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Narrator
Who's that walking through the woods? Wyatt's Yoshi. Here to explore a world of curious creatures with. You discovered a creature you haven't seen before. Why don't you get Yoshi to see what it tastes like? Hmm. Soapy. No wonder this creature blows giant bubbles so big they can carry you. You can even jump from one bubble to another and reach new areas. There are plenty more surprises to disc. Junior, what are you doing out here? You can jump into adventure with Yoshi and the mysterious book, available now only on Nintendo Switch 2. Game rated E for everyone.
Trusty
And now it's time for who's smarted?
Chet Nickerson
Psst.
Trusty
Hey there, smarty pants. You know, I've been doing a lot of thinking about thinking. And I gotta say, thinking about thinking made me think about a very special part of the body. The part you and me and everyone we know, including animals, thinks with. Why? I'm talking about the old noggin. Everybody's personal think tank. Your melon or bean or noodle. After all, there's nothing like using your noodle to figure something out.
Professor Gray Matter
Did someone say noodle?
Trusty
I did. But I hope you're not looking for a bowl of Mac and cheese, because I was referring to your noodle, as in your brain. Without your noodle, bean, melon, or whatever you call your big, beautiful brain, you wouldn't be able to go smarting or do much of anything.
Professor Gray Matter
You can sure. Say that again. As it happens, I happen to be a professor who studies and teaches about the brain. Whoa.
Trusty
What are the odds? And let me guess. Your name is probably something like Professor Brainstorm or. Oh, Dr. Brainiac or Brainy McBrainfreeze.
Professor Gray Matter
No, no, no. My name is Gus.
Trusty
Oh, well, Gus.
Professor Gray Matter
Gray matter.
Trusty
I knew it. And in case you didn't know, smarty pants, gray matter is another term used to describe your brain.
Professor Gray Matter
You got it, Trusty. I can tell you your smarty friends are interested in neuroscience, which is the study of the brain and the nervous system, which is my area of expertise. I just love studying the brain because it's the most complex organ in your body. It's the command center for everything you think, feel, and do. It's the big boss in your head.
Trusty
Right on, Professor G. And since you're here, I think it's only fair that we pick your brain about brains to find out things like, what are brains made of? How do they work? Why are they so wrinkly? And how many thoughts can your brain think in a day?
Professor Gray Matter
Great questions. I think I can help you with that.
Trusty
Excellent. Then I think it's time for another thoughtful whiff of science and history on who Smarted.
Chet Nickerson
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. But who's smart?
Trusty
And Hang on smarty pants. We'll be right back with who's Smarted after this quick ad break. 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 playground@nexus playground.com that's nexplayground.com Trust me, your living room is about to get a lot more interesting. Hey smarty family picture. 7th 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 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 whose smarted listeners get an exclusive 20% off when you sign up today at ixl.com smartid so sign up today and give your smarty pants the experience I wish I'd had access to. That's iexcel.com smarted for your Excel exclusive. 20% off. Hey, smarty families, is this your family in the morning? Backpacks by the door, Everybody knows where they're going. Calm and organized. No, it wasn't mine either. But then I kept hearing about this Skylight digital calendar all over social media, people saying it changed their family's lives. So I tried it for a month, and this thing is a game changer. Skylight is a sleek digital display that mounts on the wall or sits on the counter. And it lets us track tasks, recipes, and plans in one place. That doesn't seem like that big a deal until you realize it absolutely is. It even syncs with your existing calendars like Google, Apple, Outlook, and more. And if in four months you are not 100% thrilled with your purchase, Skylight lets you return it for a full refund, no questions asked. Yes, four months. So you literally have nothing to lose. Families are better when they're working together. Right now, Skylight is offering our listeners $30 off their 15 inch calendars by going to myskylight.com smarted go to myskylight.com smartED for $30 off your 15 inch calendar. That is my S, K Y L I g h t.com smarted now back to who smarted? Okay, smartypants, let's start with a very basic question. What is your brain made of?
Professor Gray Matter
Good question. And I will answer that with a question of my own. About 75% of your brain is made up of a very common substance. Do you know what it is?
Trusty
I'm sure some of you know it, but if you're unsure, let's see if you can figure it out. Is around 75% of your brain made up of A sugar, B, water, or C jelly? If you said jelly. Nope, it's not brain jelly. So what is it? Why of course it's water.
Professor Gray Matter
Yep, your brain is about 75% water and about 60% flower fat, making it the fattiest organ in your body. Whoa. Yes. Your brain also has a network of approximately 86 billion neurons, which are special nerve cells. Areas of the brain with a lot of neurons are called grey matter, just like your name. What a coincidence, huh?
Trusty
Yeah, sure. Anywho, smarty pants, what do you think these neurons in your brain do? Go ahead, shout out some answers. Uh huh. Uh huh. I heard some right answers. If you said the neurons in your brain help you think, feel ow. Move, remember and make sense of the world around you. Then you're right.
