Tidbits with Titus Podcast

What Is Smelling? Smelling is how we sense different things in the air, like fresh cookies baking or a field of flowers. Our noses have tiny parts called receptors that pick up scent particles from the air and send messages to our brain. This tells us what we are smelling! Snakes don’t use their noses the same way we do. Instead, they use a special organ in their mouth called the Jacobson’s organ...

Why Do We Get Dizzy When We Spin Around? That strange, wobbly feeling is called dizziness! But why does it happen? Let’s take a fun journey to learn what happens inside our bodies when we spin and why we get dizzy! Hello my friends! For a quick note, welcome to Tidbits with Titus, a podcast and newsletter where we tackle the big, curious questions kids ask every day in fun, bite-sized ways! I’m Al...

What Is Stomach Growling? Stomach growling is a sound that comes from your belly when you’re hungry—or sometimes even when you’re not! The noise happens when your stomach and intestines are working, moving food and air around. Scientists have a special name for this sound: borborygmi (say it like this: bor-buh-RIG-mee). It’s a funny word, but it just means the rumbling sounds inside your tummy. He...

What Is Hair Made Of? Hair might seem like just something that grows out of your head, but it’s actually made of a strong protein called keratin . Keratin is the same material that makes up your fingernails and even animal claws! Every single strand of hair is made of keratin, but the way this protein is arranged changes the shape of the hair. Hello my friends! For a quick note, welcome to Tidbits...

What Is a Planet? A planet is a big, round object that orbits, or moves around, a star. In our solar system, we have eight planets, and they all travel around the Sun. Some planets are made of rock, like Earth, while others are made of gas, like Jupiter. But no matter what they are made of, all planets have some things in common—they are round, they orbit a star, and they have enough gravity to cl...

How Does a Tadpole Turn into a Frog? They go through an amazing transformation to become the hopping, croaking creatures we know as frogs. This change is called metamorphosis. Let’s take a journey through the life cycle of a frog and discover how a tadpole turns into a frog! Hello my friends! For a quick note, welcome to Tidbits with Titus, a podcast and newsletter where we tackle the big, curious...

What Makes Socks Smelly? Your feet work hard every day, and when they’re inside shoes and socks, they get warm and sweaty. That’s the perfect place for tiny creatures called bacteria to have a party! These bacteria love to munch on the sweat and dead skin on your feet, and when they do, they release smelly gases. That’s what makes your socks stink! Hello my friends! For a quick note, welcome to Ti...

What is Daylight Savings Time? Daylight Savings Time (DST) is when we move our clocks forward by one hour in the spring and move them back by one hour in the fall. This change helps us use the sunlight better during different seasons. * In the spring , we “spring forward” and set our clocks one hour ahead . This means we get more daylight in the evening but lose an hour of sleep that night. * In t...

Meet the Lice! Lice (say it like this: ly-sss ) are tiny insects that live in hair. They are so small that you need a magnifying glass or a microscope to see them clearly. They have six tiny legs with claws, which help them grab onto hair and move around easily. There are different types of lice, but the kind that children usually get are called head lice . These little critters love to live on hu...

What Is a Planet? A planet is a big, round object that orbits (or moves around) a star. Earth is a planet that orbits the Sun. There are other planets in our solar system, like Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Scientists have also found thousands of planets outside our solar system. These are called exoplanets! Hello my friends! For a quick note, welcome to Tidbits with Titus, a podcast and newsletter w...

What Is a Rocket? A rocket is a special type of vehicle designed to travel very fast and very high. Unlike cars, which roll on wheels, or airplanes, which glide on wings, rockets shoot straight up into the sky! They use an incredible amount of energy to break free from Earth’s gravity and reach space. Hello my friends! For a quick note, welcome to Tidbits with Titus, a podcast and newsletter where...

What Are Constellations? A constellation is a group of stars that form a pattern when we look at them from Earth. Long ago, people imagined these patterns as animals, mythical creatures, gods, and everyday objects. Different cultures around the world have named and told stories about constellations for thousands of years! Some famous constellations include: * The Big Dipper – Looks like a spoon or...

What Exactly Is an Asteroid? An asteroid is a big chunk of rock that orbits the Sun. They are smaller than planets but bigger than meteoroids (which are even tinier space rocks). Asteroids come in different shapes and sizes—some are as small as a car, while others are as big as a whole city! Hello my friends! For a quick note, welcome to Tidbits with Titus, a podcast and newsletter where we tackle...

