Today’s debate is an out-of-this-world throwdown between two dazzling sky spectacles – Eclipses vs. Aurora Borealis! Improviser, writer and podcast host Meghan Wolff will rep the mighty, moon-shadowed mystery of Team Eclipses while improviser, content creator and podcast host Maria Bartholdi will help the swirling, shimmering colors of the Northern Lights shine for Team Aurora Borealis. Who will be crowned the Smash Boom Best? Vote below for the team YOU think won!
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Educators - Lesson plan for Smash Boom Best - Eclipses vs. Aurora Borealis [Right click to download]
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MARLEY FEUERWERKER-OTTO: From the brains behind Brains On!, it's Smash Boom Best.
ANNOUNCER: A show for people with big opinions.
MOLLY BLOOM: Hi, I'm Molly Bloom. And this is Smash Boom Best, the show where we take two things, smash them together, and ask you to decide which one is best. Today's debate is an out-of-this-world throw-down between two dazzling sky spectacles-- eclipses versus aurora borealis.
We've got improvisor, writer, and Good Luck High Five podcast host Meghan Wolff here to wrap the mighty moon-shadowed mystery of Team Eclipses.
MEGHAN WOLFF: [MAKES HOWLING SOUND]
That was howling at the moon.
[LAUGHTER]
MOLLY BLOOM: And improvisor, content creator, and fellow Good Luck High Five podcast host Maria Bartholdi will help the swirling, shimmering colors of the northern lights shine for Team Aurora Borealis.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: The Northern lights are going to put up a fight and eclipse the competition.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh!
MARIA BARTHOLDI: See what I did there?
MOLLY BLOOM: And here to judge it all is Lily from Victoria, British Columbia. Lily loves synchronized swimming, growing veggies on her farm, and was once approached by porpoises while paddleboarding. Hi, Lily.
LILY: Hi.
MOLLY BLOOM: So, Lily, were the porpoises friendly?
LILY: Yes, they were so cute. And I was super excited.
MOLLY BLOOM: I would also be very excited. What did they do when they approached you?
LILY: Well, we were paddleboarding, and they came up, and they were kind of just swimming around us. And then they just swam off. And it was really cool.
MOLLY BLOOM: That is so cool. So you're a synchronized swimmer. What is something people don't realize about how awesome synchronized swimming is?
LILY: It's really, really, really difficult. It's very hardcore. And I think a lot of people think it's just very, very easy, but it's really not.
MOLLY BLOOM: Yeah, I watched some of the Olympics over this past year. And it's incredible what's going on under the water.
LILY: I think my favorite part is probably the lifts, the highlights, because I like being thrown in the air.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, so you're one of the people who gets to be thrown?
LILY: Yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: That is so fun. Do you have any advice for our debaters today?
LILY: Try to show me like lots of facts and humor. And I really like good rebuttals.
MOLLY BLOOM: Will Lily side with Meghan or Maria? Only time will tell. But first, here are the rules of the game. Every debate consists of four rounds-- the Declaration of Greatness, the Micro Round, the Sneak Attack, and the Final Six. After each round, our judge, Lily, will award points to the team that impresses her the most. But she'll keep her decisions top secret until the end of the debate.
Listeners, we want you to judge, too. Mark down your points as you listen. At the end of the show, head to our website, smashboom.org, and vote for whichever team you think won. OK, Meghan, Maria, and Lily, are you ready?
MEGHAN WOLFF: Yeah, let's go. I'm so ready.
MOLLY BLOOM: Then it's time for the--
MARLEY FEUERWERKER-OTTO: Declaration of Greatness.
MOLLY BLOOM: In this round, our debaters will present a well-crafted, immersive argument in favor of their side. Then they'll each have 30 seconds to rebut their opponent's statements. We flipped a coin. And Meghan, you're up first. Tell us what makes eclipses so electrifying.
[PEPPY MUSIC]
[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]
BRIT PLATT: Welcome back to Chit Chat with Brit Platt. I'm so thrilled to be sitting down with two pop icons, the sun and moon. Your new collaboration, eclipse, has taken the music world by storm. Tell me, son, what inspired your new duo?
SON: Thanks, Brit. The moon and I have both had such great solo careers. But last year things finally aligned and made it possible for us to work together.
MOON: It all started when the sun sent me her original vision for the song "Hide My Light." And I fell in love with it.
SON: (SINGING) Who are you to hide my light
The moon only shines at nights
So why are you here today
To try and take my glove away
MOON: Of course. As the moon, my work is a little darker. Some may say moodier.
(SINGING) You are a star
Bright from afar
No one knows I'm here
Whenever you are near
So I did something cruel
I stole that light
Like it was a jewel
BRIT PLATT: Oh, chills. So you two just held a massive live show together, which drew millions of fans from around the world. With that kind of success, is there more eclipse in our future?
SON: We've decided for now to go back to our solo careers. But--
MOON: You never know. I think in four or five years, we just might have to collaborate again.
BRIT PLATT: Well, I think I speak for all of us when I say, I hope you do. Until then, let's enjoy the title track from Eclipse.
MOON: (SINGING) Eclipse me because we are better together
Better together
Eclipse me
The world will remember forever
Remember forever
Sun and moon, moon and sun
In the sky, we'll have so much fun
Eclipse me! Eclipse me!
Eclipse me!
MEGHAN WOLFF: Like the pop duo Eclipse, real solar eclipses are an awesome team-up between the sun and the moon. During an eclipse, the moon moves in front of the sun, blocking it partially or entirely. I got to experience this myself when I saw the solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.
[SOFT MUSIC]
As I drove through New Hampshire, I saw thousands of other people set up with chairs and telescopes, ready to see the eclipse. That's one of the most incredible things about eclipses. They bring people together to experience something amazing.
When I saw the eclipse, I stood on a frozen lake surrounded by hills. It was the middle of the day. But suddenly, the sky darkened like it was twilight, and the stars came out. Looking at the black circle where the sun used to be, I felt this incredible awe. And through that, I felt connected to all the people for thousands of years who have been scared or inspired or mystified by eclipses.
More than 2,500 years ago, an eclipse actually ended a war in ancient Greece. The two kingdoms had been at war for six years, and then, boom, the eclipse happened during a battle, and they stopped.
[SWORDS CLANGING, SOLDIERS FIGHTING]
SOLDIER 1: The sun, it's disappearing. It's an omen.
SOLDIER 2: But what does it mean?
SOLDIER 3: We should stop fighting and go home.
SOLDIER 2: Ah, My favorite kind of omen. Come on, let's get out of here. This was so silly. What were we even fighting for?
MEGHAN WOLFF: Many years later, Bonnie Tyler recorded the hit song "Total Eclipse of the Heart," proving that eclipses have power everywhere from the battlefield to the recording studio.
[BONNIE TYLER, "TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART"]
There's nothing I can do
A total eclipse of the heart
MEGHAN WOLFF: And humans aren't the only ones who notice these incredible celestial events. During an eclipse, many animals begin their nighttime routines. Frogs and crickets sing. [FROG CROAKING] Bees fly home to their hive. [BUZZING] And nocturnal predators get ready to hunt. [HOWLING]
Eclipses are proof that even if you're small, you can still have a big impact. The sun is 400 times bigger than the moon, but when everything is perfectly aligned during an eclipse, even that little moon can block out something so much bigger. Ever since I saw the solar eclipse, I've told everyone, go see one. It'll change the way you see the world.
