Pbs: Secrets of the Mind: Probe the Brain

What makes sourdough bread different from other types of bread? An installment of a PBS food science video series explains the science behind fermentation, yeast, bacteria, and their relationship with sourdough bread. It also discusses...

This PBS special explores the brain from birth to old age. Take a look at snapshots of brain development at birth, as a child, as a teenager, as an adult, and in old age.

Students practice a procedural skill -- knot tying -- to investigate if and in what way sleep affects learning and memory in relation to a learning a procedural skill. Sleeping is a behavior that is natural and essential for our health...

Students research the part of the brain known as the corpus callosum. The part of the brain that connects the left and right brain, students investigate its functions and how data passes from one side to another.

Learn about the life and accomplishments of Wernher Von Braun and other Nazi space scientists through this interactive timeline. Discover how he came to the United States in Operation Paperclip and why he is known as the father of the...

Explore how the new technology of PET (positron emission tomography) imaging has given researchers a tool to look inside the brain. Investigate uses of this technology in brain research and list ideas for future uses of PET scans.

Students watch the program "Pieces of Mind" from PBS and participate in a class discussion about PET scans and their advantages. Students then brainstorm activities a PET scan could be used for.

High schoolers study the cycle of how we listen and hear our own speech. They examine sound waves, and the role of the nervous system in hearing. They investigate the cues besides lipreading that deaf people rely on for comprehension.

Students explore the five stages of sleep. They view video footage of sleep labs and discuss the findings. Students conduct experiments by keeping a sleep journal to track their sleep and dream activity. They find examples of ways...

A comprehensive lesson that takes a look at psychoactive plants with this one focusing on the opium poppy. Information about the history, culture, use, source and effects are discussed. There are weblinks to reliable sources about drugs...