Science

Real Life Lore schools us on things that can kill us, and makes us even more afraid of spiders, snakes and frogs. They list everything from common substances such as water and sugar, to wild venom and rare elements that can easily do you in.

If you thought that rain had a teardrop shape as it fell, you’d be totally wrong. With the help of a vertical wind tunnel, It’s Okay to Be Smart shows us what these droplets of water look like as they head towards Earth, while teaching us about surface tension and air resistance.

If you live somewhere that snow coats roads in the wintertime, you’ll want to check out Engineering Explained’s latest clip, as Jason walks us through the variables at work when driving on slippery surfaces, and provides some tips on how to maintain control on the snow.

The Backyard Scientist is back with his latest build – a ridiculous microwave oven, cobbled together from the magnetrons from multiple ovens. He even tried microwaving a microwave with it. We’re just going to say this is a really bad idea.

Learn a little bit about the chemistry and physics that go into the construction of a basic rocket in this clip from BBC Earth Lab’s Bang Goes the Theory. The demonstration with the oxy-acetylene soda bottle rockets is neat, but is way too dangerous to try at home.

Unlike the undying affection and dedication that dogs offer their masters, cats seemingly couldn’t care less about us humans. SciShow provides a biological explanation for the expression of disdain that felines show for those of us who keep them warm and fed.

We all know that boys’ voices get deeper as they go through puberty, but hormones aren’t the only process in play as our voices evolve. TED-Ed educator Shaylin A. Schundler explains how other physical changes affect the sound of our voices as we get older.

The more legs something has, the more it freaks us out. As such, one of the creatures that makes our skin crawl most is the millipede. Why is it that they have so many tiny dangly legs? Anna’s Science Magic Show Hooray! delves into what makes these crawlies so creepy.

Portholes that can instantly transport us between different areas of space and time are a staple of science fiction and fantasy. But are wormholes really a thing, and if they are, how might they work, and where could we find one? Kurzgesagt explores.

The human body is an amazing organic machine that performs countless tasks every minute of every day. In this video from The Infographics Show, they tally up some of the things that your body will do in the next minute – or twice as much while you watch the entire 2 minute clip.

When you think about how the whole six degrees of separation thing, it’s not a stretch to imagine that we’re all related in one way or another. It’s Okay to Be Smart explores the mathematical and genealogical complexities of our ancestral connections.

Veritasium filmed his latest video to show ultraviolet light so that we could see how objects would look like if we could see UV light. Sunscreen becomes dark, as do many light objects. He goes on to explain why this is the case and how it can be useful.

While we know it’s possible to extract natural colorings from food and other items, is there a way to completely remove its pigmentation and make it white? The Action Lab performed a series of experiments to test this, and provides a brief lesson on the physics of color.

Meet Arnold, the king of animated hypotheticals is here to explore what might happen to us if we actually could cure aging, and live at least 10 times longer we can today. The result isn’t all butterflies and lollipops. Also, nice segway to the sponsorship, guys.

Kurzgesagt looks at one of the many ways in which mankind is leaving its mark on our planet. Despite its usefulness, this man-made invention is one of the most destructive forces when it comes to the environment. But in some cases, it’s still better than other materials.

It’s Okay to Be Smart’s first ever rhyming video title takes us inside the gasses inside of our digestive systems, schooling us on the reasons flatulence happens, how some animals take advantage of them, why farts smell, and why we find them funny.

Engineers from MIT have developed 3D-printed objects with embedded magnetic particles that allow them to change shapes in an instant. The current prototypes are mere playthings, but the tech could give way to tiny, remote-controlled medical devices.

An amazing demonstration of the OpenDrop V3 – a compact system which uses current to precisely control the movement of fluids across the surface of an electrically charged grid. Thanks to its sophisticated control software, it can even play Frogger!

Filmmaker Maria Constanza Ferreira explores the incredibly ethereal and colorful organic patterns that reveal themselves when viewing the microscopic structures of sugar crystals under polarized light.

A simple, but fascinating construction that demonstrates the energy transfer that occurs when two pendulums are placed along the same string. Each one almost completely stops as its momentum moves to the other one like some kind of a seductive dance. (Thanks Kate!)

“There are more phages on Earth than every other organism combined.” Kurzgesagt takes a few minutes to educate us on the finer points of the bacteriophage, a type of virus which is constantly killing off billions of microscopic organisms all around and inside of us.

Have you ever wondered how its possible for animals to rest for months on end without eating, drinking, or doing their business? Well it’s because sleep and hibernation are completely different things. TED-Ed presenter Sheena Lee Faherty explains.

When it comes to holding things together, two of your best bets are glue or tape. Elizabeth Cox and TED-Ed explore the science behind adhesives, and which are the best for specific uses. We always wondered what kept glue from sticking to its own container, and now we know.

Director, writer, producer, and explorer James Cameron recently sat down with WIRED to answer questions posted on Twitter about the technology found in science fiction, how close some of these are to becoming reality, and the ethical questions they pose.

The study of extreme weather like hurricanes can help save lives and property. The engineers at the University of Miami’s Surge Structure Atmosphere Interaction Facility (SUSTAIN) have built an system which allows them to simulate hurricane force winds and water.

By using an air pump and a burst disc to pressurize and release helium gas, The Backyard Scientist shows off an insanely powerful NERF gun that can fire darts faster than the speed of sound. Watch, and you might even learn a thing or two about physics.

Life Noggin explores another one of life’s imponderables – what would have to happen for it to be possible for humans to move through solid objects? Even though there’s lots of empty space between the atoms everything is made of, it’s highly unlikely.

In theory, a clone should be an exact copy. But the reality is even if we chose to create engineered copies of humans, every little variable in their environment would make them a very different person from their genetic doppelgänger. Life Noggin explains.

A hypnotic video of a martini glass filled with some kind of black fluid that is both thick and viscous, and exhibits elastic properties as well. This unspillable gunk looks like the lifeblood of some sort of demonic creature.

Engineer Mark Rober and teacher Al “Doc Fizzix” Balmer explain the physics of these primitive race cars that get their power solely from the energy stored in a mousetrap’s spring. Along the way, you’ll learn about the principles of mechanical advantage, levers, and wheels.

This super-fine steel wool reminds us of Donald Trump’s hair. But these skinny metal strands are most interesting when they have their electrons excited by a microwave oven. Steve Mould explains why it behaves so spectactularly. The 9-volt battery trick is pretty neat too.

You never want to get too close to a mound of fire ants. But from the comfortable distance of your browser, they’re neat little buggers. Vox explores some of the fascinating ways in which colonies stick together to form structures, and how they can act as both a solid or fluid.