TED Talks
Ellen Jorgensen: Biohacking -- you can do it, too
We have personal computing -- why not personal biotech? That's the question biologist Ellen Jorgensen and her colleagues asked themselves before opening Genspace, a nonprofit DIY bio lab in Brooklyn devoted to citizen science, where...
TED Talks
Richard Resnick: Welcome to the genomic revolution
Cheap and fast genome sequencing is about to turn health care (and insurance, and politics) upside down. Richard Resnick shows how, in this accessible talk.
SciShow
There Probably Aren't Different Strains of SARS-CoV-2 (Yet)
Scientists are closely watching SARS-CoV-2 to track mutations and see if it's developed into different strains. So, has it?
SciShow
Editing Genes Inside the Human Body
We talk a lot about CRISPR and "designer babies" but the science of editing genes is varied and complex. This month, an adult man received billions of gene-editing viruses via an IV in an effort to treat a rare disease.
SciShow
Bdelloids: The Most Hardcore Animals in the World?
Bdelloid rotifers have a superpower. If their DNA is shredded to pieces, whether from a lack of water or a blast of radiation, they can put it back together.
SciShow
Three MORE Things You Missed Because of COVID
This year, science news has understandably focused a lot on COVID-19. But other science has carried on, and there have been plenty of amazing discoveries this year that we think deserve a spotlight, too!
TED Talks
Emma Teeling: The secret of the bat genome
In Western society, bats are often characterized as creepy, even evil. Zoologist Emma Teeling encourages us to rethink common attitudes toward bats, whose unique and fascinating biology gives us insight into our own genetic makeup.
SciShow
Science Superlatives of 2013
Hank counts down some of the science superlatives from 2013: the first, biggest, strongest and longest things that were discovered, built or otherwise described. Find out his year's superlatives. They're the best!
SciShow
The Strange Case of the Missing Sunscreen Gene
If you've ever spent too much time in the sun and forgotten to put on sunscreen, you know how painful a sunburn can be. But for some animals, forgetting the sunscreen wouldn't be a problem because they can just produce their own!
TED-Ed
TED-ED: How do birds learn to sing? _ Partha Mitra
A brown thrasher knows a thousand songs. A wood thrush can sing two pitches at once. A mockingbird can match the sounds around it - including car alarms. These are just a few of the 4,000 species of songbirds. How do these birds learn...
TED Talks
David Baker: 5 challenges we could solve by designing new proteins
Proteins are remarkable molecular machines: they digest your food, fire your neurons, power your immune system and so much more. What if we could design new ones, with functions never before seen in nature? In this remarkable glimpse of...
SciShow
North Americas Lost Parrot
When you picture a parrot, you probably don’t picture Denver, but up until about a century ago, the United States was home to its very own species of parrot: the Carolina parakeet. What happened to this endemic bird?
TED Talks
TED: What you need to know about CRISPR | Ellen Jorgensen
Should we bring back the wooly mammoth? Or edit a human embryo? Or wipe out an entire species that we consider harmful? The genome-editing technology CRISPR has made extraordinary questions like these legitimate -- but how does it work?...
SciShow
Human Connectome
Hank briefs us on a fascinating project that aims to map the anatomical and functional pathways of the brain - a neural network called the human connectome.
SciShow
These Ant Paramedics Save Their Injured Comrades
A species of ant has been discovered to rescue and tend to the battle wounds of other ants injured while hunting, and scientists think that this is the first time this behavior has ever been observed in insects.
TED Talks
Allan Jones: A map of the brain
How can we begin to understand the way the brain works? The same way we begin to understand a city: by making a map. In this visually stunning talk, Allan Jones shows how his team is mapping which genes are turned on in each tiny region,...
SciShow
We May Have a COVID Vaccine in 2021, But Not Without Taking Risks
Right now, experts say a vaccine for COVID-19 is a year or more away. But as far away as it sounds, it’s only within the realm of possibility because scientists are speeding up the vaccine development process in surprising ways.
SciShow
The Science Behind 'Genetically Modified Humans'
The media have been talking about “genetically modified humans” and “designer babies.” But what they’re really talking about is germ-line engineering: a process that could help eliminate heritable diseases. So why do some scientists want...
SciShow
The Viruses That Shaped Humanity
You might get the impression that all viruses are terrible, awful, no-good things that just wreak havoc on humanity. But, surprise: The truth is way more interesting!
SciShow
Glowing Rats and Extreme Genetic Engineering
Hank discusses some of the recent developments in synthetic biology, and why some advocacy groups are calling for a moratorium on those developments.
SciShow
Why Do Corgi Mixes Always Look Like Corgis?
Humans have had a soft spot for these furry little mutants ever since our friendship with dogs began, but why is it that Corgi mixes often just look like a Corgi that’s wearing a costume?
SciShow
What Did the First Animal Look Like?
If you trace your way back along the tree of life, eventually you'd come face-to-face with the very first animal. But what exactly would that animal have looked like?
SciShow
Laser Fusion Gaming Revolution and 5 Awesome Irish Scientists
Hank tells us about laser fusion, the sequencing of the gorilla genome, some evidence of life elsewhere in the universe, a revolution in gaming, and his top five Irish scientists.
SciShow
The Sex Lives of Early Humans
Hank talks about ancient sexy times, and how we know that early humans were getting it on with all kinds of folks.