Moment of Um

From the Brains On Universe comes this brilliant little podcast that answers exactly the kind of random questions that pop into kids' heads on car rides. Why do we have braces? How did the solar system get its names? Why are traffic lights those colors? Each episode tackles one question in 3-7 minutes, and with 398 episodes updating daily, you will not run out of material. The brevity is the whole point, and it's what makes Moment of Um so road-trip-friendly. You can stack several episodes back to back for a custom listening block, or sprinkle individual episodes between other podcasts as quick palette cleansers. The show features expert interviews squeezed into bite-sized segments, covering topics from snake biology to the history of specific foods to why we dream. The explanations are clear, the pacing is tight, and there's zero filler. Distributed by Lemonada Media, the show carries a 4.4 rating from about 1,640 reviews. It's the companion show to the longer-form Brains On, so families who love the short format can graduate to the fuller episodes. The daily release schedule means there's always something new, and the random topic selection means you never know what's coming next. That unpredictability is part of the fun, especially for kids who like surprises. For those moments in the car when someone asks a question nobody can answer, Moment of Um probably has an episode for it.