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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?
Join Molly and co-host Harlynn as they explore the fussy and fabulous world of trends. Sanden will reveal how trends start and spread throughout a population—and why beige wallpaper it out and mocha mousse brown is IN! They’ll also learn about trends in animal populations like orca whales and chimpanzees. To top things off, Marc will start a fad by accident: fruit pants! (Yes, they’re literally pants with dried fruit stuck to them.) Plus, a super cool mystery sound.
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HARLAN: You're listening to Brains On, where we're serious about being curious.
PRESENTER 1: Brains On is supported in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation.
[DOOR OPENS]
MARC SANCHEZ: Hey, Molly. Hey, Harlan.
HARLAN: Hi, Marc.
MARC SANCHEZ: Want to try some dried guava?
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, sure. That sounds-- whoa, nice pants, Marc.
MARC SANCHEZ: What? Are these? Oh, thanks. As you know, I've been learning to dry fruit, and I think I finally got it down. Check it out, I made rubbery apples, chewy cherries, not worthy nectarines, plastic--
HARLAN: Amazing. Is that papaya on your pants?
MARC SANCHEZ: What? Oh, oh, yeah, yeah. While I was tinkering in the kitchen, I accidentally tore a hole in the knee of my pants, so I hot glued some dried fruit slices to fix it. [RUBBING HANDS] So, which leathery fruit snack do you want to try first?
HARLAN: Whoa, the strawberries on your shins are so iconic.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, and are those blueberries on the butt? Turn around again, and let me see.
MARC SANCHEZ: Yeah, yeah, Strawberries on the shins, blueberries on the butt, mangoes on the cuffs. Look, I tore up my pants real good chopping and slicing and shredding all this fruit. I didn't have time to put on new ones, so I just patched them with whatever was around, which happened to be dried fruit. I don't see why this is such a big deal.
HARLAN: Ooh, can I have some of those dried kiwis?
MARC SANCHEZ: Of course. Finally. I was hoping you'd try some--
[METALLIC CLICKING]
HARLAN: Look, I stapled kiwis on my cargo pants. Now I'm wearing fruit pants too.
MOLLY BLOOM: So cool. Do me next. I want those dried orange slices on my sweats.
MARC SANCHEZ: You're all missing the point. These are snacks for eating, not for decorating your denim.
MOLLY BLOOM: Ooh, good idea. Marc, let's put some jackfruit on our jeans.
MARC SANCHEZ: We're going to look so good.
[THEME MUSIC]
MOLLY BLOOM: You're listening to Brains On from APM Studios. I'm your host, Molly Bloom, and my co-host today is Harlan, from San Diego, California. Hi, Harlan.
HARLAN: Hi. Molly and I are both wearing fruit pants today. Mine are cherry-covered chinos.
MOLLY BLOOM: And I have bell bottoms bedazzled with blackberries. They look great. And I always have a snack handy
HARLAN: Fruit pants are so in right now, very en vogue. That's a French term meaning "hip and trendy."
MOLLY BLOOM: Which is great because trendy is the topic du jour. That's French for "of the day." Oh, speaking of fruit pants, I made these for you.
MARC SANCHEZ: Persimmon parachute pants? Thanks, Molly.
MOLLY BLOOM: Just a little something I whipped up in le garage. That's French for the garage. Anyway, like I said, today we're talking trends and answering a question from you, Harlan.
HARLAN: My question is, how do trends start?
MOLLY BLOOM: So how would you describe a trend?
HARLAN: I would describe it as one person does it, and then more and more people do it.
MOLLY BLOOM: Very good description. So there are a couple definitions of the word trend. But today, we're talking about a style, a fad, or some behavior that gets popular among a group of people. So Harlan, what made you think of this question?
MARC SANCHEZ: I was scrolling on Instagram with my mom, and my mom was like, ooh, these ruffled socks are a trend. I was like, ooh, what does a trend mean?
MOLLY BLOOM: [CHUCKLES]
HARLAN: And she was like, well, we can ask Brains On. And I was like, OK.
MOLLY BLOOM: Nice. Ruffled socks started this whole episode. So what are some trends that you've seen at your school?
HARLAN: Probably the baggy pants.
MOLLY BLOOM: Hmm, yes. Do you like to wear baggy pants too?
HARLAN: Yes.
MOLLY BLOOM: They're comfy, right?
HARLAN: Yeah, they're, like, really comfortable.
MOLLY BLOOM: So are there any trends that you used to be into that maybe you're not anymore? I
HARLAN: Used to need all the stuffies in the world.
MOLLY BLOOM: Ugh, yes. And are there any trends that have happened at your school that you're not a fan of, that you're like no, no, no, I'm not going to do that?
HARLAN: The tight shirts.
MOLLY BLOOM: Ah, yes. So the look that a lot of people are wearing is the tight shirt with baggy pants?
HARLAN: Yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: And so the tight shirt is not for you?
HARLAN: No.
MOLLY BLOOM: So what do you wear instead of a tight shirt?
HARLAN: I wear baggy shirt, baggy pants, or a baggy shirt, and then tight leggings.
MOLLY BLOOM: Nice. So you're like, as long as the shirt is baggy, you're a happy camper?
HARLAN: Yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: Well, listeners, we asked you to tell us what you thought would make a good trend, and here are some answers you sent in.
[EXCITING MUSIC]
KID: I think that my trend would be everyone would wear their blankets on as clothes and, like, clip them together.
KID: And I wanted to start a trend where humans and pets wear matching ball gowns and suits.
KID: And my trend would be if people started listening to music backwards.
KID: A trend I would like to start is everybody wearing one mitten and one glove.
KID: Hey, I think a cool trend would be buying pants that are too small for you, but then in between the legs, you just cut a small hole for your head and then you put it on a crop top.
KID: I think the trend for 2025 should be making stuffies out of recycled trash.
KID: What I think a trend will be in the future is people carrying squishies around. So they would do a makeover on a squishy, but they would make it their personality. And they would carry their personality squishy anywhere. [CHUCKLES]
MOLLY BLOOM: Oof, I love all of those. Thanks to Jenna, Ellie, Julian, Cormac, Anya, Eloise, and Caroline for looking into their crystal balls. Well, the fun thing about trends is that they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.
HARLAN: Yeah, there are big trends, whether it's into part your hair on the side or in the middle.
MOLLY BLOOM: Or things like fidget spinners, friendship bracelets.
HARLAN: What kind of jeans you wear.
MOLLY BLOOM: These are all big trends that lots of people around the country will know about. There are also small trends like the ones that happen in just your school.
HARLAN: Like if your friends start giving high-fives with the back of your hand, and it spreads to your whole grade.
MOLLY BLOOM: Backhand high-five. Wow, that is surprisingly satisfying.
HARLAN: But no matter the size of the trend, they usually spread in a similar way.
[DOOR OPENS]
SANDEN TOTTEN: Wrong, wrong, wrong.
MOLLY BLOOM: Sanden, you didn't even hear what we said. How do it's wrong?
