“Do dogs think and feel the way we do?” We all know dogs can’t talk. That’s why scientists have to come up with creative ways of asking our canine companions what’s going on in their minds. We’ll find out why dog cognition scientist Zachary Silver put on a play for dogs - which inspired us to create Tumble’s very first dog radio theater production! Just call us “The Tumble Dog Players.” It will all make sense by the end of the episode. This is the final episode of Tumble’s 8th season! But stay subscribed for some special treats over the summer.  Hear more from our interview with Zachary Silver on our bonus interview episode. It’s available for listeners who pledge $1 or more a month on Patreon.com/tumblepodcast. Free resources, including a transcript, are available on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com Check out our new Tumble t-shirts and merch: https://tumblepodcast.threadless.com/ Also check out courses from Science Mom, one of our sponsors this week: https://bit.ly/TumbleMom

Can we hear and touch the stars, if we can’t see them? Yuma Decaux is trying to put the night sky into everyone’s hands, through technology and engineering. Find out how stargazing captured Yuma’s imagination when he was six, and how losing his sight inspired him to explore the cosmos in a whole new way - making astronomy accessible to everyone.  Astreos, Yuma’s app, is currently in Beta. That means that when you try it out, you can give Yuma feedback on how to make it better! Download it on iOs here: https://astreos.space/ Listen to our bonus interview episode with Yuma to learn more about how he developed Astreos and what accessibility means to him. You can hear it when you support us on Spotify or on Patreon at patreon.com/tumblepodcast. There are free resources, including a transcript, about this episode on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com.  This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Number # 2148711 - Engaging Blind, Visually Impaired, and Sighted Students in STEM with Storytelling through Podcasts.  Sounds in the episode are courtesy of Astreos and Cricket Ambi by VMan533 on freesound.org

When did smartness begin? We’ll find out how a neuroscientist blends up brains, and cracks the case of the Tyrannosaurus Rex smarts! Suzana Herculano-Houzel helps us answer listener Penny’s question by explaining how “smartness” might not mean what you think - and how all animals have shown off their intelligence over time. Help us out by taking our listener survey! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/tumblepodcast Listen to our bonus interview with Suzana on our Patreon when you pledge just $1 a month or more! patreon.com/tumblepodcast.Learn more about Suzana and her work on the evolution of intelligence the blog on our website, www.sciencepodcastforkids.com. We apologize that the cover art of the episode is not a scientifically accurate portrayal of a T.Rex! We know that they likely did not wear graduation caps.

Have you ever wondered what bird you’re hearing? We’re going to discover how to recognize birds by their sound - and what that means for science. Trevor Attenberg is an environmental scientist and science communicator who learned to identify birds without sight, by their sound alone. He takes us through his journey to becoming a birder and a scientist, and shares how you can learn to recognize birds by their sound.  Learn more about Trevor, and find his recommended resources for birding on the blog on our website, www.sciencepodcastforkids.com.  This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Number # 2148711 - Engaging Blind, Visually Impaired, and Sighted Students in STEM with Storytelling through Podcasts. Take our survey to help support the podcast! Just go to https://bit.ly/TumbleScienceSurvey and spend a few minutes of your time answering questions.

How big is the universe? And how do we know? It's a question that puzzled astronomers for centuries. They had no way to measure distance in space - until Henrietta Leavitt showed them how. Henrietta Leavitt was a "computer" in the 19th century, before there were computers, and she made an incredible discovery that would help change the way people thought about the universe - forever. Modern-day astronomer Karen Masters helps us tell her remarkable story. If you like this episode, you'll love our free audio course, "Cataloging the Universe" where you'll learn much more about how Henrietta Leavitt's discovery made a big difference in astronomy - plus, you'll become a skywatcher yourself! "Cataloging the Universe" is more than a podcast. It’s interactive! Each episode - or lesson - in the series contains activities to complete while you listen. Plus, you’ll get discussion questions, graphic organizers, and a star journal to keep your observations in. Check out the series and download all the resources at our website! Hear more from Karen Masters in the bonus interview episode available to Patrons, when you pledge just $1 a month or more on our Patreon to support the show! We have free resources available on our blog to learn more about the episode.

We're working on a special project that we'll announce in our next episode! Enjoy one of our favorite episodes while we make it ready for you.    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 episode for everyone who’s curious about cats.

