Brains On! Science podcast for kids

American Public Media

Brains On!® is a science podcast for curious kids and adults from American Public Media. Each week, a different kid co-host joins Molly Bloom to find answers to fascinating questions about the world sent in by listeners. Like, do dogs know they’re dogs? Or, why do feet stink? Plus, we have mystery sounds for you to guess, songs for you to dance to, and lots of facts -- all checked by experts. read less

Our Editor's Take

The Brains On! Science podcast for kids is awesome family fun. The show is an entertaining and educational way to learn about various scientific concepts. The public radio podcast has an engaging and interesting format. So it is good for curious children who want to explore the world around them.

Molly Bloom hosts the show. She excels at making hard concepts easy to understand. One of the key things that sets the Brains On! Science podcast for kids apart from other science podcasts is its unique approach to each episode's topic. It features games, interviews, songs, and storytelling. The show also has what it calls "brand new mystery sounds" for kids to guess. These fun things make scientific concepts more accessible and entertaining. Not only will children enjoy the show. But parents may find the lighthearted program compelling as well.

Brains On! Science podcast for kids has many family-friendly discussions. Examples of topics include everything from "Why is the ocean salty?" to "Why are we so sweaty?" Topics like "Flush! Where does our poo and pee go?" may fluster parents but amuse their children. The show also encourages kids to send in their own questions. It is possible that a future show episode may include one of these questions.

The podcast also features kid cohosts. They bring their own unique perspectives and questions to each episode. These young hosts also add an extra layer of relatability for young listeners. Children may enjoy hearing such content presented by peers around their age. Parents may appreciate that the show is fun, yet filled with scientific knowledge.

Brains On! Science podcast for kids is informative and educational. The podcast also helps promote critical thinking skills. It is a good choice for children (and parents) looking for a fun yet informative way to learn about science. New episodes come out each week. Fans of the program may also like Smash Boom Best: A funny, smart debate show for kids and family. That's Bloom's other family podcast.

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Kids & FamilyKids & Family

Education for KidsEducation for Kids

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Are whales communicating with their clicks and songs?

Are whales communicating with their clicks and songs?

Baleen whales sing. Toothed whales click. But how and why do they make these musical sounds?Join Molly and co-host Tyler as they dive into the wonderful world of whale sounds. First, they run into Anna Goldfield on her way to audition for a whale choir. She teaches them about the voice boxes of baleen whales. Then, biologist Shane Gero talks about sperm whale communication, and how humans are only just beginning to understand the complexity of the sounds they make. All that, plus a whale of a mystery sound!Subscribe to Smarty Pass for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts!Today’s episode is sponsored by:Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson

Episodes

Are whales communicating with their clicks and songs?

Are whales communicating with their clicks and songs?

Baleen whales sing. Toothed whales click. But how and why do they make these musical sounds?Join Molly and co-host Tyler as they dive into the wonderful world of whale sounds. First, they run into Anna Goldfield on her way to audition for a whale choir. She teaches them about the voice boxes of baleen whales. Then, biologist Shane Gero talks about sperm whale communication, and how humans are only just beginning to understand the complexity of the sounds they make. All that, plus a whale of a mystery sound!Subscribe to Smarty Pass for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts!Today’s episode is sponsored by:Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson

Smarty Pass Sneak Peek: Bones On Mystery Sounds!

Smarty Pass Sneak Peek: Bones On Mystery Sounds!

It’s almost midnight and Mr Bone Jangles has snuck into the studio to debut his new show -- Bones On! His plans are foiled when Molly pops in and asks him to guess some mystery sounds instead!

We're back December 17!

We're back December 17!

Brains On will be back with new episodes starting December 17! We’ve got a gaggle of mystery sounds, so many great questions to answer and surprises in store. We can’t wait for you to tune into our next season!

Smarty Pass Sneak Peek: Mystery Animal Poetry Slam

Smarty Pass Sneak Peek: Mystery Animal Poetry Slam

Molly’s got a case of poetry fever, and she’s ready to rhyme! She’s testing out her newest stash of stanzas on her pals, Marc and Sanden. They’ll have to guess the animals featured in four of Molly’s poems. It’s a case of versus AND verses in the…MYSTERY ANIMAL POETRY SLAM CHALLENGE!