A Hole in Space? A black hole isn’t a hole like the one you dig in the sand. It’s actually a place in space where gravity is so strong that nothing—not even light—can escape! That’s why we call it a “black” hole. Since no light can get out, it looks completely dark. Hello my friends! For a quick note, welcome to Tidbits with Titus, a podcast and newsletter where we tackle the big, curious question...

What Is Mars? 🪐 Mars is a planet in our solar system. It is the fourth planet from the Sun , right after Earth. The planets in our solar system are: ☀️ Mercury – The closest planet to the Sun, super hot!☀️ Venus – A very cloudy planet with lots of poisonous gas.☀️ Earth – Our home! The only planet we know with life. 🌍☀️ Mars – The Red Planet ! 🔴☀️ Jupiter – The biggest planet with a giant storm...

What Is Space Like? 🪐 Space is the huge, black, and endless area beyond Earth’s sky. It’s full of planets, stars, and galaxies , but there is one very important thing missing— air! Here’s what makes space so different from Earth: 🌬️ No Air – There is no oxygen to breathe.🧊 Super Cold or Super Hot – It can be freezing cold or burning hot , depending on where you are.🛰️ No Gravity – There’s no for...

What Is the International Space Station? The International Space Station is a huge space lab that orbits the Earth . It is like a giant floating house where astronauts live and work . The ISS travels around our planet super fast —it goes around Earth once every 90 minutes! That means astronauts see 16 sunrises and 16 sunsets every day! Hello my friends! For a quick note, welcome to Tidbits with Ti...

How Do Our Eyes Work? 👀 Your eyes are like tiny cameras that help you see the world around you. They take in light and send messages to your brain, which tells you what you’re looking at. But sometimes, eyes don’t work perfectly , and that’s when glasses can help! Here’s how seeing works: 1️⃣ Light enters your eye through a clear part called the cornea .2️⃣ The light then goes through the lens ,...

What Is a Desert? A desert is a place that gets very little rain . Some deserts are hot (like the Sahara), and some are cold (like Antarctica)! But most people think of deserts as hot, dry places full of sand . For a place to be called a desert , it must get less than 10 inches (25 cm) of rain a year. That’s not much water! Since deserts are so dry, not many plants or animals can live there—but th...

What Makes a Glacier? Have you ever seen a picture of a giant frozen river? Or maybe you've heard of the big icy lands where polar bears and penguins live? Those huge icy formations are called glaciers ! But what exactly is a glacier, and how does it form? Let’s go on an icy adventure to learn all about these frozen giants! ❄️🏔️ Hello my friends! For a quick note, welcome to Tidbits with Titus, a...

What Happens to Our Fingers in Water? When you jump into a pool, take a bath, or play in the rain, your hands and feet soak up water . But after about five to ten minutes , something interesting happens—your fingertips and toes get all wrinkly and bumpy ! These wrinkles don’t happen anywhere else on your body. Your arms, legs, and face stay smooth, even if you stay in the water for a long time. So...

What Is Balance? Balance is the ability to stay upright and steady when you’re standing, walking, jumping, or moving. It helps you: ✔️ Walk without tripping✔️ Ride a bike without falling✔️ Dance without tipping over✔️ Stand still without wobbling Without balance, even simple things like standing up straight would be hard to do! Your brain, muscles, eyes, and ears all work together to keep you bala...

What Are Freckles? Freckles are tiny dots of color on the skin. They can be light brown, dark brown, reddish, or even golden . Most freckles show up on places where the sun touches your skin the most, like your face, arms, and shoulders . Freckles aren’t bumps or something you can feel —they’re just spots of color ! And guess what? They don’t hurt or cause any problems. They’re just part of what m...

What Are Hiccups, Anyway? Hiccups happen because of a special muscle in your body called the diaphragm (say it with me: DIE-uh-fram ). The diaphragm is a big, strong muscle right under your lungs. It helps you breathe in and out all day long without you even thinking about it! But sometimes, the diaphragm gets a little jumpy and pulls down too quickly. This makes you suddenly suck in air really fa...

How Do Dolphins Talk to Each Other? But how do dolphins talk if they don’t have words like we do? How do they tell each other important things like where food is or when there’s danger nearby? Let’s dive into the underwater world of dolphins and learn how these amazing creatures “talk” to each other! Hello my friends! For a quick note, welcome to Tidbits with Titus, a podcast and newsletter where...