Episodes
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Happy holidays! This is a rebroadcast of our chilly Season 7 episode, The Great Seal Count.
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!
Weddell seal recordings in this episode were obtained under NMFS Permit No. 1032-1917. -
This is a rebroadcast of one of our favorite episodes from Season 8!
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.
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 on the blog on our website, www.sciencepodcastforkids.com. -
Missing episodes?
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This is a re-airing of our award-winning episode The Swift Quake! This episode won the AAAS Kavli Silver Medal Award for excellence in Children's Science News, as well as a Signal Award for kid's podcasts. Give it a listen!
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.
If you'd like to support Tumble, there's more than one way to do it! You can join our Patreon and get birthday shout outs if you support us at the $5 level or higher. You can also consider donating to our new non-profit organization, Tumble Education Inc.! Our aim is to support freely accessible, high quality educational audio content. Just go donate here. -
What does it feel like to be in space? That’s what Elijah wants to know. So we’re taking off on a zero-gravity flight to find out! Guest reporter Jason Strother shares the story of Sheri Wells-Jensen, a blind scientist who is paving the way for people with disabilities to go to space.
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.
Learn more about Sheri on the bonus interview episode on our Patreon, at patreon.com/tumblepodcast.
Check out the blog on sciencepodcastforkids.com for more info! -
Are cats evil? Are they hatching a plot to take over the world? Or are they just misunderstood? Scientist and cat expert Mikel Maria Delgado will tell us how the domestication of cats and dogs changed the way we think of our pets today, and she’ll explain how scientists of all ages can study cat preferences (or purr-fur-ences). Plus, she’ll share some tips on cat do’s and don’ts, so we can learn how to be better friends to our kitty companions.
For more information about Mikel and more on cat science, visit our website at sciencepodcastforkids.com, where we'll have resources, videos, and more.
For ad-free versions of the episode and a birthday shout-out, go support Tumble on Patreon at patreon.com/tumblepodcast. -
How do species evolve? Find out in the shocking conclusion of our Monkeyflower mystery series! Plant biologist David Lowry has been tracking down clues to solve the question of why plants look different - and the yellow monkeyflower is more than a suspect. Now, it’s time to take his detective skills up a notch, and use the science of DNA. A twisted discovery will flip the case - and lead to a new chapter in understanding how life evolves.
Hear more from our interview with David, on the special bonus interview episode that’s available to Patreon members who pledge at the $1 level or higher at patreon.com/tumblepodcast.
Check out David’s monkeyflower mystery comic book on our blog at sciencepodcastforkids.com!
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under grant 2153100: IMAGiNE: The genetic, developmental, and physiological mechanisms of plant local adaptation to oceanic salt spray. -
Why do plants grow in different places? How do they adapt to different environments? And what makes them different species? Those are the questions that drove biologist David Lowry to begin a 20 year study of a shape-shifting plant called the yellow monkeyflower. It begins with a road trip, and ends up questioning everything you think you know about the definition of species. Get ready for a wild, plant-fueled ride into science!
Hear more from our interview with David, on the special bonus interview episode that’s available to Patreon members who pledge at the $1 level or higher at patreon.com/tumblepodcast.
Check out photos and video of the yellow monkeyflower on our blog at sciencepodcastforkids.com!
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under grant 2153100: IMAGiNE: The genetic, developmental, and physiological mechanisms of plant local adaptation to oceanic salt spray. -
Ever wondered how dinosaurs left their footprints behind millions of years ago? We embark on a prehistoric adventure with renowned paleontologist Paul Olsen! Discover the secrets behind dinosaur tracks and how these ancient prints can tell us incredible stories about the lives of dinosaurs. From the science of fossilization to what these footprints reveal about dinosaur behavior and habitats, Paul Olsen will guide us through the fascinating world of these mysteries left in stone - and share how he discovered thousands of dino tracks when he was just a kid.
Join us on a Dino Map Adventure at nepm.org/dinomap! We’ve created a free audio tour to explore the science and history of dinosaur tracks in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts. Lindsay and Marshall will guide you through the place where dinosaur footprints were first discovered - and put you on the path to becoming dino track explorers! Dinosaur Adventures in the Pioneer Valley are supported by The Bement School, The Center School, and HCS Headstart.
If you like this episode, consider supporting Tumble on Patreon by going to patreon.com/tumblepodcast. Get ad-free episodes for just $1 a month! -
What do you call a scientist who studies poop? A poopologist! We’re exploring the stinky science of “poopology” at the zoo, to discover what poop can tell us about animal behavior! Poopologist Laurel Wescott, at the Oregon Zoo, will take us on a journey to find how chemicals found in animal poop can help zoo animals stay healthy. Plus, she’ll clue us in on the “cutest” and most surprising poops, and so much more!
For more information about Laurel and the poop she studies, visit our website at sciencepodcastforkids.com, where we'll have resources, videos, and more.
For ad-free versions of the episode and a birthday shout-out, go support Tumble on Patreon at 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 a rebroadcast of one of our favorite episodes from Season 8. We hope you enjoyed it! It was selected as a rebroadcast favorite by our supporters on Patreon, and if you want to vote on future events or hear more on our bonus interview episodes, just go support us on Patreon at the $1 level or higher at patreon.com/tumblepodcast.
