Brains On! Science podcast for kids

Chirp chirp, y’all! Ever wondered what birds mean when they’re singing their little birdy hearts out? This week, Molly and cohost Bessie explore the kinds of sounds birds can make, and how those sounds are used. Birdsong researcher Kristin Brunk breaks down some sweet tweet science, and we learn how human noise has affected our feathery friends. Plus, a groovy new Mystery Sound!This episode was sponsored by:Liquid I.V. (LiquidIV.com - Use code BRAINS at checkout to receive 20% off anything you order when you order.)Buy A Toyota (BuyAToyota.com - Explore Toyota SUVs.)Indeed (Indeed.com/BRAINS - To claim your ONE HUNDRED DOLLAR SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post. Terms and conditions apply.)Bird sounds in this episode came from Xeno-Canto:Emily Brhel, XC760144. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/760144. Manuel Grosselet, XC663795. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/663795. Elias A. Ryberg, XC791170. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/791170.Sunny Tseng, XC749764. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/749764. Sunny Tseng, XC753147. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/753147Russ Wigh, XC573211. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/573211. Russ Wigh, XC692169. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/692169.*****Do you have your Smarty Pass yet?? Get yours today for just $4/month (or $36/year) and get bonus episodes every month, and ad-free versions of every episode of Brains On, Smash Boom Best, Moment of Um, and Forever Ago. Visit www.smartypass.org to get your Smarty Pass today!

Humans and every other living thing on Earth are perfectly suited to our wonderful planet. There’s life everywhere, from boiling-hot ocean vents to chilly mountain peaks. But what would life look like in other parts of the galaxy, or beyond? What would happen to our bodies if we lived in space?In an out-of-this-world episode, Molly and cohost Jaxson moonwalk through the possibilities of life in outer space. They learn what scientists look for when they want to know if a planet or moon could support life. And they explore how science fiction can help actual scientists think about what alien life might look like. Plus, a spiffy new Mystery Sound!  This episode was sponsored by:Liquid I.V. (LiquidIV.com - Use code BRAINS at checkout to receive 20% off anything you order when you order.)Buy A Toyota (BuyAToyota.com - Explore Toyota SUVs.)*****Do you have your Smarty Pass yet?? Get yours today for just $4/month (or $36/year) and get bonus episodes every month, and ad-free versions of every episode of Brains On, Smash Boom Best, Moment of Um, and Forever Ago. Visit www.smartypass.org to get your Smarty Pass today!

Video games are fun, challenging and sometimes hard to put down. But are they good for you? Or do they rot your brain, like some people say? In this episode, Molly and cohost Colden (along with sassy alien hero Fuzzbutt Picklestar) explore how video games affect your brain, for better or worse. Plus, we look at other technologies that adults used to think were bad for kids, like novels and radio. And an extra mysterious Mystery Sound!This episode was sponsored by:Liquid I.V. (LiquidIV.com - Use code BRAINS at checkout to receive 20% off anything you order when you order.)Buy A Toyota (BuyAToyota.com - Explore Toyota SUVs.)*****Brains On! is hitting the road to celebrate the show’s 10th birthday! Hosts, Molly Bloom, Marc Sanchez and Sanden Totten will be performing in person to take you on an adventure through our brains. Get your tickets now to see Brains On! live at brainson.org/eventsOur Smarty Pass subscribers get a special discount to see our live show! Get your Smarty Pass today for just $4/month (or $36/year) to receive bonus episodes every month, and ad-free versions of every episode of Brains On, Smash Boom Best, Moment of Um, and Forever Ago and special ticket discounts. Visit www.smartypass.org to get your Smarty Pass today!

If you love big thoughts, this is the episode for you. We’ll ponder what would happen if a fly flew into the window of a moving bus. Would it have to keep flying forward to avoid crashing into the back window? Or could it just hover inside the bus? Plus we’ll unpack one of the most important ideas in science, the Theory of General Relativity. You’ll learn how creative thinking helped Albert Einstein change the world and get a little creative yourself guessing an all-new Mystery Sound!This episode was sponsored by:Liquid I.V. (LiquidIV.com - Use code BRAINS at checkout to receive 20% off anything you order when you order.)Buy A Toyota (BuyAToyota.com - Explore Toyota SUVs.)*****Do you have your Smarty Pass yet?? Get yours today for just $4/month (or $36/year) and get bonus episodes every month, and ad-free versions of every episode of Brains On, Smash Boom Best, Moment of Um, and Forever Ago. Visit www.smartypass.org to get your Smarty Pass today!

