PlayPlay EpisodeSmarty Pass Bonus: Noun, Noun 2: Revenge of the NounJoin Molly and Brains On pals Aron Woldeslassie and Sanden Totten for a rousing game of NAME THAT NOUN! Molly will grill her guests about the special names for groups of different animals. Aron and Sanden will have to guess the correct names…or make up creative answers of their own! Find out who collects the final victory!
PlayPlay EpisodeTrends: How do they start?Collecting Pokémon cards. Trading friendship bracelets. Painting your nails black. All these things have been trendy at some point, somewhere. But how did they become cool? And who made them popular?
PlayPlay EpisodeSmarty Pass Bonus: Molly’s Inconceivable Preposterous SkateboardOh no! Molly’s been bequeathed her great-great grandfather’s skateboard, which unfortunately contains the spirit of dictionary editor Rutherford Williams Webster! Hoping to defeat the skateboard poltergeist, Anna and Marc must attempt to spell and define Webster’s most obscure words!
PlayPlay EpisodeHow does solar power work?Solar panels capture energy from the sun and turn it into electricity. But how do they work?Join guest host Rosie duPont and co-host Anna as they explore the ins and outs of solar energy!
PlayPlay EpisodeWhat is asthma?Asthma is a disease that can make it hard to breathe. And it’s common! One in twelve people in the United States have it, including host Molly Bloom. But what is asthma? And why do some people have it, but not others?
PlayPlay EpisodeHow does coral communicate?Coral is one of the coolest creatures in the ocean. It comes in all shapes, sizes and colors, from bright yellow stars to big round brains. Sometimes, coral looks like rocks or even plants – but did you know it’s actually an animal?
PlayPlay EpisodeWhy do we have crushes?Butterflies in your stomach, blushing, that giddy feeling… why do crushes do these things to us and what can it teach us?
PlayPlay EpisodeSmarty Pass Bonus: Smarty Pass DeliHave you heard of Molly Bloom’s fantastic deli at Brains On HQ? It’s got the tastiest food in town! The only problem is that the delivery person, Rosie duPont, is having trouble figuring out who gets which order. Grab your smarty pass to hear how she manages some of the strangest orders in the animal kingdom!
PlayPlay EpisodeWhy does salt make food taste so good?Salt is made up of tiny crystals! Under a microscope, some salt crystals look like pyramids, staircases, or even snowflakes. But why do these salty little crystals make food so tasty?
PlayPlay EpisodeWhy is Jupiter called Earth’s bodyguard?Some call Jupiter “Earth’s bodyguard” because it keeps asteroids and comets from hitting our planet. But is Jupiter really protecting Earth?
PlayPlay EpisodeWhat is Down syndrome? You may have heard of Down syndrome, but what is it exactly? In this episode, we'll break down the science of chromosomes and how having an extra one leads to this fairly common condition. Plus, we'll learn some tips for making friends with someone who might seem different than you. We'll also swing by a farm staffed by ranchers with Down syndrome.
PlayPlay EpisodeUnderstanding big fires and big feelingsIn today’s episode, we’re talking with a therapist about how to process the wildfires happening in Los Angeles County and we’ll learn about smoke and how it travels. We’re also going to check in with Sanden Totten, who had to evacuate his home with his family. Then, we’re also going to play some parts of a 2021 episode about how wildfires start and how people work to contain them.
PlayPlay EpisodeSmarty Pass Bonus: Myth Busting ExtravaganzaAnna Goldfield is full of facts! She knows the capital of New Hampshire is Concord and that the Greek God of the Sea is Poseidon! But does she know enough to join Anna Weggel and Aron’s Tuesday Trivia Team? Listen to find out, and test yourself along the way!
PlayPlay EpisodeHow is paper made?Paper is all around us. There’s toilet paper and pizza boxes, wrapping paper, and receipts. Most of the paper in the U.S. is made from trees, but it can be made out of all sorts of plant material – banana peels, cotton, rice, you name it!
PlayPlay EpisodeWhirr. Zoom! Plink plink. It’s a Mystery Sound extravaganzaBzzz. Shloop! Bang Bang. Wooooosh! It’s time for another Mystery Sound Extravaganza.Join Molly and co-host Violet as they figure out what’s making some seriously mysterious noises. Plus, they'll interview Foley artist Shelley Roden about the art of making sound effects for movies. And they'll help Bob sort out some mixed up mystery sounds! Tune in and turn on your ears, cuz it’s time to guess some confounding sounds!Featured Guests:Shelley Roden is an award-winning Foley artist at Skywalker Sound in Northern, CA. Read more about her work here.
PlayPlay EpisodeIs it true? Vikings, dogs, and twins editionListeners send us LOTS of questions. Like hundreds a month! We read every single one — and we love all of them! Every now and then, we get a special kind of question that starts with “Is it true that…?” These questions are special because they’re skeptical. They’re designed to seek out the truth.
PlayPlay EpisodeAre whales communicating with their clicks and songs?Baleen whales sing. Toothed whales click. But how and why do they make these musical sounds?
PlayPlay EpisodeSmarty Pass Bonus: Bones On Mystery Sounds!It’s almost midnight and Mr. Bone Jangles has snuck into the studio to debut his new show -- Bones On! His plans are foiled when Molly pops in and asks him to guess some mystery sounds instead!