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Updated 18/08/2022
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Updated 01/07/2021

11/05/2024

Why do some trees lose their leaves and others don't?

As spring started springing, and leaves started to reappear on the trees, Robi-Jo wanted to find out why some trees lose their leaves and others don't. He joined our host Eloise to ask Paul Ashton, a botanist at Edge Hill University in the UK, who took them into the secret life of our big, leafy friends! The Conversation's Curious Kids podcast is published in partnership with FunKids, the UK's children's radio station. It's hosted and produced by Eloise and Gemma Ware is the executive producer. Full sound credits available here. If you have a question for an expert, email us at curiouskids@theconversation.com or record it and send your question to us directly at funkidslive.com/curious. And explore more articles from our Curious Kids series on The Conversation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

11/05/2024

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17 min
08/06/2024

Does magic really exist?

Seven year old Julia in London thinks that rainbows and the recent Northern Lights are magical. But if a scientist tells her how they work, will she still believe they are? Join us to find out! Featuring Partha Chowdhury, professor of physics at UMass Lowell in the US. The Conversation’s Curious Kids podcast is published in partnership with FunKids, the UK’s children’s radio station. It’s hosted and produced by Eloise. The executive producer is Gemma Ware. Email your question to curiouskids@theconversation.com or record it and send your question to us directly at funkidslive.com/curious. And explore more articles from our Curious Kids series on The Conversation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

08/06/2024

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19 min
01/06/2024

Can chameleons change colour in their sleep?

Have you ever wondered how chameleons change colour? And can they do this while they're asleep? What about if they are able to dream? Does their dream flash across their bodies in reds, turquoises and greens? Join curious ten-year-old Ikechukwu from Lagos, Nigeria, as he takes all his questions to an expert! Featuring Russell Ligon, a recent postdoctoral researcher at Cornell University in the US. The Conversation’s Curious Kids podcast is published in partnership with FunKids, the UK’s children’s radio station. It’s hosted and produced by Eloise. The executive producer is Gemma Ware. Email your question to curiouskids@theconversation.com or record it and send your question to us directly at funkidslive.com/curious. And explore more articles from our Curious Kids series on The Conversation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

01/06/2024

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20 min
12/04/2023

Theory of everything: do we really need one?

The quest for a theory of everything – explaining all the forces and particles in the universe – is arguably the holy grail of physics. While each of our main theories of physics works extraordinarily well, they also clash with each other. But do we really need a theory of everything? And are we anywhere near achieving one? Featuring Vlatko Vedral, a professor of physics at the University of Oxford and Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, an assistant professor in physics and astronomy and core faculty in women's and gender studies at the University Of New Hampshire. This episode is presented by Miriam Frankel and produced by Hannah Fisher. Executive producers are Jo Adetunji and Gemma Ware. Social media and platform production by Alice Mason, sound design by Eloise Stevens and music by Neeta Sarl. A transcript is available here. Sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. Further reading: The standard model of particle physics may be broken – an expert explains

12/04/2023

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57 min
27/04/2024

How high can I jump on the Moon?

Imagine you’re lucky enough to travel all the way to the Moon, and you’re bouncing around in your space suit, exploring. How high could you jump? That’s what Miles, aged nine, from London, wanted to know. And so he joined our host Eloise to ask Jacco von Loon, an astrophysicist at Keele University in the UK to find the answer! The Conversation's Curious Kids podcast is published in partnership with FunKids, the UK's children's radio station. It's hosted and produced by Eloise Stevens and Gemma Ware is the executive producer. Full sound credits available here. If you have a question for an expert, email us at curiouskids@theconversation.com or record it and send your question to us directly at https://funkidslive.com/curious. And explore more articles from our Curious Kids series on The Conversation including a print version of the story in this episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

27/04/2024

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15 min
08/03/2023

Is time an illusion?

