How mastering metal saved lives
Brains On! Science podcast for kids
Brains On Universe
4.4 • 13.5K Ratings
🗓️ 9 December 2025
⏱️ 30 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Humans have been fascinated by metal for thousands of years. But it took us a long time to master making things with metal. In this episode we go back in time to learn how Japanese swords were forged, how swings were used to make thin metal wires and why steel cables saved so many lives. Molly and co-host Ava are joined by Dylan Thuras, co-founder of Atlas Obscura for part two of this deep dive on all things metal. Plus, Marc meets some talking boxes and there’s an all new Mystery Sound.
Guest: Dylan Thuras, co-author of The Atlas Obscura Explorer's Guide to Inventing the World.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Lemonada |
| 0:02.7 | Brains on Universe |
| 0:09.4 | You're listening to Brains on where we're serious about being curious. |
| 0:17.6 | Look around. You're probably surrounded by metal. |
| 0:21.6 | Maybe it's part of the car you're riding in, or it helps hold up the building you're listening in. |
| 0:25.6 | It's even part of the device playing our voices right now. |
| 0:29.6 | It took some serious breakthroughs for humans to figure out that this hard, heavy stuff can do so many things. |
| 0:35.6 | But once they did, the world was never the same. |
| 0:39.9 | You know, the more you can work metal, the more they figure out, oh, we can do almost anything |
| 0:45.0 | with this, and that stuff, it just lasts forever, right? |
| 0:48.6 | You can keep it around for an awful long time. |
| 0:51.4 | That's Dylan Thuris, co-founder of Atlas Obscura. |
| 0:56.4 | He's joining us for part two of our look at how metal built our worlds. Today we'll find out how exactly humans learn to make magic |
| 1:02.1 | with metal. Stay tuned. Hey friends, welcome to the new Brains on Headquarters. We're still unpacking and it's taking a while because this place is huge, right, Sandin? |
| 1:18.8 | So big, Molly. But check it out. I just finished setting up our gratitude room. Oh, cool. You know, scientists have studied gratitude, or saying thanks. |
| 1:29.2 | They found that focusing on what you're grateful for can actually make you happier overall. |
| 1:34.7 | Yeah, that's why we built this room full of stuff we're thankful for. |
| 1:38.3 | Look, we've got flowers in full bloom, fresh-baked croissants. |
| 1:43.1 | Oh, look, it's guitar solos that go squiggly, squiggly, squee! |
| 1:47.0 | So grateful for those. Over here we have the smell of clean laundry. And this is the feeling of warm |
| 1:59.8 | sun on your face. The best. Oh, and here are all my friends ever. |
| 2:06.3 | We love you, Molly. |
... |
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