There are many different types of snow. From the fluffy to the slushy, this slippery frozen stuff comes in all different shapes and sizes.  From a distance, snowflakes may all look the same, but they are not. In fact, there are lots of different shapes of snowflakes — not just those classic shapes you might try to replicate with paper cut-outs. In this episode, Dr. Ken Libbrecht answers all of our snowflake questions: How are snowflakes made? Why are they different shapes? How is it that they’re all unique? And how does a scientist who lives in southern California study snow? And, he also lets us in on his brush with a couple Arendelle princesses. Plus our pal Ruby Guthrie pays her local ski slope to visit a snow-making machine called “Kevin.” And of course, there’s a new Mystery Sound to warm your ears. If you’re looking for some fun snowflake activities to do at home, Ken’s provided this great list — and you don’t need to live in a cold climate for all of them: http://www.snowcrystals.com/activities/activities.html This episode was sponsored by: Shopify (Shopify.com/brainson) Indeed (Indeed.com/BRAINSON) Interlochen Center for the Arts (Interlochen.org/brainson)

Brains On! Science podcast for kids

Chilling out with snow

It might sound impossible, but you can walk around the world! Rosie Swale-Pope has done it, and we get a chance to hear about her adventures in this episode. She tells us how she survives, and remains upbeat, on the road. Guess how many shoes she went through on her trip? Listen and find out. We also hear from D’Wayne Edwards, who helped design some of the most iconic shoes ever (Air Jordan anyone?). And see if you can guess the Mystery Sound. It’s a doozy! Plus, Molly, Marc and Sanden begin their own journey as they travel through the planet for their new book Road Trip Earth! Pre-order the Brains On books at brainson.org/books This episode was sponsored by: Mathnasium (mathnasium.com) Truebill (Truebill.com/BRAINSON) Interlochen Center for the Arts (Interlochen.org/BrainsOn)

Could you walk around the world?

Marshmallows, lollipops, gummi bears -- we want them all! But we’ve all heard that eating a lot of sugar isn’t that healthy for us. So what’s the deal? Why do we like sugar so much in the first place? We’ll find out why our bodies evolved to seek out sweet things, and how clever humans invented a way to make food even sweeter. And we’ll get to the bottom of a confectionary conundrum from our co-host Zoe: are sugar rushes a real thing? Plus: Sanden cooks up some very sweet schemes and we have a new mystery sound for you to guess! This episode is sponsored by:Mathnasium (mathnasium.com) Indeed (indeed.com/brainson)

Why do we like sugar so much?

Get ready to learn the science behind the multiverse! That’s the idea that our universe isn’t the only universe out there. What if there were other, different universes existing alongside our own? Ones with different laws of physics, different planets and stars… or maybe even different versions of us! In this episode we explain a few different theories behind this popular idea. Plus, we’ll learn some quantum mechanics, hear about string theory and meet many different versions of Sanden. All that and a brand new Mystery Sound!Today’s episode is sponsored by Truebill (truebill.com/brainson) and Shopify (shopify.com/brainson). You can support the show by donating at brainson.org/donate or pre-order our books at brainson.org/books.Tell us about the place you’d like to make sure you see during your trip around the world at brainson.org/contact

Do we live in a multiverse?

Wow, wow, wow! Our new Moment of Um podcast is finally here. Check out this sample episode, and subscribe to Moment of Um in your podcast player. There are already five episodes just waiting for you to listen, and there’s a new one every weekday. Do you have a head-scratcher that you think would make a great Moment of Um episode? Head over to BrainsOn.org/contact to let us know about it.

Why are giraffe tongues blue? - A Moment of Um extra

We&#39;re super excited for you to hear our newest podcast: Moment of Um! What’s that? You’ve already heard of Moment of Um featured on Brains On! You’re correct, congratulations! Moment of Um has been answering head scratchers for years on Brains On. Since our listeners send in so many Moment of Um questions, we thought it was time to give it a podcast of its own. Bitesized episodes drop every weekday, starting January 24th. Follow on your favorite podcast app or YouTube.

Introducing Moment of Um!

In space, will a feather stay still? Fall down? Float away? Turns out, the answer depends on where you are! But one thing affects your feather no matter what: gravity! So Galileo is joining us all the way from the 1500s to fill us in on his theory about gravity. Then, we’re heading to space, and dropping a feather in a few different places to see what happens. Listen closely for a listener-submitted mystery sound, and a moment of um that answers this question: If you pick a flower, fruit or vegetable, is it still alive or is it dead? This episode is sponsored by Flip and Mozi&#39;s Guide to How to be an Earthling. To support the show, head to Brainson.org/donate 

What happens if you drop a feather in space?

