If you *choose* to listen to this episode, you’ll learn all about the science of making decisions! 🧠✨ We’re joined by Dr. Marco Palma from the Texas A&M Human Behavior Laboratory, as we seek to understand how the brain makes decisions, why we sometimes make bad decisions, and the biology of how the body reacts when we’re faced with decisions!

This episode is part of the “Cool Jobs for Curious Kids” series, exploring 8 STEM careers and the science behind their jobs! This series is a collaboration with LevelUp Texas, powered by Texas A&M University.

➡️ Level-Up Texas: More Info

➡️ Texas A&M Human Behavior Lab: https://hbl.tamu.edu/

💬 Submit your kids' questions! www.cumbrekids.org/questions

Episode activities

🕒 10-10-10 decisions! When your family is thinking about a decision, talk about how this decision is going to make you feel in 10 minutes, in 10 days, and in 10 months!

For example: “If I practice the piano today, I will probably feel pleased with myself in 10 minutes. In 10 days I might have learned something small and be happy about my progress. And in 10 months I might know several new songs!”

🛒 Grocery Store Economics! Next time you go to a grocery store, talk as a family about where things are in the store. For example: Where is the milk in the store and why? What is at ‘kid’ eye level and what is at ‘adult’ eye level?

💛 Support this podcast by joining The Curious Club: LINK

🎙️ This episode is available in Spanish on our sister podcast, Cráneo: Ciencia para niños curiosos

🎧 More podcasts by Cumbre Kids: Learn more

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 A message for parents about our values: LINK

🐝 Earth Day activities for families: LINK

Ever watched bees buzzing around and thought, what are they actually up to? 🐝🌼

In this super exciting episode, we dive into the tiny (but mighty!) world of bees and discover how they help plants grow, flowers bloom, and even the food we eat! 🍓🌽

We’re joined by the amazing Dr. Laura Gonzalez Mozo from the American Museum of Natural History, who answers your curious questions ! 🐝

💬 Submit your kids' questions for episodes! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.cumbrekids.org/questions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

✨ A special thanks to the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF)! https://www.neefusa.org/

🦖 American Museum of Natural History: https://www.amnh.org/

💛 Support this podcast by joining The Curious Club: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎙️ This episode is available in Spanish on our sister podcast, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cráneo: Ciencia para niños curiosos⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎧 More podcasts by Cumbre Kids: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 A message for parents about our values: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠

This week, we orbiters learn about orbiting! 🚀 This episode dives into the science and technology of machines in outer space, zooming around the Earth! Alongside Joelle Romeu, an aerospace engineer with Boeing Company, we learn what satellites are, how they impact our life on Earth, and about the incredible job of Aerospace Engineers! 🌍

This episode is part of the “Cool Jobs for Curious Kids” series, featuring STEM professionals responding to kids’ questions— a collaboration with LevelUp Texas, powered by Texas A&M University.

➡️ Level-Up Texas: ⁠More Info⁠

➡️ Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers: https://shpe.org/

💬 Submit your kids' questions for episodes! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.cumbrekids.org/questions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

💛 Support this podcast by joining The Curious Club: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎧 More podcasts by Cumbre Kids: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎙️ This episode is available in Spanish on our sister podcast, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cráneo: Ciencia para niños curiosos⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 A message for parents about our values: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠

Hey there, Orbiters! This week we're visiting the incredible San Antonio Zoo in San Antonio, Texas 🦁🐒 to understand the inner workings of zoos! We're joined by Andreau Papadakis to learn why zoos exist, the role they play in protecting species through breeding and rehabilitation programs 🐢🌿, and the different jobs and education paths 🎓 that could lead curious Orbiters to work at a zoo someday!

This episode is part of the “Cool Jobs for Curious Kids” series, featuring STEM professionals responding to kids’ questions— a collaboration between LevelUp Texas and Cumbre Kids, powered by Texas A&M University.

➡️ Level-Up Texas: ⁠More Info⁠

➡️ San Antonio Zoo: ⁠https://sazoo.org⁠🐾

💬 Submit your kids' questions for episodes! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.cumbrekids.org/questions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

💛 Support this podcast by joining The Curious Club: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎧 More podcasts by Cumbre Kids: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎙️ This episode is available in Spanish on our sister podcast, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Cráneo: Ciencia para niños curiosos⁠⁠⁠⁠

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 A message for parents about our values: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠

Ever wonder how drones can help scientists take care of wide open spaces? 🚁🌾 What do they look for from the sky—and how does that help wildlife on the ground? 🦌

This week on Orbit, we’re joined by Dr. Humberto Perotto from the Texas A&M Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management! He answers kids’ questions about how drones are used to monitor plant health, track animals, map changes across rangelands, and support conservation.

We also explore what “rangeland management” really means, why these ecosystems are so important, and what it’s like to work in a STEM career that combines technology, nature, and problem-solving.