Without a sense of time, leading us from cradle to grave, our lives would make little sense. But on the most fundamental level, physicists aren't sure whether the sort of time we experience exists at all. We talk to three experts and find out if time could potentially be moving backwards as well as forwards. Featuring Sean Carroll, Homewood professor of natural philosophy at Johns Hopkins University, Emily Adlam, postdoctoral associate of the philosophy of physics at Western University and Natalia Ares, Royal Society university research fellow at the University of Oxford. This episode was presented by Miriam Frankel and produced by Hannah Fisher. Executive producers are Jo Adetunji and Gemma Ware. Social media and platform production by Alice Mason, sound design by Eloise Stevens and music by Neeta Sarl. A transcript is available here. Sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. Further reading: Quantum mechanics: how the future might influence the pastFour misconceptions about quantum physics

08/03/2023

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44 min
05/04/2023

Will we ever have a fundamental theory of life and consciousness?

What’s the difference between a living collection of matter, such as a tortoise, and an inanimate lump of it, such as a rock? They are, after all, both just made up of non-living atoms. The truth is, we don’t really know yet. Life seems to just somehow emerge from non-living parts. Featuring Jim Al-Khalili, professor of physics at the University of Surrey and Sara Imari Walker professor of physics at Arizona State University. This episode is presented by Miriam Frankel and produced by Hannah Fisher. Executive producers are Jo Adetunji and Gemma Ware. Social media and platform production by Alice Mason, sound design by Eloise Stevens and music by Neeta Sarl. A transcript is available here. Sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. Further reading: Life: modern physics can’t explain it – but our new theory, which says time is fundamental, might

05/04/2023

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48 min
22/03/2023

Is there a multiverse?

Interest in the multiverse theory, suggesting that our universe is just one of many, has spiked since the movie Everything Everywhere All At Once was released. The film follows Evelyn Wang on her journey to connect with versions of herself in parallel universes to stop the destruction of the multiverse. The multiverse idea has long been an inspiration for science fiction writers. But does it have any basis in science? And if so, is it a concept we could ever test experimentally? Featuring Andrew Pontzen, professor of Cosmology at University College London, Katie Mack, Hawking chair in cosmology and science communication at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, and Sabine Hossenfelder, research fellow of physics at the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies. This episode is presented by Miriam Frankel and produced by Hannah Fisher. Executive producers are Jo Adetunji and Gemma Ware. Social media and platform production by Alice Mason, sound design by Eloise Stevens and music by Neeta Sarl. A transcript is available here. Sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. Further reading: The multiverse: how we're tackling the challenges facing the theoryCurious Kids: how likely is it that there are parallel universes and other Earths?The multiverse: our universe is suspiciously unlikely to exist – unless it is one of many

22/03/2023

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41 min
20/04/2024

Do whales sneeze?

Do whales sneeze? That's what ten-year-old Guy from Sydney wanted to know. He joined our host Eloise to ask Vanessa Pirotta, a wildlife scientist at Macquarie University in Australia who is also an expert in whale snot! The Conversation's Curious Kids podcast is published in partnership with FunKids, the UK's children's radio station. It's hosted and produced by Eloise Stevens and Gemma Ware is the executive producer. Full sound credits available here. If you have a question for an expert, email us at curiouskids@theconversation.com or record it and send your question to us directly at funkidslive.com/curious. And explore more articles from our Curious Kids series on The Conversation including a print version of the story in this episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

20/04/2024

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12 min
15/03/2023

Fundamental constants: is the universe fine tuned for life to exist?

Imagine a universe with extremely strong gravity. Stars would be able to form from very little material. They would be smaller than in our universe and live for a much shorter amount of time. But could life evolve there? It after all took human life billions of years to evolve on Earth under the pleasantly warm rays from the Sun. Now imagine a universe with extremely weak gravity. Its matter would struggle to clump together to form stars, planets and – ultimately – living beings. It seems we are pretty lucky to have gravity that is just right for life in our universe. Featuring Fred Adams, professor of physics, University of Michigan, and Paul Davies, professor of physics, Arizona State University. This episode was presented by Miriam Frankel and produced by Hannah Fisher. Executive producers are Jo Adetunji and Gemma Ware. Social media and platform production by Alice Mason, sound design by Eloise Stevens and music by Neeta Sarl. A transcript is available here. Sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. Further reading: The multiverse is suspiciously unlikely to exist unless it is one of many

15/03/2023

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42 min

Listen to experts explain the world around us and tell the stories behind brand new research. Podcasts from The Conversation, an independent source of news and views, sourced from the academic and research community. Shows in English, French and Bahasa Indonesia. Free to listen.

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