Explore Your Curiosity

Today we have a bonus episode, inspired by Monday's big solar eclipse! Elias sneaks off to a planet to witness a double eclipse, but gets a little more than he bargained for. Thanks to our friends at kid podcasts Ear Snacks and Brains On! for letting us play their solar eclipse songs in our episode. To hear their episodes: Ear Snacks: Eclipse (Part 1) Brains On! Everything you need to know about the eclipse Also, if you're interested in learning about twin suns, there's this interesting article. Find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram! We always love sounds, art and jokes sent to earth@finncaspian.com. And don't forget about Griffin's Sound Club! Send yours! You can also, of course, call our voice mail: 773-683-3166. If you have a second, and can rate or review the show in iTunes, we would be so grateful! It really helps get the word out. Many thanks to Mark Greenberg of the Mayfair Workshop for his theme music. Much of the background music you hear throughout was made by Visager, off his album "Songs from an Unmade World 2," and used via Creative Commons. We also played a song by Podington Bear, also via Creative Commons. The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian is a sci-fi story podcast for kids, and is proud to be part of the Kids Listen collective of makers of quality audio for kids. And please do send us anything you like. We'll use it on the show! You can also shoot us an email or call 773-683-3166....moreCopy Link

On Monday, August 21, a total solar eclipse will be visible on a path that crosses the U.S., from Oregon on the west coast to South Carolina on the east coast. In this episode, we cover all your eclipse essentials: What causes an eclipse? What happens during an eclipse? How do you safely view it? Spoiler alert: Don't stare at the sun without special eyewear. Please don't. Really. Nope. Don't do it. All that plus a mystery sound and our Moment of Um: Why are bugs attracted to light?

Are you ready? Are you excited? Because we TOTALLY ARE. The Great American Eclipse is almost here, and we’ve been thinking about it for a whole year…but some people have known about it MUCH LONGER. Mat Kaplan from the Planetary Society told us about it last year, Molly Bloom from Brains On tells us about total eclipse science, and Mick Sullivan from The Past & The Curious talks total eclipse history through the ages. Oh, and our friend Kimmy? She tells us about her eclipse viewing plans. That she made 20 years ago. In Eclipse! (Part II) we’ll be sharing an audio time capsule recorded on August 21, 2017. If your family will be in the Path of Totality, email us at earsnacks@andrewandpolly.com and we’ll let you know how you can participate and share this once-in-a-lifetime experience!...moreCopy Link

What in the world is a Total Solar Eclipse? Why in the world is it so rare? When and Where in the world can we watch it happen? And how in the world can we view it without hurting our eyeballs? That's a lot of questions! And we've got answers. Join Guy Raz and Mindy Thomas for the Who, What, When, Where, Why, How, and Wow, of the Total Solar Eclipse!

On this episode of The Show About Science, Nate interviews Anna Rothschild, the host of Nova's Gross Science. Nate asks Anna what she knows about cow and kangaroo burps, ribbon worms, and infections. He also gets more information on everyone's favorite topic, cheese mites. You can find episodes of Gross Science at https://www.youtube.com/user/grossscienceshow. Ewwww! Subscribe to this podcast in iTunes: https://goo.gl/GnerO1

Homemade slime is sticky, gooey and all the rage, but what is it? When you combine ingredients like glue and laundry detergent you get a strange, flubbery substance. We'll explain what's happening on a molecular level to make this stuff. We'll also hear theories on why so many of us are obsessed with slime. Plus, a brand new slime rap, a mystery sound and some cool facts about snakes.

What in the world do wax worms eat? How in the world has it taken us six episodes to talk about poop? Join Guy Raz and Mindy as they wax-poetic about waxworms and referee the stinkiest race imaginable! It's all happening in this week's who, what, when, where, why, how and Wow in the World - Episode 6!

Everybody poops. But why? To find out, science writer Mary Roach takes us on a journey into the alimentary canal - that's the tube that runs from our mouth to our rectum. Along the way, we learn about pooping in space, and how someone else's poop might one day save your life! Have you been looking for an easy way to find more great podcasts for kids like Tumble? Or maybe you want a place for your kids to listen and discover podcasts on their own. We have great news for you! With Kids Listen, we’ve made the first ever listening app for kids at app.kidslisten.org. Go there and you’ll find all kinds of awesome shows by some of our friends like Brains On, Stories Podcast, and NPR’s new podcast for kids, Wow in the World. Check it out! Thanks to everyone who listened this season! Make sure to STAY SUBSCRIBED so you can get updates from us over the summer - especially on our journey to Barcelona! We're already getting started on episodes for the fall. Send us your science questions, your drawings and recordings! Do you live in Europe? Do you know of any cool scientists and science going on that we should check out? Let us know! We're excited to explore! As always, leave us a review on iTunes if you like the show. Email us at tumblepodcast@gmail.com, and check out our blog at sciencepodcastforkids.com. To support the show and get educational materials as well as an ad-free version of the show, pledge at patreon.com/tumblepodcast. Thanks for listening!...moreCopy Link

Kind lies. White lies. Little lies. We take a trip to the fun park to look at all sorts of lies we tell for all sorts of reasons.  Like what if your parent asks you to pretend to be younger than you are to get a cheaper entry fee?  What’s the right thing to do?  Amidst the rides and games, junk food and excitement, we explore a few stories about lying, a subject which has divided some of the greatest thinkers in history.

