Tumble Science Podcast for Kids

Ever wonder what a mummy smells like? Or why millions of animals were mummified - including baboons? We climb into ancient tombs with Egyptologist Salima Ikram, to discover the science and culture of animal mummies. Salima is a real life tomb adventurer, cautious of scorpions and curious about the dead. Join us this Halloween as we excavate the secrets behind mummies! We’re participating in Nat Ge...

If there’s too much gas in the atmosphere, who you gonna call? Gas Busters! Find out how a bacteria from a rabbit’s gut could help fight climate change, in our final episode of Life Lab. This episode features Dr. Ryan Tappel of LanzaTech, and a song collaboration with Basho Mosko, of Basho & Friends! You can find a transcript and other educational materials about this episode on the blog on our we...

Take the Kids Listen Survey!  Tumble’s Life Lab Show at the Cambridge Science Festival  Spider silk? Mushroom leather? Discover what’s next in fashion: Clothes made from synthetic biology. We hear the story of how a synthetic biologist went from collecting spiders in his bedroom to working with some of the biggest names in fashion. This episode features Dr. Dan Widmaier, CEO of Bolt Threads. You c...

So far in Life Lab, we’ve uncovered the power of synthetic biology. But with great power comes great responsibility! In this episode, we’ll ask “Is this a good idea?” when it comes to changing the DNA of mosquitoes to fight a deadly virus. This episode features Dr. Sam Weiss Evans and his 8 year old daughter, Izzy Weiss Evans. Hear more from Sam about modified mosquitoes and making decisions about...

Should we make the move to Mars? And how would we live there? Join us as we pack our bags for Mars with the help of synthetic biology. We’ll find out how astronauts could grow their own food, medicine, and even building materials on the Red Planet. But when Lindsay and Marshall start to disagree about moving to another planet, some tricky questions threaten the mission… Welcome to Life Lab! This i...

What does cheese have to do with technology? What does engineering have to do with biology? And why should we know about it? We’ll slice into these questions to get a taste of what synthetic biology is, how it's already in our lives, and how it got there.  Welcome to Life Lab! This is the first part of our five part series about how tiny life can change everything. In Life Lab, we explore the incr...

Season 8 of Tumble begins September 16 with a special, five-part series called “Life Lab.” Life Lab will explore the incredible power of a new technology you probably haven’t heard of. This technology could solve some of the biggest challenges on our planet, and beyond. But with great power, comes great responsibility. We’ll be asking important questions about whether it could - or should - change...

Hear sounds created from images by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, in this updated episode! The biggest space telescope in the universe had a busy summer, wowing us with incredible images of the cosmos like we've never seen before. But it took a lot of work to get there! Learn about it in this episode, originally released in December 2021. Hear more Webb sound here.  Watch the launch here.  See...

Join Marshall for our final Road Trip adventure of the summer, as we travel back to the age of the dinosaurs! We'll be sharing a bunch of our favorite episodes about everyone's prehistoric creatures. In this collection, you'll find: The Rise of the Dinosaurs  How to Be a Fossil Fixer  The Call of the Antarctic Dinosaur with Julia Clarke  The Dinosaur Asteroid You'll also get to help Marshall repai...

Tumble presents one of our favorite podcasts from RTÉjr Radio: Cereal!  Deception, Mystery and so much more in “Cereal” RTÉjr Radio’s (not really) True Crime Podcast for all the family. Picture the scene. A brand new TV talent show for kids called “The Novice”. Middle Grade students battle it out to get funding and promotion for their mini company on the national stage. The candidates? Fergus, an...

Join Marshall on a fantastic adventure to the center of the human brain. In this road trip adventure pack, we've put together four classic episodes of Tumble for your listening enjoyment. Learn all about the wonders of the human brain in these episodes:  Do Dreams Have Meaning? (20min) Why Words? How we learn language (16min) The Magic Memory Molecule (20min) The Science of Colors Dive deep, and e...

Since Lindsay and Marshall are on a break for the summer, we thought we'd share with you one of our favorite other podcasts! We present to you: Tai Asks Why.  Fifteen-year-old Tai Poole won’t rest until he’s uncovered the mysteries of the universe, one probing question at a time. In Season 4 of his Webby-winning podcast, Tai talks to everyone from NASA scientists to stand-up comedians to his equal...

