In which Mike Rugnetta quests for knowledge of the Holy Grail of Mythology. Which is the actual, literal Holy Grail! The cup of Christ! Legends about the Holy Grail are often connected to the British legends of King Arthur, and this...

Hyenas weren’t always able to eat bones. In fact, only a few million years ago, they lived very different lives.

Kate DiCamillo, Newberry winner for "The Tale of Despereaux" (Mar. 30, 2004) (Author Interview)

English is a confusing language for many reasons. But the irregular verbs might be the most confusing part. Why is "told" the past tense of "tell" but "smold" isn't the past tense of "smell"? It turns out that the study of irregular...

In which John Green returns to William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet to explore the themes of true love, lust, and whether Romeo and Juliet were truly, deeply in love, or they were just a pair of impetuous teens. How exactly did Romeo...

In which Mike Rugnetta quests for knowledge of the Holy Grail of Mythology. Which is the actual, literal Holy Grail! The cup of Christ! Legends about the Holy Grail are often connected to the British legends of King Arthur, and this...

About 2500 years ago, the writing of history as we understand it didn't really exist. Then, a man called Herodotus witnessed the Persian invasions of Greece and decided to find out why they happened. Mark Robinson investigates how the...

There have been a lot of scientific discoveries around COVID, but other science stories did happen in 2020 — including amazing discoveries about everything from dinosaurs to parasites.

This week, John Green continues to teach you about Margaret Atwood's speculative fiction, The Handmaid's Tale. In this installment, we're looking at Atwood's desire to tell a story from a female point of view, and what exactly it means...

A portly Miller, barely able to sit on his horse, rambles on about the flighty wife of a crotchety old carpenter and the scholar she takes as her lover. This might sound like a bawdy joke, but it's part of one of the most esteemed works...

In 1884, the British steamer “Rumney” crashed into the French ship “Frigorifique.” Seeing their ship filling with water, the French crew climbed aboard the “Rumney.” But as they sailed towards port, a silent form emerged from the fog –...

Reading and stories can be an escape from real life, a window into another world -- but have you ever considered how new fictional experiences might change your perspective on real, everyday life? From Pride and Prejudice to Harry...

A samurai is found dead in a quiet bamboo grove. One by one, the crime's only known witnesses recount their version of the events. But as they each tell their tale, it becomes clear that every testimony is plausible yet different. And...

In which John Green teaches you about Margaret Atwood's speculative fiction novel, The Handmaid's Tale. John looks at some of the themes in this classic dystopian novel, many of which are kind of a downer. The world of Gilead that Atwood...

Margaret Atwood's speculative fiction masterpiece The Handmaid's Tale explores the consequences of complacency and how power can be wielded unfairly. Atwood's chilling vision of a dystopian regime has captured readers' imaginations since...

The legend of the werewolf—the idea of a person turning into a wolf—has terrified and fascinated people for centuries. Stories of werewolves date back to ancient Greece and the Middle Ages, often linked with fear of the unknown and the...

This video examines elements of a ballad to depict the author's tale.

Beowulf is one of the oldest and most famous stories in English literature. In this video, we explore the epic tale of the brave warrior Beowulf, his fierce battles with monsters like Grendel and the dragon, and the important themes of...

Around the time of King Stephen, a story was told of two children appearing one day in the village of Woolpit, speaking a strange language, wearing strange clothes....and with green skin? What was going on? Could aliens have visited...

Tom Thomas, Simka and Nolik decide to put on a shadow play and Nolik wants to play the brave and tall hunter. Unfortunately he is too small for the part… until he learns how to change the size of his shadow!

Loch Ness, the largest lake along Scotland's Great Glen, is famously known for its legendary resident, the Loch Ness Monster, or "Nessie." Described as having a small head, long neck, and flippers, the creature's legend dates back to a...

In the 19th century, advancements in trade and greenhouse technology enabled the global transport of plants, sparking fascination with exotic and sometimes dangerous flora. This led to a rise in fictional tales of carnivorous plants,...

Discover the unique bond between humans and dolphins, from scientific research using drones to their roles in rescue missions and entertainment. Delve into how these intelligent creatures contribute to safety, science, and popular...

Existing somewhere between boogeyman, scapegoat, and temperamental fae, the known trickster called Púca is an animal-spirit that was once dreaded across Ireland, the Channel Islands, and England.