Brains On Podcast

A lot of us are angry right now, with good reason. We’re seeing people treated unfairly because of racism -- that’s when people don’t like someone’s race or the color of their skin. In this episode we’ll talk about how anger can be a useful emotion and can be used to push for change. We’ll also revisit parts of our 2019 series on emotions, including an explanation of the hormones behind anger, why some of us are quicker to anger than others and what we can do when we feel overwhelmed by our feelings.

We're very excited to share an episode of a brand new podcast we've been working on called Julie's Library. It’s hosted by the legendary, the one and only, Julie Andrews. Every week, she and her daughter Emma Walton Hamilton read from their favorite children’s books.

News and updates about this coronavirus can sometimes feel overwhelming. One way to counteract that is to help. Here are a few stories about people helping and how you can pitch in.

Ink is so much more than quills and caligraphy. We use it to write, to color, to print — there are even animals that use it.

From the depths of the ocean blue to the tops of the mountains true, Mystery Sounds abound. Take a listen, and try to guess!

Like an onion, the Earth has layers. In this episode we’ll see if you can dig through those layers to get to the center of the planet. We’ll also hear about the Danish scientist who discovered more about Earth’s core by studying earthquakes. Children’s book author and illustrator Oliver Jeffers stops by to talk about the Earth’s top layer called the crust.

Get ready for some smiles! We’re looking at the science of two things that bring us joy: tickles and cuteness. We’ll explain why tickles make us giggle and why you can’t tickle yourself. Then we’ll talk about what makes cute things cute and why sometimes we want to eat or smoosh cute things. Plus, a super cute Mystery Sound and a Moment of Um answering the question: “Can a moon have a moon?”

Scientists around the world are working fast to fight the new coronavirus. They’re developing medicines to help people who are sick. They’re also working on vaccines to stop the virus from spreading. In this episode we’ll explain how these treatments work and we’ll give you some tips on keeping six feet from other people while taking a stroll.

Plants are living things, right? So do they have feelings? Do they grow better while “listening” to classical music? Hit play to find out the answers to these questions and more.

You know that feeling when you have butterflies in your stomach? Or maybe you get sweaty and hot? Or maybe you get fidgety and your heart beats really fast? Yeah, we know those feelings too. Today we're finding out why being anxious can make our bodies feel that way.

Find out what phrases like “social distancing” and “flattening the curve” mean. Plus, your COVID-19 questions answered.

In this episode, we learn all about narwhals (what that tusk is for and how they’re connected to the myth of the unicorn) and the evolution of teeth (from scale-like nubbins to the versatile chompers we have today).

It’s impossible to miss the news about coronavirus, but you probably still have lots of questions. What exactly is it? How does it spread? Can I protect myself? In this episode we’ll breakdown what we know about this new virus and tell you how to stay safe.

Humans have been predicting weather for a long time - way before modern technology. So how did they do it? We’ll meet the man who invented the word “forecast” and brought weather reports to the newspaper.

We don’t usually think about dust unless we’re cleaning up, but it’s all around us all the time. There’s more to this stuff than just boring, old grey specks. Way more.

It’s something so natural that we take it for granted — but when you think about it, it’s a little strange. Why does water come out of our eyes? And why does it happen when we’re happy? Or sad? Or scared? Or exhausted? In this episode we dive into our mysterious emotional tears.

Get ready for a howling good time. We’re going to see how wolves evolved into dogs.

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