Join Marshall out to eat as we share this special road trip fun pack of Tumble episodes having to do with food! This collection of five classic Tumble episodes includes:  The Science of your Favorite Foods The Tale of the Hungry Koala The Science of Smell The Bacteria Cookbook The Jack O’Lantern Science Mystery Buckle up and enjoy this great selection of episodes. 

What would Earth be like if our oceans never existed? That’s what Charlie wants to know! We recruit Earth detective Lucia Perez-Diaz to help us track down clues hidden within our planet’s rocks. Our investigation takes us through the mysteries of how water got on Earth, the giant plates moving beneath our feet, and why our oceans are shaped the way they are. Lucia’s also an illustrator, and will d...

Why do bubbles pop, and why do bubbles have shadows? We’re in double bubble trouble with two listener questions. Luckily, Dr. Bubbles is here to save the day! We’ll find out how a normal, everyman physicist named Justin Burton became a superhero bubble scientist, on a quest to make a scientifically proven recipe for giant bubbles. Along the way, we’ll discover the answers to our listeners’ bubblin...

How many seeds sprouted in the historic Beal Seed experiment we covered in 2021? Find out in this updated version of one of our favorite episodes for spring! We tag along with scientists following a secret map on a mission under the cover of night, to find a buried treasure. It’s all part of one of the longest running, most legendary experiments in science history! We follow plant biologist David...

Why do colors exist in the world? That’s what Phoebe wants to know. The answer might change how you think about the colors that you see! Neuroscientist and artist Bevil Conway bends our minds and our eyes, to show us how colors are the ultimate optical illusion. We’ll discover what color is made of, why even plants can “see” color, and what color can tell us about how our brains work. Take out you...

Trash is one of the biggest problems on the planet. But scientists are coming up with solutions that might surprise you. In this Earth Day episode, we meet two researchers who are tackling trash in two very different ways. Kevin Solomon hopes to solve the challenge of recycling plastic with the help of meal worms, and Lily Pollans is figuring out what kids can do to help everyone make less trash....

Where did the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs come from? That’s what our listener Lucian wants to know. Prepare to hear a “podcast movie” about the fateful impact, starting with an explosive collision in space that sent asteroids careening towards Earth. Then we’ll discover the science behind the story, with the help of planetary scientist Sean Gulick. He led an expedition along with Dr. Joanna...

Come on a trip to Dreamland, as we explore the history of dreaming - and how science changed their meaning, forever. Our guide is Sidarta Ribiero, neuroscientist and author of “The Oracle of Night.” We’ll travel back to ancient times when gods and goddesses appeared in dreams, visit the offices of Dr. Sigmund Freud, and watch as an 8 year old boy contributes to a huge scientific breakthrough  - wh...

Why and how do cats purr? That’s what Reid wants to know. It sounds like a simple question, but it leads us to a deep challenge: Can we ever understand cats? To find out, we launch a full-scale cat purr investigation. You’ll hear from a puzzled veterinarian, a scientist who studied her cat’s annoying purr, and the author of purring.org, the premier cat purr research website. It’s a purr-fect episo...

Clare wants to know if bugs have elbows. Her question starts a debate between Team Bug Arms and Elbows, and Team Bug Legs and Knees! Choose a side, and come on the trail of a bug bod mystery with superstar entomologist and dragonfly specialist Jessica Ware. Turns out, dragonflies are a lot weirder (and ancient!) than you might think! Hear more from our interview with Jessica! Check out our bonus i...

What is a butt? That’s what science journalist Katherine Wu wanted to know. Her quest for an answer leads her into a web of big butt questions, and a search to find the top butt scientists in the world. She discovers a debate over where butts come from, and a very strange butt that could rewrite the annals of butt history. This episode features an original song called, “Sometimes Butt.” Trust us,...

How do you count the cutest seals on the planet? With the help from thousands of people around the world! Conservation scientist Leo Salas explains the story behind the first-ever global count of Weddell seals in Antarctica. Plus, you’ll find out what counting seals shares with searching for ancient tombs! Learn more about Weddell seals in our special bonus episode with Dr. Leo Salas, available to...

All-new Tumble episodes return January 21! We can't wait to share what we have in store.  Today, we're sharing the exciting conclusion of our two part dinosaur poo series, "The Coprolite Queen." In the 1800’s, Mary Anning was known as the best fossil hunter in England. She made many great discoveries, including dinosaur poop. With help from our friend Kidosaurus and children’s science historian Me...