Luoth Chou studies organic geochemistry, microbiology and astrobiology. ​On this episode of The Show About Science, she joins Nate to talk about her research and The March for Science, a series of rallies and marches set to be held in Washington, D.C. and over 400 cities across the world on April 22, 2017.

Fact: Andrew & Polly interviewed Steven Drozd of the Flaming Lips about facts. Opinion: It was awesome.

This episode may not be suitable for our youngest listeners or for particularly sensitive kids. We're discussing animal ethics with author Hal Herzog. In a follow up to our pets episodes, we look at how we treat animals very differently depending on whether we think of them as pets, food, or work animals. Why do some cultures eat cows and others don't? Why do some cultures not have pets at all? And is it okay to breed animals like dogs that have significant health problems even though we love them? Herzog is the author of Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It's So Hard to Think Straight About Animals. ...moreCopy Link

Why in the world do our shoelaces always come untied? How in the world do we solve the problem of all those disposable water bottles we toss? Join Guy Raz and Mindy Thomas for a wild roller coaster ride and a unusual water balloon fight as they set out to discover this week's who, what, when, where, why, how and Wow in the World - Episode 3!

Are we alone in the universe, or are there other life forms out there? That's what Daniel, a listener from New Zealand, wants to know. Scientists have been searching for the answer with a surprising tool: radio. But this isn't any old radio. Seth Shostak, senior astronomer at the SETI Institute, shares the story of how the search for intelligent life got started, and where it's headed. Are you a teacher or homeschooling parent? Tell us how you use Tumble! Email us at tumblepodcast@gmail.com. We love hearing from you! Want an ad-free version of Tumble? It’s only $1 each month. Pledge on Patreon to get access to this special podcast feed, including Marshall’s original music. Let us know how you use Tumble. Send us your questions and drawings! Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. Thanks for listening!...moreCopy Link

What happens in your head when you read? Short answer: A LOT. From recognizing shapes as letters and words to discovery of empathy and new worlds, our brains really get a workout when we read books. Ben Bergen drops by to shed some light on how our brain processes the meaning of words. He runs the Language and Cognition Lab at UC San Diego. We're also take a trip back to see how printing books has evolved and how the invention of the printing press brought worldwide change. And Author Kelly Barnhill shares a little of what's going on in her brain as she's writing a story. All this and one of the best Mystery Sounds we've had to date....moreCopy Link

Brothers Ian, Sam, and Eli want to know, “How do vaccines keep our bodies healthy?” We meet two scientists, Omar Khan and Jasdave Chahal, who have teamed up to tackle the world’s most dangerous diseases with a new technique for developing vaccines. They tell the story of how they came together in a quest to battle biological “ninjas” that want to invade our bodies and make us sick. Are you a teacher or homeschooling parent? Tell us how you use Tumble! Email us at tumblepodcast@gmail.com. We love hearing from you! Want an ad-free version of Tumble? It’s only $1 each month. Pledge on Patreon to get access to this special podcast feed, including Marshall’s original music. Let us know how you use Tumble. Send us your questions and drawings! Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. Thanks for listening!...moreCopy Link

Homemade slime is sticky, gooey and all the rage, but what is it? When you combine ingredients like glue and laundry detergent you get a strange, flubbery substance. We'll explain what's happening on a molecular level to make this stuff. We'll also hear theories on why so many of us are obsessed with slime. Plus, a brand new slime rap, a mystery sound and some cool facts about snakes.

Who was the first person? Paleoanthropologist Adam Van Arsdale answers one of the most frequent questions we get here at But Why. Also: how does evolution work? Was there a first of every living thing? How did the first animal come alive? How did monkeys turn into people? And what did cavemen eat that we still eat today?

Luoth Chou studies organic geochemistry, microbiology and astrobiology. ​On this episode of The Show About Science, she joins Nate to talk about her research and The March for Science, a series of rallies and marches set to be held in Washington, D.C. and over 400 cities across the world on April 22, 2017.

Nelly Bly decides to travel around the world in less than 80 days, and Henry Brown escapes enslavement in a dramatic way, later finding a career on the stage. Also, Chris Rodahaffer joins us for the song "I've Been All Around This World." Created by Mick Sullivan. Readings by Victoria Reibel and Jason Lawrence. Oh Yeah, and Quiz Time!

Join host Mick Sullivan for some true tales of magic, or at least what appeared to be magic. Learn Franz Mesmer's gift to your vocabulary, hear about some young sisters who fooled America, and discover how a French Magician stopped a rebellion with his magic tricks. Along with Quiz Time you'll hear Tory Fisher, Brandon Johnson and Mick Sullivan perform "I'll See You In My Dreams." Mesmer and Fox sisters story written and read by Heather Funk; Houdin story written by Mick Sullivan and read by Victoria Reibel....moreCopy Link

Carl thinks they have the cutest squashiest faces and biggest googley eyes of the entire canine world. He definitely wants to buy one.

Kids have to live by the rules of the society they are born into but don’t get a say on what those rules are. Unfair, right?