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 Smash Boom Best LIVE in Princeton, NJ!

Join us at the McCarter Theatre for a live, in-person version of Smash Boom Best, an award winning podcast for kids and families! Each live show takes two cool things, smashes them together and lets the audience decide which is best. Host Molly Bloom moderates a debate between two performers who make their case using facts fueled by jokes, physical comedy, and the occasional song and dance. At the end, the audience votes for the winner and crowns the Smash Boom Best – all while learning how to defend their own opinions and make the strongest arguments for their case. 

While we are in town, we are throwing a Smash Boom Spectacular Party right after the live show and YOU are invited! This won't be just any party. You will get to meet host Molly Bloom and our debaters. They'll be playing games with you, singing songs, answering your questions, and posing for photos. Plus, you'll get to take home an awesome, one-of-a kind Smash Boom Best goodie bag. You can gain access to this SBSP (Smash Boom Spectacular Party) by purchasing a VIP ticket* when you make your purchase.  See you there!

DETAILS & TICKETS

McCarter Theatre Center

October 26, 2025 at 3:00pm ET

91 University Place

Princeton, NJ 08540

Buy Tickets Here

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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.

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Happy Snake Week! Every episode this week explores a different question about our slithery friends. Zoos have to have all kinds of foods available to feed the different species that they care for. Animals like elephants, zebras and buffalo eat plants. Predators like lions, foxes and bears have a much meatier diet. But what’s on the menu at the snake house? Snake cake? Snake steak? Snake grapes? We asked biologist Emily Taylor to help us find the answer.

Got a question snaking throughyour brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help squeeze out an answer.

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Ping pong is a super fun game. It’s like miniature tennis, where people use paddles to make balls fly across a table., and sometimes way, way up in the air!  But how do those  tiny plastic balls manage to bounce so high? We asked physicist Dr. Kiley Kennedy to help us find the answer.  Got a question that’s bouncing around your brain? Ping us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll serve up the answer!

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Lots of cars, trucks and buses are powered by gasoline. You put the gasoline in a little hole on the side of the vehicle, it powers the engine and then it comes out of the tailpipe as exhaust fumes. But what’s going on inside that engine? And how does gas turn into exhaust anyway? We asked chemistry professor Dr. Josie Nardo to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s really exhausting you? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll steeryou toward the answer!

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Let’s say you wake up on a Tuesday morning feeling fine and fresh. But by the end of the night your throat hurts, you’re coughing, and there’s snot dripping from your nose. What happened in the course of that one day to make you feel so sick? Dr. Courtney Jordan Baechler helps us stick our noses in this (t)issue. 

Got a question you can’t fever out? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and then be patient! We’ll help find the answer.

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There are all different kinds of trees in the world, from towering redwoods to tiny willow trees smaller than an action figure. Why are there so many different sizes of trees, anyway? We asked tree expert Jake Miesbauer to help us find the answer.

Got a tree-mendous question? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll ginkGO find the answer!

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Have you ever picked up a peach in the supermarket and noticed that its skin is covered in soft fuzz? What’s that about? Should we be taking our peaches to barbershops? And what about kiwis? They’re covered in scratchy hairs! Why do some fruits have fuzz while others have smooth skin? We talked to Dario Chavez from the University of Georgia to find out.

Got a fresh ‘n’ fruity question? Send it to us atBrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help find an a-peeling answer.

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Black holes are mysterious. They are so dense that no light can escape them, which makes them super hard to find! So how did we discover the first black hole? We asked NASA engineer Varoujan Gorjian to help us find the answer.

Got a mystery you’d love to shed some light on? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help search the skies for an answer.

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Records are big flat discs with circular lines on them that you can use to play music. But how does a record work, anyway? We asked audio engineer Josh Bonati to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s spinning around in your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help find an answer that’s music to your ears!

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Airplanes fly high in the sky and at super fast speeds. But is there a limit to how fast they’re allowed to fly? You know, in the way cars have speed limits? For this episode, we talked to Bobby Sharp, an air traffic controller, who helps us understand if airplanes have a need for speed.