Professor Gray Matter
Neurons are basically super fast messengers sending information across your brain by using electrical and computer chemical signals. Each neuron forms connections called synapses with many other neurons. The human brain may have as many as 1, quadrillion of these connections. Whoa.
Trusty
I have a feeling the Whoa girl is going to be busy this episode. Learning how the brain works is literally mind blowing. Whoa. And mind woeing.
Professor Gray Matter
Moving on, here are some more mind blowing facts. Trusty signals in our neurons can travel up to 268 miles per hour faster than a race car. And the combined electrical activity of all these neurons is enough to power a small light bulb.
Trusty
Wow. Sounds like the brain is doing a lot to keep us smarting.
Professor Gray Matter
Absolutely. And every part of your brain works together to make smarting happen. For example, the fat in your brain forms a layer called myelin around the long thin parts of neurons to protect them and help signals travel quickly. These regions of the brain are called white matter because the fatty coating looks white. Meanwhile, the water in your brain helps neurons send messages efficiently. It also helps cushion your brain along with the cranium, the bony part of your skull that surrounds and protects it. Wow.
Trusty
Whoa. I mean, whoa. There sure is a lot to think about when it comes to thinking about the brain. And just when we're getting started, it's starting to rain.
Professor Gray Matter
No, no, don't worry. That's just a brainstorm. Come, let's go to my castle Grey Matter and keep talking. Mind and matter.
Trusty
You want us to go to a castle?
Professor Gray Matter
Uh, it's more of an institute. I'll just call us an Uber.
Trusty
Oh, don't bother. I've got my teleportation app. To Castle Grey Matter. I have the power. Wow, Castle Grey matter is pretty cool.
Professor Gray Matter
You ain't seen nothing yet, my smarty friend. Whoa.
Trusty
Is that a real brain?
Professor Gray Matter
Oh, no, no, no. That's a model of a brain. I use it to teach my students the different parts of the brain. Would you like to hold it?
Trusty
Wow, you're really giving me a piece of your mind here. Hey, that's the best I could come up with off the top of my head. Okay, I'll give the jokes a rest. Let's feel this model brain. Wow, this thing is really wrinkly. Like a walnut or a raisin. Smartypants, do you know why your brain is so wrinkly? Is it because, A, it's all scrunched up to fit inside your skull, B, it's wrinkled to fit More brain cells into a small space. Or C, the wrinkles and crevices are good for hiding your secrets.
Chet Nickerson
Shh.
Trusty
Professor Gray Matter, care to share the answer?
Professor Gray Matter
Why? The answer is B, your brain is wrinkly. In order to fit more brain cells into your head so you can think better, all those grooves, which are called sulci, and bumps, called gyri, help pack a lot of brain cells into a small space. If your brain was smooth, there wouldn't be enough surface area to fit all the neurons. Your brain needs to think, remember, and control your body.
Trusty
Ah, that's pretty ingenious, actually. Can your brain actually run out of space from all the smarting you do? What do you think, smartypants?
Professor Gray Matter
Oh, no, no, no, no, no. Your brain will never run out of space.
Trusty
Really? So if someone says their brain is getting too full, that's not true?
Professor Gray Matter
Nope. In fact, your brain gets stronger the more you use it and learn new things. When you learn or have a new thought, your neurons connect in new ways, and the structure of your brain actually changes. There is a fancy word for that called neuroplasticity.
Trusty
So smarting and learning new things is like taking your brain to the gym?
Professor Gray Matter
Indeed. Now let's exercise your brain with some more brain facts. The wrinkly outer part of your brain is called the cerebral cortex, and the largest part of your brain is the cerebrum. The cerebrum helps you think, learn, and make decisions.
Trusty
Oh, like what topping to put on my pizza? Anything but pineapple, please.
Professor Gray Matter
At the back of your brain is a smaller part called the cerebellum. The cerebellum helps with your balance, coordination and body movement.
Trusty
Sorry, I've been taking tap lessons. Cerebellum, don't fail me.
Professor Gray Matter
Now, moving on. The brainstem, located at the bottom of your brain, connects your brain to your spinal cord and controls automatic bodily functions like breathing, swallowing, blinking and your heartbeat. Things you don't have to consciously think about.
Trusty
Phew. I got enough things to think about without having to think about breathing or blinking. But how am I going to remember all of this?
Professor Gray Matter
For that, you'll rely on your limbic system, located in the middle of your brain, which controls memory and emotions. Or you could just write it down.
Trusty
Good point, Professor Gray Matter. Now, smarty pants, I've got another question for you. True or false? The different sides of your brain control different things. The answer is true.