SANDEN TOTTEN: What? No. I meant the decor in here. Ugh, if I'm going to explain how trends spread, I cannot do it in a room with-- what is that? Beige wallpaper? Ugh. Team, fix this.
[RATTLING]
MOLLY BLOOM: Wait, that desk is important.
HARLAN: Do we really need that many couch pillows?
SANDEN TOTTEN: That's good. Yes, yes, love it, love it, love it. Going to marry it. Wait, uh, excuse me, is that a peach fuzz pink throw blanket? Don't you dare. I am not letting last year's pantone color of the year in this place. It's this year's color, mocha mousse brown, or it's nothing. [EXHALES SHARPLY] Now that is much better. There, now I can talk. Hi, Molly. Hi, Harlan. Backwards five?
HARLAN: You know it, Sanden.
MOLLY BLOOM: Wow. OK, it does look pretty good in here now.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Obviously. Now, trends usually get popular in a certain way.
[INTRIGUING MUSIC]
In the 1960s, there was a sociologist named Roger Everett. A sociologist is someone who studies how humans behave in groups. Roger was interested in how new ideas and new technologies spread. And he noticed a pattern. Eventually, he came up with a theory or an idea of how trends spread. It's called--
DEEP VOICE: The diffusion of innovation theory.
HARLAN: Oh, I read about this when I was getting ready to co-host this episode. Diffusion means to spread. An innovation is something new.
MOLLY BLOOM: Ah, so the diffusion of innovation theory is an idea about how new things spread.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Exactly. Now, the thing about trends is there's no real science to starting them. Lots of businesses and creators have tried to make things go viral, but usually, it just falls flat. There has to be a spark, a certain je ne sais quoi.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, that's French for I don't know what.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Yeah, I don't know what that's French for either. I just know without it, a fad is a flop. But according to--
DEEP VOICE: The diffusion of innovation theory.
SANDEN TOTTEN: --there's a certain kind of person who usually starts a trend.
HARLAN: Oh, right, they're called innovators.
[DING]
SANDEN TOTTEN: Innovators are people who like to try new things. They're creative, inventive, and importantly, they're willing to take risks. Often, these are artists or fashion designers, but they can also be just a really creative kid who thinks differently. So when Marc invented fruit pants, he was sort of acting like an innovator, even though it was kind of by accident.
HARLAN: Yeah, by fixing his pants with dried fruit, he tried something new.
[DING]
SANDEN TOTTEN: Yep, it took creativity.
[DING]
And it was risky.
HARLAN: Right, because it might have looked silly instead of super stylish.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Uh, that's as correct as pairing chunky loafers with frilly socks.
MOLLY BLOOM: That means--
HARLAN: It means very correct.
[TINKLING CHIMES]
SANDEN TOTTEN: But it's not enough for an innovator to come up with an idea for a new trend. The trend also needs to catch on, which brings us to the next step of--
DEEP VOICE: The diffusion of innovation theory.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Next, an idea is picked up by a group called the early adopters.
[DING]
HARLAN: Early adopters are people who have their fingers on the pulse of what's cool and new.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Right. They don't invent new trends, but they're quick to jump on them, and they're good at sensing which trends have staying power and which will quickly fizzle out. That's why lots of other people often take their advice from early adopters about what's cool.
MOLLY BLOOM: Sounds like an influencer on social media.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Very much like that. Influencers can make a career out of sharing the right trends at the right time.
[EXCITING CHIME]
MILES: Hey, fashion fam. Miles here. I just had to hype my latest find. Two words, fruit pants. Yeah, they're pants with fruit slices. So fun. They go with any outfit, and people will literally light up when they see these puppies on you. I just got a pair. I mean, I got a pair with a pear. I mean, I got a pair of pants with a pear fruit on it. You know what I mean? Best part? A pair pear pants pairs with practically anything.
[EXCITING CHIME]
MOLLY BLOOM: Ooh, I want a pair of pretty pear pants.
SANDEN TOTTEN: So these early adopters are key in helping trends catch on. But they have to be pretty good about knowing what to hype, or people will stop trusting their taste. The next group to pick up the new thing is called the early majority.
[DING]
HARLAN: A majority is like the biggest part of a population, so it means most people.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Unlike the others, this is a big group. The early majority, they're not really leaders or trendsetters, but they're a little quicker than most to pick up on a new idea. And according to this theory, you know, they usually want to know more about a trend before they jump on it. So maybe they get on board after seeing something on the news.
NEWS READER: A new trend is taking the world by storm. Fruit pants, you've seen them on the runways of Paris and Milan, and now they're even in school lunchrooms and on playgrounds. In fact, I'm wearing some right now. Check out my key lime khakis. So fun, so fashionable, so fruit-tastic. Coming up, vegetable vests. Are they the next big thing?
MOLLY BLOOM: Huh, so they might ask questions like, do fruit pants really hold up, or are they going to fall apart? What happens if they get wet from rain? Will my fruit pants attract fruit bats?
SANDEN TOTTEN: All great questions. Now, when the early majority gets on board, then you have a bona fide trend on your hands. Then after the early majority, you get the late majority.
[DING]
HARLAN: Oh, yeah, these are people who are pretty skeptical of new things. They usually don't jump on trends until most people are already doing it.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Right. Generally, the late majority aren't convinced until something is pretty mainstream. At this point, most people are taking part in the trend, and it might lose its appeal to tastemakers. Then, finally, the last group to join are called laggards.
[DING]
Laggards are a smaller group, kind of like the opposite of early adopters.
HARLAN: They don't really like change. They don't chase what's cool or in at the moment.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Which kind of makes them cool in their own way because, like innovators, laggards don't care as much about what people think of them.
MOLLY BLOOM: So a successful trend moves through all those groups, from innovators to early adopters to the early majority and late majority, and then finally, to the laggards. But at that point, is it still considered a trend?
SANDEN TOTTEN: Huh, good question. You know, I would think at that point, it just kind of becomes part of life, like Blue Jeans, smartphones, and regular front-facing high-fives.
HARLAN: I think the backwards ones will catch on too.
MOLLY BLOOM: Me too. They're just so fun. Well, Sanden, thanks for explaining--
DEEP VOICE: The diffusion of innovation theory.
SANDEN TOTTEN: No problem. [EXHALES SHARPLY] Now, if you'll excuse me, I cannot possibly stay in this out-of-date studio one second longer.
MOLLY BLOOM: But, Sanden, you just redecorated it yourself.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Yeah, like five minutes ago. [SCOFFS] Keep up, Molly, all of this is out of date now. [EXHALES SHARPLY] Well, it's been fun for you. bye.
[EXCITING CHIME]
MOLLY BLOOM: So, Harlan, did that theory about how trends spread seem right to you?
HARLAN: Yes.
MOLLY BLOOM: So where do you think you usually fall in that cycle? So just to remind ourselves, there is the innovators, the early adopters, the early majority, the late majority, and the laggards.
HARLAN: Probably the early adopters.
MOLLY BLOOM: Nice. So you, like, see it, and you're like, that seems super cool.
