Brains On is a non-profit public radio program. There are lots of ways to support the show:

Support the podcast with donation | Subscribe to Smarty Pass for ad-free episodes and bonus content | Buy our book and merch | Come to our live shows | Get the newsletter for parents | Find teacher resources

Collecting Pokémon cards. Trading friendship bracelets. Painting your nails black. All these things have been trendy at some point, somewhere. But how did they become cool? And who made them popular?

Join Molly and co-host Harlynn as they explore the fussy and fabulous world of trends. Sanden will reveal how trends start and spread throughout a population?and why beige wallpaper it out and mocha mousse brown is IN! They?ll also learn about trends in animal populations like orca whales and chimpanzees. To top things off, Marc will start a fad by accident: fruit pants! (Yes, they?re literally pants with dried fruit stuck to them.) Plus, a super cool mystery sound.

Today?s episode is sponsored by:

Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit

Experience Disney's Snow White, only in theaters March 21. Rated PG, parental guidance suggested.

Oh no! Molly?s been bequeathed her great-great grandfather?s skateboard, which unfortunately contains the spirit of dictionary editor Rutherford Williams Webster! Hoping to defeat the skateboard poltergeist, Anna and Marc must attempt to spell and define Webster?s most obscure words!

Brains On is a non-profit public radio program. There are lots of ways to support the show:
Support the podcast with donation | Subscribe to Smarty Pass for ad-free episodes and bonus content | Buy our book and merch | Come to our live shows

Solar panels capture energy from the sun and turn it into electricity. But how do they work?Join guest host Rosie duPont and co-host Anna as they explore the ins and outs of solar energy!

Marc and his latest invention, Sal the solar bot, stop by the studio for a special solar demonstration ? then the Earth and Moon chat about why solar power is an important tool for slowing down climate change.

Plus, an electrifying new mystery sound!

Check out our series all about electricity too!

Today?s episode is sponsored by:
Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit

Experience Disney's Snow White, only in theaters March 21. Rated PG, parental guidance suggested.

Asthma is a disease that can make it hard to breathe. And it?s common! One in twelve people in the United States have it, including host Molly Bloom. But what is asthma? And why do some people have it, but not others?

Join Molly and co-hosts Audrey and Indytas they learn about asthma. First, they?ll shrink down and explore how breathing works ? inside Forever Ago host Joy Dolo?s lungs! Then they?ll learn how and why asthma attacks happen. Finally, they?ll chat with kids? lung doctor Stephanie Lovinsky-Desir about rescue inhalers, and what causes asthma in the first place. All that, plus a breathtaking new mystery sound!

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

Today?s episode is sponsored by:

Disney - Experience Disney's Snow White, only in theaters March 21. Rated PG, parental guidance suggested.

Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson

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

When you've got a crush on someone, it can feel a bit overwhelming. All of a sudden, you might have butterflies in your stomach! And maybe you find yourself acting differently than you normally would. Why does our brain do this to us anyway? In this episode, we'll answer a slew of your crush-related questions: Why do we get crushes? Why do they make you feel so many feelings? How do you decide who you have a crush on? Plus, how do you navigate all the tricky parts of crushes -- like your crush finding out you like them?

We tackle all these questions. Stick around for a Moment of Um that answers: "What would happened if it rained oobleck?"

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!

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

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!

You may have heard of Down syndrome, but what is it exactly? In this episode, we'll break down the science of chromosomes and how having an extra one leads to this fairly common condition. Plus, we'll learn some tips for making friends with someone who might seem different than you. We'll also swing by a farm staffed by ranchers with Down syndrome. And in our Moment of Um we'll find out why eggs go from clear to white when cooked.

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. 

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!

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

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.

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

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

It?s almost midnight and Mr Bone Jangles has snuck into the studio to debut his new show -- Bones On! His plans are foiled when Molly pops in and asks him to guess some mystery sounds instead!

