MinuteEarth
The Secret Global Sewer System
Ditches and drain pipes help crops survive but can negatively impact the broader landscape.
SciShow
What If We Killed All the Wasps?
Unlike their friendly, flower-pollinating cousin, the bee, wasps are best known for stinging people, ruining picnics, and generally being jerks... so should we just totally get rid of them?
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Can we create the "perfect" farm? | Brent Loken
About 10,000 years ago, humans began to farm. This agricultural revolution was a turning point in our history and enabled the existence of civilization. Today, nearly 40 percent of our planet is farmland. Spread all over the world, these...
SciShow
Engineering Plants That Fertilize Themselves to Save the World
Humans have relied on fertilizers to grow their plants for thousands of years. But the production of synthetic fertilizers also requires an immense amount of energy that comes primarily from fossil fuels and therefore contributes to...
TED-Ed
TED-ED: Do we really need pesticides? - Fernan Perez-Galvez
Annually, we shower over 5 billion pounds of pesticides across the Earth to control insects, unwanted weeds, funguses, rodents, and bacteria that may threaten our food supply. But is it worth it, knowing what we do about the associated...
SciShow
Why are GMOs Bad?
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...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Are we running out of clean water? - Balsher Singh Sidhu
Despite water covering 71% of the planet’s surface, more than half the world’s population endures extreme water scarcity for at least one month a year. Current estimates predict that by 2040, up to 20 more countries could be experiencing...
Bozeman Science
Loss of Biodiversity
In this video Paul Andersen explains how biodiversity measures the variety of genes, species, and ecosystems on the planet. Biodiversity provides resources and ecosystem services for humans on the planet. He also explains how...
Crash Course Kids
Water Fight!
So, what happens when there's not enough water? Well... not good things. Do we let homes have more water for showering and cooking? Or do we let farms have the water for growing crops? There aren't any easy solutions, but today Sabrina...
Crash Course Kids
Water Fix!
How can we fix water shortages? Well, we know that shortages are a problem and can cause fighting because water is a resource. When you limit a resource, things get scary. But, in this episode of Crash Course Kids, Sabrina talks about...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: The myth of Hades and Persephone | Iseult Gillespie
One day, Persephone was frolicking in a meadow with the nymph, Cyane. As they admired a flower, they noticed it tremble in the ground. Suddenly, the earth split, and a terrifying figure arose. It was Hades, god of the underworld. He...
TED-Ed
TED-ED: The chemical reaction that feeds the world - Daniel D. Dulek
How do we grow crops quickly enough to feed the Earth's billions? It's called the Haber process, which turns the nitrogen in the air into ammonia, easily converted in soil to the nitrate plants need to survive. Though it has increased...
Crash Course
What is Soil (and Why is it Important)?: Crash Course Geography
Soil brings together all four spheres of physical geography, and understanding soil composition is kind of like baking! So in today's episode, we're going to show you how to create the perfect soil cake, examine its different soil...
Crash Course
Price Controls, Subsidies, and the Risks of Good Intentions: Crash Course Economics
So, during times of inflation or deflation, why doesn't the government just set prices? It sounds reasonable, but price ceilings or floors just don't work. Adriene and Jacob explain why. Subsidies, however, are a little different, and...
Crash Course
Controlling the Environment: Crash Course History of Science
Well, it wouldn't be too long after we started developing Ecology that we would try to control the environment. In some ways this was helpful and likely prevented a lot of people from starving. But, there have been a few downsides.
MinuteEarth
The Bird Poop That Changed The World
Thanks to my grandmother for inspiring this story, and to my mother for helping make it. Bird poop was the gateway fertilizer that turned humanity onto the imported-chemical-based farming system of modern agriculture....
SciShow
What's Happening to Honey Bees
You've probably heard about the sudden and mysterious drop in honey bee populations throughout the U.S.A. and Europe. Beekeepers used to report average losses in their worker bees of about 5-10% a year, but starting around 2006, that...
Bozeman Science
Soil and Soil Dynamics
In this video Paul Andersen explains how soils are formed and classified. Weathering of rock creates particles which are mixed with water, air, and organic material. Soils are classified according to particle size, chemical makeup, and...
MinuteEarth
Why Our Favorite Crops Live Fast and Die Young
We mostly grow annual plants because they reliably produce energy-rich seeds, which we like to eat. ___________________________________________ To learn more, start your googling with these keywords: Annual: a plant that typically lives...
PBS
How Climate Change Will Affect Your Wallet
New ReviewWhether it's energy, food or insurance, how much more you'll pay in the future depends a lot on where you live. But because of climate change, virtually no one will get away scot-free. The global economy is remarkably versatile and...
Professor Dave Explains
The Beginnings of Human Civilization
For a long time humans were hunter-gatherers. But at a certain point, human civilization began to flourish. This involved large cities of thousands of people, social stratification, trade specialization, and record-keeping. Agriculture...
Curated Video
How to Get Rid of Stink Bugs
Howcast - Learn how to get rid of stink bugs in this Howcast pest control video with expert Jeff White.
Curated Video
How to Buy a Horse Riding Crop
Howcast - Horse riding whips and crops are designed for a variety of purposes, including show jumping, dressage, cross-country, hacking, schooling and polo. Here are some guidelines for choosing a perfect fit.
Curated Video
Israel-Hezbollah tensions: Near daily exchange of fire affecting livelihoods
Southern Lebanon farmers face daily Israeli attacks, torn between livelihoods on the land and escalating conflict forcing others to flee.