Discover Resources
Browse curated homeschool resources from the community
Mysteries of Vernacular Window Jessica Oreck and Rachael Teel
Metaphoric compounds, like the combination of the words wind and eye to represent a window, populated Norse and Old English. Jessica Oreck and Rachael Teel describe how this love of metaphor created the word window.
What We Learned from 5 Million Books Erez Lieberman Aiden and Jean Baptiste Michel
Have you played with Google Labs' Ngram Viewer? It's an addicting tool that lets you search for words and ideas in a database of 5 million books from across centuries. Erez Lieberman Aiden and Jean-Baptiste Michel show us how it works, and a few of the surprising things we can learn from 500 billion words. (Filmed at TEDxBoston.)
Ethical Dilemma What Makes Life Worth Living Douglas Maclean
Life on your planet depends entirely on Nuronium for normal cognition. Unfortunately, its source has been compromised and you are now at risk of extinction. Scientists have found an alternate energy source, Polixate, but it can’t sustain cognition and would mean the loss of people's creativity. So, what shall it be: extinction or life without culture? Douglas MacLean explores this classic dilemma.
How to Grow a Bone Nina Tandon
Can you grow a human bone outside the human body? The answer may soon be yes. Nina Tandon explores the possibility by examining how bones naturally grow inside the body, and illuminating how scientists are hoping to replicate that process in a lab.
Noreena Hertz How to Use Experts and When Not to
We make important decisions every day -- and we often rely on experts to help us decide. But, says economist Noreena Hertz, relying too much on experts can be limiting and even dangerous. She calls for us to start democratizing expertise -- to listen not only to "surgeons and CEOs, but also to shop staff."
High Altitude Wind Energy from Kites Saul Griffith
In this brief talk, Saul Griffith unveils the invention his new company Makani Power has been working on: giant kite turbines that create surprising amounts of clean, renewable energy.
Why We Love Repetition in Music Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis
How many times does the chorus repeat in your favorite song? How many times have you listened to that chorus? Repetition in music isn’t just a feature of Western pop songs, either; it’s a global phenomenon. Why? Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis walks us through the basic principles of the ‘exposure effect,’ detailing how repetition invites us into music as active participants, rather than passive listeners.
Gyotaku the Ancient Japanese Art of Printing Fish K Erica Dodge
How did fishermen record their trophy catches before the invention of photography? In 19th century Japan, fishing boats were equipped with rice paper, sumi-e ink, and brushes in order to create gyotaku: elaborate rubbings of freshly caught fish. K. Erica Dodge recounts the story of this competitive fishing culture, plus some tips on how to make your very own etchings.
3 Ways to End a Virus
Viruses are wildly successful organisms. There are about 100 million times as many virus particles on Earth as there are stars in the observable universe. Even so, viruses can and do go extinct. So, what is the possibility of the virus that causes COVID-19 going extinct? Explore the three main ways viruses can be driven to extinction.
What Happens When Continents Collide Juan D Carrillo
Tens of millions of years ago, plate tectonics set North and South America on an unavoidable collision course that would change the face of the Earth and spell life or death for thousands of species. Juan D. Carrillo explains the massive biological repercussions of this collision, which caused one of the greatest episodes of biological migration in history: The Great American Biotic Interchange.
The Earth is Full Paul Gilding
Have we used up all our resources? Have we filled up all the livable space on Earth? Paul Gilding suggests we have, and the possibility of devastating consequences, in a talk that's equal parts terrifying and, oddly, hopeful.
How the Popsicle Was Invented Moments of Vision 11 Jessica Oreck
Each year, approximately 2 billion popsicles are sold worldwide. But where did the idea for this tasty treat come from? In the eleventh installment of our ‘Moments of Vision’ series, Jessica Oreck shares the distracted origins of the popsicle.
The Three Different Ways Mammals Give Birth Kate Slabosky
All mammals share certain characteristics, like warm blood and backbones. But despite their similarities, these creatures also have many biological differences — and one of the most remarkable differences is how they give birth. Kate Slabosky details the placental, marsupial, and monotreme methods of giving birth.
The Networked Beauty of Forests Suzanne Simard
Deforestation causes more greenhouse gas emissions than all trains, planes and automobiles combined. What can we do to change this contributor to global warming? Suzanne Simard examines how the complex, symbiotic networks of our forests mimic our own neural and social networks -- and how those connections might make all the difference.
The Simple but Fascinating Story of Photosynthesis and Food Amanda Ooten
Photosynthesis is an essential part of the exchange between humans and plants. Amanda Ooten walks us through the process of photosynthesis, also discussing the relationship between photosynthesis and carbohydrates, starch, and fiber -- and how the air we breathe is related to the food we ingest.