This episode is part of the “Cool Jobs for Curious Kids” series, featuring STEM professionals responding to kids’ questions— a collaboration between LevelUp Texas and Cumbre Kids, powered by Texas A&M University.

➡️ Level-Up Texas: ⁠More Info⁠

➡️ Expert guest: Dr. Humberto Perotto

💬 Submit your kids' questions for episodes! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.cumbrekids.org/questions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

💛 Support this podcast by joining The Curious Club: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎧 More podcasts by Cumbre Kids: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎙️ This episode is available in Spanish on our sister podcast, ⁠⁠⁠Cráneo: Ciencia para niños curiosos⁠⁠⁠

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 A message for parents about our values: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠

Ever wonder what cavities are or how they form? 🦷 Or maybe why we have baby teeth? Or if the tooth fairy travels to different countries?

This week we're joined by Prof. Ariana Vargas from the Texas A&M College of Dentistry! We explore the science of teeth, and amazing jobs like dental hygienists, dentists and dental assistants!

This episode is part of the "Cool Jobs for Curious Kids" series, in collaboration with LevelUp Texas, powered by Texas A&M University.

➡️ Level-Up Texas: ⁠More Info⁠

➡️ Expert guest: Prof. Ariana Vargas

💬 Submit your kids' questions for episodes! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.cumbrekids.org/questions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

💛 Support this podcast by joining The Curious Club: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎧 More podcasts by Cumbre Kids: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎙️ This episode is available in Spanish on our sister podcast, ⁠⁠Cráneo: Ciencia para niños curiosos⁠⁠

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 A message for parents about our values: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠

Orbiters! Today we’re exploring atoms - the tiny building blocks of the universe! We’ll discover what atoms are, what they’re made of, where they’re found, how scientists discovered them, and more (including how many atoms are in a blue whale!).

We’re joined by PhD scientist and chemical engineer Dr. Fernanda Sulantay-Vargas from Yale University! Dr. Fernanda is also a science communicator, active with the Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), and the founder of InspiraSTEM, an organization that inspires and supports students from El Salvador in STEM.

➡️ The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE): Website

➡️ InspiraSTEM: Website

➡️ Follow Dr. Fernanda: Instagram, Tiktok

💬 Submit your kids' questions for episodes! ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.cumbrekids.org/questions⁠⁠⁠⁠

💛 Support this podcast by joining The Curious Club: ⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎧 More podcasts by Cumbre Kids: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎙️ This episode is available in Spanish on our sister podcast, ⁠Cráneo: Ciencia para niños curiosos⁠.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 A message for parents about our values: ⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠

Did you know that studying rocks today can teach us about the Earth millions of years ago!? We're joined by an incredible geoscientist - Dr. Lina Perez-Angel, from Brown University - to explore the incredible world of Sedimentary Rocks, including what they're made of, how they form, and how scientists study them!

💬 Submit your kids' questions! ⁠⁠⁠www.cumbrekids.org/questions⁠⁠⁠

💛 Support this podcast by joining The Curious Club: ⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠

🎧 More podcasts by Cumbre Kids: ⁠⁠⁠Learn more⁠⁠⁠

🎙️ This episode is available in Spanish on our sister podcast, Cráneo: Ciencia para niños curiosos.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 A message for parents about our values: ⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠

This episode was supported in part by the National Science Foundation Grant 2402100 from the Division of Earth Science. 

Ever wonder what happens in your brain while we sleep? Or why we need o sleep at all? In this episode, Dr. Daniel Davila-Williams - a pediatric neurologist from Texas Children's Hospital - joins Orbit to discuss the science of sleep, including:

• What happens in our brain and body when we sleep
• Dreams
• Why sleep is critical for healthy growing children!
• How scientists study sleep and technology they use
• How to improve our sleep

🌐 Website for Dr. Davila-Williams: LINK

💬 Complete this short form to submit questions for episodes! ⁠⁠www.cumbrekids.org/questions⁠⁠

💛 Support this podcast by joining The Curious Club: ⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠

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🎙️ This episode is also available in Spanish on our sister podcast, Cráneo: Ciencia para niños curiosos.

A message for parents about our values here: ⁠⁠LINK

Explore the incredible, fascinating world of mammal teeth with Rob, Milam, and Dr. Silvia! This episode includes key concepts, like:

• What is a mammal
• What are teeth
• History of teeth
• Biomechanics of teeth

Our expert guest is Dr. Silvia Pineda-Munoz, paleontologist and author of the science blog, Climate Ages (link).

• 🎙️ This episode is also available in Spanish on our sister podcast, Cráneo: Ciencia para niños curiosos.
• 💬 Submit questions for episodes! Just fill out this short form: ⁠LINK⁠
• 💛 Support this podcast by joining The Curious Club: ⁠LINK⁠
• 🎧 More podcasts by Cumbre Kids: ⁠LINK⁠

A message for parents about our values here: ⁠LINK