More sport science: Bats and black eyes

Summary

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Brains On! – More Sport Science: Bats and Black Eyes

Date: April 14, 2026
Host: Molly Bloom
Kid Co-host: Carys (Minneapolis)
Guest Contributor: Sandon Totten

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Episode Overview

This episode dives into the science behind popular questions about softball and baseball, focusing on two curious topics: why players wear black paint (“eye black”) under their eyes and why baseball bats are measured in ounces. Co-hosted by Carys, a young softball enthusiast, and featuring fun contributions from Sandon Totten, the episode blends sports, science, and kid-powered curiosity with lively discussion, games, and listener participation.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Softball vs. Baseball: Player Perspective

[03:16 – 04:57]

• Carys shares her love for playing pitcher in softball and offers tips for hitting:
  • “Keep your eye on the ball. It helps a lot. People who don't keep their eye on the ball, they usually can't hit it. But when you keep your eye on the ball, it goes usually pretty far.” – Carys [04:26]
• Discussion of pitching underhand in softball vs. overhand in baseball.
• The satisfying sound of hitting the ball:
  • “When I hear that and I don't even see the ball, like, flying in the air, I just go, yeah.” – Carys [04:42]

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2. Eye Black: What Does It Do?

[04:58 – 10:12]

Listener Question

• Logan from Ontario asks:
  “What does eye black do for baseball players?” [04:58]

The Science & Theories

• Sandon Totten explains the history and science of eye black:
  • Used since Ancient Egypt (with “kohl”) to protect from sun glare.
  • In baseball, popularized by Babe Ruth, who allegedly used it to cut down glare.
    • “Glare is when light is reflected back at you. It can make it really hard to see when there’s, like, a really bright light.” – Sandon Totten [07:15]
  • Modern players use it to help see better and for style/intimidation.

How Eye Black Works

• “Black is a color that absorbs a lot of light... So when that little light beam comes, watch out. It hits your cheeks and gets soaked up by the black paint.” – Sandon Totten [07:44–08:27]
• Less light reflects into a player’s eyes, reducing glare.

Does It Really Help?

• Studies suggest some benefit, but it’s not dramatic, and may help less for people with blue eyes due to less melanin:
  • “Blue eyes are more sensitive to bright light. They have less of a stuff called melanin in.” – Sandon Totten [09:05]

Style & Psychology

• Players also wear eye black to look tough or intimidating:
  • “You look tough, like you didn’t get enough sleep the night before and you’re super grumpy. Or you can look like a raccoon—nature's lovable scamp, and as everyone knows, fantastic pickleball players.” – Sandon Totten [09:39]

Memorable Moment:

• Sandon’s joke about using eye black for a raccoon-themed pickleball club.

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3. Why Are Bats Measured in Ounces?

[14:23 – 16:24]

Listener Question

• Liam from California asks:
  “Why are baseball bats measured in ounces?” [14:27]

Explanation

• Ounces provide a more precise measurement than pounds.
• Most bats are between two and three pounds (32–48 ounces), and using ounces avoids tricky fractions.
  • “There are 16 ounces in a single pound… In that case, it’s easier to measure in ounces, so you can be more precise without having to use fraction of a pound.” – Molly Bloom [15:28–15:59]
• Comparisons to measuring height in feet instead of miles for ease.

Player Preference

• Carys prefers heavier bats:
  • “Because when I use a lighter one, it’s harder for me to hit the ball cause it kind of goes all over the place.” – Carys [16:31]

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4. Evolution and Innovation in Bats

[18:14 – 22:35]

Bat History Quiz – “Spot the Bogus Bat”

• Molly quizzes Carys on real and fake bat inventions:
  • Banana bat – Real (curved like a banana) [19:13]
  • Squish bat – Bogus (squishy foam) [19:55]
  • Zebra bat – Real (striped design, but never officially used) [20:28]
  • Bat bat – Bogus (makes sonar-like noise) [21:22]
  • Axe handle bat – Real (slanted handle for grip) [21:55]

Notable Insight

• Innovation in baseball is constant, with players always seeking new approaches and equipment.