Got a question you need answered fast? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll try our plane old best to get it answered!

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Have you ever been to the doctor and had them listen to your body with a stethoscope? It’s that funny looking thing that looks like a long rubbery tube with a round metal circle on one end and two ear pieces on the other. Doctors always seem to have one handy, but what is it and how does it work? We asked pediatrician Emma Gerstenzang to help us find the answer.

Got a question that you need scoped out? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll prescribe you an answer!

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Most of us know that we have a heart. We know that it beats - sometimes faster, sometimes slower. But just how many times does it beat in a day? We asked Dr. Courtney Jordan Baechler to have a heart-to-heart with us about this question. (She is also the host of the podcast Heart-to-Heart Conversations!)

Got a question that you just love? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we won’t beat around the bush!

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Happy Snake Week! Every episode this week explores a different question about our slithery friends. Did you know snakes hibernate in the winter just like bears, chipmunks and geckos? But what do they do while they’re hibernating? Do they have dreams? Do they wake up for mid-hibernation snacks? We asked snake scientist Emily Taylor to help us find the answer! 

Got a question you just can’t ssssssleep on? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and maybe we’ll bite!

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Have you ever seen a sinkhole? These are spots in the Earth’s surface where the ground has collapsed and formed a hole. Sometimes they can be more than a hundred feet deep! But how do sinkholes form? We asked geologist Hazel Barton to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s a real hole in one? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help dig up the answer!

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Black holes are super dense spots in space. They have so much gravity that when something falls into a black hole, it can’t escape. We asked UCLA astrophysicist Dakotah Tyler to help us imagine what it would be like if we traveled through one of these dark marvels.

Is there a question that’s really pulled you in? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll spaghettiFIND you an answer!

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3D glasses. Those little paper spectacles with one red lens and one blue. Put ’em on, and suddenly, POW! Images seem to leap right off the screen! Do these glasses play magical mind tricks on our brain? Do they give our eyeballs multi-dimensional superpowers? For a lens into how it all works, we talked to UW-Madison physicist Pupa Gilbert.

Got a question that’s really jumping out at you? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help you put it into focus.

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Vocal cords are magical things. They let us speak, sing, squawk and scream. But what are vocal cords and how do they do all that? We asked pediatrician Emma Gerstenzang to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s chattering away in your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll belt out an answer!

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If you could turn your hair any color in the world… what color would you choose?! Sapphire blue, hot pink, lime green, neon orange?? There are dyes out there that can turn your hair every color of the rainbow! But how exactly do they work? We asked Chemist Michelle Wall to help us understand.

Got a hairy question that needs answering? Send it to us atBrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll style an answer for you!

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Bricks are all around us: in walls, sidewalks, park benches, and more. How are these bodacious blocks made, and what makes them different colors?  We asked construction and masonry expert Brian Trimble to help us find the answer.

Constructing a question? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help you find a solid answer!

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People around the world eat with a variety of utensils like forks, chopsticks, and sporks. But what did people do before silverware was invented? We asked human evolution expert Briana Pobiner from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s unFORKgettable? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll spoon-feed you an answer. 

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Clothes are FUN. We strut our stuff in them. Laugh and play in them. Sometimes we love one article of clothing so much, we never want to take it off! But eventually, all clothes do have to be cleaned. We chatted with Tide Principal Scientist Jennifer Ahoni about how clothes get dirty, even when they still look spotless. Listen and learn about the secrets of body soils and invisible dirt! 
Got a question in your pocket? Send it to us atBrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll fashion an answer for you.

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Have you ever noticed that when you eat something salty, you feel extra thirsty for a while afterwards? Ever wondered why? Turns out, scientists are wondering why as well, and it’s a perfect example of how science is always changing how we understand the world. Gastroenterologist Dr. Kaveh Hoda tells us the salty story. 

Thirsting for knowledge? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll conSALT all our resources to find the answer!

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Bread! It’s good stuff, no matter how you slice it. But why do slices of bread have holes in them? Are there bread moles who tunnel through baguettes? Invisible worms in the whole wheat? Chipmunks chewing on the ciabatta? We asked food scientist David Domingues  to help us find the answer.

