Inside an ICE CAVE! - Nature's Most Beautiful Blue
AdultsEcologyNatureScienceWhere do glaciers and icebergs get their beautiful blue color? This unique blue might be nature's most brilliant, and the color arises in a very special way thanks to some surprising interactions between light and water molecules.
How do fish make electricity? - Eleanor Nelsen
AdultsAnimalsBiologyNature...Nearly 350 species of fish have specialized anatomical structures that generate and detect electrical signals. Underwater, where light is scarce, electrical signals offer ways to communicate, navigate, find, and sometimes stun prey. But how do these fish produce electricity? And why? Eleanor Nelsen illuminates the science behind electric fish.
How long will human impacts last? - David Biello
AdultsGlobal WarmingHumanNature...Imagine aliens land on Earth a million years from now. What will these curious searchers find of us? They will find what geologists, scientists, and other experts are increasingly calling the Anthropocene, or new age of mankind. David Biello explains how the impacts that humans have made have become so pervasive, profound, and permanent that some geologists believe we merit our own epoch.
How does your body know you're full? - Hilary Coller
AdultsHumanNeuroscienceHealth...Hunger claws at your belly. It tugs at your intestines, which begin to writhe, aching to be fed. Being hungry generates a powerful and often unpleasant physical sensation that's almost impossible to ignore. After you've reacted by gorging on your morning pancakes, you start to experience an opposing force: fullness. But how does your body actually know when you're full? Hilary Coller explains.
Why do you need to get a flu shot every year? - Melvin Sanicas
AdultsHealthScienceAll year long, researchers at hospitals around the world collect samples from flu patients and send them to top virology experts with one goal: to design the vaccine for the next flu season. But why do we need a new one every year? Vaccines for diseases like mumps and polio offer a lifetime of protection with two shots early in life; what's so special about the flu? Melvin Sanicas explains.
The Nuclear Waste Problem
AdultsGlobal WarmingScienceTechnologyNuclear energy is one of the cleanest, most efficient, and most available sources of power on earth.
The U.S. & Russia Are Building a Deep Space Gateway, Here's What You Need to Know
AdultsScienceSpaceTechnologyThe U.S. and Russia have announced plans to put a new structure in the orbit of the moon. What will it look like?
Did Science Just Prove Women Are Nicer Than Men?
AdultsMasculinityScienceWomenScientists may have just proven women are kinder and more selfless then men, and it's all thanks to our brains.
This Engineer's Crazy Plan to Clean Air with Smog-Sucking Bikes
AdultsGlobal WarmingScienceTechnologyThese bicycles are designed to filter smog out of the air as you ride. This could be a game changer for smoggy cities like Beijing.
The first asteroid ever discovered - Carrie Nugent
AdultsScienceSpaceOver the course of history, we've discovered hundreds of thousands of asteroids. But how do astronomers discover these bits of rock and metal? How many have they found? And how do they tell asteroids apart? Carrie Nugent shares the story of the very first asteroid ever discovered and explains how asteroid hunters search for these celestial bodies.
Why is it so hard to cure cancer? - Kyuson Yun
AdultsBiologyHealthScienceWe've harnessed electricity, sequenced the human genome, and eradicated smallpox. But after billions of dollars in research, we haven't found a solution for a disease that affects more than 14 million people and their families at any given time. Why is it so difficult to cure cancer? Kyuson Yun explains the challenges.
How Do Helicopters Fly Without Wings?
AdultsScienceTechnologyTransportation...Engineering tons of metal to fly straight up is no easy feat. Here's how helicopter blades make vertical flight a reality.