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5. Science Chant / Listener Participation

[13:27 – 14:20]

• Fun science chants contributed by listeners (Lydia, Lula, Lucas, Phoebe).
  • “Science, science, I love you/ Science, science, studies you/ Science, science, we like you/ Science, science, you got groove/ Science, science, who are you? Kenny Teacher. Teach me a thing or two.” [13:50–14:11]

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6. Mystery Sound Game

[10:16 – 24:28, answer at 24:15]

• Carys and Molly try to guess a mystery sound (revealed later as a swimsuit water extractor:
  • “It’s one of those things that you see at, like, pools that dry your clothes.” – Carys [23:47]
  • “Hi, my name is Josiah, and that was the sound of a swimsuit water extractor or extracting water from a swimsuit.” – listener Josiah [24:15]

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Key Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Keep your eye on the ball. It helps a lot. People who don't keep their eye on the ball, they usually can't hit it.” – Carys [04:26]
• “Glare is when light is reflected back at you. It can make it really hard to see when there’s, like, a really bright light.” – Sandon Totten [07:15]
• “Black is a color that absorbs a lot of light… So when that little light beam comes, watch out. It hits your cheeks and gets soaked up by the black paint.” – Sandon Totten [07:44–08:27]
• “You look tough, like you didn’t get enough sleep the night before and you’re super grumpy.” – Sandon Totten [09:39]
• “Ounces are much smaller than pounds… In that case, it’s easier to measure in ounces…” – Molly Bloom [15:28–15:59]
• “Because when I use a lighter one, it’s harder for me to hit the ball cause it kind of goes all over the place.” – Carys [16:31]

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• [03:16] – Carys discusses playing softball.
• [04:58] – Question: What does eye black do?
• [06:16 – 10:12] – Sandon Totten explains eye black.
• [14:27] – Question: Why bats are measured in ounces.
• [18:14 – 22:35] – Spot the Bogus Bat game and bat innovations.
• [10:16 & 23:29] – Mystery sound and reveal.
• [13:50] – Listener-submitted science chants.

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Episode Wrap-up

Takeaways

• Eye black absorbs light, reducing glare, with a side benefit of looking cool or intimidating. Its effectiveness is debated, especially for blue-eyed players.
• Bats are measured in ounces for precision—small differences matter for players.
• Bat design has a long, quirky history, with unique inventions both real and imagined.
• Listener engagement (science chants, mystery sound, and questions) adds interactivity and fun.

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Curious for more? Visit Brains On! at brainson.org

Transcript

[Molly Bloom]

Lemonada. Today's episode is sponsored by Great Wolf Lodge. At Great Wolf Lodge, there's adventure for the whole family. You and your pack can splash away in the indoor water park where it's always 84 degrees. There's a massive wave pool, a lazy river, and tons of water slides for your pack to enjoy together. And the fun doesn't stop there. Get ready to explore and play at Adventure packed attractions from Magiquest, a live action game that takes place throughout the lodge, to the Northern Lights Arcade. There's also a bunch of great dining options and complimentary daily events like nightly dance parties all under one roof. And the best part, with 22 lodges across the country, you're always only a short drive away from adventure. So bring your pack together at a lodge near you. Book your stay [e-mail] and strengthen the pack.

[Carys]

Brains On Universe. You're listening to Brains on, where we're serious about being curious. Science and sports go hand in hand.

[Molly Bloom]

Yeah, every game is a complex mix of physics, material sciences, statistics and more.

[Carys]

And scientists love to study sports. After all, games are fun and so is learning about them.

[Molly Bloom]

That's why we're back again talking softball and baseball.

[Carys]

We're gonna learn about bats and that

[Molly Bloom]

black paint some players use under their eyes.

[Carys]

Yeah, what is that all about?

[Molly Bloom]

Anyway, we're gonna keep listening.