Today’s episode is all about your belly button aka navel aka umbilicus. And not just your belly button -- every single person you can think of has one. This means our listeners have LOTS of questions about them. We&#39;re going to tackle several of these fascinating navel-gazing questions like: is your belly button connected to your insides? Where does belly button fuzz come from? Why do some belly buttons stick out? And do cats and dogs have belly buttons? Plus, we have a tricky mystery sound for you to guess and a Moment of Um that answers the question: How do carrots grow if they don&#39;t have seeds? This episode was sponsored by: Indeed (indeed.com/brainson)

The innies and outies of belly buttons

Kids over 5 can now get a COVID vaccine in the U.S. We know a lot of you have been waiting for this day and lots of you have sent us questions about the vaccine since the pandemic started: like what&#39;s in the COVID vaccine? How does it work? How do scientists know it&#39;s safe? And even if the vaccine isn’t available to you where you live yet, this episode will answer those questions -- and there are some fun games you can play along with us! If you have more questions about how COVID, the vaccines or anything else, you can send them to us here. Plus we&#39;ve got some tips for how to distract yourself if you&#39;re feeling nervous, and an original song designed to help you shake that arm after the shot so it doesn&#39;t get as sore. Dance those ouchies away! Also: Three (3!) mystery sounds and a Moment of Um that answers the question: How does concrete harden? Find the rest of our episodes about the coronavirus and COVID vaccines here. How do the mRNA vaccines work? And you can learn more about the vaccine trials for kids in this episode: Vaccines for kids and silver linings: Our second COVID summer by How effective are the COVID vaccines? 

A guide to getting your COVID shot

In this episode, we’re asking sharks to say “aaaah”, and taking a close look at their chompers. We’ll see how shark teeth grow, and what those teeth can teach us about sharks of the past. We’ll also play a game of Jaws Jeopardy, and find out how sharks help keep the ocean helping with their super snacking. Stick around for a listener-submitted mystery sound and a Moment of Um: why does steam rise in the air? This episode was sponsored by: Shopify (shopify.com/brainson)

Shark teeth: The sharp bits of a squishy animal

Just in time for spooky season, it’s an episode all about superstitions! Do you avoid the number 13? Or maybe it’s your lucky number, like Taylor Swift? In this episode we’ll look at why we have such strong feelings toward 13, and we’ll hear about other unlucky and lucky numbers around the world. Plus, Marc and Sanden will explain why our brains latch on to superstitions in the first place. Oh, and our favorite talking skeleton, Mr. Bonejangles, is back with a spine-tingling quiz! All that and a Moment of Um that answers the question: do cockroaches have hearts? This episode was sponsored by The Who, When, Wow! podcast (Who, When, Wow!)

Spooky superstitions! Why we think 13 is bad luck

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. And! A mystery sound and a moment of um: why does sugar taste sweet? This episode was sponsored by: Indeed (indeed.com/brainson)

Crystals: More than just shiny rocks

In many places, tree squirrels are extra busy these days. It’s time for them to collect nuts to prepare for winter! So we’re heading to a squirrel-themed adventure course and practicing a few of the skills they use to survive: gathering nuts, traveling in trees, and speaking like a squirrel. We’ll also learn about how squirrels evolved, and hear about some of their surprising relatives. Plus, a mystery sound and a moment of um: what chemical in apples mixes with oxygen to turn brown? You can support the show at brainson.org/donate or check out our merch (including the Brains On book) at brainson.org/shop

Squirrelsperience: Trying out squirrel skills

Eighteen months into our fight with this coronavirus, it may feel frustrating that we&#39;re still in this battle, but there are many reasons to feel hopeful. One reason is that we know a lot about this virus now and have plenty of tools to fight it. We meet the superheroes prepared to help us defeat the coronavirus: Sgt. Socially Distanced, the Masked Mentor, the Testmaster and the Vaxinator! Plus: Gilly, one half of the hit podcast Going Viral with Kara and Gilly, and a special guest explain what a virus variant is and how the delta variant is different from the original coronavirus. Also, journalist Sarah Zhang helps us understand how the pandemic could end. All that, plus a new mystery sound and a Moment of Um that answers the question "How do skunks spray their stink?"

The heroes we need to defeat the coronavirus

After getting a firsthand look at the history of trash, we’re having visions from garbage’s present and future this week. Producer Kunsang Dorjee visits a landfill to see what happens to our trash after we throw it away, and producer Ruby Guthrie shows us how we can make less trash and dispose the trash we do make in ways that are better for the planet. Plus: we hear from a kid who helped her class produce almost no waste during the school year. And our Moment of Um answers the question: if ants like sweet things, why don’t they attack beehives? This episode was sponsored by: Mathnasium (mathnasium.com)

How to conquer Garbage Mountain

Brains On!® is a science podcast for curious kids and adults from American Public Media. Each week, a different kid co-host joins Molly Bloom to find answers to fascinating questions about the world sent in by listeners. Like, do dogs know they’re dogs? Or, why do feet stink? Plus, we have mystery sounds for you to guess, songs for you to dance to, and lots of facts -- all checked by experts.

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Brains On! Science podcast for kids

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