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How Many Stars Are There?
Starting with a seemingly simple question, a video covers how many stars are visible with the human eye. Then it explains how many stars are in the Andromeda galaxy next to ours. The most interesting part is when you view a single square...
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So You Want to go to Mars?
NASA landed on the moon with computers less powerful than today's cell phones. An informative video offers an entertaining look at the dangers and concerns of being an astronaut. The cartoon graphics are amusing and the science is...
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What Has New Horizons Taught Us About Pluto?
Did you know there are more than six hundred thousand minor planet objects in our solar system? A video shares the findings from New Horizons' fly-by of Pluto. The features were not as we expected, and we still can't answer many...
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Do Trees Talk?
Fungi could be considered the social network of the forest. A video lesson describes how fungi connect the plant species of the forest and create a symbiotic relationship. The episode from the It's Okay to be Smart series emphasizes the...
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Why Are so Many People Allergic to Food?
Why do some people have allergies, and why are they on the rise? Scientists are working on the answer. An informative video lesson describes body processes when having an allergic reaction as well as therapies and treatments. The...
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1 Million Species Could Go Extinct… Here’s Why
The human carbon footprint may be larger than anyone thought. It is estimated that one million species are at risk of going extinct due to human impact on the environment. An installment from the large It's Okay to be Smart series...
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Apollo’s Most Important Discovery (Inside NASA’s Moon Rock Vault!)
It's been 50 years since astronauts walked on the moon. A lesson from an extensive It's Okay to be Smart discusses how the moon rock helped scientists understand the early solar system. The presenter explains how scientists made their...
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Seeing a Black Hole with a Planet-Sized Telescope
When did scientists first view a black hole? Believe it or not, it was 2019! It took a century for the theoretical to become a reality, and a lesson from the larger It's Okay to be Smart series discusses the structure of the black hole...
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Mexico’s Monarch Butterfly Migration in VR180
Escape into the world of virtual reality to experience the monarch migration! A video presentation allows pupils to view the migration of the monarchs to Mexico from a 180-degree view. A narrator briefly explains the basics of the...
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The Mystery of the World’s Greatest Butterfly Migration
Follow the migration of the monarch butterfly from northern North America to southern Mexico. A video explains how monarch butterflies navigate their migration north in the spring and south in the fall. Pupils learn how it takes multiple...
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Where Do You Weigh the Most?
How much do you actually weigh? It all depends on gravity. Scholars explore why gravity varies in different locations and how these variations affect weight.
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Are You Afraid of Holes?
Are you afraid of holes? Believe it or not, some people are! An interesting video explores the science behind trypophobia, or the fear of small holes. Viewers learn about the scientific difference between fear and disgust and identify...
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The Impossible Hugeness of Deep Time
Can we really grasp how old we are? Part of a larger series, the humorous video demonstration shows how humans fit into the history of Earth and just how long ago life formed. Viewers explore a timeline that identifies major markers in...
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Which Life Form Really Dominates Earth?
Humans only make up 0.01 percent of all life forms on Earth. We sure know how to make an impact though! An episode of the It's Okay to be Smart series examines the proportion of different species that inhabit Earth. The...
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It's Okay to Fart (The Science of Flatulence)
Like it or not, passing gas is part of life ... almost all life! Flatulence has many different purposes in different species including communication, defense, and buoyancy. Pupils learn where farts come from and what contributes to their...
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The Surprising Reason We Eat Spicy Food
Is there a connection between climate and how people cook? Interestingly enough, cultures that live closer to the equator cook with many more spices than those farther away. Learn the scientific explanation to this phenomenon in an...
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Why Do We Cry Sad Tears?
Although some may be crocodile tears, crying is a distinct honor humans hold. Scholars learn the biological reason behind the emotional crying in a video lesson. The lesson instructor explores the anatomical and psychological connections...
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3 Incredible Examples of Evolution Hidden in Your Body
Human traits trace back to simpler species—such as chickens, for example. Using the human genomes, scientists connect these traits to their ancestral origins. A video presentation highlights the structure of human DNA and makes a...
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Why Do Disney Princesses All Look like Babies?
Could Disney be tricking people into caring about their characters? It seems the design of characters in recent years triggers our nurturing instincts. A video explains the science behind these instinctual habits—and why viewers are...
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How Some Words Get Forgetted
There's nothing regular about them—irregular verbs turn out to be the most common verbs in the English language. Through an analysis of data, learners discover that Zipf's Law describes the patterns of word usage.
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How Habits Change Your Brain
Have you ever driven home and weren't quite sure how you got there? If it's a path you take regularly, it's easy to recreate the habit without much thought. Learners explore the concept with a focus on the neurological pathways that make...
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Is Height All in Our Genes?
Humans on average are shorter than they were centuries ago. Young scholars analyze the factors that affect the height of individuals including historical trends in a video lesson. The presentation analyzes both genetic and...
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What Do Raindrops Really Look Like?
Raindrops are more like pancakes than teardrops. Scholars learn the physics behind the shape of a falling raindrop in a video lesson presentation. An episode explains the forces acting on the droplet and how those forces change as it...
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Will You Still Eat Raw Fish after Watching This Video?
Yikes, parasite eggs have been found in mummy remains! Scientists now know where they come from, but that doesn't always stop them. Learners explore the battle between parasites and hosts and how they strive to stay one step ahead of...