Awesome Kurzgesagt

Kurzgesagt lists the major breakthroughs that have taken humans to this point. Ultimately, it’s a reminder that we all benefit when we communicate, cooperate, and preserve and share knowledge, not when we deceive, enslave or censor each other.

Kurzgesagt mulls the Ship of Theseus, a paradox that asks whether an object – in this case, the human body – is still the same if you gradually replace all of its parts. And how many of your parts can be removed before you’re no longer you?

“But if you’re looking for a needle in a haystack, adding more hay isn’t going to make it easier to find the needle.” Kurzgesagt reminds us that terrorism has never been and will never be solved by assuming that everyone is guilty.

Kursgezagt sums up the risks and benefits of building a space elevator. It presents a myriad of technological and engineering problems, and we can’t afford to screw it up even once. But its resulting cost savings might be too enticing for us to pass up.

Kurzgesagt looks at the problem that science has created with the very cure that has saved millions of lives. The widespread use of antibiotics is resulting in evolutionary changes that are creating antibiotic resistant “superbugs.”

The so-called war on drugs is about short term gains and check marks for politicians. It goes after suppliers, but drugs are addictive. Users are willing to pay high prices for drugs, which encourages suppliers. The solution is to alleviate the demand for these substances.

Kurzgesagt explains the basics of black holes: how they form, how they distort time and how they dissipate in the first of a two-part lesson. Bonus points for the calm yet detailed explanation of a brutal death by gravity.

Kurzgesagt teaches us about the importance of honey bees to our world’s delicate ecosystem, and the science behind the phenomenon of colony collapse disorder. Next time you see a bee buzzing around you head, think about this video.