Moment Of Um

Moment Of Um

Moment of Um is your daily answer to those questions that pop up out of nowhere and make you go… ummmmmmm. Brought to you by your friends at Brains On Universe. Sales and Distribution by Lemonada Media https://lemonadamedia.com/

Episodes

We’re back! Brains On Universe has a new headquarters

October 8, 2025 • 8 mins
We’re back! We’ve officially moved into our new headquarters! Come unpack with us and get a tour while we fill you in on some big news. Plus, new episodes of Brains On coming later this month and new Smash Boom and Forever Ago after that. If you want to support the show or drop us a line, head to brainson.org. The best way to keep us going is to join Smarty Pass or donate here: https://brainson.supercast.com. Thank you! See Smash B...
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A big update about Moment of Um and the Brains On Universe

June 10, 2025 • 3 mins
We're moving the Brains On Universe Headquarters, and that means we have to stop putting out new episodes until we get settled. We know: not cool. But, our new home is going to be bigger and better and the absolute BEST. We can't wait until it's ready for you to visit. In the meantime, we still have some live shows planned this fall. Brains On Live will be in Dallas, TX on September 13. And Smash Boom Best will bring the debate hea...
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How do braces work?

June 6, 2025 • 7 mins
They come in cool colors, catch popcorn kernels and sometimes even have spacers - it’s braces! Ever wondered how braces magically straighten teeth? We asked Dr. ArNelle Wright - a real life dentist! - to help us break down the science of these tiny metal wonders. Bracing for a tough question? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help uncover the tooth.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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How did the solar system and all the planets get their names?

June 5, 2025 • 5 mins
The Milky Way! Neptune! Uranus! Halley’s Comet! There are so many cool features in our solar system – but how did they get their names? We asked space scientist and communicator Maggie Aderin-Pocock to help us find the answer. Got a question that’s out of this world? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll make space for an answer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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How do stoplights know when to change?

June 4, 2025 • 6 mins
Waiting for a stoplight to turn green can be really annoying, especially when you’re running late. It would be awesome if you had a magic wand you could wave to get the light to change. But alas, such things don’t exist. But how do stoplights know when to switch colors? We asked Jerry Kotzenmacher with the Minnesota Department of Transportation to help us find the answer. Got a nagging question that just won’t yield? Send it to us ...
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Can you control your dreams?

June 3, 2025 • 6 mins
Have you ever had a scary or weird dream and wished you could switch your brain-television to another channel? Great news! You can learn to use “lucid dreaming,” a technique that helps you realize when you’re in a dream. Once you know you’re dreaming, you can teach yourself to shape your own storyline. So how does that work? We asked Dr. Ketema Paul, Professor, Integrative Biology And Physiology at the University of California, Los...
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How did people figure out how to make yogurt?

June 2, 2025 • 7 mins
There are all different kinds of yogurt: Greek, vanilla bean, blueberry, even sheep’s milk yogurt! But how did people first figure out how to make this yummy food? We asked journalist Allison Conroe to help us find the answer. Got a question that’s whey cool? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll find a legen-dairy answer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Why did snakes lose their legs?

May 30, 2025 • 4 mins
Happy Snake Week! Every episode this week explores a different question about our slithery friends. Here’s a mind blower for you: did you know the ancestors of snakes used to have legs?   Somewhere along the zigzag path of evolution, they traded in their lizardy legs for a more streamlined look. But why did snakes go legless? We asked biologist and snake researcher Emily Taylor to help us find the answer. Got a question that’s snak...
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How do snakes make venom?

May 29, 2025 • 4 mins
Happy Snake Week! Every episode this week explores a different question about our slithery friends. Did you know that, out of the roughly 3,000 total species of snakes, only about 10-15% are venomous? But how do those snakes make venom in their bodies? We asked snake scientist Emily Taylor to help us find the answer.  Got a question that’s biting at you? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll search for the answer-dote! S...
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Why are snakes shaped like a stick?

