Have you ever seen an aurora? These spectacular night-time displays can fill our skies with dancing lights and bursts of color. But why do they happen in the first place?

Join Molly and co-host Mariam as they learn about what makes an aurora (hint: it starts with spicy sun burps) and chat with scientist Dr. Liz MacDonald about the best places to see them. Stick around for aurora trivia with Gameshow Molly and a dazzling new mystery sound!


Subscribe to Smarty Pass for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts!


Today’s episode is sponsored by:
- Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson

Have you ever seen an aurora? These spectacular night-time displays can fill our skies with dancing lights and bursts of color. But why do they happen in the first place? Join Molly and co-host Mariam as they learn about what makes an aurora (hint: it starts with spicy sun burps) and chat with scientist Dr. Liz MacDonald about the best places to see them. Stick around for aurora trivia with Gameshow Molly and a dazzling new mystery sound! <a href="https://www.smartypass.org/" class="default">Subscribe to Smarty Pass</a> for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes, and ticket discounts! Today’s episode is sponsored by: - <a href="https://www.indeed.com/hire/audio-promotion-highimpact" class="default">Indeed.com/brainson</a> - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson

Brains On!® is a science podcast for curious kids and adults from Brains On Universe. Each week, a different kid co-host joins Molly Bloom to find answers to fascinating questions about the world sent in by listeners. Like, do dogs know they’re dogs? Or, why do feet stink? Plus, we have mystery sounds for you to guess, songs for you to dance to, and lots of facts -- all checked by experts.

Sales and Distribution by Lemonada Media https://lemonadamedia.com/  

Brains On!&reg; is a science podcast for curious kids and adults from Brains On Universe. Each week, a different kid co-host joins Molly Bloom to find answers to fascinating questions about the world sent in by listeners. Like, do dogs know they&rsquo;re dogs? Or, why do feet stink? Plus, we have mystery sounds for you to guess, songs for you to dance to, and lots of facts -- all checked by experts.
Sales and Distribution by Lemonada Media <a href="https://lemonadamedia.com/" data-stringify-link="https://lemonadamedia.com/" data-sk="tooltip_parent">https://lemonadamedia.com/</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

Brains On! Science podcast for kids

Auroras: Nature's light show

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. 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. 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 for a transcript of this episode

 

We&rsquo;re all part of a generation, that&rsquo;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&rsquo;ll speak to experts and learn what makes each generation unique. Plus, what if you could rename your generation? Plus, Mr. Bonejangles can&rsquo;t remember his birthday so he has no idea what generation he&rsquo;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? <a href="https://brainson.supercast.com/">Sign up for Smarty Pass</a>. 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&nbsp;<a href="https://brainson.org/events">head to our events page</a>. 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 <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Sh3x4FfmJ412IDNszoGe4d6Ui5XlyEG2/view?usp=sharing">here</a>&nbsp;for a transcript of this episode
&nbsp;

What is a generation and why do we have them?

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. 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. 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 for a transcript of this episode

 

Our stomachs are full of a powerful acid, one that can burn your skin and even melt metal. So why doesn&rsquo;t this stuff burn a hole through our bellies? We&rsquo;ll find out how our stomachs protect the rest of us from this acid. Plus, we&rsquo;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? <a href="https://brainson.supercast.com/">Sign up for Smarty Pass</a>. 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&nbsp;<a href="https://brainson.org/events">head to our events page</a>. 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 <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FEe0LPezD4GZ1YXDwJxcODQkOMC2RN8K/view?usp=sharing">here</a>&nbsp;for a transcript of this episode
&nbsp;

Why doesn’t stomach acid burn right through us?

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. 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. 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 for a transcript of this episode

 

Today we&rsquo;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? <a href="https://brainson.supercast.com/">Sign up for Smarty Pass</a>. 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&nbsp;<a href="https://brainson.org/events">head to our events page</a>. 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 <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1E9tSVND98dK5fu1P3VfY1MO2JiqgONMu/view?usp=sharing">here</a> for a transcript of this episode
&nbsp;

Auroras: Nature's light show

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