll also learn about taxonomy from a ghost and catch up with Mr. Bone Jangles. Plus, a new mystery sound to discover!Don’t forget to check out Forever Ago, where we have a companion episode to this Brontosaurus tale. It’s called The Bone Wars: A dino-discovery duel, and it’s all about two competing paleontologists, who get a little carried away.This episode is sponsored by:Mathnasium (Mathnasium.com - contact Mathnasium for a free in-center or online consultation)Indeed (Indeed.com/BRAINS - For a $100 sponsored job credit Terms and conditions apply. Offer good for a limited time.)Shopify (Shopify.com/brainson - for a free 14-day trial and full access to Shopify's entire suite of features)Outschool (Outschool.com/brains - save $15 on your child's first class)Bombas (Bombas.com/brainson - get 20% off your first purchase)