HARLAN: Yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: Speaking of trendy, always in fashion, forever my passion, it's time for the
[WHOOSHING]
PRESENTER 2: (WHISPERING) Mystery sound.
MOLLY BLOOM: Harlan, are you ready to guess a mystery sound?
HARLAN: Yes.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK.
[SCRATCHING, TEARING SOUND]
Oh, OK, Harlan, what do you think?
HARLAN: I think it's, like, a balloon, like, being rubbed together, or, like, with their hand going like that around it.
MOLLY BLOOM: Nice. Yeah, the moment you heard that, you were like, [GASPS] I know what this is.
HARLAN: Yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: Do you like to play with balloons and stuff?
HARLAN: Well, yeah. I bought some yesterday.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, my gosh. So it's like fresh in your mind.
HARLAN: Yeah. And, like, I blew one up, and then I put it on my brother's head and I just rolled it on his head, and his hair went up. It was really funny.
MOLLY BLOOM: [CHUCKLES] Oh, my gosh, I love doing that with balloons. OK, so we're going to hear it again. See if you want to stick with your guess and then hear the answer right after the credits.
HARLAN: So stick around.
[INTRIGUING MUSIC]
MOLLY BLOOM: We're working on an episode about a time, millions of years ago, when birds and dinosaurs lived side by side. And we were wondering, if you could bring a living, breathing dinosaur to show and tell, what kind would you bring and why? A gentle triceratops for all your friends to pet. A velociraptor to play hide and seek with on the playground? Harlan, what about you? What dinosaur would you bring to show and tell?
HARLAN: I would bring a brontosaurus because it could, like, put its head down and I could sit on it, and then it could bring its head up, and then I could slide down it.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, my gosh, so fun. Yeah, those brontosaurus are the ones with the really long necks, right?
HARLAN: Yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: Nice. Yeah, they're super cool. Good choice, Harlan. Well, listeners, we want to know about what kind of dinosaur you would bring to show and tell and why. So please record your answer and send it to us at brainson.org/contact. While you're there, send us your mystery sounds, drawings, and questions.
HARLAN: Like this one.
KID: How do scientists know how old fossils are?
MOLLY BLOOM: You can find answers to questions like these on the Moment of Um Podcast, a short dose of facts and fun every weekday. Find Moment of Um and more at brainson.org.
HARLAN: And keep listening.
MAN: Brains On Universe is a family of podcasts for kids and their adults. Since you're a fan of Brains On, you'll love the other shows in our universe. Come on, let's explore.
[AIRCRAFT WHIRRING]
ROBOTIC VOICE: Its alien laundry day. While I wash my nose mufflers and tummy togas, I'll listen to a new podcast. [CHUCKLES] How about--
[BUZZING] --Forever Ago? My favorite history podcast.
[MACHINE BEEPING]
[EXCITING MUSIC]
BOY 1: Whoa, I was not expecting that to work or for it to sound this good.
MAN 2: That's the DJ Dolo technique.
[AIR HORN BLOWS]
DJ Dolo! When I say pizza, you say bagel. Pizza.
BOY 1: Bagel.
ROBOTIC VOICE: Zorp. Signal down. [GROWL] Stay right there, tummy togas.
[CHIMING]
Must find Forever Ago now.
MAN 1: Listen to Forever Ago wherever you get your podcasts.
ROBOTIC VOICE: Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba Brains On.
HARLAN: You're listening to Brains On. I'm Harlan.
MOLLY BLOOM: And I'm Molly.
HARLAN: And today, we're talking trends.
MOLLY BLOOM: Trends can be anything from a way of dressing to an activity to a behavior or even slang.
HARLAN: We just talked about one idea of how trends spread.
MOLLY BLOOM: They usually start with a group of creative people called innovators. Then they're picked up by early adopters, who are kind of like influencers or trendsetters. Finally, they spread to the rest of the population. So, Harlan, if you could start a trend, what would it be?
HARLAN: Everybody has puppies.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, yes, I am all for that trend. So we all just have puppies all the time because they're the best thing ever?
HARLAN: Yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: Ugh, great trend, Harlan. I am on board. Let's check back in with our listeners about more trends and hear what trends they'd like to see sweep the nation.
[EXCITING MUSIC]
KID: My Idea for a trend would be a fun one day of every year where businesses would have their products cost something that isn't money, such as bananas.
- I think the next trend should be wearing capes.
KID: The trend I would like to start is on October 2, it would be National Donut Day, and on the day, everyone would just eat donuts.
KID: The trend that I would like to start is dress like the weather.
KID: We think everyone should start with non-matching socks.
KID: We think it's cool because we don't have to throw away single socks when dryer eat them.
KID: And my trend is that everyone can wear their pajamas everywhere.
KID: And I think that everyone should have a pet because it could keep you company when you live alone. Meow meow.
MOLLY BLOOM: Thanks to trendsetters Augustus, Ivy, Mia, Jubilee, Chloe and Louis, Ananya and Fiona. But you might be wondering, why do we have trends in the first place?
[INTRIGUING MUSIC]
One idea is that they help us bond with each other as humans. This is called social connection.
HARLAN: When we follow a trend, we join a group of people who are into that same thing.
MOLLY BLOOM: Like how some Taylor Swift fans wear friendship bracelets to let other Swifties know they're one of them.
HARLAN: This helps them all feel like they're in a group or a community.
MOLLY BLOOM: Some scientists think that this willingness to follow trends helped early humans form tighter communities, which helped them survive better through tough times.
HARLAN: And get this, by not following a trend, you're also saying something about yourself. You're saying you aren't a trend person.
MOLLY BLOOM: That might help you make friends with other people who scoff at trends, and you and those people might form your own anti-trend friend group. More social connections.
HARLAN: So trends can be good. But let's be honest, they can be bad too.
MOLLY BLOOM: Right. They can make you feel like you need to buy more things to fit in, and that can be expensive.
HARLAN: And it's wasteful to always get lots of new things like clothes or toys. It's better for the planet when you use less stuff instead.
MOLLY BLOOM: Plus, a lot of people can feel left out of trends, and being left out is a major bummer. Have you ever felt left out of a trend, Harlan?
HARLAN: Um yes. One of my friends had a super cool stuffie that I wanted, and I couldn't get it because my mom told me that I had too many stuffies already. And I was like, I'll get rid of one. She's like, no, Thank you for getting rid one though.
MOLLY BLOOM: [CHUCKLES] I totally hear that. Ugh, that's really frustrating. Yeah, I mean, we can't always get the new things that we want, right?
HARLAN: Yeah, like, I'm always like, I want-- I want it though.
MOLLY BLOOM: Yeah, I know, it's frustrating to want something and not be able to get it for maybe you don't have room, maybe you don't have money, maybe you just don't want to buy any more things. So trends have an upside and a downside. And get this, they also have an animal side. We actually see trend followers in nature too. Like with birds.
HARLAN: Over the past 100 years, scientists have studied how birds build nests.
MOLLY BLOOM: And they noticed something chirp worthy. Turns out some songbird species are birdfluencers. When one bird builds their nest with a certain plant or material, other birds in their community are more likely to do the same.
