STEM with Dr. Owl

Crystals grow from cooling magma and mineral-rich water using invisible building blocks called atoms. Join Dr. Owl, Emma, and Ziggy on a subterranean adventure from the glowing Earth's mantle to a secret dripping cave to solve the mystery of the "lava smoothie." You’ll even learn how to build your own crystals at home using simple kitchen ingredients! Learning Connection: NGSS DCI: ESS2.A – Earth...

Learn how microwave ovens use invisible electromagnetic waves to vibrate water molecules and create heat. Join Dr. Owl, curious Emma, and Ziggy the Robot as they discover why soup gets hot faster than crackers and why metal causes sparks inside the oven. Want more fun science? Sign up for our email list at orbitalowl.com to get free materials and experiments related to this episode. Learning Conne...

🖨️ Oh no! Ziggy broke his space helmet latch right before a mission! Join Dr. Owl and Emma as they fire up the lab's 3D printer to save the day. We’ll discover how these amazing machines act like robotic hot glue guns to build objects layer by layer—just like frosting a cake! 🍰 Parents, want to keep the learning going? Sign up for our email list to get useful science materials and activity sheets...

Kids will discover the real-world physics, math, and human biology behind why stopping a high-speed soccer penalty kick is so incredibly difficult. Learn exactly how fast the human brain can react to a 67-mile-per-hour ball and how goalkeepers use visual clues to predict the future. Join the team for a high-speed clapping experiment to test your reaction time and find out if you have what it takes...

Children will learn the physics of the Magnus effect, aerodynamics, and how air pressure causes a spinning soccer ball to bend in flight. Join Emma and Dr. Owl as they investigate a mind-bending World Cup free kick while Ziggy tries to invent the ultimate knuckleball! Discover why a spinning ball creates an uneven push in the air to make a magical, curving shot. Learning Connection: NGSS DCI: PS2....

Children will discover the science behind droughts, evaporation, and the water cycle as they learn what happens when the Earth's natural water supply runs low. Join Emma, Dr. Owl, and Ziggy the Robot as they investigate a crunchy, brown backyard to solve the mystery of the missing water. Find out how plants sweat, where the mountains hide their frozen water, and how you can become an Earth water d...

Discover the science behind what everyday things are made of in this exciting mailbag episode! Join Dr. Owl, Emma, and Ziggy as they rapidly answer listener questions about the materials that make up our world, including the secrets of marker ink, how sand becomes glass, the origins of metal, and the difference between cement and concrete. 

Discover the fascinating plant biology and science behind how maple trees produce sweet, sticky syrup. Join Dr. Owl, Emma, and Ziggy the Robot as they brave a freezing spring forest to investigate how trees store sugar from photosynthesis and use freeze-thaw cycles to push out watery sap. You will also find out exactly how much sap needs to be boiled down just to get enough syrup for Ziggy's giant...

Children will learn the foundational concepts of astronomy and gravity by discovering how space detectives locate invisible black holes in the universe. Join Dr. Owl, Curious Emma, and Ziggy the Robot as they bust the myth of giant space vacuum cleaners, learn what happens when you squeeze a mountain into a marble, and explore the ultimate point of no return! It is an out-of-this-world adventure p...

Discover how volcanoes work, the difference between magma and lava, and why immense underground pressure creates volcanic eruptions. Join Dr. Owl, Emma, and Ziggy as they shake up a fizzy soda experiment to understand how sticky and runny lava shapes our planet. Along the way, explore how these fiery mountains act as Earth's safety valve and build brand-new islands! Learning Connection: NGSS DCI:...

Kids will discover the science behind how bubbles form, the role of soapy surface tension, and the physics of why they always shape into spheres. Join Emma, Dr. Owl, and Ziggy the Robot as they explore why bubbles float on air currents, where their swirling rainbow colors come from, and exactly what causes them to pop. Try the fun wet-finger experiment at home and see if Ziggy can ever make a squa...

Learn the science behind how warm ocean water, rising moisture, and Earth's rotation combine to create massive hurricanes. Join Dr. Owl, Emma, and Ziggy as they build a mini-ocean experiment, discover the quiet "eye" of the storm, and find out the difference between a storm surge and a tsunami! Learning Connection: NGSS DCI: ESS2.D – Weather and Climate

Discover the science behind the fog, the math of Pi, and even what bugs eat in our very first summer mailbag episode! Join Dr. Owl, Emma, and Ziggy as they rapidly answer listener questions about weather patterns, human biology, history, and the secret geometry hidden in every circle. From the shape of flags to why we need to trim our nails, we are clearing out the inbox with fun facts and silly r...

