Brains On! Science podcast for kids

By American Public Media

Kids & Family

What's Brains On! Science podcast for kids about?

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.

4.5

7,966 ratings

Download our free app to listen on your phone

LAST EPISODE

How do birds communicate?

05.16.2023

Chirp chirp, y’all! Ever wondered what birds mean when they’re singing their little birdy hearts out? This week, Molly and cohost Bessie explore the kinds of sounds birds can make, and how those sounds are used. Birdsong researcher Kristin Brunk ...

Brains On! Science podcast for kids episodes:

05.16.2023 How do birds communicate? Chirp chirp, y’all! Ever wondered what birds mean when they’re singing their little birdy hearts out? This week, Molly and cohost Bessie explore the kinds of sounds birds can make, and how those sounds are used. Birdsong researcher Kristin Brunk ...
05.09.2023 How would life evolve in space? Humans and every other living thing on Earth are perfectly suited to our wonderful planet. There’s life everywhere, from boiling-hot ocean vents to chilly mountain peaks. But what would life look like in other parts of the galaxy, or beyond? ...
05.02.2023 Do video games really rot your brain? Video games are fun, challenging and sometimes hard to put down. But are they good for you? Or do they rot your brain, like some people say? In this episode, Molly and cohost Colden (along with sassy alien hero Fuzzbutt ...
04.25.2023 Flies on a bus, space elevators, and other brain benders! If you love big thoughts, this is the episode for you. We’ll ponder what would happen if a fly flew into the window of a moving bus. Would it have to keep flying forward to avoid crashing into the back ...
04.18.2023 Why do we like some foods, but not others? Do you have a favorite food that your friend doesn't like at all? Do you look at what your parents are eating and say, "No, thank you!" Well, you’re not alone! Lots of people have different food preferences. But why ...
04.11.2023 How do we learn to read - and why is it hard? Reading is your one-way ticket to adventure! You can ride fire-breathing dragons, explore outer space, or even save the world – all within the pages of a book. But have you ever wondered how we learn to read? And why ...
04.07.2023 Million Bazillion: Why are there so many of the same stores? We’re super-jazzed to share this episode of Million Bazillion, a podcast for kids and families that helps you understand money. In this episode, hosts Bridget and Ryan get a question from Will in Ohio and are taking a cross-country road ...
04.04.2023 The Trash Trail: Why is there so much plastic in the ocean? We use plastic for all kinds of things, from shampoo bottles to glitter. It’s useful but also a danger, because a lot of plastic is ending up in our oceans, where it’s sucked into swirly twirly whirlpools of garbage. The ...
03.28.2023 Why do we need bugs? Insects can live almost anywhere: backyards, mountaintops, scorching hot deserts, underwater, even on Antarctica! There are more than a million different species out there, from speedy dragonflies that zip through the air as fast as a car to rainbow-colored beetles ...
03.21.2023 Why do dogs wag their tails? Have you heard the expression “dogs are people’s best friend”? Where did it come from? And why are dogs and humans such great pals? Molly and co-host Kha-ai jump back in time to learn how dogs became humans’ best friends, ...
03.14.2023 Why do we have friends? Friendship rules! Friends help us work through problems, keep us company and bring joy to our lives. Making friends might have also helped our prehistoric ancestors survive and thrive! Still, friendship can be tough sometimes. In this episode, we’ll answer ...
03.07.2023 Do plants sleep? Humans need sleep to survive, but do plants doze off too? In this episode, we’ll look into how plants rest. Turns out humans and plants aren’t all that different! We’ll hear about how we share a common ancestor, way, way ...
02.28.2023 How heavy is the sky? Our big, beautiful sky stretches all the way from the ground beneath our feet to about sixty miles above the Earth. It’s made up of countless air molecules, pinging around like tiny, invisible pinballs. And even though we can’t feel ...
02.21.2023 Glow for it! How do creatures make light? Lots of creatures are able to glow, like fish, mushrooms, fireflies and even some bacteria! This special ability is called bioluminescence and it looks like magic, but it’s actually chemistry. In this episode, we’ll travel to the bottom of the ...
02.14.2023 How do hearing aids work? Xuan June’s hearing aids have kept her company for pretty much her entire life. They go with her to school, tag along for a ride while she skateboards and sit snugly while she draws and dreams up goth-cute fashion designs. ...
