Trace the 9,000 year old history of the domestication of corn, or maize, and its effects on global agriculture. — Corn currently accounts for more than one tenth of our global crop production. And over 99% of cultivated corn is the exact same type: Yellow Dent #2. This means that humans grow more Yellow Dent […]
Tag: Teded
The myth of Hades and Persephone – Iseult Gillespie
Dig into the Greek myth of Persephone, who is abducted by Hades and is only allowed to leave the underworld every spring. — One day, Persephone was frolicking in a meadow with the nymph, Cyane. As they admired a flower, they noticed it tremble in the ground. Suddenly, the earth split, and a terrifying figure […]
What is consciousness? – Michael S. A. Graziano
Explore the theories of human consciousness and the science of how your brain works to create a conscious experience. — Patient P.S. suffered a stroke that damaged the right side of her brain, leaving her unaware of everything on her left side. If someone threw a ball at her left side, she might duck. But […]
The 2,400-year search for the atom – Theresa Doud
View full lesson: How do we know what matter is made of? The quest for the atom has been a long one, beginning 2,400 years ago with the work of a Greek philosopher and later continued by a Quaker and a few Nobel Prize-winning scientists. Theresa Doud details the history of atomic theory. Lesson by […]
The physics of surfing – Nick Pizzo
Wondering how you can catch the perfect wave? Dive into the fascinating and complex physics of surfing. — Whether or not you realize it, surfers are masters of complicated physics. The science of surfing begins as soon as a board first hits the water. Surfers may not be thinking about weather patterns in the Pacific, […]
The Egyptian Book of the Dead: A guidebook for the underworld – Tejal Gala
View full lesson: Ancient Egyptians believed that in order to become immortal after death, a spirit must first pass through the underworld — a realm of vast caverns, lakes of fire, and magical gates. Needless to say, one needed to come prepared. But how? Tejal Gala describes an Egyptian “Book of the Dead” — a […]
Why does ice float in water? – George Zaidan and Charles Morton
View full lesson: Water is a special substance for several reasons, and you may have noticed an important one right in your cold drink: ice. Solid ice floats in liquid water, which isn’t true for most substances. But why? George Zaidan and Charles Morton explain the science behind how how hydrogen bonds keep the ice […]
Why can't some birds fly? – Gillian Gibb
Check out our Patreon page: View full lesson: Though the common ancestor of all modern birds could fly, many different bird species have independently lost their flight. Flight can have incredible benefits, especially for escaping predators, hunting and traveling long distances. But it also has high costs: consuming huge amounts of energy and limiting body […]
The mysterious origins of life on Earth – Luka Seamus Wright
Where on Earth did life begin? Explore the hydrothermal vents in Earth’s crust as simple compounds gave way to complex life. — Billions of years ago, simple organic compounds assembled into more complex coalitions that could grow and reproduce. At the time, Earth had widespread volcanic activity and a hostile atmosphere that made it almost […]