Brains On! Universe
A network of educational podcasts for kids and families, featuring science explainers and game-show-style debates co-hosted by children.
This is a feed for a collection of distinct, highly-produced audio shows for elementary and middle school-aged kids. The two main formats are science explainers ("Brains On!") that use a child co-host, sound effects, and expert interviews to break down topics like how lightbulbs work, and a formal debate game show ("Smash Boom Best") where two adult comedians or writers argue for silly-but-serious topics (e.g. Avocados vs. Raspberries) in front of a child judge.
“The channel's most distinctive feature is its use of children as co-hosts and judges, giving them genuine agency in the show. The "Smash Boom Best" format is a uniquely structured game show that teaches debate and critical thinking through humorous, high-stakes arguments over seemingly frivolous topics.”
Who hosts this show
Brains On! Universe is a collection of educational podcasts for children, created by Molly Bloom, Marc Sanchez, and Sanden Totten. The flagship show, "Brains On!", is a science podcast where host Molly Bloom and a different child co-host answer listener questions each week. The universe also includes "Smash Boom Best," a debate show; "Forever Ago," a history show; and "Moment of Um," for quick questions. The shows originated at Minnesota Public Radio/American Public Media and were designed to feature kids' voices, not talk down to them, and be enjoyable for parents as well.
Credentials & credits
- Co-creator and host of the Brains On! Universe podcasts
- Journalist and radio producer at Minnesota Public Radio
- Published author ("Brains On! Presents... It's Alive")
- Recipient of National Science Foundation grant for research on podcasting and learning
Other ventures
- Brains On! (flagship science podcast)
- Smash Boom Best (debate podcast)
- Forever Ago (history podcast)
- Moment of Um (short-form Q&A podcast)
- Smarty Pass (ad-free subscription service)
- Co-author of Brains On! books
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01Texting vs Calling | Smash Boom Best (Full Episode) | A Debate Show for KidsJun 25, 2026 · 34 min
- 02How do lightbulbs workJun 23, 2026 · 26 min
- 03Avocados vs Raspberries | Smash Boom Best (Full Episode) | A Debate Show for KidsJun 18, 2026 · 32 min
- 04Balloons vs Candles | Smash Boom Best (Full Episode) | A Debate Show for KidsJun 11, 2026 · 34 min
- 05Knitting vs Pottery | Smash Boom Best (Full Episode) | A Debate Show for KidsJun 4, 2026 · 34 min
- 06Onions vs Corn | Smash Boom Best (Full Episode) | A Debate Show for Kids and FamilyMay 28, 2026 · 31 min
- 07
- 08
Notable episodes
- 01Texting vs Calling | Smash Boom Best
A prime example of the debate format, featuring the host and producer of another well-known podcast, 'Heavyweight', as the debaters.
- 02How do lightbulbs work?
Demonstrates the core 'Brains On!' science explainer format, with a child co-host and creative sound design to explain a common object.
- 03Avocados vs Raspberries | Smash Boom Best
Showcases the show's ability to create a compelling and humorous debate out of everyday, kid-friendly topics, complete with creative arguments and character work.
What you'll be asked on this show
This dossier focuses on the "Smash Boom Best" format, which features a recurring interview segment. Host Molly Bloom does not conduct deep, probing interviews; instead, she facilitates a structured game. Her primary interview subject is the child judge for each episode. She opens by asking light, personal questions about the judge's hobbies, pets, or activities (e.g., making bracelets, singing in choir, caring for bunnies) to build rapport and introduce them to the audience. Throughout the debate, her questions are procedural, designed to track the judge's thinking after each round, asking consistently, "What stood out to you?" Her goal is to guide the judge through the scoring process rather than to uncover a personal narrative.
Host Molly Bloom adapts her style to the format. In "Brains On!", she's a knowledgeable guide, co-exploring a topic with a child. In "Smash Boom Best," she's a charismatic game show moderator, explaining rules and prompting the judge. Both show formats share a high production value with plentiful sound effects, musical stings, and a fast-paced, upbeat tone.
Questions the host keeps coming back to
6 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
process
3- Q.01
“What stood out to you about that argument/Declaration of Greatness?”
This is the most common question, asked to the judge after each debater presents their case to track scoring.
- Q.02
“What was the moment that sealed the deal or decided things for you?”
Asked at the end to understand the turning point in the judge's final decision.
- Q.03
“What did you learn from judging last time?”
A specific question for returning judges to reflect on their past experience on the show.
personal
2- Q.01
“Tell me about your [hobby/pet/interest]?”
A general opening question, often specific (e.g., bunnies, choir), used to build rapport with the child judge.
- Q.02
“What was your favorite moment?”
A closing question asked after the winner is announced to get a final highlight from the judge.
advice
1- Q.01
“Do you have any advice or tips for our debaters?”
Asked before the debate begins, this question positions the child judge as an authority on the process.
Signature segments
- · Declaration of Greatness
- · The Micro-Round
- · The Sneak Attack
- · The Final Six
- · State of Debate
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
For the debate show "Smash Boom Best," guests are typically professional creatives like podcast hosts, improvisers, comedians, and writers who can craft a passionate, funny argument. For the science show "Brains On!", the primary guests are child co-hosts and subject-matter experts who can explain complex topics clearly.
- Jonathan Goldsteinon Texting vs Calling
- Kalila Holton Texting vs Calling
- Adwoa Gyimah-Brempongon Avocados vs Raspberries
- Merk Nguyenon Avocados vs Raspberries
- Alsa Brunoon Balloons vs Candles
- Anna Weggelon Balloons vs Candles
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The show is supported by a direct-to-listener subscription service called Smarty Pass, which provides ad-free episodes and other benefits. This indicates a business model focused on a dedicated listener base rather than programmatic advertising alone.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- What is Brains On! Universe?
- It's a YouTube channel and podcast feed that hosts several shows for kids, including the science-focused 'Brains On!', the debate show 'Smash Boom Best', the history show 'Forever Ago', and the Q&A show 'Moment of Um'.
- Who is the host?
- Molly Bloom is the primary host across the different shows. She co-created the series with Marc Sanchez and Sanden Totten.
- Is this just one podcast or multiple?
- It's a collection of several distinct podcasts, all produced by the same team, that are often presented together in a single feed called the 'Brains On! Universe'.
- What is the format of Smash Boom Best?
- It's a debate game show where two guests argue for one of two things (e.g., Pizza vs. Tacos). A child judge listens to the arguments across four rounds ('Declaration of Greatness', 'Micro-Round', 'Sneak Attack', 'Final Six') and declares a winner.
- Is the show still being made?
- As of early 2025, American Public Media announced plans to sell the Brains On! Universe, and the shows announced a pause in new episodes while they move to a new independent headquarters. All past episodes remain available.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Brains On! Universe Official Sitebrainson.org
- [02]Smash Boom Best - Official Pagebrainson.org
- [03]APM Studios - Brains On!apmstudios.org
- [04]APM plans sale of 'Brains On!' podcasts - Current.orgcurrent.org
- [05]Interview with Brains On! Podcast Host Molly Bloom - Mommy Weekmommyweek.com
- [06]Molly Bloom on creating educational content for kids - Center for Journalism Ethicsethics.journalism.wisc.edu
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