[Sandon Totten]

Hey, Sandon here. You know, before Brains On, I was a science reporter. I wrote about cool animals like legless lizards, which are not just snakes, by the way. I wrote about mind blowing inventions like robots to help the elderly. I even once met a Mars rover before it was sent into space. I had to wear like a special suit that covered my whole body when I went in to see it too. Because those rovers have to be absolutely sparkling clean before we send them to another planet. We wouldn't want to spread our germs to Mars and then think, hey, we discovered some life forms on Mars. But it turns out it was just germs that came on a rover because some reporter forgot to put their big white suit on before they went and took pictures of it. Anyway, I still like to keep up on what's happening in the world of science. And like you probably know, that world is struggling. There's less support for research every year. It makes me feel even more dedicated to Brains On. We need to encourage everyone to be into science. And it helps when people find that love early. That's why I'm asking, asking you to join Smartypass. You'll keep me, Molly and Mark busy making episodes Answering questions and spreading our love of science to more people. Plus, when you join, we give you cool things like access to our book club, invites to online smarty parties, discounts on merch. You can even get a message from me, Mark, or Molly. So sign [e-mail] and help keep the light of science burning bright. Thanks.

[Molly Bloom]

Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba. Brains on. You're listening to brains. Part of the Brains on universe. I'm Molly Bloom, and my co host today is my pal Charis from Minneapolis. Hi, Charis.

[Carys]

Hi, Molly. I'm so happy to be co hosting this episode.

[Molly Bloom]

All right, so, Carys, you play softball, right?

[Carys]

Yes.

[Molly Bloom]

For people who don't know, how is baseball different than softball?

[Carys]

Well, I think in softball, you have different, like, ball sizes, but also you pitch underhand in softball, and in baseball, you pitch overhand.

[Molly Bloom]

Yeah. What is your favorite position to play?

[Carys]

I like being pitcher.

[Molly Bloom]

Oh, tell me why I like being pitcher.

[Carys]

Cause it's really fun, and I don't know, I just like being able to get batters out.

[Molly Bloom]

Yeah. And is there a catcher who catches the ball that you're pitching? Do you look at the catcher? Are you looking at the batter? Like, where are you looking?

[Carys]

I'm looking at home plate.

[Molly Bloom]

Oh, okay. Because you want it over home plate.

[Carys]

Yes.

[Molly Bloom]

And it's slow pitch, right?

[Carys]

Yeah.

[Molly Bloom]

So when you're pitching, it has to kind of go in, like, an arc, right?

[Carys]

Yes.

[Molly Bloom]

Does it have to go, like, a specific height?

[Carys]

Yes. It can't be, like, too high. Otherwise it will count as a ball.

[Molly Bloom]

Gotcha. And it can't be, like, too flat either, right? Yeah. Do you like hitting or fielding better?

[Carys]

Hitting, definitely.

[Molly Bloom]

Okay, so would you. What are some tips you have for hitting?

[Carys]

Well, keep your eye on the ball. It helps a lot. People who don't keep their eye on the ball, they usually can't hit it. But when you keep your eye on the ball, it goes usually pretty far.

[Molly Bloom]

Tell me the feeling when you hear that, like, really satisfying sound where the bat hits the ball.

[Carys]

When I hear that and I don't even see the ball, like, flying in the air, I just go, yeah. Even if it's a foul?

[Molly Bloom]

Yeah. Cause you got to. Cause you got to make it to first base. Right. All right, well, let's get to some sporty questions.

[Carys]

Like this one. My name is Logan. I'm from Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. My question is, what does eye black

[Molly Bloom]

do for baseball players? Eye black is the name of that black paint some players put under their eyes. Like, they put A big, thick line of it horizontally under each eye. Karis, have you ever used eye black?

[Carys]

No.

[Molly Bloom]

Do you want to?

[Carys]

Yes, I will. I don't know. I think it kind of looks. It will probably look weird on me.

