Listeners send us LOTS of questions. Like hundreds a month! We read every single one — and we love all of them! Every now and then, we get a special kind of question that starts with “Is it true that…?” These questions are special because they’re skeptical. They’re designed to seek out the truth.

In this episode, Molly and co-host Meyer tackle three “Is it true that…” questions. First, they’ll explore whether twins can feel each other’s pain. Then, they’ll find out if the Vikings had horns on their helmets! They’ll end their quest by discovering whether dogs can see color like we do. All that, plus a tricky new mystery sound!

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

Today’s episode is sponsored by:

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• Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson
  

  
  
  

Baleen whales sing. Toothed whales click. But how and why do they make these musical sounds?

Join Molly and co-host Tyler as they dive into the wonderful world of whale sounds. First, they run into Anna Goldfield on her way to audition for a whale choir. She teaches them about the voice boxes of baleen whales. Then, biologist Shane Gero talks about sperm whale communication, and how humans are only just beginning to understand the complexity of the sounds they make. All that, plus a whale of a mystery sound!

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

Today’s episode is sponsored by:

• 
  

• Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson
  

  
  
  

It’s almost midnight and Mr Bone Jangles has snuck into the studio to debut his new show -- Bones On! His plans are foiled when Molly pops in and asks him to guess some mystery sounds instead!

Brains On will be back with new episodes starting December 17! We’ve got a gaggle of mystery sounds, so many great questions to answer and surprises in store. We can’t wait for you to tune into our next season!

Molly’s got a case of poetry fever, and she’s ready to rhyme! She’s testing out her newest stash of stanzas on her pals, Marc and Sanden. They’ll have to guess the animals featured in four of Molly’s poems. It’s a case of versus AND verses in the…MYSTERY ANIMAL POETRY SLAM CHALLENGE! 

Usually, bonus episodes like this are exclusively for Smarty Pass subscribers but this month we’re sharing them with all our listeners. If you like this bonus episode and want to hear fun games every month, plus ad-free episodes, sign up for Smarty Pass.

Did you know Brains On host Molly Bloom likes to collect things? Oh yeah, she has a collection of doorknobs, stickers, Dolly Parton-themed rugs, and even a collection of collective nouns! Her collection of collective nouns is so great she has a new game just to show them off. Join producers Sanden Totten and Ruby Guthrie as they play Noun Noun!

To get more bonus episodes like this every month, sign up for Smarty Pass at SmartyPass.org.

According to legend, vampires are creatures with pale skin and sharp teeth who drink blood. These creepy ghouls are not real, but in this episode, we'll meet some vampire animals that do exist!

Join Molly and co-host Quinn as they learn about all kinds of bloodsuckers, from mosquitos to birds to fish! They'll hear about vampire bats from Dr. May Dixon. Then Molly will share her top eight reasons to love vampire squids! Mr. Bonejangles will also give us a sneak peek of his new musical, Squiddler on the Roof, plus a spooky new mystery sound!

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

Today’s episode is sponsored by:

• 
  

• Norton Books

  
  

• Wild Interest - Let your kids' imaginations run wild and check out the new podcast Wild Interest wherever you get your podcasts. wildinterest.com

  
  

• Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson

  
  

• Help your kids learn to earn, save, spend wisely, and invest with Greenlight, the debit card and money app for teens. Visit Greenlight.com/inclined.
  

  
  
  

Molly has her sparkly special suit on which means it’s time for GAME SHOW MOLLY! Game show Molly is just like regular Molly but with an awesome new game! Grab your smarty pass to hear Molly’s new rhyming game.

Every sneeze is like a snowflake. Unique, beautiful, wet! Sneezes help our noses get rid of stuff that’s not supposed to be there, like dust, dirt, or pollen. But how fast do sneezes travel? And how exactly does our body make them?

Join Molly and co-host Anna as they explore the science behind sneezes, snot, and boogers! They’ll take a tour inside Marc's nose and watch a daredevil booger attempt to break the sneeze speed record! Then they’ll learn all about nasal mucus from otolaryngologist a.k.a. self-described professional snot sucker, Dr. Andrew Redmann. Plus a honker of a mystery sound!

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

Today’s episode is sponsored by:

• 
  

• Norton Books

  
  

• Wild Interest - Let your kids' imaginations run wild and check out the new podcast Wild Interest wherever you get your podcasts. wildinterest.com

  
  

• Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson

  
  

• Help your kids learn to earn, save, spend wisely, and invest with Greenlight, the debit card and money app for teens. Visit Greenlight.com/inclined.
  

  
  
  

People who are blind or have low vision use different tools to navigate the world. One of the most common is called a white cane. White canes are long, thin, and lightweight with a handle on one end and a special tip on the other.

Join Molly and co-host Jaden as they explore how white canes work. They’ll log into an interactive game called Cane Quest 3000 where they'll use white canes to move through a fantastical world and capture a bunch of tiny, yodeling aliens! Then they’ll link up with Brains On fan Phoenix to chat about what it’s like to use white canes on the day-to-day. All that, plus a puzzler of a mystery sound!

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

Today’s episode is sponsored by:

- Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson

- Help your kids learn to earn, save, spend wisely, and invest with Greenlight, the debit card and money app for teens. Visit Greenlight.com/inclined.

Here in the U.S., we’re gearing up for the 2024 election! We’re about to vote to pick a new president and choose other leaders too. Maybe you’ve seen yard signs for different candidates around your neighborhood or campaign commercials on TV. All this election fever got us wondering: how do different animals pick their leaders?

Join Molly and cohost Emily as they get to know some of the wildest leaders in the animal kingdom, from tiny ants to orca whales. Plus, they’ll learn about a special group of monkeys that vote! And as always, a new mystery sound!

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

Today’s episode is sponsored by:

- Indeed.com/brainson - Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with code brainson

- Help your kids learn to earn, save, spend wisely, and invest with Greenlight, the debit card and money app for teens. Visit Greenlight.com/inclined.