Be Smart.

Why Do We All Hate Pigeons?

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 16:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Check out Planet Earth II! https://youtu.be/c8aFcHFu8QM On BBC One in the UK this Sunday and coming to BBC America on 28th January 2017 Don’t be bird-brained. You should SUBSCRIBE! http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Want to wear your love for science? We’ve got merch: http://dftba.com/besmart Find out when you can watch Planet Earth II: http://www.bbcamerica.com/shows/planet-earth http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02544td Special thanks to BBC Earth: https://www.youtube.com/user/BBCEarth Planet Earth II is a BBC Studios Natural History Unit Production, co-produced with BBC America, ZDF, Tencent and France Télévision Books from this episode: “Superdove” by Courtney Humphries: http://amzn.to/2h0sZly “Unseen City” by Nathanael Johnson http://amzn.to/2g3v1nM -References/Learn More- Robert Fulton’s illustrated “Book of Pigeons” - 1876 https://archive.org/details/illustratedbooko00robe Scarf, Damian, Harlene Hayne, and Michael Colombo. "Pigeons on par with primates in numerical competence." Science 334.6063 (2011): 1664-1664. Scarf, Damian, et al. "Orthographic processing in pigeons (Columba livia)." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 113.40 (2016): 11272-11276. Skinner, Burrhus F. "Pigeons in a pelican." American Psychologist 15.1 (1960): 28. Watanabe, Shigeru, Junko Sakamoto, and Masumi Wakita. "PIGEONS'DISCRIMINATION OF PAINTINGS BY MONET AND PICASSO." Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior 63.2 (1995): 165-174. ---------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Snapchat: YoDrJoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Ask Joe Matters #6

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 15:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe so we can hit 1 MILLION! http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Get yourself an awesome I DID A SCIENCE shirt! http://dftba.com/besmart ↓ More info and sources below ↓ How far would ocean viruses stretch? http://www.virology.ws/2009/10/19/ten-cool-facts-about-viruses/ Follow Aaron Pomerantz! Twitter @AaronPomerantz YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHr0u7Jsktou2CFl2GhTxYA http://www.thenextgenscientist.com/ Videos referenced in this episode: Is Big Data Getting Too Big? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTMkc0bLRlI Musical Tesla Coils in Slow Motion! Featuring Physics Girl https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGhNgeg9IAw Is Ultron Inevitable? Ft. Vsauce3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Irmtk5QG8s Could Planet Minecraft Actually Exist? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5N7d8mcQk4 Why Are You Multicellular? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdVc2J_OwDc The Most Important Moment in the History of Life https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jf06MlX8yik Traveling Light (from Vsauce3) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOoFkwj91pk Do Plants Think? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zm6zfHzvqX4 Why Do We Have To Sleep? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mufsteNrTI Hurricanes: Engines of Destruction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xtu2_ziBI_w I don’t know why anyone would want to read this, but here’s my dissertation: http://bit.ly/2cU8DuN ---------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Snapchat: YoDrJoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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The Strange Evolutionary Story of the Thylacine

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 15:30:00 -0000

Special thanks to Vanessa from BrainCraft for help with this video! Check out her channel: https://www.youtube.com/braincraft ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Until the early 20th century, Tasmania was home to a very weird wolf-like creature. Except that it wasn’t a wolf. Even though it looked like a wolf. How did that happen? Here’s the science of convergent evolution! Want to see more of my interview with Rob? Click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsek8JxUS7M Special thanks to: Rob Voss - American Museum of Natural History, New York City Vanessa Hill from BrainCraft! References: Quammen, D. (2012). The song of the dodo: island biogeography in an age of extinctions. Random House. Feigin, C. Y., Newton, A. H., Doronina, L., Schmitz, J., Hipsley, C. A., Mitchell, K. J., ... & Menzies, B. R. (2018). Genome of the Tasmanian tiger provides insights into the evolution and demography of an extinct marsupial carnivore. Nature ecology & evolution, 2(1), 182. Newton, A. H., Spoutil, F., Prochazka, J., Black, J. R., Medlock, K., Paddle, R. N., ... & Pask, A. J. (2018). Letting the ‘cat’out of the bag: pouch young development of the extinct Tasmanian tiger revealed by X-ray computed tomography. Royal Society open science, 5(2), 171914. ----------- FOLLOW US: Twitter: @DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart BOOKS WE’VE FEATURED: http://smart-books.tumblr.com/ ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Stephanie Keep Creative Director: David Schulte Editor/animator: Karl Boettcher and Derek Borsheim Producers: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Does My Dog Perceive What I'm Thinking?

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 14:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Head to BrainCraft for more doggy science! http://youtu.be/OBy3idLwwYM ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Do you ever talk to your dog? Do they ever talk back? Humans and dogs have a truly amazing relationship, developed along an evolutionary journey that goes back nearly 10,000 years. Do they really understand what we say, think, and feel? Recent research suggests dogs know more about our language and emotions than you might think CORRECTION: Chaser is a she. Oops! Meet Chaser the border collie: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/18/science/18dog.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1& See Chaser in action: https://www.youtube.com/user/pilleyjw Dogs can process words' emotion separate from meaning: http://www.cell.com/current-biology/pdf/S0960-9822(14)01339-6.pdf Left-gaze bias in dogs and humans: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0036076 Charles Darwin's "Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals" https://archive.org/details/expressionofemot1872darw Decoding dog barks: http://www.apa.org/monitor/may05/dogs.aspx Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment below! ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Oliver Hanson - Dog Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics Katie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Dalton Allen - Post-Production Intern Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod ----------------- Last week's video: Is Santa Real? (A Scientific Analysis): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCOf6Su0Yvw More videos: Building Curiosity https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__tPaFaPCHo Why Are Some People Left-Handed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvMUpcxPSA Why Did We Blow on NES Games? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Gf9mtXnJfM The Science of Game of Thrones - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Utu-LpJn3Is There Was No First Human - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdWLhXi24Mo How The Elements Got Their Names - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtg9p6A6xnY

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I'm Uncertain How to Feel About 2023

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 13:30:00 -0000

SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a video! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ 2023 was a wild year with everything from scorching temperatures to massive wildfires. Even with more renewable energy than ever, 2023’s climate data still seems really bad. So how should we think about climate change today? And what can we do about it? Learn what climate scientists think about 2023’s climate milestones, what the models tell us about the future of Earth’s climate, and how we can tackle climate doomerism. Join our Patreon community: https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart ----------- High fives to all our Brain Trust Patrons: Ed Eyden Jennifer Burton Charles Horton, Jr Holly, Brett, and Ashe Bullion Jaap Westera Mehdi Damou Barbora Bei Burt Humburg dani bowman David Johnston Baerbel Winkler Eric Meer Karen Haskell Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/ Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart

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There Are Millions of Skeletons Lying Beneath Washington, DC

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 12:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Why do we build monuments? And what are they made of? Click here to SUBSCRIBE -- http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub I took a trip to Washington D.C. to check out some of our nation's most famous monuments. Where do they come from? From the depths of the Earth to the distant reaches of the cosmos, you'll never look at history the same way again. Music "Over the River and Through the River" - Father Sleep Written and hosted by Joe Hanson Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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DNA Doesn’t Look Like What You Think!

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 11:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate I used #badDNA once in this video. Can you find it? Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ If you see #badDna, be sure to show me on Twitter! @DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart Biology textbooks are full of drawings of DNA, but none of those show what DNA actually looks like. Sure, they’re good models for understanding how DNA works, but inside of real cells, it’s a whole lot more interesting. Learn why we can’t look directly at DNA, and find out how DNA is actually packed inside cells. ----------- READ MORE: Best electron microscope image of DNA: http://theatln.tc/2xLBb0Y Atomic force microscopy (the tiny needle): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_force_microscopy Visualizing the 3-D genome: http://bit.ly/2eHud8k Stevens, Tim J., et al. "3D structures of individual mammalian genomes studied by single-cell Hi-C." Nature 544.7648 (2017): 59-64. ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Joe Hanson Editor/animator: Evan Wright Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Nature's Most Awesome Animal Superpowers

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 10:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Comic book heroes ain't got nothin' on evolution. Click here to SUBSCRIBE and get more great science, it's FREE! -- http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Evolution has come up with some pretty amazing ways to get things done when it comes to animals, plants and microbes. From radiation-resistant bacteria (like Dr. Manhattan) to geckos who climb glass using atomic adhesion (like Spider-Man) to a shrimp that can shoot a bubble the temperature of the sun (like Aquaman), nature is pretty super! Watch more YouTube Geek Week videos at http://youtube.com/geekweek Clips from this episode: http://bit.ly/15aWwcF Written and hosted by Joe Hanson Produced by Painted On Productions (http://www.paintedon.com/) Special thanks to Dragon's Lair Comics & Fantasy in Austin, TX ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Is Santa Real? (A Scientific Perspective)

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 09:30:00 -0000

...and other Christmas mysteries answered with science! Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Happy Holidays! Ever wonder how Santa could possibly manage to deliver all those presents in a single night? Or what gives red-nosed reindeer the ability to fly? And why do your Christmas lights get tangled in knots no matter how carefully you put the away?! Here's some Christmas-themed science, as our gift to you. See you in 2015! SOURCES: Why Christmas lights tangle: "Spontaneous knotting of an agitated string" http://www.pnas.org/content/104/42/16432 Apollo 8 "Santa sighting" https://archive.org/details/Apollo8Highlights Santa's reindeer are probably female: http://www.livescience.com/32149-are-santas-reindeer-males.html Reindeer hair is hollow and "buoyant" http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6150798 Reindeer really do have red noses: http://www.bmj.com/content/345/bmj.e8311.full.pdf+html Reindeer eyes change color: http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/10/29/why-are-reindeer-eyes-golden-in-summer-but-blue-in-winter/ Santa's challenge (check my math!): http://bit.ly/1sOW15q Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc Kate Eads - Associate Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics Katie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Dalton Allen - Post-Production Intern Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Ask Joe Anything #5

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 08:30:00 -0000

You've got questions, I've got answers! Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Big thank you to the 7th and 8th graders from Northwest Middle School in Salt Lake City, UT! Great questions! Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment below! Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Host Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Elizabeth Case - Writer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics Dalton Allen - Post-production intern John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Shadows of Evolution

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 07:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ What does a ginkgo tree have in common with a dinosaur? SUBSCRIBE, it's FREE! http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Every fall, in cities like New York, the smell of vomit fills the crisp air. The culprit? The pungent seeds of the ginkgo biloba tree. So why would a tree evolve such a disgusting and revolting way to disperse its genes and make baby trees? Why not be more like the delicious apple? Join me for an evolutionary ghost story. We'll find out why the ginkgo is so weird, visit with some prehistoric beasts, and learn how an avocado is a bit like a dodo bird Check out "Ghosts of Evolution" by Connie Barlow: http://amzn.to/1iLBpsb Why the avocado should have gone the way of the dodo: http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2013/10/why-the-avocado-should-have-gone-the-way-of-the-dodo/ More about evolutionary anachronisms: http://sydkab.wordpress.com/tag/evolutionary-anachronism/ The ginkgo is Earth's oldest tree: http://e360.yale.edu/feature/peter_crane_history_of_ginkgo_earths_oldest_tree/2646/ Janzen and Martin's 1982 paper "Neotropical Anachronisms: The Fruits the Gomphotheres Ate": http://bit.ly/1aO0qiY Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editor and Motion Graphics Kate Eads - Production Manager Filmed at Onion Creek Productions in Austin, TX Thanks to Dan Silver for the footage of ginkgo trees in NYC Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Why Do You Love Your Family?

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 06:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Don't miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub You can learn more about your personal DNA story by going to https://23andMe.com/okay ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Why do we love people we're related to? Compared to strangers, why do we feel such a deep sense of connection with our family members? Sure, they're nice to us, we take care of each other, and we often live with them, but there has to be a deeper biological reason. That reason, unsurprisingly is evolution. In this video, I explain why taking care of our family, or even dying for them, makes sense in the eyes of evolution. SOURCES: This video covers more than a half century of evolutionary biology theory and observation, but here's some reading if you'd like to learn more: Dawkins, Richard. (1976) "The Selfish Gene" http://amzn.to/2Dhd257 Fisher, R. A. (1930). "The Genetical Theory of Natural Selection" http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/880368061 Haldane, J.B.S. (1932). "The Causes of Evolution." London: Longmans, Green & Co. Hamilton, W. D. (1963). "The evolution of altruistic behavior." The American Naturalist, 97(896), 354-356. Hamilton, W. D. (1964). "The genetical evolution of social behaviour I." Journal of Theoretical Biology, 7(1), 1-16. ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It's Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Stephanie Keep Producer/editor/animator: Andrew Orsak Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Why Do We Venture to Space?

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 05:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ My ode to space exploration and Discovery... Galileo would have made a great astronaut. Click here to SUBSCRIBE, it's FREE! -- http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Why do we go to space? In the beginning of our space program, the answer had a lot to do with war and paranoia. But with the dawn of the space shuttle, that all changed. Where do we go from here? Special thanks to the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center for letting us hang out with the shuttle Discovery Link to the interactive Mars panorama as seen on my phone: http://bit.ly/16ttUwr Historical footage via NASA Music: "Divider" by Chris Zabriskie http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Chris_Zabriskie/Divider/06_-_Divider Written and hosted by Joe Hanson Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Why People Don't Trust Climate Science

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 04:30:00 -0000

Get the FACTS about climate change: http://youtu.be/ffjIyms1BX4 Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Scientists overwhelmingly agree that our climate is changing, Earth is getting warmer, sea levels are rising, and it's primarily because of humans putting lots of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Yet 4 in 10 Americans aren't convinced. Here's what psychologists and sociologists have to say about why some people don't believe in climate science. Last week's video: Climate Science - What You Need to Know https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffjIyms1BX4 RECOMMENDED READING/SOURCES: "Don't Even Think About It" by George Marshall: http://amzn.to/1DCX6HU Also check out George Marshall's website: http://www.climateconviction.org/ "The Republican Brain" by Chris Mooney: http://bit.ly/1GJew1C "Unscientific America" by Chris Mooney and Sheril Kirshenbaum: http://amzn.to/1BQsocf "Fool Me Twice" by Shawn Lawrence Otto: http://bit.ly/12Y2Gnc Want to learn about the science of climate change and why humans are causing it, but in layman's terms? I recommend these books: Climate Change: Evidence and Causes (National Academy of Sciences/Royal Society) FREE ebook: http://amzn.to/1w6itfl Global Weirdness (Climate Central) http://amzn.to/1BtZZbP How to Change Minds About Our Changing Climate (Seth Darling + Douglas Sisterson) http://amzn.to/12jjcxN Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc Kate Eads - Associate Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics Katie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Dalton Allen - Post-Production Intern Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Is There Sentient Life On Other Worlds?

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 03:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ How are we looking and listening for intelligent life? Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Now that we know planets are common in our galaxy, how would we tell if one holds life? Sure, it will take incredibly powerful telescopes and ambitious new space missions, but what are we looking for? What are we listening for? How do we help other worlds know that we are here? Here's the thing: Life on Earth has an expiration date. No matter what humans do, our aging sun will eventually be so hot that we can't survive. If we want to live on, it will have to be beyond Earth. The only question is, will it be US who live on, or just our radio broadcasts and dead satellites? If you missed Part 1 last week: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvET91EYoyc Check out "Five Billion Years of Solitude" by Lee Billings: http://amzn.to/18Tzv59 My Sagan + Valentine's Day episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TekbxvnvYb8 Ray Bradbury reading "If Only We Had Taller Been" courtesy of NASA/JPL More reading: The 7 hurdles for a planet to develop intelligent life: http://lgmacweb.env.uea.ac.uk/ajw/Reprints/watson_astrobiology_preprint.pdf Sagan's rules for life: http://scienceblog.com/community/older/1999/C/199902379.html Earth is gradually getting more radio quiet: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/weekinreview/02overbye.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Searching for the archaeological ruins of extraterrestrial civilzations: http://www.aeonmagazine.com/nature-and-cosmos/searching-for-the-archaeologicalruins-of-alien-civilisations/ How long will life survive on Earth? http://www.universetoday.com/25367/how-long-will-life-survive-on-earth/ Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editor and Motion Graphics Kate Eads - Production Manager Filmed at Onion Creek Productions in Austin, TX Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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How To Bend Light Using Just Your Finger

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 02:30:00 -0000

Learn more about CuriosityStream at https://curiositystream.com/smart Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ The other day I got bored and noticed this weird thing happened when I held my finger up to my eye, so I had to science it and figure it out! Let me know if you try these light-bending experiments too, especially that last one that I can’t quite explain yet… ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter:@DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Creative Director: David Schulte Editor/animator: Karl Boettcher and Derek Borsheim Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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We Can Bring Back Extinct Species… But SHOULD WE?

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 01:30:00 -0000

Try 23andMe: http://www.23andme.com/okay Make sure we don’t go extinct and SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓More info and sources below ↓↓↓ De-extinction, or using the power of modern biotechnology to bring back extinct species like mammoths and dinosaurs, would be cool. But is it really as easy as the movies make it look? Or do the cruel hands of time make it impossible? This weel we look at the technical and ethical hurdles behind the science of de-extinction and reverse engineering species that are no longer around. Hybrid reptile/chicken skull scans courtesy of Bhart-Anjan Bhullar Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate ----------- REFERENCES: Shapiro, B. (2015). How to clone a mammoth: the science of de-extinction. Princeton University Press. Sherkow, J. S., & Greely, H. T. (2013). What if extinction is not forever?. Science, 340(6128), 32-33. Zimmer, C. (2013). Bringing them back to life. National Geographic, 223(4), 28-41. ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Shaena Montanari, Ph.D. Producer/editor/animator: Andrew Orsak Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Something Strange Happens When You Flatten the Earth…

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 00:30:00 -0000

Thank you to Squarespace for supporting PBS. Go to https://www.squarespace.com/besmart for a free trial and use code BESMART to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.
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Follow me to @pbsterra and watch Overview to celebrate Earth Month with PBS: https://youtu.be/ivoV1rwiYJk
PBS Earth Month Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnNZYWyBGJ1F8ofFm4H9UTrHxqU8zngK4

Imprisoned for heresy, Gerardus Mercator later created a map that transformed navigation forever. We explore why his projection distorts the world, how it solved a deadly problem for sailors, and the astonishing mystery of how he used math that hadn’t even been invented yet to do it all.

Be Smart explores science questions you didn’t even know you wondered about. It is hosted and produced by Joe Hanson, PhD. We post new videos all the time, so please subscribe! If you enjoyed this video, hit the ‘like’ button, leave a comment, or watch another of our videos!

References: https://sites.google.com/view/mercator-mystery-references/home

0:00 A Prisoner of the Inquisition
1:52 The Navigation Crisis
4:22 Who Was This Mercator Guy, Anyway?
8:02 Globes & Heresy
10:45 Why Flat Maps Are Mathematically Impossible
13:27 The Math Mystery Behind the Mercator Map
16:11 How Mercator Used Math That Didn't Exist Yet
19:40 You're Using This Map Right Now
22:56 Is This Map Harmful?

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Written Joe Hanson
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Why Don't Woodpeckers Develop Concussions?

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 23:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Don’t be hard-headed. You should SUBSCRIBE! http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Tweet this video ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSbang Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSbangFB ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Translate this video: LINK TKTK Want to wear your love for science? We’ve got merch: http://dftba.com/besmart -We’d like to thank these folks- Special thanks to Dr. Lorna Gibson of MIT for her woodpecker biomechanics expertise Three-dimensional reconstructions based on CT data courtesy of DigiMorph.org Pileated woodpecker slo-mo footage courtesy of Dr. Robert Shadwick/University of British Columbia -References/Learn More- Daneshvar, Daniel H., et al. "The epidemiology of sport-related concussion." Clinics in sports medicine 30.1 (2011): 1-17. Gibson, L. J. "Woodpecker pecking: how woodpeckers avoid brain injury." Journal of Zoology 270.3 (2006): 462-465. Haldane, John BS. "On being the right size." Harper’s Magazine 152 (1926): 424-427. Maroon, Joseph C., et al. "Chronic traumatic encephalopathy in contact sports: a systematic review of all reported pathological cases." PloS one 10.2 (2015): e0117338. May, Philip RA, et al. "Woodpecker drilling behavior: an endorsement of the rotational theory of impact brain injury." Archives of Neurology 36.6 (1979): 370-373. Schwab, Ivan R. "Cure for a headache." British Journal of Ophthalmology86.8 (2002): 843-843. Wang, Lizhen, et al. "Why do woodpeckers resist head impact injury: a biomechanical investigation." PloS one 6.10 (2011): e26490. ---------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Instagram: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Why It Took Scientists So Long To Adopt This Very Clear Idea

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 22:30:00 -0000

But did thee feel the Earth move? We’re on PATREON! Support our show: https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Why do Africa and South America fit together? Anyone who’s ever looked at a map can see that Earth’s continents are kind of like a jigsaw puzzle. The idea that continents are constantly moving and weren’t always in their current spots is a pretty obvious idea, right? You might be surprised to learn that geologists only accepted that idea recently in the past few decades, and it figuring out how plate tectonics and continental drift work required some pretty strange evidence. ----------- LEARN MORE: Some background on Alfred Wegener: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/geology/techist.html Lystrosaurus (ancient mammal relative): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lystrosaurus Glossopteris (ancient fern): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossopteris The splitting of Africa: http://theconversation.com/splitting-africa-what-happens-when-a-continent-breaks-apart-6248 ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Shaena Montanari Producer/editor/animator: Andrew Orsak Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Why Are Some Folk Left-Handed?

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 21:30:00 -0000

We've got two perfectly good hands attached to two perfectly good arms, so why do most people prefer to use one over the other for common tasks? Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub David Wolman's "A Left Hand Turn Around the World" http://amzn.to/1wYqOS2 (lots more references in there!) Chris McManus' "Right Hand, Left Hand" http://amzn.to/1umztyL The best collection of the science of handedness on the internet: Right, Left, Right, Wrong - http://www.rightleftrightwrong.com/index.html Genetic link between handedness and body asymmetry: http://www.plosgenetics.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pgen.1003751 A gene associated with handedness and schizophrenia: http://www.nature.com/mp/journal/v12/n12/abs/4002053a.html Genetic theories of handedness: http://www.rightleftrightwrong.com/theories_genetic.html Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics Dalton Allen - Post-production intern John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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What's REALLY Making Earth Hotter?

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 20:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Watch my other climate science videos: http://bit.ly/climatevids Get yourself an awesome I DID A SCIENCE shirt! http://dftba.com/besmart ↓ More info and sources below ↓ References/Learn more: July 2016 is hottest on record: http://climate.nasa.gov/news/2479/nasa-analysis-finds-july-2016-is-warmest-on-record/ NOAA’s State of the Climate July 2016 http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/201607 Bloomberg’s climate change data viz project: http://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-whats-warming-the-world/ Solar activity and temperature show opposite trend: https://www.skepticalscience.com/solar-activity-sunspots-global-warming-intermediate.htm Milankovitch cycles: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milankovitch_cycles (I left out eccentricity because it operates on scales so long that it doesn’t affect short term climate change) Connecting climate models with actual temperature changes http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/full/10.1175/BAMS-D-14-00154.1 NASA Goddard’s Gavin Schmidt explains the history of the instrumental temperature record https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkT7IyUSjq0 Last time CO2 was this high, humans didn’t exist http://www.climatecentral.org/news/the-last-time-co2-was-this-high-humans-didnt-exist-15938 Shifting baselines: http://www.shiftingbaselines.org/op_ed/ Thomas Jefferson’s weather observations: https://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/weather-observations Ben Franklin as Meteorologist: http://www.jstor.org/stable/983821 ---------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Snapchat: YoDrJoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Ask Joe Matters #1

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 19:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ You guys asked me questions, so I answered them! SUBSCRIBE and get more great science, it's FREE! -- http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Engineering RuBisCo to make better carbon-capturing plants: http://www.plantphysiol.org/content/155/1/27.full The paradox of the plankton and Gause's law: http://www.biodiverseperspectives.com/2013/02/02/the-paradox-of-the-phytoplankton-why-do-we-have-so-many-species/ Written and hosted by Joe Hanson Produced by Joe Nicolosi (http://joe-nicolosi.com/) PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Climate Science: What You Need To Grasp

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 18:30:00 -0000

Learn the basic science of climate change in 24 easy steps. Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Scientists overwhelmingly agree that our climate is changing, Earth is getting warmer, sea levels are rising, and it's primarily because of humans putting lots of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Whether you already trust in the science, you're undecided, or you disagree with what all this, this video is for you! SOURCES LISTED HERE: http://bit.ly/1zGbOry Want to learn about the science of climate change and why humans are causing it, but in layman's terms? I recommend these books: Climate Change: Evidence and Causes (National Academy of Sciences/Royal Society) FREE ebook: http://amzn.to/1w6itfl Global Weirdness (Climate Central) http://amzn.to/1BtZZbP How to Change Minds About Our Changing Climate (Seth Darling + Douglas Sisterson) http://amzn.to/12jjcxN Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics Katie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Dalton Allen - Post-Production Intern Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Ebola Explored

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 17:30:00 -0000

What you need to know about one of nature's scariest viruses. Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Read David Quammen's "Ebola": http://amzn.to/1wBLmzw Ebola infection/death simulation from Washington Post: http://bit.ly/ebola_sim Read the original 1976 case report describing the first Ebola patient: http://1.usa.gov/1svWp7i Ebola outbreak disease info and case counts: http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/2014-west-africa/index.html Ebola Deeply (a calm take on Ebola news): http://www.eboladeeply.org/ How contagious is Ebola? http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/10/02/352983774/no-seriously-how-contagious-is-ebola Ebola outbreak and symptoms FAQ from WHO: http://bit.ly/1td3TBn Can Ebola go airborne? No. http://www.virology.ws/2014/09/18/what-we-are-not-afraid-to-say-about-ebola-virus/ Ebola: What we should and shouldn't be worried about http://www.wired.com/2014/10/ebola-virus-infection-transmission-death-explained/ Hi-tech Ebola treatments: http://arstechnica.com/science/2014/08/bio-high-tech-treatment-for-ebola-may-have-saved-two-us-citizens/ The political effects of Ebola in West Africa: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/14/world/africa/ebola-virus-outbreak.html?_r=0 Maps of infectious disease vs. public health spending: http://ted.tumblr.com/post/99654182795/heres-what-we-should-talk-about-when-we-talk Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Graham Hutchins - Editing/Motion Graphics John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Where Do Birds Go During Winter?

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 16:30:00 -0000

And where do they keep their suitcases? Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub As winter approaches, V-shaped flocks glide overhead as the world's birds begin their long treks to warmer climates. Humans used to have some pretty crazy theories about where birds went for winter, like the moon, or to the bottom of the ocean. How did we learn the real story? And where DO birds go for winter? What are the longest bird migrations? How do birds store up energy for their long journey? How do birds navigate? Why do they fly in a V-shape? Find out in this week's video! Charles Morton's theory of birds on the moon: http://wrd.cm/1xMKc5k Read Charles Morton's original 1703 pamphlet! http://bit.ly/1C5AKhk The story of the stork with a spear in its neck: http://bit.ly/11PgkIs Aristotle's theory of bird transmutation: http://bit.ly/1uwQwHX The "barnacle goose" http://bit.ly/1C5BiUg The Arctic tern's record-breaking migration: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2836663/ The bar-tailed godwit's fat-fueled migration: https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/auk/v115n01/p0196-p0203.pdf Ruby-throated hummingbird mighty migration: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1325055/ The avian aerodynamics of the "flying V" http://bit.ly/1vFFlUs The many senses that birds use to find their way: http://bit.ly/11qN9vr How birds use magnetic fields to navigate: http://bit.ly/1r2jYLy Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics Dalton Allen - Post-production intern John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images by Shutterstock ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Where Did Earth's Water Come From?

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 15:30:00 -0000

To learn more about Brilliant, check out https://brilliant.org/BeSmart/ Give us a hand and SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Why is Earth is a blue planet? Because it’s covered in water! Where did Earth’s water come from? Of course, water isn’t unique to our planet. The origin of water traces beyond the solar system to the earliest days of the universe. Here’s the story of the galaxy’s H2O. Special thanks to: David O’Brien, Planetary Science Institute Wendy Panero, The Ohio State University Karen Meech, Institute for Astronomy at the University of Hawaii Shmuel Bialy, Tel Aviv University Avi Loeb, Harvard University Ilse Cleeves, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics References: Bialy, S., Sternberg, A., & Loeb, A. (2015). Water Formation During the Epoch of First Metal Enrichment. The Astrophysical Journal Letters, 804(2), L29. Bradford, Charles M., et al. "The water vapor spectrum of APM 08279+ 5255: X-ray heating and infrared pumping over hundreds of parsecs." The Astrophysical Journal Letters 741.2 (2011): L37. Cleeves, L. Ilsedore, et al. "The ancient heritage of water ice in the solar system." Science 345.6204 (2014): 1590-1593. ----------- FOLLOW US: Twitter: @DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Marcus Woo Creative Director: David Schulte Editor/animator: Karl Boettcher and Derek Borsheim Producers: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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How to Observe Time Travel!!!

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 15:30:00 -0000

Behold the COSMOTRON 5000!!! Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub How to build your own cloud chamber particle detector and test relativity at home: http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/make-a-cosmic-ray-detector-at-home-and-test-relativity/ Carl Sagan discusses cosmic radiation and the origin of life in "Cosmic Connection": http://amzn.to/1wiHIsu Learn about muons, time dilation, and relativity: http://cosmic.lbl.gov/SKliewer/Cosmic_Rays/Muons.htm Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics John Knudsen - Gaffer Dalton Allen - Post-production Intern Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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The Cosmic Lingering Glow

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 14:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Get your #ididascience shirt here! http://dftba.com/besmart Tweet this ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBScmb Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBScmbFB ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Vintage Project Echo footage from “The Big Bounce” (1960): https://archive.org/details/BigBounc1960 Listen to the original static signal captured by Penzias and Wilson at Bell Labs: https://media-bell-labs-com.s3.amazonaws.com/pages/20140518_1635/narrated_thermal_noise_02_Track_2.m4a ---- Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com Stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted) http://www.videoblocks.com

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How To Process Science News

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 13:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Develop your own science truthiness detector! My favorite places to get science news: http://bit.ly/1dpkiI4 (Now as an RSS/OPML file thanks to @doodlewhale!! https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/8365578/feedly.opml ) Also check out my public Twitter lists for more: http://www.twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Those were all real headlines at the beginning. Proof: Universe hologram: http://huff.to/1beW6W8 Chimp/pig humans: http://dailym.ai/1bSQNit Popcorn: http://huff.to/IYEUha LHC/black hole: http://bit.ly/1ce3VRX Squeezing breasts: http://bit.ly/JLTV6L Alcohol = heroin: http://cbsn.ws/19ftjXx Calamari pregnancy: http://bit.ly/1cU5VgQ Autism and freeways: http://bit.ly/1beWtQo Cats: http://bit.ly/J80hME Semen as antidepressant: http://bit.ly/18ZNIwT Quantum afterlife: http://dailym.ai/IYFYBH More reading: How to read about science: http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/12/how-to-read-about-science/281855/ This is a science news article: http://www.theguardian.com/science/the-lay-scientist/2010/sep/24/1 Real science and health news: http://scienceblogs.com/startswithabang/2012/02/07/real-science-and-health-news-f/ Baloney detection kit: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/03/16/baloney-detection-kit/ Do the Double X double take: http://www.doublexscience.org/science-health-medical-news-freaking-you-out-do-the-double-x-double-take-first/ PHD Comics: Science news cycle: http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=1174 Music: Podington Bear - "Pretty Build" Joe Hanson - Host and writer Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Why Don't Other Animals Use Glasses?

