Matt Beard

Shows

Episodes

  1. BITES – Being scared of spiders

    12/18/2025

    BITES – Being scared of spiders

    Molly’s just an itsy bitsy cutesy spider, but Carl is freaking out! Lots of people are scared of spiders. In fact, people can be scared of a whole range of things you might find surprising, like a fear of clowns or paper or pancakes. But is that OK?

    4 min
  2. Is it wrong to think bad thoughts about people? 

    09/30/2025

    Is it wrong to think bad thoughts about people? 

    We all have thoughts about other people that we’d never say aloud. But do our private thoughts say something about the kind of people we are? Or is it only our actions that count?  Brains Trust - Gibbs Street Public School, Perth: Layla, Avjot, Johanna, Imogen, Sampada, Claudia. Listen to Short & Curly, the fun and educational ABC kids podcast about philosophy and ethics. Join hosts Molly Daniels, Carl Smith, and philosopher Eleanor Gordon-Smith as they explore big questions about right and wrong, fairness, truth, knowledge, logic, beauty and art. Perfect for tweens aged 8–12, families, and teachers, Short & Curly is one of the best kids shows for curious minds.  Combines storytelling, philosophy, and comedyPerfect for school listening, car trips, or family discussionsCreated by the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), trusted makers of award-winning children’s contentBinge this free educational ABC kids podcast series on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts worldwide

    20 min
  3. Should you have to pass a test to have kids?

    10/01/2025

    Should you have to pass a test to have kids?

    We test for everything: to get a licence, to move to the next grade, to prove you're ready to use a pen. But when it comes to becoming a biological parent, there's no test to pass. Should there be? Would a parenting test be a good idea? Brains Trust — Gibbs Street Public School, Perth: Fitzroy, Shahla, Jorja, Nafi, Tabitha, Gumaan Listen to Short & Curly, the fun and educational ABC kids podcast about philosophy and ethics. Join hosts Molly Daniels, Carl Smith, and philosopher Eleanor Gordon-Smith as they explore big questions about right and wrong, fairness, truth, knowledge, logic, beauty and art. Perfect for tweens aged 8–12, families, and teachers, Short & Curly is one of the best kids shows for curious minds. Combines storytelling, philosophy, and comedyPerfect for school listening, car trips, or family discussionsCreated by the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), trusted makers of award-winning children's contentBinge this free educational ABC kids podcast series on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts worldwide

    23 min
  4. Risky Rescues: Should you save someone who ignored warnings?

    09/30/2025

    Risky Rescues: Should you save someone who ignored warnings?

    There's wild surf at the beach today, but people are still choosing to swim outside the area patrolled by lifeguards. If those swimmers get into trouble out there, should other people put themselves at risk to save them? Or does ignoring the warnings mean you're on your own? Brains Trust — Gibbs Street Public School, Perth: Fitzroy, Shahla, Jorja, Nafi, Tabitha, Gumaan Listen to Short & Curly, the fun and educational ABC kids podcast about philosophy and ethics. Join hosts Molly Daniels, Carl Smith, and philosopher Eleanor Gordon-Smith as they explore big questions about right and wrong, fairness, truth, knowledge, logic, beauty and art. Perfect for tweens aged 8–12, families, and teachers, Short & Curly is one of the best kids shows for curious minds. Combines storytelling, philosophy, and comedyPerfect for school listening, car trips, or family discussionsCreated by the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), trusted makers of award-winning children's contentBinge this free educational ABC kids podcast series on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts worldwide

    21 min
  5. Graffiti or Gallery? When does graffiti become street art?

    09/30/2025

    Graffiti or Gallery? When does graffiti become street art?