WENDY: Hey there, I'm Wendy, the trendy tufted titmouse.
[CHIRPING]
I just found this darling ball of yarn in the dump. It's neon yellow and totally hunter chic, so I wove it into my nest.
GIRL 1: Wendy, you've got such an eye.
GIRL 2: We're going to put that yarn in our nest too.
GIRL 1: Yeah, I want my nest to be just like yours.
WENDY: You're too sweet. I guess that old saying is true, birds of a feather flock together.
HARLAN: But it's not just birds. Chimps are also trend conscious.
MOLLY BLOOM: About 15 years ago, some scientists started noticing a funny fad among a group of chimpanzees living in a sanctuary park in Zambia, in Southern Africa.
HARLAN: A female chimp named Julie started sticking a piece of grass in her ear. The next year, all the chimps were doing it.
MOLLY BLOOM: Sticking a blade of grass in their ears wasn't useful behavior for the chimps. It was just kind of entertaining or fashionable. This suggests that other species of animals copy their friends' behavior for social or cultural reasons.
HARLAN: Like orca whales.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh. yeah, orcas are famous for setting and following trends. Back in 1987, when mullets and acid washed jeans were all the rage, a female orca off the Coast of Washington State started a sweet trend.
HARLAN: She swam around with a dead salmon balanced on her head.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
(SINGING) Dead fish on my head
Floppy and cold
Feeling fly Feeling bold
This fish is fashion gold
[WATER SPLASHES]
MOLLY BLOOM: She was a true innovator. Soon, early adopters in her group started balancing dead salmon on their heads too.
HARLAN: And then orcas and other groups started doing it.
[WATER SPLASHES]
GAIL: Ooh, nice salmon, Cap Bronson.
CAP BRONSON: You too, Gail. Isn't this whole dead salmon headgear thing a whale of a trend?
[WATER SPLASHES]
MOLLY BLOOM: Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the orcas stopped doing it.
HARLAN: The trend was over.
[SAD TRUMPET]
MOLLY BLOOM: And scientists weren't sure why it caught on in the first place. Maybe it was a form of communication or a way of attracting a mate.
HARLAN: Or the orcas were just fooling around.
MOLLY BLOOM: Then, just last year, a photographer took a picture of an orca off the Coast of Washington State wearing a dead salmon on its head, and the photo drew a lot of attention.
HARLAN: People wanted to know, is the dead salmon trend back?
MOLLY BLOOM: So far, it doesn't look like it. There isn't any other evidence that other orcas are doing it too. But maybe in a few months, it'll catch on.
HARLAN: You never know.
MOLLY BLOOM: But we do know all sorts of animals follow trends from songbirds to orcas to humans.
[DOOR OPENS]
MARC SANCHEZ: They're a hit. I'm a genius.
HARLAN: Marc, you're back.
MARC SANCHEZ: Yes, And guess what, my dried fruit is selling like wild.
MOLLY BLOOM: Really? That's great.
MARC SANCHEZ: Yeah. I mean, sales were a little slow at first, but then I started throwing in a free pair of fruit pants with every order, and suddenly, sales took off. People are saying things like, these fit perfectly, and, they go with everything in my closet.
HARLAN: Don't you think they're talking about the fruit pants, Marc?
MARC SANCHEZ: What? No. They mean the dried fruit fits in their mouth and goes with everything in their food closet, a.k.a. their pantry, obviously. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have about 100 more orders to pack up. Yippee!
[EXCITING MUSIC]
HARLAN: Trends can be big or small, but they usually spread the same way.
MOLLY BLOOM: Creative people called innovators come up with something new.
HARLAN: Then early adopters or influencers pick it up and spread it to other people.
MOLLY BLOOM: It's hard to say why something is seen as cool or trendy, but we know trends are important for humans.
HARLAN: They can help us form bonds and tighten our relationships. Even some animals follow trends.
MOLLY BLOOM: That's it for this episode of Brains On.
HARLAN: This episode was written by
SANDEN TOTTEN: Sanden Totten.
HARLAN: And--
ROSIE DUPONT: Rosie DuPont.
HARLAN: And it was edited by
SHAHLA FARZAN: Shahla Farzan.
HARLAN: Fact checking by
REBECCA RAND: Rebecca Rand.
MOLLY BLOOM: We had engineering help from Lina Alvarez and Derick Ramirez with sound design and original theme music by--
MARC SANCHEZ: Marc Sanchez.
HARLAN: We had production help from the rest of the Brains On Universe team,
MOLLY BLOOM: Molly Bloom.
RACHEL BREES: Rachel Brees.
MOLLY BLOOM: Anna Goldfield, Nico Gonzalez Whistler, Ruby Guthrie.
LAUREN HUMBERT: Lauren Humbert.
JOSHUA RAY: Joshua Ray.
CHARLOTTE TRAVER: Charlotte Traver.
MOLLY BLOOM: Anna Weggel.
HARLAN: And--
ARON WOLDESLASSIE: Aron Woldeslassie.
MOLLY BLOOM: Beth Perlman is our executive producer, and the executives in charge of APM Studios are Chandra Kavati and Joanne Griffith. Special thanks to Lindy Jones, Maya, Donna and Malia.
HARLAN: Brains On is a non-profit Public Radio program.
MOLLY BLOOM: There are lots of ways to support the show. Head to brainson.org to sign up for the Brains On Universe newsletter, for bonus activities, reading recommendations, and more.
HARLAN: While you're there, you can send us mystery sounds, drawings, and questions.
MOLLY BLOOM: Again, that's brainson.org. OK, Harlan, are you ready to hear that mystery sound again? Yes.
[SCRATCHING, TEARING SOUND]
OK, last time you were like, I know what this is. Do you still feel confident?
HARLAN: I think it's that. But also, I feel like it's, like, maybe, like, [CHUCKLES] somebody farting in the microphone.
MOLLY BLOOM: [CHUCKLES]
It could also be that.
HARLAN: And then they got caught going, beh.
MOLLY BLOOM: [CHUCKLES]
Yes, I often record myself farting in front of crows.
[BOTH CHUCKLING]
Oh, I love it. OK, so either balloons or me particularly farting in front of a crow. OK, are you ready for the answer?
HARLAN: Yes.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK, here it is.
EVE: Hi. My name is Eve, and that was the sound of me rubbing my fingers on a balloon.
HARLAN: I knew it.
MOLLY BLOOM: You did it! You were 100% correct, and you knew it right away. That was very impressive. I think we need to give a shout out to your brother.
HARLAN: Yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: [CHUCKLES] Shout out to your brother for letting you rub a balloon on his head. Amazing, excellent ears, Harlan.
[SCRATCHING, TEARING SOUND]
Now it's time for the Brains Honor Roll. These are the incredible kids who keep the show going with their questions, ideas, mystery sounds, drawings, and high fives.
[LISTING HONOR ROLL]
ROBOTIC VOICE: (SINGING) Brains On.