MOLLY BLOOM: A delightful declaration that will have me never stop whispering, eclipse me! Lily, what stood out to you about Meghan's Declaration of Greatness?
LILY: I really liked the songs. The songs were really good. And I thought the facts about the animals during their nighttime routine was really interesting.
MOLLY BLOOM: Mm-hmm. All right, Maria, it is time for your rebuttal. Tell us why eclipses are overshadowed. You've got 30 seconds. And your time starts now.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: So can I just start off by saying that seeing an eclipse is basically going where the sun don't shine and getting mooned? Does that sound like a good time to anybody? Not me.
Knock, knock. Who's there? Not the sun, or anything cool to see in the sky for that matter. You can't even look at it with your bare eyes. Do you want to see an eclipse? I say you're just going through a phase-- totally predictable and boring.
MOLLY BLOOM: And time.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Woo! I came in under the clock there.
MOLLY BLOOM: You're so concise. Maria, it is your turn. Tell us why the aurora borealis is the star of the sky.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: It was a very cold night. You know the kind, where the moonlight shimmers on the snow-like diamonds, and the air inside your nose freezes up. It was a night just like that when I first saw the aurora borealis. [SWOOSH]
Some people spend their entire lives searching for these ethereal, elusive lights, but never find them. And me? I saw them completely by accident one late night when I just happened to look up. Whoa!
Light splashed across the sky, bending, twisting and shimmering in a hypnotic celestial ballet. Imagine a soft, swirling green glow amongst the stars, deep blues hugging the moon, and vibrant reds popping in with a fiery flourish. And they all blended together to create a magnificent symphony of the sky.
[OBOE PLAYING]
I believe the aurora borealis is the most incredible sight in the natural world. These luminous light shows have bewitched humans for hundreds of years. It was actually Galileo who named them in 1619 after Aurora, the Roman goddess of dawn, and Boreas, the Greek god of the north wind.
Auroras form when tiny charged particles from the sun blast out into space at ridiculously high speeds over a million miles per hour. [SWOOSH] These space particles slam into the Earth's upper atmosphere. Most bounce right off Earth's protective magnetic field, but some particles sneak through, reacting with our atmosphere and creating mother nature's finest fireworks display.
[FIREWORKS]
Isn't science beautiful? And they're not just a feast for the eyes, auroras also make sounds. When scientists set up recording equipment and listened to the night sky in Finland, they found some of the strongest auroras made hissing, popping, and crackling sounds. A Finnish band even put some of these sounds into one of their songs, called "Northern Lights."
[EERIE SOUNDS]
Pretty neat. But that's not all. Auroras also make radio waves that can be turned into sound. How about we get a little closer and have a listen? I just so happened to have an extra guest pass for a trip aboard a spaceship.
[SPACE SHIP WHOOSHES BY]
CAPTAIN SMIRK: Welcome aboard the USS Smash Boom I'm Captain smirk, your Starship commander. Do you like my hair? A robot did it. This is the finest ship in the fleet, equipped with all the conveniences of modern-day space travel-- computer, chocolate milk, lukewarm.
[STATIC]
[SLURPS]
CREW: Captain, aurora borealis, straight ahead.
CREW: I'm picking up some unusual signals. Enhancing audio now. [EERIE SOUNDS] Captain, are the lights trying to communicate with us?
CAPTAIN SMIRK: A first-contact situation. Everybody act cool.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Auroras have actually been seen on seven out of the eight planets in our solar system. The light shows on Jupiter are particularly spectacular. The Hubble telescope has captured photos of its intense auroras, which are happening constantly. Plus, they're huge.
If you could visit Jupiter and see one of its aurora displays, it would stretch as far as your eyes could see because they're bigger than our entire planet. And while auroras on Earth may last for a few hours, on Jupiter, they never end.
CAPTAIN SMIRK: Incredible. Bridge selfie time. [CAMERA CLICKS]
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Auroras can appear and disappear in our skies in the blink of an eye. They can be mysterious and elusive. So you have to be pretty lucky to see them, because there's no certainty as to when or where they're going to appear. At best, aurora hunters have two-hours advance warning. And even then, the skies may stay dark. You can predict eclipses like clockwork. But auroras don't follow anyone's schedule.
So whether you marvel at their spiffy colors, their unusual and haunting sounds, or their mysterious appearances, one thing is for sure. The aurora borealis is a jaw-dropping, mind-blowing, utterly magical display. It's proof our universe can be both powerful and beautiful at the same time.
CAPTAIN SMIRK: Time to return to Earth, crew. Now, who wants some more chocolate milk? It's lukewarm.
[SWOOSH]
MOLLY BLOOM: That declaration was transporting, even before we got on the spaceship. Oh my goodness. Amazing. Lily, what stood out to you about Maria's argument?
LILY: The name. I did not know that's where the name came from. So that was really interesting. And the sounds were really cool, too.
MOLLY BLOOM: Absolutely. Meghan, it is time for your rebuttal. Tell us why the aurora borealis is all glow and no show. You've got 30 seconds. And your time starts now.
MEGHAN WOLFF: Aurora borealis? More like borora snorealis.
MOLLY BLOOM: [LAUGHS]
MEGHAN WOLFF: You think seeing an aurora is hardcore? But Maria, really, you're just a lightweight.
[CLOCK TICKING]
MOLLY BLOOM: OK.
MEGHAN WOLFF: The aurora is fireworks? You know what else is fireworks? Fireworks are fireworks. And you're telling me it makes hissing, popping, and crackling? What, am I making popcorn in my own home? I can get those noises just by using the stove. But do you know what? At the end of this, I'm all about--
MOLLY BLOOM: And time.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: [LAUGHS]
LILY: If you're making popcorn, can I have some?
MEGHAN WOLFF: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. You can come over.
LILY: Great.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Me too?
MEGHAN WOLFF: Yeah. It's for everybody.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Oh, yes!
MOLLY BLOOM: Lily, it is time to award some points. Please give one point to the Declaration of Greatness that you liked best and one point to the rebuttal that won you over. You get to decide what makes a winning argument. Did one team's jokes make you giggle? Was another team's logic impeccable? Award your points, but don't tell us who they're going to.
[THEME MUSIC]
Have you made your decision?
LILY: Yes I have.
[BELL DINGS]
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, excellent. Maria and Meghan, how are you two feeling so far?
MEGHAN WOLFF: Oh, I feel great. This is all I want to do all day is sit here and talk about space.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Absolutely.
MOLLY BLOOM: It's time for a quick break. Dig out your shades, and wide-angle lens.
LILY: And we'll be right back with more Smash Boom Best.
MARLEY FEUERWERKER-OTTO: You're listening to State of Debate, home to rage and rhetoric and awe-inspiring argumentation.
TAYLOR LINCOLN: Hello. How are you? What's new? I'm debate champion Taylor Lincoln, and I'm here with my cheesy chum, Todd Douglas.
TODD DOUGLAS: Today's debate comes to us courtesy of my pal Patty Provolone, when she was shopping for new record albums.
