Tai’s 14 now. As he goes through adolescence, there are all sorts of weird things happening in his brain that are literally reshaping it, getting him ready for adulthood! But what’s happening in there? Why do humans even have an adolescent phase? And how can Tai harness his mental superpowers while he has them?

This week Tai spoke to:
- Frances Jensen, Chair of Neurology in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
- Juliet Davidow, psychology professor who developed the Learning and Brain Development Lab at Northeastern University

For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/tai-asks-why-transcripts-listen-1.6747759

What's happening in my teen brain?

Fifteen-year-old Tai Poole won’t rest until he’s uncovered the mysteries of the universe, one probing question at a time. In Season 4 of his Webby-winning podcast, Tai talks to everyone from NASA scientists to stand-up comedians to his equally curious little brother Kien. If you’ve ever wondered why nothing feels as good as a deep belly laugh or why it’s impossible not to finish a bag of Doritos, Tai has you covered.

Kids & Family

Our brains aren’t wired to save the world. But if you’re ready to make changes that actually stick, 10 Minutes to Save the Planet will show you the way. Co-hosts meteorologist and climate reporter Johanna Wagstaffe and broadcaster Rohit Joseph work through the UN’s 10 actions for a healthy planet, but in a way that won’t shame, overwhelm or bore you. Think of each episode as a bite-size guide to fight climate change, rooted in behavioural therapy. More episodes are available at: https://link.chtbl.com/aiF1m9QH

Tai Asks Why Introduces: 10 Minutes to Save the Planet

Tumble is a science podcast created to be enjoyed by the whole family. With over 100 episodes over 7 seasons, Lindsay and Marshall have explored science topics ranging from poop, to space, to animals, and literally everything in between. In their 8th season, coming up this September, they’ll be covering even more topics, always in a fun, accessible way for the whole family to enjoy. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, or at sciencepodcastforkids.com

Tai Asks Why Introduces: Tumble Science Podcast for Kids

Tai tries to do his part by recycling whenever he can. But it turns out just tossing stuff into the blue bin doesn't do a whole lot: less than 10 percent of our plastic waste actually gets recycled, with the rest either ending up in landfill, burned or shipped overseas! How did we get here? Tai turns to people looking for creative ways to tackle trash around the world, and learns how we can all be more mindful of what we decide to throw away.

In this episode Tai talks to:
- Calvin Lakhan, research scientist at York University
- Olivia Kwok, supervisor of Waste and Diversion Programs with the city of St. Albert
- Nate Maynard, Taiwan-based sustainability consultant and environmental researcher
- Andrea McKenzie, zero waste project engineer for the city of Vancouver

How do we fix recycling?

Laughing makes us feel real good, whether you’re in on the joke or not. But does it serve a specific purpose? Why do we find some jokes hilarious and others to be total groaners? In this episode, Tai peels the science and sociology of laughter down to its evolutionary roots.

In this episode Tai talks to:
- Sophie Scott, professor of cognitive neuroscience at University College London and stand-up comedian
- Andrew Phung, actor, improv comedian and creator of the sitcom Run the Burbs

Why do we laugh?

So far, the only intelligent life we know of is right here on Earth — us! But could there be life on other planets just waiting to be discovered? In this episode, Tai goes deep in the cosmos to explore how scientists are searching for signs of life beyond our little blue dot, and what their work can tell us about our place in the universe.
 
In this episode Tai talks to:
- Nathalie Cabrol, astrobiologist and director of research at the SETI Institute
- Jacob Haqq-Misra, senior research investigator at the Blue Marble Space Institute of Science
- Heidi White, astrophysicist at the University of Toronto

For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/tai-asks-why-transcripts-listen-1.6747759

What's happening in my teen brain?

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