Understanding big fires and big feelings
14 January 2025 - 42 minsWildfires 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...
Series Episodes
How do lightbulbs work?
We use lightbulbs everyday, but how often do we stop to think about how they work? These genius little inventions are packed with cool science. Molly and co-host Maya will explain how they work step by step. Plus we’ll hear your suggestions for what to shout when you have a bright idea. Oh, and a new Mystery Sound to light up your life. Enjoy! Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. Fall 2026 show announcement coming soon! Click here for a transcript of this episode.
29 mins
23 June Finished
Crystals: More than just shiny rocks
This episode shines a light on crystals, and they’re sparkling right back at us! We’ll zoom way in on a diamond to understand the structure that makes crystals special, and hear about some unexpected crystals, too (hint: chocolate chip cookies contain a few different crystals!). Then, we take a look at how crystals form and get their cool colors. Plus, Marc and Sanden hunt down a hoax about Mesoamerican crystal skulls. Want to support the show? Join Smarty Pass to listen to ad-free episodes or donate! Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. Fall 2026 show announcement coming soon! June 20 - Southern Theater, Columbus, OH June 21 - Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI
35 mins
16 June Finished
Brains On Presents: Smash Boom Best - Slime vs Slinkies
We will be back next week with a new episode! This week we have an episode from our sister show Smash Boom Best: Slime vs Slinkies!Set out these two playthings on a table and see which one your kid grabs first. Is it the gooey, squishy, surprising slime? Or the springy, wiggly, wonderous slinky? Both are fun, one will triumph! Smooshing the competition for Team Slime, it’s RadioLab host Latif Nasser. And stretching toward victory for Team Slinky, it’s podcast producer Hans Buetow. Listen to see which terrific toy takes the top prize. And don’t forget to vote for your favorite at smashboom.org. Click here to read a transcript of this episode. Want to support the show? Join Smarty Pass to listen to ad-free episodes or donate!
40 mins
9 June Finished
Why do we like the number 100?
As Brains On fast approaches 400 episodes, we wanted to re-visit this one. Not only is it our milestone episode 100, but our pal Gungador goes from Most Epic Fighting Battle Realm to a much more challenging setting: high school. We ask why people seem to love the number 100 so much. We also learn some amazing tricks involving the number 100 and fan favorite. There's a super-cool Mystery Sound too, so keep those ears open! Want to support the show? Join Smarty Pass to listen to ad-free episodes or donate! Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. More shows announced soon! June 6 - Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor, MI June 20 - Southern Theater, Columbus, OH June 21 - Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI
42 mins
2 June Finished
Growth Spurts!
Today we’re sharing with you part of an episode from our new special series, Brains On Universe Presents: Puberty! (the podcast). You can subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. This is an excerpt covering stuff that any one of any age might be interested in. Last week, we looked at skin, sweat and hair. Want to learn more about growing? Check out this Brains On episode: Why do our bodies take so long to grow? In the Puberty podcast feed, we’ll dive deeper into each topic. And answer your questions, with help from super smart experts. Want to support the show? Join Smarty Pass to listen to ad-free episodes or donate! Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. More shows announced soon! May 30 - Electric City, Buffalo, NY May 31 - Royal Theatre, Toronto, ON (2nd show added!) June 6 - Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor, MI June 20 - Southern Theater, Columbus, OH June 21 - Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI Click here for a transcript of this episode.
21 mins
26 May Finished
Skin, sweat and hair!
Today we’re sharing with you part of an episode from our new special series, Brains On Universe Presents: Puberty! (the podcast). You can subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. This is an excerpt covering stuff that any one of any age might be interested in. Last week, we answered: what’s puberty anyway? In the Puberty podcast feed, we’ll dive deeper into each topic. And answer your questions, with help from super smart experts. Want to support the show? Join Smarty Pass to listen to ad-free episodes or donate! Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. More shows announced soon! May 30 - Electric City, Buffalo, NY May 31 - Royal Theatre, Toronto, ON (2nd show added!) June 6 - Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor, MI June 20 - Southern Theater, Columbus, OH June 21 - Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI Click here for a transcript of this episode.
20 mins
19 May Finished