PATTY: Let's see if we can spot the problem in this musical homage to fromage.
[REELS STARTING]
Excuse me. Do you have a section for Cheese Core Records?
CLERK: Hmm. A fellow Cheese Core head. Nice. You can find them over there between the Banana Rock and the Drip-Hop albums.
PATTY: Cool. So I guess that's where I can find the new Breeders album?
CLERK: Huh, as if. The Breeders are totally soft Cheese rock. No. True Cheese Core music is only made up of hard cheese.
PATTY: Oh, all right, all right, no problem. I guess I'll just take this old Red Hot Chili Pepper Jack's album, then.
[BUZZER]
TODD DOUGLAS: PU. That answer stinks worse than a wedge of Limburger that's been sitting on the counter for a week.
TAYLOR LINCOLN: You said it, Todd-- classic no true Scotsman fallacy. That's when someone has very strict rules about what something is, and argues that if something doesn't exactly follow those rules, it's not the real thing.
TODD DOUGLAS: Well, I guess it's time to asia go, go.
TAYLOR LINCOLN: Ooh! Good old one Todd. See you next time on.
BOTH: State of Debate.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
MOLLY BLOOM: Brains On! universe is a family of podcasts for kids and their adults. Since you're a fan of Smash Boom Best, you'll love the other shows in our universe. Come on, let's explore.
[SPACE SHIP BOOMS]
ALIEN: Its alien exercise hour. Hi ya! Hoo ha! While I stretch my snootles and bounce on my trampoline, I'll listen to a new podcast Ha ha! [LAUGHS] I'm going to try Forever Ago, the best history podcast ever.
MOLLY BLOOM: To understand why anyone would think a TV show could change the world, we need to go way back [SWISHING] to America in the 1960s.
[ROCK MUSIC]
LILY: Rock and roll was pretty new.
MOLLY BLOOM: Ford released the iconic Mustang muscle--
ALIEN: Zorp! Come back here, podcast. Must listen to Forever Ago now.
MOLLY BLOOM: Listen to Forever Ago wherever you get your podcasts.
ANNOUNCER: Smash Boom Best.
MOLLY BLOOM: You're listening to Smash Boom Best. I'm your host, Molly Bloom.
LILY: And I'm your judge, Lily.
MOLLY BLOOM: And we love getting debate suggestions from our listeners. Take a listen to this slithery debate idea from Kaemie.
KAEMIE: My name is Kaemie. I live in Hawaii. And my debate idea is king cobras versus python.
MOLLY BLOOM: Ooh, king cobra versus python.
LILY: That's a debate. I wouldn't want to hiss.
MOLLY BLOOM: We'll check back in at the end of this episode to see which side Kaemie thinks should win.
LILY: And now it's back to our debate-- eclipses versus aurora borealis.
MOLLY BLOOM: That's right. And it's time for round 2, the--
MARLEY FEUERWERKER-OTTO: Micro Round.
[BELL DINGS]
MOLLY BLOOM: For the Micro Round challenge, each team has prepared a creative response to a prompt they received in advance. For Meghan and Maria, the prompt was, Silicon Valley. Debaters, for this challenge, you're the CEO of a startup, presenting your brand-new topic-inspired app to an audience. What's it all about? Meghan went first last time. So Maria, you're up. Give us your aurora borealis-themed app idea.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Tired of sitting home at night, bored out of your gourd, stuck folding socks and daydreaming about how exciting it would be to fold more socks? Is your biggest adventure these days a trip from the couch to the fridge? Guess I'll just eat this bottle of love ketchup.
Be bored no more, with Aurora Anywhere! With our miraculous teleportation technology, you'll go from your couch to watching the sky light up like a neon disco under the northern lights. No more waiting for overpriced rideshares or trudging through airport security. Aurora Anywhere sends you on a cosmic field trip by simply disintegrating your atoms and putting them back together again, hopefully in the right order.
MAN: Uh, wait, is this teleportation technology safe?
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Probably. Before Aurora Anywhere, the best vacation I'd ever taken was to Iowa. Iowa. Can you believe it? Now I can show my friends photos of me dancing under the lights in Finland. Take that, corn. Thanks to Aurora Anywhere, I've communed with nature in Alaska. Sure, my toes are where my nose used to be.
WOMAN: Wait, is this permanent?
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Again, probably. With Aurora Anywhere, you can enjoy nature's fireworks anytime. And it won't cost you an arm and a leg. Aurora Anywhere may actually cost you an arm and a leg due to untested teleportation technology. Aurora Anywhere, download today.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
MOLLY BLOOM: [LAUGHS] May be worth it, I think.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Oh, yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: [INAUDIBLE] are amazing.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: That's a risk I'll take.
MOLLY BLOOM: Meghan, now it's your turn to tell us about your eclipse-themed app idea.
MEGHAN WOLFF: From the company that brought you Sunsets, the app for when you need it to be dark, comes a brand-new innovation-- Eclipse It. With Eclipse It, the moon can cover for you anytime you need it.
[SCHOOL BELL]
STUDENT: Oh no! It's the first day of school and I have a huge zit on my face.
MEGHAN WOLFF: Eclipse it.
STUDENT: Wow! One can see my zit with the moon right in front of it. Now they'll focus on my great back-to-school outfit instead. Thanks, Moon.
[LIQUID SPILLS]
GIRL: I spilled fruit punch on the couch. My parents are going to be so mad.
MEGHAN WOLFF: Eclipse it.
GIRL: Whoa! The moon totally covered up that stain. Plus, my dad was really excited to get to see all the lunar craters up close.
[THUD]
BOY: Shoot! I tripped and fell after a dance recital. I'm never going to forget this.
MEGHAN WOLFF: Eclipse It!
BOY: The moon went right in front of me. And no one saw me fall down. Thanks, Eclipse It.
MEGHAN WOLFF: Little mistakes shouldn't get in the way of a great day. So next time you need a hand.
ALL: Eclipse It!
MOLLY BLOOM: Very useful and very adorable. Lily, what did you like about Meghan and Maria's Micro Rounds?
LILY: They're both very funny.
MOLLY BLOOM: What do you think about using those apps? Do you think they'd be useful?
LILY: Oh, yeah. Totally.
MOLLY BLOOM: Wonderful. Well, it is time to award a point. Please award a point, but don't tell us who it's going to.
[THEME MUSIC]
Have you made your decision?
LILY: The decision is made.
[BELL DINGS]
MOLLY BLOOM: Fantastic. Then it's time for our third round, the Super Stealthy. Sneak Attack. This is our improvised round where debaters have to respond to a challenge on the spot. Today's Sneak Attack is called Oscar-winning moment.
Debaters, we want you to pretend your side is the star of a fantastic dramatic movie, and deliver the award-winning monologue from that movie. We're going to start with Meghan. Let's hear your eclipse-themed Oscar-winning moment.
MEGHAN WOLFF: This is the impassioned monologue of someone who's been thrust into leadership that they weren't anticipating having.
MOLLY BLOOM: Absolutely.
MEGHAN WOLFF: So they're just going to have to try to rise to the occasion as best they can. The sun may be gone, but this is our time to shine. We can't see where we are or where we are going. We might march directly into the sea, but we will march into the sea with purpose.
