How does Climate Change affect us all?

Summary

Podcast Summary – "Who Smarted?": How does Climate Change affect us all?

Date: June 29, 2026
Host: Atomic Entertainment / Starglow Media

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Episode Overview

This episode of "Who Smarted?" takes a kid-friendly, entertaining, and interactive approach to the timely topic of climate change. Through a basketball-themed story and playful banter between hosts and characters, listeners learn what climate change is, what causes it, the difference between weather and climate, the role of greenhouse gases, and how everyone—kids included—can take action. Humor, relatable scenarios, and memorable characters make the science accessible (and fun!) for families and classrooms alike.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: Hotter Days & Canceled Games

• The episode opens with the host’s friends attempting to play basketball, only to cancel due to a severe heatwave and storms.
• The humorous "weather reporter" Chet Nickerson describes the day as "hotter than a jalapeño doused in ghost pepper sauce then lit on fire." (02:34)
• Insight: The unusual weather interrupts regular activities, a relatable entry-point for understanding climate change in everyday life.

2. What is Climate vs. Weather?

• Weather: Describes short-term events (e.g., today’s heatwave, yesterday’s rain).
• Climate: Long-term trends describing how weather behaves over decades or longer (30+ years).
  • Notable Quote:
    “When we talk about weather...it’s a brief period of time...Climate covers a much larger period. It’s how the weather behaves over 30 or more years.” (06:55)
• Scientists examine tree rings, ice cores, and other ancient records to study past climates.

3. Climate Change: Definition and Effects

• Difference: Global warming (rising average temperatures) is only one part of climate change, which also includes shifting weather patterns, intensified storms, polar ice melt, rising seas, etc.
  • Notable Quote:
    “Global warming is a major contributor to climate change but it’s only a part of it.” (07:48)
• Effects can include:
  • More floods, fires, and droughts
  • More extreme cold events (e.g., blizzards)
  • Threats to animals, food supplies, and where people can safely live

4. What’s Causing It? The Greenhouse Effect

• The show quizzes listeners about the causes:
  • Historic natural changes (solar cycles)
  • Present-day changes driven by humans, especially since the 1800s with industrial activity
• Greenhouse Gases: Carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
  • Emitted by: Cars, trucks, planes, power plants, industry, farming, landfill waste, and even "burping cows".
  • Notable Quote:
    “It turns out most modern human activity creates greenhouse gases, and people just don’t want to give those up.” (13:13)
  • On cows: “When cows burp, they release the greenhouse gas methane... and now there are over a billion cows worldwide.” (13:25)

5. Deforestation and Trees

• Trees help absorb carbon dioxide, but humans have removed many—reducing nature’s ability to help control greenhouse gases.

6. Can We Make a Difference?

• Emphasizing teamwork, the podcast encourages all people—especially kids—to take action.
  • Use more solar and wind power (“we’re already seeing changes on a larger scale” (18:30))
  • Small actions add up:
    • Ride bikes instead of car rides
    • Turn off unused lights and electronics
    • Use energy-saving appliances
  • Notable Quote:
    “These might seem like small steps, but if enough people do it, power and manufacturing plants won’t have to burn so much fuel.” (18:52)
  • Today, "for the first time ever, there’s lots of people working to fix climate change."

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Weather vs. Climate:
  “The weather report was like the thing I hear on the news, while the climate report was like super cray cray.” (06:50 – Hannah)
• On Human Impact:
  “Some had realized too much of a certain gas could trap the sun’s heat like a greenhouse does for plants.” (10:53)
• On Teamwork and Hope:
  “Earth is like a basketball team... the team needs to work together to get climate back to normal.” (18:09)
• Funniest basketball moment:
  “Trusty knocks down a three from way downtown. Yes. See, kids? Anything’s possible.” (19:31 – Chet Nickerson)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:01 – 01:58: Opening, playful intro, weather complaints, basketball banter
• 02:55 – 04:32: Introduction to the idea of “crazy weather” and what climate change means
• 05:17 – 07:44: Deep dive on climate vs. weather, how scientists study ancient climate
• 07:48 – 08:49: Global warming vs. climate change, impacts listed
• 08:49 – 12:06: Causes—solar vs. human-made, history since the 1800s, greenhouse gases explained
• 12:41 – 14:17: Burping cows, methane, cars, deforestation, increasing greenhouse gases
• 14:17 – 15:40: Can anything be done? Discussion paused for ad break
• 18:02 – 19:25: Action steps for kids, collective action, hope for the future

