Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Lightning-Strike Cabal Acts like a Taser
Observe how the toxin snails release acts in the nervous system of fish. After the explanation, pupils better understand the consequences for both the fish and the snail thanks to the predatory adaptation.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Structure of Dengue Virus
The dengue virus looks like a ball with multiple layers. View an animation of each layer while hearing a description of its properties, from the outer symmetrical units to the lipid envelope, the capsid, and finally the RNA genome.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
The Chemical Structure of DNA
DNA follows specific rules when it comes to structure and pairings. Understand what DNA looks like, how it builds itself, and some of the rules that limit it. Individuals view animations showing details not observable under a microscope...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Running a Virochip Experiment
Thanks to a new understanding of DNA sequencing, doctors now study viruses outside human bodies. Observe an animation of the process using a Virochip to better understand viruses and how they connect to our DNA. By comparing results to...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
The Lux Operon Controls Light Production
Bioluminescence, once considered rare, exists in around 90% of fish in the ocean. Understanding how genes communicate to produce light opens up a world of understanding for viewers. From being in the right setting to transcription to...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Prialt Blocks Motor Synapse in Fish
Have you ever wondered how to paralyze a fish? The cone snail produces venom that works, but what happens at a molecular level? A calcium channel blocker prevents muscle movement, enabling the slow-moving snail to catch faster, larger...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Prialt Blocks Pain Signaling in Mice
Prialt, a prescription pain medicine, is used to treat severe and chronic pain in humans, but is extremely toxic to fish. To understand how Prialt works, class members watch a short animated video that models how calcium channels that...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Molecular Basis of Late Ltp (Long-Term Memory)
Scholars compare and contrast the molecular changes for short-term and long term-memory with the help of animated videos. Viewers see the chemical process that changes the brain and stores memories thanks to dopamine.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Molecular Basis of Early Ltp (Short-Term Memory)
Digital amnesia: forgetting information one easily finds online. Learn how our brains move information into short-term memory at the molecular level with a short animation sure to make a memorable impression. Viewers observe a...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Molecular Activity in Aplysia Short-Term Memory
Scientists have yet to find the limit on the human brain's capacity for memory storage, so the potential is limitless! An animated video demonstrates how the brain places information in short-term memory. Viewers observe the...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Molecular Mechanism of Synaptic Function
Neurons don't touch each other, but they still communicate. Observe the process of both electrical and chemical signals used by neurons to share information. Hear exactly what triggers each step of the reaction as you view an animation...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Neurons in Parietal Cortex Are Active During Straddling
How do scientists know which parts of the brain various functions use? With the help of an animated cat, viewers observe this process. They listen to the activity of one neuron as the cat steps over an obstacle and hear when the neuron...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Continental Movement Over the Past 200 Million Years
Go for a ride on the continental drift. A video animation shows the movement of land over a period of 200 million years. The lesson instructor explains the shift during the animation and gives pupils a unique viewing perspective to...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Daly's Model of Subduction
The subduction model: helping learners understand how continental drift is possible. An animation demonstration illustrates the process of subduction through an analysis of the earth's layers. The instructor narrates the process as the...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Holmes' Model of Convection
Convection currents do more than just bake a cake. A quick lesson demonstrates the convection currents of the earth and how they contribute to continental drift. An animation illustrates the movement of the currents and demonstrates how...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Plate Tectonics
The plates of the earth may be shifting right under your feet! Learn the causes and consequence of this shifting through an informative a video lesson. Scholars explore the effects of the movement on a local, global, and even planetary...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Malaria: Human Host
Malaria is a parasite whose life cycle bounces between mosquitoes and humans. An informative video describes how malaria moves through human systems before arriving in the liver. Once in the liver, the instructor describes how the...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Malaria: Mosquito Host
Mosquitos can be more than just annoying, they may be deadly. A video presentation explains how mosquitos transmit the malaria virus to humans. The lesson highlights how the disease manifests itself in the mosquito before it bites a...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Motor Cabal Toxins Block Motor Neuron Synapses
Cone snails release four different toxins, each capable of paralyzing a fish. An animation demonstrates that the toxins work independently, and then explains the impact of this redundant system on the nervous system.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
The Molecular Cascade in Bacterial Quorum Sensing
Antibiotics kill bacterial growth, but widespread use results in antibiotic resistance. Researchers wonder if quorum sensing might allow us to treat bacteria without the resistance. View an animation of quorum sensing as it regulates...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Development of the Human Embryonic Brain
Viewers follow the development of a human embryo, the brain, and the number of neurons at each stage. They learn when the brain stops growing and the importance of neural connectivity.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Molecular Activity in Aplysia Long-Term Memory
How does information move into long-term memory? Scholars view the process at the molecular level with an animation. They learn about synaptic growth and how specific genes become active.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Signal Molecules Trigger Transcription Factors
How do transcription factors change the function of a cell? Learn how three similar cells find different functions based on their locations and the number of triggers available. Observe an animation of the process of assigning a trait...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Antigen Presentation and CTL
How does your body know when to present an immune response? Viewers observe how antigen presentation triggers the response and how this treatment helps attack viruses before they spread. The video also discusses the challenges of...