Brains On will be back with new episodes starting December 17! We?ve got a gaggle of mystery sounds, so many great questions to answer and surprises in store. We can?t wait for you to tune into our next season!

Molly?s got a case of poetry fever, and she?s ready to rhyme! She?s testing out her newest stash of stanzas on her pals, Marc and Sanden. They?ll have to guess the animals featured in four of Molly?s poems. It?s a case of versus AND verses in the?MYSTERY ANIMAL POETRY SLAM CHALLENGE! 

Usually, bonus episodes like this are exclusively for Smarty Pass subscribers but this month we?re sharing them with all our listeners. If you like this bonus episode and want to hear fun games every month, plus ad-free episodes, sign up for Smarty Pass.

Did you know Brains On host Molly Bloom likes to collect things? Oh yeah, she has a collection of doorknobs, stickers, Dolly Parton-themed rugs, and even a collection of collective nouns! Her collection of collective nouns is so great she has a new game just to show them off. Join producers Sanden Totten and Ruby Guthrie as they play Noun Noun!

To get more bonus episodes like this every month, sign up for Smarty Pass at SmartyPass.org.

According to legend, vampires are creatures with pale skin and sharp teeth who drink blood. These creepy ghouls are not real, but in this episode, we'll meet some vampire animals that do exist!

Join Molly and co-host Quinn as they learn about all kinds of bloodsuckers, from mosquitos to birds to fish! They'll hear about vampire bats from Dr. May Dixon. Then Molly will share her top eight reasons to love vampire squids! Mr. Bonejangles will also give us a sneak peek of his new musical, Squiddler on the Roof, plus a spooky new mystery sound!

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

Today?s episode is sponsored by:

Norton Books

Wild Interest - Let your kids' imaginations run wild and check out the new podcast Wild Interest wherever you get your podcasts. wildinterest.com

Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson

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.

Molly has her sparkly special suit on which means it?s time for GAME SHOW MOLLY! Game show Molly is just like regular Molly but with an awesome new game! Grab your smarty pass to hear Molly?s new rhyming game.

Every sneeze is like a snowflake. Unique, beautiful, wet! Sneezes help our noses get rid of stuff that?s not supposed to be there, like dust, dirt, or pollen. But how fast do sneezes travel? And how exactly does our body make them?

Join Molly and co-host Anna as they explore the science behind sneezes, snot, and boogers! They?ll take a tour inside Marc's nose and watch a daredevil booger attempt to break the sneeze speed record! Then they?ll learn all about nasal mucus from otolaryngologist a.k.a. self-described professional snot sucker, Dr. Andrew Redmann. Plus a honker of a mystery sound!

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

Today?s episode is sponsored by:

Norton Books

Wild Interest - Let your kids' imaginations run wild and check out the new podcast Wild Interest wherever you get your podcasts. wildinterest.com

Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson

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.

People who are blind or have low vision use different tools to navigate the world. One of the most common is called a white cane. White canes are long, thin, and lightweight with a handle on one end and a special tip on the other.

Join Molly and co-host Jaden as they explore how white canes work. They?ll log into an interactive game called Cane Quest 3000 where they'll use white canes to move through a fantastical world and capture a bunch of tiny, yodeling aliens! Then they?ll link up with Brains On fan Phoenix to chat about what it?s like to use white canes on the day-to-day. All that, plus a puzzler 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

- 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.

Here in the U.S., we?re gearing up for the 2024 election! We?re about to vote to pick a new president and choose other leaders too. Maybe you?ve seen yard signs for different candidates around your neighborhood or campaign commercials on TV. All this election fever got us wondering: how do different animals pick their leaders?

Join Molly and cohost Emily as they get to know some of the wildest leaders in the animal kingdom, from tiny ants to orca whales. Plus, they?ll learn about a special group of monkeys that vote! And as always, a 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

- 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.

