Why and how do cats purr? That’s what Reid wants to know. It sounds like a simple question, but it leads us to a deep challenge: Can we ever understand cats? To find out, we launch a full-scale cat purr investigation. You’ll hear from a puzzled veterinarian, a scientist who studied her cat’s annoying purr, and the author of purring.org, the premier cat purr research website. It’s a purr-fect episode for everyone who’s curious about cats.

Learn more about cat purrs - and cat smiles - in our bonus interview episode! It’s available on our ad-free podcast feed on Patreon. It’s just $1/month to get access to all our bonus episodes. Pledge at patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

Watch the cheetah purr video mentioned in the episode and discover more cat purr research, on the blog at sciencepodcastforkids.com.

Animal audio courtesy of Dr. Karen Masters, Dr. Robert Eklund and Stoeger AS et al, under a Creative Commons license.

Clare wants to know if bugs have elbows. Her question starts a debate between Team Bug Arms and Elbows, and Team Bug Legs and Knees! Choose a side, and come on the trail of a bug bod mystery with superstar entomologist and dragonfly specialist Jessica Ware. Turns out, dragonflies are a lot weirder (and ancient!) than you might think!

Hear more from our interview with Jessica! Check out our bonus interview episode, available to patrons who support the show at just $1 a month or more. It’s on our exclusive ad-free podcast feed, along with all of our other bonus episodes!

We also have free resources of cool bug and dragonfly science on the blog at our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com.

What is a butt? That’s what science journalist Katherine Wu wanted to know. Her quest for an answer leads her into a web of big butt questions, and a search to find the top butt scientists in the world. She discovers a debate over where butts come from, and a very strange butt that could rewrite the annals of butt history.

This episode features an original song called, “Sometimes Butt.” Trust us, it’s a fun one! (And yes, we say the word “butt” and other butt-related words a lot.)

Can’t get enough of butt science? There’s plenty more! Listen to a bonus interview episode with Katherine Wu, available to Patrons who support Tumble at a level of $1 a month or more. You’ll get access to an ad-free feed with all our bonus episodes, at patreon.com/tumblepodcast

This episode is based on Katherine’s article, “The Body’s Most Embarrassing Organ is an Evolutionary Marvel.” Find more butt science resources on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com.

How do you count the cutest seals on the planet? With the help from thousands of people around the world! Conservation scientist Leo Salas explains the story behind the first-ever global count of Weddell seals in Antarctica. Plus, you’ll find out what counting seals shares with searching for ancient tombs!

Learn more about Weddell seals in our special bonus episode with Dr. Leo Salas, available to Tumble Patrons who pledge just $1 or more a month - along with an ad-free episode feed! Support us today at patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

We’ll have free resources to learn more about Weddell seals (or the ‘widdle Weddells’) on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com.

Do you speak Spanish, or are you a Spanish language learner? Subscribe to Tumble En Español to listen to episodes adapted to Spanish! The podcast relaunches on January 28.

Weddell seal recordings in this episode were obtained under NMFS Permit No. 1032-1917.

All-new Tumble episodes return January 21! We can't wait to share what we have in store. 

Today, we're sharing the exciting conclusion of our two part dinosaur poo series, "The Coprolite Queen." In the 1800’s, Mary Anning was known as the best fossil hunter in England. She made many great discoveries, including dinosaur poop. With help from our friend Kidosaurus and children’s science historian Melanie Keene, we dig into Mary Anning’s story and her place in the history of women in science.

Check out the blog about this episode on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com. 

We have some exciting changes to share with you at the beginning of this episode! 

Plus, Part 1 of our favorite-ever two part series about dinosaur poop! In "Who Dung It," paleontologist Karen Chin shares how she cracked the mystery behind an ancient dinosaur doo-doo, or coprolite. It's a super fun story, and you can learn more about ancient fossil feces on our blog.

We're on winter break until January 21, when we'll be back with all new episodes. 

Lindsay and Marshall had so much fun recording special video messages for new Patreons, we're extending our sign-up special through early January 2022! All you have to do is pledge at the $5 or higher level at patreon.com/tumblepodcast before Dinopoop Part 2. 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM THE TUMBLE TEAM!

How do you launch the largest space telescope ever built into space? The James Webb Space Telescope will travel 1.5 million miles away from Earth to help answer some of our biggest questions about the universe. But first, it has to be launched on a rocket - and the telescope is too big to fit on a rocket. So NASA decided to fold it up. How did they do this? NASA astrophysicist Knicole Colón and NASA engineer Alphonso Stewart take us on a journey with the world’s most complicated origami project.

Don't miss Webb's launch! As of this episode's release date, it is scheduled for December 22, 2021. Learn more with free resources on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com. 

This will be our last new episode until January 21. But you can look forward to hearing a few of your favorite previously published episodes, and brand new birthday shoutouts on each episode! 

Plus, if you join our Patreon at patreon.com/tumblepodcast for just $1/month, you'll get all our bonus interview episodes!

What do you need to know about the new COVID-19 vaccines for ages 5 - 11? Sam, age 8, and Natalie, age 10, are here to help! They participated in a COVID vaccine trial, which is an important part of the science that will help end the threat of coronavirus. Along with Dr. Kawsar Talaat, an epidemiologist who helped run the trials, they share the behind-the-scenes of the process that helps us know that vaccines are safe to take. Nervous about getting your shot? Natalie and Sam have some great advice to share, so you can help the world get back to normal.

Visit vaccine.gov for information of where to get your shot, and answers to more common questions about the COVID-19 vaccines.

We have more resources and trusted sources for vaccine information and updated coronavirus news on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com.

Happy Thanksgiving, friends!!

What tools did Neanderthals use? That’s what Leo wants to know. We dig into the past of Neanderthal archeology, back to when people used to excavate caves with dynamite! Archeologist and author Rebecca Wragg Sykes shares the explosive story of how Neanderthals made tools, and what they can tell us about how Neanderthals lived.

Listen to our bonus interview episode with Rebecca about Neanderthals caves, available for Patrons who pledge just $1/ month or more on patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

Learn more about Neanderthals and their “knapping” habits with the free resources on our blog at www.sciencepodcastforkids.com.

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!