Professor Gray Matter
Your cerebrum, the largest part of your brain, is divided into two halves called hemispheres. The left hemisphere mostly controls the right side of Your body. And the right hemisphere mostly controls the left side.
Trusty
Wow, that's so interesting. But wait, there's more. Smarty pants. True or false? The different sides of your brain are associated with with different ways of thinking. The answer is true again.
Professor Gray Matter
Scientists believe the right hemisphere of your brain is more involved in creative activities like music, art, and imagination, while the left hemisphere of your brain is more involved in logic, problem solving, language and math.
Trusty
This is why someone who is very artsy or free thinking might be considered more right brain, While someone who is good with numbers and structured tasks might be seen as more left brain. Now, professor, I notice your model is divided into more parts.
Professor Gray Matter
Yes, indeed. As I mentioned, the cerebrum is split into two hemispheres or sides. On each side, there are four sections known as lobes, each with different functions.
Trusty
Gotcha. All right, smarty pants, it's time to play know your lobes.
Chet Nickerson
Hello and welcome to know your lobes. This is Chet Nickerson, reporter, who has somehow been roped into playing a game show host. Was that a smart decision? We'll see. And speaking of decisions, did you know your frontal lobe at the front of your brain is responsible for helping you think, plan, move and make decisions? Let's hear it for your frontal lobe, which doesn't fully develop until you are about 25 years old. Which helps explain why younger folks don't always make the best decisions. But you know what? Neither do adults. Moving on the parietal lobe near the top and back of your brain helps you feel touch and pain and helps you understand where your body is in space. No, not that kind of space. I mean where you're standing or sitting right now. Next up, your temporal lobes on the sides of your brain and help you hear and remember things. And the occipital lobe at the back of your brain helps you see and understand what your eyes are looking at. And now you know your lobes. And I know I'd rather stick to the news.
Trusty
There sure is a lot packed into a relatively little brain, smarty pants. Can you guess how much the average adult brain weighs? Is it about 1 pound like a large apple, 3 pounds like a large grapefruit, or 5 pounds like a small watermelon?
Professor Gray Matter
The average adult brain weighs about 3 pounds, or 1.36 kilograms. When you're born, your brain is very small, about the size of a small apple. But brains grow quickly. By the time you turned one, your brain is more than three, three times larger than it was at birth. And your brain continues developing until you're about 25 years old.
Trusty
Say professor, does a bigger brain make you smarter? What do you think, smartypants?
Professor Gray Matter
Nope. Having a bigger brain does not make you smarter. Believe it or not, Albert Einstein, often considered one of the smartest humans of all time, had a brain that weighed a little less than average. However, it did have lots of special connections between neurons, which may be why he was such a genius.
Trusty
Makes sense, smarty pants. Think about animals that are much bigger than people. For example, a sperm whale's brain weighs five times more than ours. But are sperm whales as smart as humans? Nope. Sorry, buddy. So it seems it's not the size of a brain that matters, but. But how? It's all connected.
Professor Gray Matter
Yes, and what's also amazing is how many thoughts the human brain generates each day.
Trusty
Hmm, smarty pants. Care to guess how many thoughts a human brain produces on an average day? Is it around 60, 600 or 6,000 thoughts a day?
Professor Gray Matter
The answer is, scientists think most people have over six thoughts. Thousand thoughts every single day.
Trusty
That is a lot of thoughts, ideas, daydreams, and, of course, smarting. Here's another question for you, smarty pants. True or false? Your brain never stops working to take a break, even when you're sleeping. The answer is coming right up after this quick ad break and a word from our sponsors. Now back to who smarted? Okay, where were we right before we took a break? Oh, I know. We wanted to know if your brain ever takes a break. I mean, if I was a brain, I'd take a break sometime. After all, you don't need to think while you're sleeping. So the answer is, nope.
Professor Gray Matter
Your brain never takes a break, Trusty. Even while you're sleeping.
Trusty
But why not? Do you know, smarty pants?
Professor Gray Matter
Well, for one thing, your brain is responsible for keeping you breathing. It also regulates your resting body and controls your dreaming. Most people have four to seven dreams a night, even if you don't remember them.
Trusty
Oh, wow. I gotta say, that makes sense. Here's another question. Oh, boy. I was about to ask Professor Gray Matter another question, but I forgot it. I think I just had a brain fart. Which, of course, is a really silly way to say you forgot something.
Professor Gray Matter
No worries, trusty. We all forget things.
Trusty
But why?
Professor Gray Matter
Lots of reasons. Your brain could be busy, tired, or thinking about something else. Running an entire body, including every function, thought and movement, voluntary or involuntary, takes a lot of work. Which is why it's important to take care of your brain.
Trusty
But. But how? How do you take care of your brain, smarty pants? Do you know?
