Can Axolotls Teach Us to Grow New Hands?

A special “tickle attack” Mailbag edition of Tumble! We’re tackling your questions about whether animals can be tickled, and why we laugh when we’re tickled. David Leavens, a professor of psychology, helps us break down the not-so-silly science of tickling. Plus, a brand NEW SONG ...  Show more

Do trees think? That’s what our listener Alden wants to know. He has an idea that scientists might study mushroom roots to find out if trees are sending messages. Is that true? And if so, what do trees have to say?!We travel deep into the forest with a young soil scientist named ...  Show more

Philo Farnsworth loved electricity so much he came up with a way to invent television - as a 14 year old! Centuries beforehand Stephen Gray, a British scientist, learned more about electricity than anyone before him - and he used children to show how it worked! 

In disruptive times like these, it can be useful to expand your mind with radical new ideas, especially when they challenge your own assumptions. We need to remember that discomfort can be the first step in genuine learning, but only if we’re open to it. Today’s guest, Malcolm Co ...  Show more

Lonnie Johnson was already a brilliant Air Force engineer working on cutting edge, planet-saving inventions…when a surprise bathroom discovery (we’ve all been there) sparked an idea that changed water fights forever. This nuclear scientist's side hustle—a game-changing water gun ...  Show more

Semiconductors might be tiny, but they do BIG things! In this episode of Sleep Tight Science, we explore what semiconductors are, how they’re made, and why they’re so important in everything from smartphones and laptops to space rockets and self-driving cars. This episode is perf ...  Show more