    Ever walked past a spray-painted wall and thought, "That's actually really cool and beautiful!" But is it art or just stylish vandalism? Molly and Carl grab some spray cans and dive into the messy, colourful world of graffiti to ask: when does a rebellious scribble become art, and who gets to decide? Brains Trust — Gibbs Street Public School, Perth: Fitzroy, Shahla, Jorja, Nafi, Tabitha, Gumaan Listen to Short & Curly, the fun and educational ABC kids podcast about philosophy and ethics. Join hosts Molly Daniels, Carl Smith, and philosopher Eleanor Gordon-Smith as they explore big questions about right and wrong, fairness, truth, knowledge, logic, beauty and art. Perfect for tweens aged 8–12, families, and teachers, Short & Curly is one of the best kids shows for curious minds. Combines storytelling, philosophy, and comedyPerfect for school listening, car trips, or family discussionsCreated by the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), trusted makers of award-winning children's contentBinge this free educational ABC kids podcast series on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts worldwide

    23 min
  6. BITES – Grown-ups making the rules

    12/16/2025

    BITES – Grown-ups making the rules

    Who’s in charge at school? Why, that would be the teachers. And who is in charge at home? Your parents or carers. Who is in charge of running the country? Politicians, that’s who. And what do they all have in common?! They’re all grown-ups! How is that fair?!

    3 min
  7. Can you lie even when you don’t say anything?

    04/01/2025

    Can you lie even when you don’t say anything?

    The line between truth and deception can be blurry. Is leaving out important information a lie? What about misleading gestures, or half-truths? Babysitting Matt's kids force Molly and Carl to confront these complexities firsthand as they lie to get out of tricky situations. Summer Hill Public School: Dimitri, Mia, Teddy, Milla, Cleo, Marcus

    24 min
  8. Is it okay to yell at a robot?

    09/14/2022

    Is it okay to yell at a robot?

    Have you ever found yourself being rude to a smart speaker because it doesn’t understand you? As robots get better and smarter and more human-like, how should we treat them? Does it matter if we act badly towards something that isn’t even human?   Brain Trust - Casuarina Street Primary School, Katherine: Riley, Mahlia, Milo, Clay, Angus, Ava

    23 min
  9. BITES – Driverless cars

    12/17/2025

    BITES – Driverless cars

    Cars that drive themselves are no longer just something you’d see in a sci-fi movie… they’re on roads and highways right around the world. But what should happen if something goes wrong? Whose fault would it be – the passenger? The manufacturer? The... car itself?!

    4 min
  10. Bad dog or bad owner? Who’s really to blame?

    09/30/2025

    Bad dog or bad owner? Who’s really to blame?

    Most dogs are loving companions, but what about the ones that bite, bark, or cause chaos? Is a dog's bad behaviour their own fault or is it down to the way they were raised? From neglected pups to misunderstood mutts, we dig into the debate: Who's really responsible when a dog goes rogue, and what should we do about it? Brains Trust — Gibbs Street Public School, Perth: Layla, Avjot, Johanna, Imogen, Sampada, Claudia. Listen to Short & Curly, the fun and educational ABC kids podcast about philosophy and ethics. Join hosts Molly Daniels, Carl Smith, and philosopher Eleanor Gordon-Smith as they explore big questions about right and wrong, fairness, truth, knowledge, logic, beauty and art. Perfect for tweens aged 8–12, families, and teachers, Short & Curly is one of the best kids shows for curious minds. Combines storytelling, philosophy, and comedyPerfect for school listening, car trips, or family discussionsCreated by the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), trusted makers of award-winning children's contentBinge this free educational ABC kids podcast series on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts worldwide

    21 min
  11. Do we need a rule book to be a good person?

    04/01/2025

    Do we need a rule book to be a good person?

    Molly and Carl visit Greece in search of the mythical "Scroll of Rights and Wrongs", an ancient guide written by the smartest person to have ever lived: Adamantia The Wise*. The elusive ancient text contains the ultimate guide to morality, but what does it say? South Wagga Public School: Noah, Lucas, Jasmine, Hunter, Olivia *definitely not a real person and very much the invention of Molly & Carl.

    22 min
  12. Why do some jobs earn more money than others?

    09/30/2024

    Why do some jobs earn more money than others?

