The Conversation's Curious Kids

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.