Instructional Video6:17
The Brain Scoop

Beetles, Mites, Cockroaches Oh My!—Insect Collection Tour

6th - 12th Standards
The Field Museum houses 12 million insects. Brain Scoop presents the insect collection at the Field Museum as part of its Insect playlist. From brilliant purple beetles to tiny mites, all the way to giant cockroaches, the organization of...
Instructional Video7:13
The Brain Scoop

The Magneto Snail! (And Other Marine Gastropods)

6th - 12th Standards
Snails range from 0.5 mm to 61 cm long. The video explains the huge variety of snails crawling the earth. It includes snails with iron shells, snails that are venomous, and even snails that collect other snails! It highlights the unique...
Instructional Video5:43
The Brain Scoop

Fossil Myths: Cyclopes, Griffins, and Magic Fairy Bread

6th - 12th Standards
Fossils—not just intriguing, but helpful too! Scientists use the fossil record to support ideas throughout history. The video highlights some of the incorrect ideas that came from the fossil record. From cyclopes and griffins to...
Instructional Video10:46
The Brain Scoop

The Gem Room

6th - 12th Standards
Some artists carve into gemstones as their artistic medium. As part of the Brain Scoop Fossils and Geology playlist, the Field Museum opens the vault to share amazing gems, including some that people carved. From a solid gold purse to a...
Instructional Video7:46
The Brain Scoop

Meteorites From Spaaaaaace!

6th - 12th Standards
Eighty thousand tons of material enters Earth's atmosphere every year. The video, part of a playlist from Brain Scoop on Fossils and Geology, focuses on meteorites. It defines the three types and explains which are most and least common....
Instructional Video6:40
The Brain Scoop

Starstuff and Nanodiamonds

6th - 12th Standards
The Field Museum owns materials older than our sun—can you believe that? An enlightening video displays and discusses some of these. It explains where they come from, how they formed, how they survived this long, and what we know about...
Instructional Video8:00
The Brain Scoop

Siats Meekerorum

6th - 12th Standards
Scientists find and name 30-40 new dinosaurs every year. A timely video discusses the siats meekerorum, one relatively newly discovered dinosaur. It explains the pieces scientists found and how they use those to better understand the...
Instructional Video3:35
The Brain Scoop

Fossil Sharks

6th - 12th Standards
Sharks contain a cartilage skeleton, rather than bone, so they rarely appear in the fossil record. The video explains why we find shark teeth and how scientists use that tiny piece of information to learn about sharks. Then, it presents...
Instructional Video6:36
The Brain Scoop

Fossil Fish, Pt. II: A History

6th - 12th Standards
Typically. when one thinks of palm trees, they rarely mention Wyoming ... yet Fossil Lake proves palm trees existed in this area back when it was a tropical paradise. The second video in a three-part series explores the history of Fossil...
Instructional Video8:03
The Brain Scoop

How Bird Vomit Helps Us Understand History

6th - 12th Standards
They didn't just WING this video; it's a real HOOT! An intriguing video in the Brain Scoop Fossils & Geology series explains what owl pellets are and why scientists study them. Then, it covers the extension of how scientists use them...
Instructional Video7:02
The Brain Scoop

Jungle Atop A Desert

9th - 12th Standards
Trees need nutrients, so how does a jungle grow on top of a desert? The video walks through one such jungle. The root mat and soil samples appear unique. It discusses each discovery and conclusion throughout the virtual tour. The video...
Instructional Video5:59
The Brain Scoop

Fossil Fish, PT. III: The Preparation

6th - 12th
A paleontologist finds a fossil, but then what happens? An engaging video explains what happens to fossils once they make it back to the lab. It then demonstrates three different ways of excavating the fossil from the matrix. 
Instructional Video8:41
The Brain Scoop

In Search of Fossil Fish

6th - 12th Standards
Fossil Lake, Wyoming contains the most complete representation of early Eocene life in the world. The first of three videos on location at Fossil Lake discusses the process of finding fossils. It introduces the tools and methods used to...