Why don’t we feel the Earth spinning?

Summary

Podcast Summary: Brains On! – “Why don’t we feel the Earth spinning?”

Podcast: Brains On! Science podcast for kids
Host: Molly Bloom
Kid Co-Host: Rhian (from Seattle)
Date: May 5, 2026
Main Theme:
Exploring why we don’t feel the Earth spinning, despite its rapid rotation, and what’s really happening when we get dizzy.

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Episode Purpose & Overview

This episode addresses a big question from kid co-host Rhian: If the Earth is spinning at about 1,000 miles per hour, why don’t we feel it? Molly and Rhian break down the science in kid-friendly, relatable language, employing analogies, playful banter, and a signature mystery sound challenge. The episode also answers why spinning personally does make us dizzy—unlike the imperceptible spin of the entire planet.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Taking the Familiar for Granted

• Opening Story:
  Molly and Rhian share the story of two fish and a turtle (01:07–01:26), illustrating how we sometimes don’t notice things we’re surrounded by all the time—like air, our own spit, or the Earth's movement.

  “The point is that there are things all around us that we just don’t notice because they’ve always been there.” – Molly (01:33)

2. The Earth’s Rotation Explained

• What Earth’s Spin Means:

  • Earth rotates on its axis, causing day and night (07:10–08:11).

  • The sun appears to move across the sky because of Earth’s spin.

    “The sun isn’t actually going around our planet once every 24 hours. Instead, it’s our planet that is spinning us into and out of the light of the sun.” – Molly (07:16)

• Why Does Earth Spin?

  • Before the solar system, a cloud of gas spinning in space set the stage for Earth’s rotation, likened to spinning a soccer ball (08:15–09:29).

    “Because the pieces that came together to form the Earth and sun were spinning, the Earth and sun kept spinning. The spin never stopped.” – Molly (09:01)

3. How Fast is the Earth Spinning?

• Fun Comparisons to Fast Things:
  • Earth spins about 1,000 miles per hour at the equator—much faster than a cheetah, race car, or bullet train (09:39–09:54).
  • Analogy: If a merry-go-round spun that fast, you’d be flung off! (10:14–10:29)

4. The Big Question: Why Don’t We Feel Earth’s Spin?

• Main Reasons (16:07–19:14):

  1. Smooth, Constant Motion (Relative Motion):

     • No sudden changes in speed or direction.

     • Analogy: Like being on a train moving steadily with the shades down—you don’t feel movement (16:37–17:08).

     • Everything around you (air, objects, etc.) moves at the same speed, so it feels still.

       “If the train is going at a very steady speed and there are no bumps or turns in the track, you won’t notice that you’re moving at all.” – Molly (16:36)

  2. Gravity vs. Centrifugal Force:

     • Centrifugal force tries to fling things away from the center (like tennis balls flying off a spinning merry-go-round).

     • Gravity, which holds us to the planet, is much stronger—so we stay grounded (18:14–18:49).

       “Gravity is much, much stronger than the centrifugal force… so weak that we don’t even really notice it. We just notice the gravity.” – Molly (18:53)

5. Why Do We Get Dizzy When We Spin?

• Listener Question: "Why do we get dizzy when we spin around?" (19:26–24:31)
• The Science of Dizziness:

  • Deep inside your ears are tubes with special liquid—when you spin, the liquid sloshes around, moving tiny hairs that send signals to the brain (22:49–23:36).

  • After spinning, the liquid keeps moving, but your body and eyes know you stopped, leading to mixed signals: this confusion is dizziness.

    “That mix up of signals is what we call dizziness.” – Rhian (24:21)

    “Luckily, it only takes a few moments for the ear fluid to settle down and for things to get back to normal.” – Molly (24:24)

6. Playful & Memorable Moments

• Hair Growing Analogy:

  “Kind of like how our hair is always growing, but we never feel that either.” – Rhian (05:05)

  “Oh, I feel it every second, every single moment. I feel my curls creeping higher and higher…” – Molly (05:09)

• Relative Motion Analogy:

  “It’s not until you open the shades that you see the world whizzing by.” – Rhian (17:03)

• Fun Segment with Gungador the Monster (fictional dance-obsessed monster):

  “The secret is never stop spinning. Earth is always spinning, and we don’t feel it because earth never stops spinning. So you too must never stop. Like this…” – Gungador (21:39)

