Humans have visited the moon but we’ve never lived there. Could we build a home on our lunar neighbor? Join Molly and co-host Ira as they find out why the moon can be a dangerous place, and what it would take to live there. We’ll imagine a visit to a lunar hotel, hear about all the stuff humans have left up there and even hear a song sung by the Moon herself!

Featured Expert: Phil Plait, astronomer, journalist and author of several books, including, Under Alien Skies: A Sightseer’s Guide to the Universe, which uses science and imagination to paint a picture of what it would be like to vacation on the moon.
Resources:Learn more about NASA’s Artemis program which aims to bring humans back to the moon.

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

Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets ⁠head to our events page⁠. More shows announced soon!

April 25 - Marines Memorial, San Francisco, CA (2nd show added!)

April 26 - Newmark Theater, Portland, OR

May 30 - Electric City, Buffalo, NY

May 31 - Royal Theatre, Toronto, ON (2nd show added!)

June 6 - Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor, MI

June 20 - Southern Theater, Columbus, OH

June 21 - Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI

Sports and science go hand in hand, especially when it comes to softball and baseball. Join Molly and co-host Caris as they answer more of your questions about these two ballgames. Like why are bats measured in ounces? Or why do some players wear black paint under their eyes? Plus, we’ll hear more of your chants and guess an all new Mystery Sound.

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

Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. More shows announced soon!

April 25 - Marines Memorial, San Francisco, CA (2nd show added!)

April 26 - Newmark Theater, Portland, OR

May 30 - Electric City, Buffalo, NY

May 31 - Royal Theatre, Toronto, ON (2nd show added!)

June 6 - Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor, MI

June 20 - Southern Theater, Columbus, OH

June 21 - Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI

Click here for a transcript of this episode.

Baseball and softball are both a feat of physics, from the curve of a pitch to the swing of a bat. Today, we’re exploring the science of these popular pastimes. Join Molly and co-host Kian as they learn about curve balls and the stuff inside a ball. Plus, our listeners share their chants for Team Science! Oh, and what’s that noise? It’s a brand new mystery sound. Play ball!

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

Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. More shows announced soon!

April 11 - Walker Theater, Chattanooga, TN

April 12 - Carolina Theater, Durham, NC

April 25 - Marines Memorial, San Francisco, CA (2nd show added!)

April 26 - Newmark Theater, Portland, OR

May 30 - Electric City, Buffalo, NY

May 31 - Royal Theatre, Toronto, ON (2nd show added!)

Click here for an episode transcript

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever look closely at a raspberry and notice it could use a shave? Those tiny hairs are actually super important. And thankfully totally edible. Join Molly and co-host Zoe-Samarah as they learn all about this fantastic little fruit, and why some raspberry flavored foods are actually colored blue. All that and a Mystery Sound that’ll feel like a snack for the ears!

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

Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. More shows announced soon!

April 11 - Walker Theater, Chattanooga, TN

April 12 - Carolina Theater, Durham, NC

April 25 - Marines Memorial, San Francisco, CA (2nd show added!)

April 26 - Newmark Theater, Portland, OR

May 30 - Electric City, Buffalo, NY

May 31 - Royal Theatre, Toronto, ON (2nd show added!)

Click here for an episode transcript

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you heard of the Bermuda Triangle? It’s an area of the Atlantic Ocean that some people think can make ships and planes mysteriously disappear. In this episode, Marc and Sanden, aka the Hoax Hunters, investigate this weird and wild patch of water. Turns out the Triangle isn’t as unusual as it seems. Plus, Molly tries to stump the Hoax Hunters with a new mystery sound.

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

Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. More shows announced soon!

March 28 - Center Stage, Atlanta, GA

March 29 - Amaturo Theater, Fort Lauderdale, FL

April 11 - Walker Theater, Chattanooga, TN

April 12 - Carolina Theater, Durham, NC

April 25 - Marines Memorial, San Francisco, CA (2nd show added!)

April 26 - Newmark Theater, Portland, OR

May 30 - Electric City, Buffalo, NY

May 31 - Royal Theatre, Toronto, ON (2nd show added!)

Click here for an episode transcript

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Flowers are famous for their smells. Most are sweet, but a few are downright stinky. Either way, the science of how and why they make these scents is fascinating. Join Molly and co-host Isla as they learn about pollinators, flower smells and the mighty corpse flower! Plus a smell for your ears: the Mystery Sound!

Guest: Dr Kelsey Byers, evolutionary chemical ecologist and group leader at the John Innes Center.

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

Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. More shows announced soon!