Smarty Pass Presents: Noun Noun

Smarty Pass Presents: Noun Noun

Usually, bonus episodes like this are exclusively for Smarty Pass subscribers but this month we’re sharing them with all our listeners. If you like this bonus episode and want to hear fun games every month, plus ad-free episodes, sign up for Smarty Pass.Did you know Brains On host Molly Bloom likes to collect things? Oh yeah, she has a collection of doorknobs, stickers, Dolly Parton-themed rugs, and even a collection of collective nouns! Her collection of collective nouns is so great she has a new game just to show them off. Join producers Sanden Totten and Ruby Guthrie as they play Noun Noun!To get more bonus episodes like this every month, sign up for Smarty Pass at SmartyPass.org.

The real vampires of the animal world

The real vampires of the animal world

According to legend, vampires are creatures with pale skin and sharp teeth who drink blood. These creepy ghouls are not real, but in this episode, we'll meet some vampire animals that do exist!Join Molly and co-host Quinn as they learn about all kinds of bloodsuckers, from mosquitos to birds to fish! They'll hear about vampire bats from Dr. May Dixon. Then Molly will share her top eight reasons to love vampire squids! Mr. Bonejangles will also give us a sneak peek of his new musical, Squiddler on the Roof, plus a spooky new mystery sound!Subscribe to Smarty Pass for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts!Today’s episode is sponsored by:Norton BooksWild Interest - Let your kids' imaginations run wild and check out the new podcast Wild Interest wherever you get your podcasts. wildinterest.comIndeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainsonHelp your kids learn to earn, save, spend wisely, and invest with Greenlight, the debit card and money app for teens. Visit Greenlight.com/inclined.

Smarty Pass Sneak Peek: Game Show Molly

Smarty Pass Sneak Peek: Game Show Molly

Molly has her sparkly special suit on which means it’s time for GAME SHOW MOLLY! Game show Molly is just like regular Molly but with an awesome new game! Grab your smarty pass to hear Molly’s new rhyming game.

Achoo! How fast does a sneeze travel?

Achoo! How fast does a sneeze travel?

Every sneeze is like a snowflake. Unique, beautiful, wet! Sneezes help our noses get rid of stuff that’s not supposed to be there, like dust, dirt, or pollen. But how fast do sneezes travel? And how exactly does our body make them?Join Molly and co-host Anna as they explore the science behind sneezes, snot, and boogers! They’ll take a tour inside Marc's nose and watch a daredevil booger attempt to break the sneeze speed record! Then they’ll learn all about nasal mucus from otolaryngologist a.k.a. self-described professional snot sucker, Dr. Andrew Redmann. Plus a honker of a mystery sound!Subscribe to Smarty Pass for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts!Today’s episode is sponsored by:Norton BooksWild Interest - Let your kids' imaginations run wild and check out the new podcast Wild Interest wherever you get your podcasts. wildinterest.comIndeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainsonHelp your kids learn to earn, save, spend wisely, and invest with Greenlight, the debit card and money app for teens. Visit Greenlight.com/inclined.

Navigating the world with White Canes

Navigating the world with White Canes

People who are blind or have low vision use different tools to navigate the world. One of the most common is called a white cane. White canes are long, thin, and lightweight with a handle on one end and a special tip on the other.Join Molly and co-host Jaden as they explore how white canes work. They’ll log into an interactive game called Cane Quest 3000 where they'll use white canes to move through a fantastical world and capture a bunch of tiny, yodeling aliens! Then they’ll link up with Brains On fan Phoenix to chat about what it’s like to use white canes on the day-to-day. All that, plus a puzzler of a mystery sound!Subscribe to Smarty Pass for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts!Today’s episode is sponsored by:- Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson- Help your kids learn to earn, save, spend wisely, and invest with Greenlight, the debit card and money app for teens. Visit Greenlight.com/inclined.

How do animals pick their leaders?

How do animals pick their leaders?

