Discover Resources
Browse curated homeschool resources from the community
Earworms Those Songs That Get Stuck in Your Head Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis
Have you ever been waiting in line at the grocery store, innocently perusing the magazine rack, when a song pops into your head? Not the whole song, but a fragment of it that plays and replays until you find yourself unloading the vegetables in time to the beat? Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis explores earworms — a cognitive phenomenon that plagues over 90% of people at least once a week.
Why Do We Have to Wear Sunscreen Kevin P Boyd
You already know that a trip to the beach can give you a nasty sunburn, but the nitty gritty of sun safety is actually much more complex. Wrinkle-causing UVA rays and burn-inducing UVB's can pose a serious risk to your health (and good looks). So what can you do? Kevin P. Boyd makes the case to slap on some physical or chemical SPF daily.
How a Single Celled Organism Almost Wiped Out Life on Earth Anusuya Willis
There’s an organism that changed the world. It caused the first mass extinction in Earth’s history … and also paved the way for complex life. How? Anusuya Willis explains how cyanobacteria, simple organisms that don’t even have nuclei or any other organelles, wrote a pivotal chapter in the story of life on Earth.
What is Metallic Glass Ashwini Bharathula
Steel and plastic are essential to much of our infrastructure and technology. Steel is strong and hard, but difficult to shape intricately. Plastic can take on just about any form, but it’s weak and soft. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were one material as strong as the strongest steel and as shapeable as plastic? Ashwini Bharathula discusses the future of metallic glass.
If You Re Scared of Snakes Watch This Andrew Whitworth
As of 2021, there are 368 species of viper worldwide. The name comes from the term viviparity, which means giving birth to live young. Vipers are often highly venomous, with two hollow, extra long fangs that unfold into imposing weapons when the viper prepares to strike. So, which are the most dangerous? Andrew Whitworth travels around the world to visit some of nature’s most incredible snakes.
The Pattern Behind Self Deception Michael Shermer
Michael Shermer says the human tendency to believe strange things -- from alien abductions to dowsing rods -- boils down to two of the brain's most basic, hard-wired survival skills. He explains what they are and how they get us into trouble.
How Science Fiction Can Help Predict the Future Roey Tzezana
Would you like to know what’s in our future? What’s going to happen to humanity tomorrow, next year, or even a millennium from now? Well, you’re not alone. Everyone from governments to military to industry leaders do as well, and they all employ people - called ‘futurists’ - who attempt to forecast the future. Roey Tzezana explains some of the ways that futurists venture to do so.
Encyclopedic Entry: Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is the process by which plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to create oxygen and energy in the form of sugar.
The Princess Who Conquered Magic Mountain Malay Bera
Inspired by a king’s visit, a trio of siblings began building a palace, traveling far and wide to collect rare jewels, seeds, and marble. A holy man stopped by and told them of a Magic Mountain, east of north and north of east, where they’d find their most meaningful treasures. But, he said, only a true hero could complete the journey. Malay Bera shares the Bengali tale of Kiranmala's quest.
The Life Cycle of a Sneaker Angel Chang
Australians call them “runners." The British know them as “trainers.” Americans refer to them as “sneakers.” Whatever you call them, these casual shoes are worn by billions of people around the world. Today, roughly 23 billion shoes are produced each year. So, how can we balance our love of sneakers with the need for sustainability? Angel Chang explores how shoe manufacturing impacts our planet.
Encyclopedic Entry: Weather
One of the first things you probably do every morning is look out the window to see what the weather is like
Urbanization and the Future of Cities Vance Kite
About 10,000 years ago, hunter-gatherers, aided by rudimentary agriculture, moved to semi-permanent villages and never looked back. With further developments came food surpluses, leading to commerce, specialization and, many years later with the Industrial Revolution, the modern city. Vance Kite plots our urban past and how we can expect future cities to adapt to our growing populations.
What Makes Neon Signs Glow a 360 Animation Michael Lipman
When the Hoover Dam was completed, it created a huge source of hydroelectric power and zapped a sleepy desert town to life: Las Vegas, Nevada. With the power supply from the dam, Las Vegas soon exploded with vibrant displays. The source of these dazzling lights was electrified neon gas. In this special 360° animation, explore the colorful world of neon signs as Lippy shares what makes them glow.
Can You Solve the Alice in Wonderland Riddle Alex Gendler
After many adventures in Wonderland, Alice has once again found herself in the court of the temperamental Queen of Hearts. She’s about to pass through the garden undetected, when she overhears the king and queen arguing that 64 is the same as 65. Can Alice prove the queen wrong and escape unscathed? Alex Gendler shows how.
How We Conquered the Deadly Smallpox Virus Simona Zompi
For 10,000 years, humanity suffered from the scourge of smallpox. The virus killed almost a third of its victims within two weeks and left survivors horribly scarred. But Simona Zompi commends the brave souls – a Buddhist nun, a boy, a cow, a dairymaid and physician Edward Jenner – who first stopped the spread of this disastrous disease, to make us smallpox-free today.
When You Re an Ant but Also a Fungus Tycoon Charles Wallace
In a Texas clearing, an ancient tale that ties four species together is unfurling. The first involved is a soon-to-be queen leafcutter ant. The second is fungus, a piece of which she scoops into her mouth pocket. The third are cockroaches, which nestle under her wings. And the fourth is the one that threatens them all. Charles Wallace takes a look inside the ant colony as a queen begins her reign.
The Most Colorful Gemstones on Earth Jeff Dekofsky
In November 1986, Australian miners climbed Lunatic Hill and bored 20 meters into the Earth. They were rewarded with a fist-sized, record breaking gemstone, which they named the Hailey’s Comet opal. Thanks to a characteristic called “play of color,” no two opals look the same. So what causes these vibrant displays? Jeff Dekofsky digs into the rock’s shimmering, dancing displays of light.
Diagnosing a Zombie Brain and Behavior Tim Verstynen Bradley Voytek
How are different brain stimulations involved with human behaviors--and how can observing a zombie help us understand the brain? In the second part of the Diagnosing Zombies series, two scientists continue to ponder the erratic behaviors of a zombie to explore the relationship between the brain and behavior.