 is an award-winning science podcast hosted by Molly Bloom and a rotating cast of kids. Every episode answers questions from listeners like “Why do feet stink?” “What did dinosaurs sound like?” and “What is ADHD?”

How did ferns survive the dinosaur extinction?

Listener Gideon sent in this brilliant question: “How did ferns survive the dinosaur extinction and are they the same ferns we see now?” 

What happened to the Neanderthals?

Dig in with Molly and co-host Audrey as they learn about our extinct ancient relatives, the Neanderthals!

Smarty Pass Bonus: Taxonomic Ticklers

Sparklemuffin, turdus maximus, and sarcastic fringehead. These are the names of some of Marc’s favorite animals! Will Molly be able to guess what kind of animals they are?

MOLLY BLOOM: Hi, friends. It's Molly Bloom. And I'm here to tell you about Smarty Pass, our subscription for superfans. For just $4 a month, you'll get an ad-free feed of all of our shows. That's Brains On, Forever Ago, Moment of Um, and Smash Boom Best, plus a delightful bonus episode every month like this one, starring Marc Sanchez and me. 

MARC SANCHEZ: (SINGING) I love animals. Animals are so cool. I love animals even when they drew. I love animals. Scooby, doo, doo, doo, doo. 

MOLLY BLOOM: Hi, Marc. What are you doing? 

[CHUCKLES] 

MARC SANCHEZ: Oh. Hey, Molly. I'm making a collage of my favorite animals. See, here's a black-footed ferret and a ring-tailed lemur. And here's a fardelum. 

MOLLY BLOOM: A fardelum? 

MARC SANCHEZ: Yeah. See, it's a type of snail. 

[LAUGHTER] 

Wait, why are you laughing? The name fardelum comes from Latin. Fardem means stuffed thing. And fardelum means little stuffed thing. And this snail looks like-- 

MOLLY BLOOM: A little, stuffed sausage. 

MARC SANCHEZ: --a little, stuffed sausage. 

MOLLY BLOOM: Yes, a little, stuffed sausage. 

MARC SANCHEZ: Exactly. 

[LAUGHTER] 

MOLLY BLOOM: I'm glad my name isn't Molly Fardelum Bloom. 

MARC SANCHEZ: I wish my name was Mark Fardelum Sanchez. 

MOLLY BLOOM: Whoa. What animal is that? It looks like a rug with a mouth. 

To hear more, head to smartypass.org and subscribe. It's just $4 a month or $36 for the whole year. Again, that's smartypass.org. Thanks so much for supporting our show, smarty friends. Bye. 

[MUSIC PLAYING] 



Taxonomic Ticklers: A Smarty Pass sneak peek

Where does lightning come from?

Grab your raincoat, and join Molly and co-host Lily as they float into the clouds to learn about lightning!

Brains On presents Forever Ago - Superman: An immigrant's story

The Brains On crew is hard at work on our next batch of episodes, and we'll be back in your feed on January 16, with an electrifying episode about lightning.

Why do our bodies take so long to grow?

Join Molly Bloom and co-host Ishalo as they learn about the ingredients we need to grow – and why sometimes the growing seems slow! 

How and why do chameleons change color?

Join Molly and co-host Arjun on a reptilian romp with dynamic chameleon duo, Kiki and Paul!

Why are we afraid of the dark?

Explore the dark with Molly and co-host Sasha!

Why isn’t Pluto a planet anymore?

Pluto is tiny, icy, and used to be the ninth planet in the solar system. Used to be. So why isn’t Pluto a planet anymore?

What is ADHD?

What is ADHD and what is happening in the brain of someone with ADHD?

Going Viral: What is a Computer Virus?

Ah-CHOO! We know viruses make us sick, but what happens when a virus infects your computer? 

Ancient beasts: A prehistoric game show!

Prehistoric animals rock! How much do you know about these unusual beasts?

How do animals build their homes?

When it comes to animal homes, creatures can be more inventive than humans!

How do apples grow?

These crispy crunchy sweet snacks are everywhere, but growing an apple is a lot harder than it sounds. 

Where does all our energy come from?

Everything in our world is powered by energy!

What is artificial intelligence?

Artificial intelligence has been all over the news lately — but how does it even work?


How do our eyes, skin and hair get their colors?

All the different colors in our eyes, hair and skin are made by a super special substance called melanin! 

How much can your brain hold?

Could your brain ever run out of storage space?

Brains On Podcast