But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids

Have you ever heard of a bucket list? That’s an expression people sometimes use that means something big you want to do or see or accomplish in your lifetime! For our last episode every year, we like to turn things...

Have you ever heard a fox scream at night and thought it was a human? And why, when goats bleat, do they sometimes sound like human babies? Animals can sometimes make similar noises but not because they’re feeling the...

On a rainy, windy day, But Why hopped on a ferry and headed to Governors Island in New York City with one thing on our minds - oysters! We met up with Mike McCann of the Billion Oyster Project to learn more about these...

How do musical instruments make their sounds? Why do people play music in the first place? What’s a viola bow made out of? How are musical instruments made? How much do professional musicians practice? Three musicians...

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is an American tradition. It’s been going since 1924. This year marks the 99th parade (it took three years off during World War II). It’s famous for elaborate floats and huge character...

What’s your favorite color? Where do colors come from?Why do people see colors? Does everyone see colors the same way? How many colors are there in the world? We learn about colors with Kassia St. Clair, the author of a...

Who invented candy? Why is it so sweet? Why does hard candy melt in your mouth? How are candy corn, gummies and nerds made? What makes pop rocks pop? We talk with traditional candy makers at Sticky in California and...

Why are horses so big? Why do horses have tails and manes? How do their legs move? Are their bones in their hooves? What do they eat and how do they run and jump? We tackle those questions and more in this episode all...

Volcanoes have been erupting on Earth for BILLIONS of years, and they’re still creating new landscapes today! Volcanoes can seem mysterious and scary, but people all over the world have learned to live in close...

But Why went somewhere really cool - literally - and we’re taking you along! We visited Sólheimajökull, a glacier in southern Iceland and then talked with University of Iceland glaciologist Guðfinna Aðalgeirsdóttir to...

Have you noticed especially hazy skies where you live over the last few summers? While many parts of the world are experiencing more frequent and intense wildfires, even places that are nowhere near the fires are being...

Have you ever seen a puffin? With their bright beaks, orange feet and black and white coloring, these birds are very cool to look at. And we’ve gotten a lot of questions about them! In this episode, we talk with Don...

Where did the English language come from? Why do words have silent letters? Why do some people have accents? Why do some words sound similar? Answers to all of your questions about English and words with sociolinguist...

For today’s episode, we’re doing something a little different! We’re going to be listening to our video series, But Why Bites! (Even without the video part, they’re really cool!) Every other week over on our YouTube...

Who created math problems? Why does one plus one equal 2 and not 11? Why do numbers go on forever? Why are numbers for counting? Why do you need math? If you love math, this is the episode for you. And if you hate...

Ever wondered why some spices burn your throat while others tickle your nose? Or why some of us live for spicy foods while others sweat at the mere thought of a habanero? How do pickles stay crunchy if they’re sitting...

It’s summer and that means slathering yourself with sunblock before you’re allowed to go run around outside. Not everyone loves that ritual: sunscreen can be cold or sticky. Sometimes it gets in your eyes, and it always...

How did horseshoe crabs get their names? Are they even crabs? And did they really exist before the dinosaurs? Early spring presents a unique opportunity to see these living fossils up close as they scuttle up to the...

Emoji are those little images you can send in text messages to friends and family. Nine-year-old Leila in New Jersey wants to know how they were invented. So in this episode we find out with Jane Solomon, editor at...

Why do walrus look the way they do? Why do they have such long tusks? Do they have other teeth? Do walruses migrate? We learn all about these majestic giants with Adam Ratner of the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito...

What’s the difference between seals and sea lions? Do seals bark? Are they gray? Do harbor seals live in snowy regions? Why do sea lions eat fish? Why do sea lions fight each other? Seals and sea lions are pinnipeds...

What are atoms made of? Why is everything made of atoms? Why are atoms so small? How many atoms are there in the world? How did scientists find atoms if we can’t see them? How do atoms get their color? We learn about...

How are records made? How does a record player make sound? Why are we still listening to and buying records when there are so many digital ways to listen to music?! But Why visits Gold Rush Vinyl in Austin, Texas to...

Do you love tacos? Then you’re not alone! Tacos originated in Mexico but they’re popular worldwide and they are ever evolving. Kids have a lot of questions about this favorite food so we visited Nixta Taqueria in...

No matter how old you are, you’re part of the economy, but it can be tricky to understand what the economy actually is. Plus, what are taxes? What’s inflation? What are tariffs and why have they been in the news so much...