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Conclusion

With classic Who Smarted? energy, this episode transforms a complex scientific topic into a lively lesson. Through jokes, playful stories, and direct science communication, kids (and adults) learn not just the facts about climate change but also how personal actions matter—and that teamwork gives us hope.

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Perfect for classrooms, families, and any listener who prefers their science with a smile and a slam dunk.

Transcript

[A]

Hey smarty pants, quick question. Would it be cool to slice flying fruit out of the air like a ninja? I'm hearing a lot of yeses. Well, last weekend I was actually doing it in my living room. Just me chopping watermelons and pineapples out of mid air while my dinner was bubbling on the stove. How NEX Playground. NEX Playground is a kid focused game system where your body is the controller. No joystick, no buttons. The playground sees your moves and you're in the game. I've been CR Fruit ninja and there's also bluey and Ninja turtles games, and an avatar Earth rumble tournament where I got to bend rocks. Dance games, sports games, over 50 games. Once you add play, pass smarty parents, here's the part for you. Playground is built kid safe. No ads, no in app purchases, no mature content, no online chat with strangers. Just your smarty pants moving their body, having a blast, playing games that you can actually feel good about. It's the screen time solution that's also extra exercise, which means everyone wins. Check out next [e-mail] that's nexplayground.com Trust me, your living room is about to get a lot more interesting. And now it's time for who's smarted? Hey, smarty pants. I don't know what the weather's like near you, but here where I am, the sun is shining brightly and there isn't a cloud in the sky. So a few friends of mine have decided to get together to play some basketball. That wasn't me, that was someone else on the court. I'm more like this. But I make up for it by being a really good passer. And oh no, I see one of my teammates sitting off to the side looking kinda sad. Hey Hannah, what's up?

[B]

Oh, hey, trustee. I don't think we can play basketball today.

[C]

Really?

[A]

Why not? Is it because of that last shot I took? I promise my passing makes up for it.

[B]

It's not your playing, it's the weather report.

[A]

Oh, what did it say?

[B]

You didn't hear it?

[D]

No.

[A]

Luckily I'm best friends with the weather reporter.

[C]

This is Chet Nickerson reporting live at the basketball court where today promises to be very, very hot.

[D]

Thanks, Chet.

[C]

I mean a scorcher. I'm talking record breaking heat.

[A]

Okay, Chet.

[C]

Hotter than a jalapeno doused in ghost pepper sauce then lit on fire.

[A]

I think we get the picture, Chet.

[C]

And now sports trusty narrator is back on the court where he's still looking to make his first basket. Okay, I'll be back with more breaking news as it happens.

[B]

Now do you get it? Today's game, it's just not gonna happen, and I really wanted to play.

[A]

Well, I do have lots of water, so we can all stay hydrated, which is always important to do on hot days. Plus, it's still early in the day. We could get our game in before it gets too hot.

[B]

It's not just that. It's our teammate.

[C]

Who?

[D]

Chet.

[C]

Oh. This is Chet Dickerson reporting live from the basketball court, where he has just sunk a record 39 straight free throws. Whoa. Make it 40.

[B]

No, not yet. Nickerson. Climb it.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

Climb it. Used to be cool and all, but these days he's acting way out of whack. Just listen. Hey, climb it.

[D]

Hiya, folks.

[B]

Pass me the ball.

[D]

Here you go.

[C]

Whoops.

