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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.

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Brains On! Science podcast for kids

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?

We’re back! We’ve officially moved into our new headquarters! Come unpack with us and get a tour while we fill you in on some big news. Plus, new episodes of Brains On coming later this month and new Smash Boom and Forever Ago after that. If you want to support the show or drop us a line, head to brainson.org. The best way to keep us going is to join Smarty Pass or donate here: https://brainson.supercast.com. Thank you!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re back! Brains On Universe has a new headquarters

We're moving the Brains On Universe Headquarters, and that means we have to stop putting out new episodes until we get settled. We know: not cool. But, our new home is going to be bigger and better and the absolute BEST. We can't wait until it's ready for you to visit.

In the meantime, we still have some live shows planned this fall. Brains On Live will be in Dallas, TX on September 13. And Smash Boom Best will bring the debate heat to Princeton, NJ on October 26. Head over to brainson.org/events to get tickets. We can't wait to high five you all in person!

And, if you want to be the first to hear about our shiny, new home, sign up for our newsletter. There will be six more bathrooms, 10 more water slides and, we're finally going to fix the doorbell! Also, if you have any questions or want to reach out to us, you can still head to brainson.org/contact to get in touch.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A big update about the Brains On Universe

Brains On is a non-profit public radio program. There are lots of ways to support the show:

Support the podcast with donation | Subscribe to Smarty Pass for ad-free episodes and bonus content | Buy our book and merch | Come to our live shows | Get the newsletter for parents | Find teacher resources

Living in space would be super cool. You could float around with no gravity and see the Earth from really, really far away. But it would also be very strange. 

When there’s no gravity, which way is up? How do you use a toilet? And what happens if you fart in space? 

In this episode, Molly and co-host Vincent learn all about spaceship airlocks, space cuisine and even interview a real NASA astronaut. Plus, a new Mystery Sound comes into orbit. 

Fun episode launching in 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…

Featured Guests:
Kayla Barron is a NASA astronaut who spent 177 days on the International Space Station 

This episode was sponsored by:

 • Disney's Elio, only in theaters June 20. Rated PG, parental guidance suggested.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The life of a NASA astronaut

Brains On is a non-profit public radio program. There are lots of ways to support the show:

Support the podcast with donation | Subscribe to Smarty Pass for ad-free episodes and bonus content | Buy our book and merch | Come to our live shows | Get the newsletter for parents | Find teacher resources

You can’t see into the future, but with weather reports you can get a pretty good idea of what weather is coming your way. But how do forecasters make those predictions? In this episode, Molly and co-host Pedro learn about weather stations, special buildings where meteorologists use all kinds of tools to track rain, snow, sun and everything in between. We learn about weather balloons, radars, satellites and ocean buoys. Plus, forecast calls for a brand new Mystery Sound.

This episode was sponsored by:

 • Disney's Elio, only in theaters June 20. Rated PG, parental guidance suggested.
 • Gabb Wireless - 
Gabb.com/brainson • - Gabb can protect your kids while keeping them connected socially, safely. Terms and conditions.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do weather stations predict the weather?

Pluto is tiny, icy, and used to be the ninth planet in the solar system. Used to be. So why isn’t Pluto a planet anymore?

Join Molly and co-host Momo as they learn Pluto’s history, talk to planetary scientist Kelsi Singer about NASA’s New Horizons mission, and even hear from the planet itself. All that plus a nifty new mystery sound!

This episode was sponsored by:

Indeed (Indeed.com/BRAINS) - Claim your $75 sponsored job credit to upgrade your job post. Terms and conditions apply.

Factor (Factormeals.com/brainson50) to get 50% off.

IXL (IXL.COM/FIELDTRIP) to get a 20% off an IXL membership.

Do you have your Smarty Pass yet?? Get yours today for just $4/month (or $36/year) and get bonus episodes every month, and ad-free versions of every episode of Brains On, Smash Boom Best, Moment of Um, and Forever Ago. Visit www.smartypass.org to get your Smarty Pass today!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why isn’t Pluto a planet anymore?

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