Oxygen forms about 21% of the air around us. In your body, oxygen forms a vital role in the production of energy in most cells. But if gases can only efficiently diffuse across tiny distances, how does oxygen reach the cells deep inside...

It's getting really cold where Jessi and Squeaks live, and that has her thinking about a super cool animal that's always ready for super cold weather: Reindeer!

Earth is unique in that it's the only planet we know of that can support life. But could there be another planet like ours somewhere far away?

Paul Andersen explains how changes in the signal transduction pathway can affect organisms. He begins with a brief discussion of the tetrodotoxin produced by the California Newt and then explains how anthrax affects adenylate cyclase...

Sleep is a crucial activity for our brains to function properly. But when you’re on the ISS, you face a myriad of distractions and obligations that make it difficult to get good shuteye. So how do these astronauts ever get restful sleep?

If you get most of your information about ancient animals from vintage cartoons or action figures, then a lot of things that you think of as "dinosaurs" actually weren't. Learn about the definition of true dinosaurs and the evolutionary...

Seeing as nasty wildfire seasons are becoming our new normal, let’s talk about smoke: what it is, what it does to us, and what you can do to protect yourself from it.

When you breathe, you transport oxygen to the body's cells to keep them working, while also clearing your system of the carbon dioxide that this work generates. How do we accomplish this crucial and complex task without even thinking...

Hank introduces us to oxygen - the element that makes it possible for most animals to live, but which is simultaneously responsible for a lot of bad things going on in our bodies.

Scientists come up with lots of possible reasons why rain triggers earthworms mysterious behavior: popping out of the soil and getting stranded on the ground.

Hank explains the science behind the "cinnamon challenge," and reveals why it is nearly impossible to complete.Do not attempt the cinnamon challenge! Instead, why not just watch some videos of the thousands of YouTubers failing at it!...

Have you ever fallen down and had trouble catching your breath? That's called "getting winded" and Jessi and Squeaks are here to explain what to do when it happens.

Air pollution knows no borders -- even in your own body, says public health expert María Neira. In this startling talk, she describes how the microscopic particles and chemicals you breathe affect all your major organs (including your...

You may be aware of certain hacks to sober up, but researchers have found a way to actually get booze out of our systems faster. And this discovery could help first responders when facing alcohol overdoses.

385 million years ago, a group of fish would undertake one of the most important journeys in the history of life and become the first vertebrates to live on dry ground. But first, they had to acquire the ability to breathe air.

A brief intro to the current theory of (almost) everything - the Standard Model of particle physics. It's like cake, only universal.

Can a paper bag really help you when you are hyperventilating? It turns out that it can. In part 2 of our look at your respiratory system Hank explains how your blood cells exchange oxygen and CO2 to maintain homeostasis. We'll...

The atoms around you have existed for billions of years -- and most originated in the flaming, gaseous core of a star. Dennis Wildfogel tells the captivating tale of these atoms' long journeys from the Big Bang to the molecules they form...

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could breathe underwater? But is it even possible?

We breathe constantly, but have you ever thought about how breathing works? Discover the ins and outs of one of our most basic living functions-- from the science of respiration to how to control your breaths.

What exactly is the carbon cycle? Nathaniel Manning provides a basic look into the cyclical relationship of carbon, humans and the environment.

If we ever want to live, sleep, eat, and breathe on Mars, we are going to need some the best tech humans can dream up - and as a bonus that tech might actually help tackle challenges right here on Earth!

How is it possible for air-breathing marine mammals like sperm whales and elephant seals to hold their breath for so long?

A little bit of explanation for the cycle of carbon and oxygen