Tumble Science Podcast for Kids

How did cicadas evolve to go underground for so long? Why do cicadas spend so much of their lives underground? That’s what listeners Gus and Zachary want to know. This spring, up to a TRILLION cicadas will emerge across 16 states in the U.S., in an event that hasn’t happened since 1803. Cicada scientist Chris Simon helps us dig into the surprising science of cicadas - and figure out how they’re changing on this science podcast for kids. 

Listen to our interview episode with Chris Simon, available to Patreon members who pledge at the $1 level or higher at patreon.com/tumblepodcast. 

We also have free resources on our website - including maps of the emergence and links to download Cicada Safari, a citizen science cicada project. That’s on the blog at sciencepodcastforkids.com.

Buy Tumble gear at our threadless shop!

¿Hablas español? Hay más episodios de nuestro podcast Tumble en Español en nuestro sitio web, https://www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/tumble-en-espanol.

Scientists stage an alien abduction to learn how bacteria avoid antibiotics, in this fact-meets-fiction episode! Meet our alien bacteria invaders (fiction) and our real life scientist, Caroline Blassick (fact) as they face off in a battle of microbial life and death. We’ll find out how Caroline implants mind-control devices in bacteria to improve human health, in bioengineer Mary Dunlop’s lab.

Our bacteria are played by Clara and Elijah, middle school STEM students. 

This episode is supported by the National Science Foundation under award number MCB 2032357. 

Learn more about “alien bacteria” on the bonus interview episode on our Patreon, at patreon.com/tumblepodcast. 

We have more free resources about bacteria and antibiotics available on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com

Why can’t we see black holes? Can we see black holes with a telescope? That’s what Tumble listener James wants to know. We explore the science of supermassive black holes and gravitational waves, with the help of astronomer Maura McLaughlin. Find out how the LIGO telescope is aiding in the search for supermassive black holes on an intergalactic collision course!

ANNOUNCEMENT: Tumble en Español, the Spanish adaptation of Tumble, is back for Season 3! Listen here: https://www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/tumble-en-espanol

Learn more about black holes and gravitational waves on the science podcast for kids blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com

Listen to Maura talk about the science of pulsar stars - the key to finding gravitational waves and black holes - in our bonus interview episode, available when you support us on Patreon for just $1 or more a month on Patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

What does a spider web sound like? Join us as we weave a web of connections between science and music - and learn some truly mind-blowing facts about spiders! MIT scientist and musician Markus Buehler shares his journey into the spiderverse, turning spider silk into instruments and making materials from nature. 

Watch Markus’ spider music videos on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com

The song "Spider Variations" by Markus Buehler was used with permission from Markus. The sounds are based on a sonification method of a spider web as described in the references below [1-2], part of a larger collaboration with Tomás Saraceno, Saraceno Studios, Ally Bisshop, Thomas Muehletahler, and Evan Ziporyn, and the MIT Center for Art, Science and Technology (CAST). Hear more of Markus' songs on his Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-275864738

Hear more from Markus about materials and music in our bonus interview episode, available when you support us on Patreon for just $1 or more a month on Patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse is coming to the United States! Join us for Tumble’s Eclipse Spectacular with games, music, and a thrilling audio experience to learn what it’s like to be on the path of totality. Eclipse expert Vivian White guides us and our listeners through the mysteries of this rare astronomical event. You’ll be singing our new song, “Total Eclipse of the Sun” with your eclipse glasses on! 

Hear our bonus interview episode with Vivian on our Patreon feed at patreon.com/tumblepodcast, when you pledge just $1 or more a month.

There’s more free resources to learn about the eclipse on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com

“Total Eclipse of the Sun” will be available on Spotify by eclipse day! 

When human health is on the line, it’s a case for a molecular detective! Meet Mona Minkara, a scientist who studies molecular clues to solve big crimes inside the body. She’s tracking down the criminals who creep into our bodies to make us sick. Find out how Mona uses her powers of observation to solve mysteries just like her hero, Sherlock Holmes.

Support Tumble on Patreon to join Lindsay and Marshall on Zoom! Just go to patreon.com/tumblepodcast and support at ANY LEVEL!

Learn more about Mona's work on the bonus interview episode on our Patreon, at ⁠⁠patreon.com/tumblepodcast⁠⁠. 

Check out free resources for this episode available on the blog on our website, ⁠⁠https://www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/

How do you think a stadium full of Taylor Swift fans would shake the earth? Tumble enters the Swiftiverse with Jackie Caplan-Auerbach, the scientist who discovered the “Swift Quake” - a type of earthquake created by fans at Taylor Swift concerts. Find out who really “shakes it off” - when it comes to music and seismic energy.

Hear the other "sounds" of Jackie's earthquake and volcano research on the bonus interview episode on our Patreon, at ⁠patreon.com/tumblepodcast⁠. 

Check out free resources for this episode available on the blog on our website, ⁠https://www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/

Concert music in this episode was recorded by Ana Hedrick at a Taylor Swift show in Seattle, and used as data by Jackie Caplan-Auerbach.

What are the origins of human language? That’s what Elliana wants to know. Linguist Robert Englebretson joins us for a time travel adventure to unravel the mysteries of a question that has stumped scientists for centuries. 

Learn more about the study of language with Robert Englebretson on the bonus interview episode on our Patreon, at patreon.com/tumblepodcast. 

Check out free resources for this episode available on the blog on our website, https://www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Number # 2148711 - Engaging Blind, Visually Impaired, and Sighted Students in STEM with Storytelling through Podcasts.

It’s Tumble’s 150th episode! 🥳 To celebrate, we had a Quiz Show with four of our biggest fans. Hear our Patrons Zoe, Kai, Eleanor and Avery compete in Tumble trivia with questions from episodes across all nine seasons of our podcast!

You can play along at home, too! Click here or visit our blog at sciencepodcastforkids.com to find an online quiz form that you can fill out as you listen. There will be a prize for our first three winners!

Thank you to our amazing contestants! If you would like to compete in a future quiz show and help support the show, sign up to become a Tumble Patreon on patreon.com/tumblepodcast. You’ll get access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, and more goodies like these Quiz Shows.

Happy Holidays! If you would like to help support Tumble and get a last-minute holiday gift, consider becoming a Patreon member! Pledge your support on Patreon.com/tumblepodcast to get access to ad-free episodes, bonus interview extras, and your very own shoutout!

Before we go away on break, we’re sharing one of our favorite episodes: “Do Dreams Have Meaning?”. Join neuroscientist Sidarta Ribeiro as we unveil the fascinating history of dreams and witness how science revolutionized their interpretation forever. From ancient gods to Freud's couch, we'll discover how an 8-year-old boy contributed to a major scientific breakthrough, all while asleep. Learn three steps to unlock the meaning of your own dreams before drifting off to Dreamland. Sweet dreams!

Our 150th episode is coming up! To celebrate, we’re doing a quiz show with trivia from all 9 seasons of Tumble! Get entered to be on the show: Sign up now to become a Tumble Patreon on patreon.com/tumblepodcast, and tell us why you would make a great contestant! (Microphone licking not required.)

How likely is it that we’ll find intelligent alien life on other planets? Are there extraterrestrial civilizations that we could contact - or that could contact us? And what would these aliens be like? We’re going to try to answer these big questions with the help of two scientists, and a very famous math equation.

We have free resources available on the blog on our website, ⁠https://www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/single-post/do-aliens-exist

When you have to go, where does it go? That’s what our listener Ellie wants to know. Prepare for potty humor and science as we hear from civil engineer and toilet expert Francis de los Reyes! Who invented the toilet? And what’s “The Great Stink?” We’ll be plunging into the past, present, and future of flushing to discover how toilets don’t just save us from stinky smells - they save lives. 

