TED Talks
Jonathan Trent: Energy from floating algae pods
Call it "fuel without fossils": Jonathan Trent is working on a plan to grow new biofuel by farming micro-algae in floating offshore pods that eat wastewater from cities. Hear his team's bold vision for Project OMEGA (Offshore Membrane...
SciShow
How Our Brains Learn Consciousness
Neuroscience is abound with debates over the nature of consciousness. Which makes sense, because it’s a very abstract idea. We know we are conscious, but theories of why, how and what brain activity causes it are still simply that:...
SciShow
8 Useful Technologies Inspired by Nature
We're pretty good at inventing things, but stealing from nature is a great way to solve some problems!
TED Talks
TED: Tough truths about plastic pollution | Dianna Cohen
Artist Dianna Cohen shares some tough truths about plastic pollution in the ocean and in our lives -- and some thoughts on how to free ourselves from the plastic gyre.
SciShow
3 Unexpected Effects of Plastic Pollution
You probably already knew that plastic can be bad, but scientists have taken a closer look, and found out it can be bad in surprising ways.
TED Talks
Mike Biddle: We can recycle plastic
Less than 10% of plastic trash is recycled -- compared to almost 90% of metals -- because of the massively complicated problem of finding and sorting the different kinds. Frustrated by this waste, Mike Biddle has developed a cheap and...
SciShow
How Recycling Works
Join SciShow as we explore what happens to your stuff after you toss it into the little green bin with the arrows on it.
SciShow
6 Bacteria with Awesome Superpowers
Bacteria have evolved some pretty incredible abilities. They may never star in a big summer movie, but here are six bacteria with amazing superpowers.
SciShow
7 Animals That Evolved at Hyperspeed — Because of Us
Evolution is known to be a long, slow process. But thanks to our interference, some animals have adapted at light speed in order to survive. Chapters 1 CLIFF SWALLOWS 2:45 SPORT FISH 3:04 MOSQUITOES 4:28 TURTLE-HEADED SEA SNAKES 6:09...
SciShow
Why You Should Care About the Plastic in Your Poop
A recent study has concluded that people all over the world are probably ingesting microscopic plastic all the time. Now scientists want to know where this plastic is coming from, how it ends up inside of us, and the damage it could do...
TED Talks
Andrew Forrest: A radical plan to end plastic waste
Plastic is an incredible substance for the economy -- and the worst substance possible for the environment, says entrepreneur Andrew Forrest. In a conversation meant to spark debate, Forrest and head of TED Chris Anderson discuss an...
Crash Course
How Do Oceans Circulate? Crash Course Geography
Today, we're going to take a closer look at how the oceans circulate by following the life of a discarded water bottle as it gets snagged in the North Pacific Garbage Patch. We'll talk about what causes the movement of water, called...
SciShow
7 Organisms That Can Clean Toxic Waste
Toxic waste, by definition, is harmful to living things, but there are actually a bunch of plants, animals, fungi, and microbes that can help us clean it up! Chapters OYSTER MUSHROOMS 0:49 SUNFLOWERS 3:06 3 BIVALVES 5:11 BONFIRE MOSS...
TED Talks
TED: The joy of taking out the trash | Aparna Nancherla
Comedian Aparna Nancherla loves to take out the trash. In this funny and sharp meditation on garbage -- "the stuff that our modern, consumerist, carbon-powered culture makes us buy endlessly, and often for no reason" -- she shares...
SciShow
How Do Toys Glow in the Dark?
Did you play with glow in the dark toys as a kid? They’re super cool, but kind of mysterious. How do they glow after all? Hank explains the phenomenon in this quick question.
TED-Ed
TED-ED: The nurdles' quest for ocean domination - Kim Preshoff
Nurdles are the tiny, factory-made pellets that form the raw material for every plastic product that we use, from toys to toothbrushes. And while they look pretty harmless on land, they can really wreak havoc on our oceans. Kim Preshoff...
SciShow Kids
Let's Make a Kite!
One of Jessi and Squeak's favorite things to do on a nice day is to go to the park and fly their homemade kites! Today, Jessi will show you how to build your own kite and tell you how a little wind can send it soaring through the air!
TED-Ed
TED-ED: What is metallic glass? - Ashwini Bharathula
Steel and plastic are essential to much of our infrastructure and technology. Steel is strong and hard, but difficult to shape intricately. Plastic can take on just about any form, but it's weak and soft. Wouldn't it be nice if there...
SciShow
8 Lesser-Known, Useful Elements
There are 118 elements on the periodic table, but it seems like only a handful of them get any attention. But just because you haven't heard of an element doesn't mean that it isn't a vital part of everyday life.
SciShow
3D Printing Organs in Space
Several companies are developing 3D printers that might eventually be able to print organs...in space! What!?
SciShow
A Plastic That Conducts Electricity?
Plastics usually stop electricity in its tracks, but scientists have figured out a way to keep the electrons flowing.
TED Talks
TED: The surprising solution to ocean plastic | David Katz
Can we solve the problem of ocean plastic pollution and end extreme poverty at the same time? That's the ambitious goal of The Plastic Bank: a worldwide chain of stores where everything from school tuition to cooking fuel and more is...
SciShow
How Can We Clean Up the Oceans?
Plastic is a huge problem in the oceans, but engineers and research groups are working on how to deal with it. Hank describes some of the leading proposed solutions.
SciShow
The Greenest Grocery Bag
It seems like a simple question with a straightforward answer, but when you look at the total environmental impact of each type of bag, things start to get a little complicated.