Ahoy, avast, and welcome aboard the good ship Iris, captained by the host with the most in all of the Seven Seas, Molly Bloom! Molly?s brought producer pals Sanden and Jess on board to play a game of EYE-EYE, CAPTAIN! Sanden and Jess will have to guess the answers to some fiendish questions about EYES. Can they navigate their way to the answers, or will their trivia timbers be shivered? YAAARRR!

The internet can feel like magic. You send a video of a squirrel eating an acorn to your friends and BOOM! A few seconds later, they can watch it! But how does the internet actually work?

In today?s episode, Molly and co-host Kayson take a tour of the internet. They find out where information on the internet is stored and how that information moves around the world using long skinny cables on the ocean floor! They also call on Shark Manchez the computer hacker to explain the secret language computers speak. Plus, another tricky 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

- 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.

About 1 out of 13 kids has a food allergy. Some are allergic to peanuts, others can?t eat dairy or shellfish or ? you name it! So, why do some of us have food allergies and others don?t?

Join Molly and co-host Gemma as they learn all about food allergies. First, they?ll explore the immune system, the tiny army inside our bodies that fights off things that can make us sick. Turns out, these fighter cells sometimes think certain foods are a threat! Then they?ll chat with Dr. Adora Lin about why some people are allergic to certain foods and others aren?t ? and visit a cafeteria to hear from kids with food allergies! Plus, a new mystery sound you won?t want to miss.

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
- 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.

Eyes are incredible. But sometimes they need a little help to see clearly. Enter: glasses! In this episode, we'll hear how eyes take in light and paint a picture of the world around us. We'll take a peek inside the eye to see why sometimes vision can be blurry and how glasses help. Then, we'll learn all about eye exams with a visit to the eye doctor! All that, plus a brand 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
- 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.

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!

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
- 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!

Ping! Another episode of Brains On just dropped! And it?s all about phones: how they help us, why they?re so hard to put down ? and how to have a balanced relationship with them.

In this episode, Molly and co-host Linden do a deep dive on phone use. They?ll chat with an expert about whether screens are bad for us and hear from some teenagers about how they really feel about their phones! Meanwhile, Marc takes his camels Humpty and Dumpty to a phone-free picnic, and Dwayne the Brain demonstrates the powerful connection between phones and dopamine. All that, plus a stumper of a mystery sound!

We?ve been thinking about our phones a lot here at Brains On ? so we started this new thing called Analog August, a month-long campaign to unplug our phones and get out in the world. If this episode inspires, we hope you and your family will join in the fun, and do your best to use your phones less! Parents can attend our virtual event about kids and phones on Thursday, August 15th from 12pm PT / 2pm CT / 3pm ET and sign up for our newsletter of ideas for phone-free adventures and tips on finding a healthy screen-life balance. Read more here.

Featured experts:

Julia Storm is a digital wellness specialist, educator, and advocate. She helps families work through issues around tech.

Jacqueline Nesi is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University and a Clinical Psychologist at Rhode Island Hospital. She specializes in issues affecting kids and teens.

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

Have you ever seen an aurora? These spectacular night-time displays can fill our skies with dancing lights and bursts of color. But why do they happen in the first place?

Join Molly and co-host Mariam as they learn about what makes an aurora (hint: it starts with spicy sun burps) and chat with scientist Dr. Liz MacDonald about the best places to see them. Stick around for aurora trivia with Gameshow Molly and a dazzling 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

Uh-oh, Molly?s new pets are missing! And to make matters worse, Molly won?t tell us what her missing animals are. Although, she is willing to give hints. It?s up to producers Rosie duPont and Ruby Guthrie to find Molly?s missing pets and figure out what they are! Grab your smarty pass to hear this hair-raising episode!

Seahorses can be as tiny as a grain of rice or more than a foot long. They also beat their small fins up to 70 times per second ? about as fast as hummingbird wings. These cowboys of the sea are full of surprises!