[Molly Bloom]

Really? I think you'd look awesome with it. Super tough, ready for anything. I wonder if it, like, makes more sense in some positions more than others. Like, I feel like maybe as a pitcher, it might get in the way.

[Carys]

Yeah, I feel like if you're, like,

[Molly Bloom]

fielding, like, in the outfield or something, that makes sense. Some players say it helps them see better.

[Sandon Totten]

Hey, Molly and Karis. I heard you're talking about eye black. Well, I use it all the time.

[Carys]

To help you see better?

[Sandon Totten]

No, so I can look more like a raccoon. I'm in a raccoon racket club. Yeah, we play pickleball together, and all the other players are raccoons. Sometimes I feel kind of left out with my lack of gorgeous black stripes near my eyes. So I use eye black, you know, to fit in.

[Carys]

Makes sense.

[Sandon Totten]

Anyway, since I use it so much, I've been reading up on eye black, and let me tell you, the science behind it is fascinating.

[Molly Bloom]

Ooh, do tell.

[Sandon Totten]

Well, for starters, using eye black goes way, way back. Hundreds of years ago, people in ancient Egypt would put black paint around their eyes. It's called coal. It looked good, and people said it helped protect the eyes from the sun's harsh glare. Coal sounds cool in baseball. Some people say the tradition goes back to a guy named Babe Ruth.

[Carys]

Oh, he's a really famous player.

[Molly Bloom]

Yeah, he was a star in Major League Baseball from 1914 to 1935 and broke records for hitting tons of home runs.

[Sandon Totten]

Yeah, his nickname was the Bambino, which has nothing to do with eye black, but is just super fun to say. Bambino. Bambino. Bambino. Anyway, people say Babe Ruth used black smudges to help cut down on glare from the sun. Glare is when light is reflected back at you. It can make it really hard to see when there's, like, a really bright light.

[Carys]

Yeah. Like, when the sun bounces off glass and it shines right in your eye, it can make it super hard to see.

[Sandon Totten]

Exactly. Players in an outdoor field or, you know, under big stadium lights, they have to deal with a lot of glare. So over time, eye black got more and more popular. These days, you'll see all kinds of athletes using it. There's even anti glare stickers if you don't want to use greasy paint.

[Molly Bloom]

It makes sense players would use black paint to stop glare.

[Sandon Totten]

Yeah. Black is a color that absorbs a lot of light. So imagine a little beam of light from the sun.

[Carys]

Hello.

[Sandon Totten]

It's cruising along through the sky and heads straight for your cheeks. Normally, it might bounce off that cheek and go into your eyes.

[Carys]

Bounce right in your peepers.

[Molly Bloom]

Ugh.

[Sandon Totten]

So annoying when you're trying to catch a ball. Now imagine you have black paint on your cheeks, and black absorbs light. So when that little light beam comes, watch out.

[Carys]

I'm headed your way.

[Sandon Totten]

It hits your cheeks and gets soaked up by the black paint.

[Carys]

What happened? I didn't bounce. Oh, fooly.

[Sandon Totten]

Less is reflected into your eyes, and you can see that ball better and hopefully catch it.

[Molly Bloom]

So that's the theory. But how well does it work?

[Carys]

Yeah. Can players actually see better with eye black on?

[Sandon Totten]

It seems like they can, but scientists aren't sure how much it helps. There have only been a few studies that looked at this, and they both did suggest that eye black can help you see. But one of those studies found that it wasn't as helpful for people with blue eyes.

[Carys]

Blue eyes? Why? Didn't help them?

[Sandon Totten]

Well, blue eyes are more sensitive to bright light. They have less of a stuff called melanin in.

[Molly Bloom]

Melanin is what helps give darker eyes their color. It's also in our skin. Melanin is super important and super cool. We have a whole episode about it. Anyway, melanin helps absorb sunlight like a natural sunscreen.

