Tumble Science Podcast for Kids

What would you bring on a trip to Mars? That’s a question Sheyna Gifford had to ask herself when she packed to live on Mars for a year. Wait, what?! We find out about a NASA experiment on top of a volcano that’s getting astronauts prepared for a real-life mission to Mars. Learn how to apply for a trip to Mars - in sim or in space - on our blog at tumblepodcast.com This month, we are asking listene...

The People of the Snow with Kelly Elder Why does it snow, where does it snow, and why are snowflakes not the same size or shape? We jump into a pile of snow questions, and find a very different kind of science in the snowy Arctic. Kelly Elder, a snow hydrologist, tells the story of how scientists work with the Inuit people to understand how snow is changing in a warming world. More information abo...

Something is living in your showerhead. Scientists need your help to figure out what it is, and why it’s there. Biologist Noah Fierer is enlisting people around the country to search out the tiny, microscopic life in showers. Find out what happens when Lindsay and Marshall sign up as citizen scientists, and turn their bathroom into a lab. To find out more about the Showerhead Microbiome Project, v...

We dive into the gross side of science with Anna Rothschild, host of the PBS/NOVA series Gross Science! Anna tells us how a robot named Vomiting Larry helped scientists discover how to stop the spread of a potentially deadly sickness. Plus, fourth graders tell us what they think is gross, and we learn why talking about poop can be important for your health. What do YOU think is gross? What does Vo...

What is the Earth made of? That’s the question at the core (pun intended!) of this episode. Geologist Ta-Shana Taylor shares the fascinating story behind a decades-long quest to drill into the Earth. You’ll be wanting to “Get Down to the Moho” after listening! Thanks to listeners Brody and Liam for sending in their questions. This is our first episode of Tumble, Season 2! We’ve got much more in st...

It's almost here! We've got brand new episodes of Tumble starting January 13. Here's a quick sample of what's to come. Subscribe now on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts. Have an Android? Try our partner Wondery's new app on Google Play!

Our friends Andrew & Polly from the podcast Ear Snacks introduce their favorite Tumble episode. Listener Ilya asks if there's a way to remove all the trash from the ocean. Scientist Jenni Brandon helps us investigate the Great Pacific Garbage Patch - a vast, swirling soup of trash, twice the size of Texas. Stay tuned to the end of the episode to hear how listeners suggested solving this huge envir...

In this special bonus episode, some of our favorite guest scientists answer listener questions! It’s like a Tumble reunion! Learn about the bugs you can find near your home, how ants let each other know about food finds, and if bats fly at night so they can eat more bugs. Thanks to Paloma, Liesel, and Bella for your questions! We still have a few “encore shows” left to play while we get ready for...

Invisibility cloaks: Not just for wizards? Listener Quinn introduces his favorite Tumble episode, where we explore the very real science behind invisibility! Tumble t-shirts are now available in kid's, men's, and women's sizes. Get yours at sciencepodcastforkids.com/shop! Is Tumble a part of your daily routine? Show your love by pledging to our Patreon at patreon.com/tumblepodcast. Lastly, we coul...

Our listener Griffin picked an exciting tale of outer space for this week's episode! Astronomer Joel Green explains how scientists discover and photograph planets outside our solar system. Have a few spare minutes? Fill out our listener survey at wondery.com/survey. Ask us a question, listen to more episodes, and donate at tumblepodcast.com. Subscribe to Tumble Science Podcast for Kids and review...

What makes dogs loyal? This question comes from Amalia, a sixth grade student. We ask two different dog scientists, and their answers will surprise you. We learn about an experiment that tests dogs’ loyalty - or does it? Get ready to get inside the head of a dog! We want to hear about your dogs! Ask us a question, listen to more episodes, and donate at tumblepodcast.com. Subscribe to Tumble Scienc...

Why do people get scared and how? We ask Dr. Margee Kerr, a scientist who studies the science of fear. She once set up a basement lab in a Halloween haunted house to understand why people sign up to get scared. She found out that going to a house of horror is actually a lot like doing yoga! Find out why, and how to scare a scientist. Correction: On this episode, we referred to the woman in Sebasti...