MOLLY BLOOM: This is the last episode of this season. We'll be back with brand new episodes on May 6. Until then, you can check out Forever Ago, Smash Boom Best, and Moment of Um wherever you listen to Brains On or at our website.
HARLAN: Thanks for listening.
PRESENTER 1: Brains On is supported in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation.
[DOOR OPENS]
MARC SANCHEZ: Hey, Molly. Hey, Harlan.
HARLAN: Hi, Marc.
MARC SANCHEZ: Want to try some dried guava?
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, sure. That sounds-- whoa, nice pants, Marc.
MARC SANCHEZ: What? Are these? Oh, thanks. As you know, I've been learning to dry fruit, and I think I finally got it down. Check it out, I made rubbery apples, chewy cherries, not worthy nectarines, plastic--
HARLAN: Amazing. Is that papaya on your pants?
MARC SANCHEZ: What? Oh, oh, yeah, yeah. While I was tinkering in the kitchen, I accidentally tore a hole in the knee of my pants, so I hot glued some dried fruit slices to fix it. [RUBBING HANDS] So, which leathery fruit snack do you want to try first?
HARLAN: Whoa, the strawberries on your shins are so iconic.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, and are those blueberries on the butt? Turn around again, and let me see.
MARC SANCHEZ: Yeah, yeah, Strawberries on the shins, blueberries on the butt, mangoes on the cuffs. Look, I tore up my pants real good chopping and slicing and shredding all this fruit. I didn't have time to put on new ones, so I just patched them with whatever was around, which happened to be dried fruit. I don't see why this is such a big deal.
HARLAN: Ooh, can I have some of those dried kiwis?
MARC SANCHEZ: Of course. Finally. I was hoping you'd try some--
[METALLIC CLICKING]
HARLAN: Look, I stapled kiwis on my cargo pants. Now I'm wearing fruit pants too.
MOLLY BLOOM: So cool. Do me next. I want those dried orange slices on my sweats.
MARC SANCHEZ: You're all missing the point. These are snacks for eating, not for decorating your denim.
MOLLY BLOOM: Ooh, good idea. Marc, let's put some jackfruit on our jeans.
MARC SANCHEZ: We're going to look so good.
[THEME MUSIC]
MOLLY BLOOM: You're listening to Brains On from APM Studios. I'm your host, Molly Bloom, and my co-host today is Harlan, from San Diego, California. Hi, Harlan.
HARLAN: Hi. Molly and I are both wearing fruit pants today. Mine are cherry-covered chinos.
MOLLY BLOOM: And I have bell bottoms bedazzled with blackberries. They look great. And I always have a snack handy
HARLAN: Fruit pants are so in right now, very en vogue. That's a French term meaning "hip and trendy."
MOLLY BLOOM: Which is great because trendy is the topic du jour. That's French for "of the day." Oh, speaking of fruit pants, I made these for you.
MARC SANCHEZ: Persimmon parachute pants? Thanks, Molly.
MOLLY BLOOM: Just a little something I whipped up in le garage. That's French for the garage. Anyway, like I said, today we're talking trends and answering a question from you, Harlan.
HARLAN: My question is, how do trends start?
MOLLY BLOOM: So how would you describe a trend?
HARLAN: I would describe it as one person does it, and then more and more people do it.
MOLLY BLOOM: Very good description. So there are a couple definitions of the word trend. But today, we're talking about a style, a fad, or some behavior that gets popular among a group of people. So Harlan, what made you think of this question?
MARC SANCHEZ: I was scrolling on Instagram with my mom, and my mom was like, ooh, these ruffled socks are a trend. I was like, ooh, what does a trend mean?
MOLLY BLOOM: [CHUCKLES]
HARLAN: And she was like, well, we can ask Brains On. And I was like, OK.
MOLLY BLOOM: Nice. Ruffled socks started this whole episode. So what are some trends that you've seen at your school?
HARLAN: Probably the baggy pants.
MOLLY BLOOM: Hmm, yes. Do you like to wear baggy pants too?
HARLAN: Yes.
MOLLY BLOOM: They're comfy, right?
HARLAN: Yeah, they're, like, really comfortable.
MOLLY BLOOM: So are there any trends that you used to be into that maybe you're not anymore? I
HARLAN: Used to need all the stuffies in the world.
MOLLY BLOOM: Ugh, yes. And are there any trends that have happened at your school that you're not a fan of, that you're like no, no, no, I'm not going to do that?
HARLAN: The tight shirts.
MOLLY BLOOM: Ah, yes. So the look that a lot of people are wearing is the tight shirt with baggy pants?
HARLAN: Yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: And so the tight shirt is not for you?
HARLAN: No.
MOLLY BLOOM: So what do you wear instead of a tight shirt?
HARLAN: I wear baggy shirt, baggy pants, or a baggy shirt, and then tight leggings.
MOLLY BLOOM: Nice. So you're like, as long as the shirt is baggy, you're a happy camper?
HARLAN: Yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: Well, listeners, we asked you to tell us what you thought would make a good trend, and here are some answers you sent in.
[EXCITING MUSIC]
KID: I think that my trend would be everyone would wear their blankets on as clothes and, like, clip them together.
KID: And I wanted to start a trend where humans and pets wear matching ball gowns and suits.
KID: And my trend would be if people started listening to music backwards.
KID: A trend I would like to start is everybody wearing one mitten and one glove.
KID: Hey, I think a cool trend would be buying pants that are too small for you, but then in between the legs, you just cut a small hole for your head and then you put it on a crop top.
KID: I think the trend for 2025 should be making stuffies out of recycled trash.
KID: What I think a trend will be in the future is people carrying squishies around. So they would do a makeover on a squishy, but they would make it their personality. And they would carry their personality squishy anywhere. [CHUCKLES]
MOLLY BLOOM: Oof, I love all of those. Thanks to Jenna, Ellie, Julian, Cormac, Anya, Eloise, and Caroline for looking into their crystal balls. Well, the fun thing about trends is that they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.
HARLAN: Yeah, there are big trends, whether it's into part your hair on the side or in the middle.
MOLLY BLOOM: Or things like fidget spinners, friendship bracelets.
HARLAN: What kind of jeans you wear.
MOLLY BLOOM: These are all big trends that lots of people around the country will know about. There are also small trends like the ones that happen in just your school.
HARLAN: Like if your friends start giving high-fives with the back of your hand, and it spreads to your whole grade.
MOLLY BLOOM: Backhand high-five. Wow, that is surprisingly satisfying.
HARLAN: But no matter the size of the trend, they usually spread in a similar way.
[DOOR OPENS]
SANDEN TOTTEN: Wrong, wrong, wrong.
MOLLY BLOOM: Sanden, you didn't even hear what we said. How do it's wrong?
SANDEN TOTTEN: What? No. I meant the decor in here. Ugh, if I'm going to explain how trends spread, I cannot do it in a room with-- what is that? Beige wallpaper? Ugh. Team, fix this.
[RATTLING]
MOLLY BLOOM: Wait, that desk is important.
HARLAN: Do we really need that many couch pillows?