Thanks so much to KiwiCo for sponsoring this episode. If you want to get 50% off your first month of any crate, go to kiwico.com/TUMBLE.

What would the world be like without animals? Rae Wynn Grant - ecologist, podcaster, and bear cub cuddler - gives us a picture of what would happen if animals disappeared, and explains how we can stop it from happening. We’ll find out how the Endangered Species Act has worked for over 50 years to save endangered species, and how we can make it even better for the next generation. Thanks to Elliana, as well as Hadley and Roman for their question! 

This episode is part of the Kids Podcast Party! Tumble and other kids podcasters are making episodes to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act. Want to hear more? Check out Smash Boom Best, and their episode about Capybaras vs. Komodo Dragons. 

Hear more from our interview with Rae Wynn Grant - host of Going Wild with Rae Wynn Grant - on the bonus interview episode on our Patreon, at patreon.com/tumblepodcast

We have free resources for this episode on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com.

It’s a Halloween episode! “There’s a scary secret lurking in the kitty litter…” We’re making a horror movie about a common cat parasite - that can control minds! Toxoplasma gondii makes mice lose their fear of cats, in a plot to take over the world! Biologist Sebastian Lourido helps us tell the true tale of toxoplasma’s quest for cat domination, and what scientists are doing to stop the parasite in its banana-shaped tracks.

How does reading work in the brain? It’s a question that has fascinated scientists for years. Could braille - the system of raised dots that blind and low vision people use to read - be the key to understanding how it works? We talk to writer Andrew Leland (“The Country of the Blind”) and neuroscientist Simon Fischer-Baum to learn about the invention of braille, and how it could be the key to learning how reading works - for everyone. And we might just solve a bedtime reading mystery along the way. 

Learn more about braille on the bonus interview episode on our Patreon, at patreon.com/tumblepodcast. 

We have more free resources about braille and the science of reading available on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Number # 2148711 - Engaging Blind, Visually Impaired, and Sighted Students in STEM with Storytelling through Podcasts. 

Do fungi breathe? That’s what listener Alice wants to know - and we’ll find out in our punniest episode yet! We visit the Fungarium - the largest and oldest collection of fungi in the world with curator Lee Davies, who describes himself as a “librarian” of mushrooms. We’ll explore how fungi live and die, and why there’s so many species left to discover. Watch out for the zombie fungi! And beware, Lindsay and Marshall don’t hold back on the “fun guy” puns!

Our series "Life Lab" is a Signal Award Finalist! Vote for us to win the Gold Medal here: https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting#/2023/limited-series-specials/general/kids

Also check out our Threadless store! https://www.threadless.com/@Tumble_Podcast

Tune into our Season 9 premiere to find out the answer to this stinky question. We’ll hear about dino gasses from returning guest Jessica Whiteside and their potential ecological impact from David Wilkinson. Our dive into dinosaur digestion will lead us to a smelly look at gas in Earth’s past!

Listen to our bonus interview episode with Dave to learn more about how he studies the past without a time machine. You can hear it when you support us for just $1 on Spotify or on Patreon on patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

Free resources, including a transcript, are available on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com

Check out our new Tumble t-shirts and merch: https://tumblepodcast.threadless.com/

A new season of Tumble is coming soon! Have you ever wondered whether dinosaurs burped? Or where the largest fungus collection in the world is? Or how braille was invented? Learn that and more in the newest season of Tumble!

Also, if you love our show, make sure to tell three people you know about how awesome you think it is. It really helps us out!

Join Marshall on a Cave Road Trip! On Season 8’s last road trip, you’ll find cave-themed episodes of Tumble, featuring bats and archaeology! Avoid the stalagmites and tune in to these fun episodes:

• The Journey to the Bat Cave

• Inside the Bat Cave [BONUS]

• The Cave of the Underground Astronauts

• The Cave of The Neanderthal Tools

Free resources, including a transcript for each episode, are available on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com

Check out our Tumble merch here: https://tumblepodcast.threadless.com/ 

Become a Spotify subscriber: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/tumblescience/subscribe

Do you ever wonder what would happen if Cinderella started her own rock band or if Medusa realized just cool her hair was? Well … there’s a Webby Award winning show called Girl Tales that takes classic stories and puts a unique twist on them, giving girls the chance to save the day, use their intelligence and bravery, and show that they can be the heroes of their own stories! If you're ready for an adventure, find Girl Tales wherever you get your podcasts! 

Meema (or Memory) and her sisters run the most successful inspiration factory in the universe: The Idea Factory! In the Idea Factory, they don't make money, they make ideas! Meema wants to tell you a story (that's never-ended) about Narcissus & little black mirrors that make everyone just like him, obsessed with themselves and what the mirror reflects back at them! 

This Girl Tales episode won the Variety/Gotham Audio Honors in 2022.

Written by Georgina Escobar

Starring: Barron Bass, Jennifer Sun Bell, Adriana Colon, & Mindy Escobar-Leanse

Produced by Chad Chenail

Assistant Produced by Megan Bagala

Executive Produced by Rebecca Cunningham

We're still on vacation, and while we wait to come back for our ninth season of Tumble Science Podcast for Kids, we're sharing one of our favorite episodes from a few years ago: The Cave of the Neanderthal Tools.

What tools did Neanderthals use? That’s what Leo wants to know. We dig into the past of Neanderthal archeology, back to when people used to excavate caves with dynamite! Archeologist and author Rebecca Wragg Sykes shares the explosive story of how Neanderthals made tools, and what they can tell us about how Neanderthals lived.

Listen to our bonus interview episode with Rebecca about Neanderthals caves, available for Patrons who pledge just $1/ month or more on patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

Learn more about Neanderthals and their “knapping” habits with the free resources on our blog at www.sciencepodcastforkids.com.

Did you know that you can listen to Tumble in Spanish?! Tumble en Español is our Spanish podcast, hosted by native Spanish speakers Nuria Net and Alvaro Ramos. It’s an adaptation, not a translation! Meet Nuria in this episode and learn Tumble en Español’s special sign-off. Then, listen to one of our favorite episodes in both English and Spanish. To hear more, subscribe to Tumble en Español at http://tumbleenespanol.com/ or navigate to “En Español” at sciencepodcastforkids.com. There are transcripts for each episode!

About The Ten News

 The Ten News podcast explores topics that kids care about most including events, sports, science, gaming, pop culture, entertainment, and more!  It’s a great way for you and your family to stay connected with what’s going on in the world.  The Ten News also features some pretty awesome guests; LEGO Masters Judge Amy Corbett, America’s top doctor Dr. Anthony Fauci, Sarah Natochenny, the voice of Ash Ketchum for Pokemon fans, and many more.  Our episodes are all about staying kind, cool, and curious.  We hope you enjoy listening to The Ten News!

 Say hi at [email protected]

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennews/

This special Road Trip edition of Tumble includes all five episodes of our Life Lab series, back to back! Listen to hear how scientists are using tiny life to go to Mars, solve climate change, make better clothes, and much, much more.

Life Lab explores the incredible power of a new technology you probably haven’t heard of. This technology could solve some of the biggest challenges on our planet, and beyond. But with great power, comes great responsibility. We ask important questions about whether it could - or should - change our future.

Thank you to our sponsor Kids’ Chemical Solutions and their chemistry comic book series filled with colorful characters and exciting storylines. Order now at www.kidschemicalsolutions.com.

