Fidget toys are everywhere. There are ones you can squeeze, or click, or spin. Others are puzzles or have cool textures to touch. Some classrooms even have fidget toys for students, but do they help kids concentrate or are they just a distraction? Molly and co-host Penelope team up with an unconventional band to learn why we fidget in the first place.

Plus, neuroscientist Dr. Julie Schweitzer, from the UC Davis MIND Institute, answers questions about the science of fidget toys.

All that plus a brand new Mystery Sound and peek into what's happening at the brand new Brains On Headquarters!

Want to support the show? Head to smartypass.org to subscribe or donate!

Click here for a transcript of this episode.

Fidget toys are everywhere. There are ones you can squeeze, or click, or spin. Others are puzzles or have cool textures to touch. Some classrooms even have fidget toys for students, but do they help kids concentrate or are they just a distraction? Molly and co-host Penelope team up with an unconventional band to learn why we fidget in the first place. Plus, neuroscientist Dr. Julie Schweitzer, from the UC Davis MIND Institute, answers questions about the science of fidget toys.
All that plus a brand new Mystery Sound and peek into what's happening at the brand new Brains On Headquarters!
Want to support the show? Head to <a href="http://smartypass.org">smartypass.org</a> to subscribe or donate!
Click <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1weEOxUiNC_gxnN3Z2rgZfZ-nf720h0iC/view?usp=sharing">here</a> for a transcript of this episode.

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

Do fidget toys really help people focus?

 We're on a little winter break here, but we're gonna be back with a new episode of Brains On January 6th. Until then, we have an episode of our sister podcast, smash Boom. Best to share with you the episode. Features some familiar voices. Me, mark, and Sandon, enjoy the show!

Whether you like your wheels big or small, this debate is for you! It’s Monster Trucks vs Hot Wheels. It’s a battle between Brains On besties Marc Sanchez and Sanden Totten. Marc goes full throttle for Team Monster Trucks and Sanden speeds toward victory for Team Hot Wheels. Who will win? Head over to smashboom.org to vote and listen to see who our judge crowns the king of cars.

Want to support the show? Join Smarty Pass to listen to ad-free episodes or donate!

Click here or a transcript of this episode.

We're on a little winter break here, but we're gonna be back with a new episode of Brains On January 6th. Until then, we have an episode of our sister podcast, smash Boom. Best to share with you the episode. Features some familiar voices. Me, mark, and Sandon, enjoy the show!
Whether you like your wheels big or small, this debate is for you! It&rsquo;s Monster Trucks vs Hot Wheels. It&rsquo;s a battle between Brains On besties Marc Sanchez and Sanden Totten. Marc goes full throttle for Team Monster Trucks and Sanden speeds toward victory for Team Hot Wheels. Who will win? Head over to <a href="http://smashboom.org">smashboom.org</a> to vote and listen to see who our judge crowns the king of cars.
Want to support the show? Join<a href="http://smartypass.org"> Smarty Pass</a> to listen to ad-free episodes or donate!
Click <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/18EeTFxbtwdQLHk21BWqjZ581SLSUaSXX/view?usp=sharing">here</a> or a transcript of this episode.

Brains On presents: Smash Boom Best - Hot Wheels vs Monster Trucks

The Brains On crew is hitting the road in 2026, and our first shows have just been announced. If you like fun, games, dancing, optical illusions and... Mystery Sounds, check out Your Brain is Magic.

Head to brainson.org/events to get tickets for the following shows:

1/17 Newark, NJ Victoria Theater

1/18 Red Bank, NJ The Vogel

1/23 San Diego, CA The Observitory

1/24 Aneheim, CA House of Blues

2/21 Vancouver, BC Playhouse Theater (JFL Festival)

2/22 Seattle, WA Neptune Theater

If you don't see your city listed, we're adding more dates, so keep checking back!

The Brains On crew is hitting the road in 2026, and our first shows have just been announced. If you like fun, games, dancing, optical illusions and... Mystery Sounds, check out Your Brain is Magic.
Head to <a href="https://brainson.org/events">brainson.org/events</a> to get tickets for the following shows:
1/17 Newark, NJ Victoria Theater
1/18 Red Bank, NJ The Vogel
1/23 San Diego, CA The Observitory
1/24 Aneheim, CA House of Blues
2/21 Vancouver, BC Playhouse Theater (JFL Festival)
2/22 Seattle, WA Neptune Theater
If you don't see your city listed, we're adding more dates, so keep checking back!

Brains On is coming to a city near you!

In our final look at metal, we explore how metal wires changed the world. Once humans figured out how to send little blasts of electricity through metal, we quickly developed lots of uses for this. One was a new way of communicating called the telegraph. Join Molly and co-host Ava as they team up with Dylan Thuras, co-founder of Atlas Obscura to learn how people laid hundreds of miles of wire in hopes of sending messages across oceans. Plus, the new Brains On Headquarters is having an opening ceremony, and there’s a brand new Mystery Sound to guess!

Guest: Dylan Thuras, co-author of The Atlas Obscura Explorer's Guide to Inventing The World.

Want to support the show? Join Smarty Pass to listen to ad-free episodes or donate!

Click here or a transcript of this episode.

In our final look at metal, we explore how metal wires changed the world. Once humans figured out how to send little blasts of electricity through metal, we quickly developed lots of uses for this. One was a new way of communicating called the telegraph. Join Molly and co-host Ava as they team up with Dylan Thuras, co-founder of Atlas Obscura to learn how people laid hundreds of miles of wire in hopes of sending messages across oceans. Plus, the new Brains On Headquarters is having an opening ceremony, and there&rsquo;s a brand new Mystery Sound to guess!
Guest: Dylan Thuras, co-author of <a href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/unique-gifts/inventing-the-world">The Atlas Obscura Explorer's Guide to Inventing The World</a>.
Want to support the show? Join<a href="http://smartypass.org"> Smarty Pass</a> to listen to ad-free episodes or donate!
Click <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wbqcX6ArAAKNedbf-ZIqIxpCsA72kS8r/view?usp=sharing">here</a>&nbsp;or a transcript of this episode.

Do fidget toys really help people focus?

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