TED Talks
Caroline Phillips: Hurdy-gurdy for beginners
Caroline Phillips cranks out tunes on a seldom-heard folk instrument: the hurdy-gurdy, a.k.a. the wheel fiddle. A searching, Basque melody follows her fun lesson on its unique anatomy and 1,000-year history.
TED-Ed
TED-ED: Mysteries of vernacular: Ukulele - Jessica Oreck and Rachael Teel
When 19th century Portuguese travelers landed in Hawaii with a small four-stringed guitar, a member of the king's court, nicknamed Jumping Flea, or ukulele in Hawaiian, took to the instrument. Jessica Oreck and Rachael Teel explain how...
SciShow
The Physics of the Weird and Wonderful Theremin
Electronic music is older than you may think. Enter the theremin - a device that turns your body into part of a capacitor, and allows you to play music without even touching an instrument!
TED Talks
Pamelia Kurstin: The untouchable music of the theremin
Virtuoso Pamelia Kurstin performs and discusses her theremin, the not-just-for-sci-fi electronic instrument that is played without being touched. Songs include "Autumn Leaves," "Lush Life" and David Mash’s "Listen, Words Are Gone."
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Can you solve the prisoner boxes riddle? - Yossi Elran
Your favorite band is great at playing musicbut not so great at being organized. They keep misplacing their instruments on tour, and it's driving their manager mad. Can you solve the brain-numbing riddle their manager assigns them and...
MinutePhysics
Why It's Impossible to Tune a Piano
Pianos can't be perfectly tuned - it's a mathematical fact!
TED Talks
TED: The playful wonderland behind great inventions | Steven Johnson
Necessity is the mother of invention, right? Well, not always. Steven Johnson shows us how some of the most transformative ideas and technologies, like the computer, didn't emerge out of necessity at all but instead from the strange...
TED Talks
TED: Why I chose a gun | Peter van Uhm
Peter van Uhm is the Netherlands' chief of defense, but that does not mean he is pro-war. In this talk, he explains how his career is one shaped by a love of peace, not a desire for bloodshed -- and why we need armies if we want peace.
SciShow
High-Tech Ways Genomics is Changing Field Biology
To figure out an organism's genome and DNA sequence, field biologists need big, expensive equipment in the labs. But, new high-tech devices help scientists to examine samples on the sites!
TED Talks
TED: How to speak so that people want to listen | Julian Treasure
Have you ever felt like you're talking, but nobody is listening? Here's Julian Treasure to help. In this useful talk, the sound expert demonstrates the how-to's of powerful speaking -- from some handy vocal exercises to tips on how to...
SciShow
Could Complex Life Survive on Mars - SciShow News
The water on Mars probably doesn't have much oxygen, but new models show that life doesn't need as much O2 as we thought. And NASA is sending a claw machine to the red planet!
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: The history of the barometer (and how it works) - Asaf Bar-Yosef
A barometer is an instrument that measures air pressure, allowing weather forecasters and scientists to better predict extreme weather events. Despite its incredible usefulness, inventing the barometer was no walk in the park. Asaf...
SciShow
New Watery Discoveries on Enceladus and Europa!
These days, it seems like we're finding water all over the solar system. Still, it takes a lot more than a little H2O to support life.
TED Talks
Mark Applebaum: The mad scientist of music
Mark Applebaum writes music that breaks the rules in fantastic ways, composing a concerto for a florist and crafting a musical instrument from junk and found objects. This quirky talk might just inspire you to shake up the "rules" of...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: How to read music - Tim Hansen
Like an actor's script, a sheet of music instructs a musician on what to play (the pitch) and when to play it (the rhythm). Sheet music may look complicated, but once you've gotten the hang of a few simple elements like notes, bars and...
Curated Video
Monitoring Atmospheric Pollution: The Role of Skier Marquis Satellite
This video discusses the role of pollution, specifically nitrogen dioxide, in global warming and climate change. It highlights the use of the Skier Marquis instrument, which measures atmospheric contaminants and provides high-resolution...
Curated Video
Only In Chile 9 - Clarinet Maker in Chile
Clarinet Maker in Chile:Musicians wait for more than a year to get one of these clarinets made from African blackwood with a five-year natural drying process.
Curated Video
Introducing SALT: The Southern African Large Telescope and its Spectrometer
The Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) is a groundbreaking optical telescope that will provide scientists with a unique window into the southern skies. Equipped with a state-of-the-art imaging spectrograph, SALT will analyze light...
Great Big Story
The apprehension engine, crafting sounds of horror
Discover the unique instrument designed to evoke fear and suspense in horror film scores.
Curated Video
Spectrometer
An instrument that measures the intensity of electromagnetic radiation over a range of wavelengths. A Twig Science Glossary Film. Key scientific terms defined in just 60 seconds using stunning images and concise textual definitions. Twig...
Curated Video
Mass spectrometer
An instrument that analyses characteristics of atoms and molecules, including their mass. A Twig Science Glossary Film. Key scientific terms defined in just 60 seconds using stunning images and concise textual definitions. Twig Science...
Curated Video
Musical Instruments
Different instruments can produce a wide variety of different sounds and notes, but why is this? Revealing how scientific principles combine to make music. Physics - Waves - Learning Points. Musical instruments are designed based on the...
Curated Video
Resonance: How Sound Changes Across Different Mediums
Sounds can change as they move from one medium to another. Under the right circumstances the effect is surprising and extreme. Physics - Waves - Learning Points. Sound is a wave that is created by vibrating objects. Every object has a...