Brains On Universe Presents….Puberty! (The Podcast)

Butterflies in your stomach. Blushing when someone walks into the room. Thinking about one person all the time. Sound familiar? That’s a crush — and there’s real science behind why it feels so intense. In this episode, we’re exploring why crushes make our bodies react the way they do, what it means to set boundaries, and how to ask for — and give — consent in all kinds of situations, not just roma...

During puberty, friendships can start to feel way more intense. A compliment from a friend might give you a rush. A fight with a friend might sting like a cut. And worrying about fitting in can feel like a full-time job. But why? In this episode, we’re exploring why social stuff gets so complicated during puberty — from the brain chemicals that make us crave connection to the reasons peer pressure...

It's not just your body that changes during puberty — your brain is going through some major renovations, too. And you might notice those changes in your emotions and moods. One minute you're happy, the next you're sad, and sometimes you don't even know why! In this episode, we're digging into the science behind mood swings, finding out why your brain's emotional headquarters develops faster than...

Periods. Menstruation. "That time of the month." Whatever you call it, periods are a big part of puberty for people with ovaries — and it's important for everyone to understand how they work. But what exactly is happening inside your body when you get a period? And how can you prepare for your first one? In this episode, we're following an egg on its journey from the ovaries to the uterus, learnin...

Ovaries and testicles are like hormone factories — and they also make the cells needed to create new humans! But what exactly do these body parts do? And how do they work? In this episode, we're getting to know the reproductive organs: ovaries and testicles (because understanding your body gives you the confidence to take care of it!). Pediatrician Dr. Cara Natterson and health educator Chris Pepp...

In this episode we're getting into how hormones kickstart all types of growth, during puberty. We answer kids' questions like: what's the deal with growing pains, why and how do our voices change and why do we get breasts. Short answer... it's hormones. Listen to hear how human growth hormone, and estrogen, progesterone and testosterone activate and change our bodies. This episode's word of the da...

In this episode, we’re talking about some of the first body changes you might notice when you go through puberty. We’re answering a lot of listener questions in this episode including: Why do grownups have hair where kids don’t? Why do armpits get stinkier during puberty? Why do zits happen? Why do you get oilier when you’re a teen? Dr. Cara Natterson, author of The Care and Keeping of You and hos...

Kids grow a lot during puberty, and they also go through changes that make it possible for them to eventually have kids of their own. But it’s not just your body that changes during puberty. Your brain goes through changes, too, as it rewires to become more like an adult brain! It’s like your whole body is under construction. So it’s no wonder that our listeners have lots of questions about this p...

Puberty! It’s a lot. There are the awkward conversations and the questions we’re too nervous to ask and the sometimes uncomfortable experience of living in a body that’s changing fast (and publicly!). This podcast is here to help. Hosted by Molly Bloom, of the award-winning science podcast Brains On, and co-hosted by high schoolers who've just been through it, Puberty! (The podcast) is for everybo...