Join Molly and co-host Noemi as they swim through an episode full of seahorse facts. They?ll hear from seahorse expert Heather Koldewey about what it?s like to swim with these fabulous little fish. Then they?ll head down to the beach to chat with a seahorse dad who?s expecting! Plus, an all-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

Whether you hum in the shower or yodel on stage, you can make music with your voice! But what?s going on inside of your body when you do it? And are there ways to change how your voice sounds?

Molly and co-host Kate will explore these questions and more in this episode all about singing. They?ll join Marc to watch a famous opera star do her thing and learn about what happens in our bodies when we sing. They?ll hear samples of everything from throat singing to rock and roll. Plus they'll chat with voice teacher and opera singer Mikalia Bradberry about all the ways we can learn to control our voice and sing in different styles ? from Broadway belting to crooning like Taylor Swift. Plus, a noteworthy 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

Curious about cats? Us too! Join Molly and co-host Lynx as they sniff out the answers to some of your most pressing cat questions.

They?ll head to a chaotic cat café to learn the history of house cats, they'll hear a song all about cat breeds, and chat with cat expert Mikel Delgado about catnip, cat naps, and why cats love to lick themselves! Plus a purr-plexing 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

Molly is working on a musical about trees that live in cities. But she can?t finish her rhymes! So she enlists Ruby and Anna to help. Molly gives them some of her unfinished lyrics and it?s up to them to help her turn a single sentence into a fact-filled musical couplet!

Did you know that more than half the people in the world lives in cities? The hustle and bustle of a city can be awesome, but cities can also be hot and polluted. Luckily, there?s a solution we can all get behind ? trees! Join Molly and co-host Nallini as they learn how these magnificent towering giants make our cities better places to live and help fight climate change. They?ll also visit an urban orchard that grows fruit in the middle of Philadelphia. All that plus a tree-mendous mystery sound!

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.

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.

Looking for some sneaky sound puzzles to solve? Tune in to our all-new mystery sound extravaganza! Join co-host Maggie as she listens to recordings of sounds from Brains On listeners ? and tries to figure out what they are. You?ll hear Maggie and her brother Sam go head-to-head in a sibling mystery sound battle and listen to podcast producers Nichole Hill and Yowei Shaw struggle to solve some sonic stumpers. Get your listening ears ready for this one!

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.

Vacuums are full of surprises! Did you know that they blow air out to suck things up? Or that old-fashioned vacuums were so huge, they had to be hauled from house to house by horses?!

Join Molly and co-host Baker as they learn all about these awesome appliances. They?ll dig into vacuum history, shrink to the size of air molecules and explore the inside of this curious contraption, and even check out a vacuum museum in Missouri. All that, plus a tricky new mystery sound that will blow you away!

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.

Have you ever wondered why a guitar sounds different from a violin? Or why a banjo is twangy and a cello is mellow? Then this episode is for you!

Join Molly and co-host Ellie as they explore the ear-tickling world of string sounds! Together, they?ll learn about sound waves, and visit the Brains On instrument petting zoo, where they'll learn about all the amazing sounds that stringed instruments can make. Plus, a shiny new mystery sound!

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
- Paramount?s IF - From writer and director John Krasinski comes a new film about what happens to our Imaginary Friends (IFs) when we grow up. Out in theaters on May 17th!

Looks like Marc has a beautiful new plant but doesn?t know where to put it. Direct sunlight or indirect sunlight? It?s too hard to figure out! But you know what?s not hard to figure out? Whether or not you should play Molly?s new game, Radical Design! Grab your Smarty Pass to see what producers Marc Sanchez and Rosie duPont think homes would look like on other planets!

Humans have visited the Moon but we?ve never lived there. Could we build a home on our lunar neighbor? Join Molly and co-host Ira as they find out why the Moon can be a dangerous place, and what it would take to live there. We?ll imagine a visit to a lunar hotel, hear about all the stuff humans have left up there and even hear a song sung by the Moon herself!

