In which John presents Mesopotamia, and the early civilizations that arose around the Fertile Crescent. Topics covered include the birth of territorial kingdoms, empires, Neo-Assyrian torture tactics, sacred marriages, ancient labor...

The thing about European History is that it tends to leak out of Europe. Europeans haven't been great at staying put in Europe. As human beings do, the people of Europe were very busy traveling around to trade, to spread religion, and in...

The Renaissance was a cultural revitalization that spread across Europe, and had repercussions across the globe, but one smallish city-state in Italy was in many ways the epicenter of the thing. Florence, or as Italians might say,...

We've been talking a lot about kings, and queens, and wars, and religious upheaval for most of this series, but let's take a moment to zoom out, and look at the ways that individuals' lives were changing in the time span we've covered so...

In this video Paul Andersen shows you how to construct explanations in a mini-lesson on evidence-based reasoning. Two examples are included in the video and two additional examples are included in the linked thinking slides. <br/>

In this video Paul Andersen shows you how to INSERTPRACTICE in a mini-lesson on INSERTTITLEHERE. Two examples are included in the video and two additional examples are included in the linked thinking slides. <br/>

In this video Paul Andersen shows you how to use mathematical and computational thinking in a mini-lesson on mathematical representations. Two examples are included in the video and two additional examples are included in the linked...

In this video Paul Andersen shows you how to INSERTPRACTICE in a mini-lesson on INSERTTITLEHERE. Two examples are included in the video and two additional examples are included in the linked thinking slides.

As a teenager, social entrepreneur Anshul Tewari didn’t see young voices represented in the conversations that mattered. His solution? A simple blog that has since transformed into Youth Ki Awaaz (Voice of the Youth): India’s largest...

After having solved the small matter of evolution by natural selection - becoming one of the most famous scientists in the world in the process - Charles Darwin turned his focus to a different personal obsession…

Our lizard friend the Gila monster probably has no idea that a chemical in its spit inspired one of the most important medical advancements of the 21st century. But this story is really about something bigger. Something deeper, beneath...

Low-E windows have reduced the amount of energy required to heat and cool our buildings, a critical step in fighting climate change. But new research suggests we've lost something beneficial in the process.



Hosted by: Hank...

If you've ever heard about things like mammoths being found in permafrost, you may have an image in your head of what that looks like. But you might be wrong! So let's talk about what permafrost really is, why it's so important, and...

Scott Loarie has a challenge for you: go outside and take a picture of a living thing. He introduces the global community of people building a living atlas of the natural world by sharing their nature photos with scientists — and shows...

The option to work from home means that work truly works for everyone, says Avani Prabhakar, chief people officer of a large tech company. She explains how flexibility and asynchronous collaboration in a distributed workplace can unlock...

Your inner voice is a powerful tool for self-reflection and planning, but it can also trap you in negative thought loops — “chatter,” as psychologist and neuroscientist Ethan Kross calls it. He shares tips for quieting the less helpful...

Plants can tell when competitors are nearby because they can see them.

There’s an island in the Caribbean where David used to perform magic tricks for monkeys. And it was super cool because it suggested that they have the ability to count! (but only up to four)

An investment scam called “pig butchering” has cost victims around the world an estimated $75 billion in just the last four years, and it's not just the targets who are being harmed. The imposters on the other end of the line are often...

The next entry in our parade of heroes is Rama, the protagonist of the Ramayana, one of India's oldest stories. We're going to be talking about Rama's importance to Hindu culture, and how Rama fits into Campbell's idea of the Hero's...

You can't just "find" motivation, says scientist Ayelet Fishbach — you have to learn how to motivate yourself. She shares a handful of tips backed by 20 years of motivation research, offering surprisingly simple wisdom on how to optimize...

From a boy setting off small explosions in his living room to the creator of world-famous pyrotechnic events, multidisciplinary artist Cai Guo-Qiang has always been drawn to gunpowder. He gives a stunning tour of his work — including his...

Telegram founder Pavel Durov, a self-proclaimed free speech absolutist, faces scrutiny as his platform navigates the complexities of enabling open communication while addressing criminal misuse, including child sexual abuse material....

Friendships can change how we see and move through the world. They can boost our academic performance, help us deal with setbacks, and even improve our health. And the relationships we form in adolescence can shape our beliefs, values,...