Brains On! Science podcast for kids – Détails, épisodes et analyse

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!

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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

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!

98.6 degrees is hot. If it were that hot outside, you’d be sweaty and want to go jump in a nice cold pool. But the insides of our bodies are that hot all the time! And that’s because there’s a lot going on in there that creates heat.

In this episode, Molly and co-host Saathvik find out how our bodies keep our insides at a nice steady temperature (and why that’s harder to do when it’s hot outside!). And we’ll talk with Dr. Joe Alcock about why humans and lots of other animals get fevers. Plus, a new mystery sound guaranteed to make you sweat!

Subscribe to Smarty Pass for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts!

Today’s episode is sponsored by:
- Poshpeanut.com/brainson - Receive 20% off your first order
- Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson
- Inside Out 2 - Disney and Pixar's Inside Out 2 is coming to theaters, June 14th
- PRX's Jamming on the Job - Check out new episodes of PRX's Jamming on the Job wherever you get your podcasts.
- Mrs. Wordsmith - Visit mrswordsmith.com and use code brainson15 to get 15% off your order.

We’re headed off to an owl sanctuary to meet up with Nolan the know-it-owl for a special night owl Tour. We hear the sound of owl wings and check out some super-tubular owl eye facts. Find out how owls can swivel their heads 270 degrees and why their ears are at uneven spots on their heads. We’ll meet a poetry-loving barn owl named Olive, who fills us in on why owls are considered wise. Fun fact: owls are sometimes classified by their sounds -- bigger owls are hooters and smaller owls are tooters!

Special Thanks to the Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology for the owl sounds used in this episode:

Jian Diego Fernández / Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (ML420855751)
Paul Marvin / Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (ML97928071)
Bob McGuire / Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (ML188805)
Wil Hershberger / Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (ML100707)
Gerrit Vyn / Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (ML140258)
Thomas G. Sander / Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (ML125346)
William R. Fish / Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (ML22874)

This episode was sponsored by:

Insect Lore (Insectlore.com)

Shopify (Shopify.com/brainson)

Forget those fancy awards shows. This episode of Brains On is exploding with the stars. Find out how each of us is related to these beautifully bright beacons. Plus, we’ll consider what happens when gravity weighs down on a star over millions, and even billions, of years. We’ll also meet a star detective, who was able to witness an exploding star (aka supernova). All that and a stellar, new Mystery Sound to tickle your ears. Now, let’s blast off!!!

This episode was sponsored by:

Indeed (Indeed.com/BRAINSON)

Interlochen Center for the Arts (Interlochen.org/brainson Promo code: SAVE10)

Staples (Staplesconnect.com/printbig)

Insect Lore (Insectlore.com)

Shopify (Shopify.com/brainson)

This episode is a real stinker, but it had to happen. We go behind the scenes on what makes butts and poop so funny. Why does the mere mention of them make us laugh?

We all have butts and we all poop. Those are the facts. But human butts are different than almost any other animal. We look into the evolution of butts, and find out how our senses of humor develop when we're kids. And we hear from comic Tim Platt on why he thinks butts and poop will always be funny. Plus, we’ll check in with Channel 2’s Bowel Action News team for some fast feces facts. Don’t forget to tune up your ears with the Mystery Sound.

One more thing… who farted?

This episode is sponsored by:

Indeed (Indeed.com/ BRAINSON)

Interlochen Center for the Arts (Interlochen.org/brainson promo code: SAVE10)

Staples (Staplesconnect.com/printbig)

Little Passports (Littlepassports.com/BRAINS)

Novo business banking (novo.co/brains)

Insect Lore (insectlore.com)

The immune system is so cool and so important but it largely goes about its business without us knowing it. In this episode you'll get a front row seat as our immune cells (aka friendly monsters) fight off bacteria and viruses (aka bad robots). We'll also find out how vaccines provide important training for our immune cells. Plus, co-host Colin quizzes Molly on immune system facts and there's a brand new mystery sound!

This episode was brought to you by

Indeed (indeed.com/BRAINSON)

Interlochen Center for the Arts (interlochen.org/brainson Code: SAVE10)

Staples Connect (staplesconnect.com/printbig)

Little Passports (littlepassports.com/BRAINS)

What’s up with worms? How do they sleep? Why are they slimy? How do they move? Here at Brains On, the only way to find out is to embark on an EPIC QUEST!

Join co-host Ezra and the worm adventurer extraordinaire Sir Wormus on a journey to find the Golden Worm, a magical artifact! On the way, they’ll learn all about the noble earthworm from the Tome of Worms, a magic book containing all the knowledge of worm expert Emma Sherlock from the Natural History Museum in London!

Will our heroes find the Golden Worm? Will they select a squirrel’s perfect snack? Will they solve the riddle of the Mystery Sound? There’s only one way to find out. Come on, friends, it’s time to go a-questing!

You can support our show by donating (brainson.org/donate), buying our books (brainson.org/books), or telling your friends about the show!

This episode was sponsored by:

Interlochen Center for the Arts (Interlochen.org/BrainsOn Code: Save10)
Staples (Staples.com/printbig)

The ExPLORERR was built to go everywhere. That’s why this vehicle’s full name is: the Extremely Practical Land and Ocean Rover Exploring Remote Realms. And guess what? It has a recording studio built on-board! Good thing, because this episode was recorded while traveling up, up, up a mountain!

We discover some wildlife that lives at great heights as well as a rhyming ice cream salesman. Our pal and atmospheric scientist, Dr. Deanna Hence checks in to answer a popular question: if hot air rises, why is it so cold in the mountains? BRRRR! We also hear from NASA’s Dr. Dalia Kirschbaum, who has mountains of information about how mountains form.

Of course, there’s a fun Mystery Sound for you’re ears to explore! And lastly, but not leastly, our two new books came out today. Head to our books page to find out more about Road Trip Earth and Earth Friend Forever.

This episode was sponsored by:

Interlochen Center for the Arts (Interlochen.org/BrainsOn)

Staples (Staples.com)

There are many different types of snow. From the fluffy to the slushy, this slippery frozen stuff comes in all different shapes and sizes. 

From a distance, snowflakes may all look the same, but they are not. In fact, there are lots of different shapes of snowflakes — not just those classic shapes you might try to replicate with paper cut-outs.

In this episode, Dr. Ken Libbrecht answers all of our snowflake questions: How are snowflakes made? Why are they different shapes? How is it that they’re all unique? And how does a scientist who lives in southern California study snow? And, he also lets us in on his brush with a couple Arendelle princesses.

Plus our pal Ruby Guthrie pays her local ski slope to visit a snow-making machine called “Kevin.” And of course, there’s a new Mystery Sound to warm your ears.

If you’re looking for some fun snowflake activities to do at home, Ken’s provided this great list — and you don’t need to live in a cold climate for all of them: http://www.snowcrystals.com/activities/activities.html

This episode was sponsored by:

Shopify (Shopify.com/brainson)

Indeed (Indeed.com/BRAINSON)

Interlochen Center for the Arts (Interlochen.org/brainson)