Here in the U.S., we’re gearing up for the 2024 election! We’re about to vote to pick a new president and choose other leaders too. Maybe you’ve seen yard signs for different candidates around your neighborhood or campaign commercials on TV. All this election fever got us wondering: how do different animals pick their leaders?Join Molly and cohost Emily as they get to know some of the wildest leaders in the animal kingdom, from tiny ants to orca whales. Plus, they’ll learn about a special group of monkeys that vote! And as always, a new mystery sound!Subscribe to Smarty Pass for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts!Today’s episode is sponsored by:- Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson- Help your kids learn to earn, save, spend wisely, and invest with Greenlight, the debit card and money app for teens. Visit Greenlight.com/inclined.

Smarty Pass Sneak Peek: Eye-Eye, Captain!

Smarty Pass Sneak Peek: Eye-Eye, Captain!

Ahoy, avast, and welcome aboard the good ship Iris, captained by the host with the most in all of the Seven Seas, Molly Bloom! Molly’s brought producer pals Sanden and Jess on board to play a game of EYE-EYE, CAPTAIN! Sanden and Jess will have to guess the answers to some fiendish questions about EYES. Can they navigate their way to the answers, or will their trivia timbers be shivered? YAAARRR!

How does the internet work?

How does the internet work?

The internet can feel like magic. You send a video of a squirrel eating an acorn to your friends and BOOM! A few seconds later, they can watch it! But how does the internet actually work?In today’s episode, Molly and co-host Kayson take a tour of the internet. They find out where information on the internet is stored and how that information moves around the world using long skinny cables on the ocean floor! They also call on Shark Manchez the computer hacker to explain the secret language computers speak. Plus, another tricky mystery sound!Subscribe to Smarty Pass for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts!Today’s episode is sponsored by:- Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson- Help your kids learn to earn, save, spend wisely, and invest with Greenlight, the debit card and money app for teens. Visit Greenlight.com/inclined.

Why do some of us have food allergies?

Why do some of us have food allergies?

About 1 out of 13 kids has a food allergy. Some are allergic to peanuts, others can’t eat dairy or shellfish or – you name it! So, why do some of us have food allergies and others don’t?Join Molly and co-host Gemma as they learn all about food allergies. First, they’ll explore the immune system, the tiny army inside our bodies that fights off things that can make us sick. Turns out, these fighter cells sometimes think certain foods are a threat! Then they’ll chat with Dr. Adora Lin about why some people are allergic to certain foods and others aren’t — and visit a cafeteria to hear from kids with food allergies! Plus, a new mystery sound you won’t want to miss.Subscribe to Smarty Pass for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts!Today’s episode is sponsored by:- Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson- Help your kids learn to earn, save, spend wisely, and invest with Greenlight, the debit card and money app for teens. Visit Greenlight.com/inclined.

Why do some people need glasses?

Why do some people need glasses?

Eyes are incredible. But sometimes they need a little help to see clearly. Enter: glasses! In this episode, we'll hear how eyes take in light and paint a picture of the world around us. We'll take a peek inside the eye to see why sometimes vision can be blurry and how glasses help. Then, we'll learn all about eye exams with a visit to the eye doctor! All that, plus a brand new mystery sound!Subscribe to Smarty Pass for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts!Today’s episode is sponsored by:- Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson- Help your kids learn to earn, save, spend wisely, and invest with Greenlight, the debit card and money app for teens. Visit Greenlight.com/inclined.

How do we name things in space? The quest to name a quasi-moon!

How do we name things in space? The quest to name a quasi-moon!