• Kid humor and lighthearted banter throughout, capped by Rhian’s preferred “light bulb moment” exclamation:

  Molly: “What word do you think we should shout when we have a light bulb moment? Rhian, what would you shout?”
  Rhian: “I would shout ooga booga.” (12:42–12:52)

7. The Mystery Sound (11:07, 26:12)

• Listeners are challenged to identify a brief mystery sound.
• Reveal at end:

  “Hi, my name is Mika. And my name is Alma. And that was the sound of our bike kickstand getting kicked up and then getting kicked down.” (26:50–27:04)

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Key Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | Notes | |--------------------------|--------------|--------------------------------------------| | Fish and water analogy | 01:07–01:26 | Not noticing the familiar | | Why Earth spins | 08:15–09:29 | Formation of Earth’s rotation | | How fast Earth spins | 09:39–10:29 | Equator speed & merry-go-round analogy | | Why don’t we feel it? | 16:07–19:14 | Constant motion, gravity vs. centrifugal | | Dizziness explained | 22:39–24:31 | Inner ear, fluid, conflicting signals | | Mystery sound revealed | 26:50–27:04 | Bike kickstand up/down |

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Episode Conclusion

• Summarized by Molly and Rhian:
  • The Earth spins at about 1,000 mph, giving us day and night, but we don’t feel it because the motion is smooth (relative motion) and gravity keeps us anchored.
  • We get dizzy from spinning because our inner ear fluid keeps moving, sending confusing signals to our brain.
  • The episode closes with gratitude to contributors and a preview of the next topic.

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Notable Quotes

• “I like to ponder it more.” – Rhian, describing how she approaches big questions (06:36)
• “To you, it seems like they aren’t moving at all. They’re staying still.” – Molly (17:44)
• “Gravity is trying to pin us down on this massive planet.” – Rhian (18:49)
• “Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba. Brain’s on.” – Molly signaling transition (24:32)

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Episode Tone & Style

Lighthearted, playful, and often irreverent, Molly and Rhian keep the science accessible for young listeners through analogies, back-and-forth questions, surprises, and humor (from “hair growing” to “ooga booga!”). The episode blends solid science with silly characters and interactive features like the mystery sound—making the science of the spinning Earth memorable, approachable, and fun.

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For Listeners

Whether you love to ponder big ideas on the couch, get dizzy from spinning, or just wonder why your feet don’t leave the ground as the planet whizzes through the galaxy, this episode of Brains On! has you covered with science, silly moments, and plenty of “a-ha!” (or “ooga booga!”) moments.

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.

[Rhian]

Brains on Universe. You're listening to Brains on. Where we're serious about being curious.

[Molly Bloom]

There's an old story that goes something like this. Two fish are swimming in the water,

[Rhian]

and a turtle swims by and says, good morning, fish. How's the water?

[Molly Bloom]

The two younger fish smile and nod and swim on for a bit. Then one fish stops and says to the other, what the heck is water?

[Rhian]

The fish didn't notice the water because they've been in it all their life. They never thought about it.

[Molly Bloom]

The point is that there are things all around us that we just don't notice because they've always been there.

[Rhian]

Like the taste of your own spit

[Molly Bloom]

or the smell of plain old air.

[Rhian]

Or how right now the earth is spinning hundreds of miles an hour and somehow we don't feel it.

[Molly Bloom]

Yeah, that's a lot of speed, But I've never noticed it.

[Rhian]

Me neither.

[Molly Bloom]

So hold on tight and we'll explain why that is.

[Sandon]

Do you love mystery sounds? Because I love mystery sounds. That's why I'm here in our mystery sounds storage room, just admiring all the wonderful sounds. Like this one.

[Molly Bloom]

Ah.

[Sandon]

Is that a mystery sound or sweet music? I can't tell the difference. Did you guess that it was my dog's collar? If so, great job.

[Gungador]

Oh, oh.