[Sandon Totten]

Yep. Blue eyes naturally have less melanin, so they absorb less light. Maybe eye black can't cut enough glare to make a difference for blue eyes. But there's a whole other reason players like to wear eye black besides the glare. Because it looks cool and it can intimidate your opponents. I mean, you look tough, like you didn't get enough sleep the night before, and you're super grumpy. Or you can look like a raccoon. Nature's lovable scamp, and as everyone knows, fantastic pickleball players.

[Molly Bloom]

Very interesting. Thanks for helping us answer that question, Sandon.

[Sandon Totten]

No problem. Now I gotta go finish making my striped tail for the big Raccoon Racket Club kickoff party tonight. I don't want to be that guy who doesn't have a tail again.

[Molly Bloom]

Yeesh.

[Sandon Totten]

All right, later.

[Molly Bloom]

Seems like a good time to take a break and guess the

[Carys]

mystery sound.

[Molly Bloom]

Charis, are you ready for the mystery sound?

[Carys]

Yes.

[Molly Bloom]

Here it is. What? What do you think?

[Carys]

I have no idea.

[Molly Bloom]

I have no idea either. When it first started, I thought it was a lion.

[Carys]

I feel like it might be, like, a Car. I don't know.

[Molly Bloom]

Okay. Yeah. For some reason I was like, that is a really long lion roar, but okay, I think we need to hear it again, don't you think?

[Carys]

Ye.

[Molly Bloom]

I have no idea. But you look like you think, you know.

[Carys]

Yeah. Maybe you make a lawnmower.

[Molly Bloom]

Oh, I like that. Like turning on a lawnmower. Yeah, that's a really good guess. Yeah, I. I have no idea. I'm gonna go with an animatronic lion that's just turning on and roaring and it got stuck in the roar, and so the person's like, oh, my gosh, turn it off. It's stuck.

[Carys]

I'm just gonna go for a lawn mow.

[Molly Bloom]

Probably a better idea. All right, we'll be back to hear it again. Get another chance to guess and hear the answer at the end of the show.

[Carys]

So stick around.

[Molly Bloom]

We love hearing from you. Send us your questions, your ideas, your drawings.

[Carys]

Yeah, we love to see a picture of Santa dressed like a raccoon.

[Molly Bloom]

Or you can send us a mystery sound. Just go to brainzon.org to get in touch there. You can also find our tour D. We're traveling all over the US this year, from Buffalo, New York, to San Francisco, California. We would love to see you on the road. Go to brainson.org for dates and tickets.

[Carys]

Thanks.

[Molly Bloom]

Today's episode is sponsored by Great Wolf Lodge. At Great Wolf Lodge, there's adventure for the whole family. You and your pack can splash away in the indoor water park where it's always 84 degree. There's a massive wave pool, a lazy river, and tons of water slides for your pack to enjoy together. And the fun doesn't stop there. Get ready to explore and play at Adventure packed attractions from Magiquest, a live action game that takes place throughout the lodge to the Northern Lights Arcade. There's also a bunch of great dining options and complimentary daily events like nightly dance parties all under one roof. And the best part, with 22 lodges across the country, you're always only a short drive away from adventure. So bring your pack together at a lodge near you. Book your stay [e-mail] and strengthen the pack.

[Carys]

Brains.

[Molly Bloom]

Brains On. You're listening to Brains On. I'm Molly.

[Carys]

And I'm Carys, and we're talking about sports.

[Molly Bloom]

Science. One part of sports I love are all the chants and cheers.

[Carys]

Like, let's go, protons. Beat those bosons.

[Molly Bloom]

Nice callback to last week's episode. We noticed science doesn't have fun shears like that, so we asked you to Help come up with some science science

[Carys]

everywhere growing testing now let's share Science, science, I love you Science, science studies you Science, science, we like you Science, science, you got groove Science, science who are you? Kenny Teacher. Teach me a thing or two.

[Molly Bloom]

Well, I think science is feeling pretty pumped up after those chants. Thanks to Lydia, Lula, Lucas and Phoebe. Great stuff.