02.07.2023 Do scientists have superpowers? It's just a normal day at Brains On headquarters, until Molly and co-host Aaliyah find Forever Ago host Joy Dolo in the midst of a full-blown stress attack. She has a lot on her agenda: it's her birthday month and ...
12.27.2022 Is it possible to clone yourself? Imagine an exact copy of you, someone with the same hair, eyes and DNA. That’s a clone. Scientists have been able to make clones of some animals. In this episode, we’ll hear the story of Dolly the sheep, the most ...
12.13.2022 How is concrete made? And why does it matter? Concrete is so much more than just a sidewalk. We use it to build playgrounds and skateparks and even musical instruments! But how does it go from a powder to a sludge to the strong building material that we use ...
11.29.2022 How were people mummified? Ancient Egyptians did lots of amazing things, from building pyramids to inventing a form of writing called hieroglyphics. They also mummified important people after they died. In this episode, we’ll explain how that process was done and why. We’ll also ...
11.15.2022 Space: The ultimate intergalactic game show Do you like games? Do you like space? Then this is the episode for you! We’ve got five space-inspired games for you: Cosmic Couplets, Infini-Trivia, First Things First, Stars in Space or Pasta Shapes and, of course, Mystery Sounds! Plus ...
11.11.2022 Terrestrials: The Mastermind Hi friends! We wanted to share this episode from the fabulous new podcast: Terrestrials. If you like it, you’re in luck, because there are five more episodes waiting for your hungry ears. Enjoy! Radiolab for Kids Presents: Terrestrials. Terrestrials is ...
11.08.2022 Flush! Where does our poo and pee go? Every time you flush, your poo and pee start an epic journey. From the toilet, to the sewers, to a treatment plant, our waste travels quite a distance only to end up cleaner by the end. We'll hear from a ...
11.01.2022 Why are we so sweaty? When most bodies get hot, sweat starts pouring out. Why? In this episode, we'll hop in the Amazing Truck of Minimization (ATOM) to see how sweat glands work from the inside out, take a peek back in time to figure ...
10.28.2022 Introducing Smarty Pass: Your ticket to the Brains On! Universe Become a Smarty Pass subscriber today to access bonus episodes and ad-free episodes of Brains On!, Smash Boom Best, Moment of Um, and Forever Ago -- all right here in your favorite podcast player. Visit smartypass.org/brainson to get your Smarty ...
10.25.2022 Moon Myths: Why are there so many scary stories about the full moon? The full moon is bright, beautiful, and reappears in the sky like clockwork. Many cultures use the full moon to mark the passing of time and organize calendars around the moon’s cycle. So why does the full moon also have ...
10.18.2022 AHH! How music can make scary movies even scarier We listen to music with our ears – and that amazing electric meatball between our ears: our brain! But why do our brains find some music scary? We’re born with some fears baked into our brains, because our ancestors thought ...
10.11.2022 Blood: The superhighway of the body This episode was sponsored by: Mathnasium (Mathnasium.com - contact Mathnasium for a free in-center or online consultation) Indeed (Indeed.com/BRAINS - For a $100 sponsored job credit Terms and conditions apply. Offer good for a limited time.) Shopify (Shopify.com/brainson - for ...
10.04.2022 Did the Brontosaurus really exist? Today’s episode is all about one of the most dynamite dinosaurs, the Brontosaurus! This long-necked icon has been featured in books, cartoons, movies, and even logos. But did the Brontosaurus really exist in the first place? We’ll dig into that ...
09.27.2022 What happens at zoos after dark? In this episode we check out three different zoos after visitors leave and the gates are locked. We’ll hear about some adventurous penguins, learn how chimps tuck themselves in and find out why it’s important to smell a gorilla first ...
09.20.2022 Where does your imagination come from? Picture this: a pickle with a cowboy hat. It has cute little arms and legs -- let’s make them orange. And this pickle is riding a horse on the beach as the sun sets. #PickleLife, am I right? Now think ...
09.13.2022 Where do accents come from? Today we're looking at why there are so many different ways to pronounce the same words and where our accents come from. How did British and American accents become different? Why do some kids have different accents than their parents? ...
09.06.2022 Get a whiff of that: Why you smell like you Have you ever noticed that different people have different scents? Go on, sniff your friend, we’ll wait. Today’s episode dives nose-first into what makes up our personal scents. With the help of Candace, a one-of-a-kind candle maker interested in making ...
