Short & Curly

There's wild surf at the beach today, but people are still choosing to swim outside the area patrolled by lifeguards. If those swimmers get into trouble out there, should other people put themselves at risk to save them? Or does ignoring the warnings mean you're on your own? Brains Trust — Gibbs Street Public School, Perth: Fitzroy, Shahla, Jorja, Nafi, Tabitha, Gumaan Listen to Short & Curly,...

Most dogs are loving companions, but what about the ones that bite, bark, or cause chaos? Is a dog's bad behaviour their own fault or is it down to the way they were raised? From neglected pups to misunderstood mutts, we dig into the debate: Who's really responsible when a dog goes rogue, and what should we do about it? Brains Trust — Gibbs Street Public School, Perth: Layla, Avjot, Johanna, Imoge...

The line between truth and deception can be blurry. Is leaving out important information a lie? What about misleading gestures, or half-truths? Babysitting Matt's kids force Molly and Carl to confront these complexities firsthand as they lie to get out of tricky situations. Summer Hill Public School: Dimitri, Mia, Teddy, Milla, Cleo, Marcus

Join Molly and Carl as they valiantly attempt a world record sailing around the globe on their boat, the Theseus. Faced with a constant need for boat repairs, they are forced to confront a perplexing question: how many changes can you make to something before it's no longer the same thing it started out as? South Wagga Public School: Noah, Lucas, Jasmine, Hunter, Olivia

Molly and Carl visit Greece in search of the mythical "Scroll of Rights and Wrongs", an ancient guide written by the smartest person to have ever lived: Adamantia The Wise*. The elusive ancient text contains the ultimate guide to morality, but what does it say? South Wagga Public School: Noah, Lucas, Jasmine, Hunter, Olivia *definitely not a real person and very much the invention of Molly & C...

Have you ever had a fight with your sibling over who should get to keep something? In a small village a long time ago, Queen Ethiconia had to settle a dispute between three siblings fighting over a musical instrument they all want and all think they deserve: a wooden recorder. Each says the recorder should be theirs, but for very different, compelling reasons. So, who should get the flute? You dec...

As a kid, Matt, our resident ethicist, was always flat out. He juggled volunteering in the school veggie garden, playing sports, sibling duties, music practice, and chores around the house. After a while, it started to feel overwhelming, even though they were all important responsibilities that he cared about! But do humans try to do too much and is okay to just simply do nothing when there are so...

See if you can work out which episodes these classic Matt moments are from as we say goodbye (but hopefully not forever) to our wonderful ethicist Matt Beard.

You are enjoying a walk with your four-legged friend, when they do a big stinker on the street. Don't worry — you're prepared! You've brought the dog poo bags! But do you really have to carry the smelly parcel of poo all the way home? Is it okay to put your dog poo in someone else's bin? Thanks to Genevieve for this stinky dilemma!

Everyone says it's good to be kind and that acts of kindness can make the world a better place. But often we aren't as kind as we could or should be. So should we pay people to be kind? Would it make the world a better place? Thank you to Pepper for this awesome question!

It's fun to hang out with our friends, but sometimes we need a bit of alone time. Maybe you want to listen to your favourite music and sing along loudly. Or curl up in a special place and read a book. So should you always say yes if someone asks if they can come over to your house?   Thanks to Melissa for this curly question! 

We all love getting presents, but what about when you get a gift you don't like and will never use? So what should you do with unwanted gifts? Is it ok to give them away or do you have to keep them forever?  Thanks to Oscar for this curious question!

It must be hard work being a teacher and trying to get a classroom of kids to behave. But is it ok for teachers to bribe kids with lollies to get them to be good?  Thanks to Milly for this curious question! 

There's drama. There's competition. And there's usually a few tears as well. Reality TV takes everyday people and throws them into weird and exciting and sometimes stressful situations. But is it really real? And is it fair? And should we watch these shows at all? Brains Trust – Linden Park Primary School, Adelaide – Linda, Elina, Jescinta, Dhyana, Siera, Justine

Right this very moment, are you awake or are you dreaming? You're awake, right? But are you sure? Maybe you're just in the middle of a very realistic dream? Philosophers have been debating this question for centuries. And we are going to solve it today! Or are we? Brains Trust – Linden Park Primary School, Adelaide – Genevieve, Grace, Alexa, Poppy, Chelsea, Sophie

Molly and Carl have just found out that some people earn a lot more money than they do, and this just makes no cents (pun intended). So how do we decide what different types of jobs should be paid? What about if those jobs are dangerous? If they take many years of training and study? Or if they will make the world a better place? Brains Trust – Linden Park Primary School, Adelaide – Genevieve, Gra...

Would you like to learn to speak whale language at school instead of Italian or Mandarin? Molly and Carl go on a deep-sea mission to test a new translation device that will let them talk to whales. But even if they manage to make the technology work, will they be able to truly understand each other? Come dive with us and find out. Brains Trust – Linden Park Primary School, Adelaide – Ivy, Finn, Ol...

Did you know rats are very smart and curious creatures? They laugh when they are tickled, they can take care of each other, and they are actually quite clean. Millions of them are also used in painful scientific experiments to test new drugs and medical theories. Researchers do all this to help humans. But some say these animals deserve a better life. So, what should we do? Brains Trust – Linden P...

Our parents have their own beliefs, and they'll often try to teach us to have the same. Must we believe what our parents believe? Is it disrespectful to question it? A big thank you to Hazel for this curly question!

You get an award at school, your dog learns a new trick, or your mum lands a great job – they're all moments we can be proud of. When that pride swells inside, it makes us want to tell the whole world! But is it being proud of yourself or just showing off? What's the difference?

There's nothing like munching on your favourite snacks and watching all your favourite shows and movies. You're not making lots of noise or bothering anyone too. So, why can't you watch TV all day? Thank you to Amelia and Evie for the great question!

We see advertisements all the time. There are companies that say their yoghurt can make us smarter or their pillows will help us sleep better. Some even say their clothes or cars will help the environment! They may not be lying, but they're also not telling the whole truth. So, is it okay to advertise things that aren't true? Thank you to Ahuva for this colourful question! We also love 'Who wants...

It's always different when you visit or go past another school. They have different teachers, buildings, books, and activities. Sometimes they even have private football fields and really fancy computers! So, is it okay for some schools to have more money than others? What about those of us who can't attend those fancy, rich schools?

Molly is a superfan of the singer Jackfruit Jones (don't try Googling him, we made him up). But she's in for a shock when Carl tells her what Jackfruit is like in real life. Jackfruit Jones has done some bad stuff! So should she keep listening to his music? And can you dislike the artist and still love the art? Brains Trust – Westmead Public School, Sydney: Swetha, Reyansh, Anirudh, Reya, Kushagra...

We all know Carl loves cats. But did you know that Carl is actually a super-rich millionaire who loves cats so much that when he dies, he wants his vast fortune to be spent on trying to teach cats to read? Which might actually be impossible! Should people get to decide what happens with their money after they are gone? Even if what they want is ridiculous? Brains Trust – Westmead Public School, Sy...