Awesome Learning

Orchestras have been around for hundreds of years. But why is it that certain instruments can be in an orchestra and others aren’t? Why do they have so many strings? Composer and educator David Bruce answers these and other questions about the origins of orchestras in this good-humored history lesson.

Thanks to movies like Jurassic Park, we have some very specific notions of what dinosaurs looked like. But as Kursgezagt explains, between missing fossils and misinterpreted skeletal reconstructions, it’s quite possible that these prehistoric animals appeared very different than we thought.

These days, product placement is all over movies, TV shows, sporting events, and even video games. Cheddar looks back at some of the earliest examples of products being featured in entertainment media, how important it’s become a crucial marketing tactic, and how it’s only going to become more prominent in the future.

Railroad operators in Darmstadt, Germany have a unique way to learn how to operate signals without risking real trains. Tom Scott shows off this special model railroad which is operated by real railway controls, including different kinds of switch consoles installed in various eras.

Between pandemics, climate change, and various manmade problems, humans have our work cut out for us. By looking back at how we’ve solved crises in the past, MinuteEarth demonstrates a few basic principles that we can apply to eliminating other existential threats… if we can keep from letting politics win out over science.

From fabled stashes of pirate’s booty to irreplaceable reels of film and works of art, there are some very special treasures waiting out there to be discovered. Join Mental Floss editor and host Erin McCarthy as she gets out her shovel and digs for some of the world’s most elusive artifacts.

You might think of the passage of time as something that moves in a particular direction – from left to right, front to back, or clockwise around a dial. As MinuteEarth explains, there’s no uniform way of looking at the direction of time, and how humans even represent it differently based on the way their language is written.

Train your brain with NeuroNation’s personalized exercise program. With regular use, you’ll learn techniques to help strengthen your memory, attention, logical thinking, and speed of thought. Save more than 50% on a 1-year subscription in The Awesomer Shop.

While we sit here staring at our screens, a war is being fought all around us. Trillions of microorganisms are battling it out for resources while viruses attack and take over. While it’s was believed that viruses aren’t alive, recent discoveries point to giant viruses that act more like living organisms. Kurzgesagt explains.

Every now and then you hear about a ship that collided with another in the dark of night. You’d think that the solution would be to equip them with headlights like cars, right? Casual Navigation explains the optical properties at work which makes the idea suboptimal, and explains the other kind of lights that ships do have.

We love using hot sauce to add a kick to many foods. Chili flavored sauces have been around for thousands of years, and Mental Floss‘ Food History explains where these spicy condiments likely originated as well as some of their varieties. Along the way, you’ll learn why peppers are spicy in the first place.

Did you know that there’s a boat out there that has its own U.S. zip code? We sure didn’t. Half as Interesting explains the story behind the boat that floats up and down the Detroit River, delivering mail to freighter ships that can’t afford to waste time docking to pick up parcels.

Kurzgesagt provides a layperson’s explanation of human immunity, the amazing and complex system that helps keep us alive – and sometimes needs a little help to build a memory against disease. Be sure to check out Kursgesagt’s new book Immune for more on the topic, and keep your eyes peeled for episode 2.

The name “Tiffany” became wildly popular back in the 1980s. But the name came to be long before the I Think We’re Alone Now singer. Learn about the origins of the name and its history over the years in only the way that CGP Grey can tell a story.

Up your kitchen skills with this series of online cooking courses. In all, there are 10 classes, ranging from healthy and wholesome salads and veggie dishes to the ins and outs of baking delicious bread and pastry treats. There’s even a class on cooking Thai food at home.

(PG-13: Language) For decades, Ronald McDonald was one of the world’s most recognized brand mascots. But something happened when 2016 hit, and the once-ubiquitous character all but vanished from the scene. Ordinary Things recalls the history of the burger clown, from his creepy early beginnings to his eventual downfall.

Never got your Pioneering merit badge as a Boy Scout? No worries. InnerBark Outdoors shows us seven knots that are easy to learn but are very useful. Most of these knots can come in handy camping, boating, and even at home.

This short video from Pilot Yellow provides an incredibly concise and easy to understand explanation of the basics of helicopter flight, using a small Guimbal Cabri G2 chopper to demonstrate. While it doesn’t go into the complexities of weather or flight safety, it’s a great primer on what all of those controls do.

While many considered Nikolai Tesla to be a genius, he also had some pretty outlandish ideas, like the notion that we would stop drinking coffee by the 21st century. Mental Floss editor Erin McCarthy explores this and a number of other wacky predictions that have yet to come true, among them, undersea buses propelled by whales.

Thanks to the series How It’s Made, we’ve seen the production process behind hundreds of items. The Efficient Engineer’s video explains things at a much higher level – not the process of making a specific product, but the principles behind modern manufacturing and how factories decide which methods to use.

As early as the 1950s, oceanographers like Jacques Cousteau were experimenting with the idea of setting up shop deep beneath the ocean and living down there for extended periods of time. Bloomberg sat down with experts in the field to discuss the unique challenges and opportunities presented by undersea living.

Tom Scott loves to visit interesting places, share fascinating stories, and speak about them with authority. After amusing us with his spot-on impression of the vlogger, comedian Matt Colbo is back with multiple Tom Scotts, envisioning what might happen they cloned the YouTube celeb.

Tom Scott takes us to a spot in Cornwall, UK known as “LEGO Beach,” because countless LEGO pieces have washed up on its shore since 1997. Tom digs into the true story of the toys and the crazy amount of junk that has found its way into the sea. LEGO Lost at Sea has been documenting some of the many plastics they’ve found on beaches.