Brains On! Science podcast for kids

Usually, bonus episodes like this are exclusively for Smarty Pass subscribers but this month we’re sharing them with all our listeners. If you like this bonus episode and want to hear fun games every month, plus ad-free episodes, sign up for Smarty Pass.

Did you know Brains On host Molly Bloom likes to collect things? Oh yeah, she has a collection of doorknobs, stickers, Dolly Parton-themed rugs, and even a collection ...

According to legend, vampires are creatures with pale skin and sharp teeth who drink blood. These creepy ghouls are not real, but in this episode, we'll meet some vampire animals that do exist!

Join Molly and co-host Quinn as they learn about all kinds of bloodsuckers, from mosquitos to birds to fish! They'll hear about vampire bats from Dr. May Dixon. Then Molly will share her top eight reasons to love vampire...

Every sneeze is like a snowflake. Unique, beautiful, wet! Sneezes help our noses get rid of stuff that’s not supposed to be there, like dust, dirt, or pollen. But how fast do sneezes travel? And how exactly does our body make them?

Join Molly and co-host Anna as they explore the science behind sneezes, snot, and boogers! They’ll take a tour inside Marc's nose and watch a daredevil booger attempt to break the sne...

People who are blind or have low vision use different tools to navigate the world. One of the most common is called a white cane. White canes are long, thin, and lightweight with a handle on one end and a special tip on the other.

Join Molly and co-host Jaden as they explore how white canes work. They’ll log into an interactive game called Cane Quest 3000 where they'll use white canes to move through a fantastic...

Here in the U.S., we’re gearing up for the 2024 election! We’re about to vote to pick a new president and choose other leaders too. Maybe you’ve seen yard signs for different candidates around your neighborhood or campaign commercials on TV. All this election fever got us wondering: how do different animals pick their leaders?

Join Molly and cohost Emily as they get to know some of the wildest leaders in the animal ...

The internet can feel like magic. You send a video of a squirrel eating an acorn to your friends and BOOM! A few seconds later, they can watch it! But how does the internet actually work?

In today’s episode, Molly and co-host Kayson take a tour of the internet. They find out where information on the internet is stored and how that information moves around the world using long skinny cables on the ocean floor! They a...

About 1 out of 13 kids has a food allergy. Some are allergic to peanuts, others can’t eat dairy or shellfish or – you name it! So, why do some of us have food allergies and others don’t?

Join Molly and co-host Gemma as they learn all about food allergies. First, they’ll explore the immune system, the tiny army inside our bodies that fights off things that can make us sick. Turns out, these fighter cells sometimes th...

Eyes are incredible. But sometimes they need a little help to see clearly. Enter: glasses! In this episode, we'll hear how eyes take in light and paint a picture of the world around us. We'll take a peek inside the eye to see why sometimes vision can be blurry and how glasses help. Then, we'll learn all about eye exams with a visit to the eye doctor! All that, plus a brand new mystery sound!

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Have you ever wondered how things in space get their names? Us, too! In this week’s episode, Molly and co-host Cassie hear the story of a funky little moon with a very strange name.

It all started when Radiolab co-host Latif Nasser noticed something unusual on his son’s map of the solar system: a moon next to Venus called Zoozve. He’d never heard of Venus having a moon – and he’d definitely never heard of a moon named ...

Smash Boom Best producers Rosie duPont and Aron Woldeslassie are a little early for the BIG game. Looking to kill some time they decide to play Impression Sound. Just like the great Brains On game Mystery Sound, Impression Sound has players guessing sounds. BUT unlike Mystery Sound, Aron and Rosie will be making the sounds with their mouths -- like an impression. Hence the very appropriate name for this game: Impression So...

Ping! Another episode of Brains On just dropped! And it’s all about phones: how they help us, why they’re so hard to put down – and how to have a balanced relationship with them.

In this episode, Molly and co-host Linden do a deep dive on phone use. They’ll chat with an expert about whether screens are bad for us and hear from some teenagers about how they really feel about their phones! Meanwhile, Marc takes his camel...

Have you ever seen an aurora? These spectacular night-time displays can fill our skies with dancing lights and bursts of color. But why do they happen in the first place?

Join Molly and co-host Mariam as they learn about what makes an aurora (hint: it starts with spicy sun burps) and chat with scientist Dr. Liz MacDonald about the best places to see them. Stick around for aurora trivia with Gameshow Molly and a dazz...

Seahorses can be as tiny as a grain of rice or more than a foot long. They also beat their small fins up to 70 times per second – about as fast as hummingbird wings. These cowboys of the sea are full of surprises!

Join Molly and co-host Noemi as they swim through an episode full of seahorse facts. They’ll hear from seahorse expert Heather Koldewey about what it’s like to swim with these fabulous little fish. Then th...

Whether you hum in the shower or yodel on stage, you can make music with your voice! But what’s going on inside of your body when you do it? And are there ways to change how your voice sounds?

Molly and co-host Kate will explore these questions and more in this episode all about singing. They’ll join Marc to watch a famous opera star do her thing and learn about what happens in our bodies when we sing. They’ll hear sam...

Curious about cats? Us too! Join Molly and co-host Lynx as they sniff out the answers to some of your most pressing cat questions.

They’ll head to a chaotic cat café to learn the history of house cats, they'll hear a song all about cat breeds, and chat with cat expert Mikel Delgado about catnip, cat naps, and why cats love to lick themselves! Plus a purr-plexing new mystery sound.

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