SANDEN TOTTEN: That's good. Yes, yes, love it, love it, love it. Going to marry it. Wait, uh, excuse me, is that a peach fuzz pink throw blanket? Don't you dare. I am not letting last year's pantone color of the year in this place. It's this year's color, mocha mousse brown, or it's nothing. [EXHALES SHARPLY] Now that is much better. There, now I can talk. Hi, Molly. Hi, Harlan. Backwards five?
HARLAN: You know it, Sanden.
MOLLY BLOOM: Wow. OK, it does look pretty good in here now.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Obviously. Now, trends usually get popular in a certain way.
[INTRIGUING MUSIC]
In the 1960s, there was a sociologist named Roger Everett. A sociologist is someone who studies how humans behave in groups. Roger was interested in how new ideas and new technologies spread. And he noticed a pattern. Eventually, he came up with a theory or an idea of how trends spread. It's called--
DEEP VOICE: The diffusion of innovation theory.
HARLAN: Oh, I read about this when I was getting ready to co-host this episode. Diffusion means to spread. An innovation is something new.
MOLLY BLOOM: Ah, so the diffusion of innovation theory is an idea about how new things spread.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Exactly. Now, the thing about trends is there's no real science to starting them. Lots of businesses and creators have tried to make things go viral, but usually, it just falls flat. There has to be a spark, a certain je ne sais quoi.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, that's French for I don't know what.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Yeah, I don't know what that's French for either. I just know without it, a fad is a flop. But according to--
DEEP VOICE: The diffusion of innovation theory.
SANDEN TOTTEN: --there's a certain kind of person who usually starts a trend.
HARLAN: Oh, right, they're called innovators.
[DING]
SANDEN TOTTEN: Innovators are people who like to try new things. They're creative, inventive, and importantly, they're willing to take risks. Often, these are artists or fashion designers, but they can also be just a really creative kid who thinks differently. So when Marc invented fruit pants, he was sort of acting like an innovator, even though it was kind of by accident.
HARLAN: Yeah, by fixing his pants with dried fruit, he tried something new.
[DING]
SANDEN TOTTEN: Yep, it took creativity.
[DING]
And it was risky.
HARLAN: Right, because it might have looked silly instead of super stylish.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Uh, that's as correct as pairing chunky loafers with frilly socks.
MOLLY BLOOM: That means--
HARLAN: It means very correct.
[TINKLING CHIMES]
SANDEN TOTTEN: But it's not enough for an innovator to come up with an idea for a new trend. The trend also needs to catch on, which brings us to the next step of--
DEEP VOICE: The diffusion of innovation theory.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Next, an idea is picked up by a group called the early adopters.
[DING]
HARLAN: Early adopters are people who have their fingers on the pulse of what's cool and new.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Right. They don't invent new trends, but they're quick to jump on them, and they're good at sensing which trends have staying power and which will quickly fizzle out. That's why lots of other people often take their advice from early adopters about what's cool.
MOLLY BLOOM: Sounds like an influencer on social media.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Very much like that. Influencers can make a career out of sharing the right trends at the right time.
[EXCITING CHIME]
MILES: Hey, fashion fam. Miles here. I just had to hype my latest find. Two words, fruit pants. Yeah, they're pants with fruit slices. So fun. They go with any outfit, and people will literally light up when they see these puppies on you. I just got a pair. I mean, I got a pair with a pear. I mean, I got a pair of pants with a pear fruit on it. You know what I mean? Best part? A pair pear pants pairs with practically anything.
[EXCITING CHIME]
MOLLY BLOOM: Ooh, I want a pair of pretty pear pants.
SANDEN TOTTEN: So these early adopters are key in helping trends catch on. But they have to be pretty good about knowing what to hype, or people will stop trusting their taste. The next group to pick up the new thing is called the early majority.
[DING]
HARLAN: A majority is like the biggest part of a population, so it means most people.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Unlike the others, this is a big group. The early majority, they're not really leaders or trendsetters, but they're a little quicker than most to pick up on a new idea. And according to this theory, you know, they usually want to know more about a trend before they jump on it. So maybe they get on board after seeing something on the news.
NEWS READER: A new trend is taking the world by storm. Fruit pants, you've seen them on the runways of Paris and Milan, and now they're even in school lunchrooms and on playgrounds. In fact, I'm wearing some right now. Check out my key lime khakis. So fun, so fashionable, so fruit-tastic. Coming up, vegetable vests. Are they the next big thing?
MOLLY BLOOM: Huh, so they might ask questions like, do fruit pants really hold up, or are they going to fall apart? What happens if they get wet from rain? Will my fruit pants attract fruit bats?
SANDEN TOTTEN: All great questions. Now, when the early majority gets on board, then you have a bona fide trend on your hands. Then after the early majority, you get the late majority.
[DING]
HARLAN: Oh, yeah, these are people who are pretty skeptical of new things. They usually don't jump on trends until most people are already doing it.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Right. Generally, the late majority aren't convinced until something is pretty mainstream. At this point, most people are taking part in the trend, and it might lose its appeal to tastemakers. Then, finally, the last group to join are called laggards.
[DING]
Laggards are a smaller group, kind of like the opposite of early adopters.
HARLAN: They don't really like change. They don't chase what's cool or in at the moment.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Which kind of makes them cool in their own way because, like innovators, laggards don't care as much about what people think of them.
MOLLY BLOOM: So a successful trend moves through all those groups, from innovators to early adopters to the early majority and late majority, and then finally, to the laggards. But at that point, is it still considered a trend?
SANDEN TOTTEN: Huh, good question. You know, I would think at that point, it just kind of becomes part of life, like Blue Jeans, smartphones, and regular front-facing high-fives.
HARLAN: I think the backwards ones will catch on too.
MOLLY BLOOM: Me too. They're just so fun. Well, Sanden, thanks for explaining--
DEEP VOICE: The diffusion of innovation theory.
SANDEN TOTTEN: No problem. [EXHALES SHARPLY] Now, if you'll excuse me, I cannot possibly stay in this out-of-date studio one second longer.
MOLLY BLOOM: But, Sanden, you just redecorated it yourself.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Yeah, like five minutes ago. [SCOFFS] Keep up, Molly, all of this is out of date now. [EXHALES SHARPLY] Well, it's been fun for you. bye.
[EXCITING CHIME]
MOLLY BLOOM: So, Harlan, did that theory about how trends spread seem right to you?
HARLAN: Yes.
MOLLY BLOOM: So where do you think you usually fall in that cycle? So just to remind ourselves, there is the innovators, the early adopters, the early majority, the late majority, and the laggards.
HARLAN: Probably the early adopters.
MOLLY BLOOM: Nice. So you, like, see it, and you're like, that seems super cool.
HARLAN: Yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: Speaking of trendy, always in fashion, forever my passion, it's time for the
[WHOOSHING]
PRESENTER 2: (WHISPERING) Mystery sound.
MOLLY BLOOM: Harlan, are you ready to guess a mystery sound?
HARLAN: Yes.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK.
