Storing the Sun's Energy in Liquid Could Change Solar Forever
AdultsGlobal WarmingTechnologyScienceEnvironmentEnergyResearchers have just found two new ways to make solar power more efficient. Could this solve our energy crisis?
History's deadliest colors - J. V. Maranto
AdultsHistoryScienceArtWhen radium was first discovered, its luminous green color inspired people to add it into beauty products and jewelry. It wasn't until much later that we realized that radium's harmful effects outweighed its visual benefits. Unfortunately, radium isn't the only pigment that historically seemed harmless or useful but turned out to be deadly. J. V. Maranto details history's deadliest colors. Lesson by J. V. Maranto, animation by Juan M. Urbina.
We Found Another State of Matter: The Supersolid!
AdultsScienceTechnologyPhysicsScientists have created, yet another state of matter called a supersolid! But what is it, and what does it do?
This incredible animation shows how deep the ocean really is
AdultsAnimalsNatureScienceOceanJust how deep does the ocean go? Way further than you think. This animation puts the actual distance into perspective, showing a vast distance between the waves we see and the mysterious point we call Challenger Deep.
How does your body process medicine?
AdultsHealthHumanScienceHave you ever wondered what happens to a painkiller, like ibuprofen, after you swallow it? Medicine that slides down your throat can help treat a headache, a sore back, or a throbbing sprained ankle. But how does it get where it needs to go in the first place?
How does asthma work? - Christopher E. Gaw
AdultsHealthHumanScienceMore than 300 million people around the world suffer from asthma, and around 250,000 people die from it each year. But why do people get asthma, and how can this disease be deadly? Christopher E. Gaw describes the main symptoms and treatments of asthma.
What if the Earth were Hollow?
AdultsPhysicsScienceWorldPhilosophyWhat if there were a tunnel through the middle of the earth and you jumped in?
A Robot Just Performed the First-Ever Surgery Inside the Human Eye
AdultsHealthTechnologyScienceA surgeon uses controls to guide the robot.
Why Do We Cook?
AdultsFoodScienceSocietyCultureEvolutionWhy do humans cook? Holidays are celebrated in many ways, but chances are they involve eating, and eating a LOT. Ever wonder why we cook our food? We do it because it tastes good, of course, and because our customs and traditions are built around it. But we also cook our food for some basic biological reasons, because of evolution. Some scientists think that figuring out how to cook actually MADE us human! If conversation gets a little dry around your holiday table, now you'll have some awesome science to share with everyone!
What humans will look like in 1,000 years
AdultsFutureHumanScienceHealthThere will eventually be a day where prosthetics are no longer just for the disabled. However, it's not just our outside appearance that will change - our genes will also evolve on microscopic levels to aid our survival. For example, an Oxford-led study discovered a group of HIV-infected children in South Africa living healthy lives. It turns out, they have a built-in defense against HIV that prevents the virus from advancing to AIDS.
Oxygen's surprisingly complex journey through your body - Enda Butler
AdultsBiologyHumanScienceHealthOxygen forms about 21% of the air around us. In your body, oxygen forms a vital role in the production of energy in most cells. But if gases can only efficiently diffuse across tiny distances, how does oxygen reach the cells deep inside your body? Enda Butler tracks the surprisingly complex journey of oxygen through your body.
What is entropy? - Jeff Phillips
AdultsPhysicsScienceChemistryThere's a concept that's crucial to chemistry and physics. It helps explain why physical processes go one way and not the other: why ice melts, why cream spreads in coffee, why air leaks out of a punctured tire. It's entropy, and it's notoriously difficult to wrap our heads around. Jeff Phillips gives a crash course on entropy.
Using GPS to Get Around Is Making Us Dumber
AdultsHumanScienceTechnologyPsychologySocietyGPS services have made getting from point A to point B a lot easier, but what effects does this have on our brains?
Hackers Can Now Break Into Your Phone Using Music
AdultsMusicSoftware EngineeringTechnologyCybersecurityScienceNew research shows sound waves can manipulate the accelerometer in your phone; what implications does this have for data security?
Why Some Old People Act Half Their Age: It's in the Brain
AdultsHumanMental HealthScienceScientists are studying people over 80 whose memories are just as good as someone in their 50s. What sets these 'SuperAgers' apart?
Graphene Could Solve the World's Water Crisis
AdultsFutureNatureTechnologyScienceEnvironmentTurning saltwater into clean drinking water is an expensive, energy-intensive process, but could the wonder material graphene make it more accessible?
Why do animals have such different lifespans? - Joao Pedro de Magalhaes
AdultsAnimalsLifeNatureScienceBiologyFor the microscopic lab worm C. elegans, life equates to just a few short weeks on Earth. The bowhead whale, on the other hand, can live over two hundred years. Why are these lifespans so different? And what does it really mean to 'age' anyway? Joao Pedro de Magalhaes explains why the pace of aging varies greatly across animals.