Why Though? with Dr. Matt Agnew
Hosted by scientist Dr Matt Agnew, Why Though? is Australia's science podcast for curious kids aged 8–12. Each episode starts with a real question from a child and turns it into a science adventure with real answers and weird facts. The show is perfect for car trips, classrooms, and kids who love asking big questions. Follow or subscribe to catch Episode One.
Episodes
Why Do Continents Move?
The ground beneath your feet feels completely still... but the continents are actually moving all the time.In this episode of Why Though?, Dr Matt Agnew explains why continents drift across the Earth, how tectonic plates slowly carry them around the planet, and how that movement creates mountains, deep ocean trenches and earthquakes.What you'll discover:Continents move just a few centimetres each
What Is Dry Ice and Why Does It Make Fog?
It looks like magic. It makes spooky fog that pours down instead of floating up. And it never leaves a puddle. So what is dry ice actually doing?Dr Matt Agnew unpacks the weird science of dry ice, what sublimation is, why the fog pours downward like a waterfall, and why dry ice behaves so completely differently from the ice in your freezer.What you'll learn:Normal ice is frozen water... dry ice is
What's the Fastest Thing on Earth?
A cheetah? A race car? A rocket? All great guesses. All completely wrong. The fastest thing on Earth is something you can't hold in your hand... and understanding it means understanding lightyears, the speed of light, and why space distances break normal numbers.Dr Matt Agnew runs the ultimate speed race from Usain Bolt all the way to the speed of light, and explains what a lightyear actually is a
Why Does Looking at the Sun Make Some People Sneeze?
Have you ever walked outside on a bright sunny day and suddenly sneezed... with no dust, no pepper, no cat fluff anywhere? Just sunshine and a sneeze? There's a real science reason behind it.Dr Matt Agnew investigates the sun sneeze mystery. What even is a sneeze? Why does bright light trigger one for some people? And why does it run in families?What you'll learn:Sneezing is your body's nose clean
Why Are Farts Smelly?
Here's something nobody tells you. Most of a fart has absolutely no smell. So what's actually making everyone pinch their nose?Dr Matt Agnew investigates the science of farts. How do smells actually work? What is a fart made of? And why do some foods make the whole situation so much worse?What you'll learn:Smells are tiny invisible particles floating in the air that your olfactory receptors grab a
Why Does Thunder Always Come After Lightning?
Lightning and thunder happen at exactly the same time. So why does the flash always arrive before the boom?In this episode of Why Though?, Dr Matt Agnew explains how static electricity builds up inside storm clouds, what lightning actually is, why thunder is the sound of super-heated air exploding outward, and how a simple counting trick lets you measure how far away a storm is using nothing but y
Why Do My Dog's Paws Smell Like Doritos?
Have you ever sniffed your dog's paws and noticed they smell kind of like Doritos? Not because your dog is secretly snacking on chips... because of something much more microscopic.In this episode of Why Though?, Dr Matt Agnew investigates the tiny living world on your dog's paws. What are bacteria and yeast? Why are dog paws such a perfect home for microbes? And what are they actually doing in the
Do Fish Get Thirsty?
Fish spend their whole life in water. But do they actually drink it? Turns out the answer depends entirely on which fish you ask.In this episode of Why Though?, Dr Matt Agnew dives into what thirst really is, why saltwater and freshwater fish handle water in completely opposite ways, and why sharks are the cleverest rule-breakers in the ocean. Plus a kid in a shark costume makes an appearance. Obv
Why Is Pluto No Longer a Planet?
Pluto used to be the ninth planet in our Solar System. Then in 2006 everything changed. Dr Matt Agnew explains why... and it's a better story than you think.In this episode of Why Though?, we travel back to 1930 when astronomer Clyde Tombaugh spotted a tiny moving dot in the night sky and made one of the biggest discoveries in space history. We find out what happened when scientists discovered Eri
Why Does Helium Make Our Voice Sound Funny?
Ever heard someone talk after a helium balloon and suddenly sound like a tiny squeaky mouse? There's real science behind it... and it's weirder than you think.In this episode of Why Though?, Dr Matt Agnew investigates the helium voice mystery. Why do balloons float? Why does sound travel faster through helium? And how does all of that flip a normal voice into instant chipmunk mode? Plus we find ou
Why Does Eating Ice Cream Too Fast Give Me a Headache?
Ever bitten into ice cream too fast and felt a sudden sharp pain in your forehead? That's brain freeze... and there's real science behind it.In this episode of Why Though?, Dr Matt Agnew breaks down exactly what's happening inside your mouth and your brain when ice cream hits too hard and too fast. Why do your blood vessels squeeze and then suddenly open again? And why does your brain sometimes "f
Why Though? is Coming Soon
Hey! I'm Dr Matt Agnew and I've got a brand new podcast coming your way very soon.Why Though? is the show for kids who can't stop asking questions. And I mean the really good ones... why do dog paws smell like Doritos? Why are farts smelly? Do fish actually get thirsty?Every episode we take one big question and turn it into a science adventure. Weird facts, real answers, and stuff that'll make you