[Sandon]

How about this one? I love this one. You know it. It's me fluffing a napkin. And who could forget this combing a gerbil. I know. Too easy. It's the sound of a plastic fork I fashioned into a comb to comb the hair of my gerbil named Larry. We've all heard it a thousand times. I love mystery sounds because they make you stop and pay attention. They make you focus, they make you see and hear the world a little differently. And that's what we try to do at Brainson. If seeing the world a little differently matters to you, then you should join Smartypass. We do regular online hangs with listeners where we challenge them with fresh mystery sounds. We have a book club where smarty pals can discuss a book with us. Plus you can get ad free versions of Brains On Forever Ago and more. It's super easy to sign up. Just go to brainson.org smartypass and most important importantly, you can help support Brains on so we can provide a happy home for sounds like this. I could listen to Larry the Gerbil getting combed with a plastic fork all day. So join Smarty Pass. Larry and I both say thanks.

[Molly Bloom]

You're listening to Brains on, part of the Brains on universe. I'm Molly Bloom and my co host today is Rhian from Seattle. Hi, Rhian.

[Rhian]

Hey, Molly. I love what you've done with the studio. The mirrors, the disco ball. Is that a ballet bar?

[Molly Bloom]

It's not me. It's Gang Gador, the dance obsessed monster who lives at our headquarters. He decorated it to look like a dance studio so he can tape his new video podcast here. It's called Monster Moves.

[Rhian]

Monster Moves.

[Molly Bloom]

It's one of those podcasts where a bunch of giant monsters sit around and talk about famous choreography from movies and musicals.

[Rhian]

Oh, one of those.

[Molly Bloom]

I hope his podcast can stand out from all the other podcasts where giant monsters discuss famous choreography from movies and musicals.

[Rhian]

I know Godzilla's podcast, Giant Steps is a mega hit.

[Molly Bloom]

Yeah, that's what inspired him. That and King Kong's podcast, Kong and

[Rhian]

Dance, of course, a classic podcast.

[Molly Bloom]

Anyway, today we're talking about the earth and answering a question that you asked us, Rianne.

[Rhian]

Yeah, I wanted to know, why can't you feel the earth spinning?

[Molly Bloom]

Great question. Right now, you, me, and everything on the planet is spinning, spinning, spinning. And yet, somehow we never feel it.

[Rhian]

Kind of like how our hair is always growing, but we never feel that either.

[Molly Bloom]

Oh, I feel it every second, every single moment. I feel my curls creeping higher and higher, reaching for the sky like Icarus flying too close to the sun. Until one day, snip, they get clipped and I get a cute new haircut. Okay, so, Rian, what got you curious about the earth spinning?

[Rhian]

I got this question when I was on the car looking at the wheel, and suddenly I thought, the earth is spinning too, so why can't we feel it?

[Molly Bloom]

Great question. Do you like rides that spin a lot? Kind of like, you know, merry go out on a playground.

[Rhian]

I don't really like spinning, but it's cool to see things spinning like a top.

[Molly Bloom]

Do you get dizzy easily?

[Rhian]

Yes, very easily.

[Molly Bloom]

So does that mean you get, like, motion sick in cars too?

[Rhian]

Not that much. I just get dizzy when I'm spinning. Mm. Mm.

[Molly Bloom]

So when you are dizzy, do you like how that feels?

[Rhian]

No, it's weird.

[Molly Bloom]

Mm.

[Rhian]

I don't really like it.

[Molly Bloom]

I get it. When I was little, I actually kind of liked to feel dizzy, so I would, like, spin on purpose. But now that I'm older, I really don't like that feeling at all. So, Rhiann, when you have a big question, do you like to find the answer right away or do you like to just kind of, like, ponder it?

[Rhian]

I like to ponder it more.

[Molly Bloom]

Where do you do your best thinking?

[Rhian]

I'm just, like, sitting on the couch and looking at the tv, but the TV is not really on. So then I just keep thinking until I think of an idea or something.

[Molly Bloom]

I like that. So the TVs sort of like a stand in for you to watch your own thoughts?

[Rhian]

Yeah.

[Molly Bloom]

That's really cool. Well, I love that we are spinning all the time. It is very fun to think about.

[Rhian]

Yeah. And you can tell we're spinning because the sun rises and sets every day.

[Molly Bloom]

That's right. The sun isn't actually going around our planet once every 24 hours. Instead, it's our planet that is spinning us into and out of the light of the sun. That's because our planet is spinning on

[Rhian]

an axis, like a spinning top or a ball spinning on someone's finger.

