Muse

July 10, 2026 | 00:34:06 | Kids & Family

Have you ever seen your dog play with another dog? Have you seen squirrels chasing each other in the woods? Are they playing or are they doing something else? We look at the behavior of animals with Marco Wendt, Wildlife Ambassador for the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and host of Amazing Wildlife: A San Diego Zoo Podcast . Also in this episode: Why do pigs like to play in the mud? Why do elephants like to play in the mud? Why do hamsters like to play? Is it okay for animals to live at the zoo? Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

June 26, 2026 | 00:28:26 | Kids & Family

Right now, the 2026 FIFA men’s World Cup is happening across 16 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico and it’s time to learn a little bit about soccer…or should we say football? That’s one conundrum we’ll be tackling: why is it called soccer in some countries and football in others? We’ll also look at World Cup questions like where the first tournament was played and what makes the trophy so special. Plus: what are the basic rules of the game? Why are soccer balls often black and white? How come goalkeepers are allowed to use their hands? And what does offside actually mean? In this episode, we meet up with Meg Linehan, women’s sports lead for The Athletic at a Vermont Green FC training session and ask her all your soccer-related questions. Download our learning guide: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

June 12, 2026 | 00:26:44 | Kids & Family

How are video games made? Who invented the concept? Why do games have levels? Who invented them? Why are game consoles so expensive? Why do people like playing these games so much and do they turn your brain to mush? What do you do if you can’t make yourself stop playing? In this episode, we talk with Patrick Klepek, writer and editor of Crossplay, a newsletter focused on video games and parenting. Download our learning guide: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

May 29, 2026 | 00:27:18 | Kids & Family

What is ADHD? How does ADHD affect the brain? Why do only some people have it? How can we control our brains? An estimated 11 percent of U.S. kids are diagnosed with the neurological condition known as ADHD, so you may have it or have a friend or classmate with this unique way of thinking. In this episode we explore how you can learn to balance the strengths and challenges of ADHD with Dr. Liz Angoff, author of the Brain Building Book . Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

May 15, 2026 | 00:23:04 | Kids & Family

What are eels? And why are some eels electric? We head to Poughkeepsie, New York to learn about eels with Chris Bowser, Hudson River estuary educator with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation. Plus we learn about electric eels. Electric eels have captured the imagination of many people, but they’re not actually considered eels by the scientific community. They’re a type of knife fish, more closely related to catfish and carp. But they are electric! So we’ll tackle why they’re electric and how they create electricity. David de Santana, of the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, tells us what it’s like to study electric eels in the Amazon. Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

May 1, 2026 | 00:36:03 | Kids & Family

Why is there traffic? How do traffic lights work? How do they know when to turn red and green? Why does green mean go and red mean stop? Why are cars able to go faster than they are allowed to go with the speed limit? Why do we drive on the right side of the road in the United States? Why are some roads bigger than others?  Answers to your traffic questions with Mike Knodler, professor and director of the Transportation Center at the University of Massachusetts. Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

April 24, 2026 | 00:20:51 | Kids & Family

Can’t get enough of lizards? We’re back with a bonus episode answering more of your lizard questions with Adam Clause of the San Diego Natural History Museum. This week, chameleons, Komodo dragons, iguanas, monitor lizards and tuatara! How do chameleons change color? Why are Komodo dragons called dragons and are they endangered? How many babies do monitor lizards have? Why do iguanas have dewlaps? (And what’s a dewlap?!)  Why are iguanas green? What is a tuatara? Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

April 17, 2026 | 00:35:23 | Kids & Family

Deep in the basement of the San Diego Natural History Museum, there are thousands of jars filled with preserved reptiles and amphibians. In this episode, But Why takes a tour with collections manager Adam Clause to answer your questions about lizards!  How do lizards climb walls? Do lizards hibernate? Do they sleep? Why are lizards cold blooded?  How do lizards grow back their tails if they break off? Why do geckos lick their eyes? Do lizards poop and pee? Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

April 3, 2026 | 00:22:37 | Kids & Family

But Why turns ten years old on April 1, 2026! To celebrate this milestone, we’re listening back to our very first episode. We’ve got owls and turtles and bears. Naturalist Mary Holland gets into the details about hibernation–including the questions you may not even have thought to ask, like what about poop? Then we meet a barred owl named Chapin, who is cared for by Outreach for Earth Stewardship in Shelburne, Vermont. Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript Download and print Hibernating Bear and "Om Nom" Bear , coloring pages by Lauren Turmel.

March 20, 2026 | 00:26:39 | Kids & Family

In the United States, voters in each state elect a governor every two or four year terms. The governor is the top official in the state government. But did you know five U.S. states also elect a Kid Governor ? It’s a part of a civics education program that helps kids learn about democracy while focusing on a community issue that’s important to them. But Why recently hosted Vermont’s Kid Governor and cabinet for a kid press conference and in this episode, we’ll listen in on that event. Plus we’ll hear from kid governors in Connecticut and Nebraska about what they hope to accomplish in their terms. Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript