SciShow
How Pandas Got Such a Bad Reputation
Look, we've all heard the rumors that giant pandas are an evolutionary dead end. But we are here to set the record straight and show you that these adorable fluff balls are a lot tougher than they seem.
SciShow
These Birds’ Nests Are Terrible for a Reason
Some birds' nests are works of art. These are not those. But we'll see why the terrible nesting habits of the cuckoo or jacana or even pigeons are the right thing for their survival.
SciShow
Scientists Let Bees Land in their Eyes
When it comes to a beverage menu, I don't usually want to see "tears" on the list. But these three animals do, including bees whose favorite drink is human tears!
SciShow
These Animals Actually LIKE Getting Caught
Even when animal traps are humane, it seems pretty obvious that animals wouldn't want to get caught. But sometimes, there are oddballs that love getting trapped. Here's what we know about what can make some animals so darn trap happy.
PBS
The Extinction That Never Happened
Natural history is full of living things that were long thought to have gone extinct only to show up again, alive and well. Paleontologists have a word for these kinds of organisms: They call them Lazarus taxa.
MinuteEarth
Why do Some Species Thrive in Cities?
Urban development can be tough on wildlife. But some plants and animals are adapting to our cities in surprising ways.
TED Talks
TED: Let your garden grow wild | Rebecca McMackin
Many gardeners work hard to maintain clean, tidy environments ... which is the exact opposite of what wildlife wants, says ecological horticulturist Rebecca McMackin. She shows the beauty of letting your garden run wild, surveying the...
TED Talks
TED: How poop turns into forests | Ludmila Rattis
Did you know the world's largest tropical forest is partly formed by seeds emerging from poop? Ecologist Ludmila Rattis reveals the surprisingly fruitful benefits of letting nature take care of its own business, sharing how the digestive...
TED Talks
TED: The beauty of wildlife — and an artistic call to protect it | Isabella Kirkland
I think of my paintings as alarm clocks, says artist Isabella Kirkland. "They're reminders of what's at stake; the only problem is we keep pushing the snooze button." Investigating humanity's relationship to nature, she shares work that...
SciShow
We May Be Able To Grow Human Organs In Animals. Should We?
Seventeen people in the US die /every day/ waiting for an organ transplant, usually a kidney. One approach is to grow extra kidneys in pigs, an idea known as xenotransplantation. We'll look at two recent milestones, as well as the...
SciShow
Evolution Can't Explain Your Grandma
There's a really interesting idea in anthropology called the grandmother hypothesis, that basically says the reason we have grandmas has to do with what makes us unique as a species. But there's a huge problem with the idea that it's...
SciShow
Why Can’t We Have Unicorns?
Unicorns may be mythical creatures, but they're very plausible-seeming ones. So why hasn't evolution gifted us with magical horses with horns? Let's take a look at the genetics and developmental biology of headgear in ruminants and other...
SciShow
Did Dinosaurs Have Belly Buttons?
Belly buttons are, typically, a human's first scar. A sign that you used to feed through an umbilical cord that connected your tummy to a placenta. But it turns out you don't have to feed from a placenta to get a similar scar. It might...
SciShow
Animals Have Nepo Babies Too
Trust funds aren't just for humans. Animals pass on generational wealth too, meaning even the animal kingdom isn't free of nepo babies.
MinuteEarth
Why These Bears “Waste” Food
Optimal foraging theory means that turning down food is sometimes more efficient than eating it - but even then, what’s “wasted” doesn’t necessarily go to waste.
MinuteEarth
Why Do People Hate Koalas?
On the Internet, koalas get an unnecessary amount of hate, so let's debunk some of the most pervasive koala myths!
MinuteEarth
Is Bigger Better?
Elephants might be strong, but they are weak compared to ants because ants have certain advantages that allow them to outlift their larger competitors.
MinuteEarth
Apparently tree FINGERPRINTS are a thing
Every species on Earth has a fingerprint - whether or not they have fingers at all.
MinuteEarth
How A Whale And A Bear Beat The System
While the rest of the world’s megafauna are still foundering in the anthropocene era, these two big animals have used little animal strategies to bounce back. Way back.
SciShow
The OTHER Genome Project That’s Transforming Medicine
You've heard of the Human Genome Project, and how having all that info about our genes could help us treat /tons/ of diseases. But a newer project wants to zoom out a little and use different genetic information to help us solve our...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Surviving the coldest place on Earth | Nadia Frontier
The vast, white surface of Antarctica stretches for over 3 million square kilometers. On the coast of this expanse, just a few meters beneath the ice, lies a remarkably diverse realm that is home to over 8,000 species of sea denizens who...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: How advanced is whale talk? | David Gruber and Shane Gero
Soon after whaling ships began operating in the North Pacific, an interesting trend emerged. Within just a few years, whalers saw a 58% drop in their successful strikes. Sperm whales had suddenly become harder to kill— they had begun...
TED Talks
TED: Regenerative living can restore a broken world | Paul Hawken
A frog and a mockingbird changed Paul Hawken's life, kindling a devotion to protect and restore nature. Now, as one of the world's preeminent environmentalists, he advocates for regeneration — a calling and action plan for the world to...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: What would happen if everyone stopped eating meat tomorrow? | Carolyn Beans
Imagine if a wizard of meatless dining suddenly appeared on Earth and with one wave of a wand wiped away all meat from our shelves— along with any desire to eat it. Farm animals destined for food vanish, whisked away to another planet....