[Carys]

Y' all really knocked it out of the park.

[Molly Bloom]

Now back to your baseball questions. Let's tackle this one.

[Carys]

Hi, my name is Liam. I am from Nevada, California. And my question is, why are baseball bats measured in ounces?

[Molly Bloom]

Great question. Ounces are used to measure how much something weighs. Just like pounds.

[Carys]

Yeah. When I weigh myself at the doctor's office, it's in pounds, not ounces.

[Molly Bloom]

But if you go shopping for baseball or softball bats, the weight is usually listed in ounces. What's up with that?

[Carys]

Well, it's all about being exact as possible without being too confusing.

[Molly Bloom]

The weight of a bat is really important for players. If a bat is light, you can swing it fast, but it won't hit as hard.

[Carys]

If it's heavy, it'll hit hard, but it can also be harder to swing.

[Molly Bloom]

So players are looking for a bat that's just right for them. Light enough to swing quickly and strong enough to cream the ball.

[Carys]

You can measure bats in pounds, but it's not as easy. Ounces are much smaller than pounds.

[Molly Bloom]

There are 16 ounces in a single pound. So a bat that weighs one pound is 16 ounces. A bat that weighs two pounds is 32 ounces, and a bat that weighs

[Carys]

three pounds is 48 ounces.

[Molly Bloom]

But for a player, there's a big difference between swinging a two pound bat and a three pound bat. Most players want a bat that's somewhere in between.

[Carys]

In that case, it's easier to measure in ounces, so you can be more precise without having to use fraction of a pound.

[Molly Bloom]

It's sort of like how we measure height in feet and not miles.

[Carys]

Both measure distance, but one is much bigger than the other.

[Molly Bloom]

Yeah, I'm 5ft 1 inches tall, which means I am also 0.0009623 miles tall, which is harder to wrap your head around.

[Carys]

So yeah, we measure bats in ounces because it's easier to understand than using pounds.

[Molly Bloom]

What kind of bat do you like to use, Carys?

[Carys]

I like using probably a heavier one.

[Molly Bloom]

Nice.

[Carys]

Because when I use a lighter one, it's harder for me to hit the ball cause it kind of goes all over the place.

[Molly Bloom]

So you want like something a little heavier. Okay. Do you, like, pick up different bats and kind of swing them to see which is the right one?

[Carys]

Yes.

[Molly Bloom]

Do you put tape on the handle?

[Carys]

Yes, I do.

[Molly Bloom]

How does that help?

[Carys]

It helps you grip onto the bat. Hands up.

[Molly Bloom]

Coming up, some cool bat facts. But first, let's check the mailbag. This is when we check out the cool stuff you've sent us. Today. We've got an idea for a new room at Brainson headquarters. Let's listen.

[Carys]

My name is Eda and I live in New York City. And my idea was a pizza pool with pizza slices in the pool, pizza umbrellas, and pizza chairs.

[Molly Bloom]

Okay. Ita also sent in an incredible drawing. I love the details of. I think it's olives and pepperonis. Mm, delicious. That looks like a very delicious room to hang out in. Thanks, Ita. If you've got an idea for a new room at Brainzonn headquarters, send it to us. Just go to brainson.org contact. See you soon in the Mailb. Remember, you can get all our episodes ad free by joining Smartypass. You'll get bonus episodes and more. Head to brainzon.org smartypass to join.

[Carys]

Thanks, Brainza.

[Molly Bloom]

Okay, back to sports science and bats. Bats have changed a lot over the years.

[Carys]

Yeah. In the early days of baseball, people made their own bats, and they were all shapes and sizes, which has led

[Molly Bloom]

to some really wild bat designs. Some almost too weird to believe. So, Karis, I hope you're ready for a challenge, because I've got a game for you.

[Sandon Totten]

It's called Spot the Bogus Bat.

[Molly Bloom]

I'm going to tell you about a unique kind of bat. You have to tell me if that bat is a real bat from history or a bogus bat that I made up. Are you ready?