With the knowledge that today we are the ones, despite our size, who shall emerge victorious against the great forces that stand against us. To the sun? No, my friends! I say, to the moon instead.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, I am stirred.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: I found that totally rousing. I'm ready to march into the sea as well.
MOLLY BLOOM: Maria, it is your turn. Let's hear your aurora borealis-themed Oscar-winning moment.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: OK, great. This movie is Titanic 2. And it occurs out on the ocean when the Titanic is sinking. The only difference is that there's aurora borealis overhead in the sky as the ship is going down. [CLEARS THROAT] And this is a speech made by Kate Winslet-- what's her character's name? Who can say?
MOLLY BLOOM: Rose.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: This is Rose's speech on the bow of the ship to Leo DiCaprio, what's his character's name?
MOLLY BLOOM: Jack.
MEGHAN WOLFF: You know a lot about this film.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Look, they just wanted to cash in on the Titanic name, and they got nominated for an Oscar for it, so that's the good news. As the ship's going down-- Jack hold my hand here on the bow of the ship and look up overhead. Do you see? It's not the blackness and darkness of space in the sky.
No, it's the beautiful rainbow of colors that connects us all. I know that we'll make it through together because of the hope I see overhead in front of us now. Take my hand, Jack, and get on this tiny little wooden door. It can hold both of us. Science has actually gone back and proven that. Stay with me, and we'll survive and create a beautiful life together.
MOLLY BLOOM: Ah, beautiful.
MEGHAN WOLFF: I really think it's really bold that Titanic 2 gave people the ending to Titanic 1 that they always wanted.
MOLLY BLOOM: Yes.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Yes. Yeah, and it is true. Science has proven that they both could have survived on that door.
MOLLY BLOOM: That is beautiful. See, aurora is inspiring us to greatness. Lily, it is time to award a point.
[THEME MUSIC]
Have you made your decision?
LILY: I sure have.
[BELL DINGS]
MOLLY BLOOM: Wonderful. It is time for our final round.
MARLEY FEUERWERKER-OTTO: The Final Six.
MOLLY BLOOM: In this round, each team will have just six words to sum up the glory of their side. Maria, let's hear your six words for the celestial brilliance of the aurora borealis.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Aurora's color skies eclipses just dim.
MOLLY BLOOM: Hmm, very nice. Meghan, it's your turn. Give us your six words on the effervescent, extraordinary eclipse.
MEGHAN WOLFF: Light is dark. Day is night.
MOLLY BLOOM: Ooh! Another excellent Final Six. Lily, I'm sorry to say, but only one of them can get this final point for the Final six. It's a tough decision.
[THEME MUSIC]
But have you made it?
LILY: I sure have.
[BELL DINGS]
MOLLY BLOOM: Are you ready to crown one team the Smash Boom Best?
LILY: Yep.
MOLLY BLOOM: Drum roll, please. And the winner is--
[DRUM ROLL]
LILY: Aurora borealis.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Wow! I was not expecting that, I must say. But I'm honored. Thank you. Me and the skies thank you, Lily.
MOLLY BLOOM: So, Lily, was there a moment that sealed the deal for auroras?
LILY: Honestly, I really liked the Declaration of Greatness. That was really good.
MOLLY BLOOM: Excellent work.
LILY: It was very close, though.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh. Was it tied to the end pretty much?
LILY: Yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oof! As close as close can be.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: I know Meghan's eclipse journey that she went on last summer was very cool to hear about it, because I know it was just such a magical moment. And I wish I could have seen it because it just sounds awesome.
MEGHAN WOLFF: Maria, I should have known that you would come prepared with a pun-laden takedown of my Declaration of Greatness. And also, I feel like the aurora embodies your personality of taking a very normal sky and making it very lovely.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Oh.
MOLLY BLOOM: Well, that is it for today's debate battle. Lily crowned aurora borealis the Smash Boom Best. But what about you?
LILY: Head to smashboom.org and vote to tell us who you think won.
MOLLY BLOOM: Smash Boom Best is brought to you by Brains On! and APM Studios. It's produced by me, Molly Bloom--
ANN WEGGEL: Anna Weggel.
MOLLY BLOOM: --and--
ARON WOLDESLASSIE: Aron Woldeslassie.
MOLLY BLOOM: We had engineering help from Derek Ramirez and Paul Saunders with sound design by--
ANNA WEGGEL: Anna Weggel.
MOLLY BLOOM: Our editors are--
SHAHLA FARZAN: Shahla Farzan.
MOLLY BLOOM: --and--
SANDEN TOTTEN: Sanden Totten.
MOLLY BLOOM: --with fact-checking by--
REBECCA RAND: Rebecca Rand.
MOLLY BLOOM: And we had production help from the rest of the Brains On! universe team--
ROSIE DUPONT: Rosie DuPont.
RACHEL BREES: Rachel Brees.
ANNA GOLDFIELD: Anna Goldfield.
MOLLY BLOOM: Nico Gonzalez Wisler, Ruby Guthrie--
LAUREN HUMBERT: Lauren Humbert.
JOSHUA RAY: Joshua Ray.
MARC SANCHEZ: Marc Sanchez.
MOLLY BLOOM: --and--
CHARLOTTE TRAVER: Charlotte Traver.
MOLLY BLOOM: Our executive producer is Beth Perlman and the APM Studios executives in charge are Chandra Kavati and Joanne Griffith. Our announcer is Marley Feuerwerker-Otto. And we want to give a special thanks to Austin Cross, Taylor Kaufman, Will Roberts, Coco, and Luna. Meghan, is there anyone you'd like to give a shout out to today?
MEGHAN WOLFF: My cat. Her name is Bernadette.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh.
MEGHAN WOLFF: She's great.
MOLLY BLOOM: Hi, Bernadette. How about you, Maria? Any special shout outs?
MARIA BARTHOLDI: I'll give a shout out to my two cats, Moxon and Lear.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, have they met ever?
MARIA BARTHOLDI: No.
MEGHAN WOLFF: Wow. I think it would--
MARIA BARTHOLDI: I think it would be--
MEGHAN WOLFF: --chaos.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: --go very poorly.
[LAUGHTER]
MOLLY BLOOM: And how about you, Lily? Any special thanks or shout outs?
LILY: Yeah. I want to shout out my siblings, because they love this podcast and they convinced me to be a judge, so yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: What are their names?
LILY: Silas, Lucy, and Wesley.
MOLLY BLOOM: Thanks, guys. Before we go, let's check in and see who Kaemie thinks should win the king cobra versus python debate.
KAEMIE: I think python would win because it can swallow the king cobra whole.
LILY: Smash Boom Best is a nonprofit public radio program.
MOLLY BLOOM: If you're between the ages of 13 and 18 and you'd like to be a judge, or if you're any age and you have an idea for a knock-down drag-out debate, head to smashboom.org/contact and drop us a line.
And make sure to sign up for the Brains On! Universe newsletter for bonus activities, reading recommendations and more. We'll be back with a new Smash Boom Best debate battle next week-- tag versus hide and seek. Bye!
LILY: See ya!
MEGHAN WOLFF: Bye, everybody.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: [WELSH] That's goodbye in Welsh.
MEGHAN WOLFF: Oh. Very nice. Cool.
