Curated Video
Hot Air Balloons
Hot air balloons rely on heat alone to keep them in the sky. How does this work? Physics - Energy And Radioactivity - Learning Points. Hot air rises in cool air because it is less dense. The hot air within a hot air balloon creates the...
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Aerodynamics in Cycling
The cutting edge bike and clothing designs that make cyclists more aerodynamic and can make the difference between winning and losing. Physics - Forces - Learning Points. A professional cyclist's main aim is to reduce air resistance. New...
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Burps and Farts
A look at the biological functions that produce burps and farts. Biology - Human Body - Learning Points. Burps are caused when swallowed air forces open the stomach sphincter and travels up the oesophagus. Farts are caused when swallowed...
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Factpack: Pressure and Altitude
Changes in pressure at different heights, from outer space to the depths of the ocean. Physics - Forces - Learning Points. A Twig FactPack Film. Open a discussion on what has been already learnt in a topic, or use to grab attention at...
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Big Breathers
Marine mammals like dolphins, seals and whales can hold their breath far longer than humans. How do they do this? Biology - Human Body - Learning Points. Underwater mammals, such as humpback whales, can hold their breaths for up to...
Curated Video
Life in Space
Bacteria from a sneeze was inadvertently sent to the Moon. When it returned to Earth, it came back to life. What does this mean for the possibility of life in the Universe? Physics - Universe - Learning Points. In 1969, Apollo 12 went to...
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Pollution: Air
What are the major atmospheric pollutants and where do they come from? Discover what air pollution means for the environment and how it affects humans, from smog to acid rain. Earth Science - Human Impacts - Learning Points....
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Wind Power
Wind power is a clean and renewable energy source. But problems associated with this form of energy mean wind power currently only generates a tiny percentage of our electricity. Earth Science - Earth's Resources - Learning Points. Wind...
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What Plants Need to Grow
Plants produce oxygen and provide our food, but what do they need to live? Learn why nitrates, phosphates, potassium and magnesium are vital for plant health. Biology - Plants - Learning Points. Understanding how plants grow ensures we...
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Oxygen and Combustion
Combustion reactions are vital: from keeping us warm and cooking our food, to providing electricity and propelling rockets into outer space. What do we know about these chemical reactions? Chemistry - Reactions - Learning Points....
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The Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen is integral to the production of protein and DNA. Discover how it is present on Earth in a constant cycle, and how nitrogen from the air enters the food chain. Biology - Ecosystems - Learning Points. The nitrogen cycle describes...
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Thunder and Lightning
Thunderstorms can be an impressive sight, but how are they formed? What is happening deep inside certain clouds to create such huge bolts of energy? Earth Science - Weather - Learning Points. Thunderstorms form in dense tall clouds...
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Global Dimming
Even though the planet is warming, the amount of sunlight reaching the Earth's surface is decreasing. What is causing this, and what effect does it have? Earth Science - Human Impacts - Learning Points. Global dimming is the reduction in...
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Friction
Friction can be friend or foe. What is friction, how does it affect our lives and how can we alter it? Physics - Forces - Learning Points. Friction is a resistive force between surfaces moving at different velocities. Friction is...
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How Do Fireworks Work?
Fireworks combine chemical processes, from combustion to spectroscopy, to create spectacular displays. Discover what happens when the fuse is lit. Chemistry - Reactions - Learning Points. Fireworks involve combustion and exothermic...
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Speed of Sound
Sound waves move through different mediums at different speeds, but why is this? What factors affect the speed of sound? Physics - Waves - Learning Points. Speed of sound depends on many different factors. Temperature, elasticity and...
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Cloud in a Bottle
We create a cloud in a bottle using warm water and smoke. Some warm water is placed in a plastic bottle and then some smoke is drawn in using a glowing splint. The bottle is sealed and then squeezed and released. The change in pressure...
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Burning Bubbles
We investigate the properties of two types of gas bubbles: methane gas bubbles and bubbles of the gas we breathe out. The air-filled bubbles sink and we are unable to set them alight, while the methane bubbles float upwards and are...
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The Bends
The potentially deadly threat changes in pressure pose for divers. What happens when a diver experiences the bends, and how can they be saved? Physics - Forces - Learning Points. The Bends is decompression sickness, which affects divers...
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Types of Weather: Wind
What is wind and what are localised winds? Find out about the global cycles which take winds right across the world. Earth Science - Weather - Learning Points. Wind begins with the difference in air pressure. Air moves from areas of high...
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The Dark Side of Oxygen
We depend on oxygen for life. But in fact, oxygen is corrosive: ageing us, damaging cell DNA, and 'rusting' us from the inside. Biology - Human Body - Learning Points. Oxygen is vital in powering every cell and process in the human body....
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Lightning - Atmospheric Discharge
A high-current electrical discharge in the atmosphere that may occur during thunderstorms, or sometimes dust storms or volcanic eruptions. A Twig Science Glossary Film. Key scientific terms defined in just 60 seconds using stunning...
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Propulsion
The process of pushing or moving an object forwards. A Twig Science Glossary Film. Key scientific terms defined in just 60 seconds using stunning images and concise textual definitions. Twig Science Glossary Films reinforce abstract...
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Weather
The state of the atmosphere at a specific time and place, including factors such as temperature and pressure, wind speed, and precipitation. A Twig Science Glossary Film. Key scientific terms defined in just 60 seconds using stunning...