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 12:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Check out The Great Courses Plus: http://ow.ly/OE9y301cRfI Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Get yourself an awesome IOTBS shirt! http://dftba.com/besmart This is a cool old movie from 1941 about how the eye works: https://archive.org/details/0586_How_the_Eye_Functions_E00456_04_22_16_00 Dive deeper into the physics of vision correction with Michel van Biezen: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX2gX-ftPVXXf2ZaG_1SXAYbVcifI6gvr Myopia boom in modern times: http://www.nature.com/news/the-myopia-boom-1.17120 Limits to human vision: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11019869 ---- Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com Stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted) http://www.videoblocks.com

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Why Does The Earth Have Levels?

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 11:30:00 -0000

...or why do we live on an onion made of magma? Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Thanks to Miles Traer and Mike Osborne for geophysics help on this one! Why does Earth have a liquid core, and how do we know? http://scienceblogs.com/startswithabang/2011/09/28/why-does-the-earth-have-a-liqu/ How many pennies would you have to stack to melt the one on the bottom? http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2g8jj9/how_many_pennies_need_to_be_stacked_before_the/ Why are the inner planets rocky and the outer ones are gas giants? http://www.quora.com/Why-are-the-inner-planets-rocky-and-the-middle-planets-large-gas-giants Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics John Knudsen - Gaffer Dalton Allen - Post-production Intern Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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CRISPR and the Future of Human Advancement

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 10:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Part 4 of our special series on Human Ancestry. Watch it all ►► http://bit.ly/OKTBSHuman Watch Mutant Menu on BrainCraft: https://youtu.be/NrDM6Ic2xMM ↓↓↓More info and sources below ↓↓↓ In part 4 of our special series on human ancestry and evolution, we look into the future. Now that genetic engineering tools like CRISPR allow us to edit our genes, how will that impact human evolution going forward? Are designer babies or eugenics around the corner? Welcome to a world of nonrandom mutation and unnatural selection. ----------- REFERENCES: WHO fact sheet on obesity risks and death vs underweight: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/ Jinek, M., Chylinski, K., Fonfara, I., Hauer, M., Doudna, J. A., & Charpentier, E. (2012). A programmable dual-RNA–guided DNA endonuclease in adaptive bacterial immunity. Science, 337(6096), 816-821. Knoepfler, P. (2015). GMO Sapiens: the life-changing science of designer babies. World Scientific. Enriquez, J., & Gullans, S. (2015). Evolving Ourselves. Oneworld Publications. ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Joe Hanson Producer/editor/animator: Andrew Matthews Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Why Do Things Sound Creepy?

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 09:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Why are sounds scary? They're just vibrations. Blame your brain! Click here to SUBSCRIBE, it's FREE! http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Enter a dimension of sound, science, and fearMusic by Podington Bear http://podingtonbear.com/ References and more: What's That Buzz? http://www.youtube.com/user/BuzzMoranSFX Seth Horowitz - The Universal Sense http://amzn.to/19Nd4NC Vsauce "You Live In The Past": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTOODPf-iuc ASAPScience "Can You Trust Your Eyes?": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZflIMBxyIak It's Okay To Be Smart "Pay Attention!": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-PvAZq3jW4 Kyle Hill - The Animals Hiding in a T. rex's Roar: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2013/04/10/the-animals-hiding-in-a-t-rexs-roar/ Daniel Blumstein - Film soundtracks and nonlinear sounds: http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/early/2010/05/20/rsbl.2010.0333.full Oskar Sala - Crow attack from The Birds http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hplpQt424Ls Krzysztof Pendercki - "Utrenja" from The Shining http://youtu.be/O8Vuf5lzV3E Bernard Herrmann - "Prelude/Radar" from The Day The Earth Stood Still http://youtu.be/3ULhiVqeF5U Written and hosted by Joe Hanson Special thanks to KLRU for help with this episode PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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How Scientists Produced the Hottest Thing Ever

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 08:30:00 -0000

Learn more about Surfshark VPN at: https://surfshark.deals/besmart SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a video! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ At CERN, physicists are searching for answers to some of the biggest questions ever — like how the universe started and where everything comes from. To get one step closer to an answer, CERN scientists recreated the first moment after the Big Bang… making extreme temperatures that hadn’t existed anywhere in the universe in 13.8 billion years. Join us to see how they did it. Join our Patreon community: https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart ----------- High fives to all our Brain Trust Patrons: Ed Eyden Jennifer Burton Charles Horton, Jr Holly, Brett, and Ashe Bullion Jaap Westera Mehdi Damou Barbora Bei Burt Humburg dani bowman David Johnston Baerbel Winkler Eric Meer Karen Haskell Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/ Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart

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Ask Joe Stuff - 2 Million Subscribers Edition!

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 07:30:00 -0000

Thanks for your support! Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ We’re celebrating our 2 millionth subscriber with a special Q&A episode! SEND US STUFF: It’s Okay To Be Smart PO Box 303356 Austin, TX 78703 USA BOOKS WE’VE FEATURED: http://smart-books.tumblr.com/ ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter:@DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Creative Director: David Schulte Editor/animator: Karl Boettcher and Derek Borsheim Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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How Science Specifies A Year

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 06:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ It's been one (tropical/sidereal/anomalous) year since I uploaded the very first It's Okay To Be Smart. Here's everything that's happened since! Thank you to everyone who's helped make this possible, and for letting me have the best job in the world. More: CGP Grey - What is a leap year? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xX96xng7sAE MinutePhysics - What are years? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53glKEPzElA Bad Astronomy - http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/01/01/happy-new-year-again/#.UtbGr2RDtVM Check out the highlights of my arm wrestling match with Derek from Veritasium courtesy of Hank Green (cameos from Mike Rugnetta and Emily Eifler): https://twitter.com/hankgreen/status/388553085653901312 Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc Kate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editor and motion graphics Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Developing Curiosity

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 05:30:00 -0000

An ode to curiosity... with LEGO! Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub My tribute to Curiosity, both the NASA rover and the human desire to discover, featuring words from some of science's greatest minds and LEGO's special edition Mars rover set SOURCES: Carl Sagan: "Cosmos: A Personal Voyage - The Lives of the Stars" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7L6SZPxgNg "Cosmos: A Personal Voyage - The Backbone of the Night" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeaPIy6eS_g "Cosmos: A Personal Voyage - The Shores of the Cosmic Ocean" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCxc5w-SfpA Neil deGrasse Tyson: "Science is in our DNA" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVrVdtSFK7c "Cosmos: A SPacetime Odyssey Q&A" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfUuj0YLmMg Bill Nye: "The Good Stuff - Bill Nye and the Origin of Everything" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMKTiPUl8E4 "Why We Explore" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVZmL5UARcs "Bill Nye Debates Ken Ham" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6kgvhG3AkI Hank Green: "Curiosity is the Finest Human Quality" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kQ1Po7vzUk Jane Goodall: "Sowing the Seeds of Hope" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vibssrQKm60 Richard Feynman: "Take the World From a Different Point of View" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgJPjG4KJYQ James Cameron: "Before Avatar - A Curious Boy (TED2010)" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVfd6fg7QsM Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director/Editor Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc Kate Eads - Associate Producer Music: "Evolver" by Jesper Kyd (APM Music Library) ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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How Artist Claude Monet Was Sort Of Like a Honeybee

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 04:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ The famous painter who was half-honeybee Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Claude Monet had a very unique eye, and it can teach us a bit about the science of vision More reading: Monet's Eye at Download the Universe: http://www.downloadtheuniverse.com/dtu/2012/04/monets-ultraviolet-eye.html Simulation of Monet's Cataracts: http://archopht.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=418859#MONET More: http://petapixel.com/2012/04/17/the-human-eye-can-see-in-ultraviolet-when-the-lens-is-removed/ http://www.skepticalartist.com/2013/06/25/claude-monet-and-ultraviolet-light-did-the-master-impressionist-painter-have-uv-supervision/ Music: Johann Sebastian Bach - Goldberg Variations (From The Open Goldberg Variations, by Kimiko Ishizaka ----------------- Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment below! Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc Kate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editor and motion graphics John Knudsen - Gaffer Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Last week's video: The Science of Snowflakes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUot7XSX8uA More videos: The Universe In A Glass of Wine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3_n7TDL7lc Why We Cook: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wpfwu__PF7Y Ghosts of Evolution: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWW5OuxlKec

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Who Built the Metric System (and Why It Isn't As Perfect as You Think)

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 03:30:00 -0000

Meter? …or Metre? Try CuriosityStream and learn something new today: http://curiositystream.com/smart ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Why is a meter a meter? The meter is the world’s ultimate measure, but how did it become “the” meter? What is this measurement based on? The story of this revolution in measurement traces its roots to the French Revolution. Scientists decided that an equal and united people should have equal and united measures. So they sent a pair of young astronomers out to measure the world, and invent the meter. Little did they know they’d find nothing but war, deception, and strife along the way. As a result of this ill-fated mission, the meter carries an error that still persists today. Still think the metric system is so perfect? Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate ----------- LEARN MORE: This episode would not have been possible without one incredible book: “The Measure of All Things” by Ken Alder. There’s so much more to this story that we couldn’t fit in the video, and this book has it all. War, madness, deception, shame, spies, the dawn of the Enlightenment, the birth of modern economics, lots more beheadings… Highly recommended! Amazon: http://amzn.to/2lNuEyD Public library: http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/893130606 MORE: Interesting chronology of the meter: http://www.dozenalsociety.org.uk/metrix/chronology.html Calculating the length of a meridian arc: http://www.cantab.net/users/michael.behrend/map_formulae/alt_tr_mercator/pages/meridian_arc.html Williams, Jeffrey H. “Quantifying Measurement: The Tyranny of Numbers.” Morgan & Claypool Publishers, 2016 Murdin, Paul. “Full meridian of glory: perilous adventures in the competition to measure the Earth.” Springer Science & Business Media, 2008. ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Joe Hanson Producer/editor/animator: Andrew Matthews Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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It's Okay To Be Smart - Bloopers Vol. 2: The Sequel

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 02:30:00 -0000

We're taking the week off while we work on some special episodes for the next few weeks. In the meantime, here's me messing up. A lot. Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Editing/Motion Graphics - Arts + Labor Gaffer - John Knudsen Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Are We Living Through the Sixth Extinction?

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 01:30:00 -0000

This time, we're the asteroid. Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Read "The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert: http://amzn.to/1xGKn0K Rodolfo Dirzo et al. "Defaunation in the Anthropocene" http://bit.ly/1H7JQdw Stuart Pimm et al. "Biodiversity of Species and Their Rates of Extinction" http://bit.ly/1A5UZJM Get to know an endangered species: http://discover.iucnredlist.org/ Half of world's wildlife has died off in past 40 years: http://bit.ly/1BHl8jR Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment below! Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc Kate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics Dalton Allen - Post-production intern John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images by Shutterstock ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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The SCIENCE of BREWING!!!

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 00:30:00 -0000

Is beer the perfect beverage? Let's see what science says... Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Big thank you to Jester King Brewery in Austin, TX: http://jesterkingbrewery.com/ The chemistry of beer flavors: http://www.compoundchem.com/2014/07/10/beerchemicals/ Uncorking the past, a history of alcoholic beverages: http://www.economist.com/node/883706 Domestication of grain in near east: http://www.nature.com/nrg/journal/v3/n6/abs/nrg817.html Alcohol and social complexity in ancient western Asia: http://alexanderjoffe.net/alcohol.pdf Finally, a weird Dutch Heineken ad from the 1950's about sending beer to the moon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I03AxY5gA8I Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Editing/Motion Graphics - Andrew Matthews Gaffer - John Knudsen Post-production intern - Dalton Allen Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Infinity isn’t a number. It's something much weirder.

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 23:30:00 -0000

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Infinity sounds simple. It just means really, really big, right? But something weird happens when you try to do infinite things in a finite amount of time. Let's explore paradoxes, supertasks, and the bizarre mathematics that show how infinity is something far stranger than just a number.

Be Smart explores science questions you didn’t even know you wondered about. It is hosted and produced by Joe Hanson, PhD. We post new videos all the time, so please subscribe! If you enjoyed this video, hit the ‘like’ button, leave a comment, or watch another of our videos!

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Stock video and images provided by Shutterstock, Artlist, and MotionArray
Music provided by APM
Written Joe Hanson
Edited by Steven Simone
Produced by Least Square Media and Spotzen for PBS Digital Studios

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The Remarkable Roots of Thanksgiving Foods

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 22:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate I’m thankful for science. And also pie. SUBSCRIBE! http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Want to wear your love for science? We’ve got merch: http://dftba.com/besmart References/Learn More: How turkeys got so big: https://www.wired.com/2008/11/turkeytech/ Benjamin Franklin’s 1784 letter to Sarah Bache about turkeys: http://franklinpapers.org/franklin/framedVolumes.jsp?vol=41&page=281 Ames, Mercedes, and David M. Spooner. "DNA from herbarium specimens settles a controversy about origins of the European potato." American Journal of Botany 95.2 (2008): 252-257. Doebley, John. "The genetics of maize evolution." Annu. Rev. Genet. 38 (2004): 37-59. Grun, Paul. "The evolution of cultivated potatoes." Economic Botany 44.3 (1990): 39-55. McWilliams, James. The Pecan: A history of America's native nut. University of Texas Press, 2013. Nee, Michael. "The domestication of cucurbita (Cucurbitaceae)." Economic Botany 44.3 (1990): 56-68. Polashock, James, et al. "The American cranberry: first insights into the whole genome of a species adapted to bog habitat." BMC plant biology 14.1 (2014): 1 Speller, Camilla F., et al. "Ancient mitochondrial DNA analysis reveals complexity of indigenous North American turkey domestication." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 107.7 (2010): 2807-2812. ---------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Why Do We Cook?

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 21:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Your brain is hungry. Here's how to feed it. SUBSCRIBE, it's FREE! http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Ever wonder why we cook our food? We do it because it tastes good, of course, and because our customs and traditions are built around it. But we also cook our food for some basic biological reasons, because of evolution. Some scientists think that figuring out how to cook actually MADE us human! If conversation gets a little dry around your holiday table, now you'll have some awesome science to share with everyone! Richard Wrangham - "Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human" http://amzn.to/1cg5flN "The Raw and the Stolen" (PDF) - Richard Wrangham et al. http://bit.ly/JTLYfe (that one has some of the counterarguments, too) Greg Laden's summary: http://bit.ly/1dx46oc Cooked Foods Needed for Early Human Brain: http://bit.ly/1l8bqJE Man Entered the Kitchen 1.9 Million Years Ago: http://bit.ly/1c1vcB5 What made us human: http://bit.ly/19lp4cU and http://www.epjournal.net/wp-content/uploads/EP08340342.pdf The story might not be quite so simple, though: http://blogs.plos.org/neuroanthropology/2010/10/28/food-for-thought-cooking-in-human-evolution/ Joe Hanson - Host Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKatie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Isaac Hammons - Audio Recordist Stephen Bohls, Editor, Kino-Eye POST Christopher Chiles, Motion Graphics Kate Eads - Production Manager Intro music - Victor Herbert Orchestra, "Chinese Dance of the Mirillitons from the Nutcracker 1913" Body music - Podington Bear's "AlgoRhythmNatural" Special thanks to Thinkery Austin Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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The Dimensions of the Universe

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 20:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Do you ever freak out about the scale of time and space? Me too! Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub From the very large to the very small, the universe is an amazing place. Here's my favorite ways to explore its scale. Explore them yourself: Scale of the Universe 2 - http://htwins.net/scale2/ Powers of Ten - Charles and Ray Eames http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fKBhvDjuy0 Here is Today - http://hereistoday.com/ Deep Time clock - http://deeptime.info/ More on "yugen" - http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/japanese-aesthetics/#5 Created by Joe Hanson Music by Podington Bear http://podingtonbear.com/ Video footage from http://www.videoblocks.com/ Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Are the Nobel Prizes Still Meaningful in the 21st Century?

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 19:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ The Nobel Prizes reward the greatest accomplishments of the human race. Right? Then why haven't they changed much in 100+ years? Do they really represent how science is done? And why so few women? References and more: Molly Oldfield - The Secret Museum http://amzn.to/173lLpj Georgia Lupi Nobel Prize infographic: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/11/29/giorgia-lupi-noble-prizes-visualization/ Alfred Nobel's will: http://www.nobelprize.org/alfred_nobel/will/will-full.html Top 10 Nobel snubs: http://www.scientificamerican.com/slideshow.cfm?id=10-nobel-snubs Nobel Prize controversies (like Johannes Fibiger) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobel_Prize_controversies Women who have won science Nobels http://mentalfloss.com/article/53186/14-women-whove-won-science-nobel-prizes-marie-curie The Nobel ignores how modern science works: http://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/aerospace/astrophysics/nobel-for-higgs-boson-discovery-ignores-how-modern-science-works Nobel prize and myth of the "lone genius" http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/the-curious-wavefunction/2013/10/08/nobel-complexity/ Thomas Edison on success: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/02/11/thomas-edison-on-sleep-and-success/ Steve Jobs on creativity: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/4.02/jobs_pr.html Open letter to Nobel committee: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17863-open-letter-to-the-nobel-prize-committee.html#.Ul8DHWT5n6Q Thumbnail art via catwalker/Shutterstock ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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The Factual "Doctor Frankenstein

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 18:30:00 -0000

When it comes to science, is there a monster in us all? Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Are you watching "Frankenstein, MD"? Check it out: http://bit.ly/Y9HYz8 "Experiments on the Revival of Organisms" full video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDqh-r8TQgs Murder Act and Anatomy Act: http://brainblogger.com/2011/09/17/human-dissection-part-2-murderers-body-snatchers-and-burkers/ Percy Shelley's influence: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1279684/ Erasmus Darwin: http://blogs.dickinson.edu/romnat/2011/06/10/erasmus-darwin-and-the-frankenstein-mistake/ Real-life influences for Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein": http://io9.com/5949176/real-life-scientists-who-meddled-with-life-and-death http://gizmodo.com/5504746/how-a-real-life-dr-frankenstein-reanimated-the-dead-with-electricity http://mentalfloss.com/article/19855/who-was-dr-frankenstein http://www.huffingtonpost.com/roseanne-montillo/the-gruesome-true-inspira_b_2622633.html Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Editing/Motion Graphics - Andrew Matthews Gaffer - John Knudsen Post-production intern - Dalton Allen Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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The Universe in a Chalice of Wine (Richard Feynman Remixed)

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 17:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ A poet once said, "The whole universe is in a glass of wine." We will probably never know in what sense he said that, for poets do not write to be understood. But it is true that if we look in glass of wine closely enough we see the entire universe There are the things of physics: the twisting liquid which evaporates depending on the wind and weather, the reflections in the glass, and our imagination adds the atoms. The glass is a distillation of the earth's rocks, and in its composition we see the secrets of the universe's age, and the evolution of the stars. What strange array of chemicals are in the wine? How did they come to be? There are the ferments, the enzymes, the substrates, and the products. There in wine is found the great generalization: all life is fermentation. Nobody can discover the chemistry of wine without discovering the cause of much disease. How vivid is the claret, pressing its existence into the consciousness that watches it! If in our small minds, for some convenience, divide this glass of wine, this universe, into parts - physics, biology, geology, astronomy, psychology, and so on - remember that nature does not know it! So let us put it all back together, not forgetting ultimately what it is for. Let us give one more final pleasure: drink it and forget it all! Get Feynman's Lectures on Physics in book form: http://bit.ly/OKfeynman "The Universe in a Glass of Wine" ... a poem by Richard Feynman, as delivered in the Feynman Lectures on physics. Watch them all here: http://io9.com/watch-a-series-of-seven-brilliant-lectures-by-richard-f-5894600 Clips used in this video: http://bit.ly/1ckkLsz Joe Hanson - Host Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc Katie Graham - Director of Photography Bryan Poyser - Editor Sound Design - Lyman Hardy, Stuck On On Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Plants Are Smarter Than You'd Expect

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 16:30:00 -0000

Plants can do some amazing things. But how do they respond to their environment with no brain? ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Learn more/references: “What a Plant Knows” by Daniel Chamovitz http://amzn.to/2bfvdOg “The Secret Life of Plants” by Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird http://amzn.to/2bczCTf (this book is full of bad science mumbo jumbo, but it’s where the Cleve Backster story comes from) Galil, J. "An ancient technique for ripening sycomore fruit in east-mediterranean countries." Economic Botany 22.2 (1968): 178-190. Kost, C., & Heil, M. (2008). The Defensive Role of Volatile Emission and Extrafloral Nectar Secretion for Lima Bean in Nature. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 34(1), 2–13. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-007-9404-0 Gerbode, Sharon J., et al. "How the cucumber tendril coils and overwinds."Science 337.6098 (2012): 1087-1091. Darwin’s writings on vines and climbing plants: http://darwin-online.org.uk/content/frameset?itemID=F836&viewtype=text&pageseq=1 Darwin’s writings on plant movement: http://darwin-online.org.uk/EditorialIntroductions/Freeman_ThePowerofMovementinPlants.html ---------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Snapchat: YoDrJoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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This Salamander Can Regrow Limbs Like Deadpool

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 15:30:00 -0000

MAXIMUM EFFORT! Give us a hand and SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Axolotls are special salamanders. Not only to they stay in their juvenile form their whole lives, they can regenerate entire limbs! Studying how they do it could change the way we treat human limb injuries. Special thanks to the Dallas Zoo! References: http://bit.ly/2Gkoihd ----------- FOLLOW US: Twitter: @DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart SEND US STUFF: It’s Okay To Be Smart PO Box 303356 Austin, TX 78703 USA BOOKS WE’VE FEATURED: http://smart-books.tumblr.com/ ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Sarah Keartes Creative Director: David Schulte Editor/animator: Karl Boettcher and Derek Borsheim Producers: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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A Slice of Pizza Knowledge!

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 15:30:00 -0000

How does math keep a folded slice from drooping? And what does pizza have to do with the speed of light? Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate How a 19th Century Math Genius Taught Us the Best Way to Hold a Pizza Slice: http://www.wired.com/2014/09/curvature-and-strength-empzeal/ Planet Money pizza price comparison: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2014/02/26/282132576/74-476-reasons-you-should-always-get-the-bigger-pizza Measure the speed of light with your microwave: http://io9.com/5526055/use-your-microwave-to-measure-the-speed-of-light Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Host, writer, editing, graphics Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc Kate Eads - Associate Producer John Knudsen - Gaffer, Camera Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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The Science Behind Kissing

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 14:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Pucker up. I'm gonna lay some science on you! When you really think about it, kissing is an odd human behavior. You know, all the rubbing of our faces all over each other. So there must be a good reason why we do it, right? From motherly comforts to testing the genetic compatibility of your "mate", the science of kissing is pretty awesome. Learn more about "The Science of Kissing" by Sheril Kirshenbaum at http://amzn.to/Nuy0TE Sheril's book has an extensive bibliography if you'd like to look more closely at any of these studies, but here's a couple that I mentioned: Study of facial features and attractiveness ("men prefer fuller, redder lips"): http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/psp/68/2/261/ Claus Wedekind's famous "t-shirt" study: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7630893 "Why do mothers cradle their babies on the left?" by Sieratzki and Woll, 1996 http://www.researchgate.net/publication/14543476_Why_do_mothers_cradle_babies_on_their_left/file/60b7d51558c9d65700.pdf Want to know more about the famous Austin mural where we shot this? http://www.austin360.com/news/entertainment/share-your-i-love-you-so-much-photos/nTzPW/ Did you catch the cameo from Julia Wilde? http://www.youtube.com/user/wildescience Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editor and motion graphics John Knudsen - Gaffer Isaac Hammons - Sound Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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The Science of Snow Geometry

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 13:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ You are a beautiful and curious snowflake. SUBSCRIBE, it's FREE! http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Snowflakes are infinitely beautiful, but are they infinitely unique? Here's all the science behind Earth's favorite cold crystal. More reading: Wilson Bentley, The Snowflake Man of Vermont http://publicdomainreview.org/2011/02/14/the-snowflake-man-of-vermont/ Kenneth Libbrecht's SnowCrystals website (the definitive snow science page on the internet): http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/ The true shape of snowflakes: http://news.sciencemag.org/environment/2013/04/scienceshot-true-shape-snowflakes?rss=1 Timeline of snowflake research: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_snowflake_research Interactive water crystal packing (Firefox is best) http://www.edinformatics.com/interactive_molecules/ice.htm The case of two identical snowflakes: http://www.livescience.com/1239-scientist-snowflakes-alike.html Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editor and motion graphics Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Could You Ever Be Immune To EVERY Disease? Your Immune System, Explained!

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 12:30:00 -0000

You can learn more at https://curiositystream.com/smart Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ **We said 30 days free, but CuriosityStream is feeling extra generous and is giving our viewers the first 60 days free!!** Do you remember having a cold in 5th grade? Or the flu a couple years ago? Your immune system does. Our bodies hold many levels of immune defense.Physical barriers like skin, the innate immune system, and our body’s most powerful defender, the adaptive immune system. Millions of B cells and T cells and antibodies are constantly on patrol for germs and antigen invaders. As scientists learn more about how this system works and how to engineer it, could we ever actually be immune to everything? Special thanks to Dr. James Crowe (Vanderbilt University) http://www.crowelab.com/ ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Sarah Keartes Creative Director: David Schulte Editor/animator: Karl Boettcher and Derek Borsheim Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Are We All Family?

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 11:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate This is part 3 of our special series on Human Ancestry! Watch the entire series here ►► http://bit.ly/OKTBSHuman ↓↓↓More info and sources below ↓↓↓ 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 descended from one mother. ----------- REFERENCES: Chang, Joseph T. "Recent common ancestors of all present-day individuals." Advances in Applied Probability 31.04 (1999): 1002-1026. Jorde, Lynn B. "Genetic variation and human evolution." (2003). Rohde, Douglas LT. "On the common ancestors of all living humans." (2003) Rohde, Douglas LT, Steve Olson, and Joseph T. Chang. "Modelling the recent common ancestry of all living humans." Nature 431.7008 (2004): 562-566. Stringer, Chris. “Lone survivors: How we came to be the only humans on earth.” Macmillan, 2012. http://amzn.to/2oIFg3q (Library: http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/855581724) Tattersall, Ian. “Masters of the planet: the search for our human origins.” Macmillan, 2012. http://amzn.to/2pOZrKS (Library: http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/733231407) ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Joe Hanson Producer/editor/animator: Andrew Matthews Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Visiting the Most Massive Bat Colony on Earth!

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 10:30:00 -0000

Check out the largest gathering of mammals on Earth! Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Visit Bat Conservation International to learn more about these amazing species and what we can do to protect them: http://batcon.org/ Thanks to Dr. Sharon Swartz and Dr Kenny Breuer from Brown University for use of their wind tunnel footage: http://www.brown.edu/Departments/EEB/EML/ Mexican free-tailed bats hunt at higher altitudes than any other bat: http://bit.ly/10e5Zpe Doppler radar shows bats intercepting the moth invasion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvENxTke4Sc Dr. Aaron Corcoran's research on moths jamming bat echolocation (plus VIDEOS!) http://www.sonarjamming.com/ Rainforest regrowth and seed dispersal by bats: http://bit.ly/1nzOBpN Some bats are able to create lift more efficiently than birds: http://www.livescience.com/1245-bats-efficient-flyers-birds.html White nose syndrome: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_nose_syndrome Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics John Knudsen - Gaffer Dalton Allen - Post-production Intern Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Why Nature Loves Hexagons

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 09:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Follow me to Infinite Series for 4-Dimensional Bees! https://youtu.be/X8jOxEGVyPo Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ From spirals to spots to fractals, nature is full of interesting patterns. Many of these patterns even resemble geometric shapes. One of the most common? Hexagons. Why do we see this six-sided shape occur so many times in nature? This week we explore why hexagons are so common in the natural world, from honeycomb to bubbles to rocks, and what their mathematics, physics, and biology may have in common. ----------- READ MORE: D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson. (1917) “On Growth and Form” Ball, Philip. (2009). “Shapes: nature's patterns: a tapestry in three parts.” OUP Oxford. Karihaloo, B. L., Zhang, K., & Wang, J. (2013). Honeybee combs: how the circular cells transform into rounded hexagons. Journal of The Royal Society Interface, 10(86), 20130299. Hofmann, Martin, et al. "Why hexagonal basalt columns?." Physical review letters 115.15 (2015): 154301. Aydin, Atilla, and James M. DeGraff. "Evolution of polygonal fracture patterns in lava flows." Science 239.4839 (1988): 471-476. Hayashi, Takashi, and Richard W. Carthew. "Surface mechanics mediate pattern formation in the developing retina." Nature 431.7009 (2004): 647. Kim, Sangwoo, et al. "Hexagonal Patterning of the Insect Compound Eye: Facet Area Variation, Defects, and Disorder." Biophysical journal 111.12 (2016): 2735-2746. ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Andrew Matthews Writer: Joe Hanson Producer/editor/animator: Andrew Matthews Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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The Science of GOAT!

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 08:30:00 -0000

Yep. Goats! ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Who are those people in the intro? Say hi to Joe Nicolosi (director) and Katie Graham (camera)! Goat field of vision: http://blogs.lifeandscience.org/keepers/tag/pupil/ Goat pupil shape: http://www.journalofvision.org/content/13/9/607.short Radiolab story about a goat on a cow: http://www.radiolab.org/story/224292-behind-goat/ "Fainting goat" syndrome: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myotonia_congenita Goats have "accents": http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2012/02/16/study-goats-have-accents.html Goat tastebuds: http://bit.ly/1zFxhiY Goat diet: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goat#Diet How goats climb so well: http://www.asknature.org/strategy/719058a39eea5af7f763bacda7c64ab4#.U_KPLbxdWm8 Billy Whiskers: http://www.childrensbooksonline.org/Billy_Whiskers/pages/001_Billy_Whiskers.htm In case you're curious, the star cluster in the thumbnail is Messier 30, which is in the Capricorn constellation, because goats. Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Camera Editing/Motion Graphics - Andrew Matthews Gaffer - John Knudsen/Philip Sheldon Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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How The Elements Were Named

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 07:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ There's a story inside every box! Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Ever wonder what all those names on the periodic table actually mean? There's a whole lot of fascinating history on Mendeleev's table. Some carry names from antiquity, some are named for people, some are named for places, and some are named for mythical beings. Discover the etymology of the elements! If you want to know more about the love, betrayal, and drama behind the periodic table, check out Sam Kean's "The Disappearing Spoon": http://amzn.to/1eVZS8L Music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editor and motion graphics John Knudsen - Gaffer Isaac Hammons - Sound Special thanks to the following for help researching this episode: Sister Mary Virginia Orna, teacher and historian of chemistry Mark Benvenuto, chemist at University of Detroit - Mercy Steven Maguire, chemist at University of Ottawa Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Ask Joe Matters #2

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 06:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ You have questions, I have answers! Richard Feynman - Fun To Imagine (playlist): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3pYRn5j7oI&list=PL2D30B1DEFFDA0310 Mapping a zombie apocalypse to model disease outbreaks: https://medium.com/the-physics-arxiv-blog/61661d6ae9c People can't tell the difference between smell of Parmesan and vomit: http://www.rachelherz.com/uploads/Odor_Illusions.pdf Check out Ask Joe #1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkSpmTvCRJA Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editor and motion graphics Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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This Was the Most Critical Moment in the History of Life

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 05:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Get your #ididascience shirt here! http://dftba.com/besmart Tweet this ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSpwr Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSpwrFB ↓ More info and sources below ↓ If you want to read more (MUCH more) about this, check out “The Vital Question” by Nick Lane: http://amzn.to/1SntUdG And I really enjoyed this recent episode of Radiolab about this same story: http://www.radiolab.org/story/cellmates/ ---- Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com Stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted) http://www.videoblocks.com

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What's the Eldest Living Creature?