Got a question that you knead us to look into? Send it to us atBrains On.org/contact, and we’ll find the answers where you yeast expect them!

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Some people have allergic reactions to foods like peanuts, sesame, and raw eggs. But when people with egg allergies eat cooked eggs, there’s no reaction. What’s up with that? We asked pediatrician Liz Placzek to help us find the answer.

Have you hatched a really great question? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help find EGG-xactly what you need.

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Warts are small bumps that can show up on our skin, especially on our hands, knees, or elbows. What are they? Where do they come from? We asked Dr. Kaveh Hoda to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s got you TOADally stumped? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help sort out wart’s wart.

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Platypuses seem like they were put together from other animal’s spare parts. They’ve got a bill like a duck, a flat tail like a beaver, and…venom? What’s up with that? We asked biologist Imogene Cancellare to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s as confusing as platypus anatomy? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we won’t even bill you for the answer!

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Peregrine falcons are the fastest animals on earth. They’re the super sonic jets of the animal kingdom! So what does the word “peregrine” mean and how did these amazing birds get their name? We chatted with conservation biologist Imogene Cancellare to help us find the answer.

Got a question soaring through your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help you capture the answer!

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When you picture a lion, what do you see? If you thought of a big fluffy mane, you’re not alone! But how come mountain lions don’t have manes? We asked conservation biologist Imogene Cancellare to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s really hairy?  Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll make finding the answer our mane focus.

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Birds have a lot going on. They fly, chirp, sing, make nests, lay eggs. But can they cough or sneeze? We asked biologist Imogene Cancellare to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s flying around in your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help quack the case.

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Most bear species spend at least part of the winter season snoozing – a.k.a. hibernating! To prepare for that extended nap sesh, bears snuggle up in cozy dens where they can stay safe and hidden. But how does a bear make a den? We asked biologist Imogene Cancellare to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s making you feel a bit grizzled? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help i-DEN-tify the answer!

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Friends rule! The best ones are those that are always there to help you out, embark on a strange adventure,  make you laugh so hard you cry and appreciate all the weird and wonderful things that make you… you! We love our friends! But do we humans need them as a species? We talked to psychologist/biologist Lauren Brent to find the answer.  

Do you and your BFF have a question? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll be a friend and help find the answer!

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Most of us have used a glue stick or Elmer’s, but what about the strongest glue in the WORLD? We got a fantastic question from a couple of listeners who wanted to know what the strongest glue is, so we reached out to biomedical engineer Danna Sheridan to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s sticking in your mind? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help unglue the answer!

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Did you know there are 18 species of penguin in the world? Each species has its own differences and quirks, but one thing all penguins have in common is that it can be tricky to tell if they’re standing up or sitting down. One curious listener wondered if they even sit down at all. We asked Dr. Michelle LaRue from the University of Canterbury to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s knocked you off your feet? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll stand up and find the answer. 

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Listener Graham wanted to know what solar flares are and what causes them, so we reached out to NASA Heliophysicist Nicola Fox to help us figure out why these bright flashes on the sun’s surface occur.

Got a question that’s been flaring up in your mind? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help make you brighter!

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Have you ever heard of a mood ring? It’s a little piece of jewelry that supposedly tells you what kind of a mood you’re in. But how the heck can it know? We asked scientist Edwin Thomas to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s getting you in the mood to learn? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help w-ring out an answer.

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Did you know that trumpets are the oldest brass instruments? Orchestras rely on them to play the highest notes in the brass section! But how do they make that bbbbrrrrrrr sound? We asked trumpet player and teacher Jim Boyle to help us find the answer.

Got a question you’ve been wanting to brass-k? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll find an answer that’s music to your ears.

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On Earth, water gets evaporated by the sun from the planet’s surface, and then drops back down from the clouds when it rains. That’s a great source of water, but..is that water safe to drink?  We asked environmental researcher Dr Jonathan Sexton to help us find the answer.

Got a question in your bRAIN? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help filter out the answer.