    Molly and Carl have just found out that some people earn a lot more money than they do, and this just makes no cents (pun intended). So how do we decide what different types of jobs should be paid? What about if those jobs are dangerous? If they take many years of training and study? Or if they will make the world a better place? Brains Trust – Linden Park Primary School, Adelaide – Genevieve, Grace, Alexa, Poppy, Chelsea, Sophie

    20 min
  13. BITES – Cats VS Dogs

    12/15/2025

    BITES – Cats VS Dogs

    As long as kitties have been meowing, and puppies have been prowling, people have asked - which is better, Cats or Dogs? Finally, the Short & Curly crew tackle this colossal question... but is it even a philosophical question?

    4 min
  14. Shape shifters — When is something no longer itself?

    04/01/2025

    Shape shifters — When is something no longer itself?

    Join Molly and Carl as they valiantly attempt a world record sailing around the globe on their boat, the Theseus. Faced with a constant need for boat repairs, they are forced to confront a perplexing question: how many changes can you make to something before it's no longer the same thing it started out as? South Wagga Public School: Noah, Lucas, Jasmine, Hunter, Olivia

    22 min
  15. Who should get the magical gemstone? A tale of elves, fairies and justice

    03/28/2024

    Who should get the magical gemstone? A tale of elves, fairies and justice

    There's a small village of elves who have a magical gemstone that brings them great prosperity. But one day a group of fairies turn up claiming the stone originally belonged to them. Hundreds of years ago, the elves' ancestors stole it from them, and now they want it back. So what's the right thing to do? Who should get to keep the gem? Brains Trust – Westmead Public School, Sydney: Swetha, Reyansh, Anirudh, Reya, Kushagra, Ashvita

    24 min
  16. BITES – Judging people because of who they're friends with

    12/14/2025

    BITES – Judging people because of who they're friends with

    Molly is having a party so she’s invited over the usual gang – Carl, Eleanor, Tony Ravioli and… the Joker! Batman’s nemesis!! And he’s not a great guy, what with all the crimes he’s committed in Gotham City. Is Molly making the right call here? Should you judge people because of who they’re friends with? Thanks to Violet for this quirky conundrum.

    4 min
  17. A World Without … Winning and losing

    09/12/2023

    A World Without … Winning and losing

    Would you still want to play sport if there was no one keeping score, there were no winners or losers, and no trophies at the end of the season? What would be the point? On the other hand, can competition actually ruin sport? Come and spend the afternoon with Molly and Carl as they kick the ball around in a park. Brains Trust: Plenty Parklands Primary School in Mill Park, Melbourne: Mara, Roni, Alana, Isaac and Adele.

    24 min
  18. What if you can’t invite all your friends to your birthday party?

    03/28/2024

    What if you can’t invite all your friends to your birthday party?

    Is it okay to not invite all your friends to your birthday party? Molly has an exciting plan for her next birthday party and she can't wait to invite her best and closest friends. The only trouble is she has five close friends but she can only invite four people. What should she do? And what should you say to people who aren't invited? Brains Trust – Westmead Public School, Sydney: Sarah, Mariam, Adhit, Kenny, Panayiotis, Alaina and Ryan

    22 min
  19. Molly's pick: Is it ever okay to be a cannibal?

    12/17/2023

    Molly's pick: Is it ever okay to be a cannibal?

    Molly, Carl and Matt become lost at sea, they've run out of food and they lack basic survival skills. So, would it be okay for them to eat each other if they get really really really hungry? Maybe don't listen to this episode while you're eating!

    25 min
  20. The ethics of smartphones

    03/31/2021

    The ethics of smartphones

    When Molly got her first smartphone, she was so excited she couldn’t stop staring at her screen and she walked into a power pole. Carl is not so convinced by this flashy and very useful technology. Brains Trust: Guardian Angels Primary School in Queensland — Cienna, Daniel, Ellena, Eva, Kaizin and Laetitia.

    23 min
Matt Beard on Apple