Why are sloths so slow? We’ll find out how one sloth scientist got crafty and discovered why slowness is a sloth’s secret to survival. Rebecca Cliffe, founder of the Sloth Conservation Foundation, shares the story of her quest to study these sneakily stealthy creatures, with the help of a special backpack. What she finds will definitely surprise and delight you! If you're like Marshall, you might even laugh/cry.  To hear more about Rebecca’s slothsome adventures, listen to our bonus interview episode! It’s available to Patrons who pledge just $1 or more a month on patreon.com/tumblepodcast. Learn more about sloth research and conservation with the free resources on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com - where you’ll also find a free transcript for the episode.

Explore the sounds of ocean science on a sound scavenger hunt! Tune in as oceanographer Amy Bower takes us to the sea, to show us how she uses sound to study ocean currents and make ocean science accessible for blind and visually impaired people. Listen up and help us search for clues beneath the waves to reveal the secrets of the underwater realm! Ocean data sonifications courtesy of Dr. Jon Bellona at the University of Oregon, and the Accessible Oceans project. Learn more about Dr. Amy Bower in our bonus interview episode, available to Patrons who pledge just $1 or more a month to support Tumble, at patreon.com/tumblepodcast. We have free resources to keep exploring the world of ocean science and data sonification with Amy Bower. They’re on the blog at sciencepodcastforkids.com, along with a free transcript. This episode is the first in a series featuring blind scientists. The material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Number # 2148711 - Engaging Blind, Visually Impaired, and Sighted Students in STEM with Storytelling through Podcasts. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

A Black botanist is on a mission to discover the hidden stories of Black plant scientists throughout history. Shawn Abrahams shares how Black people are responsible for vanilla cupcakes, and the microscopes you use in science class! Plus, hear how Shawn started their own journey to becoming a botanist and historian, with the help of Wikipedia. Hear more stories from Black scientists featured on Tumble! Check out our blog post for a list of episodes. Learn more about how Shawn became a botanist on our bonus interview episode, available to Patrons who pledge $1/month on Patreon.com/tumblepodcast. Dig deeper into the stories of Black botanists on the blog on our website at sciencepodcastforkids.com. Want to hear science stories in Spanish? Listen to our Spanish show, Tumble en Español! Hosted by Nuria Net and Alvaro Ramos.

Join us on an Arctic adventure as we head out onto the sea ice with a polar bear scientist! Andrew Derocher shares exciting stories of flying in helicopters, getting bit by a polar bear cub, and discovering how polar bears are surviving in a warming world. Andrew explains what happens when polar bears move into human towns, in the bonus interview episode. It’s available to Patrons who pledge just a dollar or more a month on patreon.com/tumblepodcast. Teachers! Find a toolkit to share polar bear science with students, on the World Wildlife Fund’s WildClassroom.org. A transcript for this episode and other resources are available on our website, sciencepodcast.com

How likely is it that we’ll find intelligent alien life on other planets? Are there extraterrestrial civilizations that we could contact - or that could contact us? And what would these aliens be like? We’re going to try to answer these big questions with the help of two scientists, and a very famous math equation. Hear more from Kaitlin Rassmussen and Arik Kershenbaum in our special bonus interview episode, available to Patrons who pledge just $1 or more a month to support the show on patreon.com/tumblepodcast We have free resources available on the blog on our website, https://www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/single-post/do-aliens-exist Here's a podcast we think you'll like: Armchair Adventures! It is a super-fun and a little bit bonkers series for kids aged 6-10. Join Connie and her gang of explorers for a new adventure every episode. Using your awesome imagination, you’ll visit magical places, meet extraordinary people and learn a thing or two along the way. It’s jam-packed full of sing and move-along fun. It's perfect for playtime, those gloomy rainy days, boring car journeys, and even round at your grans!

When you have to go, where does it go? That’s what our listener Ellie wants to know. Prepare for potty humor and science as we hear from civil engineer and toilet expert Francis de los Reyes! Who invented the toilet? And what’s “The Great Stink?” We’ll be plunging into the past, present, and future of flushing to discover how toilets don’t just save us from stinky smells - they save lives. Are you a teacher? Participate in our NSF-funded research project! Sign up here: https://bit.ly/TumbleTeachers Learn more about toilets and sanitation around the world, on our bonus interview episode with Francis de los Reyes. It’s available to Patreons who pledge just $1 a month at patreon.com/tumblepodcast. We have free resources about this episode on the blog on our website: https://www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/single-post/how-do-toilets-work All episodes have transcripts now! 

