Motion

Have you ever wondered why a guitar sounds different from a violin? Or why a banjo is twangy and a cello is mellow? Then this episode is for you!

Satellites are like robots in the sky: they monitor the weather, make GPS possible, and take stunning pictures of outer space! But how exactly do they work?

Sand! We use it to make all kinds of things, from spectacular sandcastles to roads and bridges. But where does it come from? And why is the sand on so many beaches disappearing?

Grab your raincoat, and join Molly and co-host Lily as they float into the clouds to learn about lightning!

We’ll unpack one of the most important ideas in science, the Theory of General Relativity!

Even though we can’t feel the weight of each individual air molecule, all together they weigh a lot! But how much does the sky actually weigh?

The process that turns sand into glass is very cool – or rather, we should say very hot. Very, very, very hot as it turns out. Humans have been turning minerals from the earth’s crust into glass for 3,500 years. Find out how it’s done and how it’s evolved – from blowing glass by hand to a factory that makes hundreds of glass bottles every minute. Plus: The mystery sound!

What route would you take to walk around the world?

We’re heading to space, and dropping a feather in a few different places to see what happens!

Robotics is a huge industry, but in this episode we focus on the smallest part: tiny robots!

Today we learn how mirrors reflect, what color mirrors are and the rich, gooey history of sequins.

In this episode, we take a field trip to a piano shop, peek behind the walls at a world-famous piano factory and have an EPIC FIGHTING BATTLE to discover how sound travels.

In this episode, we find out how a system of cables around the globe (and deep in our oceans) brings websites, songs, videos and podcasts to our phones and computers, almost at the speed of light.

Elevators are like magic. You walk in, the door shuts and when it opens again, you are suddenly someplace new! Ta da! But it’s not magic that does this trick, it’s science and engineering.

Today we shout out our love for the ECHO! (echo echo) Discover how these curious callbacks happen and why we hear them in some places but not others. We'll also play you the longest echo in the world and take you to an echo-proof room.

Ants and spiders are able to defy gravity -- but how do they do it? We'll learn about how awesome their feet are and how one predator takes advantage of these powers. Plus: A very challenging mystery sound and a Moment of Um that answers the question, "How do bananas ripen other fruit?" Today’s episode is sponsored by KiwiCo (kiwico.com/brainson), Bona (bona.com/brainson) and Panama City Beach (VisitPanamaCityBeach.com). You can support Brains On at brainson.org/donate.

How do planes stay in the air? And how did humans figure out that it wasn’t enough to just strap wings to our arms and flap them like birds?

We’ll find out about the invention of airplanes and our co-hosts will share the frustrations and joys of being inventors themselves. Plus: An aviation-inspired mystery sound and paper airplane tips! Plus a new Moment of Um answers the question: “What’s the most sour thing in the world?”

Today’s episode is sponsored by Madison Reed (madison-reed.com and offer code BRAINS). You can help us find new sponsors by filling out this anonymous survey: podsurvey.com/brains

How do roller coaster designers go from dream to reality? World-renowned roller coaster designer Alan Schilke tells us how he does it. Also — why do some people feel sick or dizzy after riding them? And how do coasters make you feel like you’re floating? Plus: a tricky mystery sound and a Moment of Um that answers the question, “How do boomerangs come back?”

This episode is sponsored by Quip (getquip.com/brainson), Thoughtfully (thoughtfully.com/brains) and Little Passports (LittlePassports.com/brains).