Be Smart
Why Do More Species Live Near The Equator?
Find out why more species live near the equator!
Crash Course
Speciation: Of Ligers & Men - Crash Course Biology
Hank explains speciation - the evolutionary process by which new biological species arise - in terms of finches, ligers, mules, and dogs.
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Meet the tardigrade, the toughest animal on Earth - Thomas Boothby
Without water, a human can only survive for about 100 hours. But there's a creature so resilient that it can go without it for decades. This 1-millimeter animal can survive both the hottest and coldest environments on earth, and can even...
Crash Course
The Reproductive System: How Gonads Go - CrashCourse Biology
Hank lets us in on the meaning of life, at least from a biological perspective - it's reproduction, which answers the essential question of all organisms: how do I make more of myself? So, sex, how does it work?
SciShow
Why Sex?
Hank gets into why sex is the preferred method of reproduction for most species - and it's not for the reasons you're thinking.
SciShow
The Mystery of the Biggest Genomes
3 billion base pairs is a pretty typical genome size for organisms like us, but there are a few plants and animals with genomes so huge they completely blow this number out of the water.
Bozeman Science
Response to External Environments
Paul Andersen explains how organisms respond to the external environment. He begins with a discussion of behavioral responses like hibernation and migration. He ends with a discussion of physiological responses like shivering and...
SciShow
Can We Keep Neurons Active…with Algae?
Cyanobacteria and other microbes produce a lot of oxygen. What if we could use that oxygen to power our brains?
SciShow
Hydras Are What They Eat
You may have to open your mouth pretty wide to take a bite of a burger, but a Hydra can tear open its mouth to devour food larger than itself.
Crash Course
Fungi: Death Becomes Them - CrashCourse Biology
Death is what fungi are all about. By feasting on the deceased remains of almost all organisms on the planet, converting the organic matter back into soil from which new life will spring, they perform perhaps the most vital function in...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: How CRISPR lets you edit DNA - Andrea M. Henle
Explore the science of the groundbreaking technology for editing genes, called CRISPR- Cas9, and how the tool could be used to cure diseases. -- From the smallest single-celled organism to the largest creatures on Earth, every living...
Bozeman Science
Life Requires Free Energy
Paul Andersen describes how free energy is used by organisms to grow, maintain order, and reproduce. A brief discussion of the first and second law of thermodynamics is also included. Disruptions in the amount of free energy can cause...
SciShow
Why are GMOs Bad?
Why are GMOs bad? They aren't. They just aren't, not intrinsically, and certainly not for your health. We've been eating them for decades with no ill effects, which makes sense, because a genetically modified organism is simply an...
Bozeman Science
LS3B - Variation of Traits
In this video Paul Andersen explains how variation is created in a population over time. Variation in offspring is caused by genetic recombination, mutations and environmental effects. Parental DNA is recombined using the process of...
SciShow
How Do Seedless Watermelons Reproduce?
Seedless watermelons are basically the best thing ever. But they’re also a delicious paradox. Seeds are a key part of plant reproduction. So how do you breed a plant that doesn’t make any seeds?
Crash Course
Taxonomy: Life's Filing System - Crash Course Biology
Hank tells us the background story and explains the importance of the science of classifying living things, also known as taxonomy.
Crash Course
Ecological Succession: Change is Good - Crash Course Ecology
In the world of ecology, the only constant is change - but change can be good. Today Hank explains ecological succession and how ecological communities change over time to become beautiful, biodiverse mosaics.
TED-Ed
TED-ED: How to sequence the human genome - Mark J. Kiel
Your genome, every human's genome, consists of a unique DNA sequence of A's, T's, C's and G's that tell your cells how to operate. Thanks to technological advances, scientists are now able to know the sequence of letters that makes up an...
MinuteEarth
The Hidden Side Of Proteins
You might already know that proteins are a fundamental part of your diet, but they're much more than that.
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Making sense of how life fits together - Bobbi Seleski
From something as miniscule as a cell to the biosphere we all call home, living things fit together in numerous interesting ways. Bobbi Seleski catalogs biology from our body and beyond, tracking how unicellular organisms, tissues,...
SciShow
When Algae Learned to Hunt
You probably don't consider algae to be super aggressive, but 66 million years ago had to turn to murder in order to survive.
SciShow
Common Misconceptions About Evolution
Evolution is particularly vulnerable to misunderstandings around the scientific language. SciShow clears up some confusing language!
Crash Course
Evolution: It's a Thing - Crash Course Biology
Hank gets real with us in a discussion of evolution - it's a thing, not a debate. Gene distribution changes over time, across successive generations, to give rise to diversity at every level of biological organization.
TED Talks
TED: A robot that eats pollution | Jonathan Rossiter
Meet the "Row-bot," a robot that cleans up pollution and generates the electricity needed to power itself by swallowing dirty water. Roboticist Jonathan Rossiter explains how this special swimming machine, which uses a microbial fuel...