Stay ConnectedBrains 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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Adults around the world are getting vaccinated against the coronavirus, and now, in a handful of countries (including the U.S.) kids over 12 can get vaccinated too.
We hear from a 13-year-old who participated in a clinical trial for a vaccine and get tips for how to navigate the world when only some people in your family are able to be vaccinated. Plus, Kara and Gilly share expert advice on how to handle big feelings as the world starts to open back up.
And a new Moment of Um answers the question: What are eye boogers?
Find out more about how mRNA vaccines and clinical trials work in our previous episodes:
A super special shot: All about coronavirus vaccines: https://www.brainson.org/episode/2021/01/26/a-super-special-shot-all-about-coronavirus-vaccines
What’s in the COVID vaccine?: https://www.brainson.org/story/2021/02/23/whats-in-the-covid-vaccine-transcript
Find all our coronavirus coverage right here: https://www.brainson.org/page/coronavirus
Today’s episode is sponsored by the podcast "Avatar: Braving the Elements”
You can support our show at brainson.org/fans
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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 and a Moment of Um that answers the question: “Why does the moon follow us?”
Today’s episode is sponsored by Hooked On Phonics (HookedOnPhonics.com/brainson). You can support the show at brainson.org/fans
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There’s no better way to celebrate our 200th episode than with our own shining star: the sun! In this episode we speak with Dr. Nicola Fox, who leads a team of NASA scientists that sent a probe to collect data and zoom by the sun. We also hear some great listener suggestions on what new planet could be added to our solar system. We even get a chance to check in with The Sun and her weekly broadcast, That’s Hot.
Our 200th episode wouldn’t be complete without a visit from some of our favorite pals: Bob, Gungador, Harvey and Elevator! Of course there’s a new Mystery Sound too. And the Moment of Um comes just in time for mosquito season, because it answers the question: Why do we itch?
Thank you so much for helping us make 200 episodes! We could never have done it without your questions and encouragement, and we can’t wait to make 200 more!
This episode was sponsored by:
ID Tech (idtech.com/brainson)
Sakara (sakara.com/brainson)
GoHenry (gohenry.com promo code: brainson)
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We’ve all played the “what does that cloud look like” game. Maybe you saw a bunny… or an airplane… or a unicorn. What if that same cloud could also be seen by someone in a far off continent? That’s what a listener in Minnesota wondered. He wanted to know if the same cloud he saw in a park near his house could also be seen in Africa.
We talk to Deanna Hence, one of our favorite weather experts, and she tells us about how clouds travel. We also dust off the Zoom Ray to learn about what is inside of a cloud. And have you ever noticed the similarities between cloud types, like cumulonimbus, and magic spells from Harry Potter? Well, we have, and we made a game out of it!
We also have a brand new Mystery Sound for your guessing pleasure and a Moment of Um that answers the question: Why do pugs have such scrunchy faces?
This episode was sponsored by:
Indeed.com (indeed.com/brainson)
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There’s more to sloths than slowness. They’re great at saving energy, hanging upside down, and swimming! In this episode, Sloth Appreciation Society founder Lucy Cooke stops by to tell us all about these amazing animals. We also get into a sloth mystery: The Case of the Perilous Poop Journey. Luckily, there’s a sloth sleuth on the case. And sloths aren’t the only animals who aren’t in a hurry — a few others show off their slowest skills.
There’s also a Mystery Sound for you to guess, and a Moment of Um: Why do ostriches stick their heads in the ground?
This episode was sponsored by:
Mathnasium (mathnasium.com)
KiwiCo (kiwico.com Promo code: BRAINSON)
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If you translate “Hello! How are you?” to binary code, it looks like this: 01001000 01100101 01101100 01101100 01101111 00100001 00100000 01001000 01101111 01110111 00100000 01100001 01110010 01100101 00100000 01111001 01101111 01110101 00111111
This episode takes a look at how computers can do so much with such tiny parts. But computers weren't always small -- so we take a look at where computers came from. We visit Ada Lovelace, whose love of math and weaving paved the way for modern-day computers. And we hear about the material that let computers shrink from the size of a room to something that fits in our pockets. There’s also a visit from a yak and a ram, but you’re just going to have to listen to find out why.
All that plus a new Mystery Sound and Moment of Um that answers the question: what is the flavor of root beer?
This episode is sponsored by
Mathnasium (Mathnasium.com) and Sun Basket (sunbasket.com promo code: brains on)
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Brains On has a very special milestone coming up -- it’s almost our 200th episode! To celebrate, we're re-listening to our very first episode which was all about eating. We'll play the episode and chime in with commentary to give you some behind the scenes glimpses and backstories along the way. We’ll also hear an update from our very first co-host ever -- Ian Roberts, who is now a college student and an adult. Plus a brand new Moment of Um answers the question: Why do we have birthmarks?
This episode is sponsored by:
Mathnasium (mathnasium.com)
GoHenry (gohenry.com promo code brainson)
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
That fuzzy sandwich in your fridge? Yeah, don't eat that kind of fungus. But the mushrooms in your stir fry? Or the yeast in your bread? Or the rind on your brie? Or the miso in your soup? All of those delicious foods are possible thanks to fungus!
In this episode, we'll learn about how our ancestors first figured it out some mushrooms were safe to eat, we'll learn about the microbes that make cheese possible, and we'll meet some fungal chefs who are key to cooking up some of our favorite foods. Plus a brand new mystery sound and a Moment of Um that answers the question: "How does rubbing two sticks together make fire?"
This episode was sponsored by:
Mathnasium (mathnasium.com)
Sakara (sakara.com/brainson)
Indeed (indeed.com/brainson)
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Fungus deserves a party because it’s everywhere and super important to life on this planet. The kingdom of fungus includes mushrooms and molds, but also yeasts, like the kinds that help make bread. So today, we’re embracing the ick, we’re snuggling up to the slimy, we’re making friends with mold and mushrooms… It’s a full on Fung-o-Rama! We'll learn about a day in the life of mold, a fungus that turns ants into zombies, and how fungi will help us in the fight against climate change. All that, plus a brand new mystery sound and a Moment of Um that answers the question: "How does air fry?"
This episode is sponsored by:
Purple(purple.com/brainson10 promo code brainson10)
KiwiCo (kiwico.com promo code brainson)
ID Tech (idtech.com/brainson code brainson)
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Will we ever get to rewind time, or fast forward through it? Sanden stops by to tell us all about how time works. He also has a couple ideas about how we might make time travel a reality! But one tricky thing about time travel is that it’s full of paradoxes — so we look into those, too. And science fiction expert Lisa Yaszek swings by to tell us just how long humans have been thinking about time travel (hint: a really long time).
Listen closely for the mystery sound, and the moment of um: how do clothes get dirty even though you can’t see it?
Today’s episode is sponsored by: Mathnasium: (mathnasium.com) and Sun Basket (sunbasket.com/brainson - promo code: brains on)
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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