In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, theater was evolving rapidly in Europe. Impresarios like Georg II, Duke of the Duchy of Saxe Meinengen (in what is now Germany), were pushing theater troupes to new heights of realism. New...

What comes to mind when you think about the most fun moments of your life? Science journalist Catherine Price asked thousands of people across the world this question, and their answers led her to a new definition of "true" fun: a...

Crop physiologist Guntur V. Subbarao and his team have developed an antibiotic-infused strain of wheat that naturally combats harmful, fertilizer-eating bacteria -- a "monster" contributor to climate change. Learn more about how this...

Have you ever been forced to limit your identity to a single box on an application, survey or census questionnaire? For many, it is a futile and overall outdated exercise, especially for those with multiracial and multi-ethnic...

Hard work, resilience and grit lead to success, right? This narrative pervades the way we think, says economist Darrick Hamilton, but the truth is that our chances at economic security have less to do with what we do and more to do with...

Roller coasters give people the opportunity to experience physics in dramatic ways. In this episode of SciShow, we break down how physics work on roller coasters to give you the ride of your life!

In this video Paul Andersen explains the importance of models and visual representations in an AP Biology class. Science practices are overarching skills and knowledge required to be successful in an AP Biology classroom. Models for...

Researchers have been able to engineer super-strong fibers made of muscle proteins with the help of protein-assembling microbes. And some other research might eliminate the need to temper chocolate, a part of the chocolate production...

At the heart of alchemy was the quest to turn ordinary metals into gold. Despite the hopelessness of that goal, alchemists still made a lot of discoveries that formed the foundation of modern chemistry and medicine.

How do companies like SpaceX make sudden breakthroughs on decades-old challenges? Emerging tech expert Antoine Gourévitch explains how deep tech -- a new approach to innovation that merges science, engineering and design thinking -- is...

In this video Michael Aranda explains what the Leidenfrost Effect is, and how it can cause liquid to 'levitate'.

Before he hit eighteen, Fred Swaniker had lived in Ghana, Gambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe. What he learned from a childhood across Africa was that while good leaders can't make much of a difference in societies with strong institutions, in...

This week, researchers announced a novel cancer drug has become the first of its kind to reach clinical trials. Also, new research into vampire bat friendships could help us learn more about animal (and human) behavior.

economic growth is the defining challenge of our time; without it, political and social instability rises, human progress stagnates and societies grow dimmer. But, says economist Dambisa Moyo, dogmatic capitalism isn't creating the...

Mass surveillance is worse than you think, but the solutions are simpler than you realize, says lawyer, technologist and TED Fellow Albert Fox Cahn. Breaking down the crude tactics law enforcement uses to sweep up massive amounts of data...

For architect Ole Scheeren, the people who live and work inside a building are as much a part of that building as concrete, steel and glass. He asks: Can architecture be about collaboration and storytelling instead of the isolation and...

In this video Paul Andersen explains how the CRISPR/Cas immune system was identified in bacteria and how the CRISPR/Cas9 system was developed to edit genomes.

In this short, provocative talk, financier Sangu Delle questions whether microfinance — small loans to small entrepreneurs -- is the best way to drive growth in developing countries. "We seem to be fixated on this romanticized idea that...

Stretching over roughly nine million square kilometers and with sands reaching temperatures of up to 80° Celsius, the Sahara Desert receives about 22 million terawatt hours of energy from the Sun every year. That's well over 100 times...

The combined market capitalization of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google is now equivalent to the GDP of India. How did these four companies come to infiltrate our lives so completely? In a spectacular rant, Scott Galloway shares...

A perfumer from Ancient Babylon named Tapputi-Belatekallim is possibly history's first recorded chemist, and some of the techniques she used are still in practice today.

Scientists have known for some time that certain animals can breathe using their butts, but now, researchers have determined that certain mammals can too! And in very much other news, researchers in Washington state have developed a new...

It’s kind of a pain to get out of the pool just to use the bathroom, plus chlorine is a disinfectant so it is fine to pee in the pool, right? Well, it turns out that might give you some health issues.

This week in news: Scientist successfully breed mice using same-sex parents and some very clever genetic engineering.