After a concert, you find it difficult to hear your friend rave about the show. It sounds like they're speaking from across the room, and it's tough to make out their voice over the ringing in your ears. But, by the next morning, the...

Paul Andersen explains how signal transduction pathways are used by cells to convert chemical messages to cellular action. Epinephrine is used as a sample messenger to trigger the release of glucose from cells in the liver. The...

Humans have long known that glass bends light. However, it took us awhile to figure out that stacking lenses in a tube would open up a whole new world to science, finally allowing us a peek at the microscopic.

Hank fills us in on the endocrine system - the system of glands which produce and secrete different types of hormones directly into the bloodstream to regulate the body's growth, metabolism, and sexual development & function.

Scientists believe that your taste receptors are meant for taste, but how do they explain the taste receptors on your lungs?

Explore chromosomes and karyotypes with the Amoeba Sisters! This video explains chromosome structure, how chromosomes are counted, why chromosomes are important, and how they can be arranged in a karyotype! This video also tackles a few...

Paul Andersen explains how disruptions in homeostasis can affect biological systems at all levels. He uses the example of dehydration in animals to explain how disruptions at the cellular level can affect an organism. He also uses the...

Genetically modifying plants and animals is complicated business, but some scientists think this tool could be used to save lives in a variety of ways.

Honeybees are some of nature's finest mathematicians. Not only can they calculate angles and comprehend the roundness of the earth, these smart insects build and live in one of the most mathematically efficient architectural designs...

Paul Andersen describes the important characteristics of viruses. He starts with a brief description of origin theories. He then describes the two characteristics of all viruses; genetic information and protein coats. He also...

Explore the science of the groundbreaking technology for editing genes, called CRISPR- Cas9, and how the tool could be used to cure diseases. -- From the smallest single-celled organism to the largest creatures on Earth, every living...

Paul Andersen explains how feedback loops allow living organisms to maintain homeostasis. He uses thermoregulation in mammals to explain how a negative feedback loop functions. He uses fruit ripening to explain how a positive feedback...

Hydrogen Peroxide: It fizzes, it stings, but does it actually do you any good? Find out on this week's Quick Question!

There’s one kind of tumor that’s basically straight out of a horror movie...

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When ultraviolet sunlight hits our skin, it affects each of us differently. Depending on skin color, it'll take only minutes of exposure to turn one person beetroot-pink, while another requires hours to experience the slightest change....

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...

In 2008, something incredible happened: a man was cured of HIV. In over 70 million HIV cases, this was a first, and, so far, a last, and we don't yet understand exactly how he was cured. But if we can cure people of various diseases,...

Explore the cell cycle with the Amoeba Sisters and an important example of when it is not controlled: cancer. Table of Contents: 00:00 Intro 1:00 Cell Growth and Cell Reproduction 1:42 Cancer (explaining uncontrolled cell growth) 3:27...

When it comes to our blood-producing stem cells, biologists have learned that bigger is not better. And a study has taken a look at the accomplishments and obstacles of an in-progress attempt to restore a large belt of degraded land...

Bamboo is the world’s fastest growing plant thanks to the cell elongation process it shares with all grasses and its unique cell wall layering adaptation, allowing it to shoot up to 100 ft (30m) in just 8 weeks.

Paul Andersen explains how epinephrine is responsible for changes in chemistry of our body associated with the fight or flight response. Epinephrine released by the adrenal medulla are received by a number of organs associated with the...

In this video Paul Andersen answers this question about chromosomes. He explains how the base pairs of DNA form genes which are organized into the chromosomes of the overall genome.

Do We Have to Get Old and Die?