PBS
The plastic industry knowingly pushed recycling myth for decades, new report finds
The world produces an average of 430 million metric tons of plastic each year. The United States alone produces tens of millions of tons of plastic waste annually. Yet on average, only about 5 to 6 percent of plastic in the U.S. is...
PBS
‘To Be A Jew Today’ examines modern, multifaceted faith and struggle
In Noah Feldman’s latest book, “To Be A Jew Today,” the Harvard Law professor turns his focus to his own faith in order to understand identity, politics and culture. Feldman sits down with Amna Nawaz to discuss Jews’ relationship to...
SciShow
This Neuron Helps People Walk Again | SciShow News
There’s been some big news in neuron science this week as individuals suffering paralysis regain mobility and music might have a secret that gets us to dance.
PBS
If you think you know everything, you can't learn anything'
When students come into Dan Levitin's lab, he spends most of his time trying to teach them that they don't know everything they think they do. "Knowledge can only be created in an environment where we're open to the possibility that...
PBS
Bob Woodward: This Is Among 'The Saddest, Most Disturbing Chapters In American History'
Recent reporting from veteran journalist Bob Woodward of The Washington Post created political shockwaves. Woodward’s newest book, “Rage,” features18 on-the-record interviews and recordings of President Trump talking about topics from...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Did the Amazons really exist? - Adrienne Mayor
It was long assumed that Amazons, the fierce and fearsome women warriors of Greece, were imaginary. But curiously enough, stories from ancient Egypt, Persia, the Middle East, Central Asia, India and China also featured Amazon-like...
Crash Course
Slavery, Ghosts, and Beloved: Crash Course Literature 214
In which John Green teaches you about Beloved by Toni Morrison. I'll warn you up front, this book is something of a downer. That's because it deals with subjects like slavery, the death of a child, a potential haunting, and a bunch of...
SciShow
Mysterious Mars News
Hank brings us news from planets all around the solar system: Mars, Mercury, and even planet Earth have been in the news lately. A retraction from NASA about the Curiosity mission; the discovery of water and organic material in craters...
TED Talks
TED: How art can shape America's conversation about freedom | Dread Scott
* Viewer discretion advised. This video includes discussion of mature topics and may be inappropriate for some audiences. In this quick talk, visual artist Dread Scott tells the story of one of his most transgressive art installations,...
Crash Course
Japan in the Heian Period and Cultural History: Crash Course World History 227
In which John Green teaches you about what westerners call the middle ages and the lives of the aristocracy...in Japan. The Heian period in Japan lasted from 794CE to 1185CE, and it was an interesting time in Japan. Rather than being...
Crash Course
Things Fall Apart, Part 2: Crash Course Literature 209
In which John Green concludes teaching you about Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart. You'll learn about the historical contexts of Things Fall Apart, including 19th century colonization and 20th century decolonization. We're going to...
TED Talks
TED: How a "Hi Level" mindset helps you realize your potential | Cordae
What does it take to build a legacy? Hip-hop artist Cordae tells how he went from mixtape-dropping high school kid to Grammy-nominated music star whose "Hi Level" mindset helps him achieve his dreams.
TED Talks
Richard Dawkins: Militant atheism
Richard Dawkins urges all atheists to openly state their position -- and to fight the incursion of the church into politics and science. A fiery, funny, powerful talk.
Crash Course
Money & Debt: Crash Course World History 202
In which John Green teaches about filthy, filthy lucre. Money. And Debt. So, what is money? And what is it for? And why do we use money? And why does it all disappear so quickly after payday? John will look into 75% of these questions,...
SciShow
No, We Did Not Just Solve Dark Matter and Dark Energy - SciShow News
A paper published last week proposed a hypothesis that identified 95% of the missing stuff in the universe, but the headlines have been a little over-hyped.
TED Talks
TED: Don't fear intelligent machines. Work with them | Garry Kasparov
We must face our fears if we want to get the most out of technology -- and we must conquer those fears if we want to get the best out of humanity, says Garry Kasparov. One of the greatest chess players in history, Kasparov lost a...
TED Talks
TED: Can we prevent the end of the world? | Martin Rees
A post-apocalyptic Earth, emptied of humans, seems like the stuff of science fiction TV and movies. But in this short, surprising talk, Lord Martin Rees asks us to think about our real existential risks — natural and human-made threats...
Crash Course
100 Years of Solitude Part 1: Crash Course Literature 306
Our first of two episodes about Gabriel Garcia Marquez's novel, 100 Years of Solitude. This week, we're looking at the Buendia family, and their many generations of people with the same names. We'll also look at the fascinating way the...
TED Talks
Peter Saul: Let's talk about dying
We can't control if we'll die, but we can "occupy death," in the words of Peter Saul, an emergency doctor. He asks us to think about the end of our lives -- and to question the modern model of slow, intubated death in hospital. Two big...
Crash Course
The War on Drugs: Crash Course Black American History #42
The War on Drugs is a decades-long United States policy intended to curb illegal drug use and trafficking. Long story short: it has not worked to reduce drug use or trade, and the policy has had devastating effects, especially on...
Crash Course
Drought and Famine: Crash Course World History
In which John Green teaches you a little bit about drought, which is a natural weather phenomenon, and famine, which is almost always the result of human activity. Throughout human history, when food shortages strike humanity, there was...
Crash Course
The Parable of the Sower: Crash Course Literature 406
This week, John is teaching you about the near-future dystopia in Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower. Parable of the Sower tells the story of Lauren Oya Olamina, and her life growing up in a post-climate change, semi-lawless America....
TED Talks
James B. Glattfelder: Who controls the world?
James Glattfelder studies complexity: how an interconnected system -- say, a swarm of birds -- is more than the sum of its parts. And complexity theory, it turns out, can reveal a lot about how the world economy works. Glattfelder shares...
Crash Course
Sula: Crash Course Literature
This week, John is talking about Toni Morrison's novel of friendship, betrayal, and loss, Sula. Sula tells the story of two African American girls, the town where they grew up, the tragic even that was central to their youth, and the...