Nobel Laureate in Physics Roger Penrose (Oxford) muses on the ironies associated with his work on singularities when applied to cosmology.

Particle physicist Nima Arkani-Hamed (Institute for Advanced Study) highlights the clues pointing us towards the need for re-addressing core issues of quantum field theory.

Psychologist Barbara Fredrickson (UNC Chapel Hill) describes her scientific motivations in exploring positive emotions.

Nobel Laureate Roger Penrose (Oxford) tells us why he is sceptical of the inflationary theory of cosmology.

SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) astronomer and former longtime research director Jill Tarter describes the history of scientific searches for extraterrestrial life and how she became involved shortly after completing her...

Nobel laureate in Physics David Politzer (Caltech) uses a banjo to demonstrate how octaves and harmonics arise from vibrating strings.

Nobel Laureate Roger Penrose, University of Oxford, describes why he believes that inflationary cosmology doesn't explain the mystery of why the universe began in such an unlikely, very smooth state, arguing that had it started out...

Social psychologist Roy Baumeister, University of Queensland, describes his recent research in how people correlate their emotional response and sense of meaning of particular experiences with time.

Psychologist and memory scientist Elizabeth Loftus (UC Irvine) describes how the law is beginning to explicitly recognize the malleability of memory for eyewitness testimony.

Award-winning violinmaker and acoustician Joseph Curtin describes how many musicians would benefit from learning to listen like recording engineers.

UC Irvine psychologist Elizabeth Loftus describes her personal turning point towards a research career in legal applications of memory that began with a transformative lunch meeting with a cousin.

Nobel Laureate in Physics Roger Penrose (Oxford) briefly summarizes Stephen Hawking's work on the temperature of black holes and Hawking radiation.

UCLA psychologist Martin Monti describes how, contrary to what most of us naively believe, there is ample evidence that many animals can perform basic mathematical operations.

UCL developmental psychologist Uta Frith describes how she used brain scanning technology to illustrate that the brain uses specific networks when involved in so-called “mentalizing activities” central to understanding autism.

Stephen Kosslyn, Psychologist and Founder of Minerva University, describes how modern understanding can help us drastically improve current educational practices.

Psychologist and memory scientist Elizabeth Loftus (UC Irvine) describes her confusion at the scientific basis for so-called "repressed memory therapy," and how her puzzlement led to future research avenues.

Cognitive scientist Lisa Feldman Barrett (Northeastern) highlights the key roles that brain networks play in key areas of cognition, including memory.

We explore the Pentatonic scale. As the title suggests the scale comprises 5 notes instead of the 7 notes that make up the major scale and the minor scale. This music theory lesson looks at the different ways of calculating the notes...

How to undertake a roman numeral chord analysis of a piece of music. Using a short movement by Schumann this music theory lesson explains how to read the keys then how to discover each of the chords, including designating extension...

How to approach constructing a note row that also incorporates a sense of tonality. The music composition lesson explores how to build in some implication of a key within a twelve-tone serial piece and explains how to achieve a...

Learn how to evolve a rising sequence above a bass line employing a series of 4-3 suspensions alternating in the upper parts. We explore a Baroque technique that has broader application for harmonic writing, giving ideas for developing...

This music composition lesson demonstrates how to take a succession of block chords and turn them into melodic lines with arpeggiated accompaniment. The chord sequence is analysed then organised as a melodic line at the top of the...

In music exams credit is often given to candidates who can play their scales and arpeggios with shape. What does it mean to play scales and arpeggios with shape? This music performance video explores how to grade crescendos and...

Many composers and students of harmony worry about harmonising repeated notes in a melody. Repeated notes can make for melodic stagnation and the remedy is often to create harmonic interest but how is this achieved? This music theory...