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 04:30:00 -0000

Big thank you to Rachel for lending her voice and photos to this episode! Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub "The Oldest Living Things In The World" by Rachel Sussman: Amazon: http://amzn.to/1uZ6wJp Public Library: http://bit.ly/1s2gCnb Species featured in this video: Bristlecone pine: http://bit.ly/1o3zW4p Baobab: http://bit.ly/1qJo6ul Pando: http://bit.ly/1tLlRLU Map lichens: http://bit.ly/WVgoFh Yucca: http://bit.ly/1uZ71my Creosote: http://bit.ly/1xUZrpj Llareta: http://bit.ly/1ANGYPC Black coral: http://bit.ly/1zLWn1s Barrel sponge: http://bit.ly/1opvDjb Posidonia sea grass: http://bit.ly/UVoN9u Pond cypress: http://bit.ly/1okVPY6 "Old Tjikko" spruce: http://bit.ly/1s30eq7 Stromatolites: http://bit.ly/1pyymXs Siberian Actinobacteria: http://bit.ly/1xUZ5yR Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Editing/Motion Graphics - Andrew Matthews Gaffer - John Knudsen Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock Produced for PBS Digital Studios Unless otherwise indicated, all photos are © Rachel Sussman, used with permission ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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The Science of Marathon Performance

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 03:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ I ran one… FOR SCIENCE! Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub So maybe we can't outrun cheetahs or antelope, but humans are uniquely adapted for long distance running. What does science have to say about marathon running? To find out, (and because I was feeling a little crazy) I decided to run one! Here's what I discovered about the science of long distance running Endurance running adaptations: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7d/Human_Running_Adaptations.png For more on the science and evolution of distance running, from training plans to cellular physiology, check out Tim Noakes' "The Lore of Running" http://amzn.to/1eKYir9 and Christopher McDougall's "Born to Run" http://amzn.to/NnF7wb Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editor and motion graphics John Knudsen - Gaffer Music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images via Shutterstock Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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When Science FICTION Becomes Science ACTUAL!

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 02:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Why is some science fiction so good at predicting actual science? Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Do Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Jules Verne, Philip K. Dick, Hugo Gernsback, Robert Heinlein, or Isaac Asimov hold a candle to H.G. Wells when it comes to correctly predicting the future of science via science fiction? And why does some science fiction do such a good job of predicting the future in the first place? Check out these other great H.G. Wells-inspired videos from our PBS friends: PBS Idea Channel: "What Is Fiction?" PBS Digital Studios/James W. Griffiths: "A Solitary World" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWJKLYcypz8 Fun links to dig deeper: Arthur C. Clarke's 1945 article "Extra Terrestrial Relays" http://lakdiva.org/clarke/1945ww/ Isaac Asimov's 1964 World's Fair predictions: http://www.nytimes.com/books/97/03/23/lifetimes/asi-v-fair.html Mouse memory "implantation": http://wapo.st/Md1gN3 Ray Bradbury hanging with Arthur C. Clarke and Carl Sagan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyst-D-1ssk Isaac Asimov talks to Bill Moyers Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CwUuU6C4pk Isaac Asimov talks to Bill Moyers Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJAIERgWhZQ Music: "Ourobouros" by Kevin MacLeod "Opening Theme A" by Kevin MacLeod Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editor and motion graphics John Knudsen - Gaffer Isaac Hammons - Sound Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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How Poop Shapes the World

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 01:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Nature is truly the ultimate recycler… Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Waste not, want not… right? Poop, in all of its various forms throughout nature, shapes the world in ways you might not imagine. One creature’s waste is another’s fuel, and all over nature these leftovers help new life spring up. Here’s how whales, birds, worms, bats, and more help the world breathe clean, thanks to their poop. Thanks to the following for their expert info: Dr. Richard Kirby (@PlanktonPundit) David Moscato (@DMos150) Dr. Cullen Geiselman Dr. Winifred Frick (@frickwinifred) Watch our old video: The Ghosts of Evolution https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWW5OuxlKec ----------- READ MORE: Ghosts of Evolution by Connie Barlow http://amzn.to/2wfQFLX How whale poop helps feed the ocean: https://theconversation.com/bottoms-up-how-whale-poop-helps-feed-the-ocean-27913 ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Sarah Keartes Editor/animator: David Schulte Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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We've never seen an atom. But we know what they look like.

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 00:30:00 -0000

The first 100 people to join @planet-wild with the code SMART5 will get the first month paid for: https://planetwild.com/r/besmart/join
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If everything around us is made of atoms, why can’t we actually see them? From ancient philosophy to quantum mechanics, electron microscopes, and the strange limits of human perception, let’s explore one of science’s deepest questions: what does it really mean to “see” something?

Be Smart explores science questions you didn’t even know you wondered about. It is hosted and produced by Joe Hanson, PhD. We post new videos all the time, so please subscribe! If you enjoyed this video, hit the ‘like’ button, leave a comment, or watch another of our videos!

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Written Joe Hanson
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Produced by Least Square Media and Spotzen for PBS Digital Studios

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How The Toilet Revolutionized History

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 23:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate This video was supported by Bill and Melinda Gates. You can check out the Gates Annual Letter here: http://b-gat.es/2lhhtmJ. ↓ More info and sources below ↓ We’re proud to collaborate with Bill and Melinda Gates for this week’s video! It may sometimes seem like things are getting worse, but there’s lots of reasons to be optimistic about the future. More people have access to toilets and sanitation than ever before. Thanks to public health improvements like this, since 1990, 122 million children’s lives have been saved. Diseases like polio are nearing eradication. Women have more access to health care and education than ever before. But our work is not done. How can YOU help make the future better for the world’s poorest? SPECIAL THANKS: Bill and Melinda Gates Francisco de los Reyes (watch his TED talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/francis_de_los_reyes_sanitation_is_a_basic_human_right#t-303612) ----------- LEARN MORE: George, Rose. “The Big Necessity: The unmentionable world of human waste and why it matters.” 2008. Perdew, Laura. “How the Toilet Changed History” 2016. Ferriman, A. (2007). BMJ readers choose the “sanitary revolution” as greatest medical advance since 1840. BMJ : British Medical Journal, 334(7585), 111. http://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.39097.611806.DB CDC Global WASH statistics: https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/global/wash_statistics.html WHO Toilet/Sanitation Fact Sheet: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs392/en/ WaterAid “We Can’t Wait”: http://www.wateraid.org/what-we-do/our-approach/research-and-publications/view-publication?id=a5ab0a96-1574-4225-a16a-75d5e5ec4232 Unilever “Toilets for Health” https://www.unilever.com/Images/sd_toilets-for-health-141113_tcm13-387337_tcm244-409783_1_en.pdf ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Joe Hanson Editor/animator: Andrew Orsak Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Sunburn, Sweat and the Summer Science Explained!

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 22:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ A summertime look at why we sweat, why we burn, and why our fingers wrinkle in the pool. References/further reading: Eccrine and apocrine sweat glands: https://www.inkling.com/read/dermatology-bolognia-jorizzo-schaffer-3rd/chapter-35/eccrine-apocrine-and-apoeccrine "Are Wet-Induced Wrinkled Fingers Primate Rain Treads?" M. Changizi et al, Brain Behav Evol 2011 http://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/328223 (Not everyone agrees with the rain tread hypothesis, though: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0084949) Sunburn/UV light triggers immune response: http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/v18/n8/full/nm.2861.html UV-A rays and Unilateral Dermoheliosis (the truck driver's face) http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMicm1104059 DNA damage and repair and their role in carcinogenesis http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21554/ Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Editing/Motion Graphics - Andrew Matthews Gaffer - John Knudsen Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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What's The Most Lethal Creature On Earth?

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 21:30:00 -0000

Besides humans, of course. ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Gates Foundation info on the world's deadliest animal, mosquitoes: http://www.gatesnotes.com/Health/Most-Lethal-Animal-Mosquito-Week Bill Gates' TED talk on malaria and education: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/mosquitos-malaria-and-education-bill-gates Meet the people who are trying to eradicate Dengue mosquitoes using bioengineering: http://www.radiolab.org/story/kill-em-all/ Why do mosquitoes bite some people more than others? http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/why-do-mosquitoes-bite-some-people-more-than-others-10255934/ FULL close-up video of a mosquito biting: http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/08/06/heres-what-happens-inside-you-when-a-mosquito-bites/ Why don't we just kill all the mosquitoes? http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/07/why-dont-we-just-kill-all-the-mosquitoes/277859/ http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100721/full/466432a.html Half of all people may have been killed by malaria: http://www.nytimes.com/1990/07/17/science/parasites-take-the-biological-spotlight.html Mosquitoes just hate the smell of DEET: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2518096/ Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Camera Editing/Motion Graphics - Andrew Matthews Gaffers - John Knudsen/Philip Sheldon Intern - Dalton Allen Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Do Other Planets Have Seasons Too?

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 21:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Try CuriosityStream today: http://curiositystream.com/smart Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Earth has seasons, but what about the rest of the planets in the solar system? Let’s take a tour from Mercury to Pluto and see what seasons would be like on all our planetary neighbors. Bring a sweater! LEARN MORE: NASA Planet Fact Sheet: https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/ Winds of Mars: http://bit.ly/2wvlH3p Lakes of Titan: https://sites.google.com/site/alexanderghayes/Research/Titans-Lakes http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v481/n7379/full/nature10666.html?foxtrotcallback=true#ref7 ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Matt Caplan, PhD Editor/animator: Sean Lane/Joe Nicolosi Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Should You Feel Guilty About Climate Change? - featuring Al Gore

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 20:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate “An Inconvenient Sequel” is former Vice President Al Gore’s newest film 🌎🎥 Learn more: http://InconvenientSequel.com #BeInconvenient ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ News about climate change is often full of doom, guilt, and anxiety. This can make many people reluctant to pay attention to or discuss it. We asked former Vice President Al Gore to help us find a different way to talk about climate change. Special thanks to former Vice President Al Gore (@AlGore) http://InconvenientSequel.com Facebook: @AnInconvenientTruth Twitter: @AITruthFilm Instagram: @AnInconvenientTruth The book: http://amzn.to/2vdTYCD Unless otherwise noted, data used in this video comes from: NASA, NOAA, The Global Carbon Project, U.S. Energy Information Administration, and Scripps Institute of Oceanography ----------- WATCH MORE: All of our climate science videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsmqeqKj7M-p_cC_I81favAvBu4U8-5-2 ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director/Editor: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Joe Hanson Animator: David Schulte Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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There Was No Inaugural Human

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 20:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ If you traced your family tree back 185 million generations through evolution, you wouldn't be looking at a human, a primate, or even a mammal. You'd be looking at a fish. So where along that line does the first human show up? The answer may surprise you! Inspired by Richard Dawkins' "The Magic of Reality" http://amzn.to/1eFPE0v Also check out Richard Dawkins' "The Ancestor's Tale" http://amzn.to/1fbf17e Images of prehistoric species used in this episode: Tiktaalik, Procunsul, Plesiadapsis, Juramaia, Hylonomus - by Nobu Tamura (http://spinops.blogspot.com/) Homo erectus (by Tim Evanson) http://bit.ly/1uwI5zu Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editor and motion graphics John Knudsen - Gaffer Music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Why Are You Polycellular?

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 19:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Start your Audible trial today: http://www.audible.com/ok Tweet this ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSmc Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSmcFB ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Check out Destin’s video on Smarter Every Day: “DEVIL FACIAL TUMOR DISEASE” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hol33ga9G_E “The Vital Question” by Nick Lane: http://amzn.to/1SntUdG Further reading: Bonner, J. T. (1998), The origins of multicellularity. Integr. Biol., 1: 27–36. Grosberg, Richard K., and Richard R. Strathmann. "The evolution of multicellularity: a minor major transition?." Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics (2007): 621-654. Parfrey, Laura Wegener, and Daniel JG Lahr. "Multicellularity arose several times in the evolution of eukaryotes" Bioessays 35.4 (2013): 339-347. Szathmary, Eors, and John Maynard Smith. "The major evolutionary transitions." NATURE 374 (1995): 16. Szathmáry, Eörs. "Toward major evolutionary transitions theory 2.0."Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 112.33 (2015): 10104. ---- Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com Stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted) http://www.videoblocks.com

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How Do Tesla Coils Work? Musical Tesla Coils in SLOW MOTION! (Guest: @physicsgirl)

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 19:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Head to Physics Girl for electromagnetic explosions! https://youtu.be/AXOa66-k9MA Musical tesla coils are awesome. I went to visit Arc Attack, the legendary musical tesla coil band, to find out how they work (and to stand in between them!) I brought my friend Physics Girl along too Step inside the Tesla coils in this 360 video: https://youtu.be/2SNcbNlbyVo Special thanks to: ArcAttack http://arcattack.com/ ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @DrJoeHanson Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com Stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted) http://www.videoblocks.com

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The Far Tomorrow of the Universe

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 18:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ SPOILERS: It doesn't end well. Special thanks to Ethan Siegel and Sean Carroll for help with this episode: http://preposterousuniverse.com/ https://medium.com/starts-with-a-bang/ More interesting things that will happen in the future: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_far_future http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140105-timeline-of-the-far-future This episode was a part of a collaboration with several other PBS Digital Studios shows, all talking about THE FUTURE!! Check out the other episodes! Learn about the Collab Here: http://youtu.be/ygmD5lz6rd8 Idea Channel: The Future of Fandoms http://youtu.be/eJ3EBR1hlbI Game/Show: The Future of Games http://youtu.be/oON6S4fXS4k Crafts For Kids: DIY Robot Masks http://youtu.be/PtETQ_aIz8s Indie Alaska: Augmented Reality http://youtu.be/8Elu87SfL98 Bon Appétempt: Post-Apocalyptic Pantry Cooking http://youtu.be/xzsyop6XZn8 Shanks FX: Holograms http://youtu.be/P8Uj9uHgCQY Makin' Friends With Ryan Miller: Bruce Duncan and Bina48 http://youtu.be/3e-JuaSc7B0 24 Frames: The Future: 3D Printing http://youtu.be/l__1P1PCGZM Coma Niddy: Future Rap http://youtu.be/OUpPaEZHITI BBQ With Franklin: The Future of BBQ http://youtu.be/gbR7Tu2TqKk Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editor and motion graphics John Knudsen - Gaffer Music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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The Sun Is A Magnet!

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 18:30:00 -0000

Sunspots, solar flares, coronal mass ejections, OH MY! Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ As massive magnetic fusion reactors go, the sun is pretty awesome. How a CME forms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsXqNNQsS7I More on solar storms from Bad Astronomy: http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2013/02/05/solar_eruption_a_sun_storm_leaves_behind_twisted_chaos.html http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2013/02/21/coronal_rain_streams_of_ionized_gas_rain_on_sun_after_a_solar_flare.html Anatomy of solar storms: http://www.space.com/12047-solar-flares-sun-storms-space-weather-infographic.html All the sun science you've ever wanted: http://solarcellcentral.com/sun_page.html Footage via NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, ESA/Hubble, and Pond5 Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Editing/Motion Graphics - Andrew Matthews Music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Artwork/photos via Shutterstock Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Amazing Facts About Whales!

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 17:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate

Whales are INCREDIBLE! Check out #BigBlueLive: http://pbs.org/bigbluelive
Tweet ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSwhales Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSwhalesFB
↓ More info and sources below ↓

PBS and BBC are teaming up to bring you an incredible LIVE nature broadcast direct from Monterey Bay, California called BIG BLUE LIVE. In late summer, thousands and thousands of ocean animals come together here, in one of the richest ecosystems on Earth. We'll be bringing you a week of videos direct from Monterey Bay all about this incredible place and the biology it holds
Big Blue Live airs nightly on PBS 8/31-9/2 at 8 PM ET
Big Blue Live airs on BBC One 8/23 (7PM), 8/27 (8 PM), 8/30 (7 PM)

More info here:
pbs.org/bigbluelive
facebook.com/PBS
facebook.com/BBCBigBlueLive

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Twitter/Periscope: @jtotheizzoe @okaytobesmart
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(Whale illustrations by Nobu Tamura/CC-BY-3.0)

Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below!
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-----------------
It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.DFollow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe
Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart
For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com
Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios

Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer
Joe Nicolosi - Director
Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Producer
Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation
Katie Graham - Camera
John Knudsen - Gaffer

Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod

Other music via APM
Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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What Are The Most Influential Science Images Ever?

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 17:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ One picture can change the world! Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Science isn't always a visual medium, but I think it's most important moments have often been captured in photos and illustrations. I picked out some of my favorite science images from history. John Barrow's book "Cosmic Imagery" http://amzn.to/1hP80PY Nicolaus Copernicus' "De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium" http://bit.ly/1o3uESj Robert Hooke's "Micrographia" http://bit.ly/1ppce1V 1919 Eclipse http://bit.ly/1ljaoiq Watson & Crick's "A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid" http://bit.ly/1fp2r92 Hubble eXtreme Deep Field http://1.usa.gov/1hukqIz Apollo 8 "Earthrise" http://bit.ly/1mwaIss Music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod "Kitten" by Podington Bear "Wonder" by Podington Bear Created by Joe Hanson Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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The Appetizing Science of CHEESE!

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:30:00 -0000

I am an absolute freak for cheese. Next to bread, it might be our oldest biotechnology! Here's some of the science about how it's made and where it comes from. Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Special thanks to Kara Chadbourne from Antonelli's Cheese in Austin, TX!!! She's a cheese genius. Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editor and motion graphics John Knudsen - Gaffer Music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Where Did Zika Arise?

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Get your Audible trial here: http://audible.com/ok Tweet this video ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSzika1 Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSzikaFB ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Get yourself an awesome IOTBS shirt! http://dftba.com/besmart Follow the latest news on Zika: https://www.cdc.gov/zika/ http://www.who.int/emergencies/zika-virus/en/ Special thanks to the following for personal interviews about Zika outbreak: Dr. Peter Hotez - Baylor College of Medicine Dr. Scott Weaver - UT Medical Branch, Galveston Dr. Nikos Vasilakis - UT Medical Branch, Galveston Dr. Dahotra Sarkar - University of Texas at Austin Dr. Alex Wild - University of Texas at Austin Mustapha Debboun - Harris County Mosquito Control References/further reading: Malaria and Rome: A History of Malaria in Ancient Italy - Robert Sallares http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/50747841 Sallares, Robert, and Susan Gomzi. "Biomolecular archaeology of malaria."Ancient Biomolecules 3.3 (2001): 195-213. Sallares, Robert, Abigail Bouwman, and Cecilia Anderung. "The spread of malaria to southern Europe in antiquity: new approaches to old problems."Medical history 48.03 (2004): 311-328. Hotez, Peter J. "Neglected Tropical Diseases in the Anthropocene: The Cases of Zika, Ebola, and Other Infections." PLoS Negl Trop Dis 10.4 (2016): e0004648. Hotez, Peter J. "Blue marble health redux: Neglected tropical diseases and human development in the Group of 20 (G20) nations and Nigeria." PLoS Negl Trop Dis 9.7 (2015): e0003672. Thumbnail image credits: Aedes aegypti mosquito: CDC/ Prof. Frank Hadley Collins, Dir., Cntr. for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, Univ. of Notre Dame Zika virus capsid: Manuel Almagro Rivas, Wikimedia Commons ---- Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com Stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted) http://www.videoblocks.com

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Ask Joe Matters #3

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ You have questions, I have answers. SUBSCRIBE, it's FREE! http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Sequencing the banana genome: http://news.discovery.com/earth/plants/banana-genome-120711.htm Reddit's r/ELI5 on "sympathetic vomiting": http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1fbwpy/ Chances we had more than one common ancestor: http://news.discovery.com/animals/dinosaurs/life-single-common-ancestor.htm Greenland fossil microbes: http://www.nature.com/ngeo/journal/v7/n1/full/ngeo2025.html Australia fossil microbes: http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/ast.2013.1030 Ed Yong's awesome article about the origin of the mitochondria: http://nautil.us/issue/10/mergers--acquisitions/the-unique-merger-that-made-you-and-ewe-and-yew History of "c" as the speed of light: http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/Relativity/SpeedOfLight/c.html Ask Joe #1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkSpmTvCRJA Ask Joe #2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJvWQMt95A8 Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editor and motion graphics John Knudsen - Gaffer Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Why Do We Itch?

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:30:00 -0000

Scratch that itch and SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Check out our friends from Above the Noise: http://bit.ly/2KMBMG3 ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ It’s one of the most annoying sensations our bodies can feel, but does anything feel better than when you scratch an itch? Ok, maybe *some* things. But itching and scratching are up there. How does this weird sensation work? And what is itching for? References: http://bit.ly/2IiIqWn ----------- FOLLOW US: Twitter: @DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart SEND US STUFF: It’s Okay To Be Smart PO Box 303356 Austin, TX 78703 USA BOOKS WE’VE FEATURED: http://smart-books.tumblr.com/ ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Kimberly McCoy Creative Director: David Schulte Editor/animator: Karl Boettcher and Derek Borsheim Producers: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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How Do Glaciers Move?

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:30:00 -0000

This video is so cool, it's ICE COLD Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Glacier ice is weird. It’s solid. Solid things aren’t supposed to flow. But glacier ice flows like a liquid, and it does that without melting! How is this possible? I traveled to Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, Alaska to find out. Special thanks to Josh Cassidy from KQED’s Deep Look for joining me in Alaska and shooting this episode! ► https://www.youtube.com/user/KQEDDeepLook Filmed under a Special Use Permit on the Juneau Ranger District, Tongass National Forest Archival glacier image: Glacier Photograph Collection - National Snow and Ice Data Center ----------- READ MORE: Paterson, William Stanley Bryce. “The Physics of Glaciers.” Elsevier, 2016. ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi/Josh Cassidy Writer: Sarah Keartes Cinematography: Josh Cassidy Producer/editor/animator: Anastasiya Bulavkina Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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The Incredible Biological Link We All Have With Our Mom

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 14:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate They say mom's never far away, but I don't think this is what they had in mind. In this episode, learn about the mind-blowing connection you share with your mom. A little bit of you never leaves the other! More reading below! Chimera/fetal microchimerism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microchimerism http://boingboing.net/2012/01/03/cells.html http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/scientists-discover-childrens-cells-living-in-mothers-brain/ http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fetal-cells-microchimerism/ http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/32678/title/Swapping-DNA-in-the-Womb/ http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/lab-rat/2014/04/13/guest-post-i-am-my-mothers-chimera/ Maternal cells persist to adulthood in child: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC408407/ Fetal cells assist in cardiac repair: http://circres.ahajournals.org/content/110/1/3.full Fetal cells assist in scar healing: https://www.landesbioscience.com/article/28746/full_text/#load/info/all Spider babies that eat their mother: https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/gory-details/some-animals-eat-their-moms-and-other-cannibalism-facts Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editor and motion graphics John Knudsen - Gaffer Music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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How to Sidestep a Deadly Asteroid Impact

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 14:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Turns out the sky IS falling. SUBSCRIBE! http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Tweet this video ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSdfa Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSdfaFB ↓ More info and sources below ↓ A giant asteroid took out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. Could a big meteor hit Earth again? And if we find one coming our way, how can we use science to avoid a deadly asteroid or meteorite impact? Want to wear your love for science? We’ve got merch: http://dftba.com/besmart References/Learn More: Impact Earth! Simulator: https://www.purdue.edu/impactearth/ Thanks to Destin for letting us use a clip from Smarter Every Day #84! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NLBtZKx2cA National Academies report: “Defending Earth” https://www.nap.edu/catalog/12842/defending-planet-earth-near-earth-object-surveys-and-hazard-mitigation 3D asteroid simulation www.asterank.com/3d/ NASA’s near-Earth object program http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/ Facts about asteroids from NASA http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/asteroids/overview/fastfacts.html Great meteor/meteorite FAQ http://www.amsmeteors.org/meteor-showers/meteor-faq/ ---------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/DrJoeHanson Instagram: http://instagram.com/DrJoeHanson Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Where Does the Aroma of Rain Originate?

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 13:30:00 -0000

I smell a science storm a-comin'!! ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub References: "Nature of Argillaceous Odor" (1964) http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v201/n4923/abs/201993a0.html "Petrichor and Plant Growth" (1965) http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v207/n5004/abs/2071415a0.html Human nose can detect a trillion smells http://news.sciencemag.org/biology/2014/03/human-nose-can-detect-trillion-smells Petrichor and fish spawning http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1974.tb04518.x/abstract Camels seek out wet soil smells http://www.theguardian.com/science/2003/mar/06/science.research Chemistry of petrichor: http://cen.acs.org/articles/91/i18/Scent-Rain-Strands-Honey.html http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com/post/85815194542/compoundchem-the-third-graphic-in-the-aroma http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/storm-scents-smell-rain/ Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Camera Editing/Motion Graphics - Andrew Matthews Gaffer - John Knudsen Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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The Science Behind A Game of Thrones

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 13:30:00 -0000

Valar more-curious! Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate SUBSCRIBE, it's FREE! http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ WINTER: Seasons of Westeros and the 3-body problem: http://arxiv.org/pdf/1304.0445v1.pdf Other possible explanations for the seasons: http://io9.com/5906300/5-scientific-explanations-for-game-of-thrones-messed-up-seasons Why those other reasons are wrong: http://bit.ly/1hYuRDJ http://boingboing.net/2012/05/14/great-moments-in-pedantry-win.html http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0019103511004064 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milankovitch_cycles NOTE ON MOONS AND STABILIZATION: I'm adding this comment after the video goes up: In retrospect I should have said that a moon doesn't *necessarily* have to be present to stabilize a planet. While our moon does cancel out some tugging from the other planets in the solar system, here's a recent paper shows that moonless planets can orbit with great stability even without the influence of a moon. Basically moons aren't required for stability: http://barnesos.net/publications/papers/2012.01.Icarus.Barnes.Moonless.Earth.pdf Even more reasons for the seasons: http://www.tor.com/blogs/2011/05/how-seasons-qworkq-in-a-song-of-ice-and-fire GEOLOGY: Generation Anthropocene's AMAZING geologic history of Westeros and Essos: http://www.stanford.edu/group/anthropocene/cgi-bin/wordpress/game-of-thrones-geology/ VALYRIAN STEEL: Damascus steel: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damascus_steel DRAGON FIRE: Kyle Hill's explanation for real-life dragon fire: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/but-not-simpler/2014/01/02/smaug-breathes-fire-like-a-bloated-bombardier-beetle-with-flinted-teeth/ DRAGON FLIGHT: Dragon-sized birds are biologically impossible: http://wapo.st/1lBV2RE WILDFIRE: Greek fire: http://www.sciforums.com/what-is-greek-fire-t-68540.html Trimethyl borate flame by hkparker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OrisgbsRmg MILK OF POPPY: Opates: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium THE WALL: Compression melting of ice: http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1qkdl0/can_ice_be_compressed_into_water/ DIRE WOLVES: Canis dirus: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dire_wolf REAL-LIFE CHARACTERS: Abandon all productivity ye who click here: http://history-behind-game-of-thrones.com Stark/Lannister feud in real life tapestry: http://history-behind-game-of-thrones.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/porte_saint_denis170-753x1024.jpg Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Edited by Stephanie Noone and Kirby Conn from Arts & Labor John Knudsen - Gaffer Music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Can a Billion Oysters Restore New York City?

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 12:30:00 -0000

Heroes on the half shell… Oyster power? SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a video! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ When people picture New York City they see skyscrapers, subways, and a concrete jungle. But the Big Apple is really a seaside city built on an archipelago. In the wake of a century of industrial pollution and climate change-fueled superstorms like Hurricane Sandy, New York’s waterways need help. Learn how Billion Oyster Project is working to restore one of the world’s greatest lost ecosystems in order to clean up New York’s water and protect it from an uncertain climate future. Learn more about Billion Oyster Project: https://www.billionoysterproject.org/ Join our Patreon community: https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart ----------- High fives to all our Brain Trust Patrons: Ed Eyden Jennifer Burton Charles Horton, Jr Holly, Brett, and Ashe Bullion Jaap Westera Mehdi Damou Barbora Bei Burt Humburg dani bowman David Johnston Baerbel Winkler Eric Meer Karen Haskell Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Why Does Time Only Go Forward?

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 12:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Arrow of Time FAQ: http://preposterousuniverse.com/eternitytohere/faq.html Arrow of Time wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrow_of_time Sean Carroll's TED talk on time and the multiverse: http://www.ted.com/talks/sean_carroll_distant_time_and_the_hint_of_a_multiverse Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editor and motion graphics John Knudsen - Gaffer Stock video via Videoblocks Music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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The Science of Barbecuing!!!