[Molly Bloom]

We call this a rotation. Each day on Earth is one rotation. That means our planet rotates or spins once around every 24 hours. So imagine the spot you're in right now when that spot rotates to where it is just starting to face the sun. That's sunrise.

[Rhian]

The Earth keeps spinning. And to us on Earth, it looks like the sun is moving across the sky.

[Molly Bloom]

And later, as it keeps spinning, that side turns away from the light and goes into shadow.

[Rhian]

That's nighttime for that side.

[Molly Bloom]

One full rotation is one full day.

[Rhian]

Cool facts. But riddle me this. Why does the planet spin anyway?

[Molly Bloom]

Another great question. Before Earth existed, even before the sun existed, our solar system was just a cloud of gas in space.

[Rhian]

Space gas.

[Molly Bloom]

That cloud of gas was full of molecules that bumped into each other. And lots of those molecules hit each other at various angles, which caused them to spin.

[Rhian]

Kind of like how if you kick a soccer ball at an Ankle. You can get a good spin on it.

[Molly Bloom]

Exactly. More and more of them started spinning and knocking into each other, creating more spin, until the whole gas cloud was swirling like water going down a drain. Eventually, some of that spinning cloud of gas formed our sun. And other parts of that cloud of gas eventually formed Earth. And because the pieces that came together to form the Earth and sun were spinning, the Earth and sun kept spinning. The spin never stopped.

[Rhian]

So thanks to random bits of gas bumping into each other and creating a spin. Or our planet now rotates, and we have day and night.

[Molly Bloom]

Kind of blows your mind when you really think about it. And another amazing thing is that the Earth is spinning really fast.

[Rhian]

Think of a cheetah, a race car, or a bullet train.

[Molly Bloom]

Those are slowpokes compared to the Earth's spin.

[Rhian]

A cheetah can run around 70 mph. A race car under bullet train can both zip along at 200 miles per hour.

[Molly Bloom]

But our planet rotates every moment at a speed of about. About 1,000 miles an hour, if you measure at the equator, which is like the belt around the middle of a globe. Now, if you were at the park and you saw a merry go round.

[Rhian]

Whoa. A merry go round. That's my favorite.

[Molly Bloom]

And you hopped on that merry go round.

[Rhian]

Let's spin. Make it go faster. Faster.

[Molly Bloom]

And it went so fast, it reached 1,000 miles an hour, like the Earth. You would not only feel it, you'd be flung off and go flying.

[Rhian]

Whee. No regret. So why aren't we flung off the Earth, which is basically the largest merry go round ever. We don't even get dizzy.

[Molly Bloom]

We'll answer that in just a minute. But for now, let's give our ears a spin and check out the mystery sound. Here it is. That was short. Can we hear it again? Okay, Rhian, what do you think?

[Rhian]

Maybe when, like, you're on a boat and then, like, you open a window and you can hear all the sounds and you close it again.

[Molly Bloom]

It sounds like it's outside to me.

[Rhian]

Yeah, there's weird rumble sound at the background.

[Molly Bloom]

I think I heard birds, maybe.

[Sandon]

Okay.

[Molly Bloom]

I think it's outside. I'm gonna think, like, a piece of playground equipment. But what makes that sound? I don't know. Let's say someone got their pants stuck in a swing. I don't know how somebody's pants would get stuck in a swing. They're trying to get their pants, the hem of their cuff stuck.

[Rhian]

That might be a pretty good idea.

[Molly Bloom]

Really?

[Rhian]

Because I think the swing set makes that sound. And then the background is like the kids playing.

[Molly Bloom]

Okay, I'm gonna say swing set related. I like your boat idea, but we'll get another chance to hear it and guess and hear the answer at the end of the show. We're working on an episode all about light bulbs. Light bulbs are often used in comics or cartoons to show when someone gets a bright idea. They might also shout something like I've got it. Or Eureka.

[Rhian]

Like, maybe the first person to think of dipping spicy chicken wings in cool, soothing ranch dressing. They probably shouted eureka. A perfect pair.

[Molly Bloom]

Exactly. So we want to hear from you. What word do you think we should shout when we have a light bulb moment? Rhian, what would you shout when you have a bright idea?

[Rhian]

I would shout ooga booga.

[Molly Bloom]

I really like that. Is it okay if I borrow that next time I get a good idea?

