TED Talks
The science of making fruits and veggies last longer | Jenny Du
New ReviewIt's a hard nut to crack: in order to prevent food waste, we rely on plastic packaging and refrigeration, which harm the environment. What if we could turn to nature to address these challenges? Engineer and chemist Jenny Du shares how a...
PBS
The plastic industry knowingly pushed recycling myth for decades, new report finds
The world produces an average of 430 million metric tons of plastic each year. The United States alone produces tens of millions of tons of plastic waste annually. Yet on average, only about 5 to 6 percent of plastic in the U.S. is...
SciShow
The Arctic Is Drowning in Plastic
Many people picture the Arctic as a pristine icy wilderness. But when it comes to microplastics, it's one of the most polluted places on Eart
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Does recycling your plastic actually work? | Shannon Odell
If you've ever looked at the bottom of a disposable bottle or cup, you've probably noticed a recycling symbol. Seeing this, many people assume the item should be put in a recycling bin. Yet many plastics are incapable of being recycled...
TED Talks
TED: Why are we making pizza boxes out of endangered trees? | Nicole Rycroft
If we're going to solve the climate crisis, we need to talk about supply chains, says biodiversity champion and 2023 Audacious Project grantee Nicole Rycroft. Her organization, Canopy, partners with key industry leaders to overhaul their...
SciShow
Why Can’t We Scoop All the Plastic Out of the Ocean?
Lots of people want to clean up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, and plastics have a huge impact on ocean environments. But marine wildlife are already adapting to our plastic waste, which means cleaning it up isn't as simple as just......
PBS
Why it will take more than basic recycling to cut back on plastic
In the 70 years that plastic has been around, humans have created 9 billion tons of it -- most of which still exists. Are the existing strategies for tackling plastic pollution -- namely reusing and recycling -- really making any...
SciShow
Why Is Sperm Count Dropping?
Sperm count in Western countries has been dropping for over a hundred years, and scientists have some ideas as to what’s behind this swimmer shortage.
SciShow
The Strongest Acids in the World
Inside chemistry labs, chemists work with what they call superacids. No one's found a specific use for such a fantastically strong acid yet, but chemists are actively looking for one.
SciShow
Why Do Things Fade in the Sun?
Have you ever noticed that sunlight makes colors fade? Join Quick Questions as we explore why that happens.
TED Talks
Eben Bayer: Are mushrooms the new plastic?
Product designer Eben Bayer reveals his recipe for a new, fungus-based packaging material that protects fragile stuff like furniture, plasma screens -- and the environment.
SciShow
5 Ways Humans Have Changed The Earth
We are approaching a whole new era! . . .or at least a new epoch. Michael Aranda explains how humans are leaving their mark on the Geologic Time Scale.
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
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...
SciShow
Making Materials That Heal Themselves
You might not need to throw away your broken glasses and get new ones anymore, thanks to these unique materials that can heal themselves!
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
A Plastic That Conducts Electricity?
Plastics usually stop electricity in its tracks, but scientists have figured out a way to keep the electrons flowing.
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.
MinuteEarth
Are Plastics Too Strong?
The same chemistry that makes plastic tough, light and flexible also makes it nearly impossible to get rid of, because it’s hard to break those resilient chemical bonds.