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 11:30:00 -0000

Science is delicious! Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate SUBSCRIBE, it's FREE! http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Franklin BBQ: https://franklinbarbecue.com/ Basic BBQ science: http://bbq.tamu.edu/bbq-science/ http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/meat_science.html Chemistry smoke ring: http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/mythbusting_the_smoke_ring.html Thermodynamics of BBQ cooking http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/thermodynamics_of_cooking.html The dreaded "stall": http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/the_stall.html Does BBQ smoke contain carcinogens?: http://chemistry.about.com/b/2013/05/05/barbeque-carcinogens.htm Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Edited by Arts + Labor: http://arts-and-labor.com/ Music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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How Your Body Understands Left From Right

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 11:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Why are our bodies so symmetrical, but our guts aren't? This is part 3 of 3 in my series about how our bodies evolved to look like they do. Check out the others: Part 1 - Why your brain is in your head https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdNE4WygyAk Part 2 - Consider the upside-down lobster https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYbJqYVtRyA More info: Left-Right asymmetry in embryonic development: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15582774 Development of the asymmetric human: http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=331635&fileId=S1062798705000682 Role of cilia and fluid flow: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24091059 Situs inversus: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Situs_inversus http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/04/science/growing-left-growing-right-how-a-body-breaks-symmetry.html Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Post Producer - Stephanie Noone Editing/Motion Graphics - Arts+Labor, Austin, TX John Knudsen - Gaffer Music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Ask Joe Topics #4

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 10:30:00 -0000

You have questions, I have answers! Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate SUBSCRIBE, it's FREE! http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More below ↓ In this edition of Ask Joe Stuff, you'll find out what the date really is according to Earth's age, why we get chills up our spine, what my favorite planet is, why hair grows (or doesn't), and why root beer is so foamy. Yummy science! Check out my buddy Veritasium's videos on the wave/particle nature of light: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cztocbHiiqQ and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iuv6hY6zsd0 Check out the Ask Joe Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsmqeqKj7M-r5ktD9-RAaUYWxWFjPV1w- Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Stephanie Noone - Editor John Knudsen - Gaffer Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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The Physics of Spacefaring Battles

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 10:30:00 -0000

How scientifically accurate is your favorite sci-fi space battle? Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Joseph Shoer has several extensive, in-depth articles on the physics of space warfare: http://josephshoer.com/blog/2009/12/thoughts-on-space-battles/ http://josephshoer.com/blog/2010/07/projecting-space-battle-physics/ Space warfare: Almost everything you know is probably wrong http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.100198-Space-Warfare-Almost-Everything-You-Know-Is-Probably-Wrong Is space warfare really practical? http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.846407-Is-space-warfare-really-practical-except-lasers Zero-g dogfighting for dummies: http://www.citizenstarnews.com/news/zero-g-dogfighting-dummies Projectile weapons vs. directed energy weapons: http://forum.gateworld.net/threads/17263-Projectile-Weapons-vs-Directed-Energy-Weapons Nukes in space: http://www.projectrho.com/public_html/rocket/spacegunconvent.php Effects of radiation weapons in space: http://www.projectrho.com/public_html/rocket/radiation.php#effects Could the Death Star really destroy a planet? http://www.universetoday.com/92746/could-a-death-star-really-destroy-a-planet/ "Sir Isaac Newton is the deadliest son of a b***h in space" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLpgxry542M Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Editing/Motion Graphics - Andrew Matthews/Kirby Conn Gaffers - John Knudsen/Philip Sheldon Post-production intern - Dalton Allen Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Inside the Lab That Protects You From Your Car

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 09:30:00 -0000

Crashing a car is usually not a good idea. But sometimes, it can save lives. ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ No one ever wants to get in a car crash. But if you ever do, be very thankful for the engineers who crash test cars. You may have seen crash test simulations on TikTok using physics engines like BeamNG but I promise you they are nothing compared to the real thing! Join us for this DEEP dive into the physics of car crashes and the ways that engineers hack Newton's laws to keep you safe. Filmed on location at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety https://www.iihs.org/ IIHS on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iihs-hldi IIHS resources for teachers: https://classroom.iihs.org/ Crash test sensor car by PocketLab: https://www.thepocketlab.com/ References: https://sites.google.com/view/be-smart-crash-test-physics/home Join our Patreon community: https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a video! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub 0:00 Intro - Deep dive into crash testing 1:37 Welcome to crash test HQ 2:25 She crashes cars for a living 3:42 A visit with Isaac Newton 5:41 Why Newton's 2nd law rules all 11:21 New problems, new crash tests 14:37 Very finely-tuned violence 17:58 How engineers prepare a crash test (lots of duct tape) 20:42 Who you callin' dummy, dummy? 25:02 Car go BOOM (and the aftermath) 31:00 In the future, will cars be smart enough not to crash? 36:24 Conclusion and extras ----------- High fives to all our Brain Trust Patrons: Charles Horton, Jr Holly, Brett, and Ashe Bullion Jaap Westera Millennial Glacier Mehdi Damou Barbora Bei Burt Humburg dani bowman David Johnston Baerbel Winkler Robert Young Eric Meer Karen Haskell Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Sonic Hedgehog Gene - Why You Have Thumbs Rather Than Fins

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 09:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Ever wonder why you have thumbs? Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub The human hand, with its multi-talented thumb, might be man's greatest tool. But did you know we can trace that thumb, and the hand and arm it's connected to, all the way back to a 375 million-year-old fish named Tiktaalik? This week I sit down with paleontologist and geneticist Dr. Neil Shubin to learn what a fish, and a little blue hedgehog, can teach us about the evolution of thumbs. Be sure to watch Neil Shubin's special 3-part series "Your Inner Fish" on your local PBS station, premiering Wednesday, April 9 at 10 PM Eastern! http://www.pbs.org/your-inner-fish/home/ Also check out Neil's book "Your Inner Fish": http://amzn.to/1ssBCFt Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editor and motion graphics John Knudsen - Gaffer Music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Why Does Hair Grow In The Way It Does?

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 08:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Try CuriosityStream today: http://curiositystream.com/smart Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Check out more of my friend Kyle’s sweet hair on his channel “Because Science”: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLl4T6p7km9dZSdTfPxucpwZY7Try86hFW All mammals have hair at some point in their lives, but none of them wear it quite like humans. Why does our hair grow where it does, and not grow where it doesn’t? How does our hair get its color? And why does it go gray and often fall out when we get older and go bald? Learn all about the science of human hair in this week’s video! ----------- REFERENCES: Harding RM, Healy E, Ray AJ, et al. Evidence for Variable Selective Pressures at MC1R. American Journal of Human Genetics. 2000;66(4):1351-1361. Randall, Valerie Anne. "Androgens and hair growth." Dermatologic therapy 21.5 (2008): 314-328. Yablon, J. "What is the latest theory of why humans lost their body hair?." SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN 297.3 (2007): 124-124. APA ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Sarah Keartes Producer/editor/animator: Andrew Matthews Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Why Sports Fans' Brains are Formed Different (with @smartereveryday)

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 08:30:00 -0000

Take the PBS Digital Studios Audience Survey: https://to.pbs.org/pbssurvey2023a ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Humans can develop intense relationships, even obsessions, with the things we’re fans of. A huge part of our identities, our emotions, and our lives get tied up in these things. Why are we like this? Join our Patreon community: https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a video! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ----------- High fives to all our Brain Trust Patrons: Charles Horton, Jr Holly, Brett, and Ashe Bullion Jaap Westera Millennial Glacier Mehdi Damou Barbora Bei Burt Humburg dani bowman David Johnston Baerbel Winkler Robert Young Eric Meer Karen Haskell Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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What If Sharks Had Never Existed?

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 07:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Follow this link to more shark science videos by your favorite YouTubers!! http://bit.ly/1sugd0z Sharks killed per hour infographic: http://bit.ly/1oXYT0Y An estimated 100 million sharks are killed per year: http://bit.ly/1oE7uRS Palau sharks are worth $2 million: http://nyti.ms/1kX4fua Effect of shark overfishing on reefs: http://bit.ly/1opLhwF Overfishing sharks led to scallop fishery collapse: https://www.sciencemag.org/content/315/5820/1846.short?related-urls=yes&legid=sci;315/5820/1846 Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Camera Editing/Motion Graphics - Andrew Matthews Gaffer - John Knudsen Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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How did X come to symbolize "The UNKNOWN"?

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 07:30:00 -0000

A truly X-cellent and X-ceptional video… Join our Patreon community: https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Despite being one of the rarest letters in English, the letter X is everywhere. We sign letters with it, we rate movies with it, we name all sorts of things after it. We’re kind of obsessed with it. And that’s probably all thanks to math, where X stands for the unknown. Let's explore the bizarre history of how X took on this role… References: https://sites.google.com/view/why-are-we-so-obsessed-with-x/home SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a video! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ----------- High fives to all our Brain Trust Patrons: Charles Horton, Jr Holly, Brett, and Ashe Bullion Jaap Westera Millennial Glacier Mehdi Damou Barbora Bei Burt Humburg dani bowman David Johnston Baerbel Winkler Robert Young Eric Meer Karen Haskell Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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What Is the Most Unremarkable Thing?

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 06:30:00 -0000

We’re on PATREON! Join the community: https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ We may not know it, but averages affect our lives every day. Designers and manufacturers use averages to make our houses, cars, shoes and airline seats safer and more comfortable(ish). But calculating averages is way more complicated than one might think! And as long as we are at it - let’s talk about what the most average thing in the known universe might be! SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a video! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ----------- High fives to all our Brain Trust Patrons: Charles Horton, Jr Holly, Brett, and Ashe Bullion Jaap Westera Millennial Glacier Mehdi Damou Barbora Bei Burt Humburg dani bowman David Johnston Baerbel Winkler Robert Young Eric Meer Karen Haskell Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart

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360˚ Inside an ICE CAVE!!

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 06:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Watch my video explaining this beautiful blue: https://youtu.be/IvBExYAkQRc Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info below ↓↓↓ Special thanks to : Above & Beyond Alaska wilderness tours: http://beyondak.com/ Filmed at Mendenhall Glacier under a Special Use Permit on the Juneau Ranger District, Tongass National Forest ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Editor: Joe Hanson Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM

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You Are A Topsy-Turvy Lobster

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 05:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Here's why you aren't built like a lobster. Our bodies are mirror images of lobsters and other arthropods from back to belly. We've know since the early 19th century that our guts and nervous systems are inverted from theirs, but only recently has molecular biology shown us why. Here's the evolutionary tale about a worm doing the backstroke and why your guts are on your front. This is part 2 of 3 in my series about how our bodies evolved to look like they do. Check out the others: Part 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdNE4WygyAk Part 3 - Coming Friday! More info: Dorsoventral inversion: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inversion_(evolutionary_biology) Geoffrey Saint-Hilaire: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89tienne_Geoffroy_Saint-Hilaire Common animal body plan between protostomes and deuterostomes: http://www.hhmi.ucla.edu/derobertis/EDR_MS/Evo-Devo_page/EVO-DEVO.html How we know that our body plan came later: http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2006/01/12/hemichordate-evodevo/ Step by step along the evolutionary tree: http://tolweb.org/Bilateria/2459 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilateria http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deuterostome http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protostome http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urochordata http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chordate http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cephalochordata http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craniate http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnathostomata Evolutionary timeline of vertebrates: http://www.utexas.edu/news/2008/03/03/tree/ Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editor and motion graphics John Knudsen - Gaffer Music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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This Is Where New Ideas ACTUALLY Arise

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 05:30:00 -0000

Check out Hungry Planet on @pbsterra https://youtu.be/uH2jWc9TEVM ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ The idea of the lone genius creating everything isn’t just misleading. It’s harmful and wrong. Innovation thrives when people work together, and rather than nice linear paths, new ideas come from chance events and unexpected connections. This video tells the story of one such invention, and offers a new idea about how new ideas are really born. 0:00 I've got a gripe 1:30 How innovation stories usually go 2:28 The last time this happened, things got weird 2:51 Stabbing sick people in Olde London 4:23 A heroic cow named Blossom 5:05 Why Napoleon hated swamps 6:22 The preacher, sparks, and a fortuitous explosion 7:08 Who's "in charge" here? 8:26 Bubbles, for your health! 9:33 Putting the club in soda 10:13 Needles and drugs 11:01 A tower in Paris 11:58 Quantum bros 12:53 Very VERY tiny things 13:37 This physicist hates cats 14:20 Mr. Helix and the messengers 15:18 It's all coming together 16:08 The best part of the story 17:35 Extras We’re on PATREON! Join the community: https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a video! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ----------- High fives to all our Brain Trust Patrons: Charles Horton, Jr Holly, Brett, and Ashe Bullion Jaap Westera Millennial Glacier Mehdi Damou Barbora Bei Burt Humburg dani bowman David Johnston Baerbel Winkler Robert Young Eric Meer Karen Haskell Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart

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Between Two Tesla Coils! - 360 Immersive Video

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 04:30:00 -0000

Learn how singing Tesla coils work: https://youtu.be/KGhNgeg9IAw Follow me to Physics Girl for electromagnetic explosions! https://youtu.be/AXOa66-k9MA ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Get yourself an awesome IOTBS shirt! http://dftba.com/besmart Special thanks to: ArcAttack http://arcattack.com/ Dianna @thephysicsgirl https://www.youtube.com/user/physicswoman ---- Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @DrJoeHanson Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com Stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted) http://www.videoblocks.com

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The Curious Physics That Makes Hurricanes So Powerful

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 04:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate The physics of the perfect storm… Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Learn more/references: “Divine Wind: The History and Science of Hurricanes” by Kerry Emanuel http://amzn.to/2aUY7P7 Japan’s “kamikaze” winds may have been real: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/11/141104-kamikaze-kublai-khan-winds-typhoon-japan-invasion/ “El huracán, su mitología y sus símbolos” Fernando Ortiz http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/60338937 “Sea of Storms: A History of Hurricanes in the Greater Caribbean from Columbus to Katrina” Stuart B. Schwartz http://press.princeton.edu/titles/10324.html Emanuel, Kerry. "Tropical cyclones." Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences 31.1 (2003): 75. Knutson, Thomas R., et al. "Tropical cyclones and climate change." Nature Geoscience 3.3 (2010): 157-163. “Hurricane Force” Roger Smith 2006 Phys. World 19 (6) 32 Could we nuke a hurricane? http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/C5c.html ---------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Why Some of the Rainbow is Absent

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 03:30:00 -0000

We’re on PATREON! Join the community: https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Over 200 years ago, scientists were looking at sunlight through a prism when they noticed that part of the rainbow was missing. There were dark lines where there should have been colors. Since then, scientists have unlocked the secrets encoded in these lines, using it to uncover mind-boggling facts about the fundamental nature of our universe and about worlds light-years away. Want to build your own DIY spectrometer? Mine is a modified version of this one from @exploratorium https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/cd-spectroscope And here's what you'll need to make one: https://amzn.to/3sbhr7C References: https://sites.google.com/view/whysomeoftherainbowismissing/home 0:00 Fraunhofer's mystery of missing colors 0:54 Playing with fire 2:11 Puzzle pieces and color codes 3:30 Electrons do the strangest things 5:40 How to make a rainbow analyzer 8:00 Using rainbows to understand the universe 9:57 Life beyond Earth 10:57 Final thoughts SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a video! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ----------- High fives to all our Brain Trust Patrons: Holly, Brett, and Ashe Bullion Jaap Westera Millennial Glacier Mehdi Damou Barbora Bei Burt Humburg dani bowman David Johnston Baerbel Winkler Robert Young Eric Meer Dustin Karen Haskell Support us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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The Wonderful Science of… Dust?

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 03:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ No use cleaning... the universe is full of dust. And some of its biggest action is a result of its smallest stuff. SUBSCRIBE, it's FREE! http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub The Secret Life of Dust by Hannah Holmes: http://amzn.to/1hCuwtT More dusty science: Space dust and dirty cars: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com/post/65443038570/space-dust-dirty-car The Science of Snow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUot7XSX8uA The Bodele Depression fertilizes half the Amazon: http://bit.ly/1qAqK6w From Africa to the Amazon: http://bit.ly/1p4ivm3 More about the Zodiacal Light: http://bit.ly/P15PLW NASA atmospheric dust and aerosol visualization: http://1.usa.gov/1nn8WKm Cosmic dust and the birth of our solar system: http://bit.ly/1iPBitH WHO report on air pollution: http://bit.ly/1jFwTeU Micrometeorites: http://bit.ly/1eBN9yQ Thanks to Dr. Don Brownlee for helpful discussion on this episode! Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editor and motion graphics John Knudsen - Gaffer Music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Why Are There As Many Males As Females?

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 02:30:00 -0000

Evolution doesn’t pick a side! Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ 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 sexes is the evolutionary stable strategy. From Charles Darwin to Ronald Fisher to W.D. Hamilton to Richard Dawkins, the question of why there’s as many males as females has fascinated biologists. Today, we’ll explain why that is the way it is. READ MORE: Fisher, R. A. “The genetical theory of natural selection” Dawkins, Richard “The Selfish Gene” http://amzn.to/2omkuFr Hamilton, W. D. (1967). Extraordinary sex ratios. Science, 156(3774), 477-488. ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter:@DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Stephanie Keep Creative Director: David Schulte Editor/animator: Karl Boettcher and Derek Borsheim Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com ------

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Are You Cleverer Than A Slime Mold?

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 02:30:00 -0000

Slime molds are intelligent, but they are single-celled creatures with no brains. How is that possible? ↓ More info and sources below ↓ I really hope you guys check out Deep Look, it’s one of my favorite channels, full of great 4K, micro-world goodness! http://goo.gl/8NwXqt Many thanks to Prof. Andy Adamatzky (UWE Bristol) for slime mold culturing advice. Special thanks to the following for providing Dictyostelium microscope footage: Prof. John Bonner (Princeton) Prof. David Knecht (Univ. of Connecticut) Prof. Richard Firtel (UCSD) Prof. Jeremy Pickett-Heaps (Univ. of Melbourne) References/further reading: “Intelligence in Nature” by Jeremy Narby http://amzn.to/23HvtKG “The Social Amoebae - The Biology of Cellular Slime Molds” by John Bonner http://amzn.to/1MEmmCR Nakagaki, Toshiyuki. "Smart behavior of true slime mold in a labyrinth."Research in Microbiology 152.9 (2001): 767-770. Nakagaki, Toshiyuki, Hiroyasu Yamada, and Masahiko Hara. "Smart network solutions in an amoeboid organism." Biophysical chemistry 107.1 (2004): 1-5. Adamatzky, Andrew. Physarum machines: computers from slime mould. Vol. 74. World Scientific, 2010. Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com Stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted) http://www.videoblocks.com

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Can Epigenetic Inheritance Be Real?

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 01:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Epigenetic inheritance is really weird, but is it real? Tweet this ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSepi Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSepiFB ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Crash Course Physics with Dr. Shini Somara: https://www.youtube.com/user/crashcourse Want more on epigenetic inheritance? Start here: Univ. of Utah’s Learn Genetics: http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/epigenetics/inheritance/ Virginia Hughes - “Epigenetics: The Sins of the Father” http://www.nature.com/news/epigenetics-the-sins-of-the-father-1.14816 Dig deeper: Szyf, Moshe. "Nongenetic inheritance and transgenerational epigenetics."Trends in molecular medicine 21.2 (2015): 134-144. Sharma, Abhay. "Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance requires a much deeper analysis." Trends in molecular medicine 21.5 (2015): 269-270. Heard, Edith, and Robert A. Martienssen. "Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance: myths and mechanisms." Cell 157.1 (2014): 95-109. Rando, Oliver J. "Daddy issues: paternal effects on phenotype." Cell 151.4 (2012): 702-708. Jablonka, Eva, and Gal Raz. "Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance: prevalence, mechanisms, and implications for the study of heredity and evolution." The Quarterly review of biology 84.2 (2009): 131-176. Heijmans, Bastiaan T., et al. "Persistent epigenetic differences associated with prenatal exposure to famine in humans." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 105.44 (2008): 17046-17049. Pembrey, Marcus, et al. "Human transgenerational responses to early-life experience: potential impact on development, health and biomedical research." Journal of medical genetics (2014): jmedgenet-2014. Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com Stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted) http://www.videoblocks.com

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How to Defuse the Overpopulation Bomb

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 01:30:00 -0000

Thank you to Bill and Melinda Gates for supporting PBS Digital Studios. If you’d like to take a look at the 2018 Annual Letter, you can check it out here http://b-gat.es/2Cfph0j ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Is overpopulation real? Is Earth filling up with too many humans? How many people can Earth hold, anyway? As our species approaches 8 billion, human overpopulation is a major concern for many people. How can we reduce poverty and our impact on the environment? Do we need a forced one-child policy or something? Maybe not, because when we look at the science and history, populations seem to control themselves. This week we look at all these questions and more. READ MORE: https://ourworldindata.org https://www.sciencemag.org/site/special/population/ http://science.sciencemag.org/content/346/6206/234 https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/are-malthus-predicted-1798-food-shortages/ ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter:@DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Creative Director: David Schulte Editor/animator: Karl Boettcher Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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What If Animals Delivered Relationship Advice?

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 00:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Your love life would be WILD Don’t miss the next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Special thanks to Jurgen Otto and Brave Bison for that great peacock spider video! Check out https://www.youtube.com/user/Peacockspiderman Get a sneak peek of the Maker Box I'm curating for Quarterly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vit_ozLnHmA Order yours by Feb. 22, 2017! ttp://on.qrtr.ly/ItsOKtoMake Ever find yourself wishing for relationship advice and have no one to turn to? Looking for the secrets to a long and happy relationship but can’t find the answers? Maybe you just want to know how to tell that certain someone that you like them, but don’t know how to make the first move? Have no fear, Mother Nature is here! Other animals have millennia worth of mating experience, maybe they can teach us a thing or two? ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Sarah Keartes Editor/animator/producer: Andrew Matthews Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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How The Moon Controls Biology

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 00:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate This video is FULL of cool MOON biology 😏 Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Organisms of all shapes and sizes synchronize their behaviors using biological clocks. Some keep pace with the daily rising and setting sun using circadian rhythms. Others use annual cycles or the changing seasons as their cue. But many animals use moonlight and Earth’s lunar cycle to run their biological clock. Do humans do the same thing, with things like menstrual cycles? This week we take a look at living by moonlight. Menstrual cycle data courtesy of Clue app (https://helloclue.com/) Grunion footage courtesy of KQED’s Deep Look (https://www.youtube.com/user/KQEDDeepLook) and Dr. Michael Murrie - Pepperdine University SOURCES: The Myth of the Moon and Menstruation: https://medium.com/clued-in/the-myth-of-the-moon-and-menstruation-f85b151e45c3 Grant, Rachel, Tim Halliday, and Elizabeth Chadwick. "Amphibians’ response to the lunar synodic cycle—a review of current knowledge, recommendations, and implications for conservation." Behavioral Ecology 24.1 (2012): 53-62. Zhang, Lin, et al. "Dissociation of circadian and circatidal timekeeping in the marine crustacean Eurydice pulchra." Current Biology 23.19 (2013): 1863-1873. Zantke, Juliane, et al. "Circadian and circalunar clock interactions in a marine annelid." Cell reports 5.1 (2013): 99-113. Warren, H. B. Aspects of the behaviour of the impala male, Aepyceros melampus, during the rut. National Museums and Monuments of Rhodesia, 1974. ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Eli Kintisch Editor/animator: Stephen Fishman Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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We've Got Ants In Our Garden!

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 23:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate What is this? A forest for ANTS?! Deep Look: https://youtu.be/fguo3HvWjb0 Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Want to wear your love for science? We’ve got merch: http://dftba.com/besmart Follow Aaron Pomerantz: http://www.thenextgenscientist.com/ Twitter: @aaronpomerantz Special thanks to Dr. Corrie Moreau from The Field Museum for helpful discussions while we were making this episode! References/Learn More: Edwards, David P., et al. "A plant needs ants like a dog needs fleas: Myrmelachista schumanni ants gall many tree species to create housing." The American Naturalist 174.5 (2009): 734-740. Frederickson, Megan E. "Conflict over Reproduction in an Ant‐Plant Symbiosis: Why Allomerus octoarticulatus Ants Sterilize Cordia nodosa Trees." The American Naturalist 173.5 (2009): 675-681. Frederickson, Megan E., and Deborah M. Gordon. "The intertwined population biology of two Amazonian myrmecophytes and their symbiotic ants." Ecology 90.6 (2009): 1595-1607. Haddad Junior, Vidal, Luiz Roberto Hernandes Bicudo, and Adílson Fransozo. "The Triplaria tree (Triplaris spp) and Pseudomyrmex ants: a symbiotic relationship with risks of attack for humans." Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical 42.6 (2009): 727-729 Heil, Martin, et al. "Partner manipulation stabilises a horizontally transmitted mutualism." Ecology letters 17.2 (2014): 185-192. Hölldobler, Bert, and Edward O. Wilson. The ants. Harvard University Press, 1990. Sanchez, Adriana, and Edwin Bellota. "Protection against herbivory in the mutualism between Pseudomyrmex dendroicus (Formicidae) and Triplaris americana (Polygonaceae)." Journal of Hymenoptera Research 46 (2015): 71. Solano, Pascal-Jean, Monique Belin-Depoux, and Alain Dejean. "Formation and structure of food bodies in Cordia nodosa (Boraginaceae)." Comptes rendus biologies 328.7 (2005): 642-647. Yu, Douglas W., and Naomi E. Pierce. "A castration parasite of an ant–plant mutualism." Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences 265.1394 (1998): 375-382. ---------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Snapchat: YoDrJoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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The Secret of Why Glacier Ice is Blue!

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 23:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Learn more at http://curiositystream.com/smart ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Step beneath this glacier in 360˚ virtual reality! https://youtu.be/xWL-zXFWClE Where do glaciers and icebergs get their beautiful blue color? This unique blue might be nature’s most brilliant, and the color arises in a very special way thanks to some surprising interactions between light and water molecules. Who knew physics could be so breathtaking? Special thanks to : Josh Cassidy from KQED’s Deep Look ► https://www.youtube.com/user/KQEDDeepLook Above & Beyond Alaska wilderness tours: http://beyondak.com/ Filmed at Mendenhall Glacier under a Special Use Permit on the Juneau Ranger District, Tongass National Forest READ MORE: Absorption spectrum of water: http://www1.lsbu.ac.uk/water/water_vibrational_spectrum.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_absorption_by_water ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Joe Hanson Cinematography: Josh Cassidy Producer/editor/animator: David Schulte Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Why Your Brain Calls Your Head Home

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 22:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Check out BrainCraft: http://youtu.be/aucscX191vQ Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Part 1 of 3 in my series about why our bodies are shaped the way they are. Stay tuned for part 2 and 3 later this week! Make sure you head over BrainCraft and check out the rest of our collaboration! More info: Still of that crazy face comes from FKA twigs' "Water Me": http://youtu.be/kFtMl-uipA8 Evolution of the nervous system: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution_of_nervous_systems Step by step along the evolutionary tree: http://tolweb.org/Bilateria/2459 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilateria http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deuterostome http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protostome http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urochordata http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chordate http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cephalochordata http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craniate http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnathostomata Evolutionary timeline of vertebrates: http://www.utexas.edu/news/2008/03/03/tree/ How old are Hox genes: http://www.nature.com/nrg/journal/v8/n5/full/nrg2114.html Hox genes in development: The Hox Code http://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/hox-genes-in-development-the-hox-code-41402 Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Motion Graphics and Editing - Arts+Labor Stephanie Noone - Producer, Arts+Labor John Knudsen - Gaffer Music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Tuatara Time! – Face To Face With A Living Fossil! (ft. John Green)

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 22:30:00 -0000

Your now is not your forever (unless you’re a tuatara) Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Special thanks to John Green! And to Amber Faasen and the Dallas Zoo herpetarium team! During the 2017 Project For Awesome livestream, I promised I’d make a tuatara video if we hit our fundraising goal, and I’m a man of my word! Little did I know I’d get to meet a tuatara and learn things about a 200 million year old branch of life that would blow my mind. Get ready to meet the chillest reptile, weird living fossil, and star of Turtles All The Way Down… the tuatara. 3D tuatara skull animation courtesy of Digimorph: http://www.digimorph.org/ READ MORE: “Turtles All The Way Down” by John Green: http://amzn.to/2GU2c6J “Horseshoe Crabs and Velvet Worms: The Story of the Animals and Plants That Time Has Left Behind” by Richard Fortey http://amzn.to/2EpcfT2 Hay, J. M., Subramanian, S., Millar, C. D., Mohandesan, E., & Lambert, D. M. (2008). Rapid molecular evolution in a living fossil. Trends in Genetics, 24(3), 106-109. ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter:@DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Creative Director: David Schulte Editor/animator: Derek Borsheim Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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The Essential Question

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 21:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate The book: “The Fly Trap” by Fredrik Sjöberg http://amzn.to/1TlWrkw Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Music: Monkeys Spinning Monkeys Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

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How Do Bees Generate Honey?

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 20:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Let PBS know more about you and what digital series you’d like to see: http://surveymonkey.com/r/pbsds2016 Tweet this ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBShunE Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBShunEfb ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Check out our BEE PLAYLIST! http://bit.ly/OKTBSbeelist The Honey Bee Dance Language Explained: https://www.cals.ncsu.edu/entomology/apiculture/pdfs/1.11%20copy.pdf Being a queen is about more than royal jelly: Mao, Wenfu, Mary A. Schuler, and May R. Berenbaum. "A dietary phytochemical alters caste-associated gene expression in honey bees."Science advances 1.7 (2015): e1500795 Multiple phenotypes coming from the same genetics (like workers and queens) is called “polyphenism” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyphenism The social structure of honeybee hives: https://hymenoptera42.wordpress.com/2013/02/15/the-social-structure-of-honey-bees/ The following clips were used under Creative Commons CC-BY license: Mary Ann Aschenbrennerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG6tWrcy3mQ BeesOnTheNet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEMg_F1yUJk Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigita... Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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The Remarkable Owl!

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 19:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Enjoy these amazing facts about owls! Don’t miss the next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ As we get ready to watch that big football game that my lawyers tell me I’m not allowed to say the name of, let’s celebrate a champion of the bird world: Stealthy and silent owls! Learn how owls fly so silently, how they see in the dark, and how owls’ incredible hearing makes them such superb aerial hunters. Want more awesome owl science? Check out “What Makes Owls So Quiet and Deadly?” from KQED’s Deep Look: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a68fIQzaDBY Special thanks to: The Witmer Lab at Ohio University Learn more: Wagner, Hermann, et al. "Features of owl wings that promote silent flight." Interface Focus 7.1 (2017): 20160078. Wagner, Hermann, et al. "Neuroethology of prey capture in the barn owl (Tyto alba L.)." Journal of Physiology-Paris 107.1 (2013): 51-61. FOLLOW US: It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Shaena Montanari Editor/animator/producer: Andrew Orsak Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Can Coral Reefs Adapt to Climate Change?

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 18:30:00 -0000

This episode is brought to you by Dropbox https://www.dropbox.com/ ↓ More info and sources below ↓ We can’t afford to wait any longer to act on climate change. Check out #OursToLose: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgOV1dYdYVk References/Links: Coral/Zooxanthellae symbiosis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zooxanthellae Global coral bleaching event is underway in 2015: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2015/100815-noaa-declares-third-ever-global-coral-bleaching-event.html Learn more about the effects and extent of coral bleaching: http://www.globalcoralbleaching.org/ Could we ever lose all our corals? http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/01/21/will-we-ever-lose-all-our-corals/ Coral reef ecosystem species density: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/ioc-oceans/priority-areas/rio-20-ocean/blueprint-for-the-future-we-want/marine-biodiversity/facts-and-figures-on-marine-biodiversity/ Oceans absorb half of global CO2: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/07/0715_040715_oceancarbon.html Oceans absorb 90% of excess heat: http://e360.yale.edu/feature/how_long_can_oceans_continue_to_absorb_earths_excess_heat/2860/ Extent of coral loss: http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/blue_planet/coasts/coral_reefs/coral_facts/ Coral reef accelerated evolution: van Oppen, Madeleine JH, et al. "Building coral reef resilience through assisted evolution." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 112.8 (2015): 2307-2313. http://www.pnas.org/content/112/8/2307.full Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/okaytbesmart ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc. Kate Eads - Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Camera John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: “Ouroboros” by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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Your Microbiome: The Microscopic Creatures That Keep You Alive!