Have you ever wondered how things in space get their names? Us, too! In this week’s episode, Molly and co-host Cassie hear the story of a funky little moon with a very strange name.It all started when Radiolab co-host Latif Nasser noticed something unusual on his son’s map of the solar system: a moon next to Venus called Zoozve. He’d never heard of Venus having a moon – and he’d definitely never heard of a moon named Zoozve. So, he called up his friend at NASA, and a wild space quest began!Plus, Latif will share how YOU can enter a contest to name one of Earth’s quasi-moons. And of course, a new mystery sound that we’re really mooning over!See the quasi-moon’s orbit here!Featured experts:Radiolab co-host and host and executive producer of Connected: The Hidden Science of Everything, Latif Nasser. Resources:Learn more about the Name a Quasi-Moon! contest at radiolab.org/moon — and submit your own idea!Subscribe to Smarty Pass for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts!Today’s episode is sponsored by:- Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson- Greenlight - Help your kids learn to earn, save, spend wisely, and invest with Greenlight, the debit card and money app for teens. Visit Greenlight.com/inclined

Smarty Pass Sneak Peek: SPORTSBALL Impression Sound

Smarty Pass Sneak Peek: SPORTSBALL Impression Sound

Smash Boom Best producers Rosie duPont and Aron Woldeslassie are a little early for the BIG game. Looking to kill some time they decide to play Impression Sound. Just like the great Brains On game Mystery Sound, Impression Sound has players guessing sounds. BUT unlike Mystery Sound, Aron and Rosie will be making the sounds with their mouths -- like an impression. Hence the very appropriate name for this game: Impression Sound!

Phones: The fun, the annoying and the confusing

Phones: The fun, the annoying and the confusing

Ping! Another episode of Brains On just dropped! And it’s all about phones: how they help us, why they’re so hard to put down – and how to have a balanced relationship with them.In this episode, Molly and co-host Linden do a deep dive on phone use. They’ll chat with an expert about whether screens are bad for us and hear from some teenagers about how they really feel about their phones! Meanwhile, Marc takes his camels Humpty and Dumpty to a phone-free picnic, and Dwayne the Brain demonstrates the powerful connection between phones and dopamine. All that, plus a stumper of a mystery sound!We’ve been thinking about our phones a lot here at Brains On – so we started this new thing called Analog August, a month-long campaign to unplug our phones and get out in the world. If this episode inspires, we hope you and your family will join in the fun, and do your best to use your phones less! Parents can attend our virtual event about kids and phones on Thursday, August 15th from 12pm PT / 2pm CT / 3pm ET and sign up for our newsletter of ideas for phone-free adventures and tips on finding a healthy screen-life balance. Read more here.Featured experts:Julia Storm is a digital wellness specialist, educator, and advocate. She helps families work through issues around tech.Jacqueline Nesi is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University and a Clinical Psychologist at Rhode Island Hospital. She specializes in issues affecting kids and teens. Subscribe to Smarty Pass for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts!Today’s episode is sponsored by:- Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson

Auroras: Nature's light show

Auroras: Nature's light show

Have you ever seen an aurora? These spectacular night-time displays can fill our skies with dancing lights and bursts of color. But why do they happen in the first place?Join Molly and co-host Mariam as they learn about what makes an aurora (hint: it starts with spicy sun burps) and chat with scientist Dr. Liz MacDonald about the best places to see them. Stick around for aurora trivia with Gameshow Molly and a dazzling new mystery sound!Subscribe to Smarty Pass for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts!Today’s episode is sponsored by:- Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson

Smarty Pass Sneak Peek: Me and my pet

Smarty Pass Sneak Peek: Me and my pet

Uh-oh, Molly’s new pets are missing! And to make matters worse, Molly won’t tell us what her missing animals are. Although, she is willing to give hints. It’s up to producers Rosie duPont and Ruby Guthrie to find Molly’s missing pets and figure out what they are! Grab your smarty pass to hear this hair-raising episode!

Seahorses! Curly-tailed wonders of the sea

Seahorses! Curly-tailed wonders of the sea

Seahorses can be as tiny as a grain of rice or more than a foot long. They also beat their small fins up to 70 times per second – about as fast as hummingbird wings. These cowboys of the sea are full of surprises!Join Molly and co-host Noemi as they swim through an episode full of seahorse facts. They’ll hear from seahorse expert Heather Koldewey about what it’s like to swim with these fabulous little fish. Then they’ll head down to the beach to chat with a seahorse dad who’s expecting! Plus, an all-new mystery sound.Subscribe to Smarty Pass for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts!Today’s episode is sponsored by:- Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson