STEM Archives - The Children's Hour

Roots are everywhere! They grow under trees, flowers, and even the food we eat. In this episode of The Children's Hour, we dig deep into the ground to learn about roots and how they help our planet. Roots do more than just hold a plant in place—they gather water and nutrients from the soil, helping plants grow tall and strong. Some roots are so powerful that they can break through concrete, while...

Learn all about sloths with author Georgeanne Irvine from the San Diego Zoo, and biologist Sam Trull from the Sloth Institute in Manuel Antonio Costa Rica. Find out how we can all help protect sloths. This episode comes with a hands-on Learn-Along guide. Find the full episode page with the learning guide at https://childrenshour.org/sloths Sloths live in the tropical rainforests of Central and Sou...

Have you ever wondered about the mighty eagle, the king of the skies? In this episode of The Children’s Hour, we take flight with these incredible birds. Eagles are known for their sharp eyesight, powerful wings, and majestic presence. They’re also important symbols in cultures around the world, representing strength and freedom. Find this episode page at https://childrenshour.org/eagles We explor...

This time on The Children's Hour, the Kids Crew get aboard the JOIDES Resolution, virtually, while the ship is at sea off the coast of Portugal. We meet Amy Mayer, the Onboard Outreach Officer for the JOIDES Expedition 397, and research fellow Saray Sanchez.  Find the full episode post at https://www.childrenshour.org/the-bottom-of-the-sea/ We learn how the JOIDES brings up core samples from the o...

In this episode of The Children’s Hour, the Kids Crew dives into the captivating realm of great apes, featuring orangutans, chimpanzees, and gorillas. Special guest Michelle Desilets from Forests for Orangutans shares insights into the behaviors, lifestyles, and struggles of these remarkable animals. We also visit the Albuquerque BioPark Zoo to get an up-close look at chimpanzees. Join us for an e...

In this episode of The Children’s Hour, we explore the fascinating world of archaeology. The show was recorded live at the New Mexico Office of Archaeological Studies during International Archaeology Day. We meet three amazing guests: Dr. Eric Blinman, Mary Weahkee, and Marlon Magdalena, who each help us understand how archaeology uncovers the past. Dr. Blinman talks about how archaeologists caref...

In this episode of The Children's Hour, we dive into the amazing world of bugs! Entomologist Jason Schaller from Albuquerque Biopark’s Bugarium joins us to teach us all about these fascinating creatures. We learn why bugs are so important to our planet and even how some of them can be a part of our diets! From bug biology to tasty cricket tacos, this episode will leave you buzzing with excitement....

Running is more than just a pass time. It's more than just a form of exercise. For runners, running brings a deeper sense of calm and peace. This time on The Children's Hour we meet with multiple runners whose running influences their physical, spiritual, and social lives, including a blind Olympic champion runner George Mendoza, kids and others from the indigenous club Running Medicine, and Rep....

This time on The Children's Hour, we're joined by three cave biologists who are researching life underground. Learn the basics of caves, spelunking, and hear about cutting edge research into extremophiles. Plus we explore some of the world's most extraordinary caves. Learn with us! The Kids Crew and Katie are joined by three cave biologists who are researching life underground. Dr. Diana Northup i...

This time on The Children's Hour, we learn what watersheds are, and how they are impacted by forest fires. All over the world, people rely upon watersheds for drinking water, irrigating farmland, and for ecosystems. We are joined by educators from the New Mexico Watershed and Forest Restoration Institute, Natalia Shaw and Raymundo Melendez, along with educator and ecologist Dr. Krista Bonfantine.

This time on The Children's Hour we get onboard and learn about trains. The Kids Crew went on a field trip to The Wheels Museum of Albuquerque, and discovered the rich history of railroads. Learn with us!

This time on The Children's Hour, we go far out into space with Dr. Katie Mack, a theoretical astrophysicist whose current focus is on the timeline of the universe, from its birth through its death, billions of years from now.

This time on The Children's Hour, we learn about one of the planet's most ancient species that's still around today: lungfish. Dr. Irene Salinas is a immunologist who is unlocking the secrets to these creatures' incredible ability to survive in the most unlikely of circumstances. Learn with us!

This week on The Children’s Hour, where does our tap water come from, and where does it end up when we flush or wash it down the drain? Our water system is circular, from the Rio Grande and back again. In the meantime, it goes through pipes to homes, and down the drains when it's dirty. How do they clean it for drinking, and then clean it again after it's gross? And what role do tardigrades play?...

It's Earth Day on The Children's Hour, and we meet Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM) who explains how National Parks and National Wilderness areas are created. Kids can play a big part! Then, Evan tells us about the Junior Ranger program. Biologists and authors Lily and Barbara Kingsolver share about their new book, Coyote's Wild Home. Learn with us!

What’s wild about your backyard? This time on The Children’s Hour we explore creating a backyard or balcony to attract wildlife, in a visit with a “more than human geographer” Laurel Ladwig. She’s part of a movement of reconciliation ecologists who are encouraging people to increase habitats around our homes to help critters who need more nectar, pollen, shade and food to survive in our artificial...

Our planet is alive, and not just because it enables life to live here, but also the land on Earth is constantly shifting and moving. This time on The Children's Hour we learn about our earthquakes from science communicator and geologist, Dr. Wendy Rocks. Then we hear about volcanoes from Dr. Mousumi Roy. We explore what causes earthquakes and volcanoes, and how scientists can (or cannot) predict...

This time on The Children's Hour, we learn about a canine that is thriving across North America: coyotes. They may look like wild dogs, but we learn from biologist Zoe Rossman that they are quite different from our friendly house pets.

This time on The Children's Hour we are falling into autumn in the northern hemisphere. We learn about equinox, and hear from 5th graders on learning different perspectives about Labor Day, Mexican Independence Day, and Columbus Day.

The Kids Crew learn the science, history, and current schedule of vaccination from Newberry Honor author Dr. Rajani Larocca, and from the Center for Disease Control's Dr. Georgina Peacock. Plus we meet Dr. Richard Corsi, a pioneer of the cheap D-I-Y air purifier.

Celebrate The Children's Hour's fifth birthday in a show full of memorable moments from our last five years, and mixed with some of our favorite tunes.

This week we explore a creature that used to live throughout the mountain west United States, the elusive black footed ferret. Once declared extinct, the highly endangered specialist predator may make a comeback in the North American prairie thanks in part to our guest, Paul Marinari, Senior Curator at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute at the National Zoo.

This time on The Children's Hour, we learn about parasites. Parasitologists Dr. Matt Bolek and Dr. Sarah Bush join our Kids Crew for a lively discussion.

The Kids Crew is joined by Charles Bergman who is a writer, photographer, and speaker and longtime professor at Pacific Lutheran University. He also wrote Every Penguin in the World: A Quest to See Them All.

This time on The Children's Hour we explore the most inexpensive energy source in the world: solar power, in a show recorded live at the Solar Fiesta in Albuquerque New Mexico. Comes with a signature Learn-Along Guide!