logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2022
31m 41s

Keeping it chill with air conditioning

American Public Media
About this episode

We’re back with a hot new episode on staying cool! We’re talking about the history of air conditioning, our favorite frosty invention. Joy and co-host Maeve meet a sassy talking ice unicorn who is trying to find a place to chill out (and not melt!). Find out what chocolate, chewing gum and macaroni have to do with the invention of air conditioning. Plus, hear about some eco-friendly ways to beat the heat (splash pads, anyone?).

First Things First is back, too! Find out which was invented first: frozen yogurt, slushies or snow cones. Find all this frozen goodness, and a peek into why school buses are yellow, in this episode of Forever Ago!

Up next
Oct 8
We’re back! Brains On Universe has a new headquarters
We’re back! We’ve officially moved into our new headquarters! Come unpack with us and get a tour while we fill you in on some big news. Plus, new episodes of Brains On coming later this month and new Smash Boom and Forever Ago after that. If you want to support the show or drop u ... Show More
7m 30s
Jun 2025
Where did school uniforms come from?
Our world is filled with uniforms. From mail carriers, to sports teams to students! This week, Joy, cohost Hannah and Articles of Interest’s Avery Trufelman trace the history of school uniforms, from their start 800 years ago in England, to their popularization in America by immi ... Show More
32m 25s
Jun 2025
A big update about Forever Ago and the Brains On Universe
We're moving the Brains On Universe Headquarters, and that means we have to stop putting out new episodes until we get settled. We know: not cool. But, our new home is going to be bigger and better and the absolute BEST. We can't wait until it's ready for you to visit.In the mean ... Show More
2m 57s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2020
Keeping Cool | A Chilly Reception | S35-E1
<p>Muggy. Sticky. Miserable.&nbsp;</p><p>For eons, that’s just what summer was. In fact, when air conditioning first became available, few people took advantage of it. Wasn’t summer <em>supposed</em> to be uncomfortable?&nbsp;</p><p>This is the story of how people finally warmed ... Show More
38m 53s
Feb 2022
Chilling out with snow
<p>There are many different types of snow. From the fluffy to the slushy, this slippery frozen stuff comes in all different shapes and sizes. </p><br><p></p><br><p>From a distance, snowflakes may all look the same, but they are not. In fact, there are lots of different shapes of ... Show More
30m 6s
Jun 2021
Cryonics | Immortality On Ice | S48-E1
Not everyone chooses burial or cremation after death. Some believe in cryonics, freezing their bodies in the hopes of being reanimated sometime in the future. Bob Nelson, a TV repairman with no scientific background, made history when he froze the first human being. But as Nelson ... Show More
38m 42s
Jul 2015
The Scoop on Ice Cream
It’s one of the most complex food products you’ll ever consume: a thermodynamic miracle that contains all three states of matter—solid, liquid, and gas—at the same time. And yet no birthday party, beach trip, or Fourth of July celebration is complete without a scoop or two. That’ ... Show More
46m 13s
Sep 2019
Air Conditioning, Part 3
Air conditioning has had a profound impact on modern life -- and in more ways than you might realize. In this trio of Invention episodes, Robert and Joe explore pre-AC cooling methods, the invention itself and the many ways it changed the shape (and temperature) of our lives. Lea ... Show More
50m 25s
Mar 2021
248 - Ice Cream
This week we are talking about that most popular, sweet, freezing cold treat … ice cream! Find out about your hosts favourite flavours, the ice creams they enjoyed as kids and a recipe Jennifer uses to create ice cream with her son. Lots of ice cream vocabulary is included - you’ ... Show More
30m 36s
Aug 2023
Here Comes the Snow Monster!👹丨Ice and Snow Adventure❄️丨The Adventures of Foxie and Bunny Coco S9E1
🌬️ Brrr! Chilly winds blew open Bunny Coco's window, and things got frosty! ☃️ But why is it snowing in summer? ❄️ Suddenly, a surprise visitor crashes in! 🧙‍♂️ Foxie, the magician, appears and brings along a frosty problem – a giant snow monster! 🌨️ Together, they hatch a pla ... Show More
5m 33s
Dec 2023
Do you know about snow? ❄️
In this episode, we will learn about snow, what it is made of and the different colours it can be. Did you know that snow could be in different colours? We will discuss the water cycle and how important snow is for the water supply in many places. We will look at The Science of S ... Show More
24m 16s
Mar 2022
Mountain life: How's the air up there?
<p>The ExPLORERR was built to go everywhere. That’s why this vehicle’s full name is: the Extremely Practical Land and Ocean Rover Exploring Remote Realms. And guess what? It has a recording studio built on-board! Good thing, because this episode was recorded while traveling up, u ... Show More
33m 48s
Jun 2022
Ice cream: A cool history
There are almost as many ice cream origin stories as there are flavours, but where did the frozen treat really come from, and who invented it? Rajan Datar explores the dessert’s murky history, from the harvesting and flavouring of snow in China and the Middle East thousands of ye ... Show More
43m 48s