Check out our Tumble merch here: https://tumblepodcast.threadless.com/

Become a Spotify subscriber: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/tumblescience/subscribe

It's Tumble's first science quiz edition! Play along as Tumble fans Arlo and Talyse compete in three science games: Purr Vs. Roar, What Does the ____ Say?, and Does It Fart? Lindsay and Marshall play quiz masters, while their contestants make a surprising discovery. And that's before the quiz even starts!

If you enjoyed this quiz show and would like to hear more, let us know!

To support our show and get ad-free episodes - plus the chance to be on an episode like Arlo and Taylse - join our Patreon at Patreon.com/tumblepodcast. Listeners help us keep making Tumble and give us the freedom to try new things!

We'll be back with all new, original episodes in September 2024.

Thank you to our sponsor Kids’ Chemical Solutions and their chemistry comic book series filled with colorful characters and exciting storylines. Order now at www.kidschemicalsolutions.com.

We'll be back with a new episode in two weeks!

What would Earth be like if our oceans never existed? That’s what Charlie wants to know! We recruit Earth detective Lucia Perez-Diaz to help us track down clues hidden within our planet’s rocks. Our investigation takes us through the mysteries of how water got on Earth, the giant plates moving beneath our feet, and why our oceans are shaped the way they are. Lucia’s also an illustrator, and will draw us an Earth without oceans. What will it look like? Listen to find out.

Hear this episode (and Lucia!) en Español on Tumble en Español: Qué pasaría si los océanos no existieran?

Learn more about how Lucia uses her detective skills to reveal the last 200 million years of Earth’s history, on our special bonus interview episode. It’s available to Patrons who pledge $1 a month or higher! You can support our show and get our ad-free feed on Spotify or patreon.com/tumblepodcast

“Do dogs think and feel the way we do?” We all know dogs can’t talk. That’s why scientists have to come up with creative ways of asking our canine companions what’s going on in their minds. We’ll find out why dog cognition scientist Zachary Silver put on a play for dogs - which inspired us to create Tumble’s very first dog radio theater production! Just call us “The Tumble Dog Players.” It will all make sense by the end of the episode.

This is the final episode of Tumble’s 8th season! But stay subscribed for some special treats over the summer. 

Hear more from our interview with Zachary Silver on our bonus interview episode. It’s available for listeners who pledge $1 or more a month on Patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

Free resources, including a transcript, are available on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com

Check out our new Tumble t-shirts and merch: https://tumblepodcast.threadless.com/

Also check out courses from Science Mom, one of our sponsors this week: https://bit.ly/TumbleMom

Can we hear and touch the stars, if we can’t see them? Yuma Decaux is trying to put the night sky into everyone’s hands, through technology and engineering. Find out how stargazing captured Yuma’s imagination when he was six, and how losing his sight inspired him to explore the cosmos in a whole new way - making astronomy accessible to everyone. 

Astreos, Yuma’s app, is currently in Beta. That means that when you try it out, you can give Yuma feedback on how to make it better! Download it on iOs here: https://astreos.space/

Listen to our bonus interview episode with Yuma to learn more about how he developed Astreos and what accessibility means to him. You can hear it when you support us on Spotify or on Patreon at patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

There are free resources, including a transcript, about this episode on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com. 

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Number # 2148711 - Engaging Blind, Visually Impaired, and Sighted Students in STEM with Storytelling through Podcasts. 

Sounds in the episode are courtesy of Astreos and Cricket Ambi by VMan533 on freesound.org

When did smartness begin? We’ll find out how a neuroscientist blends up brains, and cracks the case of the Tyrannosaurus Rex smarts! Suzana Herculano-Houzel helps us answer listener Penny’s question by explaining how “smartness” might not mean what you think - and how all animals have shown off their intelligence over time.

Help us out by taking our listener survey! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/tumblepodcast

Listen to our bonus interview with Suzana on our Patreon when you pledge just $1 a month or more! patreon.com/tumblepodcast.
Learn more about Suzana and her work on the evolution of intelligence the blog on our website, www.sciencepodcastforkids.com.

We apologize that the cover art of the episode is not a scientifically accurate portrayal of a T.Rex! We know that they likely did not wear graduation caps.

Have you ever wondered what bird you’re hearing? We’re going to discover how to recognize birds by their sound - and what that means for science. Trevor Attenberg is an environmental scientist and science communicator who learned to identify birds without sight, by their sound alone. He takes us through his journey to becoming a birder and a scientist, and shares how you can learn to recognize birds by their sound. 

Learn more about Trevor, and find his recommended resources for birding on the blog on our website, www.sciencepodcastforkids.com. 

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Number # 2148711 - Engaging Blind, Visually Impaired, and Sighted Students in STEM with Storytelling through Podcasts.

Take our survey to help support the podcast! Just go to https://bit.ly/TumbleScienceSurvey and spend a few minutes of your time answering questions.

How big is the universe? And how do we know? It's a question that puzzled astronomers for centuries. They had no way to measure distance in space - until Henrietta Leavitt showed them how. Henrietta Leavitt was a "computer" in the 19th century, before there were computers, and she made an incredible discovery that would help change the way people thought about the universe - forever. Modern-day astronomer Karen Masters helps us tell her remarkable story.

If you like this episode, you'll love our free audio course, "Cataloging the Universe" where you'll learn much more about how Henrietta Leavitt's discovery made a big difference in astronomy - plus, you'll become a skywatcher yourself! "Cataloging the Universe" is more than a podcast. It’s interactive! Each episode - or lesson - in the series contains activities to complete while you listen. Plus, you’ll get discussion questions, graphic organizers, and a star journal to keep your observations in. Check out the series and download all the resources at our website!

Hear more from Karen Masters in the bonus interview episode available to Patrons, when you pledge just $1 a month or more on our Patreon to support the show!

We have free resources available on our blog to learn more about the episode.

We're working on a special project that we'll announce in our next episode! Enjoy one of our favorite episodes while we make it ready for you.   

Why and how do cats purr? That’s what Reid wants to know. It sounds like a simple question, but it leads us to a deep challenge: Can we ever understand cats? To find out, we launch a full-scale cat purr investigation. You’ll hear from a puzzled veterinarian, a scientist who studied her cat’s annoying purr, and the author of purring.org, the premier cat purr research website. It’s a purr-fect episode for everyone who’s curious about cats.

Why are sloths so slow? We’ll find out how one sloth scientist got crafty and discovered why slowness is a sloth’s secret to survival. Rebecca Cliffe, founder of the Sloth Conservation Foundation, shares the story of her quest to study these sneakily stealthy creatures, with the help of a special backpack. What she finds will definitely surprise and delight you! If you're like Marshall, you might even laugh/cry. 

To hear more about Rebecca’s slothsome adventures, listen to our bonus interview episode! It’s available to Patrons who pledge just $1 or more a month on patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

Learn more about sloth research and conservation with the free resources on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com - where you’ll also find a free transcript for the episode.

Explore the sounds of ocean science on a sound scavenger hunt! Tune in as oceanographer Amy Bower takes us to the sea, to show us how she uses sound to study ocean currents and make ocean science accessible for blind and visually impaired people. Listen up and help us search for clues beneath the waves to reveal the secrets of the underwater realm!

Ocean data sonifications courtesy of Dr. Jon Bellona at the University of Oregon, and the Accessible Oceans project.

Learn more about Dr. Amy Bower in our bonus interview episode, available to Patrons who pledge just $1 or more a month to support Tumble, at patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

We have free resources to keep exploring the world of ocean science and data sonification with Amy Bower. They’re on the blog at sciencepodcastforkids.com, along with a free transcript.