[Carys]

Yes.

[Molly Bloom]

Awesome. Let's do it. All right. The first bat is the banana bat. This bat is designed to have a slight curve to it, like the curve of a banana. The idea was it would make the ball spin more and make it harder to catch. Is that real or bogus?

[Carys]

I mean, there's probably some weird bat stuff that have been around for a long time, but I just have to go with bogus.

[Molly Bloom]

The answer is it was actually real. Can you believe it?

[Carys]

No.

[Molly Bloom]

I hope it was yellow, too. It was made in the 1890s, so, like, way over 100 years ago, but it never really caught on, which is why we haven't heard of it. All right, the next bat is the Squish bat. This bat looked normal, but was made out of super squishy foam. That way, when A player took a big swing. It looked like they'd knock the ball far, but instead it would just go a few feet, tricking the other team. Real or bogus?

[Carys]

Um, it's definitely hard. I feel like it could be real, but at the same time, not. I mean, I think probably. I think it's real.

[Molly Bloom]

It's bogus. I'm so sorry. Some players can quickly change how they hold a bat to bunt or do a small hit that doesn't go very far. Have you ever bunted before?

[Carys]

Nope.

[Molly Bloom]

It's tricky. It's where you, like, hold the front of your bat and the back of your bat kind of like across the plate so it doesn't go very far. Okay. You ready for the next one?

[Carys]

Yes.

[Molly Bloom]

All right, the next bat is the zebra bat. This bat had bold stripes on it like a zebra. The goal was to distract the pitcher. Real or bogus?

[Carys]

Definitely bogus.

[Molly Bloom]

I'm so sorry.

[Carys]

I'm just failing this.

[Molly Bloom]

It's tough because we haven't seen any of these bats, so. Yeah, this was brought out by a player named goose Goslin in 1932. He sadly never got to use it because the umpire said, that's not allowed, guy. Not allowed. All right, we've got another one here for you. This one is called the bat bat. This bat makes a high pitched ringing sound when it hits the ball. Like a bat's sonar. The sound distracts the other players so they're more likely to miss the ball. Wheeler. Bogus.

[Carys]

Okay, please let me get this one right. Bogus.

[Molly Bloom]

Correct. Charis. Yes. Yeah, it sounds like a terrible idea, so, yeah, I'm glad that's bogus. All right, last one. This is the axe handle bat. This looks like a normal bat, but the handle is slanted and not symmetrical like the handle of an axe. The idea is that it's easier to hold and swing. Real or bogus?

[Carys]

I think real Charys.

[Molly Bloom]

You got it. In fact, these were really popular with players in the 2010s, so really not that long ago. And look at this. Okay. One, two, three, four. We had six. You got two. Right. Which is an amazing batting average, right?

[Carys]

Yes.

[Molly Bloom]

You'd be so happy with that if that were your batting average. So I'm impressed. Let's shake hands. Excellent work. Nice job. That was spot the bogus bat. It's cool how we've been playing baseball for over 100 years, and yet people are always figuring out new ways to change things up.

[Carys]

From dreaming up new pitches to designing better bats. Sports and innovation go hand in hand,

[Molly Bloom]

athletes use black paint called eye black under their eyes to help them see better when lights are bright.

[Carys]

It works because black paint absorbs light and stops it from reflecting back at you.

[Molly Bloom]

Baseball and softball bats are measured in ounces because it's easier to talk about than pounds.

[Carys]

And there have been lots of cool and strange bats made over these years, and people will keep designing new ones, too.

[Molly Bloom]

That's it for this episode of Brains On. This episode was produced by me, Molly Bloom, Marc Sanchez, and Sandon Totten. It was sound designed by Mark Sanchez, who also wrote our theme music. We had engineering help from Willow Waters. Special thanks to Vicki Lintour, Meryl Dobson, Nyssa Perry, and Ken Taborski at Code of the north for their website help. Carys, are you ready for that mystery sound again?

