California Academy of Science
What's the Deal With Fossil Fuels?
Plastic bags, laptops, and even toothpaste all contain petroleum. A lesson explains how to define fossil fuels, including petroleum, and the many uses for fossil fuels in our everyday lives. It also details why new sources need to...
California Academy of Science
Buses and Biofuels: Sustainable Transportation
One-third of all carbon emissions comes from transportation in the United States. The third lesson in a 13-part series on Exploring Energy offers ideas on how to reduce emissions from cars, airplanes, large trucks, and more.
California Academy of Science
Thinking with your Gut
Risk-taking behavior and other decision-making factors may be influenced by more than just our brains; current research shows that the more bacteria that exists in one's digestive tract, the less inclined one might be to engage in risky...
California Academy of Science
Sensitive Alligators
We don't normally think of alligators as sensitive, but in their own unique way, they are far more sensitive than humans. Through a two-minute video, explore the unique adaptation that allows alligators to sense their prey and to...
California Academy of Science
Spiky Sight
Can an organism with no eyes still see? As it turns out for the purple sea urchin, the answer is yes. In a short video, scientists explain why they believe that some sea urchins can use their spikes to visually sense the environment.
California Academy of Science
Mimic Octopus
The award for the most effective adaptation goes to the mimic octopus, a newly described species. The octopus can change its color, shape, and behavior to mimic flounder, lion fish, sea snakes, and more.
California Academy of Science
Fast Neutrinos
According to Einstein's theory of special relativity, nothing can go faster than the speed of light, but Einstein didn't know about neutrinos. In fact, physicists are just beginning to be able to study these tiny particles that zip...
California Academy of Science
Killer Nudibranch
It sounds like the premise of a bad, low-budget horror movie: Cannibalistic sea slugs marching up the coast of California destroying the diversity of other nudibranchs. Truth is stranger than fiction, though. Learn about what is causing...
California Academy of Science
Pacific Leatherback Protection
Turtles are more than just cute, docile sea creatures; many of them are endangered, some critically. The leading threat to Pacific leatherback turtles is human activity. From commercial fishing and boating in the leatherbacks' migratory...
California Academy of Science
Penguin Wave
Emperor penguins keep warm at sub-zero Arctic temperatures. How do they do it? Think of the energy generated during a sporting event wave of the crowd, and you will be getting warmer! This short clip shows that tiny, wave-like movement...
California Academy of Science
Sustainability of Chocolate
Monoculture has made many crops more susceptible to insects and disease. Chocolate is no exception! This video explores the sustainability of the cacao plant and what might be done to ensure that we don't run out of this treasured treat!...
California Academy of Science
Understanding Viruses
Evolution occurs on large and small scales, in both living organisms and viruses. By learning the pathway taken by pathogens such as the virus that causes dengue fever, scientists can get one step closer to understanding how to stop...
California Academy of Science
Earthquake Monitoring
Ten seconds doesn't seem like much time, but if people had that much of a warning before a big earthquake hit, it could save countless lives and prevent serious injury. The video points out that, by measuring the quick-moving P-waves and...
California Academy of Science
34,000 Year-Old Fiber
In a discovery that would make Betty Rubble squeal with joy, scientists discovered fibers in a cave from 34,000 years ago that were dyed in pinks and blues. The video details the findings, which were not only unique because of the...
California Academy of Science
Monarch Migration
It takes four generations of Monarch butterflies to complete the migratory path from the Rockies to Mexico each year, so how do they know where to go? The answer may surprise you; it certainly surprised the scientists who figured it out!...
California Academy of Science
Men More Evolved?
In a recent study of chimpanzee and human genomes, it was discovered that the X chromosomes are nearly identical, but the Y chromosomes are vastly different. These findings have led some to say that men are more evolved, but what do the...
California Academy of Science
Therapy for Color Blindness
Could a virus be the key to reversing color blindness in humans? Some researchers believe so, and have even tested it out on monkeys. Learn more about the experiment and its effects in a short video that could accompany a lesson on gene...
California Academy of Science
The LCROSS Mission
True or false: Earth is the only body in our solar system with water. If you said true, perhaps you didn't hear about the LCROSS mission in which NASA crashed a probe into Earth's moon looking for water. Learn about the mission and its...
California Academy of Science
Earthquake Engineering
Protecting buildings, bridges, and roadways from damage during an earthquake is an important task for engineers. Discover how one lab goes about testing the safety of existing and yet-to-be-built structures with a short video. See some...
California Academy of Science
Islands, Birds and Disease
Island chains are some of the best environments to study evolution and the small adaptations that occur in an isolated ecosystem. Papua New Guinea is an excellent example of these evolutionary gems, with a diverse bird population on its...
California Academy of Science
Octopus Tool-Use
There is a wealth of evidence to suggest that octopi are the smartest of all invertebrates; observe why as you see an octopus walk across the ocean floor carrying a coconut shell to use as shelter. The video alone is short and does not...
California Academy of Science
Jellies at the Academy
Jellyfish are captivating creatures. A biologist shares her life with the jellies as she feeds, raises, and studies them every day. This would be a pertinent video when you are teaching marine biologists about reproduction, defensive...