We have a real whale of a story for you this week! It’s a FIN-tastic classic. Joy and cohost Mina meet up with Hugh the humpback whale to hear the story of Marie Fish, a real-life biologist who used underwater microphones to show the world that life under the sea is full of sounds. Then, they’ll hear how scientist Roger Payne changed the course of history for whales by releasing a record of their songs. Don’t forget a splashy new First Things First!

A huge thank you to Science Friday’s podcast “Undiscovered” for sharing a recording of their interview with Roger Payne. This episode also includes recordings from Whale.org, Ocean Alliance and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Library.

Want to learn more about how and why whales make songs and clicks?Check out Brains On episode about whale communication here.

This episode was sponsored by:
Wondery - Follow 'Tis The Grinch Holiday Podcast and unlock weekly Christmas mystery bonus content and listen to every episode ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.

Rap music is one of the most popular genres of music in the world today. But where did it all begin? Join hosts Joy and Savion as they go back to the 1970s to hear two stories about how rap music started. Learn how one teenager's back-to-school party brought together beats and rhyming to form a new style of music. And find out how a female record producer introduced rap music to the radio for the first time. All that plus a fresh First Things First. Hip hop and you don’t stop!

This episode is brought to you by Wondery. Follow 'Tis The Grinch Holiday Podcast and unlock weekly Christmas mystery bonus content and listen to every episode ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.

As times change, so do jobs, and careers that once were common can go extinct! Join Joy and co-host Amirah as they head to the world famous “This Used to be a Career Fair.” There, you’ll hear about knocker uppers, switchboard operators, ornamental hermits and other unique jobs that have gone away as technology and culture have changed. Plus, listeners share their ideas for new jobs that will exist in the future, and we play a brand new game of First Things First!

This episode was sponsored by:
Wondery - Follow 'Tis The Grinch Holiday Podcast and unlock weekly Christmas mystery bonus content and listen to every episode ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.

You – yes, you – are  at the heart of the Brains On Universe! This is a public radio podcast and you are the public! That means we rely on your donations to keep us going strong.  

This Giving Tuesday, we’re offering a limited time deal. When you donate $72 you can choose to receive a personal message from hosts Joy Dolo or Molly Bloom.

If you donate today, you’ll receive your special, one-of-a-kind personalized message by December 20th.

Contribute today at foreverago.org/donate and don’t forget – today is the ONLY day you can get a personalized message at this discount and in time for the holidays!

You probably know Sesame Street as a fun, fast-paced show full of talking puppets, like Elmo and Big Bird. But it actually started as a huge experiment to see if TV could change kids’ lives for the better! Join Joy and co-host Truman as tell the tale of how Sesame Street came to be. It’s a wild story full of big gambles, creative ideas, haters and doubters! Along the way, they’ll help a very eager actor get ready for a big audition. Plus, a new First Things First featuring three iconic Sesame Street characters! 

This episode brought to you by Wondery. Follow 'Tis The Grinch Holiday Podcast and unlock weekly Christmas mystery bonus content and listen to every episode ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.

It’s the holiday season, which for Forever Ago host Joy Dolo means one thing: DEALS!  Help her check off her holiday shopping list with a game of First Things First, where she and co-host Petra guess the order three classic toys were invented in.

Black Friday is a huge shopping holiday in the U.S. that happens the day after Thanksgiving. There are tons of sales and sometimes people even wait for hours outside of stores to get the best deals! But where did this mega shopping day even come from? And what’s in it for the stores?

Forever Ago and Million Bazillion have teamed up to investigate! Join Joy Dolo and co-host Petra as they travel back in time to find out how Black Friday started. Then, join Million Bazillion’s hosts Bridget Bodnar and Ryan Perez at the mall to learn how stores come up with deals and what to watch out for when you’re shopping for holiday gifts. It’s an epic crossover episode you won’t want to miss!

This episode was sponsored by:
Greenlight - Help your kids learn to earn, save, spend wisely, and invest with Greenlight, the debit card and money app for teens. Visit Greenlight.com/inclined.

Gladiators were professional fighters who lived thousands of years ago in ancient Rome. But they weren't just fighters, they were also influencers who helped sell products and were hugely popular with fans.

Join Joy and co-host Juliette as they explore the history of these athletes – and learn how some of them tried to escape their lives of constant battle. They’ll hear the story of one of the most famous gladiators of all time, Spartacus, and the revolution he led. Plus, a sporty new First Things First!

Featured Expert:
Dr. Fiona Radford is a historian who specializes in ancient Rome. She also co-hosts The Partial Historians podcast.

This episode was sponsored by:
Greenlight - Help your kids learn to earn, save, spend wisely, and invest with Greenlight, the debit card and money app for teens. Visit Greenlight.com/inclined.

Goodie Witch Books - Combine the spirit of Halloween with the magic of giving with Goodie Witch!: Spreading the Magic of Kindness, available at Amazon.

Wild Interest: Let your kids' imaginations run wild and check out the new podcast Wild Interest wherever you get your podcasts. wildinterest.com

Tune in for a super special election day episode from our friends at The Ten News!

🗳️ It’s Election Day and Pamela is driving Ryan to the polls

🎙️Ten’ers Tupelo and Everrett have taken over the studio!

🤯 Get caught up on the key things to remember about today.

⁉️ Ten’er Alonso has an important question

🌐 And let’s not forget about the rest of the world. Ten News Correspondent Jamie looks at elections around the world.

About The Ten News:
The Ten News releases weekly 10 Things You Need to Know episodes on Thursdays and monthly Deep Dives. The episodes are packed full of news, stories, and fun for kids and their families.

Follow The Ten News wherever you listen to podcasts, and visit us online at www.thetennews.com to check out past episodes, sign up for news updates, and dive deeper into the world around you!

Happy April Fool’s Day! Just kidding, we know it’s October. But that doesn’t stop Joy from celebrating April Fool’s Day all year round — especially with lots of banana peels and whoopee cushions! Join Joy and co-host Michalea as they explore how the prankiest day of the year might’ve started. They’ll hear about some of the most epic pranks throughout history, from hot dog-flavored fizzy drinks to spaghetti-growing trees. Plus, Brains On! host Molly Bloom drops by to talk about how posting fake information online is bad news. And last but not least, another mischievous game of First Things First!

This episode was sponsored by:
Greenlight-Help your kids learn to earn, save, spend wisely, and invest with Greenlight, the debit card and money app for teens. Visit Greenlight.com/inclined.