Roses are red, violets are blue… What on Earth CAN’T a poem do? In this episode of Crash Course Kids Literature, we dive into the poems that make up Thanhhà Lại’s verse novel, “Inside Out and Back Again” and the figurative language that...

It’s not enough to do important work — we need to know it truly matters, says journalist Jennifer Wallace. Drawing on her research into firefighters, caregivers and more, she shows how simple acts of acknowledgment and connection can...

What does it actually mean to be a "real man" these days? In a personal talk packed with actionable advice, youth advocate Davonte Green challenges age-old stereotypes about masculinity, showing that emotional intelligence and...

Success in your career looks different for everyone — but no matter your industry, you'll need to take risks. Company and community builder Molly Graham shares three key skills to learn before jumping off the metaphorical cliff,...

At Stanford Social Neuroscience Laboratory, scientists have spent years studying kindness, connection and empathy. But those can all seem in short supply at a time of deep divisions. But the head of that lab offers a data-driven reason...

Valor Collegiate Academy in Nashville encourages students to share what's going on in their lives and to accept support, creating what they call a community of care. We hear from high school teacher Natalie Nikitas and Valor students as...

A recent study found that schools with high levels of teasing and bullying had dropout rates above the national average. In Seattle, a program called Roots of Empathy is using an unconventional method to stop bullying -- bringing infants...

Research has found that teenagers should be getting eight to ten hours of sleep every night. But many are sleeping far less than that and nearly one in four also suffer from insomnia. William Brangham reports on why it's so hard for so...

How can you find strength during life's most difficult moments? Author Suleika Jaouad's experience detailed in the documentary "American Symphony," an intimate portrait of her life as she grapples with illness, is a testament to finding...

On paper, law professor Samar Ali and public affairs strategist Clint Brewer seem to come from very different — and perhaps opposing — backgrounds. But their friendship shows why political polarization in the US isn't as intractable as...

Don't second-guess what "distracts" you, says actor-producer Yara Shahidi; that's your curiosity coming through. The star of hit shows like "black-ish" and "grown-ish" tells how she learned to spot clues to her own future — and how you...

Cartoonist Liana Finck's drawings hold our hands through life's predicaments, big and small: dating, breakups, what to make for dinner, how to leave a party without being rude, how to think about our relationship with God. In a funny,...

People have strong opinions about which kind of keyboard is best, but science has settled the debate.

This summer, millions of Americans are experiencing firsthand the effects of climate change, from triple-digit temperatures to wildfire smoke to bleached coral reefs in warming oceans. For some, growing concern about climate change can...

With levity and profound insight, artist Maira Kalman reflects on life, death, dinner parties, not knowing the right answers, the joys of eating a hot dog from a street vendor and more. This talk, interwoven with her delightful...

The conflict in the Middle East has been a fraught subject for decades, including in the U.S., and especially within American Jewish and Muslim communities. And for almost as long, interfaith groups have sought to bring those communities...

Texas is the largest state in the country to ban transition-related medical care for minors, joining 19 other states that have restricted access. Laura Barrón-López recently spent time in Texas to learn more about the law and spoke with...

I’ve explained a lot of weird bodily functions on this show but there’s one that we haven’t covered that’s always confused me: Tickling. What are you for, tickling? What’s the point of you? Why do you exist? Why do you make us laugh even...

Embarrassment. Awkwardness. Cringe. No matter what you call it. it’s one of the most unique human emotions, and one that’s particularly hard to figure out. But if a feeling exists and has lasted through evolution, then it probably has a...

As a death doula, or someone who supports dying people and their loved ones, Alua Arthur spends a lot of time thinking about the end of life. In a profound talk that examines our brief, perfectly human time on this planet, she asks us to...

In 1915, an exhibition of radical artworks opened in Russia. Many pieces pushed the boundaries of form and style, but one was particularly controversial: Kazimir Malevich's "Black Square." Criticized as simple and uninspired, Malevich's...

Flow is more than just concentrating or paying attention; it's a unique mental state of effortless engagement. And those who more frequently experience flow report higher levels of positive emotions, creativity, and feelings of...

When the brain receives pain from an internal organ, it often projects the pain in the wrong place because of the way sensory nerve paths converge

Plenty of animals have tears that moisturize their eyes. But does that mean they’re sad? Quick Questions explains!