Professor Gray Matter
Well, for one thing, getting enough sleep Sleep helps your brain clean out extra stuff, store your memories, recharge, and stay healthy. Drinking plenty of water also helps your brain stay healthy.
Trusty
That makes sense. I notice when I don't get enough sleep or drink enough water, I go into a brain fog, which is a fun way of saying you can't think clearly.
Professor Gray Matter
Another way to help your brain is by eating healthy brain foods which have nutrients, vitamins and minerals that help your brain work.
Trusty
Is it A, berries, B pizza or C ice cream? Please be pizza. Please be pizza. Please be pizza.
Professor Gray Matter
Sorry, trusty, but the answer is A berries. Berries have nutrients that fuel your brain and antioxidants that help your brain stay healthy and work better. Other brain foods are most fruits, green veggies like broccoli and avocado, fish eggs, and a little bit of dark chocolate.
Trusty
Good thing I like those foods too. So what else can we do to help our brains, professor gm?
Professor Gray Matter
Well, even though your brain is not made of jelly, it is very soft and squishy like a bowl of jello or soft tofu. That's why it's important to wear a helmet and keep your brain safe when riding a bike or scooter or doing an ollie on your skateboard.
Trusty
Gnarly, dude. And always wear your helmet. Smarty pants.
Professor Gray Matter
Exercise is also good exercise.
Trusty
Isn't that more for your body than your brain?
Professor Gray Matter
Nope, it's great for both. When your heart beats faster from running or playing, blood flows more quickly and delivers extra oxygen to your brain. This can support the growth of new neurons which help with thinking and memory. Also, exercise helps release special chemicals in your brain that help you think faster and feel happier.
Trusty
Oh yeah, we did an entire episode on brain chemicals. Smarty pants. Check it out.
Professor Gray Matter
These chemicals can make you feel good, help you focus and even grow new brain cells. And last but not least, you can boost your brain by doing activities that provide a mental workout. Things like solving puzzles, reading, playing music, creating art, or listening to who Smarted
Trusty
Who Smarted by the Power of Gray Matter. I have the power. A big brainy shout out to super smarty fan Andy in Evanston, Illinois, who loves Whosmarted because it combines history and science, which are two of their favorite subjects. Well, they are two of my favorite subjects as well. Thanks for smarting with us, Andy. And a special thanks to your mom Karen for helping us with an email issue. We love having your family in our smarty family. This episode Brains was written by Leanne Frontal Lobe French and voiced by Tim Medulla Oblongata Morgan, Adam Cortex Davis and Jerry Colbert technical direction and sound design by Josh Hypothalamus Hahn. Our associate producer is Max Amygdala Kamaski. The theme song is by Brian Synapse 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 Audio production.
Date: June 5, 2026
Podcast by: Atomic Entertainment / Starglow Media
Host: Trusty
Guest: Professor Gray Matter
This episode dives into the captivating question: “Why are brains wrinkly?” With the humorous and energetic host Trusty joined by brain expert Professor Gray Matter, the episode explores the structure, functions, and surprising facts about the human brain. Through lively banter, games, creative explanations, and interactive questions for listeners (“smarty pants”), the podcast unpacks what makes our brains unique, why they look the way they do, and how to keep them healthy and strong.
What is the brain made of?
How do neurons work?
Purpose of the Wrinkles
Do brains run out of space?
Main parts of the brain:
Brain Hemispheres:
The Four Lobes (Game Show Style!) (15:38–17:34)
Weight and Development
Does size matter?
Number of Thoughts
Brains never stop working—not even during sleep. The brain keeps us breathing, dreaming, and more while we rest. (20:14–20:22)
Rest and Recovery:
Nutrition:
Exercise:
Mental Workout:
On what the brain is made of:
“Your brain is about 75% water and about 60% fat, making it the fattiest organ in your body.” – Professor Gray Matter (08:04)
On brain wrinkles:
“Why, the answer is B: Your brain is wrinkly in order to fit more brain cells into your head so you can think better.” – Professor Gray Matter (12:02)
On neuroplasticity:
“When you learn or have a new thought, your neurons connect in new ways and the structure of your brain actually changes. There is a fancy word for that called neuroplasticity.” – Professor Gray Matter (13:07)
On exercise and brain health:
“When your heart beats faster from running or playing, blood flows more quickly and delivers extra oxygen to your brain. This can support the growth of new neurons which help with thinking and memory.” – Professor Gray Matter (22:59–23:24)
On learning and the brain:
“So smarting and learning new things is like taking your brain to the gym?” – Trusty (13:07)
“Indeed.” – Professor Gray Matter (13:12)
This kid-friendly and laugh-filled journey through “Why Are Brains Wrinkly?” blends science, memorable characters, and interactive questions in classic "Who Smarted?" style. Whether in the classroom or at home, this episode will leave kids (and adults!) appreciating the mighty powers and funny textures of the “old noodle.”