Tumble Science Podcast for Kids

Elizabeth Steell, a paleontologist at the University of Cambridge, investigates one of T. rex’s biggest mysteries: its tiny arms. Explore competing theories, the dinosaur groups that evolved surprisingly short forelimbs, and the possible tradeoff between colossal skulls and little limbs. Along the way, discover how researchers use fossils, measurements, and statistics to test the big-head theory.

In this final mailbag episode of Summer 2026, Marshall and Lindsay address two listener questions, and learn about a surprising twist of evolution. Plus, listener reviews and comments! To get an invite to the next Tumble meetup, as well as receive birthday shout outs and ad free versions of the show, go to patreon.com/tumblepodcast and support us! For Tumble t-shirts, visit our store on Dashery: tumblepodcast.dashery.com And don't forget to keep checking our blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com for NGSS alignment, activities, and more! Submit your own question and be on our show here!

Why do T. Rexes have tiny arms? Can dogs actually talk? Do we remember dreams or nightmares more? Season 12 of Tumble Science Podcast for Kids drops September 11th — and we're bringing kids' wildest science questions to REAL scientists for the REAL stories behind discovery (plus the jokes and sound design you know we can't resist). Almost 200 episodes in, and we're just getting started. 🚀 🎧 Want it early + ad-free? Pledge $1+ at patreon.com/tumblepodcast 🌐 More at sciencepodcastforkids.com Follow/subscribe now so you don't miss episode 1

Rob Dunn, ecologist and science writer who studies the evolution of flavor, explores why certain foods taste irresistible. He traces taste back to ancient survival signals and explains how children favor sweet and salty, how primate behavior reveals ancestral diets, and how farming shifted our flavor priorities. Short prompts invite listeners to connect tastes with memories.

In this special summer mailbag episode, Marshall and Lindsay help answer three kid questions: How do stem cells decide what to become? How do chameleons change color? and... What is Morse code? This special episode features answers from Jessica Whited, Michel Milinkovich, and Mick Sullivan, from The Past and the Curious! As well as a roundup of listener reviews, and more! For more information about Tumble, go visit our website at sciencepodcastforkids.com. To send us a question and get it answered on our show, go to https://tumble.science/Question. Also support us on Patreon! patreon.com/tumblepodcast

How do cheetahs get their super speed? We talk to a cheetah scientist to find out why a spotted cat is the fastest animal on Earth. Cheetahs are literally built for speed! Anne Hilborn spent months scoping out cheetahs on the hunt in the grasslands of the Serengeti. We’ll discover how cheetahs’ incredible speed is linked to their survival - and what they do when being fast isn’t enough. On our special bonus interview episode - available to our Patreon supporters - Anne shares the amazing story of how being photographed while dropping cheetah poop on herself became both her most embarrassing and her proudest moment. Photos on the blog! Pledge at patreon.com/tumblepodcast. Only $1/month gets you double the Tumble, and $5/month comes with a shoutout on the show, a birthday greeting, and opportunities to be on the show! Want to learn more about cheetah science, and reputable conservation organizations? Check out our blog at ⁠www.sciencepodcastforkids.com

This is a rebroadcast of one of our favorite episodes from last season, and one that is particularly timely for the summer! What if you found out that there was a tiny, nearly invisible type of plastic pollution that’s found nearly everywhere… but you’d never heard of it! That’s what happened to environmental scientist Jace Tunnell several years ago, and he’s been on a great nurdle hunt ever since! This episode on fighting plastic waste comes with a special bonus: the opportunity to enroll in a “Nurdle Patrol” and lead the Nurdle search in your community! Join the Nurdle Patrol Special Agent Training Course at ⁠sciencepodcastforkids.com/nurdles⁠ If you want to support Tumble on Patreon, just go to patreon.com/tumblepodcast. Ad-free early access to episodes is just $1/month, and for just $5/month you can get a birthday shout out on our feed! T-shirts and other merch (including merch specific to this episode) are available at the Tumble merch store, at tumblepodcast.dashery.com.

What would happen if the Moon disappeared? How big is the universe, really? And what happens to atoms inside a black hole? Marshall and Lindsay get the answers to some cosmic questions in this special mailbag episode! If you want to have your comment or review read on our show, leave one! Write a review on ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ or comment on ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠.  Join on Patreon to help us continue to make Tumble and be featured on future episodes, and help us decide on Season 12 topics: ⁠⁠patreon.com/tumblepodcast⁠⁠ Shop official Tumble merch: ⁠⁠https://tumblepodcast.dashery.com/⁠⁠ Submit a science question: ⁠⁠https://www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/contact Watch the Joke-ha-thon here! Other Tumble episodes mentioned in this mailbag: "What Would Happen If There Was No Moon?" (in Spanish). "The Quest for the Edge of the Universe with Katie Mack" "How Big is the Universe?" Cataloging the Universe - Audio Course

This is a rebroadcast of one of our favorite episodes from season 10! Ever wondered how dinosaurs left their footprints behind millions of years ago? We embark on a prehistoric adventure with renowned paleontologist Paul Olsen! Discover the secrets behind dinosaur tracks and how these ancient prints can tell us incredible stories about the lives of dinosaurs. From the science of fossilization to what these footprints reveal about dinosaur behavior and habitats, Paul Olsen will guide us through the fascinating world of these mysteries left in stone - and share how he discovered thousands of dino tracks when he was just a kid. Join us on a Dino Map Adventure at ⁠nepm.org/dinomap⁠! We’ve created a free audio tour to explore the science and history of dinosaur tracks in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts. Lindsay and Marshall will guide you through the place where dinosaur footprints were first discovered - and put you on the path to becoming dino track explorers! Dinosaur Adventures in the Pioneer Valley are supported by The Bement School, The Center School, and HCS Headstart. If you like this episode, consider supporting Tumble on Patreon by going to patreon.com/tumblepodcast. Get ad-free episodes for just $1 a month!

You asked, we answered! In this mailbag episode, we're tackling three big kid questions: why does the ground keep spinning after you stop? Do magnets work in space? And could a peacock and a platypus ever be BFFs? We get answers from real experts, as well as reading your reviews and comments! Also, the Joke-ha-thon is coming up on June 3rd! Go here to donate and pick your champion, and also win some amazing, amazing prizes for yourself and your school. If you want to have your comment or review read on our show, leave one! Write a review on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ or comment on ⁠Spotify⁠.  Join on Patreon to help us continue to make Tumble and be featured on future episodes, and help us decide on Season 12 topics: ⁠patreon.com/tumblepodcast⁠ Shop official Tumble merch: ⁠https://tumblepodcast.dashery.com/⁠ Submit a science question: ⁠https://www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/contact⁠