[THEME SONG]
(SINGING) Ooh! You have the Smash Boom Best
Ooh, put you through the test
Ooh, you're the Smash Boom Best
Ooh, better than the rest
It's Smash Boom Best
It's Smash Boom Best.
MEGHAN WOLFF: Eclipse It! Eclipse It! Eclipse It! Eclipse It!
ANNOUNCER: A show for people with big opinions.
MOLLY BLOOM: Hi, I'm Molly Bloom. And this is Smash Boom Best, the show where we take two things, smash them together, and ask you to decide which one is best. Today's debate is an out-of-this-world throw-down between two dazzling sky spectacles-- eclipses versus aurora borealis.
We've got improvisor, writer, and Good Luck High Five podcast host Meghan Wolff here to wrap the mighty moon-shadowed mystery of Team Eclipses.
MEGHAN WOLFF: [MAKES HOWLING SOUND]
That was howling at the moon.
[LAUGHTER]
MOLLY BLOOM: And improvisor, content creator, and fellow Good Luck High Five podcast host Maria Bartholdi will help the swirling, shimmering colors of the northern lights shine for Team Aurora Borealis.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: The Northern lights are going to put up a fight and eclipse the competition.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh!
MARIA BARTHOLDI: See what I did there?
MOLLY BLOOM: And here to judge it all is Lily from Victoria, British Columbia. Lily loves synchronized swimming, growing veggies on her farm, and was once approached by porpoises while paddleboarding. Hi, Lily.
LILY: Hi.
MOLLY BLOOM: So, Lily, were the porpoises friendly?
LILY: Yes, they were so cute. And I was super excited.
MOLLY BLOOM: I would also be very excited. What did they do when they approached you?
LILY: Well, we were paddleboarding, and they came up, and they were kind of just swimming around us. And then they just swam off. And it was really cool.
MOLLY BLOOM: That is so cool. So you're a synchronized swimmer. What is something people don't realize about how awesome synchronized swimming is?
LILY: It's really, really, really difficult. It's very hardcore. And I think a lot of people think it's just very, very easy, but it's really not.
MOLLY BLOOM: Yeah, I watched some of the Olympics over this past year. And it's incredible what's going on under the water.
LILY: I think my favorite part is probably the lifts, the highlights, because I like being thrown in the air.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, so you're one of the people who gets to be thrown?
LILY: Yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: That is so fun. Do you have any advice for our debaters today?
LILY: Try to show me like lots of facts and humor. And I really like good rebuttals.
MOLLY BLOOM: Will Lily side with Meghan or Maria? Only time will tell. But first, here are the rules of the game. Every debate consists of four rounds-- the Declaration of Greatness, the Micro Round, the Sneak Attack, and the Final Six. After each round, our judge, Lily, will award points to the team that impresses her the most. But she'll keep her decisions top secret until the end of the debate.
Listeners, we want you to judge, too. Mark down your points as you listen. At the end of the show, head to our website, smashboom.org, and vote for whichever team you think won. OK, Meghan, Maria, and Lily, are you ready?
MEGHAN WOLFF: Yeah, let's go. I'm so ready.
MOLLY BLOOM: Then it's time for the--
MARLEY FEUERWERKER-OTTO: Declaration of Greatness.
MOLLY BLOOM: In this round, our debaters will present a well-crafted, immersive argument in favor of their side. Then they'll each have 30 seconds to rebut their opponent's statements. We flipped a coin. And Meghan, you're up first. Tell us what makes eclipses so electrifying.
[PEPPY MUSIC]
[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]
BRIT PLATT: Welcome back to Chit Chat with Brit Platt. I'm so thrilled to be sitting down with two pop icons, the sun and moon. Your new collaboration, eclipse, has taken the music world by storm. Tell me, son, what inspired your new duo?
SON: Thanks, Brit. The moon and I have both had such great solo careers. But last year things finally aligned and made it possible for us to work together.
MOON: It all started when the sun sent me her original vision for the song "Hide My Light." And I fell in love with it.
SON: (SINGING) Who are you to hide my light
The moon only shines at nights
So why are you here today
To try and take my glove away
MOON: Of course. As the moon, my work is a little darker. Some may say moodier.
(SINGING) You are a star
Bright from afar
No one knows I'm here
Whenever you are near
So I did something cruel
I stole that light
Like it was a jewel
BRIT PLATT: Oh, chills. So you two just held a massive live show together, which drew millions of fans from around the world. With that kind of success, is there more eclipse in our future?
SON: We've decided for now to go back to our solo careers. But--
MOON: You never know. I think in four or five years, we just might have to collaborate again.
BRIT PLATT: Well, I think I speak for all of us when I say, I hope you do. Until then, let's enjoy the title track from Eclipse.
MOON: (SINGING) Eclipse me because we are better together
Better together
Eclipse me
The world will remember forever
Remember forever
Sun and moon, moon and sun
In the sky, we'll have so much fun
Eclipse me! Eclipse me!
Eclipse me!
MEGHAN WOLFF: Like the pop duo Eclipse, real solar eclipses are an awesome team-up between the sun and the moon. During an eclipse, the moon moves in front of the sun, blocking it partially or entirely. I got to experience this myself when I saw the solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.
[SOFT MUSIC]
As I drove through New Hampshire, I saw thousands of other people set up with chairs and telescopes, ready to see the eclipse. That's one of the most incredible things about eclipses. They bring people together to experience something amazing.
When I saw the eclipse, I stood on a frozen lake surrounded by hills. It was the middle of the day. But suddenly, the sky darkened like it was twilight, and the stars came out. Looking at the black circle where the sun used to be, I felt this incredible awe. And through that, I felt connected to all the people for thousands of years who have been scared or inspired or mystified by eclipses.
More than 2,500 years ago, an eclipse actually ended a war in ancient Greece. The two kingdoms had been at war for six years, and then, boom, the eclipse happened during a battle, and they stopped.
[SWORDS CLANGING, SOLDIERS FIGHTING]
SOLDIER 1: The sun, it's disappearing. It's an omen.
SOLDIER 2: But what does it mean?
SOLDIER 3: We should stop fighting and go home.
SOLDIER 2: Ah, My favorite kind of omen. Come on, let's get out of here. This was so silly. What were we even fighting for?
MEGHAN WOLFF: Many years later, Bonnie Tyler recorded the hit song "Total Eclipse of the Heart," proving that eclipses have power everywhere from the battlefield to the recording studio.
[BONNIE TYLER, "TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART"]
There's nothing I can do
A total eclipse of the heart
MEGHAN WOLFF: And humans aren't the only ones who notice these incredible celestial events. During an eclipse, many animals begin their nighttime routines. Frogs and crickets sing. [FROG CROAKING] Bees fly home to their hive. [BUZZING] And nocturnal predators get ready to hunt. [HOWLING]
Eclipses are proof that even if you're small, you can still have a big impact. The sun is 400 times bigger than the moon, but when everything is perfectly aligned during an eclipse, even that little moon can block out something so much bigger. Ever since I saw the solar eclipse, I've told everyone, go see one. It'll change the way you see the world.
MOLLY BLOOM: A delightful declaration that will have me never stop whispering, eclipse me! Lily, what stood out to you about Meghan's Declaration of Greatness?
