Big Brain News Ep. 61: Space Snacks, Spiky Dino Heads, and Fish Highway Parades!

Episode 61 (May 18, 2026) Today’s Big Brain Idea: Evidence Scientists learn by collecting clues—data, observations, and objects (like fossils). In this episode, kids can compare what “evidence” looks like in space science, paleontology, and ecology. Story 1: SpaceX Dragon delivers supplies to the International Space Station • What a “resupply mission” is and why astronauts need deliveries • Automatic docking explained in kid-friendly terms • Microgravity research: how studying bodies in space can help people on Earth Story 2: An unusually complete stegosaur skull found in Spain • Why stegosaur skulls are rare fossil finds • How skulls help scientists infer eating habits and relationships between species • Fossils as “time capsules” in rock layers Story 3: River herring migration celebrated at a local festival • Migration basics: why fish swim upstream to spawn • How dams can block movement and how fish ladders help • Rivers as connected habitats and food webs Talk-It-Over Questions (for home or classroom) • What’s one thing you would pack for astronauts if you could send a space delivery? • How is a fossil like a puzzle piece that helps us understand the past? Keywords: International Space Station, resupply mission, microgravity, stegosaur, fossil skull, migration, river herring, fish ladder, ecosystem.