The Conversation's Curious Kids

Episoder

• What came before the Big Bang? 16.06.2026 15min

  It’s a question big enough to make your head spin! Eight-year-old Ellie from Atlanta, Georgia, wants to know what came before the Big Bang?Ellie joins our host Eloise to delve into the origins of our universe with astronomer Michael Lam from Rochester Institute of Technology.If you'd like to join in with the experiment in this episode, make sure you have a balloon and a pen on hand while you listen.A podcast from The Conversation, the independent not-for-profit news organisation that brings you news and analysis straight from academic experts. Full credits available here.This season is supported by the University of Southampton in the UK, a world-leading research-intensive university with a global network of international students and campuses in Malaysia and Delhi. Are you a curious kid with a question? Pop it in an email, or record it and send us the audio to curiouskids@theconversation.com. Curious Kids: how likely is it that there are parallel universes and other Earths?Curious Kids: how are galaxies formed?How could an explosive Big Bang be the birth of our universe?What if the Big Bang wasn’t the beginning? Our research suggests it may have taken place inside a black hole
• Why do my fingers go wrinkly in the bath? 09.06.2026 13min

  Have you ever stayed in the bath or swimming pool for ages and noticed that your fingers and toes went all wrinkly? Well, 11-year-old Maya from London wanted to know why that happens.She joins host Eloise to get the answer from biologist Tom Smulders from Newcastle University on the first episode of our second season! There’s an experiment in this episode which you can try out too while you listen. If you want to join in, prepare a bowl of warm water.A podcast from The Conversation, the independent not-for-profit news organisation that brings you news and analysis straight from academic experts. Full credits available here.This season is supported by the University of Southampton in the UK, a world-leading research-intensive university with a global network of international students and campuses in Malaysia and Delhi. Are you a curious kid with a question? Pop it in an email, or record it and send us the audio to curiouskids@theconversation.com.
• New season coming soon! 02.06.2026

  We've had some fantastic questions sent in by listeners around the world and now we're back with a second season of The Conversation's Curious Kids! And we're beaming at being named Best Kids podcast at the British Podcast Awards 2025 too.Each episode, a curious kid joins host Eloise to ask a top researcher their burning question, such as: why do your fingers and toes go wrinkly in the bath? Why our taste in food changes as we get older? How high can volcanoes actually send molten lava up into the air?New episodes from June 9th.A podcast from The Conversation, the independent not-for-profit news organisationthat brings you news straight from academic experts.This season is supported by the University of Southampton in the UK, a world-leading research-intensive university with a global network of international students and campuses in Malaysia and Delhi. Are you a curious kid with a question? Pop it in an email, or record it and send us the audio to curiouskids@theconversation.com.
• Does magic really exist? 08.06.2024 19min

  Seven year old Julia in London thinks that rainbows and the recent Northern Lights are magical. But if a scientist tells her how they work, will she still believe they are? Join us to find out! Featuring Partha Chowdhury, professor of physics at UMass Lowell in the US.  The Conversation’s Curious Kids  podcast is published in partnership with FunKids, the UK’s children’s radio station. It’s hosted and produced by Eloise. The executive producer is Gemma Ware. Email your question to curiouskids@theconversation.com or record it and send your question to us directly at funkidslive.com/curious. And explore more articles from our Curious Kids series on The Conversation.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
• Can chameleons change colour in their sleep? 01.06.2024 20min

  Have you ever wondered how chameleons change colour? And can they do this while they're asleep? What about if they are able to dream? Does their dream flash across their bodies in reds, turquoises and greens? Join curious ten-year-old Ikechukwu from Lagos, Nigeria, as he takes all his questions to an expert!  Featuring Russell Ligon, a recent postdoctoral researcher at Cornell University in the US. The Conversation’s Curious Kids  podcast is published in partnership with FunKids, the UK’s children’s radio station. It’s hosted and produced by Eloise. The executive producer is Gemma Ware. Email your question to curiouskids@theconversation.com or record it and send your question to us directly at funkidslive.com/curious. And explore more articles from our Curious Kids series on The Conversation.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
• If an asteroid hit Earth, and all the humans died, would the dinosaurs come back? 25.05.2024 19min

