STEM with Dr. Owl

Kids learn the origins of human language, the fundamental science of grammar, and how words get their meaning in this engaging exploration of linguistics. Join Dr. Owl, Emma, and Ziggy the Robot as they answer six-year-old Agnes's brilliant question, play the quiet game, and discover why Ziggy wants to rename bananas into "squiggle-bops"!

Kids discover how compasses, timers, sunscreen, thermoses, and microwaves use invisible forces and hidden processes to do their jobs. Emma and Dr. Owl follow five clues from Ziggy’s overflowing mailbag, test a timer, solve a thermos mystery, and stop one very sparkly spoon plan. It’s a playful question-and-answer science adventure about everyday engineering.

Kids discover how airplanes fly by exploring thrust, lift, drag, and the surprising power of invisible air. At an airport window, Emma, Dr. Owl, and Ziggy use a paper strip, a runaway balloon, a model wing, and three playful challenges to uncover what engines really do, how wings lift a heavy airplane, and why the wheels do not pull it down to land.

Children will learn the foundational chemistry concepts of atoms, protons, neutrons, and electrons in this educational episode. Join our heroes as they put on their Shrink-O-Matic goggles to explore a giant stadium-sized atom and find out why the universe is mostly made of empty space!

Discover the animal biology behind butterfly flight, skunk defense mechanisms, bird songs, and cephalopod arms in this exciting mailbag episode. Join Dr. Owl, Emma, and Ziggy as they rapidly answer listener questions about why moths fly into lights, how octopuses catch their food, and the amazing ways creatures use their built-in survival tools in the wild.

Discover the fascinating science behind the human immune system, what causes seasonal allergies, and how vaccines protect our bodies. Join Emma, Dr. Owl, and Ziggy as they uncover why harmless pollen triggers our histamine alarms and learn how vaccines act as a superhero training manual for our white blood cells.

Kids will discover the physics of balance and how hydraulic systems allow powerful machines to lift heavy objects without tipping over. Join Dr. Owl, Emma, and Ziggy as they explore "liquid muscles" and turn a giant tow truck into a playground seesaw. We’ll learn how heavy engines act as secret counterweights to keep everything steady on the road!

Children will learn the foundational physics behind everyday engineering, exploring how air resistance slows parachutes and water pressure powers fire hoses. Join Dr. Owl, Curious Emma, and Ziggy the Robot as they dive into an overflowing mailbag of listener questions, uncovering the space-age secrets of memory foam and discovering how conveyor belts keep things moving!

Learn the science behind earthquakes, tectonic plates, and tsunamis in this earth-shaking geology lesson! Join Dr. Owl, Emma, and Ziggy as they use wooden blocks to experiment with friction, discover how fast the Earth's crust is moving, and find out why ocean waves grow into massive walls of water near the shore. Grab your safety goggles (and maybe a giant wrench) for a fun, scientific ride!

Discover the physics of friction and precision engineering behind how toy bricks connect without glue or magnets. Join Dr. Owl, Emma, and Ziggy as they explore the secrets of "clutch power" and find out what really happens when giant theme park models are built. Plus, listen in to hear if Ziggy can successfully secure a towering plastic castle using peanut butter!

Discover the science of human biology and anatomy by uncovering the surprising reasons behind our funniest bodily functions. Dr. Owl, Emma, and Ziggy dive into the mailbag to learn how a burp acts as a release valve for escaping gas and why a sneeze blasts out of your nose faster than the world's fastest human runner. Grab a clean spray bottle and join us for a fun at-home experiment!

Explore the science behind the Fire Triangle and understand how heat, fuel, and oxygen combine to spark natural wildfires. Join Emma, Dr. Owl, and Ziggy as they investigate lightning strikes, flying embers, and the surprising way fire helps serotinous pine cones release their seeds to grow new trees! Finally, learn how firefighters build dirt firebreaks to keep our communities and forests safe. Learning Connection: NGSS DCI: ESS3.B – Natural Hazards

Children will explore the engineering and robotics behind autonomous vehicles by learning how sensors, radar, and Lidar allow computers to see, think, decide, and act. Join Emma and Dr. Owl as they set up a cardboard obstacle course to test Ziggy's "mind-drive" car. Find out how self-driving cars avoid squishing Mr. Snuggles and why a robot might need to pull over during a snowstorm! Learning Connection: NGSS DCI: K-2-ETS1 – Engineering Design

Explore Earth’s atmosphere, twinkling stars, Neptune’s formation, the size of the solar system, and distant galaxies in this space science Q&A for kids. Join Dr. Owl, Emma, and Ziggy as they rapidly answer listener questions about the Kármán line, the Oort Cloud, the Milky Way, Andromeda, and other mysteries of the universe.

Discover the science of air pressure, invisible gas particles, and uneven heating from the Sun in this educational Earth Science episode. Join Emma and Ziggy as they try to catch a sneaky "sky-ghost" with a butterfly net and learn exactly why warm air rising creates ocean breezes. Learning Connection: NGSS DCI: ESS2.D – Weather and Climate

In this episode, kids will learn the science behind how the human body grows by exploring cell division, bone growth plates, and the role of nutrition and sleep. Join Emma and Dr. Owl as they discover the trillions of tiny building blocks that make up our bodies. Meanwhile, watch out for Ziggy the robot, who hilariously tries to hack his own height using motor oil and a tall stack of dictionaries! Learning Connection: NGSS DCI: LS1.B – Growth and Development of Organisms

Explore animal biology and zoology as we open Ziggy's latest mailbag to discover how bioluminescent creatures glow in the dark, why owls have incredible night vision, and the amazing way bees make honey. Join Emma, Dr. Owl, and Ziggy the Robot as they boot up the Mail-o-Matic Sorter to answer an all-animal mailbag filled with fun listener questions. From ladybug warning colors to the acrobatic mid-air landings of wildcats, this episode is a wild STEM adventure! Learning Connection: NGSS DCI: 4-LS1-1 – Plant and Animal Structures for Survival

Discover the physics of ocean waves, wind energy transfer, and coastal science as we answer a listener question. Emma and Dr. Owl investigate how wind creates ocean swells, while Ziggy the Robot hilariously tests his own mega-fan wave generator. Learning Connection: NGSS DCI: PS4.A – Wave Properties

Kids will learn the physics of light, how the human eye works, and what refraction means as they discover the science behind lenses. Join Emma, Dr. Owl, and Ziggy the Robot as they explore why putting on the wrong glasses makes everything blurry and how microscopes reveal hidden details. From bending light with water to using a microscope's lenses like a relay race, this episode brings the invisible world into clear focus. Learning Connection: NGSS DCI: 4-PS4-2 – Light and Vision

Discover the plant biology behind roots, corn, moss, flowers, chlorophyll, and colorful fruits in this exciting mailbag episode! Join Dr. Owl, Emma, and Ziggy as they rapidly answer listener questions about why some vegetables grow underground, how corn silks become kernels, why moss grows on trees, why grass is green, and how flowers and fruit pigments work.