But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids
But Why is a show led by kids. They ask the questions and we find the answers. It’s a big interesting world out there. On But Why, we tackle topics large and small, about nature, words, even the end of the world. Know a kid with a question? Record it with a smartphone. Be sure to include your kid's first name, age, and town and send the recording to [email protected]!
Series Episodes
How do we know life is not a dream?
Some questions are so big they’re existential, meaning that they get right to the heart of human existence. These are also sometimes called philosophical questions, so for this episode we called up a professor of philosophy, Scott Hershovitz, who teaches at the University of Michigan. He’s also written a book about how adults and kids can have philosophical discussions together. It’s called Nasty, Brutish and Short: Adventures in Philosophy with My Kids. Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript
32 mins
6 March Finished
How did bird dinosaurs survive the meteor?
Why did the dinosaurs go extinct? Many of you have learned about the meteorite that scientists say hit the earth 66 million years ago and killed off many dinosaur species. But some dinosaurs survived, and the birds you see flying around today are their direct descendants! In this episode we trace the connection between modern birds and prehistoric dinosaurs. Other questions include: Were any dinosaurs mammals? How did bird dinosaurs survive? Are crocodiles related to dinosaurs? Did dinosaurs have feathers? How do we know? Did all dinosaurs lay eggs? Our guest is Dr. Emily Bamforth, curator of the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum in Alberta, Canada. Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript
29 mins
20 February Finished
Why are brothers and sisters so annoying?
Why are brothers and sisters so annoying? Why do siblings often look a lot alike? Why do siblings fight? Can your sister be your best friend? Why do we fight with our siblings even if we love them? But Why takes a look at the sibling relationship with Susan Dominus, author of The Family Dynamic. Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript
18 mins
6 February Finished
Do bunnies come out at night?
Why are rabbits called bunnies? Why do they have fur? Why do bunnies have puffball tails? Why do rabbits have eyes on the sides of their heads? Why do rabbits hop? Our guest is Margo DeMello, professor of anthrozoology at Carroll College in Montana. She’s also a rabbit rescuer and rehabilitator who is currently caring for 12 rabbits in her home! Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript
25 mins
23 January Finished
Why can’t we remember being babies?
How does memory work? Why can’t we remember things that happened when we were babies? Why do we forget? Why are some people forgetful? Why do elephants have such good memories. What’s this episode about? I forgot! Oh yeah, how does our memory work! Our guest is Dr. Nick Turk-Browne, professor of psychology at Yale University. Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript
31 mins
9 January Finished
