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Brains On Universe

Brains On!® is a science podcast for curious kids and adults from Brains On Universe. 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.

Sales and Distribution by Lemonada Media https://lemonadamedia.com/

Brains On! Science podcast for kids

The Brains On crew is hitting the road in 2026, and our first shows have just been announced. If you like fun, games, dancing, optical illusions and... Mystery Sounds, check out Your Brain is Magic.
 
Head to brainson.org/events to get tickets for the following shows:
 
1/17 Newark, NJ Victoria Theater
 
1/18 Red Bank, NJ The Vogel
 
1/23 San Diego, CA The Observitory
 
1/24 Aneheim, CA House of Blues
 
2/21 Vancouver, BC Playhouse Theater (JFL Festival)
 
2/22 Seattle, WA Neptune Theater
 
If you don't see your city listed, we're adding more dates, so keep checking back!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brains On is coming to a city near you!

In our final look at metal, we explore how metal wires changed the world. Once humans figured out how to send little blasts of electricity through metal, we quickly developed lots of uses for this. One was a new way of communicating called the telegraph. Join Molly and co-host Ava as they team up with Dylan Thuras, co-founder of Atlas Obscura to learn how people laid hundreds of miles of wire in hopes of sending messages across oceans. Plus, the new Brains On Headquarters is having an opening ceremony, and there’s a brand new Mystery Sound to guess!
 
Guest: Dylan Thuras, co-author of The Atlas Obscura Explorer's Guide to Inventing The World.
 
Want to support the show? Join Smarty Pass to listen to ad-free episodes or donate!
 
Click here or a transcript of this episode.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How metal wires changed the world!

Humans have been fascinated by metal for thousands of years. But it took us a long time to master making things with metal. In this episode we go back in time to learn how Japanese swords were forged, how swings were used to make thin metal wires and why steel cables saved so many lives. Molly and co-host Ava are joined by Dylan Thuras, co-founder of Atlas Obscura for part two of this deep dive on all things metal. Plus, Marc meets some talking boxes and there’s an all new Mystery Sound.
 
Guest: Dylan Thuras, co-author of The Atlas Obscura Explorer's Guide to Inventing the World.
 
Want to support the show? Join Smarty Pass to listen to ad-free episodes or donate!
 
Click here or a transcript of this episode.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How mastering metal saved lives

Metal is amazing. It can be super strong like a steel beam. Or super flexible, like a copper wire. Humans have been obsessed with metals of all kinds for a very long time. This is part one a three-part look at how humans have used metal throughout history. Molly and co-host Ava are joined by Dylan Thuras, co-founder of Atlas Obscura, to look at how Earth got metal in the first place, how humans first found and used this stuff, and when we started making primitive tools with it. Plus, Marc and Sanden have some problems unpacking the new Brains On library. All that and a Mystery Sound!
 
Guest: Dylan Thuras, co-author of The Atlas Obscura Explorer's Guide to Inventing the World.
 
Want to support the show? Join Smarty Pass to listen to ad-free episodes or donate!
 
Click here or a transcript of this episode.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How is metal made?

Most of us take listening to music or podcasts for granted. You can find them on your phone, in the car or just about anywhere you can imagine. But, have you ever wondered how those sounds were captured in the first place? To find out, Molly and Co-host Canyon shrink down and follow a sound waves as it is recorded and stored. They meet a robot who really loves to eat old school media, like cassettes and CDs. And they learn how speakers turn information into the music we hear. All that plus a new mystery sound.
 
Want to support the show? Join Smarty Pass to listen to ad-free episodes or donate!
 
Click here or a transcript of this episode.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How does music get recorded and stored?

We treat dogs like they're part of the family. But do they know they are a different species, or do they think they're just short, four-legged people?
 
In this episode, canine cognition researcher Alexandra Horowitz helps us puzzle out this question. We’ll also find out what happens (or doesn’t) when a dog looks in the mirror. Dogs are always dozing, and we’ll check in to see if they are dreaming too. And, we take a quick trip around the world in the language of barks. All that, plus a brand new Mystery Sound!
 
Guest: Alexandra Horowitz - Dog Cognition Lab
 
Guest: Vanessa Woods - Duke Puppy Kindergarten
 
Want to support the show? Join Smarty Pass to listen to ad-free episodes or donate!
 
Click here for a transcript of this episode.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do dogs know that they're dogs?

Today’s episode is full of Mystery Sounds from around the world. Molly and co-host Rehema are joined by sonic explorer Thomas Rex Beverly, who travels the globe to capture the sounds of the natural world. He brings us some beautiful head-scratchers that really must be heard to be believed. Plus, we turn the tables on Thomas and ask him to guess some sounds you sent in.
 
Put on your detective hat, break out the magnifying glass, and listen close! It’s time for the Mystery Sound extravaganza!
 
Guest: Thomas Rex Beverly
 
Want to support the show? Join Smarty Pass to listen to ad-free episodes or donate!
 
Click here for a transcript of this episode.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mystery Sounds from the natural world

Octopus, more like ROCK-topus! Because these creatures bring the excitement. They can shape shift to match their surroundings. They have three hearts and teeth on their tongues! And they are super smart. Join fill-in host Rosie duPont and co-host Izumi as they explore the world of their eight-armed wonders. They’re joined by Dr. Jennifer Mathers, a biologist and psychologist who studies octopus cognition, and Ophelia, who is a chatty octopus. You can also play along with our octopus themed game show. All that plus a brand new Mystery Sound and mail from our listeners!
 
Guest: Dr. Jennifer Mathers, author of Octopus Mind
 
Want to support the show? Join Smarty Pass to listen to ad-free episodes or donate!
 
Click here for a transcript of this episode.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why are octopuses so smart?

You may have noticed that electric cars sound different from gas powered cars. The engine doesn’t rumble; instead, it might sound like a hum or even a song. Why is that? Ride along as we learn how electric cars work and why there is so much shush in their woosh. Plus, Molly and co-host Asher interview Jay Kapadia, a sound designer who programs the special noises of electric cars for General Motors. And speaking of special noises, we’ve got a car sounds game show plus a new Mystery Sound!

Guest: Jay Kapadia, Creative Sound Director of General Motors
 
Want to support the show? Head to smartypass.org to subscribe or donate!
 
Click here for a transcript of this episode.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why do electric cars sound so unique?

Fidget toys are everywhere. There are ones you can squeeze, or click, or spin. Others are puzzles or have cool textures to touch. Some classrooms even have fidget toys for students, but do they help kids concentrate or are they just a distraction? Molly and co-host Penelope team up with an unconventional band to learn why we fidget in the first place.

Plus, neuroscientist Dr. Julie Schweitzer, from the UC Davis MIND Institute, answers questions about the science of fidget toys.
 
All that plus a brand new Mystery Sound and peek into what's happening at the brand new Brains On Headquarters!
 
Want to support the show? Head to smartypass.org to subscribe or donate!
 
Click here for a transcript of this episode.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do fidget toys really help people focus?

Homemade slime is sticky, gooey and all the rage, but what is it? When you combine ingredients like glue and laundry detergent you get a strange, flubbery substance. We’ll explain what’s happening on a molecular level to make this stuff.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The science of slime: What is it and why are we so obsessed

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