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 18:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Try Audible today: http://www.audible.com/ok “I Contain Multitudes” by Ed Yong http://amzn.to/2aE5rlf ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Get yourself an awesome IOTBS shirt! http://dftba.com/besmart Learn more/references: Fujimura, Kei E., et al. "House dust exposure mediates gut microbiome Lactobacillus enrichment and airway immune defense against allergens and virus infection." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 111.2 (2014): 805-810. Strachan, David P. "Family size, infection and atopy: the first decade of the 'hygiene hypothesis'." Thorax 55.Suppl 1 (2000): S2. Gerrard, J. W., et al. "Serum IgE levels in white and metis communities in Saskatchewan." Annals of allergy 37.2 (1976): 91-100. Kuleshov, Volodymyr, et al. "Synthetic long-read sequencing reveals intraspecies diversity in the human microbiome." Nature biotechnology 34.1 (2016): 64-69. Li, Junhua, et al. "An integrated catalog of reference genes in the human gut microbiome." Nature biotechnology 32.8 (2014): 834-841. Elahi, Shokrollah, et al. "Immunosuppressive CD71+ erythroid cells compromise neonatal host defence against infection." Nature 504.7478 (2013): 158-162. Gibbons, Deena, et al. "Interleukin-8 (CXCL8) production is a signatory T cell effector function of human newborn infants." Nature medicine 20.10 (2014): 1206-1210. German, J., et al. "Human milk oligosaccharides: evolution, structures and bioselectivity as substrates for intestinal bacteria." Personalized Nutrition for the Diverse Needs of Infants and Children. Vol. 62. Karger Publishers, 2008. 205-222. Sela, D. A., et al. "The genome sequence of Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis reveals adaptations for milk utilization within the infant microbiome."Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 105.48 (2008): 18964-18969. C-section statitics: http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/social-issues-migration-health/health-at-a-glance-2015_health_glance-2015-en Kroiss, Johannes, et al. "Symbiotic streptomycetes provide antibiotic combination prophylaxis for wasp offspring." Nature Chemical Biology 6.4 (2010): 261-263. Zaneveld, Jesse, et al. "Host-bacterial coevolution and the search for new drug targets." Current opinion in chemical biology 12.1 (2008): 109-114. ---------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Snapchat: YoDrJoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com Stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted) http://www.videoblocks.com

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Why Do These Deadly Insects Look Like Flowers?

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 17:30:00 -0000

This video is perfect for adults orchids. Join the community ►► https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Many creatures wear disguises in order to keep safe from predators, but there are some that dress to kill. Orchid mantises are one of nature’s most awesome examples of aggressive mimicry. These killer insects are almost indistinguishable from orchids! Scientists recently learned that their disguise doesn’t work quite how we thought it did. Special thanks to YouTuber Fruchtpudding for letting us use their awesome orchid mantis hunting footage! https://www.youtube.com/user/Fruchtpudding ----------- READ MORE: O’Hanlon, J. C. (2016). Orchid mantis. Current Biology, 26(4), R145-R146. O’Hanlon, J. C., Holwell, G. I., & Herberstein, M. E. (2013). Pollinator deception in the orchid mantis. The American Naturalist, 183(1), 126-132. O’Hanlon, J. C., Herberstein, M. E., & Holwell, G. I. (2014). Habitat selection in a deceptive predator: maximizing resource availability and signal efficacy. Behavioral Ecology, 26(1), 194-199. ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Sarah Keartes Producer/editor/animator: Andrew Matthews Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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,000,000 Years Forward

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 17:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Try Squarespace: http://squarespace.com/itsokaytobesmart Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ For more science and stories of the Anthropocene, subscribe to the Generation Anthropocene podcast: http://anthropocene.stanford.edu/ A great book on this subject: The Earth After Us: What Legacy Will Humans Leave in the Rocks? by Jan Zalasiewicz http://amzn.to/20RbrZo Sources: Waters, Colin N., et al. "The Anthropocene is functionally and stratigraphically distinct from the Holocene." Science 351.6269 (2016): aad2622. Steffen, Will, et al. "The Anthropocene: conceptual and historical perspectives." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences 369.1938 (2011): 842-867. Zalasiewicz, Jan, et al. "The technofossil record of humans." The Anthropocene Review (2014): 2053019613514953. Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/DrJoeHanson Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @DrJoeHanson Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigita... Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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Why Is Sex Such a Thing?

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 16:30:00 -0000

We’re on PATREON! Join the community ►► https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a video! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Why does sex exist? You might think the obvious answer is “reproduction” but there are plenty of organisms on Earth that don’t require sex to reproduce. And the more that scientists examined sex, they more they realized that it’s an expensive and inefficient way to get your genes to the next generation. The true purpose of sex is actually one of the longest-standing mysteries in evolutionary biology. But scientists are closer than ever to finding the answer. Here’s what we know about the evolutionary enigma of sex. References: https://sites.google.com/view/evolutionofsex-references/home ----------- Special thanks to our Brain Trust Patrons: Burt Humburg DeliciousKashmiri Mario Orso Brian Chang Roy Lasris Javier Soto dani bowman David Johnston Salih Arslan Baerbel Winkler Robert Young Amy Sowada Eric Meer Peter Ehrnstrom Dustin Marcus Tuepker Karen Haskell AlecZero Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Why Do Fireflies Have Blinky Bottoms?

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 16:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Try CuriosityStream: http://curiositystream.com/smart Want even more illuminating ideas? SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Nearly all life on Earth is ultimately powered by light. But many creatures have learned how to make their own. This week we investigate the beautiful phenomenon of bioluminescence. From blinking fireflies on summer nights to glowing deep sea monsters, prepare to learn about the chemistry of living light. REFERENCES: Eisner, Thomas, et al. "Firefly “femmes fatales” acquire defensive steroids (lucibufagins) from their firefly prey." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 94.18 (1997): 9723-9728. Martini, Séverine, and Steven HD Haddock. "Quantification of bioluminescence from the surface to the deep sea demonstrates its predominance as an ecological trait." Scientific Reports 7 (2017). ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Joe Hanson Producer/editor/animator: Andrew Matthews Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox

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Spit: Everything You Never Sought To Know

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 15:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Warning: May contain the “m-word”… Tweet this video ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSspit Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSspitFB ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Get yourself an awesome IOTBS shirt! http://dftba.com/besmart References/further reading: “Gulp” by Mary Roach: A great read about the odd science of the digestive system http://amzn.to/1U4i2N7 (Public library: http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/811599508) Carpenter, Guy H. "The secretion, components, and properties of saliva."Annual review of food science and technology 4 (2013): 267-276. Perry, George H., et al. "Diet and the evolution of human amylase gene copy number variation." Nature genetics 39.10 (2007): 1256-1260. ---- Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com Stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted) http://www.videoblocks.com

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Why Seasons Lack Sense

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 15:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Your winter isn't everyone's winter Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Sources: Trenberth, Kevin E. "What are the seasons?." Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 64.11 (1983): 1276-1282. http://climate.envsci.rutgers.edu/climdyn2014/TrenberthSeasons.pdf http://nautil.us/blog/dont-believe-the-hype-winter-does-not-begin-tonight Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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How Your Memory Works

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 15:30:00 -0000

To learn more about Brilliant, go to https://brilliant.org/BeSmart/ and sign up for free. First 200 people will get 20% off the annual Premium subscription. ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ How does memory work? And how does… un-memory work? Our brain does a lot of remembering and forgetting every day, so you should probably make room for som info on how it works. You’ll also get to meet some people who can’t make memories, and also never forget anything. References: http://bit.ly/2rdFW0O ----------- FOLLOW US: Twitter:@DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart SEND US STUFF: It’s Okay To Be Smart PO Box 303356 Austin, TX 78703 USA BOOKS WE’VE FEATURED: http://smart-books.tumblr.com/ ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Maria Ter-Mikaelian Creative Director: David Schulte Editor/animator: Karl Boettcher and Derek Borsheim Producers: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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How The Placebo Effect Influences Your Brain

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 14:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate This episode is brought to you by Dropbox https://www.dropbox.com/ Tweet ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSplacebos Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSplaceboFB ↓ More info and sources below ↓ How does the placebo effect work? Here's how your brain tricks itself when it comes to medicine Follow me to Reactions to learn what is (and isn’t) in those vitamin supplements: https://youtu.be/9gQoG0AT3kY We’ve got t-shirts! Get yours here: http://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart References: Niemi, M. B. (2009). Placebo Effect: A Cure in the Mind: Scientific American.Placebo Effect: A Cure in the Mind: Scientific American. Price, D. D., Finniss, D. G., & Benedetti, F. (2008). A comprehensive review of the placebo effect: recent advances and current thought. Annu. Rev. Psychol.,59, 565-590. Finniss, D. G., Kaptchuk, T. J., Miller, F., & Benedetti, F. (2010). Biological, clinical, and ethical advances of placebo effects. The Lancet, 375(9715), 686-695. Marchant, J. (2015). Strong placebo response thwarts painkiller trials. Nature News http://www.nature.com/news/strong-placebo-response-thwarts-painkiller-trials-1.18511 Dr. Ben Goldacre's book "Bad Science" http://amzn.to/1TZ5WUE Harold Pashler "Encyclopedia of the Mind" http://amzn.to/1HT7RJ4 Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc. Kate Eads - Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Camera John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: “Ouroboros” by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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Why BEAVERS Are The Smartest Thing In Fur Pants

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 14:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Leave it to beavers! Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Beavers have done more to shape North American landscapes than any animal beside humans. We don’t notice them much today because there aren’t many left, but before colonization, North America was home to hundreds of millions of these furry engineers. This week, we show you why Earth’s second largest rodent is more amazing than you ever knew, and why they’re the smartest thing in fur pants. Special thanks to Josh Cassidy from KQED’s Deep Look for joining me in Alaska and shooting this episode! ► https://www.youtube.com/user/KQEDDeepLook Filmed under a Special Use Permit on the Juneau Ranger District, Tongass National Forest Special thanks to Chuck Caldwell and Juneau Beaver Patrol ----------- READ MORE: “Once They Were Hats: In Search of the Mighty Beaver” - Francis Backhouse http://amzn.to/2tfmLTZ “The Beaver: Natural History of a Wetlands Engineer” - Dietland Müller-Schwarze and Lixing Sun http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/977989893 ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Shaena Montanari Camera: Josh Cassidy Producer/editor/animator: Andrew Matthews Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.co

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How Many Species Are Out There?

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 13:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate How do we protect what we don’t know exists? Don’t miss the next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ How many species are there on Earth? In biology, this is one of a fundamental question that we still don’t have a very good answer for. Imagine if chemists didn’t know all the elements of the periodic table, or if physicists didn’t know all of the particles of the standard model. Knowing how many different species there are is information we need to know in order to protect the environment, but it’s a lot harder than you think! Check out last week’s video, where we find a weird caterpillar in the Peruvian Amazon and ask “How do you discover a new species?” LEARN MORE: Costello, Mark J., Robert M. May, and Nigel E. Stork. "Can we name Earth's species before they go extinct?." Science 339.6118 (2013): 413-416. Locey, Kenneth J., and Jay T. Lennon. "Scaling laws predict global microbial diversity." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2016): 201521291. May, Robert M. "The future of biological diversity in a crowded world." Current Science 82.11 (2002): 1325-1330. May, Robert M. "How many species inhabit the earth." Scientific American 267.4 (1992): 42-48. Mora, Camilo, et al. "How many species are there on Earth and in the ocean?." PLoS Biol 9.8 (2011): e1001127. Stork, Nigel E. "How many species are there?." Biodiversity and Conservation 2.3 (1993): 215-232. FOLLOW US: It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Editor/animator/producer: Andrew Matthews Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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This Is Not the Rainbow

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 13:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Check out Squarespace: http://squarespace.com/itsokaytobesmart Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ The ABSOLUTE best place to learn more about atmospheric optics: http://www.atoptics.co.uk/ Excellent resource on ice crystal physics: http://www.snowcrystals.com/ Video showing “5 suns” over Cambodia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejM6MJVVSFI (actually two sun dogs, a parhelic circle, and two 120˚ parhelions!) The coolest sky picture I’ve ever seen: https://www.facebook.com/NWSAmarillo/photos/a.376992752312629.94660.208741279137778/940978792580686/?type=3&theater Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc. Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Camera John Knudsen - Gaffer Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted) Thumbnail image by Фтещт Нфтлщмнш CC BY-SA 4.0

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Extreme Deep Sea Creatures Are Eating The Titanic!

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 12:30:00 -0000

Life, uh… finds a way Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ What have we learned from exploring Earth’s harshest locations? That pretty everywhere we look for life, we find it. From smoking hot hydrothermal vents to icy deserts, up in clouds and inside rocks, extremophiles have found a way to survive. These survivors and adapters are not only teaching us about life on Earth, but expanding the possibilities of where life can exist elsewhere. READ MORE: Horikoshi, K., Antranikian, G., Bull, A. T., Robb, F. T., & Stetter, K. O. (Eds.). (2010). Extremophiles handbook. Springer Science & Business Media. Schulze-Makuch, D., Airo, A., & Schirmack, J. (2017). The Adaptability of Life on Earth and the Diversity of Planetary Habitats. Frontiers in microbiology, 8, 2011. ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter:@DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Shaena Montanari, Ph.D. Producer/editor/animator: Jordan Husmann Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Asteroid Mining Will Change Everything About Our Future In Space

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 12:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Read “Soonish” by Kelly and Zach Weinersmith! https://smbc-comics.com/soonish/ ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Try 23andMe at: http://www.23andme.com/okay Asteroid mining sounds like something out of a bad space movie, but harvesting materials from space rocks might be our ticket to building space colonies or living on Mars. Most of Earth’s precious and rare metals are locked too far in the crust for us to get at them, and launching them to space is too expensive for us to supply large colonies off Earth or explore far off worlds. How do we get our hands on the planetary resources inside asteroids? Let’s find out! Special thanks to Kelly and Zach Weinersmith for working with us on this video. Check out their new book “Soonish” for a hilarious and science-filled look at future technologies: https://smbc-comics.com/soonish/ SOURCES/EXTRAS: Badescu, Viorel, ed. Asteroids: Prospective energy and material resources. Springer Science & Business Media, 2013. Crawford, Ian A. "Asteroids in the service of humanity." arXiv preprint arXiv:1306.2678 (2013). Kleine, Thorsten. "Geoscience: Earth's patchy late veneer." Nature 477.7363 (2011): 168-169. ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Dr. Shaena Montanari Editor/animator: Andrew Orsak Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com -----------

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How Do Hot Air Balloons Float?

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 11:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate This episode is brought to you by Dropbox https://www.dropbox.com/ Tweet ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBShotair Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBShotairFB ↓ More info and sources below ↓ We uploaded another version of this video on 11/9 but it had a big mistake in it. So we fixed it. This version is full of 100% real science! Sorry for the error. In the interest of transparency, if you want to watch that wrong version and see what I was wrong about, here's the link: https://youtu.be/qR9hucj02u0 We’ve got t-shirts! Get yours here: http://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Special thanks to: The 2015 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta http://www.balloonfiesta.com/ Pilot Doug Gantt and the Ham-let balloon team http://www.whenpigsfly.bz/ Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc. Kate Eads - Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Camera John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: “Ouroboros” by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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Why Are We The Only Humans Surviving?

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 11:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Try 23andMe at: http://www.23andme.com/okay Part 2 of our special series on Human Ancestry. Watch it all: http://bit.ly/OKTBSHuman ↓↓↓More info and sources below ↓↓↓ In part 2 of our special series on human ancestry, we ask why we are the only surviving branch on the human evolutionary tree. Just 50,000-100,000 years ago, Earth was home to three or four separate human species, including our most famous cousins: the Neanderthals. New research has shown that Neanderthals were not the brutish, unintelligent cavemen that cartoons make them out to be. They were creative, smart, social, and perhaps even had complex language. So why did they go extinct as soon as Homo sapiens moved into their territory? Does any trace of them live on today? Why don’t we have Neanderthal neighbors? ----------- REFERENCES: Papagianni, Dimitra, and Michael A. Morse. The Neanderthals Rediscovered: How Modern Science Is Rewriting Their Story. Thames & Hudson, 2015. http://amzn.to/2oov6GG (Library: http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/923279213) Stringer, Chris. “Lone survivors: How we came to be the only humans on earth.” Macmillan, 2012. http://amzn.to/2oIFg3q (Library: http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/855581724) Tattersall, Ian. “Masters of the planet: the search for our human origins.” Macmillan, 2012. http://amzn.to/2pOZrKS (Library: http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/733231407) Walter, Chip. “Last ape standing: the seven-million-year story of how and why we survived.” Bloomsbury Publishing USA, 2013. http://amzn.to/2pP2liy (Library: http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/872121723) ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Joe Hanson Producer/editor/animator: Andrew Matthews Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Does The Moon Really Orbit The Earth?

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 10:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate

What holds the moon up? Moonbeams!
Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub
↓ More info and sources below ↓

According to Newton's law of gravitation, the sun should "pull" way harder on the moon than the Earth does. So does the moon actually orbit the Earth? Why?

Special thanks to Ariel for submitting this awesome question to our Facebook page!

Hill Spheres and lunar orbit: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/09/29/the-moon-that-went-up-a-hill-but-came-down-a-planet/#.VULLHq1Viko

True shape of moon's orbit: http://www.math.nus.edu.sg/aslaksen/teaching/convex.html

Newton's law of gravitation vs. Hill Sphere: https://van.physics.illinois.edu/qa/listing.php?id=18501
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill_sphere

Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below!
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-----------------
It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.DFollow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe
Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart
Google+ https://plus.google.com/+itsokaytobesmart
For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com
Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios

Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer
Joe Nicolosi - Director
Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer
Stephen Bohls - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation
Katie Graham - Director of Photography
John Knudsen - Gaffer

Theme music:
"Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod

Other music via APM

Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks

French subtitles by Alessandro Dal Cero

-----------------

Last week's video:
What's The Loudest Possible Sound? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wi_aawsChqA

More videos:
Why Does February Have 28 Days? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgKaHTh-_Gs
Why Vaccines Work https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aNhzLUL2ys
Why Are Some People Left-Handed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvMUpcxPSA
Where Does the Smell of Rain Come From? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGcE5x8s0B8

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Clarifying Lunar Eclipses and the SUPER BLOOD MOON!

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 10:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate This episode is brought to you by Dropbox https://www.dropbox.com/ Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ We’ve got t-shirts! Get yours here: http://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Special thanks to: Rob Pettengill, Ph.D. http://www.robpettengill.org and the Austin Astronomical Society http://www.austinastro.org/ for helping me photograph the lunar eclipse timelapse Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc. Kate Eads - Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Camera John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: “Ouroboros” by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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Why Y Is a Vowel Through Physics (and so is W)

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 10:30:00 -0000

We’re on PATREON! ►► Join the community https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Human language is an incredible thing: a combination of mouth sounds that we combine into words, sentences, poems, and constitutions. They carry meaning, emotion, and power. But underneath it all, language is really just physics. In this episode, we explore how physics is at the core of every syllable, starting with the first word most of us ever speak. Try the Pink Trombone vocal simulator! - https://experiments.withgoogle.com/pink-trombone References: https://sites.google.com/view/vowel-sounds-physics/home SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a video! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub 0:00 Your voice is just physics 1:16 Some basics of linguistics 2:27 There are more than 5 vowels? 4:49 The physics of the vocal tract 7:04 Resonance and sound filters 8:47 How vowels are an acoustic illusion 11:25 Finding vowels in surprising places 13:09 A touching moment 13:45 The extra bits ----------- High fives to all our Brain Trust Patrons: Jaap Westera Millennial Glacier Mark Littlehale Mehdi Damou Barbora Bei Burt Humburg dani bowman David Johnston Salih Arslan Baerbel Winkler Robert Young Eric Meer Dustin Karen Haskell Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Do Other Animals Grieve When Their Dead Pass? (ft. BrainCraft and Gross Science!)

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 09:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate This episode is brought to you by Dropbox https://www.dropbox.com/ Follow me to Gross Science: https://youtu.be/kRUt9pqMCSg and BrainCraft: https://youtu.be/Joalg73L_gw ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Tweet ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSmourn Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSmournFB We’ve got t-shirts! Get yours here: http://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart BOOK RECOMMENDATION: Barbara J. King "How Animals Grieve" http://amzn.to/1MD7Jz5 References: Barbara J. King “When Animals Mourn” Scientific American http://www.nature.com/scientificamerican/journal/v309/n1/full/scientificamerican0713-62.html Jason G. Goldman “Death Rituals In The Animal Kingdom” http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20120919-respect-the-dead Iain Douglas Hamilton “Behavioural reactions of elephants towards a dying and deceased matriarch” Applied Animal Behavior Science http://www.appliedanimalbehaviour.com/article/S0168-1591(06)00101-8/abstract Chimpanzees mourning dead infants: http://www.mpg.de/1071360/mourning_chimpanzee http://www.cell.com/current-biology/abstract/S0960-9822%2810%2900218-6 (video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM9GLhuPDXA) Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc. Kate Eads - Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Camera John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: “Ouroboros” by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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Fact vs. Theory vs. Hypothesis vs. Law… BROKEN DOWN!

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 09:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Think you know the difference? Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Some people try to attack things like evolution by natural selection and man-made climate change by saying “Oh, that’s just a THEORY!” Yes, they are both theories. Stop saying it like it’s a bad thing! It’s time we learn the difference between a fact, a theory, a hypothesis, and a scientific law. Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc. Kate Eads - Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Camera John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: “Ouroboros” by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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How Many Trees Are Growing?

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 09:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Tweet this ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBStree Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBStreeFB Try Squarespace: http://squarespace.com/itsokaytobesmart ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Crowther, T. W., et al. "Mapping tree density at a global scale." Nature 525.7568 (2015): 201-205. http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/... Learn more about forest habitats: http://www.worldwildlife.org/habitats... And let’s hear it for John Denver… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBEkj... Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigita... Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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Who Has Your Birthday?

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 08:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. Support your local station at: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ In case you have a strange new desire to get an IOTBS shirt: http://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart#_=_ See if you share a famous birthday (I got Tom Hiddleston): http://www.buzzfeed.com/kimberleydadds/which-celebrity-shares-your-birthday#.mnPknbWyK Explore the math behind Birthday Paradox #1: https://www.khanacademy.org/math/probability/probability-and-combinatorics-topic/probability_combinatorics/v/birthday-probability-problem Explore Birthday Paradox #2: http://www.trans4mind.com/personal_development/mathematics/probability/birthday_problem.htm#My_Birthday_Paradox The “Facebook Birthday Problem” is a variant of the Coupon Collector’s Problem: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coupon_collector%27s_problem Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: @okaytobesmart @drjoehanson http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: @okaytobesmart @drjoehanson ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc. Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Camera John Knudsen - Gaffer Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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Why Are Certain Creatures Venomous?

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 08:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Check out “Venomous” by Christie Wilcox: http://bit.ly/VenomousBook Help us translate this video! http://www.youtube.com/timedtext_video?ref=share&v=Qd92MuVZXik ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Get yourself an awesome IOTBS shirt! http://dftba.com/besmart Learn more: LD50’s of various venomous snakes: http://snakedatabase.org/pages/LD50.php Lynne Isbell’s “The Fruit, the Tree, and the Serpent” http://amzn.to/2afXQ91 Fry, Bryan G., et al. "Early evolution of the venom system in lizards and snakes." Nature 439.7076 (2006): 584-588. http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v439/n7076/abs/nature04328.html Reyes-Velasco, Jacobo, et al. "Expression of venom gene homologs in diverse python tissues suggests a new model for the evolution of snake venom." Molecular biology and evolution 32.1 (2015): 173-183. http://mbe.oxfordjournals.org/content/32/1/173.short Drabeck, Danielle H., Antony M. Dean, and Sharon A. Jansa. "Why the honey badger don't care: Convergent evolution of venom-targeted nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in mammals that survive venomous snake bites."Toxicon 99 (2015): 68-72. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0041010115000690 Opossum venom resistance: https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/newsreleases/2015/march/opossum-based-antidote-to-poisonous-snake-bites-could-save-thousands-of-lives.html Reddit AMA with Steve Ludwin, a snake venom self-immunizer: https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/17hzhk/iama_guy_whos_been_injecting_deadly_snake_venom/ Van Le, Quan, et al. "Pulvinar neurons reveal neurobiological evidence of past selection for rapid detection of snakes." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 110.47 (2013): 19000-19005. http://www.pnas.org/content/110/47/19000.short Thrasher, Cat, and Vanessa LoBue. "Do infants find snakes aversive? Infants’ physiological responses to “fear-relevant” stimuli." Journal of experimental child psychology 142 (2016): 382-390. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022096515002179 ---------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Snapchat: YoDrJoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com Stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted) http://www.videoblocks.com

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How to Figure Out the Day of the Week For Any Date Ever

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 08:30:00 -0000

To learn more about Brilliant, go to https://brilliant.org/BeSmart/ and sign up for free. First 200 people will get 20% off the annual Premium subscription. ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ You can be a human computer too. Our cheat sheet: http://bit.ly/2rftqkv Want to go NEXT LEVEL? Learn how to adjust for Julian calendar and BC dates You might think that computers are the only things that run algorithms, but you're wrong. Here's a neat mental trick for calculating the day of the week for any day ever, developed by famous mathematician John H. Conway Don't miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub READ MORE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doomsday_rule Martin Gardner, "The Universe in a Handkerchief: Lewis Carroll's Mathematical Recreations, Games, Puzzles, and Word Plays" ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter:@DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson ----------- It's Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Producer/editor/animator: Jordan Husmann Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com ------

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Why You See Faces in Things

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 07:30:00 -0000

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Have you ever looked at the front of a car and seen a face? Or an electrical outlet and seen a face? You definitely have. We all see faces everywhere we look thanks to a fun quirk of the human brain called facial pareidolia. Here's the neuroscience and psychology of how this weird brain phenomenon works!

References: https://sites.google.com/view/facial-pareidolia-references/home

0:00 Intro
1:33 What is facial pareidolia?
2:26 How your brain "sees" stuff
4:10 What is a "face" anyway?
5:29 Are we born this way?
7:08 Why recognizing faces is important, according to evolution
9:09 Dog faces, and some closing thoughts
10:05 Support us on Patreon!

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Could Bigfoot FEASIBLY Exist?

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 07:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate This episode brought to you by Squarespace: http://squarespace.com/itsokaytobesmart PBS Idea Channel goes to Area 51: https://youtu.be/WCFJh0fdlD8 ↓ More info and sources below ↓ **Check out these books: “The Demon Haunted World - Science as a Candle in the Dark” by Carl Sagan http://amzn.to/1Pbyt4S “Abominable Science” by Daniel Loxton and Donald Prothero http://amzn.to/1Pby5TU **References/More Reading: Crazy About Cryptids! A case study for teachers: http://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/collection/detail.asp?case_id=779&id=779 “Bigfoot” hair DNA test: http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/281/1789/20140161?ijkey=af9db7f3524656adecda465cc0cbdfae34da7d15&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha (see also http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/281/1789/20140843) Predicting the ecological niche of Sasquatch: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2699.2009.02152.x/full Why we can’t rule out Bigfoot: http://nautil.us/issue/16/nothingness/why-we-cant-rule-out-bigfoot Some fun reading about Medieval monsters: http://www.bl.uk/the-middle-ages/articles/medieval-monsters-from-the-mystical-to-the-demonic# Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/DrJoeHanson Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc. Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Camera John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: “Ouroboros” by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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The INCREDIBLE Ancient Engineering That Built the Pyramids

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 07:30:00 -0000

Try Skillshare at http://skl.sh/besmart Help us build something great and SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓More info and sources below ↓↓↓ You asked for it, so here’s the follow-up! Just because something is difficult doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Over the past centuries, archaeologists, historians, and engineers have reconstructed a great deal of the technology and science used to build the Egyptian pyramids. This week we look at ancient Egyptian mathematics, building techniques, tools, and culture to reconstruct the Great Pyramid’s construction. REFERENCES: Fall, Abdoulaye, et al. "Sliding friction on wet and dry sand." Physical review letters 112.17 (2014): 175502. Lehner, M. (1997). The complete pyramids. Thames and Hudson. Parry, D. (2005). Engineering the pyramids. The History Press. Smith, Craig B., Zahi Hawass, and Mark Lehner. How the great pyramid was built. Harper Collins, 2006. Verner, M. (2003). The pyramids: their archaeology and history. Atlantic. Verner, M. (2007). The Pyramids: The Mystery, Culture, and Science of Egypt's Great Monuments. Grove/Atlantic, Inc.. ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter/Instagram: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Joe Hanson Producer/editor/animator: Andrew Orsak Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com ------

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The Cheerios Effect

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 06:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Who knew there was so much science in a bowl of cereal? Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Ever notice how cereal clumps up in your bowl, or how cereal sticks to the edges of the bowl? Bubbles in beverages do the same thing.You've probably seen this surface tension and buoyancy at work, but did you know there's some mind-blowing science behind it? What we learn in our cereal bowl even connects to the lives of tiny insects that walk on water. SOURCES/EXTRAS: Vella, Dominic, and L. Mahadevan. "The “cheerios effect”." American journal of physics 73.9 (2005): 817-825. Gao, Xuefeng, and Lei Jiang. "Biophysics: water-repellent legs of water striders." Nature 432.7013 (2004): 36-36. Bush, John WM, and David L. Hu. "Walking on water: biolocomotion at the interface." Annu. Rev. Fluid Mech. 38 (2006): 339-369. John Bush: Interfacial Locomotion http://math.mit.edu/~bush/?p=998 ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Sarah Keartes Editor/animator: Andrew Orsak Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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How Humans Spoiled and Reclaimed an Ocean Paradise

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 06:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Check out #BigBlueLive! http://pbs.org/bigbluelive Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSriseFB ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Before people came to Monterey Bay to watch fish, they came here to catch them. And they caught a LOT of one fish: the sardine. But when you empty one species out of the ocean, bad things can happen. Learn how one Monterey Bay scientist, with the help of his friend John Steinbeck, changed how we view our relationship with nature and helped give birth to the field of ecology Why are we in Monterey? PBS and BBC are teaming up to bring you an incredible LIVE nature broadcast direct from Monterey Bay, California called BIG BLUE LIVE. In late summer, thousands and thousands of ocean animals come together here, in one of the richest ecosystems on Earth. We'll be bringing you a week of videos direct from Monterey Bay all about this incredible place and the biology it holds (some footage courtesy of Monterey Bay Aquarium) Big Blue Live airs nightly on PBS 8/31-9/2 at 8 PM ET Big Blue Live airs on BBC One 8/23 (7PM), 8/27 (8 PM), 8/30 (7 PM) More info here: pbs.org/bigbluelive facebook.com/PBS facebook.com/BBCBigBlueLive Follow Joe during Big Blue Live! Twitter/Periscope: @jtotheizzoe @okaytobesmart Snapchat: YoDrJoe Instagram: @jtotheizzoe Facebook: facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.DFollow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Camera John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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I Tried to Strike an MLB Fastball to Learn About Sports Neuroscience

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 06:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate This episode is brought to you by Dropbox https://www.dropbox.com/ Tweet this ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSbase Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSbaseFB ↓ More info and sources below ↓ We’ve got t-shirts! Get yours here: http://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart DISCLAIMER: I have very bad hitting form. Baseball was never my thing :) Special thanks to: The Round Rock Express Sharp End Baseball (Ben Himes, Aaron Smith, Jamie League) Genevieve Nauhaus, Ph.D and Michael D. Mauk, Ph.D. for research help References: Rob Gray “Intercepting Moving Objects: Fundamental Principles Learned from Baseball” Reviews of Human Factors and Ergonomics, June 2009 http://rev.sagepub.com/content/5/1/114.abstract Rob Gray “A Model of Motor Inhibition for a Complex Skill: Baseball Batting” J Exp Psychol Appl. June 2009 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19586249 Sean Müller & Bruce Abernethy, “Expert Anticipatory Skill in Striking Sports, Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport” 2012 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2012.10599848 Dr. Daniel Laby, Dr. David Kirschen & Tony Abbatine “A Visual Profile of Major League Hitters” http://xtremesight.com/documents/A%20Visual%20Profile%20of%20Major%20League%20Hitters.pdf Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc. Kate Eads - Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Camera John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: “Ouroboros” by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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The Equinox Isn't What You Suppose It Is

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 05:30:00 -0000

Is the equinox really when day = night? Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Calculate day length where you live for any date: http://www.timeanddate.com/sun/ Very cool solar angle simulator: http://astro.unl.edu/classaction/animations/coordsmotion/eclipticsimulator.html Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/DrJoeHanson Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/DrJoeHanson ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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What Tint Is The Moon?

