Artificial intelligence has been all over the news lately — but how does it even work? In this episode, Molly and co-host Sydney explore the how and why of A.I. with researcher Avital Balwit. Together, they imagine possible futures with A.I. and talk about how we might use these powerful tools in thoughtful ways.

As a bonus, you’ll get a tricky new mystery sound and a hot track from Sanden’s band, Loudly With A Chance of Screamballs! 

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Don’t miss our next virtual events! In September, your favorite hosts from Brains On!, Smash Boom Best and Forever Ago are going on virtual field trips, and you can join them LIVE for just $19.99 per family. Your ticket gets you one of our limited spots to an online live-action adventure, complete with a live chat and a chance to talk with Molly, Marc, or Sanden after the show. 

Plus, Smarty Pass holders get 20% off (sign up today to get yours and the discount). It all starts on September 21, so go to brainson.org/fieldtrips to get your tickets!
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Today’s episode is sponsored by:

• Toyota (Visit BuyAToyota.com to explore Toyota SUVs)

• Indeed (Indeed.com/BRAINS - To claim your $100 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post. Terms and conditions apply.)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All the different colors in our eyes, hair and skin are made by a super special substance called melanin! In this episode, we’ll meet a melanocyte, the artistic cell that makes melanin. Plus, Molly and cohost Jeremy talk with Dr. Tina Lasisi to learn why humans have so many different colors of skin in the first place. And a scientist goes undercover to try to solve the many mysteries surrounding melanin. All that, plus a brand new mystery sound!

This episode was sponsored by:

• Didn’t I Just Feed You (Didntijustfeedyou.com/ - A podcast to help busy home cooks feed their families.)
• Buy a Toyota (BuyAToyota.com - To explore Toyota SUVs.)
• Indeed (Indeed.com/BRAINS - To claim your ONE HUNDRED DOLLAR SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post. Terms and conditions apply.)

*****
Don’t miss our next virtual events! In September, your favorite hosts from Brains On!, Smash Boom Best and Forever Ago are going on virtual field trips, and you can join them LIVE for just $19.99 per family. Your ticket gets you one of our limited spots to an online live-action adventure, complete with a live chat and a chance to talk with Molly, Marc, or Sanden after the show. 

Plus, Smarty Pass holders get 20% off (sign up today to get yours and the discount). It all starts on September 21, so go to brainson.org/fieldtrips to get your tickets!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your brain does so much stuff! It makes sure your heart is always pumping and your lungs are breathing — plus it stores all kinds of important information, like your best friend’s birthday or your pet’s favorite kind of treat. But could your brain ever run out of storage space?

In this episode, Molly and cohosts Corinne and Suriya learn all about our mighty memories. They crack the code on brain storage and figure out the science of forgetting! Plus, an unforgettable new mystery sound.

This episode was sponsored by:

• Didn’t I Just Feed You (Didntijustfeedyou.com/ - A podcast to help busy home cooks feed their families.)
• Buy a Toyota (BuyAToyota.com - To explore Toyota SUVs.)
• Indeed (Indeed.com/BRAINS - To claim your ONE HUNDRED DOLLAR SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post. Terms and conditions apply.)

*****
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!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Boredom is something we all feel sometimes, when nothing seems fun or interesting. But have you ever wondered what’s actually going on in your brain when you feel that way? Can it ever be good for you to be bored? 

Molly and co-host Maisie explore how boredom can lead to creativity, and how our brain can work past that blah feeling. Plus, a boredom-blasting brain workout from Sanden and his pal Pete the wombat, and a brand new Mystery Sound!

This episode was sponsored by:

• Didn’t I Just Feed You (Didntijustfeedyou.com/ - A podcast to help busy home cooks feed their families.)
• Buy a Toyota (BuyAToyota.com - To explore Toyota SUVs.)
• Indeed (Indeed.com/BRAINS - To claim your ONE HUNDRED DOLLAR SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post. Terms and conditions apply.)
• Six Minutes (Wondery.com/shows/six-minutes/ - Follow Six Minutes wherever you get your podcasts.)
  