This episode is the first in a series featuring blind scientists. The material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Number # 2148711 - Engaging Blind, Visually Impaired, and Sighted Students in STEM with Storytelling through Podcasts. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

A Black botanist is on a mission to discover the hidden stories of Black plant scientists throughout history. Shawn Abrahams shares how Black people are responsible for vanilla cupcakes, and the microscopes you use in science class! Plus, hear how Shawn started their own journey to becoming a botanist and historian, with the help of Wikipedia.

Hear more stories from Black scientists featured on Tumble! Check out our blog post for a list of episodes.

Learn more about how Shawn became a botanist on our bonus interview episode, available to Patrons who pledge $1/month on Patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

Dig deeper into the stories of Black botanists on the blog on our website at sciencepodcastforkids.com.

Want to hear science stories in Spanish? Listen to our Spanish show, Tumble en Español! Hosted by Nuria Net and Alvaro Ramos.

Join us on an Arctic adventure as we head out onto the sea ice with a polar bear scientist! Andrew Derocher shares exciting stories of flying in helicopters, getting bit by a polar bear cub, and discovering how polar bears are surviving in a warming world.

Andrew explains what happens when polar bears move into human towns, in the bonus interview episode. It’s available to Patrons who pledge just a dollar or more a month on patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

Teachers! Find a toolkit to share polar bear science with students, on the World Wildlife Fund’s WildClassroom.org. A transcript for this episode and other resources are available on our website, sciencepodcast.com

This is a re-broadcast of one of our most popular episodes of season 7, The Science of Butts! 

What is a butt? That’s what science journalist Katherine Wu wanted to know. Her quest for an answer leads her into a web of big butt questions, and a search to find the top butt scientists in the world. She discovers a debate over where butts come from, and a very strange butt that could rewrite the annals of butt history.

This episode features an original song called, “Sometimes Butt.” Trust us, it’s a fun one! (And yes, we say the word “butt” and other butt-related words a lot.)

Can’t get enough of butt science? There’s plenty more! Listen to a bonus interview episode with Katherine Wu, available to Patrons who support Tumble at a level of $1 a month or more. You’ll get access to an ad-free feed with all our bonus episodes, at patreon.com/tumblepodcast

This episode is based on Katherine’s article, “The Body’s Most Embarrassing Organ is an Evolutionary Marvel.” Find more butt science resources on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com.

Tumble en Español, our Spanish-language show, has new episodes starting January 27th! Check out that feed at here. 

Join Marshall as he treks through a blizzard to find a warm spot by the fire, and listen to these great winter-themed episodes of Tumble. In this Road Trip Pack, you'll hear these episodes: 

• The Great Seal Count
• The People of the Snow
• The Power of Pika Scientists
• The Volcanic Eruption Adventure

Whether you're curled up by the fire with a cup of hot cocoa or out on a snow-shoe trek through the wilderness, enjoy these great episodes about science in the snow! 

How likely is it that we’ll find intelligent alien life on other planets? Are there extraterrestrial civilizations that we could contact - or that could contact us? And what would these aliens be like? We’re going to try to answer these big questions with the help of two scientists, and a very famous math equation.

Hear more from Kaitlin Rassmussen and Arik Kershenbaum in our special bonus interview episode, available to Patrons who pledge just $1 or more a month to support the show on patreon.com/tumblepodcast

We have free resources available on the blog on our website, https://www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/single-post/do-aliens-exist

Here's a podcast we think you'll like: Armchair Adventures! It is a super-fun and a little bit bonkers series for kids aged 6-10. Join Connie and her gang of explorers for a new adventure every episode. Using your awesome imagination, you’ll visit magical places, meet extraordinary people and learn a thing or two along the way. It’s jam-packed full of sing and move-along fun. It's perfect for playtime, those gloomy rainy days, boring car journeys, and even round at your grans!

In this special road-trip collection of Tumble episodes, you'll hear all about scientists who are making a difference in their communities. This episode pack contains: 

• How to be Helping Scientist
• Reinventing the Wheel
• What to do about Trash? 

If you're a teacher and you want to participate in our group of teacher advisors, please follow this link to apply: https://bit.ly/TumbleTeachers

When you have to go, where does it go? That’s what our listener Ellie wants to know. Prepare for potty humor and science as we hear from civil engineer and toilet expert Francis de los Reyes! Who invented the toilet? And what’s “The Great Stink?” We’ll be plunging into the past, present, and future of flushing to discover how toilets don’t just save us from stinky smells - they save lives.

Are you a teacher? Participate in our NSF-funded research project! Sign up here: https://bit.ly/TumbleTeachers

Learn more about toilets and sanitation around the world, on our bonus interview episode with Francis de los Reyes. It’s available to Patreons who pledge just $1 a month at patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

We have free resources about this episode on the blog on our website: https://www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/single-post/how-do-toilets-work

All episodes have transcripts now! 

Ever wonder what a mummy smells like? Or why millions of animals were mummified - including baboons? We climb into ancient tombs with Egyptologist Salima Ikram, to discover the science and culture of animal mummies. Salima is a real life tomb adventurer, cautious of scorpions and curious about the dead. Join us this Halloween as we excavate the secrets behind mummies!

We’re participating in Nat Geo Kids’ Podcast Party: Ancient Egypt in honor of the 100th anniversary of the discovery of King Tut’s tomb. Together with other kids podcasts we are making episode about Ancient Egypt. If you are interested in listening to more, check out Greeking Out. 

We're also participating in a Kids Listen Survey! Grownups, take a moment to tell us about your family media habits in this quick survey. 

Hear more from Salima in a bonus interview episode available on our ad-free Patreon feed! It’s available for just $1/month when you pledge to support Tumble at patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

We have free resources about this episode available on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com. 

If there’s too much gas in the atmosphere, who you gonna call? Gas Busters! Find out how a bacteria from a rabbit’s gut could help fight climate change, in our final episode of Life Lab.

This episode features Dr. Ryan Tappel of LanzaTech, and a song collaboration with Basho Mosko, of Basho & Friends!

You can find a transcript and other educational materials about this episode on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com.

Life Lab is supported by the Engineering Biology Research Consortium, a non-profit committed to educating the next-generation and building a community dedicated to solving big challenges with engineering biology. Funded by the National Science Foundation.

Find more of Basho’s educational music here.

Take the Kids Listen Survey! 

Tumble’s Life Lab Show at the Cambridge Science Festival 

Spider silk? Mushroom leather? Discover what’s next in fashion: Clothes made from synthetic biology. We hear the story of how a synthetic biologist went from collecting spiders in his bedroom to working with some of the biggest names in fashion.

This episode features Dr. Dan Widmaier, CEO of Bolt Threads.

You can find a transcript and other educational materials about this episode on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com.

Life Lab is supported by the Engineering Biology Research Consortium, a non-profit committed to educating the next-generation and building a community dedicated to solving big challenges with engineering biology. Funded by the National Science Foundation.

So far in Life Lab, we’ve uncovered the power of synthetic biology. But with great power comes great responsibility! In this episode, we’ll ask “Is this a good idea?” when it comes to changing the DNA of mosquitoes to fight a deadly virus.

This episode features Dr. Sam Weiss Evans and his 8 year old daughter, Izzy Weiss Evans.

Hear more from Sam about modified mosquitoes and making decisions about science, in our bonus interview episode! They’re available to Tumble Patrons who pledge just a dollar or more a month, on patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

You can find a transcript and other educational materials about this episode on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com.

Life Lab is supported by the Engineering Biology Research Consortium, a non-profit committed to educating the next-generation and building a community dedicated to solving big challenges with engineering biology. Funded by the National Science Foundation.