March 7 - Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI

March 8 - Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul, MN

March 28 - Center Stage, Atlanta, GA

March 29 - Amaturo Theater, Fort Lauderdale, FL

April 11 - Walker Theater, Chattanooga, TN

April 12 - Carolina Theater, Durham, NC

April 25 - Marines Memorial, San Francisco, CA

April 26 - Newmark Theater, Portland, OR

May 30 - Electric City, Buffalo, NY

May 31 - Royal Theatre, Toronto, ON

Click here for an episode transcript

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's better than a mystery sound? How about 11 mystery sounds! We have mystery sounds from listeners all over the world to share with you, plus two from scientists. And our co-host Juniper will try to stump Molly with a mystery sound of her own!

Click here to read a transcript of this episode.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every spring we set our clocks one hour forward. Every fall we move them one hour back. It’s a strange ritual when you think about it, so why do we do it? Join Molly and co-host Ava as they explore the seasons and why days are shorter in the winter and longer in the summer. We’ll hear about the history of Day Light Saving and play a game. And it’s always time for a Mystery Sound! So set an alarm so you don’t forget to tune in to this episode!

Want to support Brains On and all of the shows in the Brains On Universe? Sign up for Smarty Pass. You'll get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus content, virtual hangouts, discounts on merch and more!

Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. More shows announced soon!

March 7 - Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI

March 8 - Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul, MN

March 28 - Center Stage, Atlanta, GA

March 29 - Amaturo Theater, Fort Lauderdale, FL

April 11 - Walker Theater, Chattanooga, TN

April 12 - Carolina Theater, Durham, NC

April 25 - Marines Memorial, San Francisco, CA

April 26 - Newmark Theater, Portland, OR

May 30 - Electric City, Buffalo, NY

May 31 - Royal Theatre, Toronto, ON

Click here for a transcript of this episode.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Exciting news! We’ve announced a bunch of new tour stops for this spring! Learn more about the show and get tickets here!

Mar 7............MILWAUKEE

Mar 8..................ST PAUL

Mar 28..............ATLANTA

Mar 29.....FT LAUDERDALE

Apr 11......CHATTANOOGA

Apr 12.................DURHAM

Apr 25.....SAN FRANCISCO

Apr 26.............PORTLAND

May 30...............BUFFALO

May 31..............TORONTO

Jun 6.............ANN ARBOR

Get tickets at brainson.org/events -- hope to see you there!!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

HARVEY, our omnipresent virtual voice assistant, gets a software update that makes him go bananas for bananas. And if we talk about anything except bananas, he turns the microphones off! We talk to geneticist Dr. Janina Jeff about how much DNA we share with a banana, find out why bananas make other fruits ripen, how bananas grow, and where that slipping on a banana peel joke came from. Speaking of jokes, we'll hear a bunch of banana jokes from listeners too! Plus: The Moment of Um answers the question: "Why are peaches fuzzy?"

You can hear more from Dr. Jeff on her podcast In Those Genes.

Silent film expert Lea Stans has a wonderful blog post about the history of the banana peel joke that you can read right here. You can see some of those early comics that featured the joke! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch/RMDgmHB4znc

Want to support Brains On and all of the shows in the Brains On Universe? Sign up for Smarty Pass. You'll get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus content, virtual hangouts, discounts on merch and more!

Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. More shows announced soon!

March 7 - Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI

March 8 - Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul, MN

March 28 - Center Stage, Atlanta, GA

March 29 - Amaturo Theater, Fort Lauderdale, FL

April 11 - Walker Theater, Chattanooga, TN

April 12 - Carolina Theater, Durham, NC

April 25 - Marines Memorial, San Francisco, CA

April 26 - Newmark Theater, Portland, OR

May 30 - Electric City, Buffalo, NY

May 31 - Royal Theatre, Toronto, ON

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re all part of a generation, that’s a large group of people born around the same time as us. These generations have names too, like Gen X, Baby Boomers or Gen Alpha. Who came up with these generations and why do we have them? We’ll speak to experts and learn what makes each generation unique. Plus, what if you could rename your generation? Plus, Mr. Bonejangles can’t remember his birthday so he has no idea what generation he’s part of! All this and a timeless mystery sound. Enjoy!

Guests:Dr Jean Twenge: Professor of psychology at San Diego State University, and author of iGen, Generations, and 10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World.

Kim Parker: Director of social trends research at Pew Research Center.

Corey Seemiller: Professor of leadership studies in education and organizations at Wright State University, and author of Generation Z.

Want to support Brains On and all of the shows in the Brains On Universe? Sign up for Smarty Pass. You'll get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus content, virtual hangouts, discounts on merch and more!

Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. More shows announced soon!

Feb 21 - Just for Laughs Festival, Vancouver, BC

Feb 22 - The Neptune, Seattle, WA

March 7 - Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI

March 8 - Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul, MN

March 28 - Center Stage, Atlanta, GA

March 29 - Amaturo Theater, Fort Lauderdale, FL

Click here for a transcript of this episode

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.