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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.

Brains On! Science podcast for kids

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

Are whales communicating with their clicks and songs?

Listeners send us LOTS of questions. Like hundreds a month! We read every single one — and we love all of them! Every now and then, we get a special kind of question that starts with “Is it true that…?” These questions are special because they’re skeptical. They’re designed to seek out the truth.

In this episode, Molly and co-host Meyer tackle three “Is it true that…” questions. First, they’ll explore whether twins can feel each other’s pain. Then, they’ll find out if the Vikings had horns on their helmets! They’ll end their quest by discovering whether dogs can see color like we do. All that, plus a tricky 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

Is it true? Vikings, dogs, and twins edition

Bzzz. Shloop! Bang Bang. Wooooosh! It’s time for another Mystery Sound Extravaganza.

Join Molly and co-host Violet as they figure out what’s making some seriously mysterious noises. 

Plus, they'll interview Foley artist Shelley Roden about the art of making sound effects for movies. And they'll help Bob sort out some mixed up mystery sounds! Tune in and turn on your ears, cuz it’s time to guess some confounding sounds!

Featured Guests:
Shelley Roden is an award-winning Foley artist at Skywalker Sound in Northern, CA. Read more about her work here.

Whirr. Zoom! Plink plink. It’s a Mystery Sound extravaganza

Paper is all around us. There’s toilet paper and pizza boxes, wrapping paper, and receipts. Most of the paper in the U.S. is made from trees, but it can be made out of all sorts of plant material – banana peels, cotton, rice, you name it! 

Join guest host Rosie duPont and co-host Arya as they explore how paper is made (spoiler: most of it comes from trees!). Then, an old paper party hat named Crumplestiltskin will share how paper recycling works. To wrap things up, they’ll hear a real stumper of a mystery sound. You won’t want to miss it!

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

How is paper made?

Anna Goldfield is full of facts! She knows the capital of New Hampshire is Concord and that the Greek God of the Sea is Poseidon! But does she know enough to join Anna Weggel and Aron’s Tuesday Trivia Team? Listen to find out, and test yourself along the way!

Smarty Pass Sneak Peek: Myth Busting Extravaganza

Wildfires in Los Angeles County have burned homes, businesses, and schools. Many people have had to evacuate and there’s smoke and ash in the air. We know lots of Brains On listeners live in Los Angeles — and even if you don’t, there’s a good chance you know someone who lives there or have heard people talking about the fires. So, for today’s episode, we decided to talk about the fires in California. 

First, you’ll hear from Sanden Totten, who lives in Los Angeles and had to evacuate with his family. Therapist Caroline Hickman will talk about how to process what’s happening, then we’ll learn about how smoke travels. Finally, you’ll hear parts of an episode we made a few years ago about how wildfires start and how people work to contain them. 

Featured Guests: 

Caroline Hickman is a psychotherapist and lecturer at the University of Bath in the U.K., who specializes in eco-anxiety and climate psychology. Find out more about her work here. 

Margo Robbins, co-founder and executive director of the Cultural Fire Management Council and a member of the Yurok Tribe in northern California. Learn more about her work here.

Additional Resources for Parents:

A printable coloring and activity book and guide for supporting young children after a fire from Sesame Workshop.

Resources for parents processing the Los Angeles wildfires with their kids from Dr. Becky. 

NPR created this printable cartoon ”A kid's guide to climate change” which focuses on how to manage climate change anxiety, and turn it into action. It also tells the story of a teen who was forced to evacuate his home during a wildfire.

The Big Burn episode from LAist gives advice on how to help kids (and adults!) move through fear and anxiety about wildfires. 

How to talk to children about wildfires, evacuations and losing a home from LAist.

All About Feelings episodes from Brains On can help kids understand their emotions.

The LA Public Library has put together this list of books that can help kids process traumatic events.

Ways to Help:

The California Fire Foundation: The California Fire Foundation is working with local fire agencies and community organizations to support residents impacted by the blazes.

LAFD Wildfire Emergency Funding Alert: The Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation provides equipment and funds critical programs to help the LAFD save lives and protect communities. They are seeking donations to provide additional gear for firefighters. 

Support Immigrant Workers Impacted by the Los Angeles Fires: The National Day Laborer Organizing Network is fundraising for immigrant workers who have been impacted by the wildfires. 

Verified Fundraisers on GoFundMe: Across California, wildfires have burned thousands of acres, destroying homes and businesses and forcing thousands to evacuate. You can support those affected by donating to the verified fundraisers on this page. GoFundMe’s Trust & Safety team will continue to update this page with more fundraisers as they are verified.

Pasadena Humane Society has taken in 300+ animals due to evacuations. They need monetary donations to help provide emergency resources to animals affected by the wildfires.

Baby2Baby- Baby2Baby is currently responding to the devastating wildfires raging across Los Angeles by providing critical items including diapers, food, formula and hygiene products for children and families who have lost everything. They are working with 470 partner organizations in LA County spanning schools, shelters and hospitals to fulfill requests coming in for essential items.

Understanding big fires and big feelings

Jupiter is the oldest planet in the solar system. It’s also the biggest. Some call it “Earth’s bodyguard” because it keeps asteroids and comets from hitting our planet. But is Jupiter really protecting Earth?

Join Molly and co-host Rida as they head to a live taping of everyone’s favorite space talk show, Pop Planet, and learn about Jupiter — from the gassy giant itself! Plus a mystery sound that’s out of this world!

Why is Jupiter called Earth’s bodyguard?

Salt is made up of tiny crystals! Under a microscope, some salt crystals look like pyramids, staircases, or even snowflakes. But why do these salty little crystals make food so tasty?

Join Molly and co-host Yasmin as they explore the science of salt. They’ll head to the Brains On Labrakitchen with producer Anna Goldfield for a lesson about salt science. Then, food journalist and cookbook author Priya Krishna will stop by to chat about cooking with salt. Plus, a mystery sound so tricky, it might make you a little salty!

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

Why does salt make food taste so good?

Have you heard of Molly Bloom’s fantastic deli at Brains On HQ? It’s got the tastiest food in town! The only problem is that the delivery person, Rosie duPont, is having trouble figuring out who gets which order. Grab your smarty pass to hear how she manages some of the strangest orders in the animal kingdom!

Smarty Pass Sneak Peek: Smarty Pass Deli

Coral is one of the coolest creatures in the ocean. It comes in all shapes, sizes and colors, from bright yellow stars to big round brains. Sometimes, coral looks like rocks or even plants – but did you know it’s actually an animal?

This week, your ears are in for a special treat: Brains On editor Shahla Farzan (a.k.a. world’s biggest coral fan) hosts the show! Join Shahla and co-host Eben as they go on an underwater adventure to learn about coral and the animals that call it home. We’ll also hear from a researcher about how coral might be able to hear and make sounds. All that, plus a rockin’ 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

How does coral communicate?

Monarch butterflies are unique — they’re the only butterfly to travel thousands of miles when the seasons change. They travel from as far north as Canada all the way down to a few very specific mountaintops in central Mexico.

They don’t have a car, or an airplane ticket. They just have their two little wings. So we’re asking: How do they do it? How do they migrate thousands of miles? And why?

How do monarch butterflies travel so far?

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