Should we make the move to Mars? And how would we live there? Join us as we pack our bags for Mars with the help of synthetic biology. We’ll find out how astronauts could grow their own food, medicine, and even building materials on the Red Planet. But when Lindsay and Marshall start to disagree about moving to another planet, some tricky questions threaten the mission…

Welcome to Life Lab! This is the first part of our five part series about how tiny life can change our world. In Life Lab, we explore the incredible power of synthetic biology to solve some of our biggest challenges - and asking how it could change our future.

This episode features Adam Arkin and Kris Prather.

Life Lab is supported by the Engineering Biology Research Consortium, a non-profit committed to educating the next-generation and building a community dedicated to solving big challenges with engineering biology. Funded by the National Science Foundation.

We have two bonus interviews for you this week, featuring Christina and Kris! They’re available to Tumble Patrons who pledge just a dollar or more a month, on patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

You can find a transcript and other educational materials about this episode on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com.

Episode Advertiser:

National Children's Museum STEAM Daydream Podcast

What does cheese have to do with technology? What does engineering have to do with biology? And why should we know about it? We’ll slice into these questions to get a taste of what synthetic biology is, how it's already in our lives, and how it got there. 

Welcome to Life Lab! This is the first part of our five part series about how tiny life can change everything. In Life Lab, we explore the incredible power of synthetic biology to solve some of our biggest challenges - and asking how it could change our future. 

This episode features Christina Agapakis and Kristala Prather.

Life Lab is supported by the Engineering Biology Research Consortium, a non-profit committed to educating the next-generation and building a community dedicated to solving big challenges with engineering biology. Funded by the National Science Foundation.

We have two bonus interviews for you this week, featuring Christina and Kris! They’re available to Tumble Patrons who pledge just a dollar or more a month, on patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

You can find a transcript and other educational materials about this episode on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com.

Season 8 of Tumble begins September 16 with a special, five-part series called “Life Lab.” Life Lab will explore the incredible power of a new technology you probably haven’t heard of. This technology could solve some of the biggest challenges on our planet, and beyond. But with great power, comes great responsibility. We’ll be asking important questions about whether it could - or should - change our future.

Bonus: Life Lab will be released weekly, for five weeks! After that, we’ll return to our regular schedule of science discovery, every other week.

Help us spread the word! If you can’t wait for all new episodes of Tumble, tell your friends, family, and your teachers to listen along with you. Subscribe or follow wherever you listen to Tumble Science Podcast for Kids.

Hear sounds created from images by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, in this updated episode! The biggest space telescope in the universe had a busy summer, wowing us with incredible images of the cosmos like we've never seen before. But it took a lot of work to get there! Learn about it in this episode, originally released in December 2021.

Hear more Webb sound here. 

Watch the launch here. 

See Webb's first images here.

How do you launch the largest space telescope ever built into space? The James Webb Space Telescope will travel 1.5 million miles away from Earth to help answer some of our biggest questions about the universe. But first, it has to be launched on a rocket - and the telescope is too big to fit on a rocket. So NASA decided to fold it up - and then unfold it in space. How? NASA scientist Knicole Colón and NASA engineer Alphonso Stewart take us on a journey through the world’s biggest origami project.

We have big news to share about Season 8 next week, so keep your ears out for the trailer! 

Join Marshall for our final Road Trip adventure of the summer, as we travel back to the age of the dinosaurs! We'll be sharing a bunch of our favorite episodes about everyone's prehistoric creatures. In this collection, you'll find:

• The Rise of the Dinosaurs 
• How to Be a Fossil Fixer 
• The Call of the Antarctic Dinosaur with Julia Clarke 
• The Dinosaur Asteroid

You'll also get to help Marshall repair his broken time machine with some Dino-trivia questions after each episode. Enjoy! 

Support Tumble on Patreon: patreon.com/tumblepodcast

Tumble presents one of our favorite podcasts from RTÉjr Radio: Cereal! 

Deception, Mystery and so much more in “Cereal” RTÉjr Radio’s (not really) True Crime Podcast for all the family. Picture the scene. A brand new TV talent show for kids called “The Novice”. Middle Grade students battle it out to get funding and promotion for their mini company on the national stage. The candidates?

Fergus, an ambitious eco-warrior who’s invented “The Bog Log” a product that turns your poop into compost for your garden.

Xander, a tech whizkid who’s dreamt up the “Homework Helper”, an App that literally does your homework for you.

Brother and Sister Duo PJ and Clara, forced to enter by their teacher in place of detention, have conjured a colour changing Mood Ring.

And Aoife and Katie, best buds for life cooked up the product that gives this podcast it’s name. Crunch Ems; a Cereal bar treat that’s truly healthy and tastes like a dream.

Four perfect products. But all is not what it seems.

When the show goes sideways a tale of blackmail and intrigue is revealed. And who better to chart it in his own podcast but 15 year old Rian, runner on The Novice and budding TY podcast presenter.

Ryan Tubridy cameos as himself, a veteran broadcast adviser to the young podcast host. And amateur sleuth in his own right.

Across 6 episodes Rian takes the listener on a complex journey of discovery to unveil the truth behind the scandal.

Find Cereal on on the RTÉ website, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

Join Marshall on a fantastic adventure to the center of the human brain. In this road trip adventure pack, we've put together four classic episodes of Tumble for your listening enjoyment. Learn all about the wonders of the human brain in these episodes: 

• Do Dreams Have Meaning? (20min)
• Why Words? How we learn language (16min)
• The Magic Memory Molecule (20min)
• The Science of Colors

Dive deep, and enjoy this selection of great episodes. 

Since Lindsay and Marshall are on a break for the summer, we thought we'd share with you one of our favorite other podcasts! We present to you: Tai Asks Why. 

Fifteen-year-old Tai Poole won’t rest until he’s uncovered the mysteries of the universe, one probing question at a time. In Season 4 of his Webby-winning podcast, Tai talks to everyone from NASA scientists to stand-up comedians to his equally curious little brother. If you’ve ever wondered what we can do when we’re anxious or if we’re alone in the universe, Tai has you covered. More episodes are available at hyperurl.co/taiaskswhy

Join Marshall out to eat as we share this special road trip fun pack of Tumble episodes having to do with food! This collection of five classic Tumble episodes includes: 

• The Science of your Favorite Foods
• The Tale of the Hungry Koala
• The Science of Smell
• The Bacteria Cookbook
• The Jack O’Lantern Science Mystery

Buckle up and enjoy this great selection of episodes. 

What would Earth be like if our oceans never existed? That’s what Charlie wants to know! We recruit Earth detective Lucia Perez-Diaz to help us track down clues hidden within our planet’s rocks. Our investigation takes us through the mysteries of how water got on Earth, the giant plates moving beneath our feet, and why our oceans are shaped the way they are. Lucia’s also an illustrator, and will draw us an Earth without oceans. What will it look like? Listen to find out.

Learn more about how Lucia uses her detective skills to reveal the last 200 million years of Earth’s history, on our special bonus interview episode. It’s available to Patrons who pledge $1 a month or higher! You can support our show and get our ad-free feed on patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

You can see some of Lucia’s illustrations on our blog at sciencepodcastforkids.com, along with other resources to learn more about water and plate tectonics on our planet!

Why do bubbles pop, and why do bubbles have shadows? We’re in double bubble trouble with two listener questions. Luckily, Dr. Bubbles is here to save the day! We’ll find out how a normal, everyman physicist named Justin Burton became a superhero bubble scientist, on a quest to make a scientifically proven recipe for giant bubbles. Along the way, we’ll discover the answers to our listeners’ bubbling curiosity.