[SCRATCHING, TEARING SOUND]
Oh, OK, Harlan, what do you think?
HARLAN: I think it's, like, a balloon, like, being rubbed together, or, like, with their hand going like that around it.
MOLLY BLOOM: Nice. Yeah, the moment you heard that, you were like, [GASPS] I know what this is.
HARLAN: Yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: Do you like to play with balloons and stuff?
HARLAN: Well, yeah. I bought some yesterday.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, my gosh. So it's like fresh in your mind.
HARLAN: Yeah. And, like, I blew one up, and then I put it on my brother's head and I just rolled it on his head, and his hair went up. It was really funny.
MOLLY BLOOM: [CHUCKLES] Oh, my gosh, I love doing that with balloons. OK, so we're going to hear it again. See if you want to stick with your guess and then hear the answer right after the credits.
HARLAN: So stick around.
[INTRIGUING MUSIC]
MOLLY BLOOM: We're working on an episode about a time, millions of years ago, when birds and dinosaurs lived side by side. And we were wondering, if you could bring a living, breathing dinosaur to show and tell, what kind would you bring and why? A gentle triceratops for all your friends to pet. A velociraptor to play hide and seek with on the playground? Harlan, what about you? What dinosaur would you bring to show and tell?
HARLAN: I would bring a brontosaurus because it could, like, put its head down and I could sit on it, and then it could bring its head up, and then I could slide down it.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, my gosh, so fun. Yeah, those brontosaurus are the ones with the really long necks, right?
HARLAN: Yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: Nice. Yeah, they're super cool. Good choice, Harlan. Well, listeners, we want to know about what kind of dinosaur you would bring to show and tell and why. So please record your answer and send it to us at brainson.org/contact. While you're there, send us your mystery sounds, drawings, and questions.
HARLAN: Like this one.
KID: How do scientists know how old fossils are?
MOLLY BLOOM: You can find answers to questions like these on the Moment of Um Podcast, a short dose of facts and fun every weekday. Find Moment of Um and more at brainson.org.
HARLAN: And keep listening.
MAN: Brains On Universe is a family of podcasts for kids and their adults. Since you're a fan of Brains On, you'll love the other shows in our universe. Come on, let's explore.
[AIRCRAFT WHIRRING]
ROBOTIC VOICE: Its alien laundry day. While I wash my nose mufflers and tummy togas, I'll listen to a new podcast. [CHUCKLES] How about--
[BUZZING] --Forever Ago? My favorite history podcast.
[MACHINE BEEPING]
[EXCITING MUSIC]
BOY 1: Whoa, I was not expecting that to work or for it to sound this good.
MAN 2: That's the DJ Dolo technique.
[AIR HORN BLOWS]
DJ Dolo! When I say pizza, you say bagel. Pizza.
BOY 1: Bagel.
ROBOTIC VOICE: Zorp. Signal down. [GROWL] Stay right there, tummy togas.
[CHIMING]
Must find Forever Ago now.
MAN 1: Listen to Forever Ago wherever you get your podcasts.
ROBOTIC VOICE: Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba Brains On.
HARLAN: You're listening to Brains On. I'm Harlan.
MOLLY BLOOM: And I'm Molly.
HARLAN: And today, we're talking trends.
MOLLY BLOOM: Trends can be anything from a way of dressing to an activity to a behavior or even slang.
HARLAN: We just talked about one idea of how trends spread.
MOLLY BLOOM: They usually start with a group of creative people called innovators. Then they're picked up by early adopters, who are kind of like influencers or trendsetters. Finally, they spread to the rest of the population. So, Harlan, if you could start a trend, what would it be?
HARLAN: Everybody has puppies.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, yes, I am all for that trend. So we all just have puppies all the time because they're the best thing ever?
HARLAN: Yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: Ugh, great trend, Harlan. I am on board. Let's check back in with our listeners about more trends and hear what trends they'd like to see sweep the nation.
[EXCITING MUSIC]
KID: My Idea for a trend would be a fun one day of every year where businesses would have their products cost something that isn't money, such as bananas.
- I think the next trend should be wearing capes.
KID: The trend I would like to start is on October 2, it would be National Donut Day, and on the day, everyone would just eat donuts.
KID: The trend that I would like to start is dress like the weather.
KID: We think everyone should start with non-matching socks.
KID: We think it's cool because we don't have to throw away single socks when dryer eat them.
KID: And my trend is that everyone can wear their pajamas everywhere.
KID: And I think that everyone should have a pet because it could keep you company when you live alone. Meow meow.
MOLLY BLOOM: Thanks to trendsetters Augustus, Ivy, Mia, Jubilee, Chloe and Louis, Ananya and Fiona. But you might be wondering, why do we have trends in the first place?
[INTRIGUING MUSIC]
One idea is that they help us bond with each other as humans. This is called social connection.
HARLAN: When we follow a trend, we join a group of people who are into that same thing.
MOLLY BLOOM: Like how some Taylor Swift fans wear friendship bracelets to let other Swifties know they're one of them.
HARLAN: This helps them all feel like they're in a group or a community.
MOLLY BLOOM: Some scientists think that this willingness to follow trends helped early humans form tighter communities, which helped them survive better through tough times.
HARLAN: And get this, by not following a trend, you're also saying something about yourself. You're saying you aren't a trend person.
MOLLY BLOOM: That might help you make friends with other people who scoff at trends, and you and those people might form your own anti-trend friend group. More social connections.
HARLAN: So trends can be good. But let's be honest, they can be bad too.
MOLLY BLOOM: Right. They can make you feel like you need to buy more things to fit in, and that can be expensive.
HARLAN: And it's wasteful to always get lots of new things like clothes or toys. It's better for the planet when you use less stuff instead.
MOLLY BLOOM: Plus, a lot of people can feel left out of trends, and being left out is a major bummer. Have you ever felt left out of a trend, Harlan?
HARLAN: Um yes. One of my friends had a super cool stuffie that I wanted, and I couldn't get it because my mom told me that I had too many stuffies already. And I was like, I'll get rid of one. She's like, no, Thank you for getting rid one though.
MOLLY BLOOM: [CHUCKLES] I totally hear that. Ugh, that's really frustrating. Yeah, I mean, we can't always get the new things that we want, right?
HARLAN: Yeah, like, I'm always like, I want-- I want it though.
MOLLY BLOOM: Yeah, I know, it's frustrating to want something and not be able to get it for maybe you don't have room, maybe you don't have money, maybe you just don't want to buy any more things. So trends have an upside and a downside. And get this, they also have an animal side. We actually see trend followers in nature too. Like with birds.
HARLAN: Over the past 100 years, scientists have studied how birds build nests.
MOLLY BLOOM: And they noticed something chirp worthy. Turns out some songbird species are birdfluencers. When one bird builds their nest with a certain plant or material, other birds in their community are more likely to do the same.
WENDY: Hey there, I'm Wendy, the trendy tufted titmouse.
[CHIRPING]
I just found this darling ball of yarn in the dump. It's neon yellow and totally hunter chic, so I wove it into my nest.