LILY: I really liked the songs. The songs were really good. And I thought the facts about the animals during their nighttime routine was really interesting.
MOLLY BLOOM: Mm-hmm. All right, Maria, it is time for your rebuttal. Tell us why eclipses are overshadowed. You've got 30 seconds. And your time starts now.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: So can I just start off by saying that seeing an eclipse is basically going where the sun don't shine and getting mooned? Does that sound like a good time to anybody? Not me.
Knock, knock. Who's there? Not the sun, or anything cool to see in the sky for that matter. You can't even look at it with your bare eyes. Do you want to see an eclipse? I say you're just going through a phase-- totally predictable and boring.
MOLLY BLOOM: And time.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Woo! I came in under the clock there.
MOLLY BLOOM: You're so concise. Maria, it is your turn. Tell us why the aurora borealis is the star of the sky.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: It was a very cold night. You know the kind, where the moonlight shimmers on the snow-like diamonds, and the air inside your nose freezes up. It was a night just like that when I first saw the aurora borealis. [SWOOSH]
Some people spend their entire lives searching for these ethereal, elusive lights, but never find them. And me? I saw them completely by accident one late night when I just happened to look up. Whoa!
Light splashed across the sky, bending, twisting and shimmering in a hypnotic celestial ballet. Imagine a soft, swirling green glow amongst the stars, deep blues hugging the moon, and vibrant reds popping in with a fiery flourish. And they all blended together to create a magnificent symphony of the sky.
[OBOE PLAYING]
I believe the aurora borealis is the most incredible sight in the natural world. These luminous light shows have bewitched humans for hundreds of years. It was actually Galileo who named them in 1619 after Aurora, the Roman goddess of dawn, and Boreas, the Greek god of the north wind.
Auroras form when tiny charged particles from the sun blast out into space at ridiculously high speeds over a million miles per hour. [SWOOSH] These space particles slam into the Earth's upper atmosphere. Most bounce right off Earth's protective magnetic field, but some particles sneak through, reacting with our atmosphere and creating mother nature's finest fireworks display.
[FIREWORKS]
Isn't science beautiful? And they're not just a feast for the eyes, auroras also make sounds. When scientists set up recording equipment and listened to the night sky in Finland, they found some of the strongest auroras made hissing, popping, and crackling sounds. A Finnish band even put some of these sounds into one of their songs, called "Northern Lights."
[EERIE SOUNDS]
Pretty neat. But that's not all. Auroras also make radio waves that can be turned into sound. How about we get a little closer and have a listen? I just so happened to have an extra guest pass for a trip aboard a spaceship.
[SPACE SHIP WHOOSHES BY]
CAPTAIN SMIRK: Welcome aboard the USS Smash Boom I'm Captain smirk, your Starship commander. Do you like my hair? A robot did it. This is the finest ship in the fleet, equipped with all the conveniences of modern-day space travel-- computer, chocolate milk, lukewarm.
[STATIC]
[SLURPS]
CREW: Captain, aurora borealis, straight ahead.
CREW: I'm picking up some unusual signals. Enhancing audio now. [EERIE SOUNDS] Captain, are the lights trying to communicate with us?
CAPTAIN SMIRK: A first-contact situation. Everybody act cool.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Auroras have actually been seen on seven out of the eight planets in our solar system. The light shows on Jupiter are particularly spectacular. The Hubble telescope has captured photos of its intense auroras, which are happening constantly. Plus, they're huge.
If you could visit Jupiter and see one of its aurora displays, it would stretch as far as your eyes could see because they're bigger than our entire planet. And while auroras on Earth may last for a few hours, on Jupiter, they never end.
CAPTAIN SMIRK: Incredible. Bridge selfie time. [CAMERA CLICKS]
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Auroras can appear and disappear in our skies in the blink of an eye. They can be mysterious and elusive. So you have to be pretty lucky to see them, because there's no certainty as to when or where they're going to appear. At best, aurora hunters have two-hours advance warning. And even then, the skies may stay dark. You can predict eclipses like clockwork. But auroras don't follow anyone's schedule.
So whether you marvel at their spiffy colors, their unusual and haunting sounds, or their mysterious appearances, one thing is for sure. The aurora borealis is a jaw-dropping, mind-blowing, utterly magical display. It's proof our universe can be both powerful and beautiful at the same time.
CAPTAIN SMIRK: Time to return to Earth, crew. Now, who wants some more chocolate milk? It's lukewarm.
[SWOOSH]
MOLLY BLOOM: That declaration was transporting, even before we got on the spaceship. Oh my goodness. Amazing. Lily, what stood out to you about Maria's argument?
LILY: The name. I did not know that's where the name came from. So that was really interesting. And the sounds were really cool, too.
MOLLY BLOOM: Absolutely. Meghan, it is time for your rebuttal. Tell us why the aurora borealis is all glow and no show. You've got 30 seconds. And your time starts now.
MEGHAN WOLFF: Aurora borealis? More like borora snorealis.
MOLLY BLOOM: [LAUGHS]
MEGHAN WOLFF: You think seeing an aurora is hardcore? But Maria, really, you're just a lightweight.
[CLOCK TICKING]
MOLLY BLOOM: OK.
MEGHAN WOLFF: The aurora is fireworks? You know what else is fireworks? Fireworks are fireworks. And you're telling me it makes hissing, popping, and crackling? What, am I making popcorn in my own home? I can get those noises just by using the stove. But do you know what? At the end of this, I'm all about--
MOLLY BLOOM: And time.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: [LAUGHS]
LILY: If you're making popcorn, can I have some?
MEGHAN WOLFF: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. You can come over.
LILY: Great.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Me too?
MEGHAN WOLFF: Yeah. It's for everybody.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Oh, yes!
MOLLY BLOOM: Lily, it is time to award some points. Please give one point to the Declaration of Greatness that you liked best and one point to the rebuttal that won you over. You get to decide what makes a winning argument. Did one team's jokes make you giggle? Was another team's logic impeccable? Award your points, but don't tell us who they're going to.
[THEME MUSIC]
Have you made your decision?
LILY: Yes I have.
[BELL DINGS]
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, excellent. Maria and Meghan, how are you two feeling so far?
MEGHAN WOLFF: Oh, I feel great. This is all I want to do all day is sit here and talk about space.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Absolutely.
MOLLY BLOOM: It's time for a quick break. Dig out your shades, and wide-angle lens.
LILY: And we'll be right back with more Smash Boom Best.
MARLEY FEUERWERKER-OTTO: You're listening to State of Debate, home to rage and rhetoric and awe-inspiring argumentation.
TAYLOR LINCOLN: Hello. How are you? What's new? I'm debate champion Taylor Lincoln, and I'm here with my cheesy chum, Todd Douglas.
TODD DOUGLAS: Today's debate comes to us courtesy of my pal Patty Provolone, when she was shopping for new record albums.
PATTY: Let's see if we can spot the problem in this musical homage to fromage.
[REELS STARTING]
Excuse me. Do you have a section for Cheese Core Records?
CLERK: Hmm. A fellow Cheese Core head. Nice. You can find them over there between the Banana Rock and the Drip-Hop albums.
PATTY: Cool. So I guess that's where I can find the new Breeders album?