[Carys]

Yes.

[Molly Bloom]

All right, here it is. Oh, okay. Charis looks like she knows. What is it?

[Carys]

It's one of those things that you see at, like, pools that dry your clothes.

[Molly Bloom]

Oh, like a swimsuit ringer outer.

[Carys]

Yeah, one of those things.

[Molly Bloom]

Yeah. I love that. I don't know what they're actually called, but in my mind they're called swimsuit ringer outer. Yeah, that's a great guess. I'm gonna stick with animatronic lion, though, because I just like that idea. Okay. Should we find out the answer?

[Carys]

Yes.

[Molly Bloom]

Here it is.

[Carys]

Hi, my name is Josiah, and that was the sound of a swimsuit water extractor or extracting water from a swimsuit. I knew it.

[Molly Bloom]

Carys, incredible work. High fives all around. That was really hard. But, like, when you heard that, the last time I saw the light in your eyes, you were like, bingo. You knew.

[Carys]

I was like. I knew I heard that from something.

[Molly Bloom]

That's incredible. Have you used one of those before?

[Carys]

Yes.

[Molly Bloom]

Yeah, they have those at, like, public pools or places where you take swim lessons.

[Carys]

Yeah.

[Molly Bloom]

You put your swimsuit in, and then what do you do?

[Carys]

You. It just. You shut it, and then it, like,

[Molly Bloom]

dries it, and it kind of, like, spins really fast. Yeah. Incredible work. Excellent ears. Now it's time for the Brains honor roll. These are the incredible kids who keep the show going with their questions, ideas, mystery sounds, drawings, and high fives. Abby from Nepean, Ontario. Kauea from New Plymouth, New Zealand. Lila and Logan from Kuna, Idah, Naomi from Newburgh, New York. Hayes and Drew from Coral Place, New York. Josephine, Gregory and Abraham from Alexandria. Allie from Parkton, Maryland. Grace from Denver, Colorado. Augie from Sussex, Wisconsin. Grace from Queen's Park, Australia. Sienna from Australia. Juniper and Cubby, from Eagle Mountain, Utah Leah from Winnipeg, Manitoba Sloan from Tacoma, Washington Lauren from North Kingstown, Rhode Island Darby and Sigrid from Seattle Isaac from Portage, Michigan Zell from Milton, West Virginia Chipper from Fort Worth, Texas Mira from San Ramon, California Moussa, Issa and Yusra from Naperville, Illinois Milo from Detro Leah from Pennsylvania Gabriel from Langley, British Columbia Rose from Virginia Violet from Stevens Point, Wisconsin Felix and Johanna from Vienna, Austria Hara from San Jose, California Claire from California Nathaniel from Choctaw, Oklahoma Grayson and Declan from Nitra, West Virginia Rosemary from Athens, Georgia Zevi and Leo from South Hamilton, Massachusetts Grace and Serena from Sydney, Australia Himat from Delhi, India Isaiah from Dorset, United Kingdom Diana from Montreal Layla and Kareem from Pflugerville, Texas August from Salt Lake City, Mia from Singapore Alby, Finn and Rafa from Sydney, Australia Oliver from St. Adel from Manitoba Lucas from Lafayette, California Sebastian from Gainesville, Florida Maddie from Santa Cruz, California Autumn from Indianapolis Henry and Hannah from Denton, Texas Bridget from Chicago Brooks from Napa, California Chloe from Sydney, Australia Alicia from Scarsdale, New York Brielle from Frankfort, Kentucky Iris from Somerville, Massachusetts Abigail from Markham, Ontario John from Colorado Springs Leela from Eureka, California Shemar and Taj from Miramar, Florida Aston from Copenhagen, Denmark Willa from Fayetteville, New York Jackson from Honolulu, Hawaii Crew from Midlothian, Texas and Sophia from Fayetteville, Georgia. We'll be back next week with more answers to your questions.

[Carys]

Thanks for listening.