[B]

I'm telling you, Trusty here, he's changed.

[C]

Hmm.

[A]

Smarty pants. What have you noticed where you live? Are days getting hotter? Are storms becoming more powerful? Is there more talk of fires, floods, or tornadoes? Does it seem like the weather is getting a little crazy?

[D]

Waka, waka, waka.

[A]

Yeah, it's a thing. So what exactly is climate change? What's causing it? And is it possible to change it back? It's time for another whiff of history and science. On who's smarted,

[C]

who's smarted? Who's smart? Is it you? Is it me? Is it science or history? Listen up, everyone. We make smarting lots of fun. On who's smart and.

[A]

Hey, smarty pants. As you probably know, the Earth is a very complex place with various parts working together, not unlike a basketball team. There are organisms such as plants and animals, bodies of water such as oceans, lakes, and rivers, landscapes such as mountains and deserts, and, of course, climate.

[D]

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

[A]

And when one of these parts stops working right, it hurts the rest of the team. The simple truth is our climate is changing, and everywhere on Earth, people and animals are feeling the impact.

[D]

Whoops. Sorry.

[A]

So, smarty pants, what exactly is climate? If you're thinking it has something to do with the weather, you're on the right track. Hey, Chet, can you give us the latest weather report?

[C]

Sure thing, trusty. Right now, you can expect high temperatures that will melt your ice cream cone before you can even take a bite. There's also a 55% chance of thunderstorms.

[B]

See? I told you. The game can't happen today. And that climate report proves it.

[A]

Ah, but, smarty pants, true or false? Was that actually a climate report? If you said false, you're Right. Hey, climate, what's your report?

[D]

Here we go. Yesterday was super hot. A year ago was also hot 10 years ago, a little cooler. 25 years ago was cooler than that. And when your parents were kids, it was downright pleasant.

[A]

Okay, smarty pants, did you notice a difference between a weather report and a climate report?

[B]

Yeah, the weather report was like the thing I hear on the news, while the climate report was like super cray cray.

[A]

True, but there's more to it than that. When we talk about weather, smarty pants, we're covering a brief period of time. A rainstorm yesterday, the heat today, and whatever might happen next week. Climate covers a much larger period. It's how the weather behaves over 30 or more years. With the help of satellites and other instruments, scientists can get a better understanding of the global climate. And by studying the insides of trees, rock layers, coral reefs, ocean floors,

[C]

and

[A]

ancient ice in Antarctica and Greenland, they can figure out the Earth's climate millions of years ago. And by looking at the big picture, scientists know the climate is changing.

[B]

Like global warming is making it hotter today than it was a bunch of years ago.

[A]

Smarty pants, true or false? Global warming is the same thing as climate change. The answer is false. Global warming is a major contributor to climate change, but it's only a part of it. You see, climate change also refers to shifting weather patterns, intensified storms, polar ice melt, rising sea levels and other effects of the hotter temperatures. And all of these things can lead to floods, fires, droughts, and other natural disasters, including more powerful cold weather events like blizzards. Even worse, certain animals might die out, places might become too dangerous to live in, and some of the food you take for granted might just disappear.

[B]

Old trustee. How did this happen, smarty pants?

[A]

What started changing the climate? Is it A, the sun, B, deforestation, or C, the burning of coal, oil and gas, collectively known as fossil fuels?

[B]

Oh, boy. Are you about to say humans did this to climate?

[D]

What?

[A]

Actually, the answer is A, the sun.

[B]

Yes. I'm so glad we had nothing to do with this.

[A]

Uh, not so fast. Humans are definitely contributing, but the climate has been changing for millions of years, even before humans could impact it. At certain times, the climate was frosty.

[D]

I never really liked shooting hoops with you. You can't shoot, you can't dribble, and you run like a tortoise.

[B]

Dang. That's not frosty, that's cold.

[A]

At other times, solar activity would cause the climate to warm up.

