Podcast Episodes

Bigfoot, Unicorns and Dragons: Making Sense of Myths, pt. 1

Where do stories of unicorns, mermaids and Bigfoot come from? And do they have any truth to them? In this four-part series, we're tackling listeners' biggest questions about modern myths and legends.…

Published on 6 years ago

How do pianos work?

Behind every piano’s polished exterior are thousands of parts. From keys to strings, they work together to produce a sound.

In this episode, we take a field trip to a piano shop, peek behind the wall…

Published on 6 years ago

Flavor facts: Why food is so delicious

You might think flavor is what happens on your tongue – and it is. But it’s also so much more.

Flavor is influenced by all the senses. How food looks, smells and feels can make a difference. Even the…

Published on 6 years ago

What was the first life on earth?

What was the first lifeform like? What was the first fish or mammal? Is it even possible to know? In this episode, we look to the fossil record to help us trace our roots back to the Last Universal C…

Published on 6 years, 1 month ago

Ask-A-Scientist: Bird Bonanza!

In this special episode, we've asked two rock star ornithologists to answer a flock of listener questions about birds. Drew Lanham and Corina Newsome talk flying, feathers, eggs, poop and how we huma…

Published on 6 years, 1 month ago

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

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 …

Published on 6 years, 1 month ago

Why do we like getting scared?

Spooky stuff may make you cover your eyes in fright, but many of us find ourselves peeking through our fingers to get another glimpse. Why are we drawn to things that make us jump? In this episode, w…

Published on 6 years, 1 month ago

Wonderful Wool: The secrets of this amazing fluff

Wool is warm, absorbs water and odors, plus it’s flame resistant. In short, wool is amazing!

In this episode we explore how wool is different from hair. We go on a sheep safari at Cuyama Lamb in Cali…

Published on 6 years, 1 month ago

How does the internet get to us?

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. Th…

Published on 6 years, 2 months ago

Why do we lie?

Most of us think we’re good at detecting lies, but it turns out humans only get it right about half the time. And why do we do it anyway? What makes us want to deceive other people? In this episode w…

Published on 6 years, 2 months ago