Get ready for a high-speed, nail-biting, action-packed adventure!
Beep beep!
We hope you enjoy today's briefing from Million Bazillion. Subscribe to more Marketplace newsletters here.
Binglin Hu
Why does the price of gas go up and down?
Bridget and Ryan hit the road to find out!
If you’re anything like “Million Bazillion” listener, Elijah, you may have noticed gas prices going up and down. He wants to know why that happens. Ryan and Bridget’s search for answers turns into a much bigger adventure when Ryan’s car suddenly comes to life and takes them on a wild road trip. Turns out, gas prices are shaped by all sorts of things, even events happening thousands of miles away.
And now, some tips for grownups listening to “Million Bazillion” with kids!
Money Talks
After listening to the episode, here are some questions you can ask kids about gas prices:
What are some things that could make gas prices go up and down?
Why might something happening on the other side of the world affect gas prices at home?
Have you spotted gas prices in your neighborhood? What did you see? Let us know!
If you could use anything to power cars, what would it be?
Tip Jar
For listeners who want to keep the learning going, start here:
Interested in the history of oil? Check out this timeline from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
VIDEO: Here’s a short video from PBS explaining where fossil fuels came from.
If you want to know more about how cars are made, check out this “Million Bazillion” episode.
And if you enjoyed hearing Ryan’s car come to life, you’ll want to hear what happened when childhood toys started talking in this other episode of “Million Bazillion.”
Gimme 5
Thanks for listening to this episode! If you’ve got a money question, joke, or even a poem about money, we’d love to hear it.
Record your Million Bazillionaire and send the audio using this online form and we just might include your kid in an upcoming episode!
