Discover Resources
Browse curated homeschool resources from the community
How Do Fish Make Electricity Eleanor Nelsen
Nearly 350 species of fish have specialized anatomical structures that generate and detect electrical signals. Underwater, where light is scarce, electrical signals offer ways to communicate, navigate, find, and sometimes stun prey. But how do these fish produce electricity? And why? Eleanor Nelsen illuminates the science behind electric fish.
Why the Arctic is Climate Change s Canary in the Coal Mine William Chapman
The Arctic may seem like a frozen and desolate environment where nothing ever changes. But the climate of this unique and remote region can be both an early indicator of the climate of the rest of the Earth and a driver for weather patterns across the globe. William Chapman explains why scientists often describe the Arctic as the “canary in the coal mine” when it comes to climate change.
Encyclopedic Entry: Water Cycle
The water cycle is the endless process that connects all of the water on Earth.
Whatever Happened to the Hole in the Ozone Layer Stephanie Honchell Smith
In the 1980s, the world faced a huge problem: there was a rapidly expanding hole in the ozone layer. If it continued to grow, rates of skin cancer could skyrocket, photosynthesis would be impaired, agricultural production would plummet, and entire ecosystems would collapse. So, what happened? Stephanie Honchell Smith shares how decisive global cooperation helped restore the ozone layer.
What the Fossil Fuel Industry Doesn T Want You to Know Al Gore
In a blistering talk, Nobel Laureate Al Gore looks at the two main obstacles to climate solutions and gives his view of how we might actually solve the environmental crisis in time. You won't want to miss his searing indictment of fossil fuel companies for walking back their climate commitments — and his call for a global rethink of the roles of polluting industries in politics and finance.
Who is the Fastest Creature in Mythology Iseult Gillespie
It’s time for the Myth Olympics: the eternal arena in which creatures and deities compete for glory. Almost every mythical tradition claims one creature as the fastest— from goddesses who run like the wind to creatures who outstrip every captor. So, who will emerge victorious in a race of superhuman swiftness? Iseult Gillespie convenes mythology’s speediest supernaturals for an epic showdown.
Questioning the Universe Stephen Hawking
Professor Stephen Hawking asks some Big Questions about our universe -- How did the universe begin? How did life begin? Are we alone? -- and discusses how we might go about answering them.
Zen Koans Unsolvable Enigmas Designed to Break Your Brain Puqun Li
How do we explain the unexplainable? This question has inspired numerous myths, religious practices and scientific inquiries. But Zen Buddhists practicing throughout China from the 9th to 13th century asked a different question – why do we need an explanation? Puqun Li details the bewildering and ambiguous philosophical thought experiments these Buddhists called Zen kōans.
Should We Get Rid of Pregnancy Ada Ep 3
This is episode 3 of the animated series, “Ada.” This 5-episode narrative follows the young library assistant Ada as she juggles two worlds: her daily mundane reality and the future she vividly imagines for all humanity. Traveling through her visions of potential futures, Ada grapples with the ethical and social implications of new technologies and how they could shape the world.
Could the Earth Be Swallowed by a Black Hole Fabio Pacucci
From asteroids capable of destroying entire species to supernovae that could exterminate life on Earth, outer space has no shortage of forces that could wreak havoc on our planet. But there’s something in space that is even more terrifying than any of these -- something that wipes out everything it comes near. Fabio Pacucci examines the probability of Earth being gobbled up by a black hole.
How Do We Smell Rose Eveleth
An adult human can distinguish up to 10,000 odors. You use your nose to figure out what to eat, what to buy and even when it’s time to take a shower. But how do the molecules in the air get translated into smells in your brain? Rose Eveleth charts the smelly journey through your olfactory epithelium and explains why scent can be so subjective.
5 Signs Youre a Good Driver Iseult Gillespie
As one of the agency’s best employees, you’ve been selected as a finalist to take on a new top-secret mission. You’ve already shown your aptitude for surveillance and disguise, but the agency’s looking to test one last critical skill: how well you can drive. Can you prove that you're a good driver? Iseult Gillespie shares tips on how to best tackle the challenges of driving and build confidence.
How to Fix a Broken Heart Guy Winch
At some point in our lives, almost every one of us will have our heart broken. Psychologist Guy Winch reveals how recovering from heartbreak starts with a determination to fight our instincts to idealize and search for answers that aren't there -- and offers a toolkit on how to, eventually, move on. Our hearts might sometimes be broken, but we don't have to break with them.
Can You Solve the Birthday Cake Riddle Marie Brodsky
Your friend’s birthday is tomorrow, and he’s turning… well… you’ve forgotten. A ginormous cake has been prepared and your job is to sculpt his age as the chocolate centerpiece. The birthday boy is a giant, and you’re afraid that if your forgetfulness becomes known, you’ll become part of the feast. Can you figure out your friend’s age before the party? Marie Brodsky shows how.
How Friendship Affects Your Brain Shannon Odell
If it seems like friendships formed in adolescence are particularly special, that's because they are. Childhood, adolescent, and adult friendships all manifest differently in part because the brain works in different ways at those stages of life. During adolescence, there are changes in the way you value, understand, and connect to friends. Shannon Odell explores the neuroscience of friendship.
Margaret Wertheim the Beautiful Math of Coral
Science writer Margaret Wertheim re-creates the creatures of the coral reefs using a technique invented by a mathematician -- simultaneously celebrating the amazements of the reef and deep-diving into the hyperbolic underpinnings of coral creation.
3 Reasons Why Medications Are so Expensive in the Us Kiah Williams
A century after its discovery, insulin remain essential in treating diabetes, and has a relatively low production cost, with a vial generally costing less than $6 to make. But those in the US pay on average 10 times more than those in other countries— leading some patients to take less than prescribed. Kiah Williams takes a look at the US supply chain to explore why medications are so expensive.
The Counterintuitive Way to Be More Persuasive Niro Sivanathan
What's the best way to make a good point? Organizational psychologist Niro Sivanathan offers a fascinating lesson on the "dilution effect," a cognitive quirk that weakens our strongest cases — and reveals why brevity is the true soul of persuasion.
