Why do carved pumpkins rot faster than uncarved pumpkins? That’s what Ari, an 11 year old podcast host, wants to know. To find out what’s making good Jack O’Lanterns go bad, we turn to squash detective/ scientist Michael Mazourek. Together, we track down clues to crack the case - and find out how we make a Jack O’Lantern last forever.

Learn more about pumpkin science, like the shocking truth of what’s in your can of pumpkin puree (spoiler alert: it’s not pumpkin), with the free resources on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com.

We have a special bonus interview episode about how to breed vegetables, with Michael Mazourek! It’s available for Patrons who pledge just $1 or more a month on patreon.com/tumblepodcast. Find out what it’s like to make a brand new pepper!