Tumble Science Podcast for Kids

Si tienes preguntas sobre el coronavirus, tenemos las respuestas. El coronavirus nos está afectando a todos y puede parecer peligroso y difícil de entender. Por esta razón, Tumble reunió preguntas de sus oyentes y contactó con un experto para responderlas. Le preguntamos al Dr. Juan Dumois, un médico pediátrico de enfermedades infecciosas, lo que todos nos estamos preguntando, especialmente los ni...

**Evidence about behavior and contagion has evolved since this podcast was released. Please refer to current reporting from trusted sources like Stat News for updated information about coronavirus.** Do you have questions about coronavirus? We’ve got answers. Coronavirus is probably affecting your life right now, and it can seem scary and complicated to understand. That’s why we collected question...

Can science make you better at sports? Sports scientist John Drazan says the answer is yes. John shares how losing a high school basketball game made him start thinking like a scientist. His high school physics teacher stepped in to explain how an idea called “mechanical advantage” could have saved the last point of the game - and changed his life forever. Join us to hear John’s aha moment, and he...

What’s it like to be a kid doing experiments in one of the most famous science places in the world? Oscar and Mae Johnson were nine and twelve when they traveled to the Galapagos Islands with their scientist dad. The Galapagos are isolated tropical islands made famous by Charles Darwin, who came up with the theory of evolution based on his research there. Mae and Oscar followed in Darwin’s footste...

Why do dogs look and act so different from each other? Listener Finley has two Chihuahuas named Peanut and Maggie, and she wants to know why they have different head shapes. She thinks it might have something to do with their DNA. It turns out scientists are studying what makes dogs the way they are, with the help of gigantic books of doggie DNA. Geneticist Jessica Hekman takes us on a journey thr...

Tumble has won a big award for two episodes: “The Cave of the Underground Astronauts” and “The Science of Whiskers.” You’ll hear them both in this twin pack of awesome stories of science discovery.  Tumble is the 2019 Gold Award winner of the AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Award, in the category of Children’s Science News. It’s an international prize that “recognizes distinguished science reporting...

Tumble is on winter break! In the meantime, enjoy this episode from our friends at But Why?: A Podcast for Curious Kids. We know that our listeners are some of the most curious kids on the planet, so you’re sure to love it. If you enjoy this episode, check out over 100 more episodes by subscribing to But Why? wherever you get your podcasts. Tumble will be back with all new episodes on February 7....

Tumble is on winter break! In the meantime, enjoy this bonus-size pack of science from our friends at Fun Kids Science Weekly. In this British podcast, Dan takes a look at the week’s best science stories. And they gave us the year’s best stories, all rolled up into one giant episode! Enjoy while you travel, and find out more about the show on FunKidsLive.com.  Tumble will be back with all new epis...

How do you become an astronaut? That’s what Tumble listener Margaret wants to know. We go straight to the source to get an answer: A NASA astronaut! Dr. Serena Auñon-Chancellor shares her journey to outer space with us. Starting from being a kid watching shuttle launches, to her school’s Astronaut Club, all the way to NASA’s Astronaut Candidate program, and finally to the International Space Stati...

Why do we have snot? Do animals get stuffy noses, too? We delve into the world of thick secretions with the help of Dani Rabiaotti, zoologist and author of “Believe it or Snot: The Definitive Field Guide to Earth’s Slimy Creatures.” You’ll find out why we make so much mucus, and meet the slimiest animals on the planet. Plus, you’ll discover why scientists study slime, even though it’s super gross....

“What’s the oldest dinosaur?” “How did dinosaurs come alive?” We tackle two listener questions in one epic story of dinosaur domination. Scientist Jessica Whiteside takes us back in time to the dawn of the dinosaurs, 230 million years ago. The story involves fascinating fossils, intense lava eruptions, climate craziness, and dinosaurs doubling in size. We’re going to find out what happened, and ho...

Ship ahoy! We’re taking you on an expedition at sea, to do science on a research ship! With the help of geochemist Jeanine Ash, we’re climbing on board the JOIDES Resolution, a one-of-a-kind vessel that travels the seven seas, exploring what lies beneath the seafloor. The ship is equipped to find clues to Earth’s history, geology, biology, and even… alien life. So get your sea legs (and ears) read...

