Broadcast Outage: We're investigating a broadcast transmission failure affecting the San Luis Valley from Antonito in the south to Salida in the north. We're working to resolve this issue. You can stream our live broadcast HERE or via the RMPBS+ App.

Stream live and on-demand content now on our new app:

RMPBS+

Donate

Help tell more stories in 2026 - make a year-end gift!

Be Smart show's poster

Science and Nature

The Real (Weird) Way We See Numbers

Join Joe Hanson as he explores curiosity and illuminates the science behind… well, everything.

The Real (Weird) Way We See Numbers

Season 12 Episode 8 | 15m 25s | CC

Would it surprise you to learn that fish and birds count in pretty much the same way that we do? And that infants can do math? Our animal brains deal with quantities in very specific ways, from quick counts of a few dots to how we perceive larger numbers. This "number sense" impacts our psychology, history, and behavior in the most fascinating ways.

share

Be Smart

Watch more episodes

What Synesthesia Feels Like

Why do some people taste music or hear colors? Let’s talk about synesthesia.

Why NASA Punched an Asteroid

These tiny pieces of an ancient asteroid could hold the secret to the origin of life.

Space is Full of Junk. Here’s How to Clean It Up…

Learn about the space junk problem and the giant space claw named ClearSpace-1 that might

Subscribe to Our Newsletters

Get trusted Colorado stories, programs, and events from Rocky Mountain PBS straight to your inbox.

Set Your Preferences >