  *****
  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!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jellyfish are some of the most unique creatures on the planet. They’ve been around longer than the dinosaurs. They don’t have brains, bones or blood. And they’re not even fish! So what are they?

Float along with Molly and cohost Rosie as they learn about the different parts of a jellyfish, hear from a jellyfish superhero, and talk to scientist Dr. Rebecca Helm about how jellyfish have babies. Plus, a tantalizing new Mystery Sound!

This episode was sponsored by:

• Buy a Toyota (BuyAToyota.com - To explore Toyota SUVs.)
• Indeed (Indeed.com/BRAINS - To claim your ONE HUNDRED DOLLAR SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post. Terms and conditions apply.)
• Six Minutes (wondery.com/shows/six-minutes/ - Follow Six Minutes wherever you get your podcasts.)

*****
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!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Happy birthday to us! Brains On is celebrating its tenth birthday and we’re throwing a big party. Molly is putting up decorations, Sanden has made his special Super Salty Party Punch and Gungador is ready to dance his pants off! But why is Marc hiding out in a closet?

Join Molly and co-host Olive as they explore what makes parties so fun – and why they make some of us nervous sometimes. Plus a snazzy new Mystery Sound! 

This episode was sponsored by:

• Buy a Toyota (BuyAToyota.com - To explore Toyota SUVs.)
• Indeed (Indeed.com/BRAINS - To claim your ONE HUNDRED DOLLAR SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post. Terms and conditions apply.)
• Six Minutes (wondery.com/shows/six-minutes/ - Follow Six Minutes wherever you get your podcasts.)

*****
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!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey, Smarty Pal, want more Brains On? Check out this sneak peek of Gungador Hosts a Dinner Party! Gungador is having a party at Brains On! HQ, and everyone’s invited! He’s whipping up special dishes for all of his guests: a tater tot hot dish, caramel coated honey gummies, even a cheese board! But he forgot to call Barbara Toddes from the Philadelphia Zoo before he started prepping meals for his animal friends... and some of his assumptions about what animals eat aren’t exactly right. Will Gungador pull off his festive feast AND keep his cool?! Grab your SmartyPass and listen to find out!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Molly, Marc and Sanden are hitting the road to perform the show Your Brain is Magic in Portland on June 17th and Seattle on June 18th. Plus, we'll be in Pasadena on June 25th celebrating our 10th birthday. Tickets for all events are at brainson.org/events - hope to see you there!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 breaks down some sweet tweet science, and we learn how human noise has affected our feathery friends. Plus, a groovy new Mystery Sound!

This episode was sponsored by:

• Liquid I.V. (LiquidIV.com - Use code BRAINS at checkout to receive 20% off anything you order when you order.)
• Buy A Toyota (BuyAToyota.com - Explore Toyota SUVs.)
• Indeed (Indeed.com/BRAINS - To claim your ONE HUNDRED DOLLAR SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post. Terms and conditions apply.)

Bird sounds in this episode came from Xeno-Canto:

• Emily Brhel, XC760144. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/760144. 
• Manuel Grosselet, XC663795. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/663795. 
• Elias A. Ryberg, XC791170. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/791170.
• Sunny Tseng, XC749764. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/749764. 
• Sunny Tseng, XC753147. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/753147
• Russ Wigh, XC573211. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/573211. 
• Russ Wigh, XC692169. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/692169.

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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!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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? What would happen to our bodies if we lived in space?

In an out-of-this-world episode, Molly and cohost Jaxson moonwalk through the possibilities of life in outer space. They learn what scientists look for when they want to know if a planet or moon could support life. And they explore how science fiction can help actual scientists think about what alien life might look like. Plus, a spiffy new Mystery Sound!  

This episode was sponsored by:

• Liquid I.V. (LiquidIV.com - Use code BRAINS at checkout to receive 20% off anything you order when you order.)
• Buy A Toyota (BuyAToyota.com - Explore Toyota SUVs.)

*****
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!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.