How do peregrine falcons dive so fast? That’s what listener Henry wants to know. Peregrines hit speeds of over 200 mph, making them the fastest animal on the planet. Even faster than cheetahs! Mathematical biologist Graham Taylor studies the science of animal flight, and peregrines are his most impressive subjects. Find out how peregrines win the ultimate animal race, and how scientists are reveal...

How does a koala eat eucalyptus leaves? Eucalyptus is toxic to most animals, but they’re a koala’s only food. In this episode, we look past the cuddliness to discover how koalas manage to chow down on the Australian tree species. Biologist Michaela Blyton shares the story of how she convinced some extremely picky koalas to try new foods in the midst of a conservation crisis. Spoiler alert: It invo...

Tumble returns for Season 5 on October 4, with all new episodes! In the meantime, enjoy one of our favorite-ever episodes. What would happen if our Moon suddenly disappeared? Would we still have tides? It turns out that the Moon has a much bigger influence on Earth than you might think. Without the Moon, life as we know it would not exist! Rocket scientist Miquel Sureda explains what happened befo...

Tumble will return with all new episodes starting October 5! Until then, listen to one of our favorite episodes. "Do plants feel pain?" Jude's question leads us to stunning discoveries about what plants feel, what theyhear, and even what they talk about! Biologist Heidi Appel reveals how scientists learned about plants' inner lives, and tell sus the story of how she discovered "listening" plants....

What are Earth’s top ten biggest animals? You’ll find that out, and more, with the help of Earth Ranger Emma! We’re sharing our favorite episode from our friends at Earth Rangers. Earth Rangers is a podcast for anyone who loves to explore the mysteries of nature. If you love Tumble, we’re sure you’ll love this show. Want to hear more Earth Rangers? Subscribe to Earth Rangers wherever you listen to...

Today, we’re sharing one of our personal favorite podcasts, The Past & The Curious! It’s a history podcast with great music and a sense of humor, hosted by educator Mick Sullivan. This episode is all about bridges - perfect for Tumble fans who love tales of science and engineering. Join us for two tales connected by bridges. First, Emily Roebling winds up as a lead engineer in the building of the...

If you have a long trip this summer, Tumble has the perfect fuel to inspire exploration along the way! Marshall’s off exploring the deepest, darkest part of the jungle, and he put together the perfect playlist of Tumble’s favorite exploration-themed episodes. Starting at the world-famous Explorer’s Club in New York City, we’ll take you traveling to the depths of the ocean, into caves, and even to...

Everybody poops. But why? To find out, science writer Mary Roach takes us on a journey into the alimentary canal - that's the tube that runs from our mouth to our rectum. Along the way, we learn about pooping in space, and how someone else's poop might one day save your life! We love all science here at Tumble, but poop science holds a special place in our hearts. We hope you enjoy this extended c...

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. Finding the answer to her question, led us to create one of our favorite episodes of Tumble. We talk to Jen...

We’re taking a listen back to some of our favorite moments from Season 4 of Tumble, with help from our friend Nate! Nate is the 9 year old host of fellow kids science podcast, “The Show About Science.” Nate interviews Lindsay and Marshall about the stories behind the science. This episode features clips from Rob Dunn (“Discover the Wildlife of Your Home”), Anne Hilborn (“The Secret to Cheetahs’ Su...

This is the last episode of Season 4, but stay tuned for our special summer lineup! We’ll be back for Season 5 in fall 2019. Why are butterflies so colorful? That’s what Zed, from The Petit Punk Podcast, wants to know. So we went on a family podcast field trip to the Museum of Natural History in Paris, where we met Zed, his mom Dana, and a butterfly scientist named Marianne Elias. Come with us as...

Why are hurricanes so powerful? Every year, monster storms develop in the Atlantic Ocean from June until November. It seems like they come out of nowhere. But scientists are working to predict them months, years, and even decades before they start. We’ll discover what makes hurricanes so destructive, and why they might become even more intense in the future. Might it have something to do with gnom...

How does a country start its own space program? Come with us to Ireland to find out, and meet one of the students whose childhood dreams of launching a satellite are about to come true. Lana Salmon is part of a team from University College Dublin building Ireland’s first-ever satellite. We get to step inside the lab and learn what it takes to design, engineer, and launch experiments into space. Wa...