SciShow
What the Wright Brothers Should Actually Be Famous For
For the pioneers of human aviation, one of the trickiest problems was figuring out how to steer the early craft. Then, the Wright Brothers changed everything by using bike parts and watching birds.
TED Talks
George Papandreou: Imagine a European democracy without borders
Greece has been the poster child for European economic crisis, but former Prime Minister George Papandreou wonders if it's just a preview of what's to come. “Our democracies," he says, "are trapped by systems that are too big to fail, or...
Crash Course
Émile Durkheim on Suicide & Society: Crash Course Sociology
Now that we’ve talked a little bit about how sociology works, it’s time to start exploring some of the ideas of the discipline’s founders. First up: Émile Durkheim. We’ll explain the concept of social facts and how Durkheim framed...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: The original ring of power | Alex Gendler
More than 2,000 years ago, the Greek philosopher Plato recounted the legend of the Ring of Gyges in "Republic." The story of the ring surfaces as the philosopher, Socrates, and his student discuss why people act justly: is it because...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Why should you read Dante's "Divine Comedy"? | Sheila Marie Orfano
Abandon all hope, ye who enter here... Inscribed above the Gate of Hell, this prophecy sets into motion an epic journey for salvation. Written over 10 years, Dante Alighieri's three-part narrative poem "Divine Comedy" is both an...
TED-Ed
The world's biggest battery looks nothing like a battery | TED-Ed
As of 2020, the world's biggest lithium-ion battery is hooked up to the Southern California power grid and can provide enough power for about 250,000 homes. But it's actually not the biggest battery in the world: a pair of lakes are. How...
TED Talks
David Griffin: How photography connects us
The photo director for National Geographic, David Griffin knows the power of photography to connect us to our world. In a talk filled with glorious images, he talks about how we all use photos to tell our stories.
TED Talks
TED: Governments don't understand cyber warfare. We need hackers | Rodrigo Bijou
The Internet has transformed the front lines of war, and it's leaving governments behind. As security analyst Rodrigo Bijou shows, modern conflict is being waged online between non-state groups, activists and private corporations, and...
TED-Ed
TED-ED: The great brain debate - Ted Altschuler
Throughout history, scientists have proposed conflicting ideas on how the brain carries out functions like perception, memory, and movement. Is each of these tasks carried out by a specific area of the brain? Or do multiple areas work...
Crash Course
Social Thinking: Crash Course Psychology
Why do people do bad things? Is it because of the situation or who they are at their core? In this week's episode of Crash Course Psychology, Hank works to shed a little light on the ideas of Situation vs. Personality. Oh, and we'll have...
Crash Course
Representing Numbers and Letters with Binary: Crash Course Computer Science
Today, we’re going to take a look at how computers use a stream of 1s and 0s to represent all of our data - from our text messages and photos to music and webpages. We’re going to focus on how these binary values are used to represent...
TED Talks
TED: A sex therapist's secret to rediscovering your spark | Ian Kerner
Sex therapist Ian Kerner hears about a common problem from his patients: "failure to launch," or the inability to build and maintain sexual momentum. What's the solution? Whether you're looking to reignite the spark in your relationship...
SciShow
SPACE MINING
Hank summarizes the exciting news about Planetary Resources, a company with plans to mine near-earth asteroids for precious metals and water, and what these plans might mean for humanity's future in space.
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Why should you read Shakespeare's "The Tempest"? - Iseult Gillespie
Explore William Shakespeare’s play “The Tempest”, a story of shipwreck, magic and a fight for power. -- Claps of thunder and flashes of lightning illuminate a swelling sea, as a ship buckles beneath the waves. It is no ordinary storm,...
TED Talks
TED: How teachers can help kids find their political voices | Sydney Chaffee
Social justice belongs in our schools, says educator Sydney Chaffee. In a bold talk, she shows how teaching students to engage in activism helps them build important academic and life skills -- and asks us to rethink how we can use...
TED Talks
TED: How augmented reality could change the future of surgery | Nadine Hachach-Haram
If you're undergoing surgery, you want the best surgical team to collaborate on your case, no matter where they are. Surgeon and entrepreneur Nadine Hachach-Haram is developing a new system that helps surgeons operate together and train...
TED Talks
TED: The good news on poverty (Yes, there's good news) | Bono
Human beings have been campaigning against inequality and poverty for 3,000 years. But this journey is accelerating. Bono "embraces his inner nerd" and shares inspiring data that shows the end of poverty is in sight … if we can harness...
TED Talks
Africa's cheetahs versus hippos - George Ayittey
* Viewer discretion advised. This video includes discussion of mature topics and may be inappropriate for some audiences. Ghanaian economist George Ayittey unleashes a torrent of controlled anger toward corrupt leaders in Africa -- and...
TED-Ed
TED-ED: The evolution of animal genitalia - Menno Schilthuizen
Genitals are the fastest-evolving organs in the animal kingdom. But why is this so? And what's the point of having decorative private parts? Menno Schilthuizen explains how the evolutionary biology of nature's nether regions uncovers a...
TED Talks
TED: How students of color confront impostor syndrome | Dena Simmons
* Viewer discretion advised. This video includes discussion of mature topics and may be inappropriate for some audiences. As a black woman from a tough part of the Bronx who grew up to attain all the markers of academic prestige, Dena...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Can you solve the giant iron riddle? - Alex Gendler
The family of giants you work for is throwing a fancy dinner party, but there’s a problem — the elder giant’s favorite shirt is wrinkled! To fix it, you’ll need to power up the giant iron. It needs two batteries to work, but the baby...
TED Talks
Philip K. Howard: Four ways to fix a broken legal system
The land of the free has become a legal minefield, says Philip K. Howard -- especially for teachers and doctors, whose work has been paralyzed by fear of suits. What's the answer? A lawyer himself, Howard has four propositions for...
SciShow
The VASIMR Engine: How to Get to Mars in 40 Days
Chemical engines can only move us through the solar system so quickly, but a faster method is being engineered right now that could get us to Mars in just 40 days!