Tumble Science Podcast for Kids – Details, episodes & analysis

What do you call a scientist who studies poop? A poopologist! We’re exploring the stinky science of “poopology” at the zoo, to discover what poop can tell us about animal behavior! Poopologist Laurel Wescott, at the Oregon Zoo, will take us on a journey to find how chemicals found in animal poop can help zoo animals stay healthy. Plus, she’ll clue us in on the “cutest” and most surprising poops, and so much more! For more information about Laurel and the poop she studies, visit our website at sciencepodcastforkids.com, where we'll have resources, videos, and more. For ad-free versions of the episode and a birthday shout-out, go support Tumble on Patreon at patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

“Do dogs think and feel the way we do?” We all know dogs can’t talk. That’s why scientists have to come up with creative ways of asking our canine companions what’s going on in their minds. We’ll find out why dog cognition scientist Zachary Silver put on a play for dogs - which inspired us to create Tumble’s very first dog radio theater production! Just call us “The Tumble Dog Players.” It will all make sense by the end of the episode. This is a rebroadcast of one of our favorite episodes from Season 8. We hope you enjoyed it! It was selected as a rebroadcast favorite by our supporters on Patreon, and if you want to vote on future events or hear more on our bonus interview episodes, just go support us on Patreon at the $1 level or higher at patreon.com/tumblepodcast. You can also buy tickets for our DinoTastic live performance in Brooklyn at bit.ly/DinoTastic Free resources, including a transcript, are available on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com Check out our new Tumble t-shirts and merch: tumblepodcast.threadless.com

How did cicadas evolve to go underground for so long? Why do cicadas spend so much of their lives underground? That’s what listeners Gus and Zachary want to know. This spring, up to a TRILLION cicadas will emerge across 16 states in the U.S., in an event that hasn’t happened since 1803. Cicada scientist Chris Simon helps us dig into the surprising science of cicadas - and figure out how they’re changing on this science podcast for kids.  Listen to our interview episode with Chris Simon, available to Patreon members who pledge at the $1 level or higher at patreon.com/tumblepodcast.  We also have free resources on our website - including maps of the emergence and links to download Cicada Safari, a citizen science cicada project. That’s on the blog at sciencepodcastforkids.com. Buy Tumble gear at our threadless shop! ¿Hablas español? Hay más episodios de nuestro podcast Tumble en Español en nuestro sitio web, https://www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/tumble-en-espanol.

What happens when a baby falcon meets a balloon telescope in an old Wild West town? An astrophysics animal adventure, of course! Erika Hamden is an astrophysicist who’s attempting to launch a space balloon telescope called FIREBall, an experiment to study distant galaxies. But her mission to the stratosphere leads her to wild nature, when a baby falcon falls out of its nest and onto the telescope. It turns out, launches don't always go as planned. To learn more about Erika and FIREBall, listen to our bonus interview episode on Patreon! It’s available to Tumble fans who pledge just $1 or more a month. Pledge today at patreon.com/tumblepodcast. Plus, there are free educational resources for this episode on our blog, at sciencepodcastforkids.com.

Do trees fart? It’s a question that stumped scientists, and sends us on a journey to some serious science! Come with us as we ponder if trees are butts, whether farts are defined by gas or digestive systems, and why “even the smallest fart counts.”  You’ll meet Mary Heskel, a plant biologist who wonders if she’s accidentally been studying tree farts, and Melinda Martinez, who studies climate change and identifies as a tree fart scientist. You’ll also hear from Tumble fans celebrating the fact that THIS IS OUR 100th ORIGINAL EPISODE! From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for listening! We hope you’ll stick around for the next hundred science stories! Listen to our bonus interview episode about tree fart research with Melinda Martinez, available to Patrons who pledge $1/month on patreon.com/tumblepodcast.  Find more resources (including tree farts being set on fire!) on the blog about this episode on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com.

Do you love fossils and dinosaurs? Let us introduce you to Myria Perez, a paleontology-obsessed kid who grew up to get her dream job! Myria is a 24 year old fossil preparator, which means she prepares fossils to study and display in museums. She shares her journey of how a visit to her local museum set her on the path to follow her dino dreams.  Myria is an If/Then Ambassador. IF/THEN seeks to further advance women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) by empowering current innovators and inspiring the next generation of pioneers. This episode is supported by an If/Then mini grant. Curious to learn more about Myria’s journey and her work? Listen to our bonus interview episode with her on Patreon! Available for Patrons who support Tumble at the $1/ level or higher! Pledge at patreon.com/tumblepodcast Get Myria’s email address, see photos of her work and awesome dino outfits, plus watch her favorite paleontology YouTube channel - all on the blog on our website, sciencepodcast.com.  Our next episode is our 100th! We’re asking listeners to send messages to us to celebrate - and we may include them on this very special episode! Tell us your favorite moment or episode of Tumble, how you discovered us or how long you’ve been listening, whatever you want to tell us!  Record a video or voice memo and send it to tumblepodcast@gmail.com.

Tumble returns with all new episodes starting January 22! We’ll have stories about fossils, telescopes, and baby falcons getting into big trouble. How does a koala eat eucalyptus leaves? Eucalyptus is toxic to most animals, but they’re a koala’s only food. In this episode, we look past the cuddliness to discover how koalas manage to chow down on the Australian tree species. Biologist Michaela Blyton shares the story of how she convinced some extremely picky koalas to try new foods in the midst of a conservation crisis. Spoiler alert: It involves starting a koala hotel, and inventing a pill with an unusual ingredient.

A log that poops presents? Find out about Lindsay and Marshall’s favorite holiday tradition, Tió de Nadal! Followed by one of Tumble’s favorite-ever episode, The Secret Life of Plants. We’ll be back with brand new episodes in January. Thank you for listening to Tumble this year! Happy Holidays and see you in 2021!

How did scientists develop coronavirus vaccines in record time? New York Times science reporter Carl Zimmer is our guide to the coronavirus vaccine race - from the starting line, to the point when several teams are racing to the finish line. Find out how science gave the competitors a turbo boost that could save hundreds of millions of lives. The information in this episode is accurate as of its release on December  11, 2020. Looking for the latest vaccine information? Check out the links to the CDC, WHO, and Johns Hopkins University on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com. Learn more about coronavirus vaccines with Carl Zimmer, in our special bonus interview episode for Tumble patrons. Pledge today on Patreon for just $1/ month, to get access to all of our scientist interviews.

Bacteria are among the simplest forms of life on Earth. Each cell is identical to the one next to it, sharing the same DNA. So why do they all act so differently? Turns out, there’s a “cookbook” inside each teeny tiny bacteria cell, and every single bacteria has different ideas about the recipes it wants to make. Mary Dunlop is a biological engineer who’s a creative cook both in the kitchen and the lab - and she’s cooking up her own experiment of science discovery. Watch Mary’s “cell movie” on the blog post on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com. It’s really cool to see! You can learn more about synthetic biology in our interview with Mary, available for Patrons who pledge at the $1/level or higher, on patreon.com/tumblepodcast. This episode is supported by the National Science Foundation under award number MCB 2032357.