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Animal Infrastructure: Why You’re More Than Goo: Crash Course Biology #44
When you think about the body’s infrastructure, you probably think of bones. But what about the heart, the blood vessels, and the lymphatic system? In this episode of Crash Course Biology, we’ll tour the cardiovascular, lymphatic, and...
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How Animals Turn Resources Into Waste: The Poop Episode: Crash Course Biology #43
Yep, this is the poop episode. Getting resources and getting rid of waste is so important, we have three whole systems dedicated to it! In this episode, we’ll learn how the respiratory system, digestive system, and urinary system work,...
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Plant Anatomy & Physiology: Plants Are Hardcore: Crash Course Biology #42
Plants may not seem like they’re doing much, but if you look closer, you’ll find a whole world just lurking beyond the surface. We’re talking chemical defenses, highways, and even ways to change the weather. In this episode, we’ll learn...
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Multicellular Function: Why We Aren’t Just One Big Cell: Crash Course Biology #41
There are countless types of plants and animals on Earth, but how do they work? In this episode of Crash Course Biology, we’ll take a bird’s eye view of how multicellular life functions, including how it’s organized, how it regulates...
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Viruses & Vaccines: How Do Vaccines Work?: Crash Course Biology 39
From the flu to COVID-19, viruses are a major threat in our everyday lives. In today’s episode of Crash Course Biology, we’ll learn why viruses are like genes in a box, and how they invade and spread between cells. We’ll also discover...
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Bacterial DNA & Genetics: Crash Course Biology #38
Bacteria often get a bad rap, but they’re some of our best partners in science and medicine! In this episode, we’ll explore what bacteria are doing with their DNA — including how they can trade it around. We’ll learn about chromosomes...
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Genetic Mutations: Is Drinking Milk a Super Power?: Crash Course Biology #37
Science fiction is full of superpowered mutants, but in reality, mutations are much more diverse and complex. Sometimes, they can change someone’s entire body, and other times, we don’t notice them at all! In this episode, we’ll unpack...
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How Genes Express Themselves: Crash Course Biology #36
If nearly all your cells have the same DNA, why are muscle cells so different from skin cells? In this episode, we’ll learn how gene expression is regulated in eukaryotes, and how methylating DNA, modifying histones, and messing with...
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Translation: How RNA Gets Translated into Protein Power: Crash Course Biology #35
How does the information from mRNA turn into a protein? It all comes down to translation, where nucleotides are translated into a chain of amino acids. In this episode of Crash Course Biology, we’ll cover codon-reading ribosomes, tRNA...
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Transcription: How mRNA Helped Save Lives: Crash Course Biology #34
You’ve probably heard of mRNA, thanks to the COVID-19 vaccine. But what is mRNA exactly? In this episode of Crash Course Biology, we learn about the role of messenger RNA in living things and how it decodes our DNA instruction manual...
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DNA Structure & Replication: Our Instruction Manual for Existing: Crash Course Biology #33
Your DNA contains all the instructions your body needs to function. In this episode of Crash Course Biology, we’ll figure out what this giant instruction manual looks like and how this three-billion-letter code gets copied into your...
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Genetic Traits: Nature? Nurture? Not That Simple: Crash Course Biology #32
It’s not nature versus nurture—it’s both! In this episode of Crash Course Biology, we’ll explore how complex interactions between genes and the environment shape all sorts of traits, from human skin color to honeybees’ “royal jelly.”
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Intro to Genetics: Why Your Cat Looks Like That: Crash Course Biology #31
How do traits get passed down in our DNA? And what do genes have to do with cat fur? In this episode of Crash Course Biology, we’ll untangle the simplest patterns of inheritance, and reassure our redheaded friends—you’re not going anywhere.
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Meiosis: Why Are All Humans Unique?: Crash Course Biology #30
Ever wonder why we aren’t exact clones of our parents, or why siblings aren’t exactly alike? The reason traces back to meiosis. In this episode of Crash Course Biology, we’ll discover how egg and sperm cells get made and learn why you’re...
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Photosynthesis: The Original Solar Power: Crash Course Biology #28
Photosynthesis is a powerful process that is responsible for some of life’s most vital functions. In fact, consumers like us rely on photosynthetic producers to harness energy from the sun so that we can survive and thrive. In this...
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Cellular Respiration: Do Cells Breathe?: Crash Course Biology #27
You know ‘em, you love ‘em. They’re the powerhouse of the cell: mitochondria. They produce the ATP molecules that we use to do everything from talk to our friends to run a marathon. In this episode of Crash Course Biology, we’re taking a...
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Chemical Reactions in Biology: Crash Course Biology #26
Cells need energy to power the chemical reactions that keep their microscopic cities running, and most of that energy comes from a chemical called ATP. In this episode of Crash Course Biology, we’ll learn how our cells use energy, what...
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Why Do Cells Need to Communicate?: Crash Course Biology #25
Even though it might seem like our bodies are on autopilot, there is a whole lot happening inside us to keep things moving. In this episode of Crash Course Biology, we’ll learn that our cells are in constant communication, reminding each...
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Cell Membranes: How Does Stuff Get Into Your Cells?: Crash Course Biology #24
The cell membrane is a protein-studded phospholipid bilayer that not only protects our cells, but also regulates what goes in and out. In this episode of Crash Course Biology, we’ll look at the structure of the bilayer, learn about its...
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A Tour of the Cell: Crash Course Biology #23
The cell is the basic unit of life, and our understanding of it has advanced as science, and the tools available to scientists, has advanced. In this episode of Crash Course Biology, we’ll take a look at the difference between...
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Microscopes: How We See What We Can't See: Crash Course Biology #22
There’s an immense world of tiny stuff within us and around us—but how do we know about it? In this episode of Crash Course Biology, we’ll discover how we see what we can’t see, thanks to the help of centuries-old tools and more recent...
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The Unexpected Truth About Water: Crash Course Biology #21
This is a love letter to water, life’s solvent, and one of the most wonderful molecules around. In this episode of Crash Course Biology, we’ll learn about how water’s polarity and hydrogen bonding help it sustain life on a larger scale....
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Carbon & Biological Molecules: What is Life Made Of?: Crash Course Biology #20
Despite the diverse appearance and characteristics of organisms on Earth, the chemicals that make up living things are remarkably similar, often identical. In this episode of Crash Course Biology, we’ll look at the building blocks of the...
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Population Ecology: How We Saved the Bald Eagle: Crash Course Biology #7
When the Bald Eagle population started to decline in the mid-20th century, scientists began to ask why. Population ecology, the study of organisms of the same species, played a big role in answering that question. In this episode of...