  Many, many years ago dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Six year old Aga knows that a meteorite wiped them out... but could another meteorite bring them back?  You can read a print version of this story here, and explore more articles from our Curious Kids series on The Conversation. The Conversation’s Curious Kids  podcast is published in partnership with FunKids, the UK’s children’s radio station. It’s hosted and produced by Eloise. The executive producer is Gemma Ware. Email your question to curiouskids@theconversation.com or record it and send your question to us directly at funkidslive.com/curious.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
• Why is my dog so cute? 18.05.2024 19min

  Do you think your dog is the cutest thing you've ever seen? Ten-year-old Grace does! But why?  She joins our host Eloise and psychologist Deborah Wells to find out! The Conversation's Curious Kids podcast is published in partnership with FunKids, the UK's children's radio station. It's hosted and produced by Eloise and Gemma Ware is the executive producer.  If you have a question for an expert, email us at curiouskids@theconversation.com or record it and send your question to us directly at funkidslive.com/curious.  You can read an article of this episode here or explore more articles from our Curious Kids series on The Conversation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
• Why do some trees lose their leaves and others don't? 11.05.2024 17min

  As spring started springing, and leaves started to reappear on the trees, Robi-Jo wanted to find out why some trees lose their leaves and others don't. He joined our host Eloise to ask Paul Ashton, a botanist at Edge Hill University in the UK, who took them into the secret life of our big, leafy friends! The Conversation's Curious Kids podcast is published in partnership with FunKids, the UK's children's radio station. It's hosted and produced by Eloise and Gemma Ware is the executive producer. Full sound credits available here.  If you have a question for an expert, email us at curiouskids@theconversation.com or record it and send your question to us directly at funkidslive.com/curious.  And explore more articles from our Curious Kids series on The Conversation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
• What is energy made of? 04.05.2024 13min

  Have you seen that scene from Star Wars where Yoda uses the force to lift the spaceship out of a swamp? Its energy is so powerful, but what exactly is it made of?  That's what Ela, aged 10 from Melbourne, wanted to know. And so she joined our host Eloise to ask Sam Baron, a science philosopher at The University of Melbourne to find the answer!  The Conversation's Curious Kids is published in partnership with FunKids, the UK's children's radio station. It's hosted and produced by Eloise, and this episode was executive produced by Stephen Harris. Full sound credits available here.  If you have a question for an expert, email us at curiouskids@theconversation.com or record it and send your question to us directly at https://funkidslive.com/curious.  And explore more articles from our Curious Kids series on The Conversation including a print version of the story in this episode.  **Disclosure statement:** _Sam Baron receives funding from the Australian Research Council. _See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
• How high can I jump on the Moon? 27.04.2024 15min

  Imagine you’re lucky enough to travel all the way to the Moon, and you’re bouncing around in your space suit, exploring. How high could you jump? That’s what Miles, aged nine, from London, wanted to know. And so he joined our host Eloise to ask Jacco von Loon, an astrophysicist at Keele University in the UK to find the answer!  The Conversation's Curious Kids podcast is published in partnership with FunKids, the UK's children's radio station. It's hosted and produced by Eloise Stevens and Gemma Ware is the executive producer. Full sound credits available here.  If you have a question for an expert, email us at curiouskids@theconversation.com or record it and send your question to us directly at https://funkidslive.com/curious.  And explore more articles from our Curious Kids series on The Conversation including a print version of the story in this episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
• Do whales sneeze? 20.04.2024 12min

  Do whales sneeze? That's what ten-year-old Guy from Sydney wanted to know. He joined our host Eloise to ask Vanessa Pirotta, a wildlife scientist at Macquarie University in Australia who is also an expert in whale snot!  The Conversation's Curious Kids podcast is published in partnership with FunKids, the UK's children's radio station. It's hosted and produced by Eloise Stevens and Gemma Ware is the executive producer. Full sound credits available here.  If you have a question for an expert, email us at curiouskids@theconversation.com or record it and send your question to us directly at funkidslive.com/curious.  And explore more articles from our Curious Kids series on The Conversation including a print version of the story in this episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
• Welcome to The Conversation's Curious Kids 20.03.2024 2min

  Kids ask the coolest questions! And on The Conversation’s Curious Kids, we get the brainiest people we can to answer them!  Every week, a curious kid joins host Eloise to ask the world’s top researchers their burning question – whether it’s about space, dinosaurs, trees or even why their dog is just sooooo cute. A podcast from The Conversation, the independent website that brings you news straight from scientists and scholars, in partnership with Fun Kids. Email your questions to curiouskids@theconversation.com or record it and send your audio recording to us directly at https://funkidslive.com/curiousSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.