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 05:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate How the night sky tricks our brains! Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Here’s how you all described the color of the moon: https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart/photos/a.337182013046136.73328.173915612706111/801410886623244/ http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com/post/128880963932/hey-guys-im-working-on-an-upcoming-video-and More about the white squares illusion: http://www.psy.ritsumei.ac.jp/~akitaoka/illgelbe.html Checker shadow illusion: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checker_shadow_illusion Special thanks to Dr. Alan Gilchrist! Read his paper “Perceptual Organization in Lightness” http://www.gestaltrevision.be/pdfs/oxford/Gilchrist-Perceptual_organization_in_lightness.pdf Josef Albers “The Interaction of Color” https://www.brainpickings.org/2013/08/16/interaction-of-color-josef-albers-50th-anniversary/ Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/DrJoeHanson Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/DrJoeHanson Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc. Kate Eads - Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Camera John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: “Ouroboros” by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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Is Sugar a Drug?

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 05:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Here’s a sweet idea: Subscribe! http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Tweet this video ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSsug Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSsugFB ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Want to wear your love for science? We’ve got merch: http://dftba.com/besmart American sugar consumption: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db122.pdf http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/sugar-and-sweeteners-yearbook-tables.aspx#25512 http://www.usda.gov/factbook/chapter2.pdf Avena, Nicole M., Pedro Rada, and Bartley G. Hoebel. "Evidence for sugar addiction: behavioral and neurochemical effects of intermittent, excessive sugar intake." Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 32.1 (2008): 20-39. Breslin, Paul AS. "An evolutionary perspective on food and human taste."Current Biology 23.9 (2013): R409-R418. Goodman, Jarid, and Mark G. Packard. "Memory systems and the addicted brain." Frontiers in psychiatry 7 (2016). Kearns, Cristin E., Laura A. Schmidt, and Stanton A. Glantz. "Sugar industry and coronary heart disease research: a historical analysis of internal industry documents." JAMA Internal Medicine (2016) Lerma-Cabrera, Jose Manuel, Francisca Carvajal, and Patricia Lopez-Legarrea. "Food addiction as a new piece of the obesity framework." Nutrition journal 15.1 (2016): 1. Mintz, Sidney. "Sweetness and power: the place of sugar in world history."Viking, New York (1985) Volkow, Nora D., Gene-Jack Wang, and Ruben D. Baler. "Reward, dopamine and the control of food intake: implications for obesity." Trends in cognitive sciences 15.1 (2011): 37-46. ---------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Snapchat: YoDrJoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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What's The Loudest Sound That Could Exist?

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 05:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate It's definitely higher than "11" Subscribe: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Twitter: @okaytobesmart ↓ More info and sources below ↓ What is the loudest possible sound? What about the quietest thing we can hear? And what do decibels measure, anyway? In this video you'll learn what makes sound The loudest sound on Earth (the we know of anyway), great story by Aatish Bhatia: http://nautil.us/blog/the-sound-so-loud-that-it-circled-the-earth-four-times Video of the Papua New Guinea volcano eruption from YouTuber bacobjee: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUREX8aFbMs Calculation of the shock wave from teleportation: http://www.quora.com/Teleportation/If-you-were-to-disappear-suddenly-how-loud-would-be-the-noise-of-the-air-filling-up-the-vacuum-youve-left The sometimes-painful effects of different sound pressure levels: http://www.makeitlouder.com/Decibel%20Level%20Chart.txt How loud are rocket launches? http://testtube.com/dnews/how-loud-are-space-shuttle-launches/ NASA's sound suppression water system: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LehY5avJUM Can a sound be loud enough to kill you? http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2298/can-a-noise-be-loud-enough-to-kill-you ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D Follow me on Twitter/Instagram: @DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Jen Piper/Arts+Labor - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks French subtitles by Alessandro Dal Cero

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Why NASA Rammed an Asteroid

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 04:30:00 -0000

↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Where did life come from? It’s one of the biggest questions humans have ever asked — and the answer might be locked in ancient space rocks that were around before life began. To find out, NASA pulled off one of its most ambitious missions ever, landing on an asteroid and sending a rock sample back to Earth. Today, we’re going to take a look at what it brought back. Join our Patreon community: https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart References: https://www.asminternational.org/early-analysis-of-nasas-first-asteroid-return-sample/ https://arxiv.org/abs/2308.11794 https://www.lpl.arizona.edu/news/spotlight/first-look-bennu-sample-reveals-carbon-and-water https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-03178-0 https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-03978-4 https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/osirisrexpresskit-2023.pdf ----------- High fives to all our Brain Trust Patrons: Ed Eyden Jennifer Burton Charles Horton, Jr Holly, Brett, and Ashe Bullion Jaap Westera Mehdi Damou Barbora Bei Burt Humburg dani bowman David Johnston Baerbel Winkler Eric Meer Karen Haskell Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/ Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart

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How Did the Grand Canyon Get Formed?

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 04:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate It's a long story… ↓ More info and sources below ↓ How do you make a Grand Canyon? Thanks to Mike from PBS Idea Channel and Jamin from PBS Game/Show for hanging out at the Grand Canyon with me! https://www.youtube.com/user/pbsideachannel https://www.youtube.com/user/pbsgameshow Special thanks to Raymond Schillinger for great camera work! I was in Arizona recently for Phoenix Comic-Con, and had the amazing pleasure of seeing one of Earth's greatest natural wonders… the Grand Canyon. More than a mile deep, and several miles across, it just defies belief. But I couldn't help but think, the Colorado River down at the bottom isn't that big. How did it cut a canyon so massive? How old is the Grand Canyon? Here's its story http://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/nature/geologicformations.htm Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.DFollow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Google+ https://plus.google.com/+itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer… and camera for this one! Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks ----------------- Last week's video: Why Are The Bees Dying? https://youtu.be/rKQNx0av7eY?list=PLsmqeqKj7M-pINcPqJd8d1eRKlqm6QVjA More videos: Why Does February Have 28 Days? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgKaHTh-_Gs Why Vaccines Work https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aNhzLUL2ys Why Are Some People Left-Handed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvMUpcxPSA Where Does the Smell of Rain Come From? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGcE5x8s0B8

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The Truth About Butterfly Metamorphosis (It's INCREDIBLY ODD)

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 04:30:00 -0000

Check out @crashcourse Botany! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2th5lAd-77A ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Does any other creature on Earth undergo a life transformation as dramatic as the butterfly? I think not. Unfortunately, children's books about very hungry caterpillars skip all the COOL and WEIRD and GROSS stuff that happens along the way. It's time to dig into all the mind-blowing biology behind metamorphosis! Filmed on location at the California Academy of Sciences 0:00 We were lied to as kids 1:48 Metamorphosis is more common than you think 3:36 It starts with an egg 4:46 Eat/Poop/Grow 6:05 Busting the biggest butterfly myth of all 7:23 Time to take your skin off 8:40 Inside the "sack of magic" 11:08 Metamorphosis,… metamorphosis everywhere 11:55 Why do butterflies do this? 13:42 Sign up for our Patreon! High fives to all our Brain Trust Patrons: Holly, Brett, and Ashe Bullion Jaap Westera Millennial Glacier Mehdi Damou Barbora Bei Burt Humburg dani bowman David Johnston Baerbel Winkler Robert Young Eric Meer Dustin Karen Haskell Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Why Is Sleep Necessary?

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 04:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate …and how did it evolve in the first place? Tweet ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSsleep Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSsleepFB ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Why do we sleep? We spend a third of our lives in slumber, but science has yet to determine exactly why we have do it. Here’s a look at how sleep works, why we’re not getting enough sleep, what happens if you DON’T sleep, and an idea about where sleep came from in the first place. Follow me to The Good Stuff’s sleep playlist: https://youtu.be/RHCcM7LyZdc?list=PLsRLUurFnvvUCysDQrFvGL0nxN6Eha93s Also check out BrainCraft: https://youtu.be/yv-XNKK9laE https://youtu.be/ZPpvS9wDOcA For more, read: “Dreamland: Adventures in the Strange Science of Sleep” by David K. Randall http://amzn.to/1MB38dt "The Universal Pastime: Sleep and Rest Explained" by Dr Richard Horner http://amzn.com/B00NT9O60O Cool research on melatonin in sea worm larvae: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/02/science/the-evolution-of-sleep-700-million-years-of-melatonin.html Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc. Kate Eads - Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Arts & Labor - Motion Graphics Katie Graham - Camera John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: “Ouroboros” by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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Why I'm Uneasy Around Spiders

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 03:30:00 -0000

The science of-- OH GOD IS THAT A SPIDER?! Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub I'm scared of spiders. I'm not afraid to admit it. I love them in a scientific sense, or from a "let me look at you from way over here" sense, but that's as close as I get. Here's a look at the science of why some of us are afraid of spiders, snakes, roaches, and other creepy crawlies. Did I evolve to be this way, or did I learn to be afraid of them? It seems to be an open question… How dangerous ARE spiders? http://burkemuseum.blogspot.com/2010/09/q-how-dangerous-are-spiders-to-humans.html#.VECZZNR4pj5 Humans may have evolved to pick out spiders and snakes from environment: http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2001/09/snakes.aspx The overlapping worlds of fear conditioning from innate fear: http://instruct.uwo.ca/psychology/371g/Ohman2001.pdf Doctor Who study suggests that spider fear may not be innate: http://www.wired.com/2014/01/doctor-who-and-spider-phobia/ Most common phobias: http://psychology.about.com/od/phobias/p/commonphobias.htm Adults and kids pick out creepy animals quicker than non-creepy animals: http://www.livescience.com/2348-fear-snakes.html Children report spiders as a top fear: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0005796797000508 List of clips featured in this episode: http://bit.ly/1xFhdO9 Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Stephen Bohls - Editing/Motion Graphics John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Thumbnail photo: specnaz/Shutterstock Stock images via Shutterstock Music: "Two Boys and a Girl" - Podington Bear ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Did Dinosaurs Truly Become Extinct?

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 03:30:00 -0000

Welcome to… Jurassic Pluck Subscribe: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Twitter: @DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Most people are taught that dinosaurs went extinct 66 million years ago when a giant meteor crashed into the Yucatan peninsula. I'm here to tell you that's wrong. Dinosaurs are alive and well today, and you don't have to go to Jurassic World to see them (although hanging out with Chris Pratt would be cool) We have living dinosaurs all around us. We just call them "birds". Yes. Birds are dinosaurs. Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate The tetrapod playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsmqeqKj7M-oVnyE5_1x-dUFYHxLLQmRD Special thanks to Scott Hartman (http://www.skeletaldrawing.com/) for the great Deinonychus and Archaeopteryx illustrations More info/sources: Great Audubon article on dinosaur-bird evolution http://www.audubon.org/magazine/january-february-2015/which-came-first-dinosaur-or-bird Dig deeper with this hour-long Yale lecture by Dr. Richard Prum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao7Q8kOqjfs Dr. John Hutchinson's research on dinosaur/bird posture http://whatsinjohnsfreezer.com/2013/04/24/3d_dinosaurs/ Chickens wearing prosthetic tails, for science! http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0088458 T. rex had a wishbone: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/this-thanksgiving-make-a-wish-on-a-dinosaur-87598064/?no-ist Did prey grasping of dinosaurs evolve into bird flight stroke? http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/vertebrates/flight/aves.html Reconstructing dinosaur sounds http://www.sandia.gov/LabNews/LN12-19-97/dinosaur_story.html Great TED-Ed video on the evolution of feathers in dinosaurs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPLgfGX1I5Y Brian Switek on dinosaur feathers: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/ist/?next=/science-nature/feathers-fuel-dinosaur-flight-debate-146139689/ What do birds see? http://www.nwf.org/news-and-magazines/national-wildlife/birds/archives/2012/bird-vision.aspx Tetrachromacy and feathers in dinosaurs: http://www.sciencemag.org/content/346/6208/416.short Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/DrJoeHanson Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/drjoehanson Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks Birds of paradise clips via PBS Nature

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This Rainforest Caterpillar Mirrors Donald Trump

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 03:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate They have some of the best caterpillars in Peru. The best. Follow all of our Peru adventures on this playlist: http://bit.ly/SmartPeru ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Special thanks to Andy Warren, David Pfennig, Alex Wild, and Gustavo Londoño for helpful discussions for this video! #mimicry #rainforest You should definitely be following Aaron Pomerantz: http://www.thenextgenscientist.com/ Twitter: @AaronPomerantz IG: @nextgenscientist Special thanks to Rainforest Expeditions for hosting us! Visit http://www.perunature.com/ Check out Deep Look for more awesome up-close science: https://www.youtube.com/user/KQEDDeepLook Cinerous mourner nest video courtesy of Dano Grayson: http://danograyson.com/ Cinerous mourner photos by Santiago David References: d'Horta, Fernando Mendonça, Guy M. Kirwan, and Dante Buzzetti. "Gaudy juvenile plumages of cinereous mourner (Laniocera hypopyrra) and Brazilian laniisoma (Laniisoma elegans)." The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 124.3 (2012): 429-435. Forbes, Peter. Dazzled and deceived: mimicry and camouflage. Yale University Press, 2011. http://amzn.to/2dE444Z Kikuchi, David W., and David W. Pfennig. "Predator cognition permits imperfect coral snake mimicry." The American Naturalist 176.6 (2010): 830-834. Londoño, Gustavo A., Duván A. García, and Manuel A. Sánchez Martínez. "Morphological and behavioral evidence of Batesian mimicry in nestlings of a lowland Amazonian bird." The American Naturalist 185.1 (2015): 135-141. Rabosky, Alison R. Davis, et al. "Coral snakes predict the evolution of mimicry across New World snakes." Nature communications 7 (2016). Savage, Jay M., and Joseph B. Slowinski. "The colouration of the venomous coral snakes (family Elapidae) and their mimics (families Aniliidae and Colubridae)." Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 45.3 (1992): 235-254. Thompson, Martin J., and Martijn JTN Timmermans. "Characterising the phenotypic diversity of Papilio dardanus wing patterns using an extensive museum collection." Plos one 9.5 (2014): e96815. Wickler, Wolfgang. Mimicry in Plants and Animals: Trans. by RD Martin. Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1968. ---------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/DrJoeHanson Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Where Did Mankind Emerge From?

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 03:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Ready to untangle the branches of the human family tree? Part 1 of our special series on Human Ancestry. Watch it all: http://bit.ly/OKTBSHuman ↓↓↓More info and sources below ↓↓↓ In part 1 of our special series on human ancestry, we tour through our family tree to meet our ancestors and distant cousins, and to find out what made us human along the way. The story of human ancestry is not a simple progression from primitive apes to us, with all the ape/human intermediates in between. The real human story is much richer and more complex, full of branches, gaps, and shadowy parts. A century and a half of fossil finds tells us perhaps two dozen human species lived on Earth between now and the time when our ancestors split from chimpanzee ancestors. The new era of DNA and genetics is upending that story yet again. ----------- REFERENCES: Stringer, Chris. “Lone survivors: How we came to be the only humans on earth.” Macmillan, 2012. http://amzn.to/2oIFg3q (Library: http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/855581724) Stringer, Chris, and Peter Andrews. “The complete world of human evolution.” London: Thames & Hudson, 2005. http://amzn.to/2opOrlN (Library: http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/953422224) Tattersall, Ian. “Masters of the planet: the search for our human origins.” Macmillan, 2012. http://amzn.to/2pOZrKS (Library: http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/733231407) Walter, Chip. “Last ape standing: the seven-million-year story of how and why we survived.” Bloomsbury Publishing USA, 2013. http://amzn.to/2pP2liy (Library: http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/872121723) “Evolution: The Human Saga.” Scientific American 311.3 (2014): 4-100. Strait, David, Frederick E. Grine, and John G. Fleagle. "Analyzing Hominin Hominin Phylogeny: Cladistic Approach." Handbook of paleoanthropology. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2015. 1989-2014. Wood, Bernard, and Eve K Boyle. "Hominin taxic diversity: Fact or fantasy?." American journal of physical anthropology 159.S61 (2016): S37-S78. ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Joe Hanson Producer/editor/animator: Andrew Matthews Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Could You HONESTLY Survive Being Shrunk?!

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 02:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you ) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate It's okay to be… small? Tweet this video ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSshrunk Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSshrunkFB ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Want more shrunken YouTubers? Check out this video on Vsauce3 about the science of Ant-Man! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkvo-DrU2gM Get yourself an awesome IOTBS shirt! http://dftba.com/besmart Here's a fun read: The Physics of B-Movie Monsters http://fathom.lib.uchicago.edu/2/21701757/ ---------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/drjoehanson http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/DrJoeHanson Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com Stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted) http://www.videoblocks.com

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How Scorpions Became Earth's Toughest Survivors

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 02:30:00 -0000

We’re on PATREON! Join the community: https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Scorpions have been terrorizing other creatures on Earth for hundreds of millions of years. They’ve evolved a perfect cocktail of venom that can mess up both predators and prey. But they are also an evolutionary marvel that could show us the way to some powerful new life-saving medicines. Filmed at the California Academy of Sciences @calacademy https://www.calacademy.org/ SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a video! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ----------- Be Smart is made possible by these Brain Trust Patrons and others: Holly, Brett, and Ashe Bullion Jaap Westera Millennial Glacier Mark Littlehale Mehdi Damou Barbora Bei Burt Humburg dani bowman David Johnston Salih Arslan Baerbel Winkler Robert Young Eric Meer Dustin Karen Haskell Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart

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How Much Plastic Pollutes the Ocean?

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 02:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate What can you do to make the oceans plastic-free? (HINT: Hitting the subscribe button uses zero plastic) ↓↓↓Check the resources below ↓↓↓ Ocean plastic pollution is a massive environmental problem. Millions of tons of plastic waste enter the ocean every year, even plastic that goes in the trash can often ends up in the sea! This week we learn about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and look at the dangers ocean plastic poses to ocean animals. Plus, a few tips for you to reduce your own plastic use! Plastic Oceans Foundation: http://www.plasticoceans.org/ United Nations “Clean Seas” program: http://www.cleanseas.org/ The 5 Gyres Institute: https://www.5gyres.org/ Lonely Whale Foundation: https://www.lonelywhale.org/ Take this quiz to learn about your plastic impact: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/science/bottled-water-or-tap.html 10 ways to reduce plastic pollution: https://www.nrdc.org/stories/10-ways-reduce-plastic-pollution The no plastic straw pledge: http://www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org/no-straw-please/ Ocean plastic pollution resources from Monterey Bay Aquarium: https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/conservation-and-science/our-priorities/ocean-plastic-pollution What will it take to get plastic out of the ocean? https://ensia.com/features/what-will-it-take-to-get-plastics-out-of-the-ocean/ Resources for teachers: https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/education/teacher-professional-development/ocean-plastic-pollution-summit ----------- REFERENCES: Cózar, Andrés, et al. "Plastic debris in the open ocean." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 111.28 (2014): 10239-10244. Jamieson, Alan J., et al. "Bioaccumulation of persistent organic pollutants in the deepest ocean fauna." Nature Ecology & Evolution 1 (2017): 0051. Jambeck, Jenna R., et al. "Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean." Science 347.6223 (2015): 768-771. “Moby-Duck” by Donovan Hohn (Harper’s Magazine) http://harpers.org/archive/2007/01/moby-duck/?single=1 ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Joe Hanson Producer/editor/animator: Andrew Matthews Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Einstein Is (Basically) Always Right: Gravitational Waves Edition

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 02:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Try Squarespace: http://squarespace.com/itsokaytobesmart Tweet this ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSgr Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSgrFB ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Check out this PBS Space Time playlist all about general and special relativity: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsPUh22kYmNAmjsHke4pd8S9z6m_hVRur Physics Girl explains gravitational waves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrduBZ319XI LIGO’s gravitational waves converted into sound (from the end of video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWqhUANNFXw Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigita... Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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What Causes Fire?

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 01:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate We've got T-SHIRTS! http://dftba.com/besmart Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Why does fire burn? What's the chemistry and physics of a flame? This week, learn about the beautiful science happening inside a flame! Michael Faraday's Christmas lectures on candle chemistry: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/cocktail-party-physics/christmas-with-faraday-the-chemical-history-of-a-candle/ http://www.bartleby.com/30/7.html Flames in space: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/18jun_strangeflames/ Richard Feynman talking about fire: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com/post/27299255757/fun-with-feynman-fire-you-cant-help-but-smile Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.DFollow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Google+ https://plus.google.com/+itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Camera John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks ----------------- More videos: Why Does February Have 28 Days? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgKaHTh-_Gs Why Vaccines Work https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aNhzLUL2ys Why Are Some People Left-Handed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvMUpcxPSA Where Does the Smell of Rain Come From? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGcE5x8s0B8

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The Surprising Places We Squander Power

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 01:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Check out our whole series on ENERGY! http://bit.ly/1BnH5zu Subscribe: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Twitter: @okaytobesmart ↓ More info and sources below ↓ We use a LOT of energy, but we waste a lot too. Where that waste happens might surprise, you though. We don't just waste energy when we leave the lights on or the thermostat cranked down too low. It happens at the dinner table and the water faucet as too! LEARN MORE: Special thanks to Sheril Kirshenbaum and the Webber Energy Group at the University of Texas at Austin for their help with this series. http://www.webberenergygroup.com/ Check out their awesome online course "Energy 101" to learn about energy and energy policy from A to Z! http://www.energy101.com/ And to find out what people think about energy, check out the UT Energy Poll: http://www.utenergypoll.com/ Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.DFollow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Google+ https://plus.google.com/+itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks ----------------- Last week's video: Does the Moon Orbit the Earth? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cJ3AemeUFM More videos: Why Does February Have 28 Days? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgKaHTh-_Gs Why Vaccines Work https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aNhzLUL2ys Why Are Some People Left-Handed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvMUpcxPSA Where Does the Smell of Rain Come From? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGcE5x8s0B8

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Lab-Grown Meat is Here… and I Tested the Flavor!

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 01:30:00 -0000

We’re on PATREON! Join the smart people family https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Our appetite for meat is one of the greatest environmental challenges we face. Join me on a mind-blowing visit to UPSIDE Foods, the world's most advanced cultivated meat production facility, as we ask whether cultivated meat can deliver on its promises to help the environment while keeping meat on our plates. References: https://sites.google.com/view/cultivated-meat-references/home SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a video! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ----------- Be Smart is made possible by these Brain Trust Patrons and others: Holly, Brett, and Ashe Bullion Jaap Westera Millennial Glacier Mark Littlehale Mehdi Damou Barbora Bei Burt Humburg dani bowman David Johnston Salih Arslan Baerbel Winkler Robert Young Eric Meer Dustin Karen Haskell Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart This episode of Be Smart is licensed exclusively to YouTube.

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How Dogs Became Our Dearest Friends (ft. MinuteEarth!)

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 01:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Are you more of a cat person? Follow me to MinuteEarth to discover the origin of our feline friends! https://youtu.be/LWB0-tGwb_E ↓↓↓More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Of all the species that humans have domesticated, dogs are our oldest animal friends. But how did a group of wolves become the furry pup at the end of the bed? New research is finally unlocking the paw-in-hand evolution of dogs and humans. In this episode we’re answering one big question: Did we domesticate dogs, or did dogs domesticate us? Special thanks to our friends from MinuteEarth! ----------- REFERENCES: Frantz, Laurent AF, et al. "Genomic and archaeological evidence suggest a dual origin of domestic dogs." Science 352.6290 (2016): 1228-1231. Freedman, Adam H., and Robert K. Wayne. "Deciphering the Origin of Dogs: From Fossils to Genomes." Annual Review of Animal Biosciences 0 (2016). Freedman, Adam H., et al. "Genome sequencing highlights the dynamic early history of dogs." PLoS Genet 10.1 (2014): e1004016. Thalmann, Olaf, et al. "Complete mitochondrial genomes of ancient canids suggest a European origin of domestic dogs." Science 342.6160 (2013): 871-874. Wang, Guo-Dong, et al. "Out of southern East Asia: the natural history of domestic dogs across the world." Cell research 26.1 (2016): 21-33. ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Sarah Keartes Producer/editor/animator: Andrew Matthews Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Why Don't Ants Get Jammed In Traffic?

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Go to http://Raceforretirement.com and see how the action gap affects you. Tweet this video ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBStraf Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBStrafFB ↓ More info and sources below ↓ CGP Grey "The Simple Solution to Traffic" https://youtu.be/iHzzSao6ypE ASAPscience "How Not To Get Stuck In Traffic" https://youtu.be/APkpiO0QQ_k Book recommendation! "Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do" by Tom Vanderbilt http://amzn.to/2durlGP References: INRIX 2015 traffic stats: http://inrix.com/scorecard/key-findings-us/ Couzin, Iain D., and Nigel R. Franks. "Self-organized lane formation and optimized traffic flow in army ants." Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences 270.1511 (2003): 139-146. Fourcassié, Vincent, Audrey Dussutour, and Jean-Louis Deneubourg. "Ant traffic rules." Journal of Experimental Biology 213.14 (2010): 2357-2363. Hönicke, C., P. Bliss, and R. F. A. Moritz. "Effect of density on traffic and velocity on trunk trails of Formica pratensis." The Science of Nature 102.3-4 (2015): 1-9. Larson, Richard C. "There's More to a Line than its Wait." Technology Review 91.5 (1988): 60-67. Maister, David H. The psychology of waiting lines. Harvard Business School, 1984. Perna, Andrea, et al. "Individual rules for trail pattern formation in Argentine ants (Linepithema humile)." PLoS Comput Biol 8.7 (2012): e1002592. ---------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Snapchat: YoDrJoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Why Going to Mars Would Completely Suck

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Watch more at http://pbs.org/yearinspace Tweet this ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSyis Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSyisFB ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Dig deeper: National Research Council. “Space Radiation Hazards and the Vision for Space Exploration: Report of a Workshop.” Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2006. doi:10.17226/11760. NASA Facts “Understanding Space Radiation” http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/spacenews... Cucinotta, Francis A., and Marco Durante. "Cancer risk from exposure to galactic cosmic rays: implications for space exploration by human beings."The lancet oncology 7.5 (2006): 431-435. Crucian, Brian, et al. "Alterations in adaptive immunity persist during long-duration spaceflight." npj Microgravity 1 (2015). Durante, Marco, K. George, and F. A. Cucinotta. "Chromosomes lacking telomeres are present in the progeny of human lymphocytes exposed to heavy ions." Radiation research 165.1 (2006): 51-58. Smith, Scott M., et al. "Benefits for bone from resistance exercise and nutrition in long‐duration spaceflight: evidence from biochemistry and densitometry." Journal of Bone and Mineral Research 27.9 (2012): 1896-1906. Reddit AMA with Dr. Susan Bailey - telomere twin study research leader: https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comment... Space Station Live - interview with Dr. Susan Bailey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnNUM... Space Station Live - science of the gut https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFhvJ... Currently funded crew health research proposals: http://www.nasa.gov/content/nasa-and-... Footage courtesy of NASA and PBS unless otherwise noted Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/drjoehanson Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/drjoehanson ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigita... Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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Are Jellyfish the Most Bizarre Animals In the Ocean?

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate More info and sources below ↓ Check out the FULL video from Smarter Every Day of jellyfish stinging in microscopic slow-motion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WJCnC5ebf4 Jellyfish are mesmerizing and beautiful and I have no idea how they work. So I went behind the scenes at the Monterey Bay Aquarium with my new friend Tommy to learn all about them. I saw some things… Why are we in Monterey? PBS and BBC are teaming up to bring you an incredible LIVE nature broadcast direct from Monterey Bay, California called BIG BLUE LIVE. In late summer, thousands and thousands of ocean animals come together here, in one of the richest ecosystems on Earth. We'll be bringing you a week of videos direct from Monterey Bay all about this incredible place and the biology it holds Big Blue Live airs nightly on PBS 8/31-9/2 at 8 PM ET Big Blue Live airs on BBC One 8/23 (7PM), 8/27 (8 PM), 8/30 (7 PM) More info here: pbs.org/bigbluelive facebook.com/PBS facebook.com/BBCBigBlueLive Follow Joe during Big Blue Live! Twitter/Periscope: @jtotheizzoe @okaytobesmart Snapchat: YoDrJoe Instagram: @jtotheizzoe Facebook: facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart (Whale illustrations by Nobu Tamura/CC-BY-3.0) Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.DFollow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Camera John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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Why Solar Eclipses Are Such a Huge Deal

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:30:00 -0000

Join our Patreon community: https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a video! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ On April 8, 2024, the Moon’s shadow fell upon the Earth, creating a total solar eclipse across North America. If you had the chance to see it, you're surely glad you didn't miss it. It’s an amazing coincidence that total eclipses happen at all — and that we’re alive at a time when we can see and predict them. We made this video so you can learn how to watch an eclipse safely, what to look for during an eclipse, why eclipses happen, and how eclipses have helped advance scientific research. Explore this April 8, 2024 eclipse map from NASA! https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/where-when/ Find your next solar eclipse here: https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEatlas/SEatlas.html Learn more about the solar eclipse timer app: https://www.solareclipsetimer.com/ ----------- High fives to all our Brain Trust Patrons: Ed Eyden Jennifer Burton Charles Horton, Jr Holly, Brett, and Ashe Bullion Jaap Westera Mehdi Damou Barbora Bei Burt Humburg dani bowman David Johnston Baerbel Winkler Eric Meer Karen Haskell Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/ Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart

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The Dangerous Chemistry That Made Life Captivating

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 23:30:00 -0000

We’re on PATREON! Join the community: https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Life’s been around on Earth for at least 3.7 billion years. But for most of that time, it was incredibly boring — just simple little cells squirming around in water. It only got interesting in the last few hundred million years. And that might never have happened without the help of a deadly, but also life-giving, element. References: https://sites.google.com/view/great-oxygenation-references/home SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a video! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ----------- High fives to all our Brain Trust Patrons: Holly, Brett, and Ashe Bullion Jaap Westera Millennial Glacier Mark Littlehale Mehdi Damou Barbora Bei Burt Humburg dani bowman David Johnston Salih Arslan Baerbel Winkler Robert Young Eric Meer Dustin Karen Haskell Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/ This episode of Be Smart is licensed exclusively to YouTube.

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A Brief History Of (Keeping) Time

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 23:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate A brief history of time… Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ How did we come up with our system of telling time? Why do we divide the day into 24 hours of 60 minutes each, and put 60 seconds in each minute? Where does the definition of a second come from? And who decides what clock shows the correct time? There’s clearly a lot of questions when it comes to time. READ MORE: “Galileo’s Pendulum” - Roger Newton http://amzn.to/2yQri5E “Revolution in Time” - David Landes http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/890167780 ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Matt Caplan, Ph.D. and Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Editor/animator: David Schulte Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Inside a DELIGHTFUL Sea Otter Adoption Program!

