Brains On! Science podcast for kids

New Brains On tour dates added: St. Paul, Atlanta, Portland -- and more!

Exciting news! We’ve announced a bunch of new tour stops for this spring! Learn more about the show and get tickets here! [https://g3j1.engage.squarespace-mail.com/r?m=69a05492b194764555eec9ea&u=https%3A%2F%2Fbrainson.org%2Fevents%3Fss_source%3Dsscampaigns%26ss_campaign_id%3D699fc28721f8bb345f8ae071%26ss_email_id%3D69a05492b194764555eec9ea%26ss_campaign_name%3DNew%2BBrains%2BOn%2Btour%2Bdates%2Badded%2521%2B%26ss_campaign_sent_date%3D2026-02-26T14%253A11%253A42Z&w=68c1dc0b951fbe6ec4ab3770&c=b_699fc28721f8bb345f8ae071&l=en-US&s=FLCdg1t5o2sPdWa91zGiEBkM_7A%3D] Mar 7............MILWAUKEE Mar 8..................ST PAUL Mar 28..............ATLANTA Mar 29.....FT LAUDERDALE Apr 11......CHATTANOOGA Apr 12.................DURHAM Apr 25.....SAN FRANCISCO Apr 26.............PORTLAND May 30...............BUFFALO May 31..............TORONTO Jun 6.............ANN ARBOR Get tickets at brainson.org/events -- hope to see you there!! See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Let's Go Bananas

HARVEY, our omnipresent virtual voice assistant, gets a software update that makes him go bananas for bananas. And if we talk about anything except bananas, he turns the microphones off! We talk to geneticist Dr. Janina Jeff about how much DNA we share with a banana, find out why bananas make other fruits ripen, how bananas grow, and where that slipping on a banana peel joke came from. Speaking of jokes, we'll hear a bunch of banana jokes from listeners too! Plus: The Moment of Um answers the question: "Why are peaches fuzzy?" You can hear more from Dr. Jeff on her podcast In Those Genes [https://inthosegenes.com/]. Silent film expert Lea Stans has a wonderful blog post about the history of the banana peel joke that you can read right here [https://silentology.wordpress.com/2015/04/01/the-history-of-those-darn-banana-peels/]. You can see some of those early comics that featured the joke!  https://www.youtube.com/watch/RMDgmHB4znc [https://www.youtube.com/watch/RMDgmHB4znc] Want to support Brains On and all of the shows in the Brains On Universe? Sign up for Smarty Pass [https://brainson.supercast.com/]. You'll get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus content, virtual hangouts, discounts on merch and more! Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page [https://brainson.org/events]. More shows announced soon! March 7 - Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI March 8 - Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul, MN March 28 - Center Stage, Atlanta, GA March 29 - Amaturo Theater, Fort Lauderdale, FL April 11 - Walker Theater, Chattanooga, TN April 12 - Carolina Theater, Durham, NC April 25 - Marines Memorial, San Francisco, CA April 26 - Newmark Theater, Portland, OR May 30 - Electric City, Buffalo, NY May 31 - Royal Theatre, Toronto, ON See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

What is a generation and why do we have them?

We’re all part of a generation, that’s a large group of people born around the same time as us. These generations have names too, like Gen X, Baby Boomers or Gen Alpha. Who came up with these generations and why do we have them? We’ll speak to experts and learn what makes each generation unique. Plus, what if you could rename your generation? Plus, Mr. Bonejangles can’t remember his birthday so he has no idea what generation he’s part of! All this and a timeless mystery sound. Enjoy! Guests:Dr Jean Twenge: Professor of psychology at San Diego State University, and author of iGen, Generations, and 10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World. Kim Parker: Director of social trends research at Pew Research Center. Corey Seemiller: Professor of leadership studies in education and organizations at Wright State University, and author of Generation Z. Want to support Brains On and all of the shows in the Brains On Universe? Sign up for Smarty Pass [https://brainson.supercast.com/]. You'll get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus content, virtual hangouts, discounts on merch and more! Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page [https://brainson.org/events]. More shows announced soon! Feb 21 - Just for Laughs Festival, Vancouver, BC Feb 22 - The Neptune, Seattle, WA March 7 - Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI March 8 - Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul, MN March 28 - Center Stage, Atlanta, GA March 29 - Amaturo Theater, Fort Lauderdale, FL Click here [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Sh3x4FfmJ412IDNszoGe4d6Ui5XlyEG2/view?usp=sharing] for a transcript of this episode   See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Why doesn’t stomach acid burn right through us?

Our stomachs are full of a powerful acid, one that can burn your skin and even melt metal. So why doesn’t this stuff burn a hole through our bellies? We’ll find out how our stomachs protect the rest of us from this acid. Plus, we’ll learn about some of the wildest ways animals digest food and learn about how a serious accident helped us. Don't forget to listen to the Mystery Sound and the latest suggestions for new rooms in our headquarters. Want to support Brains On and all of the shows in the Brains On Universe? Sign up for Smarty Pass [https://brainson.supercast.com/]. You'll get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus content, virtual hangouts, discounts on merch and more! Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page [https://brainson.org/events]. More shows announced soon! Feb 21 - Just for Laughs Festival, Vancouver, BC Feb 22 - The Neptune, Seattle, WA March 7 - Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI March 8 - Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul, MN March 28 - Center Stage, Atlanta, GA March 29 - Amaturo Theater, Fort Lauderdale, FL Click here [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FEe0LPezD4GZ1YXDwJxcODQkOMC2RN8K/view?usp=sharing] for a transcript of this episode   See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Can a spider eat a wasp?

Today we’re stepping into the ring for a battle of the insect world. Molly and co-host Kiaan try to find out if a spider can eat a wasp. They speak with Dr. Paula Cushing. She has been researching spiders for over three decades. Plus, we flip the script and ask if a wasp can eat a spider. Then, Molly goes full game show mode and puts Kiaan in the contestant chair to play Spidey Sense. We also have a brand new Mystery Sound and a big mailbag reveal. Want to support Brains On and all of the shows in the Brains On Universe? Sign up for Smarty Pass [https://brainson.supercast.com/]. You'll get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus content, virtual hangouts, discounts on merch and more! Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page [https://brainson.org/events]. More shows announced soon! Feb 21 - Just for Laughs Festival, Vancouver, BC Feb 22 - The Neptune, Seattle, WA March 7 - Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI March 8 - Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul, MN March 28 - Center Stage, Atlanta, GA March 29 - Amaturo Theater, Fort Lauderdale, FL Click here [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1E9tSVND98dK5fu1P3VfY1MO2JiqgONMu/view?usp=sharing] for a transcript of this episode   See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.