[Rhian]

Sure.

[Molly Bloom]

Thank you so much. Well, listeners, record your idea and send it to us at Brainson. We can't wait to hear what you come up with. And you can send questions and mystery sounds there too.

[Rhian]

Thanks and keep listening.

[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 package.

[Gungador]

Welcome to Monster Moves, a podcast where monsters talk dance. I am host Gungor. Guests today are Bigfoot and Kraken. Hello. Gun the door. Truly a pleasure to be here.

[Molly Bloom]

Cracking hungry.

[Gungador]

Today we talk about famous dance movie Singing in Rain starring Gangador's hero, Gene Kelly. Yes, it's quite the film. And Gene Kelly's iconic choreography in the scene where he is literally dancing in the rain is pure Hollywood magic. He's both so athletic and so joyous. And to think while filming that scene, he was ill and running a fever of 103 degrees. But it doesn't show because Kelly is ever the professional. Great points. What are Cracking thoughts on movie rain Wet. Huh? Another good point coming up. Kangaroo's dream fan cast for the musical.

[Molly Bloom]

Brainzon. This is Brainzon. I'm Molly, here with my buddy Rhian,

[Rhian]

and we're talking about the spin of

[Molly Bloom]

the Earth, the rotation of this station,

[Rhian]

the twirl of the world.

[Molly Bloom]

And we're wondering, if the planet is going round and round so fast, why don't we feel it?

[Rhian]

There are a few main reasons. One has to do with how smooth the spin is.

[Molly Bloom]

Right. The Earth has been rotating at a very constant speed for a very long time. That speed doesn't really change.

[Rhian]

We notice motion the most when things are speeding up or slowing down, like when a car suddenly brakes or a

[Molly Bloom]

plane speeds up to take off, or

[Rhian]

when we change direction, like when you're riding your bike but suddenly swerve to miss a pothole.

[Molly Bloom]

Those changes in speed and direction feel like movement. But imagine you're on a long train ride, and imagine you're on that train with all the window shades closed. If the train is going at a very steady speed and there are no bumps or turns in the track, you won't notice that you're moving at all.

[Rhian]

It'll just feel like you're in a normal still room.

[Molly Bloom]

It's not until you open the shades that you see the world whizzing by.

[Rhian]

In the room of the train, though, all the seats, the books you've brought, even the air, it's all moving the

[Molly Bloom]

same speed as you, which means to you, it seems like it's not moving that is relative. To you, it's perfectly still. This is called relative motion.

[Rhian]

Now, when we apply this to the whole planet, the Earth is moving very smoothly through space.

[Molly Bloom]

There are no bumps along the way and no dramatic speeding up or slowing down. Plus, all the plants, mountains, buildings, oceans, animals are all moving at exactly the same speed as you.

[Rhian]

Which means, again, to you, it seems like they aren't moving at all. They're staying still.

[Molly Bloom]

So that's one reason we don't feel the spin of the Earth. But what about being flung off the planet?

[Rhian]

Yeah, even if the speed is constant, it's a lot of speed. And when things spin on Earth, they tend to fly outward.

[Molly Bloom]

Think of putting a bunch of tennis balls on that merry go round from before, give it a super spin, and the balls will go flying off.

[Rhian]

That motion. Flinging the balls away from the merry go round is sometimes called centrifugal force.

[Molly Bloom]

And a spinning planet makes some pretty strong centrifugal force. But it turns out there's an even stronger force, stopping it from flinging you and me and everything else out into space. And that force is gravity. Gravity. So, yes, there is, in fact, a centrifugal force acting on us, trying to fling us into space. But we don't fly off because gravity is doing the opposite.

[Rhian]

Gravity is trying to pin us down on this massive planet.

[Molly Bloom]

And gravity is much, much stronger than the centrifugal force compared to the gravity. It's so weak that we don't even really notice it. We just notice the gravity. Gravity. So even though we are constantly twirling, it doesn't feel like we are.

[Rhian]

That's in part thanks to relative motion and how smooth the spin is, and

[Molly Bloom]

in part thanks to gravity keeping our feet on the ground, which is great, because if we could feel the Earth spinning, we'd be dizzy all the time.

[Rhian]

That brings us to this question. Hi, my name is Henry, and I'm from Astoria in New York City. My question is, why do we get dizzy when we spin around?