May 28, 2025 • 5 mins
Happy Snake Week! Every episode this week explores a different question about our slithery friends. Snakes come in all sizes and colors, but they have one thing in common: no arms or legs! In fact, one might argue they kind of look like sticks. We asked snake expert Emily Taylor why our reptilian neighbors are twig-shaped.  Got a question that’s slithering around your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll promise ...
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What do zoos feed big snakes, such as pythons?

May 27, 2025 • 4 mins
Happy Snake Week! Every episode this week explores a different question about our slithery friends. Zoos have to have all kinds of foods available to feed the different species that they care for. Animals like elephants, zebras and buffalo eat plants. Predators like lions, foxes and bears have a much meatier diet. But what’s on the menu at the snake house? Snake cake? Snake steak? Snake grapes? We asked biologist Emily Taylor to he...
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What do snakes do when they hibernate?

May 26, 2025 • 5 mins
Happy Snake Week! Every episode this week explores a different question about our slithery friends. Did you know snakes hibernate in the winter just like bears, chipmunks and geckos? But what do they do while they’re hibernating? Do they have dreams? Do they wake up for mid-hibernation snacks? We asked snake scientist Emily Taylor to help us find the answer!  Got a question you just can’t ssssssleep on? Send it to us at BrainsOn.or...
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Why am I allergic to raw egg but not cooked egg?

May 23, 2025 • 7 mins
Some people have allergic reactions to foods like peanuts, sesame, and raw eggs. But when people with egg allergies eat cooked eggs, there’s no reaction. What’s up with that? We asked pediatrician Liz Placzek to help us find the answer. Have you hatched a really great question? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help find EGG-xactly what you need. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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How do mood rings work?

May 22, 2025 • 7 mins
Have you ever heard of a mood ring? It’s a little piece of jewelry that supposedly tells you what kind of a mood you’re in. But how the heck can it know? We asked scientist Edwin Thomas to help us find the answer. Got a question that’s getting you in the mood to learn? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help w-ring out an answer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Why do we have weird dreams when we’re sick?

May 21, 2025 • 6 mins
When you’re sick, it’s important to get plenty of rest to help your body heal. But it can be hard to sleep when your brain keeps showing you bizarre fever dreams (Like being chased by a giant fireball! Or swimming in nacho cheese!) Why do we have strange dreams when we’re sick, anyway? We asked dream researcher Michael Schredl to help us find the answer. Got any burning questions? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll se...
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Are brains really pink?

May 20, 2025 • 5 mins
Quick, picture a brain! Did you imagine a rosy-colored little meatball? Us too! But are brains actually pink when they’re inside our skulls? We asked brain expert Gwenaëlle Thomas to help us find the answer. Got a question that’s giving you a real headache? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll wrap our brains around it! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Where do poop and pee go on airplanes?

May 19, 2025 • 5 mins
Dogs come in so many different sizes, from the tiniest teacup terrier to the giant Great Dane. How did we get such a delightful assortment of these furry best buddies? We asked Brains On producer and archaeologist Anna Goldfield to help us find the answer. Got a question that’s been hounding you? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll make sure to bark up the right tree! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information...
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Could you make a candle out of earwax?

May 16, 2025 • 7 mins
Dogs come in so many different sizes, from the tiniest teacup terrier to the giant Great Dane. How did we get such a delightful assortment of these furry best buddies? We asked Brains On producer and archaeologist Anna Goldfield to help us find the answer. Got a question that’s been hounding you? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll make sure to bark up the right tree! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information...
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Does space affect an astronaut’s digestion?

May 15, 2025 • 4 mins
We chew our food, swallow it, and our stomach goes to work on digesting! Our bodies absorb the nutrients they need and then we poop out the rest. Here on Earth, the whole process takes somewhere between one to three days. But what about in space? Do astronauts digest food as quickly as they do on Earth? We reached out to space scientist and science communicator Maggie Aderin-Pocock to get the answer! Got a question you’re chewing  ...
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Why are some dogs so small and some so large?

May 14, 2025 • 7 mins
Dogs come in so many different sizes, from the tiniest teacup terrier to the giant Great Dane. How did we get such a delightful assortment of these furry best buddies? We asked Brains On producer and archaeologist Anna Goldfield to help us find the answer. Got a question that’s been hounding you? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll make sure to bark up the right tree! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information...
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