Featured Expert: Phil Plait, astronomer, journalist and author of several books, including, Under Alien Skies: A Sightseer?s Guide to the Universe, which uses science and imagination to paint a picture of what it would be like to vacation on the moon.

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
- Paramount?s IF - From writer and director John Krasinski comes a new film about what happens to our Imaginary Friends (IFs) when we grow up. Out in theaters on May 17th!

Looking for an escape? Join Molly and co-host Julian as they explore Antarctica! They?ll learn about Antarctica?s massive ice sheets and active volcanoes ? plus they?ll meet the largest land animal on the continent! (Hint: it?s black, shiny, and can perch on a pencil eraser!)

Then they?ll chat with scientist Dr. Jennifer Mercer about what it?s like to live and work in one the coldest places on the planet and explore what Antarctica was like 90 million years ago. (Hint: It was a lot like a beach resort!) And stick around for a  mystery sound that?s so cool it?ll give you goosebumps!

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

Today?s episode is sponsored by:
- Sitkaseafoodmarket.com - Use promo code Molly35 to receive $35 off your first order.
- Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson
- Poshpeanut.com/brainson - Receive 20% off your first order

Have you ever taken a big ol? whiff of rotten milk? It probably smelled like dirty socks or stinky garbage. Blech! But why does food go bad, and how can we be sure that something is fresh and safe to eat?

Join Molly and co-host Rachel as they explore the world of food expiration dates ? those little numbers and dates on food packages that help us figure out how old food is! Together, they?ll find out why food goes bad, listen to a rotten egg sing about the power of the sniff test, and learn about the history of expiration dates from Forever Ago host Joy Dolo! All that plus a treat for your ears ? an all-new mystery sound!

Check out this food safety chart for more information on how long different types of foods typically stay fresh in the fridge or freezer.

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

Today?s episode is sponsored by:
- Sitkaseafoodmarket.com - Use promo code Molly35 to receive $35 off your first order.
- Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson
- Poshpeanut.com/brainson - Receive 20% off your first order

Ouch! If you?ve ever stubbed your toe, gotten a paper cut or fallen off your bike, you know that getting hurt is no fun. Sometimes we can take medicine to help feel better, like ibuprofen. But how does that medicine know where to go in our bodies to stop the pain?

In this episode, Molly and kid co-host Skylar explore where pain comes from and chat with expert Dr. Amanda C de C Williams about why it?s useful. Then they?ll eavesdrop on an ibuprofen pill on its first day of work to find out how it does its job. And of course, an all new mystery sound!

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

Today?s episode is sponsored by:
- Sitkaseafoodmarket.com - Use promo code Molly35 to receive $35 off your first order.
- Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson

Oh no! It looks like Brains On host Molly Bloom and producer Marc Sanchez are in some deep trouble, and the only way to get out of it is with an extra special game of Mystery Sound. Will either of them be able to guess the right sound? Grab your Smarty Pass to find out!

We love a good mystery, and UFOs are magnificently mysterious! But are they real? In this episode, Marc and Sanden take over the Brains On feed with a new episode of their radio show, Hoax Hunters. They?ll look into the myths and hoaxes surrounding UFOs (which stands for unidentified flying objects). Plus, they?ll talk about what kinds of things often get mistaken for UFOs and how you can stay smart and skeptical when hearing shocking information. And of course, an episode about mystery will have an all-new Mystery Sound!

Read more about Val Johnson from MPR News.

And if you love Hoax Hunters, check out our Making Sense of Myths series!

Bigfoot, Unicorns and Dragons

Lost Cities

Mermaids, Kraken and the Loch Ness Monster

Aliens and UFOs

Come see Brains On live in Washington, DC, Princeton, NJ, and Brooklyn, NY! Get tickets here: brainson.org/events

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

Today?s episode is sponsored by:
- Sitkaseafoodmarket.com - Use promo code Molly35 to receive $35 off your first order.
- Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson