Nurdle Patrol: Special Agent Training Course, our audio course that turns students into citizen scientists investigating plastic pollution, has won Silver in Podcast Limited Series at the 6th Annual Anthem Awards

Can dogs talk, or do they just communicate? In this episode, 10-year-old Silas’s question takes us to Amalia Bastos, who studies how animals think and communicate at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Along the way, Amalia explains why scientists spent decades trying to teach animals human language, and how viral videos of dogs pressing word buttons on soundboards brought the old questions back. Then she shows us how she tested those dogs with sticker-covered buttons a

Do we remember our dreams more than our nightmares, and how would a scientist even find out? In this Halloween episode, 9-year-old Lennon’s question takes us to a sleep lab at UMass Amherst, where sleep scientist Rebecca Spencer studies how kids sleep. Along the way, Rebecca shows us the wire-covered caps that let scientists watch brains while people sleep, and explains why your body is paralyzed every night during REM sleep. Is Lennon’s hypothesis right? Listen and find out!

What makes a good hug, and how would a scientist even find out? In this episode you'll meet roboticist Alexis Block, who built a robot called HuggieBot to give people hugs when the ones they love are too far away. Along the way, she tested hug after hug in her lab and came up with a list of 11 "ingredients" for a great embrace. Can a robot really give a good hug? Listen and find out! 🎧 Listen to the Episode 🤖 What Kids Will Learn Why an engineer decided to build a robot who

How did Earth get its magnetic field, and why does it keep moving around? In this episode you'll meet paleomagnetist Lisa Tauxe, who has spent decades "hunting" the magnetic field, following clues from all over the world. Along the way, she found something so surprising that other scientists told her she must have been crazy. Was she right? Listen and find out! 🎧 Listen to the Episode 🧲 What Kids Will Learn Where Earth's magnetic field comes from. Why magnetic north doesn't