In this video Paul Andersen explains how the polarity of water makes life on the planet possible. Oxygen is highly electronegative and pulls the electrons closely creating a partial negative charge. The polarity of water (and the...

In this video Paul Andersen explains how the perceived frequency of a source depends on the motion of both the source and the observer. As a source approaches an observer the frequency will increase and as it moves away it will...

In this video Paul Andersen discriminates between spontaneous (or thermodynamically favored) processes and those that are not spontaneous. A spontaneous process requires no external energy source. If the enthalpy change in a reaction...

It seems like a good idea to stretch before exercising, but does it actually prevent injuries, or improve your performance?

Mr. Andersen contrasts nuclear reactions to chemical reactions. He explains the four main forces of nature; including gravity, electromagnetism, strong, and weak nuclear forces. He also explains how fusion differs from fission.

High elevations can be a problem for humans. Since the air is thinner, you get less oxygen with every breath, leading to all kinds of negative side effects. But there are millions of people around the world who spend their whole lives at...

At TED2010, Bill Gates unveils his vision for the world's energy future, describing the need for "miracles" to avoid planetary catastrophe and explaining why he's backing a dramatically different type of nuclear reactor. The necessary...

Hank calls in a friend to do his push ups for him today to explain how skeletal muscles work together to create and reverse movements. Hank and Claire also demonstrate the role size plays in motor units, the three phase cycle of...

In this video Paul Andersen explains how the electric field strength is directly related to the amount of charge that generates the field.

In this video Paul Andersen explains how the strong nuclear force holds the nucleus together in spite of repulsive electrostatic charges acting on the nucleons. Mesons exchanged between nucleons keep the nucleus intact and gluons...

If we, or any conscious being is around to witness the very distant future our galaxy, what will they see? How long will life persist as the stars begin to die?

In this video Paul Andersen explains how the continuity equation is an application of conservation of matter in a fluid. The continuity equation may apply to either mass or volumetric flow. Example problem and examples are included.

Dutch artist Piet Mondrian's abstract, rectangular paintings inspired mathematicians to create a two-fold challenge. Can you solve the puzzle and get to the lowest score possible? Gordon Hamilton shows how.

There are a number of scenarios that can make us sweat_including exercise, eating spicy foods, and nervousness. But how does this substance suddenly materialize, and what exactly is its purpose? John Murnan explores the science behind...

Hunger claws at your belly. It tugs at your intestines, which begin to writhe, aching to be fed. Being hungry generates a powerful and often unpleasant physical sensation that's almost impossible to ignore. After you've reacted by...

Chemicals are in everything we see, and the reactions between them can look like anything from rust on a spoon to an explosion on your stovetop. But why do these reactions happen in the first place? Kareem Jarrah answers this question by...

Over our lifetimes, our bodies undergo a series of extraordinary metamorphoses: we grow, experience puberty, and many of us reproduce. Behind the scenes, the endocrine system works constantly to orchestrate these changes. Emma Bryce...

In this video Paul Andersen explains how a sine or cosine wave can describe the position of the wave based on wavelength or wave period. A wave function can the position of a wave as a function or the amplitude and wavelength or the...

It's common knowledge: you drink a lot of coffee, you're definitely going to poop. What isn't common knowledge is why your body reacts that way

Why do people often buy the same brands over and over again?

Africa’s Sahara desert is a prime location, some say, to build arrays of solar panels and wind turbines. But scientists are aware that building these structures can potentially have large-scale effects on the surrounding environment that...

In this video Paul Andersen explains how the First Law of Thermodynamics applies to an ideal gas in a piston. A pressure-volume graph can be used to determine the type of thermodynamic process. Included is a discussion of and P-V...

You've heard about them, but do you how they work? Or why they suck? Hank explains the science behind performance enhancers, including steroids, blood doping, and that stuff supposedly made out of deer antlers. You'll never look at...

In February of 1942, Mexican farmer Dionisio Pulido thought he heard thunder coming from his cornfield. However, the sound wasn't coming from the sky. The source was a large, smoking crack emitting gas and ejecting rocks, and would come...