[Molly Bloom]

We'll answer that right after we check the mailbag.

[Sandon]

Hey, it's Sandon. And hey, ho. Let's go check the mail. Ooh, this one feels. I want to say musical. Let's see what's inside.

[Molly Bloom]

Hi, Brain Dawn. I'm Walter and I'm from Illinois. So I improvise the Brain dawn theme song, and I added, like, some cords and stuff. Hope you like it. Enjoy. Love your show. Bye.

[Sandon]

Okay, that. That was rad. Thank you so much for sending that in. High five. Or wait for musicians. Is it five sharp? I don't know. Whatever. Walter, thank you so much for sending that in. And if you want to send something to us, go ahead and reach out. Just head to brainson.org contact. See you in the mailb.

[Molly Bloom]

You can get all the brains on shows without ads and support this amazing work by doing one small thing. Joining Smartypass. It powers everything we do and makes sure that brains on will be around in the future. So curious kids will still have a place to get their questions answered. [e-mail].

[Gungador]

Welcome back to Monster Moves. Oh, Gangador has listener question.

[Molly Bloom]

Hey, Gungador. I love spinning when I dance, but I get dizzy. Can you help?

[Gungador]

Yes, of course. Gangador can help. Come closer. It's a secret. I will whisper it. The secret is never stop spinning. Earth is always spinning, and we don't feel it because earth never stops spinning. So you too must never stop. Like this.

[Molly Bloom]

Ah.

[Gungador]

So dizzy. I love it.

[Molly Bloom]

Welcome back. Rianne and I are going to tackle this Question next.

[Rhian]

Why do we get dizzy when we spin around? Oh, I know this one. It's an eerie answer, but irresistibly interesting.

[Molly Bloom]

I'm all ears.

[Rhian]

Ready to ear it.

[Molly Bloom]

If you haven't guessed yet, it has to do with your ears.

[Rhian]

Strangely enough, it has to do with the fluid in your ears. But not like water stuck in there. After you get out of the pool,

[Molly Bloom]

deep in your inner ears, away from the stuff you can touch with your finger, there are tubes filled with a special liquid. And as you move, that liquid sloshes around. There are special hairs in that liquid that bend and move as the liquid moves. And those hairs send signals to your brain about what they're doing.

[Rhian]

The sloshing liquid with those special hairs is one of the ways your brain knows you are moving your head.

[Molly Bloom]

Like, say you turn your head to the right real quick. That'll make the liquid slosh to the right, too.

[Rhian]

That tells the brain, hey, we just turned to the right.

[Molly Bloom]

Or say you lay your head down to rest. As you do, that liquid will slosh around, moving those hair cells, which tells

[Rhian]

the brain, the head is laying down now.

[Molly Bloom]

So when you spin and spin and spin, what do you think happens with that ear liquid?

[Rhian]

It goes wild, sloshing like the ocean in a storm.

[Molly Bloom]

Yep. It sloshes so much that even when you stop moving, it's still going, which

[Rhian]

is super confusing for your brain. It's getting signals from the eyes and body that you are now standing still.

[Molly Bloom]

But the ears are like, yeah, no, we are definitely still moving. My ear liquid is sloshing like nobody's business.

[Rhian]

That mix up of signals is what we call dizziness.

[Molly Bloom]

Luckily, it only takes a few moments for the ear fluid to settle down and for things to get back to normal.

[Rhian]

Dizziness gone.

[Molly Bloom]

Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba. Brain's on.

[Gungador]

Hi, Rhiann. Hi, Molly.

[Molly Bloom]

Oh, hey, Gungador. What's up?

[Gungador]

Big news. Gungador's podcast is going to have mega super good guest next week.

[Rhian]

Oh, who is it?

[Gungador]

Do you know K Pop Demon Hunters?

[Molly Bloom]

Oh, my gosh. Are you interviewing Rumi about her dancing? No.

[Gungador]

Even better. Kangador is interviewing the demons. Coolest dance monsters ever.

[Molly Bloom]

The Earth is always spinning at a speed of about 1,000 miles an hour.

[Rhian]

That spin gives us day and night,

[Molly Bloom]

but we never feel that spinning because it's constant.

[Rhian]

We also don't get flung off the planet thanks to gravity.

