
Tai Asks Why
Fifteen-year-old Tai Poole won’t rest until he’s uncovered the mysteries of the universe, one probing question at a time. In Season 4 of his Webby-winning podcast, Tai talks to everyone from NASA scientists to stand-up comedians to his equally curious little brother Kien. If you’ve ever wondered why nothing feels as good as a deep belly laugh or why it’s impossible not to finish a bag of Doritos, Tai has you covered.
Latest episodes

Feb 3, 2021 • 28min
How do I know what’s true on the internet?
It’s easier than ever to be bamboozled by bad information. Tai and his friends are no exception—even smarty pants like them fall for things online. In this episode, Tai tries to figure out how to spot misinformation and how to stop it from spreading.
This week Tai spoke with:
- Andrea Bellemare, a CBC journalist who specializes in covering disinformation
- Seema Yasmin, disease expert
- Jemmika Anderson, media literacy expert and creator of I Am Not the Media
For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/tai-asks-why-transcripts-listen-1.6747759

Jan 27, 2021 • 23min
Why do humans dance?
Don’t tell anyone: Tai thinks he has two left feet and he still loves to dance when no one’s watching. But why do humans like to dance at all? What’s going on in the brain when people boogie? In this episode, Tai tangos into the activity that has helped humans and communities survive for thousands of years, with the help of his whole family.
Find transcripts for Tai Asks Why Here: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/tai-asks-why-transcripts-listen-1.6747759
This week Tai spoke with:
- Peter Lovatt, psychologist, author of The Dance Cure
- Ashley ‘Colours’ Perez, dancer and teacher @classwithcolours
For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/tai-asks-why-transcripts-listen-1.6747759

Jan 20, 2021 • 22min
Why are viruses so good at what they do?
If you ever feel alone, you shouldn’t, because you are actually surrounded by viruses. They’re in you, they’re on you and, in fact, there are more viruses in the world than there are stars in the sky. So why aren’t we sick all the time? In this episode Tai looks at how viruses work, how they travel, and the ways in which they shape our lives—both bad and good.
This week Tai spoke with:
- Seema Yasmin, physician, writer and science communicator based at Stanford University
- Lena Ciric, environmental engineer and lecturer at University College London
For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/tai-asks-why-transcripts-listen-1.6747759

Jan 13, 2021 • 23min
What's happening in my teen brain?
Tai’s 14 now. As he goes through adolescence, there are all sorts of weird things happening in his brain that are literally reshaping it, getting him ready for adulthood! But what’s happening in there? Why do humans even have an adolescent phase? And how can Tai harness his mental superpowers while he has them?
This week Tai spoke to:
- Frances Jensen, Chair of Neurology in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
- Juliet Davidow, psychology professor who developed the Learning and Brain Development Lab at Northeastern University
For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/tai-asks-why-transcripts-listen-1.6747759

Jan 6, 2021 • 3min
New year, new Tai
Notice anything different about Tai? It’s 2021 and he’s in high school now. A lot has changed, but not his insatiable quest for ANSWERS! Season 3 of Tai Asks Why will be out Wednesday, January 13. Catch you then.

Nov 26, 2019 • 15min
Introducing Circle Round from WBUR
Created and produced by parents of young children, Circle Round adapts carefully-selected folktales from around the world into sound- and music-rich radio plays for kids ages 4 to 10. Listen on your favourite podcast app.

Sep 26, 2019 • 2min
Introducing: CBC Podcasts in Class
Free teaching resources have been developed for select episodes of Tai Asks Why! If you — or someone you know — teaches middle-school science, health, language or social studies, visit cbc.ca/teachingguides to learn more.

Sep 25, 2019 • 26min
How does a song get stuck in your head?
Whether it’s a doot doot doot of an opening riff or a random mix of words from the chorus, 99 per cent of people admit to getting songs stuck in their heads. So what is it about certain songs that make them so catchy? How does a song get stuck in your head?
For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/tai-asks-why-transcripts-listen-1.6747759

Sep 23, 2019 • 9min
Ask Tai Why: Silence, no more humans, and the glow of the earth’s core
In this week's bonus segment Ask Tai Why, Tai takes questions from:
Penelope Cook, Toronto: Is there such a thing as complete silence?
Griff, Yukon: What comes after humans?
Finley, Wakefield, Quebec: Does the core of the earth glow?

Sep 18, 2019 • 25min
Why is space so dark if it’s full of stars?
Tai is fascinated by what’s in the dark spaces between the stars. Considering there are trillions of stars in the universe (and counting!), it seems a bit odd that the universe isn’t just a blinding ball of light. So then, why is space so dark?
For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/tai-asks-why-transcripts-listen-1.6747759
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