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 23:30:00 -0000

You really otter subscribe! http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Otters are more than just cute, adorable little fuzzballs, they are one of the greatest conservation success stories of all time. Sea otters are a keystone species, meaning that an entire ecosystem depends on their presence. After they were nearly hunted to extinction for their dense fur, sea urchins (the otters' favorite food) nearly destroyed the Pacific kelp forests, a habitat that hundreds of species rely on for food and shelter. Thanks to the hard work of conservation scientists at places like the Monterey Bay Aquarium, sea otter populations are on their way back. Here's the story of one orphaned sea otter pup's journey back to the wild (Whale illustrations by Nobu Tamura/CC-BY-3.0) Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/okaytobesmart Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Camera John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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How Do Squirrels Recover Their Nuts?

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 23:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Try Squarespace: http://squarespace.com/itsokaytobesmart You’d have to be nuts not to love this video! Special thanks to Jason Goldman (@jgold85) for help with this episode! References: Jacobs, Lucia F., and Emily R. Liman. "Grey squirrels remember the locations of buried nuts." Animal Behaviour 41.1 (1991): 103-110. Delgado, Mikel M., et al. "Fox squirrels match food assessment and cache effort to value and scarcity." PloS one 9.3 (2014): e92892. Raby, Caroline R., et al. "Planning for the future by western scrub-jays."Nature 445.7130 (2007): 919-921. Dally, Joanna M., Nathan J. Emery, and Nicola S. Clayton. "Food-caching western scrub-jays keep track of who was watching when." Science312.5780 (2006): 1662-1665. Clayton, Nicola S., Joanna M. Dally, and Nathan J. Emery. "Social cognition by food-caching corvids. The western scrub-jay as a natural psychologist."Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences 362.1480 (2007): 507-522. Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/DrJoeHanson Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/DrJoeHanson ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigita... Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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The 12 Days of Evolution - Complete Collection!

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 22:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate All 12 days… in ONE video! Prefer the individual videos? Go here: http://bit.ly/OKTBS12daysPL ↓ More info and sources below ↓ I *highly* recommend these books: “Undeniable” by Bill Nye http://amzn.to/1TK3wZs “Why Evolution Is True” by Jerry Coyne http://amzn.to/1TK3zV3 WEBSITES/TEACHING RESOURCES: - Berkeley’s “Understanding Evolution” http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/home.php - The National Center for Science Education http://ncse.com/ Don’t miss a single one of our 12 Days of Evolution! Follow along with this playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsmqeqKj7M-rZe1C9PUon8V-VQ1tZj5NF Darwin illustration credit: Nicku / Shutterstock Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/DrJoeHanson Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/DrJoeHanson ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc. Kate Eads - Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Camera John Knudsen - Gaffer Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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Is Your Brain Too Worn Out For Video Games?

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 22:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Get your #ididascience shirt here! http://dftba.com/besmart ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Vintage arcade footage courtesy of: http://patrickscottpatterson.com/ Special thanks to Dreamhack Austin 2016: http://dreamhackaustin.com/ Thank you to our commentators: @Totalbiscuit https://www.youtube.com/cynicalbrit @EGiNcontroL https://www.facebook.com/GeoffRobinsoniNcontroL References: Thompson, Joseph J., Mark R. Blair, and Andrew J. Henrey. "Over the hill at 24: persistent age-related cognitive-motor decline in reaction times in an ecologically valid video game task begins in early adulthood." PloS one 9.4 (2014): e94215. Thompson, Joseph J., et al. "Video game telemetry as a critical tool in the study of complex skill learning." PloS one 8.9 (2013): e75129. Lewis, Joshua M., Patrick Trinh, and David Kirsh. "A corpus analysis of strategy video game play in starcraft: Brood war." Proceedings of the 33rd annual conference of the cognitive science society. 2011. ESA Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry 2016 http://essentialfacts.theesa.com/ ---- Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com Stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted) http://www.videoblocks.com

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Is This A NEW SPECIES?!

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 22:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Order my Maker Box from Quarterly ►► http://on.qrtr.ly/ItsOKtoMake Don’t miss the next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ This is the first-ever video of what we’re calling the "hermit crab caterpillar"! We’re pretty sure this strange caterpillar is a NEW SPECIES. We went to the Peruvian Amazon to see amazing things, but we never expected this :) But that makes me wonder: What *is* a species anyway? And how do you know if you’ve found a new species? These people helped make this episode happen: Aaron Pomerantz https://www.instagram.com/nextgenscientist/ Daniel Couceiro: https://www.instagram.com/danicouceiro21/ Ryan St. Laurent - Florida Museum of Natural History Dr. Andy Warren - Florida Museum of Natural History Dr. Daniel Janzen - University of Pennsylvania Special thanks to our hosts Rainforest Expeditions: http://www.perunature.com/ LEARN MORE: Mayden, R. L. (1997). A hierarchy of species concepts: the denouement in the saga of the species problem. In M. F. Claridge, H. A. Dawah & M. R. Wilson (eds.), Species: The units of diversity,. Chapman & Hall. pp. 381–423. Sutton, G., & Dickson, G. (1965). Interbreeding of the Eastern and Western Meadowlarks in Central Oklahoma. The Southwestern Naturalist, 10(4), 307-310. doi:10.2307/3669307 FOLLOW US: It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Editor/animator/producer: Andrew Matthews Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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My Afternoon With A Giant Pacific Octopus!

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 22:30:00 -0000

Join the community ►► https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a video! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub More below: Joe went behind the scenes at Monterey Bay Aquarium to meet the Giant Pacific Octopus, a powerful and curious creature that challenges many of our notions of intelligence! ----------- FOLLOW US for more curiosity: Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/ Books from our episodes: http://smart-books.tumblr.com/

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How Thomas Jefferson Delivered America With a Dead Moose

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 21:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate E pluribus moose-um Subscribe: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Twitter: @jtotheizzoe @okaytobesmart ↓ More info and sources below ↓ America's first great science battle wasn't the space race or the atom bomb, it was fought between Thomas Jefferson, a French nobleman, and in the middle… a giant moose. Some people call Jefferson our only scientist-President, and T.J. himself said that "Nature intended me for the tranquil pursuits of science, by rendering them my supreme delight." Here's the story of how Jefferson used science to help a young nation make its mark Check out the book "Mr. Jefferson and the Giant Moose" by Lee Dugatkin!!! http://amzn.to/1RMFScF Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: @DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: @DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Google+ https://plus.google.com/+itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks

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How the CIA Secretly Surveilled Climate Change

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 21:30:00 -0000

Cold War… warming planet? We’re on PATREON! ►► Support us: https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ A few years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, a top-secret, first-of-its-kind US spy satellite program was declassified, leading to the unexpected story of how former enemies became scientific allies, and technology invented for Cold War espionage was repurposed to study and combat the newest and greatest threat to human civilization: Climate Change. Thank you to the following for help in researching this video: Michael McElroy D. James Baker The Office of Vice President Al Gore 0:00 Peeking behind the Iron Curtain 1:52 Spies in space 2:53 A time machine… but for Earth 3:41 Early days of the Space Race 5:37 Code name: CORONA 8:37 No more Iron Curtain… now what? 10:48 Spies… but for the Earth 13:20 New data & unlikely allies 16:31 Teamwork makes the dream work 17:46 Support us on Patreon! Note: The thumbnail for this episode includes a picture of Joe Hanson created with a text-to-image generative AI tool SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a video! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ----------- High fives to all our Brain Trust Patrons: Holly, Brett, and Ashe Bullion Jaap Westera Millennial Glacier Mark Littlehale Mehdi Damou Barbora Bei Burt Humburg dani bowman David Johnston Salih Arslan Baerbel Winkler Robert Young Eric Meer Dustin Karen Haskell Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/ This episode of Be Smart is licensed exclusively to YouTube.

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Why Are The Bees Perishing?

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 21:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate If bees go, will they take us with them? Subscribe: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Twitter: @jtotheizzoe @okaytobesmart ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Bees, wild and domesticated, are in big trouble. Bee colonies are dying off at alarming rates, and the cause isn't clear. Pesticides, habitat loss, disease… there's a laundry list of likely culprits. We rely on these tiny pollinators for a majority of our fruits, veggies, and nuts… if they disappear, could we be next? LINKS/SOURCES: Bee declines driven by combined stress from parasites, pesticides, and lack of flowers (Science, 2015) http://www.sciencemag.org/content/347/6229/1255957.abstract What's killing America's bees? http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.0050168 Anand Varma's TED talk on saving bees: http://www.ted.com/talks/anand_varma_a_thrilling_look_at_the_first_21_days_of_a_bee_s_life?language=en#t-63891 The White House's 2015 Pollinator Action Plan: http://journalistsresource.org/studies/environment/sustainability/bee-declines-combined-stress-parasites-pesticides-lack-of-flowers Colony collapse disorder: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_collapse_disorder Report of the commissioner of agriculture (1868): https://archive.org/details/reportofcommis00unit Summary of colony collapse disorder: http://journalistsresource.org/studies/environment/sustainability/bee-declines-combined-stress-parasites-pesticides-lack-of-flowers Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.DFollow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Google+ https://plus.google.com/+itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks ----------------- Last week's video: The Energy Series! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsmqeqKj7M-q499mOUvNa3iRreFBzxaQx More videos: Why Does February Have 28 Days? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgKaHTh-_Gs Why Vaccines Work https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aNhzLUL2ys Why Are Some People Left-Handed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvMUpcxPSA Where Does the Smell of Rain Come From? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGcE5x8s0B8

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Is Big Data Getting Out of Hand?

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 21:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Try Lynda.com: http://lynda.com/okay Best experienced in 240p or lower ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Check out Stanford’s “Raw Data” podcast: https://soundcloud.com/rawdatapodcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/r... Most numbers in the video are from this book: Big Data: A Revolution That Will Transform How We Live, Work, and Think - Viktor Mayer-Schönberger and Kenneth Cukier http://amzn.to/1Vhc3Ei Sources: DNA Storage: http://cen.acs.org/articles/93/i35/Sc... Square kilometer array (and other data scales): http://highscalability.com/blog/2012/... How much data does ___ store? http://techexpectations.org/2015/03/2... Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigita... Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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Why I ♥ PBS

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 20:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Here’s how you can get involved: 1. Tell us what you love about public media using #IlovePBS 2. Learn more about public media at http://pbs.org/value. 3. Find your representative at https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members

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Could Planet Minecraft Possibly Exist?

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 20:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate This episode is brought to you by Dropbox https://www.dropbox.com/ Tweet ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSmcraft Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSmcraftFB ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Gravitational field of a cubic planet: Chappell, James Michael, et al. "The gravity field of a cube." Physics International 3.2 (2012): 50. http://search.proquest.com/openview/6c982d4a364d8b7d7829ec389e2a907e/1?pq-origsite=gscholar More: http://www.askamathematician.com/2011/05/q-what-would-earth-be-like-to-us-if-it-were-a-cube-instead-of-spherical-is-this-even-possible/ https://possiblywrong.wordpress.com/2011/09/09/if-the-earth-were-a-cube/ 1884 claim of cubic planet discovery: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=940DE5D91038E033A25755C1A9679D94659FD7CF Hats off to the Minecraft wiki community at Gamepedia for collecting stats about the Minecraft world! http://minecraft.gamepedia.com/Minecraft_Wiki Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc. Kate Eads - Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Camera John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: “Ouroboros” by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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Exoplanets: Are There Other Earths?

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 20:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY
↓ More info and sources below ↓

Is Earth the only living needle in this haystack of planets?

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Are there exoplanets like Earth? We live in one of a hundred billion of galaxies, each with hundreds of billions of stars. And now, thanks to modern astronomy, we know that the Milky Way is home to perhaps a hundred billion planets! In the past two decades, these exoplanet discoveries have spawned new questions about our universe, and if there might be another Earth, or other life, somewhere out there.

In part 1 of our two-part series on exoplanets, we'll look at how astronomers find exoplanets, and what it means to call them Earth-like. We'll trace the history of planetary science back three thousand years and examine Earth's changing status in the cosmos. We were once the center of the universe, and now Earth is just another rock in the sky. What does that mean for us?

Check out "Five Billion Years of Solitude" by Lee Billings: http://amzn.to/18Tzv59

This week's t-shirt comes from Wowch: http://www.wowch.com/puppyplanet

More reading:

There are five billion Earth-like planets in the Milky Way: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/05/science/cosmic-census-finds-billions-of-planets-that-could-be-like-earth.html?_r=0

The exoplanet catalog: http://phl.upr.edu/projects/habitable-exoplanets-catalog

Methods of detecting exoplanets: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methods_of_detecting_extrasolar_planets

Interactive catalog of Kepler's exoplanet discoveries: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/science/space/keplers-tally-of-planets.html?ref=space

A philosophical and historical look at the exoplanet revolution: http://www.aeonmagazine.com/nature-and-cosmos/the-real-meaning-of-the-exoplanet-revolution/

The Kepler telescope and the "adjacent possible": http://nautil.us/blog/clever-apes-a-busted-telescope--the-adjacent-possible

How the Kepler telescope scanned the sky: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com/post/62343351213/kepler-exoplanet-tally

An ode to the late Kepler telescope: http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/08/an-ode-to-kepler-the-planet-hunter/278738/

Joe Hanson - Host and writer
Joe Nicolosi - Director
Amanda Fox - Producer
Katie Graham - Director of Photography
Andrew Matthews - Editor and Motion Graphics
Kate Eads - Production Manager

Filmed at Onion Creek Productions in Austin, TX

Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios

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What's The Most Accomplished Species on Earth?

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 20:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Life. There's just so MUCH of it! Click here to SUBSCRIBE -- http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub There are now more than 7 billion human beings on Earth, and that got me wondering: How successful are we compared to other species? I take a look at out how our numbers stack up to some other domains of life. It turns out that biomass, or what things weigh, can be more important than how many of something there are. Find out how our numbers stack up against everything from bugs to bacteria, and get ready for some mind-blowing numbers! For more on the numbers in the video, check out the blog: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com/post/41790778768/episode-extra-life-by-the-numbers-how-do-we-know Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment below! Written and hosted by Joe Hanson Produced by Painted On Productions (http://www.paintedon.com/) Music: Whalehawk: http://vimeo.com/musicstore/track/137257 Clips from this episode via: "Aspens" by Altitude Filmworks: http://vimeo.com/50345182 "Golden Aspen Meadow" by David Huting: http://vimeo.com/9695494 Red-billed queleas by Antero Topp: http://youtu.be/3_zLeu5n4yM Bacterial growth: http://youtu.be/gEwzDydciWc Dengue virus infection: http://youtu.be/0PUsdv1kDTc ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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How Baby Sea Turtles Find Their Route Home

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 19:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate The cutest conservation story ever? Maybe. Do it for the turtles… SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Want to wear your love for science? We’ve got merch: http://dftba.com/besmart Special thanks to Dr. Donna Shaver and the Padre Island National Seashore Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery for having us! Andrés Herrera film courtesy of Dr. Thane Wibbels - University of Alabama at Birmingham References/Learn More: Bevan, E., et al. "Estimating the historic size and current status of the Kemp's ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) population." Ecosphere 7.3 (2016). Johnsen, Sönke, and Kenneth J. Lohmann. "The physics and neurobiology of magnetoreception." Nature Reviews Neuroscience 6.9 (2005): 703-712. Lohmann, Kenneth J., Nathan F. Putman, and Catherine MF Lohmann. "Geomagnetic imprinting: a unifying hypothesis of long-distance natal homing in salmon and sea turtles." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences105.49 (2008): 19096-19101. Lohmann, Kenneth, and Catherine Lohmann. "Detection of magnetic inclination angle by sea turtles: a possible mechanism for determining latitude." Journal of Experimental Biology 194.1 (1994): 23-32. Putman, Nathan F., et al. "Evidence for geomagnetic imprinting as a homing mechanism in Pacific salmon." Current Biology 23.4 (2013): 312-316. Shaver, Donna J., and Charles W. Caillouet Jr. "Reintroduction of Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) sea turtle to Padre Island National Seashore, Texas and its connection to head-starting." Herpetological Conservation and Biology 10.1 (2015): 378-435. Ueda, H. "Physiological mechanisms of imprinting and homing migration in Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp." Journal of fish biology 81.2 (2012): 543-558. ---------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Snapchat: YoDrJoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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How An Igloo Protects You From Cold

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 19:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Building a perfect igloo takes cool science! Don’t miss the next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ If you ever find yourself stranded in the snowy Arctic (or bored in Minecraft), you’re gonna need to know how to build an igloo. But how can building a house made of ice keep you warm? The science behind building an igloo is the same reason that otters and reindeer don't freeze to death! LEARN MORE: There really ARE 50 Eskimo words for snow: http://wapo.st/2iwThf3 PBS Idea Channel - An Infinite Number of Words for Snow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CX6i2M4AoZw Why there’s no such thing as cold: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Akd7MMRKDwc How early humans settled the Arctic: https://uaf.edu/files/olli/Denbigh-Slides_lowres.pdf How to build a scientifically perfect igloo: http://www.popsci.com/how-to-build-an-igloo It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Is Space a Thing?

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 19:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Try 23andMe: http://www.23andme.com/okay Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Since the days of Ancient Greece, philosophers and scientists have been wondering: What is space? Is the absence of things… a thing? These questions continued to fascinate physicists in the modern era, leading Isaac Newton, Ernst Mach, and Albert Einstein to wonder about the true nature of the fabric of the cosmos. The search for an answer led them to some of the greatest theories in physics. This week, we ask if space and time are really real, and how they come together to make “spacetime”! ----------- READ MORE: “The Fabric of the Cosmos” by Brian Greene http://amzn.to/2tF9fZO (Public library: http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/681349969) ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Andrew Matthews Writer: Andrew Matthews Producer/editor/animator: Andrew Matthews Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Cuttlefish: Psychedelic Camouflage Chameleons of the Sea

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 19:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Now you "sea" them, now you don't! Cuttlefish are more than the chameleons of the sea, these cephalopods take camouflage to a whole new level. Follow Joe during Big Blue Live! Twitter @DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Facebook: facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D Follow me on Twitter: @DrJoeHanson Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc Kate Eads - Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Camera John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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CHAOS: Why It's So Hard To Foresee the Weather

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 18:30:00 -0000

Why is the weatherperson wrong? Support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart ↓ More info and sources below ↓ What is El Niño? Why can’t we predict the weather? Just a few slight changes in global climate patterns can drastically shift the weather. Thanks to chaos theory, even our smartest meteorologists can’t predict weather correctly. Cool demonstration of the Butterfly Effect: http://www.exploratorium.edu/complexity/java/lorenz.html 2:20 El Niño graph by Jan Null: http://ggweather.com/enso/oni.htm Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @DrJoeHanson Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc. Kate Eads - Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Camera John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: “Ouroboros” by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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What Has New Horizons Disclosed About Pluto?

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 18:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Pluto's not just cool… it's ICE COLD Tweet ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSpluto Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSplutoFB ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Since New Horizons flew by Pluto on July 14, 2015, it's completely redefined what we know about the dwarf planet and its largest moon Charon. New Horizons' mission will continue to be full of surprises, but here's what we've learned so far T-SHIRTS! http://dftba.com/besmart Unless otherwise noted, all images and animations courtesy of NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI MORE NEW HORIZONS STUFF: Calculate your Pluto time: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/plutotime/ New Horizons image gallery: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/newhorizons/images/index.html Planetary Society New Horizons news: http://www.planetary.org/blogs/blog-archive.html?keywords=new-horizons Nadia Drake's excellent New Horizons coverage: http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/search/pluto Pluto and Charon are weird: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/07/150715-pluto-flyby-photos-pictures-closeup-space/ What kind of ices are on Pluto? http://space.io9.com/the-ice-of-pluto-is-more-diverse-than-we-realized-1717986243 Pluto's hazy atmosphere: https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-s-new-horizons-team-finds-haze-flowing-ice-on-pluto Geologic features of Pluto and Charon: http://space.io9.com/were-actively-creating-the-geekiest-world-in-the-univer-1721448557 What are tholins? Why Pluto looks red: http://www.planetary.org/blogs/guest-blogs/2015/0722-what-in-the-worlds-are-tholins.html Pluto's other moons, Nix and Hydra: http://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/new-horizons-captures-two-of-plutos-smaller-moons/ Pluto's family portrait: http://www.planetary.org/multimedia/space-images/small-bodies/pluto-system-family-portrait.html Dwarf planets of the solar system: http://www.space.com/18584-dwarf-planets-solar-system-infographic.html Catalog of unusual "minor planet objects" in solar system: http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/lists/Unusual.html ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/ Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Producer Stephen Bohls - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Camera John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks

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Why Do We Smile?

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 17:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Several jokes were harmed in the making of this video Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ T-SHIRTS! http://dftba.com/besmart Laughing is a universal human behavior, one that transcends borders of language and culture. But it's also REALLY WEIRD. Why do we do it? The answer has less to do with humor than you might think Learn more: "Laughter: A Scientific Investigation" by Robert Provine http://amzn.to/1fzZQLy "Ha! The Science of When We Laugh and Why" by Scott Weems http://amzn.to/1etLLyv Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.DFollow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Google+ https://plus.google.com/+itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Camera John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks ----------------- More videos: Why Does February Have 28 Days? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgKaHTh-_Gs Why Vaccines Work https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aNhzLUL2ys Why Are Some People Left-Handed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvMUpcxPSA Where Does the Smell of Rain Come From? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGcE5x8s0B8

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Antibiotic Resistance and the Ascent of Superbugs

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 17:30:00 -0000

----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D Follow me on Twitter/Instagram: @DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc Kate Eads - Associate Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Dalton Allen - Post-Production Intern Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks ----------------- Last week's video: The Recipe For Life https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuBWjY9BpEc More videos: Why Does February Have 28 Days? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgKaHTh-_Gs Why Vaccines Work https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aNhzLUL2ys Why Are Some People Left-Handed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvMUpcxPSA Where Does the Smell of Rain Come From? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGcE5x8s0B8

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Which Came First - Blossoms or Bees?

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 16:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Stop and smell the flowers… and watch this video Subscribe: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Twitter: @jtotheizzoe @okaytobesmart ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Bees and flowers have an amazingly close relationship. Flowers need bees in order to reproduce, and bees need flowers to feed their colonies. Take away one, and the other would disappear too. It begs the question: When it comes to evolution, which came first, the bees or the flowers? Book recommendation: "A Sting in the Tale" by Dave Goulson, a great scientific and cultural history of bees http://amzn.to/1BcytS5 Special thanks to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, TX for letting us hang out with their bees and flowers! https://www.wildflower.org/ More info/sources: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-beguiling-history-of-bees-excerpt/ http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/38733/title/On-The-Origin-of-Flowers/ http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20141017-how-flowers-conquered-the-world http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/prehistoric-world/big-bloom/ Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.DFollow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Google+ https://plus.google.com/+itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks ----------------- Last week's video: The Energy Series! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsmqeqKj7M-q499mOUvNa3iRreFBzxaQx More videos: Why Does February Have 28 Days? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgKaHTh-_Gs Why Vaccines Work https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aNhzLUL2ys Why Are Some People Left-Handed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvMUpcxPSA Where Does the Smell of Rain Come From? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGcE5x8s0B8

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How Do We Measure How Vast the Universe Is?

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 16:30:00 -0000

Watch me host @HighSchoolQuizShow! https://www.youtube.com/@HighSchoolQuizShow Join our Patreon community: https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Since the time of the ancient Greeks, scientists have been constructing a cosmic measuring tape to measure the universe from our own backyard all the way to its ever-expanding edge: the cosmic distance ladder. In this video, we climb that ladder and explore how each rung has revealed something new and previously unthinkable about the universe we live in. References: https://sites.google.com/view/cosmic-distance-references/home 0:00 How far away are things? 1:05 Near, far, parallax that star 3:25 Island universes and Hubble's blinking star 5:51 Redshifted rainbows and the expanding universe 7:41 Supernovae and the end of everything 9:08 Conclusion: The ladder of discovery 10:00 I'm hosting a game show! ----------- High fives to all our Brain Trust Patrons: Ed Eyden Jennifer Burton Charles Horton, Jr Holly, Brett, and Ashe Bullion Jaap Westera Mehdi Damou Barbora Bei Burt Humburg dani bowman David Johnston Baerbel Winkler Eric Meer Karen Haskell Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/ Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart

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97% of Climate Scientists Really Do Agree

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 15:30:00 -0000

Subscribe to HOT MESS! ►► http://bit.ly/hotmess_sub Watch the first episode: https://youtu.be/LKhGg0jDZTc ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Do 97% of climate scientists really agree that humans are the main cause of climate change? Yep! Here’s what the 97 percent statistic *really* means. Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub REFERENCES: http://bit.ly/2HJHMOK ----------- FOLLOW US: Twitter:@DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart SEND US STUFF: It’s Okay To Be Smart PO Box 303356 Austin, TX 78703 USA BOOKS WE’VE FEATURED: http://smart-books.tumblr.com/ ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Creative Director: David Schulte Editor/animator: Derek Borsheim Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Could We Recreate Ourselves?

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 15:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Just be yourself! Or be your other self. Whichever. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Twitter: @okaytobesmart ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Is the science of Orphan Black realistic? Could we clone humans, or engineer them to have customized traits? We take a look at today's genetic engineering technologies to find out if designer babies and human cloning is, or should be, a reality BOOKS! For more on the modern science of cloning and genetic modification, read the book "Frankenstein's Cat" by Emily Anthes: http://amzn.to/1zsVizw Chinese scientists have edited the genome of human embryos (sadly this news came out after we had filmed): http://www.theverge.com/2015/4/23/8477491/human-genome-editing-embryo-china-crispr How CRISPRs work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pp17E4E-O8 Scientists call for a moratorium on human gene editing: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/20/science/biologists-call-for-halt-to-gene-editing-technique-in-humans.html?_r=1 Three-parent babies: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/29/magazine/the-brave-new-world-of-three-parent-ivf.html Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.DFollow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Google+ https://plus.google.com/+itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Dalton Allen - Post-Production Intern Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks ----------------- Last week's video: Is Ultron Inevitable? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Irmtk5QG8s More videos: Why Does February Have 28 Days? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgKaHTh-_Gs Why Vaccines Work https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aNhzLUL2ys Why Are Some People Left-Handed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvMUpcxPSA Where Does the Smell of Rain Come From? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGcE5x8s0B8

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How Physics Could Bring About Doomsday

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 15:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate …or how I learned to study physics and start fearing the bomb Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Nuclear weapons represent the darker side of E=mc^2. Science has given us the ability to understand what will happen if these weapons are ever used again… and what will happen if they are *never* used again. Atomic test footage from the archives of the Department of Energy, the United States Air Force, the United States Army, and the Nevada Nuclear Testing Archive: https://archive.org https://www.nnss.gov/pages/resources/NuclearTestingArchive.html Turco, R. P., Toon, O. B., Ackerman, T. P., Pollack, J. B., & Sagan, C. (1983). Nuclear winter: global consequences of multiple nuclear explosions. Science, 222. Oh look, an easter egg: https://youtu.be/xtyU78RHWAo ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Sarah Keartes Editor/animator: Andrew Orsak Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com -----------

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The Science and Grace of Auroras

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 14:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ The science behind Earth's nocturnal light showClick here to SUBSCRIBE, it's FREE! -- http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Space might seem like an empty place, but the area surrounding Earth is constantly being bombarded by waves of charged particles released by the Sun: The solar wind. Luckily, thanks to Earth's swirling, molten core (and the magnetic field it provides), we are protected from this planet-sterilizing onslaught like an invisible force field All that science has a beautiful side effect: It makes the auroras! The Northern and Southern lights are the result of the solar wind and its dance with Earth's magnetic field and polar atmosphere. It's Earth's own cosmic light show! References for this episode: http://dft.ba/-4G6G Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment below! Written and hosted by Joe Hanson Produced by Painted On Productions (http://www.paintedon.com/) Special thanks to Laura Eakins from UT-Austin's Department of Astronomy Music in this episode: Gustav Holst: "Neptune, the Mystic," "Mercury, the Winged Messenger" Johnny Ripper: "Speak" Misha Nuis: "Ambient" Clips used in this episode: "Aurora 2012" by Christian Mülhauser http://vimeo.com/36141149 Gradient Sun by NASA: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUL4JY15jSg Auroras underfoot by NASA: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL_-Zz7JDoA "Temporal Distortion" by Randy Halverson: http://vimeo.com/36684976 "In Plain Sight" by Brad Goldpaint: http://vimeo.com/52347966 Massive Solar Filament Eruption by NASA: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrnGi-q6iWc "ISS Stacks" by Christoph Malin: http://vimeo.com/51499009 ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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How These Ants Swept Across the U.S. 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 14:30:00 -0000

And how we're fighting back! Don't miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Get yourself an awesome IOTBS shirt! http://dftba.com/besmart Special thanks to Dr. Rob Plowes from the University of Texas at Austin fire ant research lab for letting us come film their ants and phorid flies: http://www.sbs.utexas.edu/fireant/Research%20Program.html If you want to learn everything there is to know about fire ants, read "The Fire Ants" by Walter R. Tschinkel http://amzn.to/1U8jz1S Check your local library! https://www.worldcat.org/title/fire-ants/oclc/64379652 Rachel Carson - "Silent Spring" http://amzn.to/20QwWbM Fire ant raft - Matt Bennett https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FA-e65i3bDs Fire ant escape rafts - Company of biologists https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxjT99l0mqw ---- Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/drjoehanson Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/DrJoeHanson ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com Stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted) http://www.videoblocks.com

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MILLION Year-Old Spider and the Science of Silk Webs

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 13:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Don't miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Check it out: BrainCraft visits another MacArthur Genius! https://youtu.be/ewPeAFQWg3s ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Living things have engineered some pretty awesome materials, but I'm not sure anything measures up to spider silk. It's as strong, as stretchy, and as resilient than even humans' most advanced creations like Kevlar and steel. So how do these awesome arachnids weave such an incredible substance using nothing but their rear ends? And… what IS this stuff? I went to meet Dr. Cheryl Hayashi, one of the world's experts in spider silk, to find out. Special thanks to the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation: https://www.macfound.org/ READ MORE: Brunetta, Leslie, and Catherine L. Craig. Spider silk: evolution and 400 million years of spinning, waiting, snagging, and mating. Yale University Press, 2010. Römer, Lin, and Thomas Scheibel. "The elaborate structure of spider silk." Prion (2008). ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It's Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Sarah Keartes Producer/editor/animator: David Schulte Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Why Is The Universe So Empty? (ft. PHD Comics!)

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 13:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate A collaboration with Jorge Cham and Daniel Whiteson. Their book: http://www.WeHaveNoIdea.com Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Why is the universe organized the way it is? And why is it so empty? From planets and stars to superclusters and galactic filaments, the universe’s largest structures formed because of its smallest. In this special collaboration with PHD Comics, we’ll learn how the earliest, quantumest blips seeded the structure of everything everywhere. Special thanks to Jorge Cham and Daniel Whiteson! http://phdcomics.com/ @PHDcomics @DanielWhiteson ----------- READ MORE: Check out “We Have No Idea”: http://amzn.to/2yFfWyr We used visualizations from: NASA Goddard https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov The Aquarius Project http://wwwmpa.mpa-garching.mpg.de/aquarius/ ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Matt Caplan, Ph.D. Editor/animator: David Schulte Additional animation: Jorge Cham Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com ------

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Why Are Cicadas So Excellent At Math?

