TED-Ed
TED-Ed: The myth of Pandora's box - Iseult Gillespie
Pandora was the first mortal woman, breathed into being by Hephaestus, god of fire. The gods gave her gifts of language, craftsmanship and emotion. From Zeus she received two gifts: the trait of curiosity and a heavy box screwed tightly...
SciShow
Do You Need 10,000 Steps a Day?
There are a whole lot of people out there who have bought into the notion that, in order to be physically fit, you should aim for taking 10,000 steps a day. But where did this idea come from, and how did we all agree on this magical,...
SciShow
8 Things People Get Wrong About Animals
If you watched a lot of cartoons as a kid, chances are you picked up some common animal stereotypes like "cats love milk!" or "bears can't get enough of that sweet, sweet honey!" What if we told you that everything cartoons taught you is...
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.
SciShow
Searing Meat Is A Delicious Lie
Your favorite TV chef might have told you to make sure you sear your meat because that nice brown crust helps seal in the moisture, but is that actually how it works? Michael explains the science of your cook out.
SciShow
The Truth About MSG and Your Health
MSG, or monosodium glutamate, got a bad rap in the 1960s when people started complaining of "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome," but that bad reputation was fueled more by xenophobia than science. Turns out, it's just delicious.
SciShow
Vampires: The Science Behind the Myth
You've heard of vampires (pale, undead, sometimes sparkly), but did you know some of these myths have basis in scientific fact?
PBS
What Do Santa and Wrestling Have In Common?
People love Santa. Christmas is the largest holiday in western culture, and Santa Claus is the centerpiece of that holiday (sorry baby Jesus). But even though our understanding of Santa changes as we mature, we still maintain and...
TED Talks
TED: The beauty of being a misfit | Lidia Yuknavitch
To those who feel like they don't belong: there is beauty in being a misfit. Author Lidia Yuknavitch shares her own wayward journey in an intimate recollection of patchwork stories about loss, shame and the slow process of...
TED Talks
TED: The virginity fraud | Nina Dolvik Brochmann and ellen Stokken Dahl
The hymen is still the most misunderstood part of the female body. Nina Dolvik Brochmann and ellen Stokken Dahl share their mission to empower young people through better sex education, debunking the popular (and harmful) myths we're...
TED Talks
David Deutsch: A new way to explain explanation
For tens of thousands of years our ancestors understood the world through myths, and the pace of change was glacial. The rise of scientific understanding transformed the world within a few centuries. Why? Physicist David Deutsch proposes...
SciShow
REALLY Cold Cases Cracked by Science
The history books are full of mysteries, some of which we're just now getting around to solving.
TED Talks
Afra Raymond: Three myths about corruption
Trinidad and Tobago amassed great wealth in the 1970s thanks to oil -- but 2 out of every 3 dollars earmarked for development ended up wasted or stolen. This fact has haunted Afra Raymond for 30 years. Shining a flashlight on a continued...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: The myth of Sisyphus - Alex Gendler
Sisyphus was both a clever ruler who made his city prosperous, and a devious tyrant who seduced his niece and killed visitors to show off his power. While his violation of the sacred hospitality tradition greatly angered the gods, it was...
TED Talks
TED: Why you feel anxious socializing (and what to do about it) | Fallon Goodman
In crowds, at parties, meetings, get-togethers with friends, everyday interactions: social anxiety can show up as an unwelcome guest at any time. But why? Psychologist Fallon Goodman digs into the source of social anxiety, setting the...
TED-Ed
TED-ED: The myth of Oisin and the land of eternal youth - Iseult Gillespie
In a typical hero's journey, the protagonist sets out on an adventure, undergoes great change and returns in triumph to their point of origin. But in the Irish genre of myth known as echtrai, the journey to the otherworld ends in a point...
SciShow
Apocalypse? How?!
Hank debunks several apocalypse theories that predict Earth's demise in 2012.
TED Talks
TED: 4 myths and misunderstandings about doing business in Africa | Nomava Zanazo
Business in Africa is booming -- but international companies are missing out, says emerging markets expert Nomava Zanazo. Rushing in without knowing their customers, businesses underestimate Africans and make costly assumptions about...
SciShow
Its True The Sun Really Does Flash Green
The mythical green flash at sunset isn't actually a myth! Stefan explains why it happens, and how you can see it.
SciShow
Can Animals Predict Earthquakes?
You might have heard about animals behaving oddly right before an earthquake hits. But are these reports more than just anecdotes?
Curated Video
Social Orders and Creation Stories: Crash Course World Mythology
In which Mike Rugnetta sits you down for a little talk about myth as a way to construct or reinforce social orders. Specifically, we're going to look today at stories from around the world that establish or amplify the idea that the...
Be Smart
Nobel Prizes: Past, Present... and Future?
The controversial history, present and future of the Nobel Prizes.
SciShow
The "Disease" That Struck Medieval Church Organs
During long, cold winters in medieval Europe, church organs grew gray, sickly-looking circles that spread over their pipes. People back then believed that this was the work of the devil, but as it turns out, it’s just some pretty simple...
SciShow
Calendars, Codes & Virgins: 3 Myths About the Maya
Hank talks about the Maya, and helps dispel some myths about their historic civilization, revealing how, ultimately, they were just like us: smart, flawed, and awesome.