[Molly Bloom]

There's fluid in our ears that helps our brains know when we move and

[Rhian]

when we spin a lot, that fluid Keeps moving even after we stop, which makes us feel dizzy.

[Molly Bloom]

That's it for this episode of Brains On. This episode was produced by me, Molly Bloom, Marc Sanchez and Sandon Taunton. It was sound designed by Mark Sanchez, who also wrote our theme music. We had voice acting from Anna Wegel, Brant Miller, and Kathy Morescu. Special thanks to Steven Chen, Cindy Chang, Rianne's friend Isaac because he gave Rianne the awesome idea for Ooga Booga and all of Rianne's friends at school. Also, we want to thank Ken Taborski at Code of the north for their website help. Okay, Rhian, are you ready for that mystery sound again?

[Rhian]

Yeah.

[Molly Bloom]

Okay, here it is. Okay, new thoughts, Rhian.

[Rhian]

It could be when you're at home, when you open the window with, like, weird handle and then like, maybe it was, like, windy that day.

[Molly Bloom]

Great idea. I'm gonna say you're outside and you're flipping a metal switch that you're not sure what it does, and it turns out it does nothing. Should we see if we're right?

[Rhian]

Sure.

[Molly Bloom]

Okay, here's the answer.

[Rhian]

Hi, my name is Mika. And my name is Alma. And that was the sound of our bike kickstand getting kicked up and then getting kicked down.

[Molly Bloom]

Oh, a bike kickstand getting kicked. Okay. You know like how there's that thing, the kickstand.

[Rhian]

Yeah.

[Molly Bloom]

So like, when you kick up the kickstand with your foot, it goes like, bring up and you can kick it down again. It goes bring down. Oh, that was tricky. I love that one. We heard it was outside, so we got that much. Now it's time for the brains honor roll. These are the kids who keep the show going with their questions, ideas, mystery sounds, drawings and high fives. Ethan from Hartford, South Dakota. Quincy from Eagle River, Alaska. Avery from Denver. Cora from Georgetown, Texas. Caleb from Ottawa. Emmett from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Julian from Los Angeles. Lauren from from West Long Ranch, New Jersey. Joey from Taronga, New Zealand. Cole and Avery from Toronto. Rayleigh from Bluffton, South Carolina. Kavan from Goragon, India. Thaddeus from Millersville, Pennsylvania. Cheeto from Cape Town, South Africa. Zachary from Glasgow, Scotland. Gus from Cross Hill, South Carolina. Isaac from Sutton Coldfield, England. Rosa from Frohm, uk. Simon from Cary, North Carolina. Mara from Minneapolis. Sky from Detroit. Cole from Edmonton, Alberta. Hara from San Jose, California. Anki from Auckland, New Zealand. Grace from Washington, D.C. celine from Houston, Texas. Patrice. Logtug's fifth grade class from Winchester, California. Karen from Indianapolis. Andrew from Niskayuna, New York. Chris from Erie, Pennsylvania. Georgie from Philadelphia. Huan from New York. Harry from Gimpo, South Korea Eliza and David from Pittsburgh Finn from Fort Knox, Kentucky Maggie and Jordan from Makawa, Hawaii Dylan from Horley, United Kingdom Adeline from Lethbridge, Alberta Ellie from Colorado Springs Isaiah from Aberdeen, Scotland Eleanor from Berlin, Germany Leander from Kitchener, Ontario Emmy and Maya from Seattle Donnie from Rio Rancho, New Mexico Dillinger, Huxley and Killian from North Andover, Massachusetts Evan from Marlboro, Connecticut Elio from Shoreline, Washington Ben, Nate and Jake from Mars, Pennsylvania Hannah from Apopka, Florida Abraham from Denver Miles from Salt Lake City Marlo from Los Angeles Addie from Euless, Texas Tommy from Fruit Heights, Utah Auggie from Park City, Utah Eleanor from Leesburg, Virginia Winter from Alabama Nolan from Perkasey, Pennsylvania Henry from Green Bay, Wisconsin Gemma from Kapolei, Hawaii Katie from Wiley, Texas and Bonnie from Dallas, Texas. We'll be back next week with an episode about what happens in our bodies when they start changing from kid ones to grown up ones.

[Rhian]

Thanks for listening.