321 episodes

Brains On!® is a science podcast for curious kids and adults from American Public Media. Each week, a different kid co-host joins Molly Bloom to find answers to fascinating questions about the world sent in by listeners. Like, do dogs know they’re dogs? Or, why do feet stink? Plus, we have mystery sounds for you to guess, songs for you to dance to, and lots of facts -- all checked by experts.

Brains On! Science podcast for kids Brains On! Universe

    • Education for Kids

Brains On!® is a science podcast for curious kids and adults from American Public Media. Each week, a different kid co-host joins Molly Bloom to find answers to fascinating questions about the world sent in by listeners. Like, do dogs know they’re dogs? Or, why do feet stink? Plus, we have mystery sounds for you to guess, songs for you to dance to, and lots of facts -- all checked by experts.

    Are UFOs real?

    Are UFOs real?

    We love a good mystery, and UFOs are magnificently mysterious! But are they real? In this episode, Marc and Sanden take over the Brains On feed with a new episode of their radio show, Hoax Hunters. They’ll look into the myths and hoaxes surrounding UFOs (which stands for unidentified flying objects). Plus, they’ll talk about what kinds of things often get mistaken for UFOs and how you can stay smart and skeptical when hearing shocking information. And of course, an episode about mystery will have an all-new Mystery Sound!

    Read more about Val Johnson from MPR News.

    And if you love Hoax Hunters, check out our Making Sense of Myths series!


    Bigfoot, Unicorns and Dragons

    Lost Cities

    Mermaids, Kraken and the Loch Ness Monster

    Aliens and UFOs




    Come see Brains On live in Washington, DC, Princeton, NJ, and Brooklyn, NY! Get tickets here: brainson.org/events

    Subscribe to Smarty Pass for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts!

    Today’s episode is sponsored by:- Sitkaseafoodmarket.com - Use promo code Molly35 to receive $35 off your first order.- Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson

    • 37 min
    Join us for Brains On live in April!

    Join us for Brains On live in April!

    Hello friends! We're so excited to announce that Brains On is coming to the east coast!

    We’re doing three live shows -- in Washington DC, Princeton, New Jersey and Brooklyn, New York!

    Our live show is a super fun journey through the brain, featuring magic tricks, a game show, mystery sounds and even dancing! You can get tickets at brainson.org/events

    Plus, after each show, we're having a VIP party, where you can meet and play games with me, Marc and Sanden.

    And -- if you're not able to make it to our live shows in person, we'll be doing a virtual event in April that anyone can join! Tickets for that are also available at brainson.org/events

    Thanks so much for listening to Brains On and we can't wait to meet you in Washington, DC, Princeton, New Jersey and Brooklyn, New York! Again, you can get your tickets at brainson.org/events. Hope to see you there!

    • 1 min
    Why do we laugh?

    Why do we laugh?

    Laughter is like a language and humans are really good at understanding it.

    In this episode, Molly and co-host Milla decode different kinds of laughs, from uncontrollable goofy laughter to chuckles that make others feel good.

    They’ll meet laugh experts Sophie Scott and Adrienne Wood and test their knowledge in three rounds of the game show: Laugh Attack!

    Plus, a new mystery sound for you to guess!

    Come see Brains On live in Washington, DC, Princeton, NJ, and Brooklyn, NY! Get tickets here: brainson.org/events

    Subscribe to Smarty Pass for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts!

    Today’s episode is sponsored by:Sitkaseafoodmarket.com - Use promo code Molly35 to receive $35 off your first order.Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson

    • 34 min
    How do satellites work?

    How do satellites work?

    Satellites are like robots in the sky: they monitor the weather, make GPS possible, and take stunning pictures of outer space! But how exactly do they work? When a satellite named Meep Moop gets delivered to Brains On HQ by mistake, Molly and co-hosts Tessa and Fallyn learn all about satellite solar panels, thrusters, and radio waves! Then, they chat with Dr. Moriba Jah about satellite space junk and the importance of keeping space pristine. Plus, a stumper of a mystery sound!

    Featured expert:Dr. Moriba Jah, space environmentalist and professor of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at The University of Texas at Austin. Find him on Instagram at @moribajah and Facebook @Moriba Kemessia Jah

    Special thanks to:Dr. David “Goldy” Goldstein, principal engineer, SpaceX; Colonel., U.S. Air Force, Ret.

    Resources:If you want to hear more about GPS, check out the Brains On episode How does GPS know where you are?

    And if you’re curious to learn more about space junk, check out Satellite uses giant net to practice capturing space junk and the video Tracking space junk, both written and hosted by Loren Grush and produced by The Verge.

    Do you have your Smarty Pass yet?? Get yours today for just $4/month (or $36/year) and get bonus episodes every month, and ad-free versions of every episode of Brains On, Smash Boom Best, Moment of Um, and Forever Ago. Visit www.smartypass.org to get your Smarty Pass today!

    ____________

    This episode was sponsored by:

    Sitka Seafood Market - Use promo code Molly35 to receive $35 off your first order. 

    Indeed - Use promo code brainson to receive a $75 sponsored job credit

    • 24 min
    Tooth or Dare: A Smarty Pass Sneak Peek

    Tooth or Dare: A Smarty Pass Sneak Peek

    What’s that alluring flute music and what does it have to do with Molly Bloom’s biting new game? Well, there’s only one way to find out. Grab your Smarty Pass to hear Anna and Rosie play Molly’s latest game: Tooth or Dare!

    • 1 min
    How does a match make fire?

    How does a match make fire?

    Have you ever seen someone strike a match? The match rubs against a scratchy strip and a split second later – poof! It makes fire! But how does a match work, anyway?

    Join Molly and co-host Maxwell as they get all fired up about matches! They’ll explore the three things a fire needs to ignite and learn how lighting a match is just a super fast chemical reaction that sometimes smells like farts. Plus, we’ll hear your hot new names for matches and of course, a new mystery sound!

    Do you have your Smarty Pass yet?? Get yours today for just $4/month (or $36/year) and get bonus episodes every month, and ad-free versions of every episode of Brains On, Smash Boom Best, Moment of Um, and Forever Ago. Visit www.smartypass.org to get your Smarty Pass today!

    ____________

    This episode was sponsored by:

    Sitka Seafood Market - Use promo code Molly35 to receive $35 off your first order. 

    Indeed - Use promo code brainson to receive a $75 sponsored job credit

    • 26 min

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