A fan favorite episode, now with new black hole discoveries! We answer our first listener question, how do black holes work? We talk to Dr. Karl Gebhardt, who has helped discover over half of the black holes that astronomers have ever found. Light cannot escape from a black hole, which means that they are impossible to see. We find out the secret to finding black holes, and how what happens inside...

Send us your interviews with scientists, and they might end up on our show! In this special bonus episode, we'll teach you how to interview a scientist. It's easier than you might think, and it's super fun. You might learn something that changes your life, or at least your outlook on science! Plus, our listener Vida finds out for us if you can send a robot into a black hole. Check out our blog on...

Sarah Richardson, a biologist, dreams of being of a farmer. Instead of tending to barns full of cows making milk, she'll have petri dishes full of bacteria. We're taking a break until 2017 to create more stories of science discovery. But we're not going away! Far from it. We'll be hard at work dreaming and making new awesome stuff for you. Stay in touch with us by Facebook, Twitter, and tumblepodc...

Where is the deepest part of the ocean, and have we been there in person? Ocean explorer Gaelin Rosenwaks answers with an amazing story of the first explorers to dive to a mysterious place called Challenger Deep. It's filled with awesome adventure, incredible risk, and awe-inspiring reward. This is a journey that changed the way we understand the ocean. We're working on a bunch of exciting new stu...

Why do batteries - even rechargeable ones - die? What if there was a battery that lasted forever? Mya Le Thai, a young scientist, was sick of recharging her phone. So she set out make make a longer lasting battery. What she created was better than she had ever thought possible - a battery that won’t die. It lasts 100 times longer than the typical phone battery. Find out what goes on inside a batte...

Why are there so many different species of ants? That’s what entomologist Corrie Moreau wants to know. There are more species of ants than there are species of mammals and birds - combined! Her quest starts in the jungle and ends in a lab, where she unravels the story of ants conquering the earth. Plus, listeners tell us what THEY know about ants! Take Corrie’s advice: Get outside and play with bu...

Are cats evil, or just misunderstood? That's what our friends at Brains On debate for a panel of kid judges. Find out what they decide in this special guest episode! Plus, Lindsay and Marshall weigh in on their conclusions.  What do you want to know about cats? Let us know on our Facebook or Twitter pages, or email us at tumblepodcast@gmail.com. Support Tumble on Patreon, and you can have your nam...

Why do fireflies flash their lights on and off, on and off? That’s what four curious kids want to know. Biologist Sara Lewis has studied fireflies for decades, and she’s cracked the code of their spectacular light displays. She explains why fireflies light up at night with a story of an undercover experiment. Sara tells us how she “spoke firefly” and learned that female fireflies are surprisingly...

We have a short and sweet summer episode for you! Charles Darwin is known as the father of evolution, but he got his start as a naturalist as a young man. He took an ambitious five year journey around the year, studying thousands of species of plants and animals. Many years after his return to England, he wrote The Origin of Species, one of the most famous and influential scientific books ever wri...

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a vast, swirling soup of trash, twice the size of Texas. Can we ever clean it up? That’s what 8 year old Ila wants to know. She lives in Hawaii and likes to pick up trash whenever she goes to the beach. She lives closer to the garbage patch than most of us. We talk to Jenni Brandon, a researcher who has been to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch - a place where few...

What are invisibility cloaks made of, and when can we buy them in gift shops? That's right, invisibility cloaks are not just for wizards anymore. We get into the very real science of invisibility with Dr. Andrea Alu. Dr. Alu is one of the leading scientists working on "cloaking." We learn how scientists are playing with the laws of physics and optics to turn fantasy into scientific reality.  Have...

Where is the deepest part of the ocean, and have we been there in person? Ocean explorer Gaelin Rosenwaks answers with an amazing story of the first explorers to dive to a mysterious place called Challenger Deep. It's filled with awesome adventure, incredible risk, and awe-inspiring reward. This is a journey that changed the way we understand the ocean. Love Tumble? Leave us a review on iTunes! Wa...

How do black holes work? And how do we learn about them, if they're impossible to see? We talk to Dr. Karl Gebhardt, who has helped discover over half of the black holes that astronomers have ever found. Light cannot escape from a black hole, which means that they are impossible to see. We find out the secret to finding black holes, and how what happens inside might explain mysteries of gravity. A...