Little Ears Big Ideas

How did wolves become dogs? Lily and Max follow the clues back to the Ice Age, exploring how some wolves may have begun living near people and how natural selection gradually shaped their relationship. With ancient DNA, campfire scraps and a few very alert dogs, discover the long story behind one of our oldest animal friendships.

After discovering how toilets flush, Lily and Max follow the journey beyond the pipes. They explore how treatment plants remove rubbish, separate solids, and use helpful microorganisms to clean wastewater. Where does the treated water go and what happens to the solids? Find out in this curious, kid-friendly look at the hidden journey behind every flush.

Why are trees so important to our survival? Lily and Max explore the many jobs trees do: helping produce oxygen, storing carbon, providing food and shade, supporting the water cycle, protecting soil and creating homes for wildlife. Discover how trees connect to the air, water and living things we all depend on, and why caring for forests and woodlands matters.

In this episode, Lily and Max discover how glasses bend light to help it focus clearly inside the eye and why that can make the world look sharper. They also talk about simple habits that support healthy eyes, while learning that needing glasses isn’t something to worry about. Tune in for a bright, clear look at how our eyes and glasses work together!

In this episode, Lily and Max explore why there are so many different animal species. They follow the branches of the animal family tree and discover how inherited differences, changing habitats and groups becoming separated can lead to new species over many generations. Along the way, they learn that animals don’t choose to evolve and that Earth’s animal story is still unfolding.

In this episode, Lily and Max explore why we get goosebumps when we’re cold, frightened, excited, or moved by music. They discover how tiny muscles pull hairs upright, why this reaction may have helped our furry ancestors, and where the name “goosebumps” comes from.

In this playful episode of Little Ears, Big Ideas, Max and Lily explore whether monkeys can eat too many bananas. Kids learn that even healthy foods can be a problem in huge amounts, and that wild monkeys actually eat lots of different foods, not just bananas. A fun, silly question turns into a gentle lesson about balance, bodies, and what animals really eat.

In this episode, Lily and Max follow the clues to discover what makes wind. They explore how differences in air pressure get air moving, why wind can change speed and direction, and how thunderstorms can bring sudden gusts. Plus, Max learns what a “southerly” really means and finds out that even a paper windmill can help us spot the wind!

In this episode, Lily and Max explore why bats hang upside down and discover that it’s a clever way to rest, stay out of reach of some predators, and get ready to fly. With a Halloween twist, they uncover how bats grip a branch while they sleep, perform an upside-down landing, and find food in the dark. It’s a fun, not-so-spooky look at the science behind one of Halloween’s most famous animals!

In this episode, Lily and Max take a playful trip through time to discover why we trick-or-treat at Halloween and why our buckets fill with sweets! 🎃🍬 From harvest celebrations and little soul cakes to costumes, doorstep jokes and lanterns carved from turnips, they explore how centuries of traditions helped shape Halloween today.

In this episode, Lily and Max investigate the grey stuff that holds a brick wall together. Is it really concrete? And how can something soft and squishy turn into a strong bond? Join them for a playful trip inside a brick’s tiny pores to discover what mortar is made of, what happens when cement meets water, and why the way bricks are stacked matters too. You’ll never look at a brick wall quite the...

In this episode, Lily and Max follow energy through a busy day and a good night’s sleep. Where does the energy from our food go when we run and play? And if sleeping uses energy too, why do we wake up feeling refreshed? Discover how our bodies turn food into movement and warmth, and how sleep helps our brains and bodies recover for tomorrow.

In this episode, Lily and Max discover why magnets attract some metals but leave others alone. They go on a magnet hunt, move a paper clip through cardboard, and build a dangling paper clip chain. Along the way, they explore invisible magnetic fields, find out why distance matters, and learn how a material can become a magnet.

In this episode, Lily and Max look under the bonnet to discover how electric cars are different from petrol cars. They explore how petrol engines use tiny controlled bursts, why diesel engines don’t need spark plugs, and how electric motors use batteries and magnetic forces to turn the wheels. They also uncover how hybrid cars combine fuel and electricity, how regenerative braking puts energy back...

In this episode, Lily and Max discover how a tiny seed grows into a whole plant! They peek inside a seed to find the baby plant waiting within, learn what wakes a sleeping seed, and explore how roots know to grow down while shoots reach up toward the light. They also investigate how a delicate shoot pushes through soil, and what happens when a seed doesn’t get the water, warmth or oxygen it needs.

In this scorching episode, Lily and Max discover how Venus’s thick carbon dioxide atmosphere traps heat like an enormous blanket. They also explore Venus’s backwards spin, find out why one Venusian rotation is longer than its year, and learn how scientists use radar to see through its mysterious clouds.

In this episode, Lily and Max investigate how shiny spoons reflect light, discover the difference between convex and concave surfaces, and learn why moving a spoon closer can suddenly flip your reflection again. With a light-ray race, funny stretched faces and an easy experiment to try at home, an ordinary spoon becomes a tiny science laboratory!

In this episode, Lily and Max explore the surprising power of self-talk and why positive words work best when they’re followed by practice and action.

In this episode, Lily and Max explore how moss holds water like a tiny sponge, how wet surfaces reduce friction, and why algae and other microscopic organisms can make moss even more slippery. They also discover why moss loves damp places and how to stay safe on mossy paths, rocks and steps.

In this episode of Little Ears, Big Ideas, Lily and Max dive into the surprisingly clever science hiding inside an everyday toilet. Discover where the flushing water comes from, how gravity helps create that powerful WHOOSH, what a siphon does, why toilets have a bendy trapway, and how the tank magically knows when to stop filling.

In this episode of Little Ears, Big Ideas , Lily and Max explore how animals’ bodies are perfectly suited to the places they live. We’ll discover why legs are so useful on land, how fins and flippers help animals move through water

In this episode of Little Ears, Big Ideas, Lily and Max head beneath the Earth’s surface to discover tectonic plates, faults, seismic waves and the enormous forces that can build up underground. With a simple hands-on experiment, they explore how rocks can get stuck, pressure can build, and a sudden slip can send vibrations travelling through the Earth.

In this episode of Little Ears, Big Ideas , Lily and Max zoom out from Earth to the Solar System, the Milky Way, and far beyond to discover just how enormous space really is.

After a tiny paper cut sparks a very dramatic “emergency,” Lily and Max take a closer look at the amazing stuff flowing through our bodies. Discover the four main parts of blood: plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets , and learn how they work together to carry oxygen, fight germs, deliver nutrients, and patch up cuts.

In this episode, Lily and Max follow the journey from tiny wood fibres and watery pulp to giant drying machines, soft layers and neatly folded tissues in a box.