Why do we like the number 100?

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

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!

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.

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.

We’re making a special eight episode show called Brains On Universe Presents Puberty (The Podcast). You can subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Over the next few weeks we’re going to play some excerpts from the series for you here. These samples cover stuff like how hormones help us grow, how they change our skin - think zits – and how they affect our moods. We picked topics that should be appropriate for everyone interested in how bodies 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.