Do you have a favorite food that your friend doesn't like at all? Do you look at what your parents are eating and say, "No, thank you!" Well, you’re not alone! Lots of people have different food preferences. But why do some people like certain foods and others don’t? And what’s a supertaster? In this tasty treat of an episode, Molly and cohost Nishka visit a cooking class for kids and talk with food expert Jennifer Anderson from Kids Eat in Color (https://kidseatincolor.com/) to learn how to make it easier to try new foods. Plus a brand-new mystery sound!This episode was sponsored by:Liquid I.V. (LiquidIV.com - Use code BRAINS at checkout to receive 20% off anything you order when you order.)Indeed (Indeed.com/BRAINS - Terms and conditions apply. Cost per application pricing not available for everyone.)Buy A Toyota (BuyAToyota.com - Explore Toyota SUVs.)*****Do you have your Smarty Pass yet?? Get yours today for just $4/month (or $36/year) and get bonus episodes every month, and ad-free versions of every episode of Brains On, Smash Boom Best, Moment of Um, and Forever Ago. Visit www.smartypass.org to get your Smarty Pass today!

Reading is your one-way ticket to adventure! You can ride fire-breathing dragons, explore outer space, or even save the world – all within the pages of a book. But have you ever wondered how we learn to read? And why it can sometimes feel hard to do? Molly and co-host Anna talk to American Public Media reporter Emily Hanford, host of the podcast Sold a Story (https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/) about how some teaching techniques make it harder to learn how to read. Plus tips on how to become a rockstar reader and a brand-new Mystery Sound!Listen to our episode about dyslexia here: https://www.brainson.org/episode/2019/08/20/what-is-dyslexia-and-how-do-our-brains-readThis episode was sponsored by:Liquid I.V. (LiquidIV.com - Use code BRAINS at checkout to receive 20% off anything you order when you order.)Indeed (Indeed.com/BRAINS - Terms and conditions apply. Cost per application pricing not available for everyone.)Buy A Toyota (BuyAToyota.com - Explore Toyota SUVs.)*****Do you have your Smarty Pass yet?? Get yours today for just $4/month (or $36/year) and get bonus episodes every month, and ad-free versions of every episode of Brains On, Smash Boom Best, Moment of Um, and Forever Ago. Visit www.smartypass.org to get your Smarty Pass today!

We’re super-jazzed to share this episode of Million Bazillion, a podcast for kids and families that helps you understand money.In this episode, hosts Bridget and Ryan get a question from Will in Ohio and are taking a cross-country road trip to answer it. Will wants to know why there are so many of the same stores. From Starbucks to Home Depot and all the McDonald’s in between, we’ll break down the reason why.

We use plastic for all kinds of things, from shampoo bottles to glitter. It’s useful but also a danger, because a lot of plastic is ending up in our oceans, where it’s sucked into swirly twirly whirlpools of garbage. The biggest of these is called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Hop into the ExPLORERR with Molly and cohost Ana-Victoria to learn more about this plasticy problem and find out what you can do to help solve it! Plus a brand new mystery sound!This episode was sponsored by:Liquid I.V. (LiquidIV.com - Use code BRAINS at checkout to receive 20% off anything you order when you order.)Indeed (Indeed.com/BRAINS - Terms and conditions apply. Cost per application pricing not available for everyone.)Buy A Toyota (BuyAToyota.com - Explore Toyota SUVs.)*****Do you have your Smarty Pass yet?? Get yours today for just $4/month (or $36/year) and get bonus episodes every month, and ad-free versions of every episode of Brains On, Smash Boom Best, Moment of Um, and Forever Ago. Visit www.smartypass.org to get your Smarty Pass today!

Insects can live almost anywhere: backyards, mountaintops, scorching hot deserts, underwater, even on Antarctica! There are more than a million different species out there, from speedy dragonflies that zip through the air as fast as a car to rainbow-colored beetles living in tropical rainforests. Plus, scientists are discovering new ones all the time! But why does the world need bugs? And why do they make us feel a little icky sometimes? In this super buggy episode, Molly and co-host Lorna meet bug scientist Meredith Cenzer and learn more about what we can do to protect our tiny friends.This episode was sponsored by:Indeed (Indeed.com/BRAINS - Terms and conditions apply. Cost per application pricing not available for everyone.)*****Do you have your Smarty Pass yet?? Get yours today for just $4/month (or $36/year) and get bonus episodes every month, and ad-free versions of every episode of Brains On, Smash Boom Best, Moment of Um, and Forever Ago. Visit www.smartypass.org to get your Smarty Pass today!

Have you heard the expression “dogs are people’s best friend”? Where did it come from? And why are dogs and humans such great pals? Molly and co-host Kha-ai jump back in time to learn how dogs became humans’ best friends, and answer the question why do dogs wag their tails? Plus, we’ll also explore how dogs help humans and even other animals like cheetahs. And keep your ears perked for a brand new Mystery Sound!This episode was sponsored by:Indeed (Indeed.com/BRAINS - Terms and conditions apply. Cost per application pricing not available for everyone.)*****Do you have your Smarty Pass yet?? Get yours today for just $4/month (or $36/year) and get bonus episodes every month, and ad-free versions of every episode of Brains On, Smash Boom Best, Moment of Um, and Forever Ago. Visit www.smartypass.org to get your Smarty Pass today!