Why Do Clouds Hover Aloft? episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 30, 2026 · 7 MIN

Why Do Clouds Hover Aloft?

from Be Smart. · host Joe Hanson

There's nothing wrong with having your head in the clouds! Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Big thank you to my favorite cloud scientist Dione Rossiter for help researching this episode! "The Cloudspotter's Guide" by Gavin Pretor-Pinney http://amzn.to/1s3kk2S The International Cloud Atlas: http://bit.ly/1q0kgLy William Rankin - The Man Who Rode the Thunder http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cqQzcChFG0 Bacteria that live in the clouds: http://www.pnas.org/content/110/7/2575.abstract Mass of a cloud: http://mentalfloss.com/article/49786/how-much-does-cloud-weigh Amazing facts about clouds: http://blog.ted.com/2013/07/16/8-illuminating-facts-about-clouds/ A beginner's guide to being a cloudspotter: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/apr/12/cloud-spotting-beginners-guide-predicting-weather How clouds affect climate change: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDo7saKaEys The clouds and bushes in Super Mario Bros are the same thing: http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2010/01/the-clouds-and-bushes-in-super-mario-bros-are-the-same/ Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics John Knudsen - Gaffer Dalton Allen - Post-production Intern Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/​ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's nothing wrong with having your head in the clouds! Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Big thank you to my favorite cloud scientist Dione Rossiter for help researching this episode! "The Cloudspotter's Guide" by Gavin Pretor-Pinney http://amzn.to/1s3kk2S The International Cloud Atlas: http://bit.ly/1q0kgLy William Rankin - The Man Who Rode the Thunder http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cqQzcChFG0 Bacteria that live in the clouds: http://www.pnas.org/content/110/7/2575.abstract Mass of a cloud: http://mentalfloss.com/article/49786/how-much-does-cloud-weigh Amazing facts about clouds: http://blog.ted.com/2013/07/16/8-illuminating-facts-about-clouds/ A beginner's guide to being a cloudspotter: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/apr/12/cloud-spotting-beginners-guide-predicting-weather How clouds affect climate change: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDo7saKaEys The clouds and bushes in Super Mario Bros are the same thing: http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2010/01/the-clouds-and-bushes-in-super-mario-bros-are-the-same/ Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics John Knudsen - Gaffer Dalton Allen - Post-production Intern Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/​ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Why Do Clouds Hover Aloft?

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This episode was published on June 30, 2026.

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There's nothing wrong with having your head in the clouds! Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Big...

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