08.30.2022 Why is glass see-through? Glass is a magic thing that is both solid as a wall and clear as the air. It starts out as sand and with tons of heat, and a few key ingredients, it becomes the super useful material we know ...
08.23.2022 Body Bonanza 2.0 - Your body questions answered Today’s episode has something for everyBODY. It's the Body Bonanza where we answer a ton of your questions about our human bodies! This time around, we’ll hear from some of our favorite body parts: the heart beats, the stomach rumbles, ...
08.16.2022 Can stress be helpful? We've all had to deal with stress. It can feel bad and overwhelming, but it’s actually really important. In this episode, we'll hear why our bodies evolved to deal with danger in this way and how it still affects us ...
08.09.2022 Underwater volcanoes and lots of salt: A deep dive into the ocean The ocean is huge and full of wonders, so it's no surprise our listeners have lots of question about it. In this episode we'll travel to the bottom of the ocean to find out what the ocean floor is made ...
08.02.2022 Why can't we remember when we were babies? You've probably seen photos from your first birthday. Or maybe you heard about the time you got spaghetti sauce all over the walls when you were two. The grown ups around you remember these things, so why can't you? In ...
07.21.2022 Million Bazillion: How do big video platforms make money? We’re thrilled to share an episode from our pals at Million Bazillion. Take a peek at the fascinating world of online video makers and the role money plays. A listener wants to know how the creators of his favorite online ...
05.24.2022 The Mosties! Raise a curtain. Cue the lights. It’s the most most-tacular night. It’s The Mosties! The Brains Brains On favorites, Bob, Gungador, Elevator and HARVEY have all made it out to celebrate superlatives. The Mosties is an awards show of the ...
05.20.2022 Forever Ago is back June 1! We are so excited to share that our podcast, Forever Ago, is returning for a brand new season! If you didn’t get a chance to hear the first season, Forever Ago is a history show for the whole family hosted ...
05.17.2022 Dreams: The science of a sleeping brain You dream every night, even if you don't remember them. But why? We'll hop on a wild ride to go inside the brain and see which parts help create these often fantastical images and storylines. We'll also learn how to ...
05.10.2022 Tongue twisters: Terribly terrific and truly tantalizing Why is it so hard to say sentences like: she sells sea shells at the sea shore? This episode cracks the code of tongue twisters. Check out the role mouth shapes and vocal folds play in tongue twisters. Stefanie Shattuck-Hufnagel ...
05.03.2022 How does a caterpillar become a butterfly? Caterpillars go through a striking transformation from a crawly, tube-like creature into a soaring, beautifully-winged butterfly. This process is called metamorphosis and it’s no wonder our listeners have lots of questions about it. We’ll find out exactly how a caterpillar ...
04.26.2022 What makes tiny tardigrades tick? You can find micro-animals just about everywhere. They’re on your face and in your hair. They’re in puddles and in soil. One of the most famous of these microscopic creatures is the tardigrade. This episode zooms in on these adorable ...
04.19.2022 Into the eye of a storm: How hurricanes form How do hurricanes form? This episode dives into the eye of the hurricane to track down that answer and so much more. We also talk to hurricane hunter Major Joyce Hirai, who flies airplanes into hurricanes as part of the ...
04.12.2022 Is mind-reading real? Can people actually read minds? Can we move objects with our brains like in the movies? We're exploring the history of shady psychics, sketchy seances, and secret superpower studies. Plus, hear from a scientist who is helping people regain the ...
04.05.2022 Owl about Owls We’re headed off to an owl sanctuary to meet up with Nolan the know-it-owl for a special night owl Tour. We hear the sound of owl wings and check out some super-tubular owl eye facts. Find out how owls can ...
03.29.2022 How are we related to stars? Forget those fancy awards shows. This episode of Brains On is exploding with the stars. Find out how each of us is related to these beautifully bright beacons. Plus, we’ll consider what happens when gravity weighs down on a star ...
03.22.2022 Why are butts and poop so funny? This episode is a real stinker, but it had to happen. We go behind the scenes on what makes butts and poop so funny. Why does the mere mention of them make us laugh? We all have butts and we ...
03.15.2022 Inside the immune system: Bad robots and friendly monsters The immune system is so cool and so important but it largely goes about its business without us knowing it. In this episode you'll get a front row seat as our immune cells (aka friendly monsters) fight off bacteria and ...

Older episodes