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Why do we lose teeth?

From wigglers to lost teeth traditions, we're looking at all things chompers. Chew on this!


Today we’re looking at a phenomenon that happens to all of us: losing our baby teeth and getting new ones! So how do our teeth grow in and what makes them fall out? Naturally, a group of wandering teeth helps us explain. We'll also find out why we have two sets of teeth in the first place. A chatty tooth travel agent will introduce us to all the different ways to send our baby teeth off in style and we'll play a game that will test your knowledge of animal teeth. Plus, the Moment of Um answers the question "Why do bees make a buzzing sound?"

What causes wildfires?

A fire can be super useful or cozy or even magical. But it can also be dangerous -- and in the case of wildfires, if they burn long and hot enough, they can destroy ecosystems and send lots of harmful smoke into the air. 


A fire can be super useful or cozy or even magical. But it can also be dangerous -- and in the case of wildfires, if they burn long and hot enough, they can destroy ecosystems and send lots of harmful smoke into the air. 

In this episode, we're going to find out why wildfires are getting bigger and why wildfire season is lasting longer now. We'll learn how the tribes who've lived in what is now called Northern California managed the forests and kept fire in check for thousands of years, and how those practices are being used today. 

We'll hear from a friendly house about how to stay safe from smoke inside and find out how firefighters work to contain fires once they've started. 

Plus, our Moment of Um answers the question: Is the name of a letter considered a word?

Million Bazillion answers your questions about money

Today we’re sharing an episode with you from our friends at Million Bazillion, the podcast that answers the questions kids have about money. They help dollars make more sense and they’re back for a whole new season! 


We’ve got an extra special episode for you today from our friends at Million Bazillion, the podcast from Marketplace that answers the questions kids have about money. They help dollars make more sense and they’re back for a whole new season!
 
Today, hosts Jed and Bridget answer a question from two curious listeners who want to know why we pay taxes. In answering the question, they come across the legendary Robin Hood, known for his hatred of taxes. Back in his day, tax-collecting sheriffs forced people to pay money to a king, who decided how those taxes were spent. These days our tax system works a bit differently. We get to vote for people who’ll spend that money on things we care about — like schools and libraries, health care for elderly people, police, parks, sewers and so on. With the help of a rambling troubadour and a tax policy expert, Jed and Bridget teach Robin Hood that the way tax dollars are spent today reflects what we prioritize as a society. Plus, we’ll ask random kids some not-so-random questions.
 
Million Bazillion is a collaboration between Brains On and Marketplace. It’s hosted by Jed Kim and Bridget Bodnar. You can listen to more episodes here, or subscribe at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
 

Brains On Podcast

Smash Boom Best is a debate show for kids and families from the makers of the award-winning podcast, Brains On! Every episode takes two cool things, smashes them together and lets you decide which is best.


Smash Boom Best

Julie and her daughter, children’s author and educator Emma Walton Hamilton, invite you into their library to read their favorite children's books. Every story comes to life with sound, music and activities. Authors, kids and other special guests chime in, too! 


Julie's Library

A history show for the whole family! Every episode explores the origin of just one thing — like sandwiches, video games, clocks and more — while teaching listeners to think critically about history.


Forever Ago

Other APM Podcasts

Want to learn Spanish or build up your bilingual brainpower? This is a great place to start! Puedes escuchar al podcast aquí.


Brains On en español

Listen to all the episodes in our series on the coronavirus, get resources and more.


Coronavirus Episodes and Resources

Molly, Marc, and Sanden present a humorous, fact-and fun-filled look at life on Earth — from deep-sea creatures and carnivorous plants to the human body and stinky bacteria. Get your own copy to explore!


Order the Brains On Book!

Brains On teamed up with the Science Museum of Minnesota, with funding from the National Science Foundation, to launch a groundbreaking study looking at how families use podcasts.


PHASE 1: Analysis of Secondary Data (Click Here)

PHASE 2: Listener Survey (Click Here)

PHASE 3: Family Interviews (Click Here)

Brains On Research!

Fart Smarts: Understanding the gas we pass

Fire vs. Lasers!

Cats: Glowing eyes, puffy tails and secret purrs (Encore)

Books: How they're made and how your brain reads them

Mystery sound extravaganza!

Got curiosity? You've found the right place. Brains On is a science podcast that answers questions from kid listeners around the world. Find a few of our personal favorites to get you started here.


Is farting good for us? Where do farts come from? Why do only some make sounds? And what’s up with the smell? We tackle your questions about the gas we all pass in this episode.

Time for our next debate: fire vs lasers! Listeners sent us over 100 topics to choose from, they voted and this was the winning showdown. Fire and lasers are both cool -- but which is COOLER? Producer Marc Sanchez has tricks up his sleeve for team fire and Sanden Totten gives his all for team laser. Plus: Two mystery sounds that play a pivotal role in the debate.

Why do cat eyes look the way they do? Can cats really see in the dark? And what are they trying to tell us with that purr (you know the one)? We've got the answers -- cat behavior expert Mikel Delgado help us decode cat quirks and producer Sanden Totten teaches us what's behind cats' glowing eyes. Plus: We learn about other cool powers that animal eyes have, that ours don't.

There is so much happening in your brain when you read. From recognizing shapes as letters to discovering empathy, our brains really get a workout when we read books.

In this episode, Ben Bergen from the Language and Cognition Lab at UC San Diego drops by to shed some light on how our brains process the meaning of words. We also learn how printing books has evolved and how the invention of the printing press brought worldwide change. And recent Newberry Award-winning author Kelly Barnhill shares a little of what’s going on in HER brain as she’s writing a story.

Regular listeners of Brains On know all about our mystery sounds. Every episode we test your ears with some puzzling noise and give you a chance to guess what it is. There are so many great mystery sounds in the world -- and many, many of them have been sent to us by our listeners. So many, in fact, that we decided to devote an entire episode to these magical, magnificent, mellifluous mystery sounds.

There are a whopping 10 sounds for you to guess in this episode. Are your ears up to the challenge?

If you're the kind of person that likes a little friendly competition, make a score sheet with your answers. We'd love to see which ones you got and, better yet, what you guessed for the ones you got wrong. Upload pics of your scoresheet with #BrainsOn. Happy guessing!

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