Tumble Science Podcast for Kids
A Common Sense Selection! Exploring stories of science discovery. Tumble is a science podcast created to be enjoyed by the entire family. Hosted & produced by Lindsay Patterson (science journalist) & Marshall Escamilla (teacher). Visit www.tumblepodcast.com for educational content.
Episodes
June 26, 2026 • 21 mins
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 fut...
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June 12, 2026 • 22 mins
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...
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May 29, 2026 • 25 mins
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 yo...
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May 15, 2026 • 24 mins
This is a rebroadcast of one of our favorite episodes from the past!
It’s a scientific controversy of planetary proportions! Is Pluto a planet, or not? You decide, after we present two sides of an epic astronomy argument. Back in 2006, the International Astronomer’s Union voted on a definition of the word “planet” that excluded Pluto and other newly dubbed “dwarf planets” from planethood status....
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May 1, 2026 • 27 mins
Both ants and bees work hard. So which one works harder? That’s what our listener Hadi wants to know! So we’re pitting insect against insect in a battle of industriousness. Ants or bees: Who will win?! Tune in as we attempt to crown the Hardest Working Insect!
To help, we’ve recruited Dr. Sammy Ramsey, an entomologist, National Geographic Explorer, and host and producer of the Disney+ documentary, “Secrets ...
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April 17, 2026 • 20 mins
A special “tickle attack” Mailbag edition of Tumble! We’re tackling your questions about whether animals can be tickled, and why we laugh when we’re tickled. David Leavens, a professor of psychology, helps us break down the not-so-silly science of tickling. Plus, a brand NEW SONG from Marshall based on a listener request!
Want to be on a future mailbag episode? With an adult, leave a review on Apple P...
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April 3, 2026 • 24 mins
Do trees think? That’s what our listener Alden wants to know. He has an idea that scientists might study mushroom roots to find out if trees are sending messages. Is that true? And if so, what do trees have to say?!We travel deep into the forest with a young soil scientist named Natalia Mondi from the Mother Tree Project, to find out how and why trees communicate through the ecosystem. Along the way, we’ll discover what...
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March 20, 2026 • 25 mins
What is dark matter? Why do scientists think it exists? How are they searching for it, and why are they doing it in an underground lab?! Join us on the search for dark matter with Alvaro Chavarria, a physicist running a dark matter detector underneath a mountain in the French Alps. We’ll take you inside the lab to visit the detector, and find out why everything we think we know about dark matter… could be wrong.
...
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March 6, 2026 • 38 mins
Who invented the peanut butter and jelly sandwich? And how did it become one of the most famous lunches in America?
In this episode, a question from listener Leila sends us on a trip through history to find out how peanut butter, jelly, and sliced bread came together to make the classic PB&J. Along the way, we learn about the first written recipe for the sandwich in 1901, how peanut butter went from a fancy food to a lunchbox ...
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February 20, 2026 • 23 mins
Why do humans usually have five fingers on each hand? And what if one day, we could grow a new finger if we lost one?
In this episode, a question from six-year-old listener Ayla sends us on a journey from tiny developing embryos to one of the most amazing animals on Earth: the axolotl.
We talk with Dr. Jessica Whited, a Harvard-based biologist who studies how axolotls regrow their limbs - and why humans can’t do the s...
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February 6, 2026 • 27 mins
In this episode, we talk to two scientists who study animal friendships, in different animals, and in different ways. We’ll hear from Karen Bales, who studies titi monkeys (AKA “fuzzy little guys”) and Annaliese Beery, who studies voles (AKA “the cutest rodents”). Get ready to discover how animal friends play and cuddle - and what they can teach us about our own friendships.
This episode was pro...
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January 23, 2026 • 23 mins
How did Earth get created? What did our planet begin as? Why does our world exist? What started our planet? These questions take us back billions of years to learn how Earth formed in the very beginning - and then, we’ll look to a group of mysterious asteroids that might reveal how Earth became the planet it is today.
With planetary scientist Bill Bottke, we’ll hear the incredible story of Earth’s earliest ...
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January 9, 2026 • 26 mins
This is a rebroadcast of one of our favorite episodes from season 9!
Do fungi breathe? That’s what listener Alice wants to know - and we’ll find out in our punniest episode yet! We visit the Fungarium - the largest and oldest collection of fungi in the world with curator Lee Davies, who describes himself as a “librarian” of mushrooms. We’ll explore how fungi live and die, and why there’s so man...
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December 26, 2025 • 16 mins
This is a re-broadcast of a favorite episode from 2019. We actually won our first AAAS Kavli Award for this episode, along with The Cave of the Underground Astronauts. Check it out!
Why do seals have whiskers? Listener Karah’s question dives into the wonderful world of whisker science. Robyn Grant, a self-described “whisker biologist” shares her discoveries of how whiskers work, from training a friendly seal nam...
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December 19, 2025 • 24 mins
We’re wrapping up 2025 with a final Mailbag episode, featuring some of our longest-running Patrons! Did you know, when you sign up to support Tumble on Patreon, you’ll get a personalized message from Marshall? And if you’ve been supporting us for years, we might just call you up to chat! We’ll meet our mysterious patron, MiloSloth and his family, and learn why they love to support the show.
Plus, why ...
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December 12, 2025 • 24 mins
How do people learn — and how can a video game help us find out? In this episode, we meet cognitive scientist Charley Wu, who built the ultimate science “mod” in Minecraft! Journey into a video game world of science to discover how and why Charley used one of the world’s most popular games to follow his curiosity about how humans learn. Featuring a “braintrust” of kid Minecraft experts to explain...
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November 28, 2025 • 21 mins
Why do we have snot? Do animals get stuffy noses, too? We delve into the world of thick secretions with the help of Dani Rabiaotti, zoologist and author of “Believe it or Snot: The Definitive Field Guide to Earth’s Slimy Creatures.” You’ll find out why we make so much mucus, and meet the slimiest animals on the planet. Plus, you’ll discover why scientists study slime, even though it’s super gross...
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November 14, 2025 • 23 mins
What sounds do fish make? 🐟🎶 We know that cows say moo, and sheep say baa, but what do fish say? Come explore “Under the Sea” to discover the chorus of fish noises with help from fish ecologist Audrey Looby. We’ll find out how fish can be sneaky, loud, and even “slimy, grumpy cuties” (Audrey’s words) who go boop boop - and what they can tell us about life underwater. 🌊
You can learn mor...
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October 29, 2025 • 25 mins
Are ghosts real… or not? That’s what Lily wants to know. To find out, we talk to a real-life Ghostbuster and science historian Efram Sera-Shriar, who takes us on a journey back in time to when the world’s most famous scientists became ghost investigators: Sitting in on séances, inventing ghost-hunting devices, and exposing the tricks of “spirit photography.” Did you know, Thomas Edison made plans to c...
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October 17, 2025 • 25 mins
Did dinosaurs sniff each other’s butts like dogs? That’s what listener Ernie wants to know! We’ll dig up the surprising dino discovery that leads to our answer with the help of one of the world’s foremost animal butt experts, Dr. Diane Kelly!
You can learn more about Diane, and find a transcript of this episode on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com.
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