Curated Video
Heart
The heart powers everything you do. It pumps without you thinking about it, and beats over a billion times in an average lifetime. But how does it work? Biology - Human Body - Learning Points. The heart is the hardest working muscle in...
Curated Video
Clever Thumbs
Our thumbs are complex instruments; we need big brains to control them. Are they the reason behind the evolution of superior human intelligence? Biology - Human Body - Learning Points. The evolution of our hands and our large brains are...
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Yellowstone: Supervolcano
The geothermal features of Yellowstone National Park are a clue to its deadly secret. It sits on a massive supervolcano. But why can't we see it and will it ever erupt? Earth Science - Geology - Learning Points. Yellowstone National Park...
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Evolution of Man: The Evidence
Discover how fossils help scientists to piece together evolutionary changes in early man - and how one very special fossil in Africa led historians down an exciting new path. Biology - Adaptation And Evolution - Learning Points. Fossils...
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What Are Stars?
What are stars made of? How are they born, how do they live, and how do they die? Physics - Our Solar System - Learning Points. Our nearest star is the Sun. A star is formed from a cloud of dust and gas, which shrinks under gravity and...
Curated Video
Jai Singh
How Maharaja Jai Singh used scale to build and enhance the accuracy of his giant astronomical sundials. Maths - History Of Maths A Twig Math Film. Reinforce and extend the learning required by the curriculum. Twig’s context films show...
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What Are Eclipses?
Solar and lunar eclipses are spectacular phenomena which captivate people around the world, but what causes them? Physics - Our Solar System - Learning Points. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth blocks sunlight from reaching the Moon....
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The Incredible Strength of Ants
Why are tiny ants considered the strongest creatures in the world? An introduction to the square-cube law and why muscle mass (length3) will always outstrip strength (length2). Maths - Number A Twig Math Film....
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Life in the Freezer
From polar bears to emperor penguins, how animals and plants survive in some of the harshest habitats on Earth - the polar regions. Biology - Adaptation And Evolution - Learning Points. A host of different animals survive in the coldest...
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What Are Asteroids?
How are asteroids in our Solar System formed, where are they found, and what danger do they pose to life on Earth? Physics - Our Solar System - Learning Points. Asteroids are made from rock, metal or carbon, while comets are made of rock...
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Life in Hot Deserts
From camels to lizards, how animals and plants survive in some of the hottest and driest habitats on Earth - the hot deserts. Biology - Adaptation And Evolution - Learning Points. Organisms survive harsh environments by physical and...
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How Did Saturn Get Its Rings?
Since Galileo first sighted Saturn, scientists have been baffled by its beautiful rings. What are they made of and where did they come from? Physics - Our Solar System - Learning Points. Saturn's rings were first discovered by Galileo in...
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Moore's Law
Computing technology has developed at a phenomenal rate in recent decades – what would once fill an entire room can now be held in the palm of your hand. So how was Moore's Law able to predict this over 50 years ago? Physics -...
Curated Video
Earth's Twin
Billions of years ago, Earth collided with its twin planet Theia. The impact and resulting geophysical changes prepared Earth for complex life. Physics - Our Solar System - Learning Points. 4 billion years ago Earth had a twin called...
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Elements vs Alloys
We compare melting points of lead and tin to the melting point of their alloy, solder. By timing how long it takes samples of each to melt, we discover that the melting point of solder is actually lower than those of both lead and tin....
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Dissection: Lungs
We dissect and examine a cow\u2019s lungs. Before the dissection, the lungs are inflated to show the changes in volume that occur when mammals breathe. During the dissection the position and function of different parts are examined,...
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Frozen Balloon
We lower a helium-filled balloon into liquid nitrogen to see how the change in temperature affects its volume. When it hits the cool liquid nitrogen, the gas inside contracts and the volume of the balloon decreases. When it is removed...
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What is an Atom?
From our bodies to the oceans and stars, everything is made of millions upon millions of tiny atoms. But what are atoms made of? Chemistry - Atoms And Bonding - Learning Points. The building blocks of all elements are called atoms. Atoms...
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Ways of Looking at the World
From two dimensional maps, to satellite images from space: discover some of the many ways to explore the Earth and its physical and 'human' features. Human Geography - Orientation And Settlements - Learning Points. Maps have been used by...
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Medical Marvels: Ultrasound
Born out of research into RADAR in World War Two, ultrasound has become one of the most important medical inventions. What is it, and how does it work? Biology - Being Human - Learning Points. Ultrasound was developed by Ian Donald in...
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An Ancient Olympian
What the discovery of a skeleton over 2,000 years old tells us about the training techniques of ancient olympians. Biology - Human Body - Learning Points. In 1959 the tomb of an ancient Olympian was discovered in Taranto, southern Italy....
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Growing Pains
Learn how bones change shape to form the adult skeleton, the problems this causes for growing teenagers, and how to ensure healthy bones for life. Biology - Being Human - Learning Points. Hormones released during puberty cause a rapid...
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Counting Crowds
When measuring very large data sets, like the crowd of 1.8 million who attended Obama's inauguration, often exact counting is impossible. Find out how statisticians use density samples to estimate their statistics. Maths - Accuracy And...
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Asteroid - Rocky Objects in Space
Objects composed of rocky or metallic materials, mainly found orbiting the Sun in a region called the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. A Twig Science Glossary Film. Key scientific terms defined in just 60 seconds using stunning...