Hear from the inventor of edible bubbles, Li Wei Tan, in a bonus interview episode available on our ad-free Patreon feed! It’s available for just $1/month when you pledge to support Tumble at patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

We’ll have free resources about bubbles on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com.

This episode is sponsored by MEL Science. Check out their awesome science boxes at https://melscience.com/sBHH/

Make sure to use the offer code "TUMBLE" at checkout for 60% off your order. 

Here is Dr. Bubble’s Giant Bubble Recipe, courtesy of Emory University:

Ingredients

1 liter of water (about 2 pints)

50 milliliters of Dawn Professional Detergent, which is available online (a little over 3 tablespoons)

2-3 grams of guar powder (or guar gum), a food thickener sold in some grocery stores or available online (about 1/2 heaping teaspoon)

50 milliliters of rubbing alcohol (a little more than 3 tablespoons)

2 grams of baking powder (about 1/2 teaspoon)

Directions

Mix the guar powder with the alcohol and stir until there are no clumps. Combine the alcohol/guar slurry with the water and mix gently for 10 minutes. Let it sit for a bit so the guar hydrates. Then mix again. The water should thicken slightly, like thin soup or unset gelatin. Add the baking powder and stir. Add the Dawn Professional Detergent and stir gently, to avoid causing the mixture to foam. Dip a giant bubble wand with a fibrous string into the mixture until it is fully immersed and slowly pull the string out. Wave the wand slowly or blow on it and enjoy the physics of giant soap bubbles!

Results may vary based on humidity.

How many seeds sprouted in the historic Beal Seed experiment we covered in 2021? Find out in this updated version of one of our favorite episodes for spring! We tag along with scientists following a secret map on a mission under the cover of night, to find a buried treasure. It’s all part of one of the longest running, most legendary experiments in science history! We follow plant biologist David Lowry and his team on this secret scientist-spy-treasure hunt, which only happens once every 20 years. But things don’t go quite as planned. Find out what happens on this epic science quest.

To learn more about the Beal Seed Experiment, listen to our bonus interview episode with David. It’s available to Patrons who pledge just $1/ month or more on patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

Learn more about the experiment and plant biology on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com.  

Send us your science questions at [email protected].

Why do colors exist in the world? That’s what Phoebe wants to know. The answer might change how you think about the colors that you see! Neuroscientist and artist Bevil Conway bends our minds and our eyes, to show us how colors are the ultimate optical illusion. We’ll discover what color is made of, why even plants can “see” color, and what color can tell us about how our brains work. Take out your coloring supplies and prepare for a color journey.

Want to learn why we choose our favorite colors, or if the red I see is the same as the red you see? Listen to our bonus interview episode with Bevil, available on Patreon ad-free feed. Just pledge $1 a month or more to support the show, at patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

We’ll have free resources about the science of color on the blog on our website at sciencepodcastforkids.com.

Trash is one of the biggest problems on the planet. But scientists are coming up with solutions that might surprise you. In this Earth Day episode, we meet two researchers who are tackling trash in two very different ways. Kevin Solomon hopes to solve the challenge of recycling plastic with the help of meal worms, and Lily Pollans is figuring out what kids can do to help everyone make less trash. Find out how science can help tackle Earth’s biggest challenges - and how you can help.

Learn how one city learned to make less trash, in a special bonus interview episode with Lily Pollans. To listen, pledge to support us on Patreon for just $1 a month or more, at patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

We’ll have free resources to learn more about how to make less trash - and new solutions for recycling - on the blog on our website at sciencepodcastforkids.com.

Hey! We’re doing a live show as part of The River's Family Music Meltdown and Book Bash in Northampton, MA. Come out and see us at Smith Voke, on April 30th, 2022. We can’t wait to see you there!

Where did the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs come from? That’s what our listener Lucian wants to know. Prepare to hear a “podcast movie” about the fateful impact, starting with an explosive collision in space that sent asteroids careening towards Earth. Then we’ll discover the science behind the story, with the help of planetary scientist Sean Gulick. He led an expedition along with Dr. Joanna Morgan to drill into the impact crater - and find the final piece of evidence in the asteroid theory. This episode is sure to blow your mind.

*Special thanks to the kids who helped us collect the sound effects used in the “podcast movie” section of this episode!*

Learn more about the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs on our bonus interview episode with Sean. It’s available to patrons who pledge just $1 or more a month at patreon.com/tumblepodcast

We have free resources about science behind the effects of the asteroid impact, and the debate around the asteroids’ origins. Go to our blog at sciencepodcastforkids.com to check it out.

Come on a trip to Dreamland, as we explore the history of dreaming - and how science changed their meaning, forever. Our guide is Sidarta Ribiero, neuroscientist and author of “The Oracle of Night.” We’ll travel back to ancient times when gods and goddesses appeared in dreams, visit the offices of Dr. Sigmund Freud, and watch as an 8 year old boy contributes to a huge scientific breakthrough  - while he slept. Plus, we’ll send you off to sleep with the three steps to exploring the meaning of your dreams. Let’s get dreaming!

Want to learn more about dreams? Tune into our bonus interview episode with Sidarta to learn more about when dreams have meaning, and how dreams might make us better at learning.

We have free resources available on our blog at sciencepodcastforkids.com - including dreaming octopuses! (not octopi)

Why and how do cats purr? That’s what Reid wants to know. It sounds like a simple question, but it leads us to a deep challenge: Can we ever understand cats? To find out, we launch a full-scale cat purr investigation. You’ll hear from a puzzled veterinarian, a scientist who studied her cat’s annoying purr, and the author of purring.org, the premier cat purr research website. It’s a purr-fect episode for everyone who’s curious about cats.

Learn more about cat purrs - and cat smiles - in our bonus interview episode! It’s available on our ad-free podcast feed on Patreon. It’s just $1/month to get access to all our bonus episodes. Pledge at patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

Watch the cheetah purr video mentioned in the episode and discover more cat purr research, on the blog at sciencepodcastforkids.com.

Animal audio courtesy of Dr. Karen Masters, Dr. Robert Eklund and Stoeger AS et al, under a Creative Commons license.

Clare wants to know if bugs have elbows. Her question starts a debate between Team Bug Arms and Elbows, and Team Bug Legs and Knees! Choose a side, and come on the trail of a bug bod mystery with superstar entomologist and dragonfly specialist Jessica Ware. Turns out, dragonflies are a lot weirder (and ancient!) than you might think!

Hear more from our interview with Jessica! Check out our bonus interview episode, available to patrons who support the show at just $1 a month or more. It’s on our exclusive ad-free podcast feed, along with all of our other bonus episodes!

We also have free resources of cool bug and dragonfly science on the blog at our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com.

What is a butt? That’s what science journalist Katherine Wu wanted to know. Her quest for an answer leads her into a web of big butt questions, and a search to find the top butt scientists in the world. She discovers a debate over where butts come from, and a very strange butt that could rewrite the annals of butt history.

This episode features an original song called, “Sometimes Butt.” Trust us, it’s a fun one! (And yes, we say the word “butt” and other butt-related words a lot.)

Can’t get enough of butt science? There’s plenty more! Listen to a bonus interview episode with Katherine Wu, available to Patrons who support Tumble at a level of $1 a month or more. You’ll get access to an ad-free feed with all our bonus episodes, at patreon.com/tumblepodcast

This episode is based on Katherine’s article, “The Body’s Most Embarrassing Organ is an Evolutionary Marvel.” Find more butt science resources on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com.

How do you count the cutest seals on the planet? With the help from thousands of people around the world! Conservation scientist Leo Salas explains the story behind the first-ever global count of Weddell seals in Antarctica. Plus, you’ll find out what counting seals shares with searching for ancient tombs!

