Brains On! Science podcast for kids

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,...

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 t...

On April 8, a total solar eclipse will be visible on a path that crosses North America, from the west coast of Mexico to the east coast of Canada. In this episode, Molly and co-host Aminah cover all your eclipse essentials: What causes an eclipse? What’s it like to experience one? How do you watch one safely? (Spoiler alert: Don’t stare at the sun without special eyewear. Really. Please. Don’t do it.) Plus, indigenous scie...

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 hear...

Hello friends! We're so excited to announce that Brains On is coming to the east coast!

We’re doing three live shows -- in Washington DC, Princeton, New Jersey and Brooklyn, New York!

Our live show is a super fun journey through the brain, featuring magic tricks, a game show, mystery sounds and even dancing! You can get tickets at brainson.org/events

Plus, after each show, we're having a VIP party, whe...

Laughter is like a language and humans are really good at understanding it.

In this episode, Molly and co-host Milla decode different kinds of laughs, from uncontrollable goofy laughter to chuckles that make others feel good.

They’ll meet laugh experts Sophie Scott and Adrienne Wood and test their knowledge in three rounds of the game show: Laugh Attack!

Plus, a new mystery sound for you to guess!

Come s...

Satellites are like robots in the sky: they monitor the weather, make GPS possible, and take stunning pictures of outer space! But how exactly do they work? When a satellite named Meep Moop gets delivered to Brains On HQ by mistake, Molly and co-hosts Tessa and Fallyn learn all about satellite solar panels, thrusters, and radio waves! Then, they chat with Dr. Moriba Jah about satellite space junk and the importance of keep...

Have you ever seen someone strike a match? The match rubs against a scratchy strip and a split second later – poof! It makes fire! But how does a match work, anyway?

Join Molly and co-host Maxwell as they get all fired up about matches! They’ll explore the three things a fire needs to ignite and learn how lighting a match is just a super fast chemical reaction that sometimes smells like farts. Plus, we’ll hear your hot...

Sand! We use it to make all kinds of things, from spectacular sandcastles to roads and bridges. But where does it come from? And why is the sand on so many beaches disappearing?

In this episode, Molly and co-host Leon head to the beach to explore the secrets of sand. They run into the ultimate sand STAN Sanden Totten and discover what it's made of. Then, they chat with producer Nico Gonzalez Wisler about why beache...

Hypnosis. You’ve seen it in movies, cartoons, and maybe even on stage! But is it real? And if so, what is it?

Join Molly and co-host Jasmine as they uncover the truth about hypnosis and its power to heal. They’ll hear from pediatrician and hypnosis expert, Dr. Daniel Kohen, about what it is and isn’t. (Spoiler alert – it isn’t mind control!) They’ll also chat with 13-year-old Joshua who uses hypnosis to overcome anxie...

Your teeth are like a squad of superheroes inside your mouth. They help you crunch on carrot sticks, nibble popcorn and chew bubblegum. You’ve probably heard it’s important to brush your teeth to prevent cavities. But what is a cavity? And how do dentists fix them?

Join Molly and cohost Aya on a terrifically toothy adventure, as they explore what causes these pesky little holes in our teeth. They’ll meet a group of...

Listener Gideon sent in this brilliant question: “How did ferns survive the dinosaur extinction and are they the same ferns we see now?” Our search for the answer will introduce us to James Frond, international fern of mystery, and take us flying through the air on an airplane’s wing. We’ll also meet a scientist who’s trying to understand how ferns are such strong survivors — by recreating the extinction event that wiped o...

Dig in with Molly and co-host Audrey as they learn about our extinct ancient relatives, the Neanderthals! With archaeologist and Brains On producer Anna Goldfield as their guide, they’ll learn how Neanderthals were once misunderstood, and how scientists are learning more about them. Explore the wondrous NeanderHALL at Brains On HQ and unearth the truth about these prehistoric humans with Anna and her talkative NeanderDOLL,...

Grab your raincoat, and join Molly and co-host Lily as they float into the clouds to learn about lightning! They’ll explore how lightning is made and what it takes to stay safe during thunderstorms. To close with a bang, Molly will slip on her Thunderpants and host an electrifying lightning-themed game show. But don’t bolt too soon. We’ve got a mystery sound reveal that promises to shock!

Do you have your Smarty Pas...

The Brains On crew is hard at work on our next batch of episodes, and we'll be back in your feed on January 16, with an electrifying episode about lightning.

Until then, check out our history show: Forever Ago. It's hosted by our friend Joy Dolo, and it looks into the fascinating past of things we take for granted.

In this episode, Joy invites Molly on to the show to share the origin story of Superman that ...