Hank talks about population genetics, which helps to explain the evolution of populations over time by combing the principles of Mendel and Darwin, and by means of the Hardy-Weinberg equation.

Death is what fungi are all about. By feasting on the deceased remains of almost all organisms on the planet, converting the organic matter back into soil from which new life will spring, they perform perhaps the most vital function in...

In order to become a butterfly, a caterpillar's body dissolves almost completely and is rebuilt from its own juices. Butterflies are just a few of the 800,000 insect species that transition from larvae to adults through complete...

There are about 500 species of squid, and they live in all the world's oceans, making them a reliable food source for whales, dolphins, sharks, seabirds, fish - and even other squid. As a result, the squid's most extraordinary...

Check out the fascinating ways orchids trick insects into pollinating, using sexual deception, pheromones and mimicking the shapes of other plants. -- Nearly 28,000 species of orchid grow all around the world, bearing every...

SciShow explores one of the more rare and unusual results of sexual reproduction: gynandromorphy, in which an animal is part male and part female.

Evolution doesn't care about ethics - it cares about surviving and getting your alleles out there as much as possible. From that perspective, cannibalism can seem like a pretty good idea to some creatures. Hank introduces us to three...

Cheetahs are fast. You know this. But which is faster: a cheetah, or a Tyrannosaurus rex?

Humans make a lot of noise! Transportation, industries, & how we work and play in natural spaces all have an impact on the sound we put out every day, and all this noise pollution is disrupting how animals use sound to communicate.

Hanging out in the trees of Central and South America are some frogs with pretty unusual coloration. Which is to say, parts of them have no color at all. Their bellies are completely see-through!

Did humans evolve from monkeys or from fish? In this enlightening talk, ichthyologist and TED Fellow Prosanta Chakrabarty dispels some hardwired myths about evolution, encouraging us to remember that we're a small part of a complex,...

Why Poor Places Are More Diverse

Inside our cells, each of us has a second set of genes completely separate from our 23 pairs of chromosomes. And this isn't just true for humans— it's true of every animal, plant, and fungus on Earth. This second genome belongs to our...

Slime can be great, but when it's the wrong kind of slime (you know, the kind that can kill you?), it gets added to the list of things Hank wishes he didn't have to worry about. Scientists call it biofilm, and it's a type of bacterial...

Why are GMOs bad? They aren't. They just aren't, not intrinsically, and certainly not for your health. We've been eating them for decades with no ill effects, which makes sense, because a genetically modified organism is simply an...

There’s no doubt that fish is a great source of protein in one’s diet. But the debate about whether fish farming or commercial fishing is worse for the environment continues and, as you might suspect, there isn’t a straightforward answer.

Do We Have to Get Old and Die?

Our early ancestors relied on lightning to cause forest fires, from which they could collect coals and burning sticks to help them cook food and clear land. Yet, it wasn't just humans who benefited from these natural phenomena. Even as...

Oxygen is so essential for animals that every multicellular species we’ve ever studied has the ability to use oxygen to create energy... except one.

Hank shares news about the biggest animal in the history of ever -- blue whales -- and explains the lessons learned in a new study of human morality, using smartphones.

Our planet was once populated by megafauna, big top-of-the-food-chain predators that played their part in balancing our ecosystems. When those megafauna disappear, the result is a "trophic cascade," where every part of the ecosystem...

A quarter of all prescription drugs in the U.S. come from substances that are found only in plants. In this episode of SciShow, we take a look at four of these talented plants who make our lives better.

With sandwiches and toast, sourdough bread always adds an extra accented flavor to your meals. But where does the signature tartness come from?

Research suggests that more diverse ecosystems are better for the bottom line.