Learn more about Weddell seals in our special bonus episode with Dr. Leo Salas, available to Tumble Patrons who pledge just $1 or more a month - along with an ad-free episode feed! Support us today at patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

We’ll have free resources to learn more about Weddell seals (or the ‘widdle Weddells’) on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com.

Do you speak Spanish, or are you a Spanish language learner? Subscribe to Tumble En Español to listen to episodes adapted to Spanish! The podcast relaunches on January 28.

Weddell seal recordings in this episode were obtained under NMFS Permit No. 1032-1917.

All-new Tumble episodes return January 21! We can't wait to share what we have in store. 

Today, we're sharing the exciting conclusion of our two part dinosaur poo series, "The Coprolite Queen." In the 1800’s, Mary Anning was known as the best fossil hunter in England. She made many great discoveries, including dinosaur poop. With help from our friend Kidosaurus and children’s science historian Melanie Keene, we dig into Mary Anning’s story and her place in the history of women in science.

Check out the blog about this episode on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com. 

We have some exciting changes to share with you at the beginning of this episode! 

Plus, Part 1 of our favorite-ever two part series about dinosaur poop! In "Who Dung It," paleontologist Karen Chin shares how she cracked the mystery behind an ancient dinosaur doo-doo, or coprolite. It's a super fun story, and you can learn more about ancient fossil feces on our blog.

We're on winter break until January 21, when we'll be back with all new episodes. 

Lindsay and Marshall had so much fun recording special video messages for new Patreons, we're extending our sign-up special through early January 2022! All you have to do is pledge at the $5 or higher level at patreon.com/tumblepodcast before Dinopoop Part 2. 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM THE TUMBLE TEAM!

How do you launch the largest space telescope ever built into space? The James Webb Space Telescope will travel 1.5 million miles away from Earth to help answer some of our biggest questions about the universe. But first, it has to be launched on a rocket - and the telescope is too big to fit on a rocket. So NASA decided to fold it up. How did they do this? NASA astrophysicist Knicole Colón and NASA engineer Alphonso Stewart take us on a journey with the world’s most complicated origami project.

Don't miss Webb's launch! As of this episode's release date, it is scheduled for December 22, 2021. Learn more with free resources on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com. 

This will be our last new episode until January 21. But you can look forward to hearing a few of your favorite previously published episodes, and brand new birthday shoutouts on each episode! 

Plus, if you join our Patreon at patreon.com/tumblepodcast for just $1/month, you'll get all our bonus interview episodes!

What do you need to know about the new COVID-19 vaccines for ages 5 - 11? Sam, age 8, and Natalie, age 10, are here to help! They participated in a COVID vaccine trial, which is an important part of the science that will help end the threat of coronavirus. Along with Dr. Kawsar Talaat, an epidemiologist who helped run the trials, they share the behind-the-scenes of the process that helps us know that vaccines are safe to take. Nervous about getting your shot? Natalie and Sam have some great advice to share, so you can help the world get back to normal.

Visit vaccine.gov for information of where to get your shot, and answers to more common questions about the COVID-19 vaccines.

We have more resources and trusted sources for vaccine information and updated coronavirus news on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com.

Happy Thanksgiving, friends!!

What tools did Neanderthals use? That’s what Leo wants to know. We dig into the past of Neanderthal archeology, back to when people used to excavate caves with dynamite! Archeologist and author Rebecca Wragg Sykes shares the explosive story of how Neanderthals made tools, and what they can tell us about how Neanderthals lived.

Listen to our bonus interview episode with Rebecca about Neanderthals caves, available for Patrons who pledge just $1/ month or more on patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

Learn more about Neanderthals and their “knapping” habits with the free resources on our blog at www.sciencepodcastforkids.com.

Why do carved pumpkins rot faster than uncarved pumpkins? That’s what Ari, an 11 year old podcast host, wants to know. To find out what’s making good Jack O’Lanterns go bad, we turn to squash detective/ scientist Michael Mazourek. Together, we track down clues to crack the case - and find out how we make a Jack O’Lantern last forever.

Learn more about pumpkin science, like the shocking truth of what’s in your can of pumpkin puree (spoiler alert: it’s not pumpkin), with the free resources on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com.

We have a special bonus interview episode about how to breed vegetables, with Michael Mazourek! It’s available for Patrons who pledge just $1 or more a month on patreon.com/tumblepodcast. Find out what it’s like to make a brand new pepper!

How do you find out why we laugh? With tickling, of course! Gorillas and other great apes appear to love being tickled, and sound like they’re laughing just like us. Animal biologist Marina Davila-Ross thought tickling might connect humans and great apes - and hold the clues to the origin of laughter. To find out, she assembled teams of ticklers in an experiment full of giggles. It’s the silliest science you’ve ever heard, but the discoveries will blow your mind.

Learn more about laughter in animals and humans in our interview with Marina Davila-Ross. Listen to the bonus interview episode available to Patrons who support Tumble at the $1/level or higher, at patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

See videos of gorillas being tickled, and more free educational resources on our blog at sciencepodcast.com.

Want to explore the hidden treasures of the deep sea? Come on board the EV Nautilus, a research ship that searches the seafloor with the help of robot submarines! Our guide is Taylorann Smith, who’s on her third trip on the ship! We’ll witness a whalefall, meet the submarines, and learn how Taylorann discovered what it really means to be a marine biologist.

Want more? You can visit the Nautilus from home! Join Taylorann and the Nautilus team on live deep sea exploration expeditions online at nautiluslive.org. Check out their exciting animal discovery videos, fun try-at-home activities, and explorer career features to envision yourself as a future ocean explorer!

Taylorann has an amazing story of how she found her way to the Nautilus. Hear it on our bonus interview episode, when you pledge $1 or more a month on Patreon! patreon.com/tumblepodcast

We’ll have more links and our favorite Nautilus materials on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com.

This episode was supported by The Ocean Exploration Trust with support from the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. Audio from the Whalefall is credited to Ocean Exploration Trust / NOAA ONMS.

What are the worst sounds in the world? Lots of noises that can send your hands rushing to cover your ears, but only a select can be the most horrible! Fortunately, one brave acoustic scientist named Trevor Cox decided to find out, by asking hundreds of thousands of people to rank the worst of the worst sound. It was one of the first online sound experiments - and the result was a lot of fun!

Note: This episode features sound effects, and if you’re sensitive to sounds, you may want to skip it.

Hear more about this pioneering internet psychology study on our bonus episode with Trevor Cox, available to Tumble patrons who pledge $1 or more a month! Pledge now at patreon.com/tumblepodcast

Learn more about the horrible sounds experiment on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com.

Tumble's seventh season is coming at you THIS FRIDAY! Here's a little taste of what's in store. 

While you're waiting, why don't you share Tumble with a friend instead of anxiously refreshing your podcast app all week? Just send them your favorite Tumble episode, show them how to subscribe on their phones, or even share a link to our website where we have lots of educational resources! We'll thank you now, and your friend will thank you later. 

See you here on September 17! 

We’re only two weeks away from starting our new season, with all new episodes, on September 17! We’re putting the finishing touches on the first episode as we speak, and we can’t wait to share it with you. But for now, enjoy one of our most favorite episodes about what everything in the universe is made of.

What are protons, neutrons, and electrons made out of? That’s what listener Xander wants to know. Physics expert Aatish Bhatia takes us on a journey into the atom, and explains how scientists discover things that are too small to see. You’ll find out how Albert Einstein helped prove the existence of atoms, and why physicists smash particles like pinatas in massive tunnels.