[D]

Oh, I just love you all. It's so much fun playing this wonderful game. With you, trusty, nobody passes like you, my friends. You complete me.

[C]

Aw.

[A]

After shifting many times between cool and warm over millions of years, Earth's climate took a drastic turn as temperatures rose without the help of the sun. Smarty pants, when do you suppose this started happening? Is it A, in the past 20 years, B, during the 1900s, or C, during the 1800s? If you said C, you're right. Scientists believe the climate change we're experiencing today has been caused by human activity since the mid-1800s.

[B]

That can't be right. It hasn't been crazy like this for more than 100 years.

[A]

No, it did take some time to grow. I'd say more recently, in the 1950s and 60s, the climate was just a little crazy.

[D]

Ooh, I have an idea. Pineapple on pizza? Yeah, like that.

[A]

Level crazy. But it still had scientists concern. Back in the 1800s, some had realized too much of a certain gas in the atmosphere could trap the sun's heat like a greenhouse does for for plants. Smarty pants, do you know what gas this is? Is it A, carbon dioxide, B, oxygen, or C, neon? The answer is a carbon dioxide. In the 50s and 60s, scientists warned of increasing carbon dioxide in the air. But few people listened. And by the 1980s, the climate was changing even more.

[C]

Woo hoo hoo.

[D]

I'm jumping on a waterbed with a porcupine.

[A]

Yeah, that kind of crazy. Temperatures went up, scientists made louder warnings, but people still didn't listen. And now today, we're in a situation where almost every year is the hottest on record. And we're seeing storms and glacier melt like never before.

[D]

Look at me, I'm a star.

[A]

Yep, right now, climate is crazy.

[B]

But Earth has been through warm times before. Won't it go back to being cool again?

[A]

Well, before, it was the sun warming Earth. Now the atmosphere is warming on its own. Gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons, known as greenhouse gases, are warming the planet faster than we've ever seen before.

[B]

Greenhouse gases?

[A]

Yep, just like a greenhouse traps heat and humidity to grow plants and vegetables, Earth's atmosphere traps the heat of greenhouse gases through what's known as the greenhouse effect.

[B]

And these greenhouse gases, they come from us humans?

[A]

I'm afraid most do.

[B]

So why don't we stop putting them into the air?

[A]

It's not that simple, smarty pants. What releases greenhouse gases? Is it A, cars, trucks and airplanes, B, power and manufacturing plants, C, farming and food production, D, trash landfills, or E, burping cows? Burp the answer is all of them. It turns out most modern human activity creates greenhouse gases, and people just don't want to give those up.

[B]

Wait, did you say burping cows

[A]

burp I did.

[B]

How?

[A]

Any ideas, smarty pants? Well, when cows burp, they release the greenhouse gas methane. Thanks to higher demand, cattle farming has grown massively since the 1950s, and now there are over a billion cows worldwide. Burping methane gas

[D]

Burp.

[A]

And just like the number of cows, there's been a huge increase in the number of cars, trucks, airplanes, and industrial plants which burn fossil fuels, releasing the other major greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide.

[B]

But trees breathe in carbon dioxide. Can't they take it out of the air?

[A]

They could, but there aren't enough trees on the planet to do the job. Not to mention humans have been cutting lots of trees down.

[B]

Yikes. Isn't there anything we can do about it?

[A]

There is.

[B]

Really? What?

[A]

I'll tell you right after this quick break. Hey smarty. Family picture. Seventh grade trustee at the kitchen table staring at a page of math homework that might as well have been written in Dragonese. I just didn't get it. My parents could afford a few sessions with a tutor and they went at my pace, but they could only help when they were there. Boy, do I wish IXL learning had existed back then. IXL is like a friendly tutor, working at your pace and adjusting to your needs. IXL has pretty much every subject your kid studies with friendly explanations when they get stuck and fun celebrations when they get it right. Homeschool parents, this is especially for you. I know summer schedules are all over the place and 10 minutes minutes here and there with IXL lets you keep the homeschool learning momentum going in a fun way all summer long. Over 15 million students use it and it's backed by real research. Who Smarted Listeners get an exclusive 20% off when you sign up [e-mail] smarted so sign up today and give your smarty pants the experience I wish I'd had access to. That's ixl.com smarted for your exclusive 20%

