Soviet agronomist Nikolai Ivanovich Vavilov was obsessed with plants. Especially finding out where domesticated crops first came from. And out of his research came a proposal that certain crops, like rye and oats, were evolutionary...

Today, humans live on just a few staple crops, like maize, rice, and wheat. But in the early days of agriculture, humans were domesticating foods left and right. Come with us as we discover the lost crops of North America, like pitseed...

Hosted by: Niba @NotesbyNiba (she/her)

How does a biscuit make it from the farm to your plate? Sustainable development leader Aruna Rangachar Pohl unpacks the long journey of one of India's most beloved snacks, revealing how the current industrial farming model is eating the...

If you've ever heard of ergot fungi, you've likely heard of the nasty side effects of eating them, including convulsions and hallucinations. But like many a toxic substance, scientists have figured out ways to use ergot for...

If you tried to sum up the last 150 years or so in one image, a chart of exponential growth would be a good place to start. It shows that some things change faster over time. You could apply it to life expectancy. Or compound interest....

Sharing the inside scoop on how the world's largest food company aims to reach net zero by 2050, Nestlé North America CEO Steve Presley joins TED's Lindsay Levin to discuss the progress they've made so far and where they're investing for...

Gluten is a sticky protein composite found in cereal grains. Hank gives us some insight into the importance of gluten in history, as well as its impact on health in our own time.

You know about fossils, but what other secrets are lurking in the ground beneath our feet?

When Climate Change Threatens Climate Solutions | SciShow News

We often think of categories as fixed, with a species being a species no matter what. The thing is, life doesn’t have to follow our rules.

Crop physiologist Guntur V. Subbarao and his team have developed an antibiotic-infused strain of wheat that naturally combats harmful, fertilizer-eating bacteria -- a "monster" contributor to climate change. Learn more about how this...

It has been nearly three weeks since an enormous explosion at Beirut’s port tore through the city. With Lebanon already suffering from food scarcity, economic collapse and the coronavirus pandemic, the blast turned a grim situation to...

Paul Andersen explains how variation is created within a cell. He starts by showing how molecular variation can increase fitness at the local level. He explains how an additional chlorophyll molecule allows plants to absorb more light...

Over-the-counter pregnancy tests give potentially life-changing results with a pretty high rate of accuracy. But how do they work? Tien Nguyen explains how each test performs a scientifically rigorous, multi-stage experiment that goes...

The wheat, corn and rice we grow today may not thrive in a future threatened by climate change. Cary Fowler takes us inside the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, a vast treasury buried within a frozen mountain in Norway, that stores a diverse...

Humans have been processing plants for their narcotic effects for at least 5000 years, historically for ceremonial purposes, to deal with harsh environmental conditions or difficult situations, and sometimes even to supplement...

As archaeologists pored over ancient tombs in western China, they discovered some surprisingly well-preserved and familiar relics. Though hardened over 1,000 years, there sat little crescent-shaped dumplings. So who invented these plump...

In this episode of SciShow Talk Show Hank chats with Chad Larrabee of Montgomery Distillery about the science of distilling alcohol. Special guest is Jessi Knudsen Castañeda of Animal Wonders with Groucho the hedgehog.

Ancient grains like Spelt, Emmer, and Einkorn are making a comeback, but are they better for you than modern wheats? The answer is, as usual, not a simple 'yes' or 'no'.

We often think of categories as fixed, with a species being a species no matter what. The thing is, life doesn’t have to follow our rules.

Can we change the blueprints of life? This week we are exploring that question with genetic engineering. We’ll discuss how selective breeding can improve agricultural practices, and the potential DNA-level engineering could have on other...

If you've been to a restaurant in the last few years, you've likely seen the words gluten-free written somewhere on the menu. But what exactly is gluten, and why can't some people process it? And why does it only seem to be a problem...

Gluten is a sticky protein composite found in cereal grains. Hank gives us some insight into the importance of gluten in history, as well as its impact on health in our own time.