Learn more about this episode on the blog on our website.

Tumble will return with all new episodes for Season 7, starting September 17! In the meantime, enjoy one of our favorite episodes of Season 6. 

If someone asked you to collect your poop every day for a year, would you say yes? That’s what microbiologist Lawrence David did, after watching a movie about a man who said yes to everything. Accepting the challenge led to a year of very stinky international adventures, turning Lawrence into the James Bond of poo. And, he loved every minute of it. Join us for the incredible story of a secretive project about the human microbiome.

Want to learn more about Lawrence and why we are what we eat? Watch curated videos, listen to related podcast episodes, and discover the cutting edge science on a blog for this episode at sciencepodcastforkids.com.

Find out what Lawrence eats, and if he’s good at dealing with bad smells, in a special bonus episode for Patreon supporters. The answers will definitely surprise you. Just go to patreon.com/tumblepodcast and pledge just a dollar a month to hear it, and all our other scientist interviews.

Arrrrr! Join two of our favorite pirates on an adventure across the seven seas of science. In this ocean-themed road trip compilation, you'll hear a bunch of our favorite ocean episodes. Whether it's going on a deep-sea expedition with the JOIDES resolution, attending the largest whale shark party in the world, or collecting whale snot with tiny robots, this episode will take you all over the world's oceans. 

This road trip episode includes:

The Expedition of the Science Ship

The Snot and the Whale

The Science of Whiskers

The Voyage of the Ocean Trash with Jenni Brandon

The Case of the Whale Shark Party

Tumble Media has a new podcast, Yoga Kids Adventure! Lindsay and Marshall share why we decided to make a yoga podcast for kids, and how to use the show! Then, try out our first episode. It's a trip to the beach! 

With Yoga Kid Adventures, you can do yoga from anywhere! All you need is your ears, your imagination, and a safe place to move. In today’s adventure, we’ll salute the sun, splash in the waves, and spot some ocean animals. Get ready to stretch your imagination and your body.

You can subscribe to Yoga Kids Adventure anywhere you get your podcasts, or on our website at yogapodcastforkids.com!

We'll be back with more summer Tumble programming soon!

From the makers of Tumble, meet Yoga Kids Adventure - the first ever yoga podcast for kids! Lindsay and Marshall give a sneak of our brand new yoga podcast in this mini-episode.

Yoga Kids Adventure host and kids’ yoga teacher Kathryn invites young yogis to join her on creative journeys through movement. Stretch out with a morning swim at the beach, or calm your body before bedtime in a cozy bear cave. Wiggle with wild animals on a safari or lift off from your chair as you breathe and bend among the stars.

Subscribe and go on your first yoga adventure, wherever you listen to Tumble! Check out the website at yogapodcastforkids.com.

Return to these routines as many times as you want, and do them anywhere that you want! This podcast brings free family yoga to you in your living room, classroom, and even outdoors.

How did some animals start to walk on land? Why were dinosaurs so huge? What did our primate ancestors look like? Let’s dive into this special road-trip edition of Tumble, a safari through animal evolution. Your tour guides have put together some of their favorite episodes about evolution and their time traveling jeep will take you waaaaaaay back in time. Now buckle up, because it's gonna be a bumpy ride!

This road trip episode includes:

• What if Fish Had Legs?
  
• Rise of the Dinosaurs
  
• Whooooo are Owls?
  
• The Skull of the Ancient Primate
  
• Decoding Dog DNA
  

Would you fly to the top of a volcano that’s about to erupt at any moment? Volcanologist Helena Buurman did, and survived to tell the tale! In 2008, Helena was monitoring Mount Redoubt in Alaska, when the ground beneath the volcano began to shake. What follows is a tale of volcanic adventure, involving earthquakes, helicopters, and a massive eruption!

Tumble is on our summer break right now, working on some exciting new projects. Stay tuned to hear them in our feed! We'll be back with new episodes of Tumble in September 2021. 

We invite you to invent your own volcano! Find resources to learn more about volcano warning signs and eruptions, on our website at www.sciencepodcastforkids.com

We have more from our interview with Helena Buurman for our Patrons who pledge just $1/month or more. To listen, pledge today at patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

How can science help people? Charita Castro is a scientist who’s spent her life using science to make kids’ lives better, all over the world. When she was little, she saw something that made her ask a big question: “Why don’t other kids have what I have?” She decided to dedicate her life to helping other people. But she didn’t know how until she discovered social science. Follow Charita’s journey to find out about a very special kind of science!

Did you know: Saturday, June 12 is the World Day to End Child Labor! 2021 is the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labor. We have resources on the blog on our website to get involved with the fight against child labor, anytime you want to start!

Learn more about how social science works during our special bonus interview episode with Charita. It’s available to Patrons who pledge just $1/month or more, on patreon.com/tumblepodcast

This is our last episode of Season 6! But don’t worry, we have lots to share over the summer. Stay subscribed (and listen to birthday shoutouts) throughout the summer. We’ll be launching a BRAND NEW PODCAST and you don’t want to miss it!!

What’s your favorite food? Why does it taste so good? It turns out, what we think is tasty isn’t just a matter of opinion. It’s science! Ecologist and science writer Rob Dunn takes us on a journey back in time, before kitchens, cooking, and even farming! We find out how our ancestors’ tastes shaped our own cravings - and how our experiences lead us to pick our favorites.

Curious to learn more about the science of taste? Listen to our bonus interview episode with Rob Dunn on Patreon! Available for Patrons who support Tumble at the $1/ level or higher! Pledge at patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

We have free resources to learn more about taste and our ancient ancestors on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com.

Our next episode on June 11 will be the final episode of Season 6! But don't worry, we'll have plenty of listening on our feed over the summer - and we'll be doing Patreon birthday shoutouts!

How long can a seed live? To find out, scientists follow a secret map on a mission under the cover of night, to find a buried treasure. It’s all part of one of the longest running, most legendary experiments in science history! We follow plant biologist David Lowry and his team on this secret scientist-spy-treasure hunt, which only happens once every 20 years. But things don’t go quite as planned. Find out what happens on this epic science quest, if seeds will sprout after 141 years underground, and what a wise, ancient rabbit has to do with it all.

Curious to learn more about David and the Beal Seed Experiment? Listen to our bonus interview episode on Patreon! Available for Patrons who support Tumble at the $1/ level or higher! Pledge at patreon.com/tumblepodcast

See photos of the experiment, read more about the 2021 dig, and find out how to do your own seed experiments - all on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com.

Can viruses live in space? That’s what our listener Julian wants to know. It turns out, that’s a question that scientists are asking, too! Kathryn Bywaters is one of the scientists starting the search for viruses in space. She believes that finding viruses might be the easiest way to discover life on other planets. But first, we have to learn more about what a virus is, and how to find them. Discover why viruses are like the “message in a bottle” of alien life, and how you could become a real life alien virus hunter on Mars.

Hear more from Kathryn about viruses in space! Listen to our special bonus interview episode available for patrons who pledge $1 or more a month on patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

Visit our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com, for more resources to learn about the search for life and viruses in our solar system.

Parents! This week, we're recommending Science Vs, a science podcast for adults! Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.

Dinosaurs never went extinct. They're living in our backyards. How did scientists discover that birds are secretly dinosaurs? Science writer Riley Black tells us how some suspicious fuzz on a farmer's fossil find cracked open the biggest case in dinosaur paleontology. Note, Riley Black is referred to in this episode as Brian Switek. Music in this episode by Podington Bear, Noveller, and Johnny the Ripper, courtesy of the Free Music Archive.