How Dogs (Eventually) Became Our Best Friends
We’re still figuring out the details, but most scientists agree that it took thousands of years of interactions to develop our deep bond with dogs. When did they first become domesticated? Where did this happen? And what did the process look like, in terms of genetics and anatomy?
Why Are There As Many Males As Females?
In almost every animal species on Earth, equal numbers of males and females are conceived. Why is that? Especially in populations like lions or elephant seals, where most males don’t get to mate? That’s survival of the laziest, not survival of the fittest. It turns out that in most cases, an equal balance of the […]
Are We All Related?
In part 3 of our special series on human ancestry, we investigate how closely related we all really are. Basic math tells us that all humans share ancestors. But you’ll be amazed at how recently those shared ancestors lived. Thanks to genetic data in the 21st century, we’re even discovering that we really are all […]
Why Are There 7 Days In a Week?
Why does everyone use a 7 day week, and where did it come from? Where do the names of the days come from? And who can we blame for Mondays? Here’s the true story of one of the oldest human customs still in use today. It gets a little weird.
The Two Viruses That We’ve Had For Millions of Years
There’s one kind of herpesvirus that’s specific to one species of primate, and each virus split off from the herpesvirus family tree when the primate split off from its own tree. But of course, humans are a special kind of primate. Here are the two studies we discuss in this episode: Wertheim, J. O., Smith, […]
A Guide To Designing Low-Cost Ventilators for COVID-19
A guide to design low cost ventilators for COVID-19
Bill Gates-Backed Carbon Capture Plant Does The Work Of 40 Million Trees
In Squamish, British Columbia, there’s a company that wants to stop climate change by sucking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.
Why should you read “Fahrenheit 451”? – Iseult Gillespie
Ray Bradbury’s novel imagines a world where books are banned- and possessing, let alone reading them, is forbidden.The protagonist, Montag, is a fireman responsible for destroying what remains. The story raises the question: how can you preserve your mind in a society where free will, self-expression and curiosity are under fire? Iseult Gillespie examines what […]
Frans de Waal: Great Apes and the Gift of Empathy | Monologue | Topic
Biologist Frans de Waal studies the complex emotional life of apes – including how chimpanzees resolve conflicts. Here, de Waal discusses his subjects’ true capacity for fairness, reciprocity, and empathy, and how human beings measure up.
Light seconds, light years, light centuries: How to measure extreme distances – Yuan-Sen Ting
When we look at the sky, we have a flat, two-dimensional view. So how do astronomers figure the distances of stars and galaxies from Earth? Yuan-Sen Ting shows us how trigonometric parallaxes, standard candles and more help us determine the distance of objects several billion light years away from Earth. Lesson by Yuan-Sen Ting, animation […]
How does the stock market work? – Oliver Elfenbaum
In the 1600s, the Dutch East India Company employed hundreds of ships to trade goods around the globe. In order to fund their voyages, the company turned to private citizens to invest money to support trips in exchange for a share of the profits. In doing so, they unknowingly invented the world’s first stock market. […]
Game Theory: The Science of Decision-Making
With up to ten years in prison at stake, will Wanda rat Fred out? Game theory is looking at human interactions through the lens of mathematics.
Moral behavior in animals | Frans de Waal
Empathy, cooperation, fairness and reciprocity — caring about the well-being of others seems like a very human trait. But Frans de Waal shares some surprising videos of behavioral tests, on primates and other mammals, that show how many of these moral traits all of us share.
Which type of milk is best for you? – Jonathan J. O’Sullivan & Grace E. Cunningham
Dive into the most popular milks— dairy, almond, soy and oat— to find out which is healthiest for you and for the planet.