CLERK: Huh, as if. The Breeders are totally soft Cheese rock. No. True Cheese Core music is only made up of hard cheese.
PATTY: Oh, all right, all right, no problem. I guess I'll just take this old Red Hot Chili Pepper Jack's album, then.
[BUZZER]
TODD DOUGLAS: PU. That answer stinks worse than a wedge of Limburger that's been sitting on the counter for a week.
TAYLOR LINCOLN: You said it, Todd-- classic no true Scotsman fallacy. That's when someone has very strict rules about what something is, and argues that if something doesn't exactly follow those rules, it's not the real thing.
TODD DOUGLAS: Well, I guess it's time to asia go, go.
TAYLOR LINCOLN: Ooh! Good old one Todd. See you next time on.
BOTH: State of Debate.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
MOLLY BLOOM: Brains On! universe is a family of podcasts for kids and their adults. Since you're a fan of Smash Boom Best, you'll love the other shows in our universe. Come on, let's explore.
[SPACE SHIP BOOMS]
ALIEN: Its alien exercise hour. Hi ya! Hoo ha! While I stretch my snootles and bounce on my trampoline, I'll listen to a new podcast Ha ha! [LAUGHS] I'm going to try Forever Ago, the best history podcast ever.
MOLLY BLOOM: To understand why anyone would think a TV show could change the world, we need to go way back [SWISHING] to America in the 1960s.
[ROCK MUSIC]
LILY: Rock and roll was pretty new.
MOLLY BLOOM: Ford released the iconic Mustang muscle--
ALIEN: Zorp! Come back here, podcast. Must listen to Forever Ago now.
MOLLY BLOOM: Listen to Forever Ago wherever you get your podcasts.
ANNOUNCER: Smash Boom Best.
MOLLY BLOOM: You're listening to Smash Boom Best. I'm your host, Molly Bloom.
LILY: And I'm your judge, Lily.
MOLLY BLOOM: And we love getting debate suggestions from our listeners. Take a listen to this slithery debate idea from Kaemie.
KAEMIE: My name is Kaemie. I live in Hawaii. And my debate idea is king cobras versus python.
MOLLY BLOOM: Ooh, king cobra versus python.
LILY: That's a debate. I wouldn't want to hiss.
MOLLY BLOOM: We'll check back in at the end of this episode to see which side Kaemie thinks should win.
LILY: And now it's back to our debate-- eclipses versus aurora borealis.
MOLLY BLOOM: That's right. And it's time for round 2, the--
MARLEY FEUERWERKER-OTTO: Micro Round.
[BELL DINGS]
MOLLY BLOOM: For the Micro Round challenge, each team has prepared a creative response to a prompt they received in advance. For Meghan and Maria, the prompt was, Silicon Valley. Debaters, for this challenge, you're the CEO of a startup, presenting your brand-new topic-inspired app to an audience. What's it all about? Meghan went first last time. So Maria, you're up. Give us your aurora borealis-themed app idea.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Tired of sitting home at night, bored out of your gourd, stuck folding socks and daydreaming about how exciting it would be to fold more socks? Is your biggest adventure these days a trip from the couch to the fridge? Guess I'll just eat this bottle of love ketchup.
Be bored no more, with Aurora Anywhere! With our miraculous teleportation technology, you'll go from your couch to watching the sky light up like a neon disco under the northern lights. No more waiting for overpriced rideshares or trudging through airport security. Aurora Anywhere sends you on a cosmic field trip by simply disintegrating your atoms and putting them back together again, hopefully in the right order.
MAN: Uh, wait, is this teleportation technology safe?
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Probably. Before Aurora Anywhere, the best vacation I'd ever taken was to Iowa. Iowa. Can you believe it? Now I can show my friends photos of me dancing under the lights in Finland. Take that, corn. Thanks to Aurora Anywhere, I've communed with nature in Alaska. Sure, my toes are where my nose used to be.
WOMAN: Wait, is this permanent?
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Again, probably. With Aurora Anywhere, you can enjoy nature's fireworks anytime. And it won't cost you an arm and a leg. Aurora Anywhere may actually cost you an arm and a leg due to untested teleportation technology. Aurora Anywhere, download today.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
MOLLY BLOOM: [LAUGHS] May be worth it, I think.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Oh, yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: [INAUDIBLE] are amazing.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: That's a risk I'll take.
MOLLY BLOOM: Meghan, now it's your turn to tell us about your eclipse-themed app idea.
MEGHAN WOLFF: From the company that brought you Sunsets, the app for when you need it to be dark, comes a brand-new innovation-- Eclipse It. With Eclipse It, the moon can cover for you anytime you need it.
[SCHOOL BELL]
STUDENT: Oh no! It's the first day of school and I have a huge zit on my face.
MEGHAN WOLFF: Eclipse it.
STUDENT: Wow! One can see my zit with the moon right in front of it. Now they'll focus on my great back-to-school outfit instead. Thanks, Moon.
[LIQUID SPILLS]
GIRL: I spilled fruit punch on the couch. My parents are going to be so mad.
MEGHAN WOLFF: Eclipse it.
GIRL: Whoa! The moon totally covered up that stain. Plus, my dad was really excited to get to see all the lunar craters up close.
[THUD]
BOY: Shoot! I tripped and fell after a dance recital. I'm never going to forget this.
MEGHAN WOLFF: Eclipse It!
BOY: The moon went right in front of me. And no one saw me fall down. Thanks, Eclipse It.
MEGHAN WOLFF: Little mistakes shouldn't get in the way of a great day. So next time you need a hand.
ALL: Eclipse It!
MOLLY BLOOM: Very useful and very adorable. Lily, what did you like about Meghan and Maria's Micro Rounds?
LILY: They're both very funny.
MOLLY BLOOM: What do you think about using those apps? Do you think they'd be useful?
LILY: Oh, yeah. Totally.
MOLLY BLOOM: Wonderful. Well, it is time to award a point. Please award a point, but don't tell us who it's going to.
[THEME MUSIC]
Have you made your decision?
LILY: The decision is made.
[BELL DINGS]
MOLLY BLOOM: Fantastic. Then it's time for our third round, the Super Stealthy. Sneak Attack. This is our improvised round where debaters have to respond to a challenge on the spot. Today's Sneak Attack is called Oscar-winning moment.
Debaters, we want you to pretend your side is the star of a fantastic dramatic movie, and deliver the award-winning monologue from that movie. We're going to start with Meghan. Let's hear your eclipse-themed Oscar-winning moment.
MEGHAN WOLFF: This is the impassioned monologue of someone who's been thrust into leadership that they weren't anticipating having.
MOLLY BLOOM: Absolutely.
MEGHAN WOLFF: So they're just going to have to try to rise to the occasion as best they can. The sun may be gone, but this is our time to shine. We can't see where we are or where we are going. We might march directly into the sea, but we will march into the sea with purpose.
With the knowledge that today we are the ones, despite our size, who shall emerge victorious against the great forces that stand against us. To the sun? No, my friends! I say, to the moon instead.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, I am stirred.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: I found that totally rousing. I'm ready to march into the sea as well.