Discover the fascinating science of plant biology and seed dispersal as we learn how plants use the wind, water, and animals to move their seeds to new homes. Join Dr. Owl, Emma, and Ziggy the Robot as they investigate whether a dandelion parachute could ever float all the way to outer space! Along the way, we'll uncover squirrel taxis, floating coconut boats, and even plants that shoot their seed...

Discover the science of how walkie-talkies use invisible radio waves to send voices through the air without cell towers. Join Dr. Owl, Emma, and Ziggy as they find out why talking at the same time makes "robot soup" and learn the golden rule of sharing the airwaves. Learning Connection: NGSS DCI: PS4.C – Information Technologies and Instrumentation

Discover the amazing science of metamorphosis and butterfly life cycles as we explore exactly what happens inside a chrysalis. Join Dr. Owl, Emma, and Ziggy as they uncover hidden butterfly blueprints and learn why a caterpillar's transformation is like rebuilding a Lego set! Plus, find out what a "proboscis" is and why a butterfly's very first job isn't flying, but waiting. Learning Connection: N...

Children will learn about the human nervous system, touch sensors, and how the brain's ability to predict movement stops us from tickling ourselves. Join Dr. Owl, Emma, and Ziggy as they explore the science of surprises, uncover why our skin acts as a built-in alarm system, and find out if rats can laugh! Learning Connection: NGSS DCI: LS1.D – Information Processing

Learn the engineering and physics behind how toilets work, from gravity-powered flushes to hidden trapways. Join Dr. Owl, Emma, and Ziggy the Robot as they answer a listener question and discover why the toilet is not a porcelain spaceship. Find out how a tiny water float acts as a bathroom lifeguard to keep your house clean and safe! Learning Connection: NGSS DCI: PS2.A – Forces and Motion

The scene is set on a bright, sunny hilltop with a split sky: one half is a bright blue day, and the other half shows a vibrant, glowing green Aurora Borealis over a snowy peak. In the foreground, Dr. Owl is pointing up at the sky with one wing while holding a shiny glass prism that is casting a small rainbow. Emma is looking up in awe through a large, slightly oversized magnifying glass. Ziggy th...

Discover the physics of light and exactly how lasers work to measure, scan, and communicate in the real world. We answer an excellent question about whether garage doors use real lasers or invisible infrared safety beams to prevent accidents. Join the team as they explore the difference between regular spreading light and highly organized laser beams, complete with a marching parade analogy and a...

Discover how your body’s amazing immune system defends itself against tiny insects using a chemical superpower called histamine! Join Dr. Owl, Emma, and Ziggy the Robot as they explore the science behind mosquito saliva, blood vessels, and why ice is the ultimate secret weapon against the itch. Learning Connection: NGSS DCI: LS1.A – Structure and Function

Discover how octopuses use specialized color-changing skin cells called chromatophores and instant brain signals to camouflage in the ocean. Join Dr. Owl, Emma, and Ziggy the Robot as they dive deep underwater to uncover the science behind these real-life sea magicians. Plus, test your skills with two fun trivia games and learn how other animals like chameleons and arctic foxes hide in plain sight...

Discover the physics behind how animals like frogs, kangaroos, and lions launch themselves into the air! Emma, Dr. Owl, and Ziggy the Robot learn about how muscles store energy like a squished spring, and why long tails help animals balance mid-flight. Plus, find out why human legs just aren't built for jumping over the Eiffel Tower. Learning Connection: NGSS DCI: LS1.A – Structure and Function.

In this episode, we travel back billions of years to discover the invisible forces that made the Earth start spinning in the first place! Join Dr. Owl, Curious Emma, and Ziggy the Robot as they explore giant space clouds, conduct a spinning chair experiment to learn about angular momentum, and solve the mystery of why our planet never slows down. Learning Connection: NGSS DCI: ESS1.B – Earth and t...

Kids will discover the physics of balance and how hydraulic systems allow powerful machines to lift heavy objects without tipping over. Join Dr. Owl, Emma, and Ziggy as they explore "liquid muscles" and turn a giant tow truck into a playground seesaw. We’ll learn how heavy engines act as secret counterweights to keep everything steady on the road! Learning Connection: NGSS DCI: 3-PS2.A – Forces an...