In a deeply moving letter to her grandmother, Xiye Bastida reflects on what led her to become a leading voice for global climate activism -- from mobilizing school climate strikes to speaking at the United Nations Climate Summit...

In this video Paul Andersen explains why atoms in the periodic table show trends in ionization energy, atomic radii, electronegativity and charge. All of these trends are explained through Coulomb's Law. A brief description of Dmitri...

Have you ever read Harry Potter and wished that you were a student at Hogwarts, studying magic with Harry, Ron, and Hermione? Well, your wish might have partially come true, without you knowing it.

Humans are creatures of rhythm and repetition. From our breath to our gait: rhythm is central to our experience, and often brings us pleasure. We can find pleasure in the rhythm of a song, or even the rows of an orchard. Of course, too...

If you've ever been chastised for erupting into profanity after stubbing your toe in the middle of the night, science has your back on this one.

Synesthesia allows people to hear color or taste numbers,and maybe even remember some things better than the average person.

If, when your childhood pet passed away, your father remarked, “Well, I’ll be dog-gone,” you might be the victim of a dad joke. Fortunately, dad jokes might actually be a good thing.

Have you ever wondered why 75% humidity in the summer feels sticky, but 75% humidity in the winter feels super dry? Turns out, the common definition of humidity is inconvenient and confusing. But there is a better way!

GPS location apps on a smartphone can be very handy when mapping a travel route or finding nearby events. But how does your smartphone know where you are? Wilton L. Virgo explains how the answer lies 12,000 miles over your head, in an...

While many researchers are focusing on finding a difference in brains of people with dyslexia, some new research suggests it might not just be in their brains, but in their eyes.

Researchers have noticed a decline in reading ability starting in your 40s. And learning more about why this happens might help us tell the difference between healthy aging and Alzheimer’s disease.

In a deeply moving letter to her grandmother, Xiye Bastida reflects on what led her to become a leading voice for global climate activism -- from mobilizing school climate strikes to speaking at the United Nations Climate Summit...

You might have had the experience of heading out for the night, feeling good, snapping a few selfies with friends that memorialize for all time how great your hair is looking. But the next day, you’re tagged in someone else’s photos and…...

Paul Andersen defines the major elements of feedback loops. The receptors and effectors both sense and respond to changes in their environment. The following examples are used to illustrate the importance of feedback loops in...

In this video Paul Andersen explains how ecosystems respond to disruptions. Disruptions can cause changes in the number and variety of organisms. It can also lead to migration, extinction or even speciation. Ecosystems that have a...

In this video Paul Andersen explains that entropy is simply the dispersion of matter or energy. He begins with a series of video that show the natural direction of processes. According to the second law of thermodynamics the entropy...

Paul Andersen explains how populations experience exponential. He begins by address the major players; N (population size) and r (growth rate). He models population growth in rabbits through four generations. He then shows you how to...

Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo' is a grammatically correct sentence. How? Emma Bryce explains how this and other one-word sentences illustrate some lexical ambiguities that can turn ordinary words and...

Last week we talked about language and meaning. Today, Hank explores some of the things that complicate meaning and how we get around that. We’ll explain conversational implicature, the cooperative principle, and the four main maxims of...

What does it mean to be civil? Journalist Steven Petrow looks for answers in the original meaning of the word, showing why civility shouldn't be dismissed as conversation-stifling political correctness or censorship. Learn three ways we...

Paul Andersen shows you how to construct a cladogram from a group of organisms using shared characteristics. He also discusses the process of parsimony in cladogram construction. He then explains how modern cladograms are constructed...

Spoken-word poet Sarah Kay was stunned to find she couldn't be a princess, ballerina and astronaut all in one lifetime. In this talk, she delivers two powerful poems that show us how we can live other lives. Sarah is also the host of...

In this video Paul Andersen describes the characteristics of the rate constant in chemical reactions. The rate constant is highly variable in reactions and must be determined experimentally. The rate constant is dependent on both...

Is there something you've always meant to do, wanted to do, but just ... haven't? Matt Cutts suggests: Try it for 30 days. This short, lighthearted talk offers a neat way to think about setting and achieving goals.