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Let’s say you want to measure something really, really, really tiny. How do you do that? With inches? Centimeters? Millimeters? What if it’s so tiny you can’t even see it? Particle physicist Jessica Esquivel helps us solve this teeny tiny mystery!

Got a question that seems too big to answer? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll try to measure up!

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Black holes are areas in outer space that have gravity so strong that not even light can escape its pull! Some black holes are formed from stars…so how does a star go from a burning ball of gas to a light-swallowing void?  We asked UCLA astrophysicist Dakotah Tyler to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s really pulled you in? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help you gravitate towards the answer.

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Whether you’re a fan or not, one thing is for sure - most of us have had an encounter with a daddy long legs. They’ve got super duper long legs, and a TON of nicknames, including cellar spider, carpenter spider, daddy long-legger, vibrating spider, gyrating spider, long daddy, and skull spider. But why are their legs so long? Guilherme Gainett helps us solve this mystery.

Got a question crawling around your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help figure it out!

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Fireworks are loud and exciting! You light a fuse and the firework rockets up into the air, and then BLAM! It explodes into colorful, sparkling bouquets of light. How the heck does a firework do that? We asked chemist David Chavez to help us find the answer.

Got a question exploding in your noggin? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we certainly won’t reFUSE it!

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Batteries power lots of stuff that people use everyday, like cellphones, toys and laptop computers. Some batteries can even be recharged after they run out of juice. But how do batteries store electricity? We asked chemistry professor James McKone to help us find the answer. 

Got a question that’s got you all charged up? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll run a whole battery of tests to find the answer. 

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It seems universal that when a person - old or young - is tired, they rub their eyes. It’s even a way that babies communicate to their adults that they are ready for bed. Are we just born understanding that signal? Or is there something going on with our eyes that they need to be rubbed when we’re sleepy? Otolaryngologist Dr. Laura Orvidas helps us understand the connection in this episode. And stay tuned for the week of May 30, when all of our episodes will be sleep-themed. It’ll be a real “snooze fest”!

Got a question you’ve been eyeing? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we won’t sleep on the answer!

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Have you ever turned on a light and wondered, “How does that thing light up, anyway?” Us, too! We asked Tim Pula of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History to help us find the answer.

Got a question that has you glowing with joy? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help illuminate an answer for you!

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Ostriches are super neat! They’re the world’s heaviest birds, and they lay the largest eggs of any bird on Earth. They grow up to 8 feet tall, and can run as fast as 45 miles per hour. But you know what they don’t do? They don’t stick their heads in the ground to hide! There are a few reasons why this misunderstanding is so popular, and Sushma Reddy from the Bell Museum helps us understand.

Up to your neck in questions? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll find someone who can answer it in the shake of a tailfeather! 

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When you’re sick, it’s important to get plenty of rest to help your body heal. But it can be hard to sleep when your brain keeps showing you bizarre fever dreams (Like being chased by a giant fireball! Or swimming in nacho cheese!) Why do we have strange dreams when we’re sick, anyway? We asked dream researcher Michael Schredl to help us find the answer.

Got any burning questions? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll search feverishly for the right answer! 

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Sometimes, doctors use something called anesthesia to help them treat patients. Anesthesia can be different substances, but they all prevent our bodies from feeling pain during a medical treatment or surgery. So how does anesthesia stop us from feeling pain?
We asked Dr. Kaveh Hoda to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s topical? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll find a painless answer!

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We all have a belly button. Right there, in the middle of our belly, there’s a nub. Some go in, some stick out, but what exactly are they for? We asked pediatrician Emma Gerstenzang to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s hard to stomach? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help digest the answer for you!

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Have you ever woken up in the morning with the corners of your eyes filled with crud? Sleepy sand? Eye goblins? Dozy dust? Bed boogers? Why do our eyes make this stuff, anyway? And why does it build up when we’re asleep? We asked Yale eye doctor Soshian Sarrafpour to help us get to the bottom of this issue.

Got a question that you can’t keep a lid on? Send it to us atBrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll find someone who can answer it in the blink of an eye.  

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