You can also buy tickets for our DinoTastic live performance in Brooklyn at bit.ly/DinoTastic
Free resources, including a transcript, are available on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com
Check out our new Tumble t-shirts and merch: tumblepodcast.threadless.com -
This is a rebroadcast of one of our favorite episodes from the past. Do bugs have elbows? That’s what Clare wants to know. 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.
To go see our live performance in Brooklyn, go to http://bit.ly/DinoTastic for tickets! -
This is a rebroadcast of one of our favorite episodes from Season 8! This was voted on by our patrons on Patreon--if you want to help us pick our next AND FINAL REBROADCAST OF THE SUMMER--just go to patreon.com/tumblepodcast and vote. You don't have to be a supporter to vote, but we'd appreciate it if you were!
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. If you're an upper elementary teacher, and you'd like to join our project for Year 3, just go to this link and fill out the survey: https://bit.ly/SSPTeacherY3. Our research team will contact you later if you are selected.
Sounds in the episode are courtesy of Astreos and Cricket Ambi by VMan533 on freesound.org -
This is an encore episode, picked by our Patreon supporters. If you want to go vote for our next encore, just go to patreon.com/tumblepodcast to go vote! You don't have to be a patreon supporter to vote, but it does help!
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.
If you want to buy tickets to our live event in West Stockbridge, go to bit.ly/TumbleLive! We'd love to see you there! -
Happy Halloween! We’re headed to Candy Land, a sugary laboratory where mathematicians found a mysterious candy dagger appear - over and over again. So gather up your candy box, and let’s discover out why mathematicians are studying candy to understand the real-life landscapes around us. Mathematician Leif Ristroph shares how he stumbled into making sweet experiments.
Want to learn more about the reason behind Leif’s experiments? Listen to our bonus interview episode, available for Patrons at the $1/level a month or higher. Pledge now at Patreon.com/tumblepodcast!
We have Leif’s special recipe for “research-grade candy” on our website. Check it out on the blog at sciencepodcastforkids.com!
Want to see Lindsay and Marshall perform LIVE at the Foundry in West Stockbridge, MA? Go get tickets here. -
This is an encore of one of our favorite episodes from Season 5! If you'd like to help us choose our next episode, go to our Patreon and VOTE! You don't have to pledge to support us in order to vote, but if you do we'd appreciate it a ton!
What’s it like to be a kid doing experiments in one of the most famous science places in the world? Oscar and Mae Johnson were nine and twelve when they traveled to the Galapagos Islands with their scientist dad. The Galapagos are isolated tropical islands made famous by Charles Darwin, who came up with the theory of evolution based on his research there. Mae and Oscar followed in Darwin’s footsteps. With help from their parents, they conducted their own research and got it published in a scientific journal - a big deal for scientists of every age! Hear Mae and Oscar tell their own story of science discovery in this episode.
See photos of Oscar and Mae doing their experiment on our blog at sciencepodcastforkids.com! We also have more resources to learn about the Galapagos there.
Want to learn more about Mae and Oscar’s great science adventure and experiments? We have a special bonus interview episode available for our Patrons. Just pledge $1/month for this and all our scientist interviews at patreon.com/tumblepodcast. -
This is a summer encore episode of one of our favorite episodes from Season 4 of Tumble!
Do you love fossils, adventure, and spending time in small spaces? If so, you could become an underground astronaut! Marina Elliot, Becca Peixotto, and Kenni Molopyane found this unusual job description through a Facebook ad, and landed deep inside a cave that few people can access. The team of archeologists talked to Tumble in the middle of excavating Homo Naledi, one of the biggest recent discoveries on the human family tree. Find out how they squeeze through a 7 inch gap on their daily commute, and how their work could change the way we understand early human history.
If you want to vote on Tumble's next re-broadcast for the summer, go to https://bit.ly/SummerTravelPoll and vote!
While you're there, think about subscribing at the $5 level or higher to get birthday shout outs, interview extras, and more! -
Is it possible to build a time machine? Can we time travel someday? That’s what Tumble listener Willa wants to know. Clifford Johnson, a theoretical physicist and film consultant, says that there’s real science behind the time travel - and he’ll tell us what it takes to do it.
To learn more about time travel, go visit our blog at sciencepodcastforkids.com, where you can find all sorts of awesome resources to go along with this episode.
This is our last episode of season 9! If you like what we do, why not support our show on Patreon? Just go to patreon.com/tumblepodcast and support us at any level for ad-free episodes, or for $5 a month you can hear a happy birthday wish on our show.
Visit our Threadless shop to get awesome tumble t-shirts: tumblepodcast.threadless.com -
How do scientists find out if an asteroid might hit our planet? And what do they do if it’s on a collision course with Earth? We’ll meet a planetary defender - an astronomer who uses radar telescopes to defend our planet from space rocks! Edgard Rivera Valentín grew up in Puerto Rico, next to Arecibo, the world’s most powerful radar telescope. Hear the story of how Edgard became a scientist superhero, and the supervillain asteroids they’re up against.
A bonus interview episode with Edgard is available to Patreon members who pledge at the $1 level or higher at patreon.com/tumblepodcast.
Check out more resources about Arecibo and asteroids on our blog, at sciencepodcastforkids.com.
Listen to Tumble en Español! Search for “Tumble en Español” wherever you get your podcasts, or on our website under “En Español.” -
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 - Show more
