Do you know the birthday song? We bet you do! People all over the world sing a version of “Happy Birthday to You.” It’s even been played in OUTER SPACE! Way less well-known, though, is the story behind the song, and the sisters who wrote it! Listen in to hear Elysse tell Joy the story, so she can get inspiration for her own quest to write a solar-system famous song.  Plus, an all new birthday themed First Things First featuring birthday cakes, wrapping paper and piñatas! (edited) 

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Electric cars may seem like the latest technology, but they were actually first invented in the late 1880s! So what happened to the electric car? And why aren’t all cars electric today? Buckle your seatbelts and get ready for the ride of a lifetime as Joy and cohost Lilike learn about how the electric car came to be and what the future might hold. Plus, an all new First Things First featuring seatbelts, traffic signals, and windshield wipers. Toot toot! Beep beep!

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Uh oh, Joy has a big problem: too many fun things to do every weekend and not enough time to do them all. In this episode, she and cohost Asa are on a mission to make the weekend longer!

But where did the weekend come from? And why is it two days, instead of one or five? Turns out, it all started when factories began opening up in the 1800s. Tag along with Joy and Asa as they learn how workers pushed for more time off – and eventually helped create the two-day weekend! Plus, see if you can crack an all-new First Things First, featuring comic strips, waffles and orange juice concentrate!

Kiwico.com - Use promo code forever to get 50% off your first month and free shipping

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Head down to the ranch with Joy and co-host Aaliyah as they share the stories of three incredible Black cowboys. These cowboys tamed wild horses, arrested bandits and became legends in their own time! The stories of Black people in the Wild West have often been erased from history books, but some people are trying to change that. Plus, a new game of First Things First featuring mechanical bulls, cowboy hats, and ranch dressing!

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This week, Joy and co-host Lilike are at a Pride celebration! These celebrations have taken place since 1969, but the rainbow flag is a more recent invention! Tag along to check out all the amazing parade floats, learn about the queer community’s fight for civil rights, and discover how the Pride flag was first created! Plus, a new game of First Things First featuring some of our favorite emojis!

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You know Joy Dolo as your favorite ever host of Forever Ago, but she's also a debater on our sister podcast Smash Boom Best. And we're really excited to let you know that on Sunday, July 23rd she'll be performing in Smash Boom Best LIVE at the Parkway Theater in Minneapolis.

She'll be duking it out with actor and comedian Brant Miller in not one, but TWO smash boom smackdowns of epic proportions – topics top secret! Plus! If you subscribe to our Smarty Pass you can get a discount on tickets.

We hope to see you there! Get your tickets here! https://tinyurl.com/sbblive

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Hey, Smarty Pal, want more Forever Ago? Check out this sneak peek of Joy playing a brand new game she just invented that bears no resemblance to any other game. Listen as Joy pulls intriguing, silly, stupendous, sounds from her pocket and see if you can guess when the sounds came from and what made them!

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Joy and co-host Asa learn about the year without a summer, and how it led to some amazing inventions! 1816 was a very strange year. In many parts of the world warm summer weather never came, and crops froze.  Scientists now know these were the effects of a volcanic eruption, but back then, people had no idea what was happening. Still, this tragedy kicked off a lot of innovation, from new works of art to new ways of growing food. Come learn all about it while Joy and Asa wait out a rainstorm at Camp Chronology. Plus, as always, a new First Things First featuring coolers, canoes and compasses!

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Beep boop ZAP! Did you know that the microwave oven was invented by accident? From space-age luxury item to everyday appliance, microwaves have come a long way in the 76 years they’ve been around. Join Joy and cohost Aaliyah for the history of the gadget that made it possible for us to heat our breakfast burritos or mac and cheese bowls in mere seconds. Plus, your hosts bust some microwave myths and tackle a brand new round of First Things First! 

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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!

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We’re so excited to be back for season THREE of Forever Ago! Join Joy, Elysse, and some talking playground equipment as they spring through time to explore playgrounds of the past, present and future. You’ll hear how playgrounds started popping up thanks to the industrial revolution. You’ll visit 1960’s London to hang out with the godmother of Adventure Play, and meet a group of students working to transform their inaccessible playground into a recess retreat for everybody! And of course, a new First Things First!

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