GIRL 1: Wendy, you've got such an eye.
GIRL 2: We're going to put that yarn in our nest too.
GIRL 1: Yeah, I want my nest to be just like yours.
WENDY: You're too sweet. I guess that old saying is true, birds of a feather flock together.
HARLAN: But it's not just birds. Chimps are also trend conscious.
MOLLY BLOOM: About 15 years ago, some scientists started noticing a funny fad among a group of chimpanzees living in a sanctuary park in Zambia, in Southern Africa.
HARLAN: A female chimp named Julie started sticking a piece of grass in her ear. The next year, all the chimps were doing it.
MOLLY BLOOM: Sticking a blade of grass in their ears wasn't useful behavior for the chimps. It was just kind of entertaining or fashionable. This suggests that other species of animals copy their friends' behavior for social or cultural reasons.
HARLAN: Like orca whales.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh. yeah, orcas are famous for setting and following trends. Back in 1987, when mullets and acid washed jeans were all the rage, a female orca off the Coast of Washington State started a sweet trend.
HARLAN: She swam around with a dead salmon balanced on her head.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
(SINGING) Dead fish on my head
Floppy and cold
Feeling fly Feeling bold
This fish is fashion gold
[WATER SPLASHES]
MOLLY BLOOM: She was a true innovator. Soon, early adopters in her group started balancing dead salmon on their heads too.
HARLAN: And then orcas and other groups started doing it.
[WATER SPLASHES]
GAIL: Ooh, nice salmon, Cap Bronson.
CAP BRONSON: You too, Gail. Isn't this whole dead salmon headgear thing a whale of a trend?
[WATER SPLASHES]
MOLLY BLOOM: Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the orcas stopped doing it.
HARLAN: The trend was over.
[SAD TRUMPET]
MOLLY BLOOM: And scientists weren't sure why it caught on in the first place. Maybe it was a form of communication or a way of attracting a mate.
HARLAN: Or the orcas were just fooling around.
MOLLY BLOOM: Then, just last year, a photographer took a picture of an orca off the Coast of Washington State wearing a dead salmon on its head, and the photo drew a lot of attention.
HARLAN: People wanted to know, is the dead salmon trend back?
MOLLY BLOOM: So far, it doesn't look like it. There isn't any other evidence that other orcas are doing it too. But maybe in a few months, it'll catch on.
HARLAN: You never know.
MOLLY BLOOM: But we do know all sorts of animals follow trends from songbirds to orcas to humans.
[DOOR OPENS]
MARC SANCHEZ: They're a hit. I'm a genius.
HARLAN: Marc, you're back.
MARC SANCHEZ: Yes, And guess what, my dried fruit is selling like wild.
MOLLY BLOOM: Really? That's great.
MARC SANCHEZ: Yeah. I mean, sales were a little slow at first, but then I started throwing in a free pair of fruit pants with every order, and suddenly, sales took off. People are saying things like, these fit perfectly, and, they go with everything in my closet.
HARLAN: Don't you think they're talking about the fruit pants, Marc?
MARC SANCHEZ: What? No. They mean the dried fruit fits in their mouth and goes with everything in their food closet, a.k.a. their pantry, obviously. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have about 100 more orders to pack up. Yippee!
[EXCITING MUSIC]
HARLAN: Trends can be big or small, but they usually spread the same way.
MOLLY BLOOM: Creative people called innovators come up with something new.
HARLAN: Then early adopters or influencers pick it up and spread it to other people.
MOLLY BLOOM: It's hard to say why something is seen as cool or trendy, but we know trends are important for humans.
HARLAN: They can help us form bonds and tighten our relationships. Even some animals follow trends.
MOLLY BLOOM: That's it for this episode of Brains On.
HARLAN: This episode was written by
SANDEN TOTTEN: Sanden Totten.
HARLAN: And--
ROSIE DUPONT: Rosie DuPont.
HARLAN: And it was edited by
SHAHLA FARZAN: Shahla Farzan.
HARLAN: Fact checking by
REBECCA RAND: Rebecca Rand.
MOLLY BLOOM: We had engineering help from Lina Alvarez and Derick Ramirez with sound design and original theme music by--
MARC SANCHEZ: Marc Sanchez.
HARLAN: We had production help from the rest of the Brains On Universe team,
MOLLY BLOOM: Molly Bloom.
RACHEL BREES: Rachel Brees.
MOLLY BLOOM: Anna Goldfield, Nico Gonzalez Whistler, Ruby Guthrie.
LAUREN HUMBERT: Lauren Humbert.
JOSHUA RAY: Joshua Ray.
CHARLOTTE TRAVER: Charlotte Traver.
MOLLY BLOOM: Anna Weggel.
HARLAN: And--
ARON WOLDESLASSIE: Aron Woldeslassie.
MOLLY BLOOM: Beth Perlman is our executive producer, and the executives in charge of APM Studios are Chandra Kavati and Joanne Griffith. Special thanks to Lindy Jones, Maya, Donna and Malia.
HARLAN: Brains On is a non-profit Public Radio program.
MOLLY BLOOM: There are lots of ways to support the show. Head to brainson.org to sign up for the Brains On Universe newsletter, for bonus activities, reading recommendations, and more.
HARLAN: While you're there, you can send us mystery sounds, drawings, and questions.
MOLLY BLOOM: Again, that's brainson.org. OK, Harlan, are you ready to hear that mystery sound again? Yes.
[SCRATCHING, TEARING SOUND]
OK, last time you were like, I know what this is. Do you still feel confident?
HARLAN: I think it's that. But also, I feel like it's, like, maybe, like, [CHUCKLES] somebody farting in the microphone.
MOLLY BLOOM: [CHUCKLES]
It could also be that.
HARLAN: And then they got caught going, beh.
MOLLY BLOOM: [CHUCKLES]
Yes, I often record myself farting in front of crows.
[BOTH CHUCKLING]
Oh, I love it. OK, so either balloons or me particularly farting in front of a crow. OK, are you ready for the answer?
HARLAN: Yes.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK, here it is.
EVE: Hi. My name is Eve, and that was the sound of me rubbing my fingers on a balloon.
HARLAN: I knew it.
MOLLY BLOOM: You did it! You were 100% correct, and you knew it right away. That was very impressive. I think we need to give a shout out to your brother.
HARLAN: Yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: [CHUCKLES] Shout out to your brother for letting you rub a balloon on his head. Amazing, excellent ears, Harlan.
[SCRATCHING, TEARING SOUND]
Now it's time for the Brains Honor Roll. These are the incredible kids who keep the show going with their questions, ideas, mystery sounds, drawings, and high fives.
[LISTING HONOR ROLL]
ROBOTIC VOICE: (SINGING) Brains On.
MOLLY BLOOM: This is the last episode of this season. We'll be back with brand new episodes on May 6. Until then, you can check out Forever Ago, Smash Boom Best, and Moment of Um wherever you listen to Brains On or at our website.
HARLAN: Thanks for listening.
Transcription services provided by 3Play Media.
