Before Us Kids!

It’s our final episode of 2025! Colton and Dr. Erich dive into the historical Welsh and Scottish roots of the legendary magician Merlin long before he became the all-powerful wizard known in movies and stories today. Plus, we also look at some archaeological discoveries about witches and vampires.

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In this extra special bonus episode, Colton and Dr. Erich let loose and spin the legendary tale of Stone Age Santa...When, what to their wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature sleigh—and eight enormous, hairy mastodons!?!

Buckle up, folks, this is one super silly story, though Dr. Erich will still do his best to sneak in a little learning along the way.

Now Fluffy! Now Tusk Nugget! Now Chonkus and Stunk!
On Snorticus! On Fuzzykinds! On Flomp and Chunk!
To the top of the hill—watch out for the rockfall!
Now stomp away! Stomp away! Stomp away all!

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In this episode, we rummage through King Tutankhamun’s underwear drawer and tackle the eternal question: did he pack enough undies for the afterlife? 

Special thanks to Islam Shaheen, one of the amazing conservators of the King Tutankhamun collection at the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo, as well as Nagmeldeen Hamza. 

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In this episode, 8-year old Emelina asks if men were more important than women in the past, leading to an absolutely awesome discussion about how our own ideas, our own biases, and even the words that we use influence our understanding about the past. It's a discussion that touches on sexism and stereotypes and why empowering more women in science is essential for understanding a fuller, more accurate human story. 

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This week, we’re sharing Volume 2 of our super-awesome stories featured in our super-awesome episodes. Just like last time, we’ve included more interesting facts about the real-life scientific discoveries that inspired them. Stay tuned because brand-new episodes return next week!

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By popular demand, here is volume 1 showcasing only the super-awesome stories featured in our super-awesome episodes. Plus, we also provide interesting facts about the real-life scientific discoveries that inspired the stories.

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Join Dr. Erich, Colton, and Diana as they explore Gravettian hunter-gatherers who lived in the Czech Republic 30,000 years ago, plus learn how archaeologists uncover the invisible parts of the archaeological record—such as traces of bags, nets, and other perishable items that have long since decayed. 

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Who doesn't love a good ball game? Not the ancient Mayans, that's for sure! In this episode, Tyson, Colton, and Dr. Erich head 2,000 years into the past to explore the ancient Mayan ballgame called Pitz where players used their forearms, legs, and hips to hit a gigantic, solid rubber ball around a stone court. Seriously! These hips don't lie. Plus, we recount the amazing origin story of the K'iche' Maya, called Popul Vuh, and the ballgame that the Hero Twins played against the Lords of Xibalba. 

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Why does Earth experience ice ages? In this episode, Mikey, Colton, and Dr. Erich explore what causes seasons, how the changes in seasons are related to the way earth is hurtling through space around the sun, and how all of this influences paleoclimates, like the shifts between glacial and interglacial periods, and even human evolution. Phew! 

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Get ready for another amazing adventure as Xander, Colton, and Dr. Erich explore the lives of ancient Roman gladiators.

Want to learn more? Check out the Before Us Kids Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/c/BeforeUsKids) where we have bonus episodes that discuss the science behind the stories and other exclusive content such as the 10-part series A Totally Ridiculous, Mostly Serious, Always Awesome Guide to Surviving the Ice Age (but also Zombies and the Weirdness of Life in General). There’s even a place where kids can ask questions. It’s super cool.  

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