Smash Boom Best introduces listeners to fact-based debates – with laughs thrown in for good measure

St Paul MI, USA—Brains On!, the science podcast created especially for kids from American Public Media is a favorite among young listeners, educators and parents everywhere. Now in its fifth (fifth!) season, the show’s creators figured it was about time for a spinoff; one that capitalizes on one of its most popular types of episodes, the debate-style show. Smash Boom Best takes the same approach as its older sibling Brains On!; kids don’t need to be talked or taught down to. But while Brains On! focuses on filling young minds with facts and knowledge, Smash Boom Best demonstrates how those facts can become the ammunition for a great argument. The first eight-episode season will premiere May 15 and new episodes will go live on Thursdays.

The episodes are structured like a game show, with familiar rounds plus a few surprises. It’s real science, real information, and real debating in a fun, entertaining and sometimes hilarious format. For each show two things or ideas are pitted against each other — say pizza vs. tacos, dogs vs. cats, super speed vs. super strength. While Brains On! is more about collaborative learning, Smash Boom Best adds the exciting element of competition. “We originally created Brains On! to help foster a world where facts matter,” says co-creator and writer Sanden Totten. “And with Smash Boom Best we want to continue the journey, by showing kids the critical thinking skills they need to take facts and use them to develop well-informed opinions.”

Educators and families can download the 15-30 minute episodes and listen on devices like smartphones, tablets, or Bluetooth-connected speakers at their own convenience.

American Public Media’s Smash Boom Best was created by host Molly Bloom and producers Sanden Totten (recently nominated for an Emmy for his work as a writer for Netflix’s “Bill Nye Saves the World”) and Marc Sanchez — the same folks who created the popular Brains On!, regularly the number one podcast in Apple Podcasts’ Kids and Family category and the recipient of the Academy of Podcasters award in the Kids and Family category. Smash Boom Best is supported in part by The National Science Foundation, where discoveries begin.