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 Geo Kids’ Podcast Party: Ancient Egypt in honor of the 100th anniversary of the discovery of King Tut’s tomb. Together with other kids podcasts we are making episode about Ancient Egypt. If you are interested in listening to more, check out Greeking Out.  We're also participating in a Kids Listen Survey! Grownups, take a moment to tell us about your family media habits in this quick survey.  Hear more from Salima in a bonus interview episode available on our ad-free Patreon feed! It’s available for just $1/month when you pledge to support Tumble at patreon.com/tumblepodcast. We have free resources about this episode available on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com. 

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 can find a transcript and other educational materials about this episode on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com. Life Lab is supported by the Engineering Biology Research Consortium, a non-profit committed to educating the next-generation and building a community dedicated to solving big challenges with engineering biology. Funded by the National Science Foundation.

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 science, in our bonus interview episode! They’re available to Tumble Patrons who pledge just a dollar or more a month, on patreon.com/tumblepodcast. You can find a transcript and other educational materials about this episode on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com. Life Lab is supported by the Engineering Biology Research Consortium, a non-profit committed to educating the next-generation and building a community dedicated to solving big challenges with engineering biology. Funded by the National Science Foundation.

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 is the first part of our five part series about how tiny life can change our world. In Life Lab, we explore the incredible power of synthetic biology to solve some of our biggest challenges - and asking how it could change our future. This episode features Adam Arkin and Kris Prather. Life Lab is supported by the Engineering Biology Research Consortium, a non-profit committed to educating the next-generation and building a community dedicated to solving big challenges with engineering biology. Funded by the National Science Foundation. We have two bonus interviews for you this week, featuring Christina and Kris! They’re available to Tumble Patrons who pledge just a dollar or more a month, on patreon.com/tumblepodcast. You can find a transcript and other educational materials about this episode on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com. Episode Advertiser: National Children's Museum STEAM Daydream Podcast

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 incredible power of synthetic biology to solve some of our biggest challenges - and asking how it could change our future.  This episode features Christina Agapakis and Kristala Prather. Life Lab is supported by the Engineering Biology Research Consortium, a non-profit committed to educating the next-generation and building a community dedicated to solving big challenges with engineering biology. Funded by the National Science Foundation. We have two bonus interviews for you this week, featuring Christina and Kris! They’re available to Tumble Patrons who pledge just a dollar or more a month, on patreon.com/tumblepodcast. You can find a transcript and other educational materials about this episode on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com.

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 our future. Bonus: Life Lab will be released weekly, for five weeks! After that, we’ll return to our regular schedule of science discovery, every other week. Help us spread the word! If you can’t wait for all new episodes of Tumble, tell your friends, family, and your teachers to listen along with you. Subscribe or follow wherever you listen to Tumble Science Podcast for Kids.

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 draw us an Earth without oceans. What will it look like? Listen to find out. Learn more about how Lucia uses her detective skills to reveal the last 200 million years of Earth’s history, on our special bonus interview episode. It’s available to Patrons who pledge $1 a month or higher! You can support our show and get our ad-free feed on patreon.com/tumblepodcast. You can see some of Lucia’s illustrations on our blog at sciencepodcastforkids.com, along with other resources to learn more about water and plate tectonics on our planet!

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’ bubbling curiosity. Hear from the inventor of edible bubbles, Li Wei Tan, in a bonus interview episode available on our ad-free Patreon feed! It’s available for just $1/month when you pledge to support Tumble at patreon.com/tumblepodcast. We’ll have free resources about bubbles on the blog on our website, sciencepodcastforkids.com. This episode is sponsored by MEL Science. Check out their awesome science boxes at https://melscience.com/sBHH/ Make sure to use the offer code "TUMBLE" at checkout for 60% off your order.  Here is Dr. Bubble’s Giant Bubble Recipe, courtesy of Emory University: Ingredients 1 liter of water (about 2 pints) 50 milliliters of Dawn Professional Detergent, which is available online (a little over 3 tablespoons) 2-3 grams of guar powder (or guar gum), a food thickener sold in some grocery stores or available online (about 1/2 heaping teaspoon) 50 milliliters of rubbing alcohol (a little more than 3 tablespoons) 2 grams of baking powder (about 1/2 teaspoon) Directions Mix the guar powder with the alcohol and stir until there are no clumps. Combine the alcohol/guar slurry with the water and mix gently for 10 minutes. Let it sit for a bit so the guar hydrates. Then mix again. The water should thicken slightly, like thin soup or unset gelatin. Add the baking powder and stir. Add the Dawn Professional Detergent and stir gently, to avoid causing the mixture to foam. Dip a giant bubble wand with a fibrous string into the mixture until it is fully immersed and slowly pull the string out. Wave the wand slowly or blow on it and enjoy the physics of giant soap bubbles! Results may vary based on humidity.