The first encyclopedia contained 70,000 entries and over 20,000,000 words. It was broken into 35 volumes written over the course of 3 decades. It was also banned by Louis XV and Pope Clement XIII. But why was this encyclopedia so...

Hank gets into why sex is the preferred method of reproduction for most species - and it's not for the reasons you're thinking.

Cyanobacteria and other microbes produce a lot of oxygen. What if we could use that oxygen to power our brains?

The tale of a major global cultural phenomenon: Cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle describes the spectacular arrival of fast-paced 20-20 cricket as it parallels the rise of modern India. He traces the game from its sleepy English roots to...

Is luck real? It might feel like a mystical force tugging us toward good or bad fortune, but it turns out luck is really where probability runs into the human mind. That's right, there's a scientific side to luck, and if you study a few...

There are billions of planets out there that don't orbit stars. The sheer abundance of these planets has led some scientists to wonder if life could emerge without a star.

In this video Paul Andersen explains how ecosystems respond to disruptions. Disruptions can cause changes in the number and variety of organisms. It can also lead to migration, extinction or even speciation. Ecosystems that have a...

Is it OK to discriminate? Do you do it? Is it always wrong or are there cases where it can be acceptable? Today we’re talking through several tricky cases and different philosophical perspectives on this issue.

How you respond after setbacks is what defines your character. Stacey Abrams was the first black woman in the history of the United States to be nominated by a major party for governor -- she lost that hotly contested race, but as she...

In part 2 of our History of the Internet series, Hank explains how public access became declared a human right!

Gym teacher Hank gives us the full story of the past, present, and future of birth control.

Brené Brown studies human connection -- our ability to empathize, belong, love. In a poignant, funny talk, she shares a deep insight from her research, one that sent her on a personal quest to know herself as well as to understand...

In this episode, we talk about Silicon Valley's namesake and how network solids are at the heart of it all. Hank also discusses Solid-State Semiconductors, N-Type and P-Type Semiconductors, Diodes, Transistors, Computer Chips,...

Given a range of integers from 0 to 100, what would the whole number closest to 2/3 of the average of all numbers guessed be? For example, if the average of all guesses is 60, the correct guess will be 40. The game is played under...

"Complete silence is very addictive," says Rebecca Knill, a writer who has cochlear implants that enable her to hear. In this funny, insightful talk, she explores the evolution of assistive listening technology, the outdated way people...

Explore chromosomes and karyotypes with the Amoeba Sisters! This video explains chromosome structure, how chromosomes are counted, why chromosomes are important, and how they can be arranged in a karyotype! This video also tackles a few...

Paul Andersen explains how disruptions in homeostasis can affect biological systems at all levels. He uses the example of dehydration in animals to explain how disruptions at the cellular level can affect an organism. He also uses the...

Honeybees are some of nature's finest mathematicians. Not only can they calculate angles and comprehend the roundness of the earth, these smart insects build and live in one of the most mathematically efficient architectural designs...

In this video Paul Andersen explains that elementary reactions are steps within a larger reaction mechanism. Colliding molecules require sufficient energy and proper orientation to break bonds and form new bonds. A unimolecular...

Hydrogen Peroxide: It fizzes, it stings, but does it actually do you any good? Find out on this week's Quick Question!

Have you ever wondered why you look up and see a dark sky at night?

In this video Paul Andersen explains how you can combine the power of a Punnett square for an entire gene pool. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium will remains constant under several constrains and the probability square makes the information...

Neutron stars are some of the strangest things in the universe, but are they the source of the mysterious Fast Radio Bursts? Or is it aliens? Spoilers: probably not aliens.

Does your toilet water drain differently than in the other hemisphere? Is it because of the Coriolis effect? Hank has some things to clarify about these questions, and more in this edition of I Don't Think It Means What You Think It Means.