MOLLY BLOOM: Maria, it is your turn. Let's hear your aurora borealis-themed Oscar-winning moment.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: OK, great. This movie is Titanic 2. And it occurs out on the ocean when the Titanic is sinking. The only difference is that there's aurora borealis overhead in the sky as the ship is going down. [CLEARS THROAT] And this is a speech made by Kate Winslet-- what's her character's name? Who can say?
MOLLY BLOOM: Rose.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: This is Rose's speech on the bow of the ship to Leo DiCaprio, what's his character's name?
MOLLY BLOOM: Jack.
MEGHAN WOLFF: You know a lot about this film.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Look, they just wanted to cash in on the Titanic name, and they got nominated for an Oscar for it, so that's the good news. As the ship's going down-- Jack hold my hand here on the bow of the ship and look up overhead. Do you see? It's not the blackness and darkness of space in the sky.
No, it's the beautiful rainbow of colors that connects us all. I know that we'll make it through together because of the hope I see overhead in front of us now. Take my hand, Jack, and get on this tiny little wooden door. It can hold both of us. Science has actually gone back and proven that. Stay with me, and we'll survive and create a beautiful life together.
MOLLY BLOOM: Ah, beautiful.
MEGHAN WOLFF: I really think it's really bold that Titanic 2 gave people the ending to Titanic 1 that they always wanted.
MOLLY BLOOM: Yes.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Yes. Yeah, and it is true. Science has proven that they both could have survived on that door.
MOLLY BLOOM: That is beautiful. See, aurora is inspiring us to greatness. Lily, it is time to award a point.
[THEME MUSIC]
Have you made your decision?
LILY: I sure have.
[BELL DINGS]
MOLLY BLOOM: Wonderful. It is time for our final round.
MARLEY FEUERWERKER-OTTO: The Final Six.
MOLLY BLOOM: In this round, each team will have just six words to sum up the glory of their side. Maria, let's hear your six words for the celestial brilliance of the aurora borealis.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Aurora's color skies eclipses just dim.
MOLLY BLOOM: Hmm, very nice. Meghan, it's your turn. Give us your six words on the effervescent, extraordinary eclipse.
MEGHAN WOLFF: Light is dark. Day is night.
MOLLY BLOOM: Ooh! Another excellent Final Six. Lily, I'm sorry to say, but only one of them can get this final point for the Final six. It's a tough decision.
[THEME MUSIC]
But have you made it?
LILY: I sure have.
[BELL DINGS]
MOLLY BLOOM: Are you ready to crown one team the Smash Boom Best?
LILY: Yep.
MOLLY BLOOM: Drum roll, please. And the winner is--
[DRUM ROLL]
LILY: Aurora borealis.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Wow! I was not expecting that, I must say. But I'm honored. Thank you. Me and the skies thank you, Lily.
MOLLY BLOOM: So, Lily, was there a moment that sealed the deal for auroras?
LILY: Honestly, I really liked the Declaration of Greatness. That was really good.
MOLLY BLOOM: Excellent work.
LILY: It was very close, though.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh. Was it tied to the end pretty much?
LILY: Yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oof! As close as close can be.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: I know Meghan's eclipse journey that she went on last summer was very cool to hear about it, because I know it was just such a magical moment. And I wish I could have seen it because it just sounds awesome.
MEGHAN WOLFF: Maria, I should have known that you would come prepared with a pun-laden takedown of my Declaration of Greatness. And also, I feel like the aurora embodies your personality of taking a very normal sky and making it very lovely.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: Oh.
MOLLY BLOOM: Well, that is it for today's debate battle. Lily crowned aurora borealis the Smash Boom Best. But what about you?
LILY: Head to smashboom.org and vote to tell us who you think won.
MOLLY BLOOM: Smash Boom Best is brought to you by Brains On! and APM Studios. It's produced by me, Molly Bloom--
ANN WEGGEL: Anna Weggel.
MOLLY BLOOM: --and--
ARON WOLDESLASSIE: Aron Woldeslassie.
MOLLY BLOOM: We had engineering help from Derek Ramirez and Paul Saunders with sound design by--
ANNA WEGGEL: Anna Weggel.
MOLLY BLOOM: Our editors are--
SHAHLA FARZAN: Shahla Farzan.
MOLLY BLOOM: --and--
SANDEN TOTTEN: Sanden Totten.
MOLLY BLOOM: --with fact-checking by--
REBECCA RAND: Rebecca Rand.
MOLLY BLOOM: And we had production help from the rest of the Brains On! universe team--
ROSIE DUPONT: Rosie DuPont.
RACHEL BREES: Rachel Brees.
ANNA GOLDFIELD: Anna Goldfield.
MOLLY BLOOM: Nico Gonzalez Wisler, Ruby Guthrie--
LAUREN HUMBERT: Lauren Humbert.
JOSHUA RAY: Joshua Ray.
MARC SANCHEZ: Marc Sanchez.
MOLLY BLOOM: --and--
CHARLOTTE TRAVER: Charlotte Traver.
MOLLY BLOOM: Our executive producer is Beth Perlman and the APM Studios executives in charge are Chandra Kavati and Joanne Griffith. Our announcer is Marley Feuerwerker-Otto. And we want to give a special thanks to Austin Cross, Taylor Kaufman, Will Roberts, Coco, and Luna. Meghan, is there anyone you'd like to give a shout out to today?
MEGHAN WOLFF: My cat. Her name is Bernadette.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh.
MEGHAN WOLFF: She's great.
MOLLY BLOOM: Hi, Bernadette. How about you, Maria? Any special shout outs?
MARIA BARTHOLDI: I'll give a shout out to my two cats, Moxon and Lear.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, have they met ever?
MARIA BARTHOLDI: No.
MEGHAN WOLFF: Wow. I think it would--
MARIA BARTHOLDI: I think it would be--
MEGHAN WOLFF: --chaos.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: --go very poorly.
[LAUGHTER]
MOLLY BLOOM: And how about you, Lily? Any special thanks or shout outs?
LILY: Yeah. I want to shout out my siblings, because they love this podcast and they convinced me to be a judge, so yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: What are their names?
LILY: Silas, Lucy, and Wesley.
MOLLY BLOOM: Thanks, guys. Before we go, let's check in and see who Kaemie thinks should win the king cobra versus python debate.
KAEMIE: I think python would win because it can swallow the king cobra whole.
LILY: Smash Boom Best is a nonprofit public radio program.
MOLLY BLOOM: If you're between the ages of 13 and 18 and you'd like to be a judge, or if you're any age and you have an idea for a knock-down drag-out debate, head to smashboom.org/contact and drop us a line.
And make sure to sign up for the Brains On! Universe newsletter for bonus activities, reading recommendations and more. We'll be back with a new Smash Boom Best debate battle next week-- tag versus hide and seek. Bye!
LILY: See ya!
MEGHAN WOLFF: Bye, everybody.
MARIA BARTHOLDI: [WELSH] That's goodbye in Welsh.
MEGHAN WOLFF: Oh. Very nice. Cool.
[THEME SONG]
(SINGING) Ooh! You have the Smash Boom Best
Ooh, put you through the test
Ooh, you're the Smash Boom Best
Ooh, better than the rest
It's Smash Boom Best
It's Smash Boom Best.
MEGHAN WOLFF: Eclipse It! Eclipse It! Eclipse It! Eclipse It!
Transcription services provided by 3Play Media.
