Discover Resources
Browse curated homeschool resources from the community
How Puberty Changes Your Brain Shannon Odell
While we often talk about puberty’s effect on the body, what gets overlooked are the fascinating changes that happen in the brain. Puberty, in fact, begins in the brain, and lasts as long as five years. And during this extended process, the brain undergoes its own transformation, thanks to estrogen and testosterone. Shannon Odell details what we know— and still don’t know— about puberty.
Cicadas the Dormant Army Beneath Your Feet Rose Eveleth
Every 13 or 17 years, billions of cicadas emerge from the ground to molt, mate and die. Adult cicadas only live a few weeks above ground, but you’d be hard pressed to ignore them -- they are extremely loud! Rose Eveleth explains everything you need to know about these noisy insects, admitting that there’s still some things we just don’t understand.
Situational Irony the Opposite of What You Think Christopher Warner
Leaps and bounds separate that which is ironic and that which many people simply say is ironic. Christopher Warner wants to set the record straight: Something is ironic if and only if it is the exact opposite of what you would expect.
Why People Fall for Misinformation Joseph Isaac
In 1901, David Hänig published research that led to what we know today as the taste map: an illustration that divides the tongue into four separate areas. It has since been published in textbooks and newspapers. There is just one problem: the map is wrong. So how do misconceptions like this spread, and what makes a fake fact so easy to believe? Joseph Isaac dives into the world of misinformation.
Rnai Slicing Dicing and Serving Your Cells Alex Dainis
RNA, the genetic messenger, makes sure the DNA recipe gives your cells exactly what they ordered. But sometimes that means inhibiting some other RNA that got the recipe wrong. This process is called RNA interference (RNAi), and it acts as a self-correcting system within the complicated genetic kitchen of your body. Alex Dainis explains the importance -- and exciting potential -- of RNAi.
Why Can T We See Evidence of Alien Life
Stand by for an animated exploration of the famous Fermi Paradox. Given the vast number of planets in the universe, many much older than Earth, why haven't we yet seen obvious signs of alien life? The potential answers to this question are numerous and intriguing, alarming and hopeful.
The Most Powerful Woman You Ve Never Heard of T Morgan Dixon and Vanessa Garrison
Do you know the woman Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called "the architect of the civil rights movement," Septima Clark? The teacher of some of the generation's most legendary activists, Clark laid out a blueprint for change-making. Now T. Morgan Dixon and Vanessa Garrison, the cofounders of GirlTrek, are taking a page from Clark's playbook to launch a health revolution in the US.
The Good and the Beautiful Science for Little Hearts and Hands: Bones and Stones
Spark wonder in preschool to 2nd graders. Explore dinosaurs, rocks, and more through 30 engaging lessons, interactive audio, and fun hands-on activities.
National Museum of Natural History Education
We offer natural history science programs, resources, and professional development to support educators teaching students in grades K to 12.
Mysteries of Vernacular Yankee Jessica Oreck and Rachael Teel
Is it a doodle dandy? A baseball team? The origins of the word yankee are unclear, though its usage in America as a pejorative is well-documented. Jessica Oreck and Rachael Teel track the varying levels of contempt that the word yankee has elicited from the pre-Revolution era to today.
How Do Kidney Transplants Work Alexander H Toledo
In 1954, Joseph Murray attempted a type of kidney swap that no doctor had tried before. The surgery was a success, and the patient would go on to live with the transplanted organ thanks to one key factor: it came from his identical twin. 70 years later, nearly 100,000 kidneys are transplanted annually in the US alone. So how does this surgery work today? Alexander H. Toledo explains the procedure.
What Earth in 2050 Could Look Like Shannon Odell
While we’re already feeling the devastating effects of human-caused climate change, governments continue to fall short on making and executing emissions pledges that would help thwart further warming. So, what will our world look like in the next 30 to 80 years, if we continue on the current path? Shannon Odell offers a glimpse at Earth's possible future.
Calculating the Odds of Intelligent Alien Life
Could there be intelligent life on other planets? This question has piqued imagination and curiosity for decades. Explore the answer with the Drake Equation -- a mathematical formula that calculates the possibility of undiscovered life.
This Country Isn T Just Carbon Neutral it s Carbon Negative
Deep in the Himalayas, on the border between China and India, lies the Kingdom of Bhutan, which has pledged to remain carbon neutral for all time. In this illuminating talk, Bhutan's Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay shares his country's mission to put happiness before economic growth and set a world standard for environmental preservation.
How Do Birds Learn to Sing Partha Mitra
A brown thrasher knows a thousand songs. A wood thrush can sing two pitches at once. A mockingbird can match the sounds around it — including car alarms. These are just a few of the 4,000 species of songbirds. How do these birds learn songs? How do they know to mimic the songs of their own species? Are they born knowing how to sing? Partha P. Mitra illuminates the beautiful world of birdsong.
Jessica Wise How Fiction Can Change Reality
Reading and stories can be an escape from real life, a window into another world -- but have you ever considered how new fictional experiences might change your perspective on real, everyday life? From Pride and Prejudice to Harry Potter, learn how popular fiction can spark public dialogue and shape culture.
How the Band Aid Was Invented Moments of Vision 3 Jessica Oreck
It is estimated that Johnson & Johnson have made an astounding 100 billion Band-Aids since they were invented in 1920. But where did the idea come from? In the third installment of our ‘Moments of Vision’ series, Jessica Oreck shares the series of moments that inspired Earle Dickson to invent these popular household bandages.
Describing the Invisible Properties of Gas Brian Bennett
How do you explain the properties of something we can’t see? See how scientists use scientific principles, such as gravity, to observe gases. This lesson explores gases and how we have come to know what we know about them.