[D]

off

[A]

hey smarty pants, Quick question. Would it be cool to slice flying fruit out of the air like a ninja? I'm hearing a lot of yeses. Well, last weekend I was actually doing it in my living room. Just me chopping watermelons and pineapples out of mid air while my dinner was bubbling on the stove. How NexPlayground Nex Playground is a kid focused game system where your body is the controller. No joystick, no buttons. The Playground sees your moves and you're in the game. I've been crushing Fruit Ninja and there's also Bluey and Ninja Turtles games and an Avatar Earth Rumble tournament where I got to bend rocks. Dance games, sports games, over 50 games. Once you add play. Pass smarty parents, here's the part for you. Playground is built kid safe. No ads, no in app purchases, no mature content, no online chat with strangers. Just your smarty pants moving their body, having a blast playing games that you can actually feel good about. It's the screen time solution that's also exercise, which means everyone wins. Check out next [e-mail] that's nexplayground.com Trust me, your living room is about to get a lot more interesting.

[E]

Hey grown ups. Mindy here. From wow in the World and your family's next favorite game show podcast to what's in a People who Wow Edition? In this Getting to know you game show, we are visited by some of the world's most interesting people to get the wows and the what quads of their lives. Like this one from 300 time Guinness World Record breaker David Rush.

[A]

I had the longest time balancing a running chainsaw on my chin.

[E]

So is this a true wow record he broke or a big phony?

[C]

What?

[E]

Listen to two what's in a People who Wow Edition? Wherever you get your podcasts, just follow on the wow in the World podcast feed and meet a new person who wows every Friday.

[A]

Now back to who's smarted. Hannah, are you still sad about the basketball game?

[B]

Oh no, it's much bigger than that now. This climate change thing, it's a big problem. Can anything be done to stop it?

[A]

The answer is yes. There's still hope. You know how we said Earth is like a basketball team? Well, the team needs to work together to get climate back to normal.

[D]

Whoopsie.

[B]

But how?

[A]

Well, we're already seeing changes on a larger scale with an increase in solar and wind power. But there are little things you can try too, smarty pants. Any ideas?

[B]

I guess I could ride my bike more instead of being driven everywhere.

[A]

That's a start. What about in your home?

[B]

Maybe shut off the lights when I leave a room or turn off the TV or computer when I'm done.

[A]

Yes, reducing electricity helps. Talk to your parents about energy saving lights and appliances. These might seem like small steps, but if enough people do it, power and manufacturing plants won't have to burn so much fuel.

[B]

But this has been going on for a long time.

[A]

True, but during the 50s and 80s, people weren't listening to climate warnings like they are today. You smarty pants. Listening get it. And you can make a difference. For the first time ever, there's lots of people working to fix climate change. It's a challenge, but this team is energized to meet it.

[B]

Sounds good. Now let's play some ball.

[A]

You're on.

[C]

Oh. Trustee knocks down a three from way downtown. Yes. See, kids? Anything's possible.

[A]

Thanks, pal. A big shout out to super smarty fan Ella in Westerville, Ohio. I hear you love how funny who smart it is and that you think Chet Nickerson is the best news reporter ever. Well, I'll be sure to pass that along to Chet. And I agree. And I'm sure he'll agree with you too. This episode, Belly Buttons was written by Phil Jeremy, voiced by Adam Meatcake Davis and Jerry Colbert. Technical direction and sound design by Josh Hahn. Our associate producer is Max Kamasky. The theme song is by Brian Suarez with lyrics written and performed by Adam. Tex Davis, who Smarted was created and produced by Adam Tex Davis and Jerry Colbert. This has been an Atomic Entertainment production.