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 12:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe so you don't miss any cool science ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Follow me to Gross Science: http://youtu.be/IDBkj3DjNSM ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Do periodical cicadas "know" how to calculate prime numbers? One of the strangest life cycles in all of biology, explained! Special thanks to Samuel Orr (www.motionkicker.com) for the beautiful cicada footage! Learn more about magicicadas at http://www.magicicada.org/ Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Our website: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://instagram.com/okaytbesmart ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Camera John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks ----------------- More videos: Why Does February Have 28 Days? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgKaHTh-_Gs Why Vaccines Work https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aNhzLUL2ys Why Are Some People Left-Handed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvMUpcxPSA Where Does the Smell of Rain Come From? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGcE5x8s0B8

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Is Ultron Unstoppable? Featuring Vsauce3!

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 12:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Follow me to Vsauce3!! http://bit.ly/1zUxn7a Twitter: @okaytobesmart @jtotheizzoe Instagram: @jtotheizzoe ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Will artificial intelligence ever surpass human intelligence? And if that happens, will AI be good or bad? Is evil AI like we see in Avengers: Age of Ultron… inevitable? READ THIS FOR MORE: Wait But Why: The Road To Superintelligence Part 1: http://waitbutwhy.com/2015/01/artificial-intelligence-revolution-1.html Part 2: http://waitbutwhy.com/2015/01/artificial-intelligence-revolution-2.html The smiley face thought experiment is my take on the famous "paperclip maximizer", read more about it here: http://wiki.lesswrong.com/wiki/Paperclip_maximizer Special thanks to Jake from Vsauce3! Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.DFollow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Google+ https://plus.google.com/+itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Dan Silver - Production Assistant Dalton Allen - Post-Production Intern Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks ----------------- Last week's video: Superbugs: The Empire Strikes Bacteria https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyRyZ1zKtyA More videos: Why Does February Have 28 Days? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgKaHTh-_Gs Why Vaccines Work https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aNhzLUL2ys Why Are Some People Left-Handed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvMUpcxPSA Where Does the Smell of Rain Come From? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGcE5x8s0B8

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Your Salad Is Attempting To Murder You

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 11:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate The dose makes the poison… Subscribe: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Twitter: @jtotheizzoe @okaytobesmart ↓ More info and sources below ↓ CORRECTION: @2:14 we showed the wrong Paul Ehrlich (guy on the left). Instead of Paul Ehrlich the German doctor, we meant to show Paul Ehrlich the biologist: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_R._Ehrlich Plants are the most important source of nutrients for pretty much all of Earth's animals, and many of the planet's bacteria and fungi too. Humans like them so much that we line them up in salad bars so we can feast upon their crunchy cronch by the plate full. But plants don't always want to be eaten, ya know? Here's a look at some of our favorite plant flavors and how they are actually a form of chemical warfare We owe caterpillars for spicy mustard: http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2015/06/17/1503926112.abstract http://munews.missouri.edu/news-releases/2015/0622-genetic-study-of-co-evolution-could-provide-clues-to-better-food-production/ Overview of plant chemical defenses and what we use them for in the kitchen: http://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/intropp/topics/Pages/OverviewOfPlantDiseases.aspx Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.DFollow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Google+ https://plus.google.com/+itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Camera John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks ----------------- More videos: Why Does February Have 28 Days? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgKaHTh-_Gs Why Vaccines Work https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aNhzLUL2ys Why Are Some People Left-Handed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvMUpcxPSA Where Does the Smell of Rain Come From? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGcE5x8s0B8

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Barrage of the Cosmic Space Junk!

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 11:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate No Sandra Bullocks were harmed in the making of this video. Tweet this video ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSjunk Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSjunkFB ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Window chip in the ISS: http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2016/05/Impact_chip The extent of space debris: http://www.esa.int/spaceinvideos/Videos/2013/04/Space_debris_story Where did all that debris come from? http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/where-did-all-that-space-debris-come-from/ USSTRATCOM space surveillance fact sheet: https://www.stratcom.mil/factsheets/11/Space_Control_and_Space_Surveillance/ This is cool: http://stuffin.space/ Every satellite orbiting Earth, visualized: http://qz.com/296941/interactive-graphic-every-active-satellite-orbiting-earth/ 8 weird pieces of space junk: http://www.wired.com/2009/02/spacestuff/ Project West Ford: http://www.wired.com/2013/08/project-west-ford/ STK animation courtesy of Analytical Graphics, Inc. Get yourself an awesome IOTBS shirt! http://dftba.com/besmart ---------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Snapchat: YoDrJoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com Stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted) http://www.videoblocks.com

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The Odds of Discovering Life and Romance

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ A cosmic love story, starring a guy named Carl Sagan Click here to SUBSCRIBE, it's FREE! -- http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Love is a complicated combination of brain chemicals and behavior that scientists are only just beginning to figure out. And it's remarkable that in every society that we have looked at on Earth, romantic love exists. So if love is so universal, and there are 7 billion other people out there looking for it, why can it seem like it's so hard to find? In this episode, we'll look at what we can learn about the search for love from the search for extraterrestrial life. We'll start with Enrico Fermi's paradox of why we haven't been contacted by any extraterrestrials yet, and then at Frank Drake's equation to estimate the number of civilizations that might exist in our galaxy (updated with current numbers). Finally, we'll meet a young lady named Ann and see if we can calculate how many special someones there might be out there for her. It's a cosmic love story! References for this episode: http://dft.ba/-4bBW Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment below! Written and hosted by Joe Hanson Produced by Painted On Productions (http://www.paintedon.com/) Clips from this episode: Carl Sagan - All the -illions: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZmafy... Music from this episode: Johnny Ripper's "Family." http://freemusicarchive.org/music/joh... ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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When Will We Stop Consuming Oil?

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 09:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Check out our whole series on ENERGY! http://bit.ly/1BnH5zu Subscribe: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Twitter: @okaytobesmart ↓ More info and sources below ↓ We've heard news of "peak oil" and "the end of the oil age" for years now, but we keep coming up with ways to find and pump more of it to the surface. Rising CO2 levels and the changing climate that results from burning fossil fuels mean that we should probably stop using oil sooner rather than later, though Let's take a look at history and see how we've used different fuels, so that we might figure out when and how to make oil a thing of the past LEARN MORE: Special thanks to Sheril Kirshenbaum and the Webber Energy Group at the University of Texas at Austin for their help with this series. http://www.webberenergygroup.com/ Check out their awesome online course "Energy 101" to learn about energy and energy policy from A to Z! http://www.energy101.com/ And to find out what people think about energy, check out the UT Energy Poll: http://www.utenergypoll.com/ Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.DFollow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Google+ https://plus.google.com/+itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks ----------------- Last week's video: Does the Moon Orbit the Earth? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cJ3AemeUFM More videos: Why Does February Have 28 Days? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgKaHTh-_Gs Why Vaccines Work https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aNhzLUL2ys Why Are Some People Left-Handed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvMUpcxPSA Where Does the Smell of Rain Come From? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGcE5x8s0B8

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The Foundations of Energy

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 08:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Check out our whole series on ENERGY! http://bit.ly/1BnH5zu Subscribe: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Twitter: @okaytobesmart ↓ More info and sources below ↓ The world of energy is a confusing place. What's better, nuclear or solar? What's the difference between fluorescent bulbs and LEDs? What's the difference between energy and power? And what the heck is a kilowatt-hour?! In this video, we give you a tour of the essential principles behind the energy machine that puts fuel in our tanks and brings electricity to our homes. To be a good energy citizen, you need to speak the language LEARN MORE: Special thanks to Sheril Kirshenbaum and the Webber Energy Group at the University of Texas at Austin for their help with this series. http://www.webberenergygroup.com/ Check out their awesome online course "Energy 101" to learn about energy and energy policy from A to Z! http://www.energy101.com/ And to find out what people think about energy, check out the UT Energy Poll: http://www.utenergypoll.com/ Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.DFollow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Google+ https://plus.google.com/+itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks ----------------- Last week's video: Does the Moon Orbit the Earth? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cJ3AemeUFM More videos: Why Does February Have 28 Days? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgKaHTh-_Gs Why Vaccines Work https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aNhzLUL2ys Why Are Some People Left-Handed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvMUpcxPSA Where Does the Smell of Rain Come From? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGcE5x8s0B8

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Why Do Clouds Hover Aloft?

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 07:30:00 -0000

There's nothing wrong with having your head in the clouds! Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Big thank you to my favorite cloud scientist Dione Rossiter for help researching this episode! "The Cloudspotter's Guide" by Gavin Pretor-Pinney http://amzn.to/1s3kk2S The International Cloud Atlas: http://bit.ly/1q0kgLy William Rankin - The Man Who Rode the Thunder http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cqQzcChFG0 Bacteria that live in the clouds: http://www.pnas.org/content/110/7/2575.abstract Mass of a cloud: http://mentalfloss.com/article/49786/how-much-does-cloud-weigh Amazing facts about clouds: http://blog.ted.com/2013/07/16/8-illuminating-facts-about-clouds/ A beginner's guide to being a cloudspotter: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/apr/12/cloud-spotting-beginners-guide-predicting-weather How clouds affect climate change: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDo7saKaEys The clouds and bushes in Super Mario Bros are the same thing: http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2010/01/the-clouds-and-bushes-in-super-mario-bros-are-the-same/ Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics John Knudsen - Gaffer Dalton Allen - Post-production Intern Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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How Did We Work Out What Light Is?

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 06:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Try CuriosityStream today: http://curiositystream.com/smart Here's a bright idea: Subscribe ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Beyond what we can touch, taste, smell, and hear, we experience the universe through light. But how did we come to discover light, and how did we learn light’s true nature, as the fastest thing in the universe, an electromagnetic spectrum, a wave and particle capable of the most amazing things? Here is the history of light, according to physics. ----------- LEARN MORE: “Light” by Kimberly Arcand and Megan Watzke Light: The Visible Spectrum and Beyond https://www.amazon.com/dp/163191006X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_C8j0yb2BY9XD9 ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Matt Caplan Producer/editor/animator: Andrew Matthews Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Do You Really Have Two Brains?

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 06:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you ) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate You're gonna lobe this video Don't miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Are you a left-brained person or a right-brained person? Spoiler: You're neither. Each of us uses both sides of our brain for most of what we do. But still, there are a number of brain functions that do show lateralization, where they are localized to one side or another. Why is this? And how does it influence our definition of consciousness? People with "split brains" can help us figure it out. Special thanks to Dr. Michael Gazzaniga for his help researching this video! Here's a wonderful vintage film featuring Dr. Gazzaniga's early split brain work: https://archive.org/details/splitbrain ----------- READ MORE: Gazzaniga, Michael S. "Forty-five years of split-brain research and still going strong." Nature reviews. Neuroscience 6.8 (2005): 653. http://bit.ly/2ymOh55 Gazzaniga, Michael S. "The split-brain: Rooting consciousness in biology." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 111.51 (2014): 18093-18094. http://bit.ly/2yoacZo ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It's Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Shaena Montanari, Ph.D. Editor/animator: Andrew Orsak Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Space is Overflowing with Junk. Here's How to Clean It Up…

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 05:30:00 -0000

Join our Patreon community: https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a video! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ We know pollution is a problem on earth, but we’re filling space with our junk too. And if we don’t figure out a way to clean up space junk, we could end our interstellar dreams before they even get started. Today, we’re visiting some cool engineers in Switzerland to learn about the space junk problem and the giant space claw that might be the perfect solution. References: https://sites.google.com/view/space-junk-references/home Filmed at ClearSpace - Lausanne, Canton Vaud, Switzerland ----------- High fives to all our Brain Trust Patrons: Ed Eyden Jennifer Burton Charles Horton, Jr Holly, Brett, and Ashe Bullion Jaap Westera Mehdi Damou Barbora Bei Burt Humburg dani bowman David Johnston Baerbel Winkler Eric Meer Karen Haskell Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/ Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart

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Why Is Blue So Rare In Nature?

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 04:30:00 -0000

Duh, except for the sky… and the ocean… Don't miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Among living things, the color blue is oddly rare. Blue rocks, blue sky, blue water, sure. But blue animals? They are few and far between. And the ones that do make blue? They make it in some very strange and special ways compared to other colors. In this video, we'll look at some very cool butterflies to help us learn how living things make blue, and why this beautiful hue is so rare in nature. SPECIAL THANKS: Smithsonian Institution - National Museum of Natural History Bob Robbins, Ph.D. - Curator of Lepidoptera Juan Pablo Hurtado Padilla - Microscope Educator Richard Prum, Ph.D. - Yale University Vinothan Manoharan, Ph.D. - Harvard University SOURCES: Bagnara, J. T., Fernandez, P. J., & Fujii, R. (2007). On the blue coloration of vertebrates. Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research, 20(1), 14-26. Cuthill, I. C., Allen, W. L., Arbuckle, K., Caspers, B., Chaplin, G., Hauber, M. E., ... & Mappes, J. (2017). The biology of color. Science, 357(6350), eaan0221. Kinoshita, S., Yoshioka, S., & Miyazaki, J. (2008). Physics of structural colors. Reports on Progress in Physics, 71(7), 076401. Kinoshita, S. (2008). Structural colors in the realm of nature. World Scientific. Prum, R. O., Quinn, T., & Torres, R. H. (2006). Anatomically diverse butterfly scales all produce structural colours by coherent scattering. Journal of Experimental Biology, 209(4), 748-765. Vukusic, P., & Sambles, J. R. (2003). Photonic structures in biology. Nature, 424(6950), 852-855. Vukusic, P., Sambles, J. R., Lawrence, C. R., & Wootton, R. J. (1999). Quantified interference and diffraction in single Morpho butterfly scales. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences, 266(1427), 1403-1411. ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter:@DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson ----------- It's Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Producer/editor/animator: Jordan Husmann Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM

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How Some Animals Engineered Air Conditioning

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 03:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Thanks to the non-profit edX.org for sponsoring this video. Go to http://bit.ly/edXSmart to learn more from some of the top universities in the world. ↓↓↓More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Here’s a cool idea: SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Are humans nature’s greatest architects? When we look elsewhere in nature, we find some pretty amazing animal architects. Species like ants, termites, prairie dogs, birds, and more have engineered some incredible structures. This week we look at how a few of these species have mastered physics to install air conditioning in their homes! Special thanks to Dianna Cowern AKA Physics Girl for helping us get the physics right in this video! https://www.youtube.com/user/physicswoman ----------- REFERENCES: Gould, James L., and Carol Grant Gould. Animal architects: building and the evolution of intelligence. Basic Books (AZ), 2007. Hansell, M. (2007). Built by animals: the natural history of animal architecture. OUP Oxford. Cosarinsky, M. I., & Roces, F. (2012). The construction of turrets for nest ventilation in the grass-cutting ant Atta vollenweideri: import and assembly of building materials. Journal of Insect Behavior, 25(3), 222-241. Kleineidam, C., Ernst, R., & Roces, F. (2001). Wind-induced ventilation of the giant nests of the leaf-cutting ant Atta vollenweideri. Naturwissenschaften, 88(7), 301-305. King, H., Ocko, S., & Mahadevan, L. (2015). Termite mounds harness diurnal temperature oscillations for ventilation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(37), 11589-11593. Vogel, S., Ellington, C. P., & Kilgore, D. L. (1973). Wind-induced ventilation of the burrow of the prairie-dog, Cynomys ludovicianus. Journal of Comparative Physiology A: Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology, 85(1), 1-14. Bahadori, M. M. (1978). Passive cooling systems in Iranian architecture. Sci. Am.;(United States), 238(2). ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Joe Hanson Producer/editor/animator: Andrew Matthews Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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The Secret To Life…

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 02:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate We're cookin' in the primordial kitchen! Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ If the human body could be distilled down into one molecule, what would our chemical formula be? And WHY is it that way? Is that one scene from Full Metal Alchemist even a little bit true? There's a whole lot of elements on the periodic table, but life depends on relatively few of them in order to build all the things that keep us alive. This week, we'll look at why the chemistry of life is the way it is… Special thanks to my miniature co-star Jimmy and his mom Kelly Malek! Full Metal Alchemist ingredients for human body: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2Oiy3Z2m0c All the elements in the human body: http://web2.airmail.net/uthman/elements_of_body.html Could non-carbon-based life forms exist? http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2v5vij/can_noncarbon_based_lifeforms_exist/ The chemistry of life: http://www.livescience.com/3505-chemistry-life-human-body.html The elemental difference between life and the ocean: http://www.mso.anu.edu.au/~charley/papers/ChopraLineweaver8assc%20proceedings.pdf We're born wet, and then we dry out: http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2013/11/25/247212488/born-wet-human-babies-are-75-percent-water-then-comes-drying http://water.usgs.gov/edu/propertyyou.html Market price of elements: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prices_of_elements_and_their_compounds Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.DFollow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Google+ https://plus.google.com/+itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Dalton Allen - Post-Production Intern Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks ----------------- Last week's video: %$?# Allergies! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqrnShjM4II More videos: Why Does February Have 28 Days? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgKaHTh-_Gs Why Vaccines Work https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aNhzLUL2ys Why Are Some People Left-Handed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvMUpcxPSA Where Does the Smell of Rain Come From? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGcE5x8s0B8

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%$?# Allergies!

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 01:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate It's the season for sneezin'! Subscribe: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Twitter: @okaytobesmart ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Springtime means the arrival of green grass, bright flowers, and buzzing bees. But for many of us, it's also about sneezing, watery red eyes, and a runny nose, thanks to allergies. In this week's video, you'll learn why we get allergies, how our immune system turns against us to attack pollen and pets, and why allergies seem to be on the rise in developed nations. Hygiene hypothesis: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hygiene_hypothesis Spread of allergies in developed nations: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v479/n7374_supp/full/479S2a.html TGF-beta and allergies: http://bit.ly/1HXjm05 Microbiome and allergies: http://www.bbc.com/news/health-28934415 Gut microbes and peanut allergy in mice: http://news.sciencemag.org/biology/2014/08/gut-microbe-stops-food-allergies Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.DFollow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Google+ https://plus.google.com/+itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Dalton Allen - Post-Production Intern Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks ----------------- Last week's video: How Many Stars Are There? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh8-ZUIX_1o More videos: Why Does February Have 28 Days? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgKaHTh-_Gs Why Vaccines Work https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aNhzLUL2ys Why Are Some People Left-Handed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvMUpcxPSA Where Does the Smell of Rain Come From? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGcE5x8s0B8

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Swarm of the Zombie Parasites!

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Did someone say BRAAAAAINS…? Subscribe: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Twitter: @okaytobesmart ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Shows like The Walking Dead are full of hungry, mindless, surprisingly fleet-footed armies of brain-eating zombies. Could they actually exist? Are zombies real? Well, maybe if you're talking about zom-bees! This week I introduce you to some of nature's strangest mind-controlling parasites, who make zombies of the natural world. This one will make your brain tingle. That's just the awesome science, though… not a parasite. Promise! Watch the full video clips used in this episode: KQED zom-bees https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdZ3M8C6yhs BBC cordyceps https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuKjBIBBAL8 Jewel wasp: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl_9kghmChw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWAV1zj5TXQ Cricket horsehair worm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Df_iGe_JSzI Red berry ants: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4Rj89-wuDo NatGeo zombie snails: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go_LIz7kTok LEARN MORE: Ed Yong's TED talk: http://www.ted.com/talks/ed_yong_suicidal_wasps_zombie_roaches_and_other_tales_of_parasites Biochemistry of parasitic zombies: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/11/science/parasites-use-sophisticated-biochemistry-to-take-over-their-hosts.html?_r=1& An entire issue of the Journal of Experimental Biology dedicated to parasitic control of hosts: http://jeb.biologists.org/content/216/1.toc Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.DFollow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Google+ https://plus.google.com/+itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Dalton Allen - Post-Production Intern Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock ----------------- Last week's video: Why Does February Have 28 Days? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgKaHTh-_Gs More videos: Why Vaccines Work https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aNhzLUL2ys Why Are Some People Left-Handed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvMUpcxPSA Where Does the Smell of Rain Come From? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGcE5x8s0B8 Why Did We Blow on NES Games? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Gf9mtXnJfM The Science of Game of Thrones - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Utu-LpJn3Is There Was No First Human - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdWLhXi24Mo

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Why Do More Species Concentrate Near the Equator?

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Go to http://Raceforretirement.com and see how the action gap affects you. Follow all of our Peru adventures on this playlist: http://bit.ly/SmartPeru ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Special thanks to Rainforest Expeditions for hosting us! Visit http://www.perunature.com/ References: Wilson, E.O. "The Diversity of Life" http://eowilsonfoundation.org/the-diversity-of-life/ Eichhorn, Markus P. "Latitudinal gradients." Natural Systems: The organisation of life: 249-264. "Tropical Ecology" (textbook) by John Kircher (2011) http://press.princeton.edu/titles/9486.html Condamine, Fabien L., et al. "What causes latitudinal gradients in species diversity? Evolutionary processes and ecological constraints on swallowtail biodiversity." Ecology letters 15.3 (2012): 267-277. Jenkins, Clinton N., Stuart L. Pimm, and Lucas N. Joppa. "Global patterns of terrestrial vertebrate diversity and conservation." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 110.28 (2013): E2602-E2610. Mannion, Philip D., et al. "The latitudinal biodiversity gradient through deep time." Trends in ecology & evolution 29.1 (2014): 42-50. Mittelbach, Gary G., et al. "Evolution and the latitudinal diversity gradient: speciation, extinction and biogeography." Ecology letters 10.4 (2007): 315-331. Wiens, John J., et al. "Evolutionary and ecological causes of the latitudinal diversity gradient in hylid frogs: treefrog trees unearth the roots of high tropical diversity." The American Naturalist 168.5 (2006): 579-596. ---------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Snapchat: YoDrJoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Why is the Sky Whatever Color?

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 22:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Why is the sky blue? Or any color, for that matter? Click here to SUBSCRIBE, it's FREE! -- http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub It's a question that you'd think kids have been asking for thousands of years, but it might not be that old at all. The ancient Greek poet Homer never used a word for blue in The Odyssey or The Iliad, because blue is one of the last colors that cultures pick out a word for In this episode, I'll tell you not only why the sky is blue, but why it's red at sunset. It turns out, those colors are all part of the same sunbeam. And when you're looking at a blue sky, you could be sharing a special moment with someone thousands of miles away. Next time a kid (or the kid inside you) wants to know why the sky is blue, you'll have science to back you up! (We know that the Earth turns the wrong direction in the animation, sorry about that. Something weird happened when we were programming the animation and it got reversed. Or maybe time travel!) References for this episode: http://dft.ba/-4Wus Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment below! Written and hosted by Joe Hanson Produced by Painted On Productions (http://www.paintedon.com/) Music: Johnny Ripper "Speak (with Ekoda)" Kansas Bible Company "Hang Niner" Clips used: "Nature - Time 4 Timelapse" - http://vimeo.com/39145634 "Far and Wide" - http://vimeo.com/27027505 ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Reasons to be Upbeat (Thanks to Science!)

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 21:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Links to all these awesome stories below! Finish 2016 on a high note and SUBSCRIBE! http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Want to wear your love for science? We’ve got merch: http://dftba.com/besmart 1. Gravitational waves: http://www.nature.com/news/gravitational-waves-1.19321 2. AlphaGo beats Lee Sedol: http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/03/the-invisible-opponent/475611/ 3. CRISPR tested in a human: http://www.nature.com/news/crispr-gene-editing-tested-in-a-person-for-the-first-time-1.20988 4. Minimal synthetic organism: http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/03/synthetic-microbe-lives-less-500-genes 5. SpaceX rocket landings: http://www.space.com/33461-spacex-rocket-landings-video-supercut.html 6. Closest known exoplanet: https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso1629/ 7. Alzheimer’s drug trial success: http://www.sciencealert.com/a-new-alzheimer-s-drug-just-hit-a-major-milestone-in-a-human-clinical-trial 8. Three-parent baby born: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2107219-exclusive-worlds-first-baby-born-with-new-3-parent-technique/ 9. Paris climate agreement goes into effect: https://www.wired.com/2016/12/2016-pivotal-year-war-climate-change/ 10. Antarctic ozone hole is healing: http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-36674996 11. Ross Sea becomes largest marine protected area: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/10/ross-sea-marine-protected-area-antarctica/ 12. Giant pandas are no longer endangeredL http://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/giant-panda-no-longer-endangered 13. Wild tigers on the rise: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/04/160410-tiger-numbers-rise-wwf-conservation-double-population/ 14. Cool new species: http://www.livescience.com/54546-chewbacca-beetle-from-new-guinea.html http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/06/02/480437128/insect-named-for-ruth-bader-ginsburg-is-step-toward-equality-of-the-6-legged-sex http://www.livescience.com/55563-game-of-thrones-dragon-ant.html http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-38325099 15. Casper the ghost octopus: http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/03/06/check_out_ghost_like_octopus_dubbed_casper_that_could_be_new_species.html 16. Ghost shark filmed: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/12/pointy-nosed-blue-chimaeras-ghost-sharks/ 17. LIchen symbiosis decoded: http://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/07/how-a-guy-from-a-montana-trailer-park-upturned-150-years-of-biology/491702/ 18. Jeremy the backwards snail finds a partner: http://www.wired.co.uk/article/snail-jeremy-left-handed-love 19. Solar powered plane flies around world: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jul/26/solar-impulse-plane-makes-history-completing-round-the-world-trip 20. New glasses for colorblind people: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/601782/how-enchromas-glasses-correct-color-blindness/ 21. Juno mission updates: https://www.missionjuno.swri.edu/ 22. Rosetta completes comet mission: http://gizmodo.com/watch-rosetta-s-entire-mission-to-a-comet-in-just-four-1790438586 23. Scott Kelly and Mikhail Kornienko’s year in space: https://www.nasa.gov/content/a-year-in-space ---------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Snapchat: YoDrJoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Chemical Reactions That Revolutionized History

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 21:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Chemicals React! Get yourself an awesome IOTBS shirt! http://dftba.com/besmart ↓ More info and sources below ↓ For lots more of history’s greatest chemical innovations, check out “The Chemistry Book” by Derek B. Lowe: http://amzn.to/1snWG44 ---- Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Editing and Motion Graphics by Arts + Labor Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com Stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted) http://www.videoblocks.com

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How Many Stars Can We Count?

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 20:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Counting stars from the shore of the cosmic ocean… Subscribe: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Twitter: @okaytobesmart ↓ More info and sources below ↓ LIKE THE SHIRT I'M WEARING? It's glow in the dark! You can get it here (along with space undies and other good stuff): https://www.etsy.com/shop/makeitgoodpdx How many stars are there in the universe? Are there more stars out there than grains of sand on Earth? Thanks to advanced space telescopes, we've been able to peer farther into deep time and the distant universe than we ever thought possible, and we might finally be able to answer these mind-boggling questions Every star visible from Earth (naked eye): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bright_Star_Catalogue Number of stars in the universe (estimated): http://www.universetoday.com/102630/how-many-stars-are-there-in-the-universe/ Hubble gigapixel image of Andromeda: http://www.spacetelescope.org/images/heic1502a/ Hubble eXtreme Deep Field: http://xdf.ucolick.org/ How big is the sky? http://www.badastronomy.com/bitesize/bigsky.html How much sand is there on Earth? http://www.hawaii.edu/suremath/jsand.html What would the cosmic sandbox look like? https://what-if.xkcd.com/83/ Carl Sagan's Cosmos: "The Shore of the Cosmic Ocean": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pa1ImgOcOPM Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.DFollow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Google+ https://plus.google.com/+itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Dalton Allen - Post-Production Intern Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock ----------------- Last week's video: What Color Is The Universe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibVofIHq71s More videos: Why Does February Have 28 Days? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgKaHTh-_Gs Why Vaccines Work https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aNhzLUL2ys Why Are Some People Left-Handed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvMUpcxPSA Where Does the Smell of Rain Come From? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGcE5x8s0B8

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What Makes Luck?

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 20:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Do you feel lucky? SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Is luck real? It might feel like a mystical force tugging us toward good or bad fortune, but it turns out luck is really where probability runs into the human mind. That’s right, there’s a scientific side to luck, and if you study a few principles of math and psychology, you might even be able to create your own good fortune. ----------- LEARN MORE: “The Luck Factor” - Richard Wiseman http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/440674912 “What the Luck?” - Gary Smith http://amzn.to/2mQJvau Sports Illustrated cover jinx study: http://bit.ly/cover-jinx ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Joe Hanson Editor/animator: Andrew Orsak Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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What Colour is the Universe?

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 19:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Hint: It's not black Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ When you stare up at the night sky, you might think that the universe is really black, but that's just because our eyes aren't sensitive enough to see the billions and billions of multicolored stars out there. Ever wonder why certain stars are certain colors? And what color is our sun, really? If we looked at enough stars, could we figure out the average color of the universe? Read more: Stellar classification: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stellar_classification What color is the sun: http://casa.colorado.edu/~ajsh/colour/Tspectrum.html Star colors in hex code: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/03/10/a-hex-on-star-colors/#.VPPRvVPF-xA Color of the Milky Way: http://www.news.pitt.edu/milkywaycolor Average color of the universe (cosmic latte): http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap020702.html Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D Follow me on Twitter: @DrJoeHanson Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Dalton Allen - Post-Production Intern Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock ----------------- Last week's video: Attack of the Zombie Parasites https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgCQStTSMuk More videos: Why Does February Have 28 Days? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgKaHTh-_Gs Why Vaccines Work https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aNhzLUL2ys Why Are Some People Left-Handed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvMUpcxPSA Where Does the Smell of Rain Come From? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGcE5x8s0B8

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ЩΉӨ BЦIᄂƬ ƬΉΣ PYЯΛMIDƧ

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 19:30:00 -0000

Try 23andMe: http://www.23andme.com/okay Enjoy this video? SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Who built the pyramids? The colossal geometric monuments found at Giza and elsewhere in Egypt are some of Earth’s most impressive constructions. Pyramids are truly wonders of the ancient and modern world. But when the pyramids were built, the ancient Egyptians hadn’t invented the wheel, developed bronze tools, or discovered pi. How were they able to stack two million stone blocks, each weighing more than two tons, into precise geometric alignments that would survive more than 4,000 years and capture the imaginations of explorers throughout history? They did it the same way we always have: by trial and error. The true history of the pyramids is one of experimentation and science, not magic… or aliens. ----------- REFERENCES: Lehner, M. (1997). The complete pyramids. Thames and Hudson. Parry, D. (2005). Engineering the pyramids. The History Press. Verner, M. (2003). The pyramids: their archaeology and history. Atlantic. Verner, M. (2007). The Pyramids: The Mystery, Culture, and Science of Egypt's Great Monuments. Grove/Atlantic, Inc.. ----------- FOLLOW US: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter/Instagram: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Joe Hanson Producer/editor/animator: Andrew Orsak Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Are You Sharing a Breath From Isaac Newton?

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 18:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ We all breathe the same air. Literally. Click here to SUBSCRIBE, it's FREE! -- http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Take a deep breath. Smell that? It could be a little eau de Einstein. Or maybe a whiff of Cleopatra. Here's an amazing thought: every time you breathe, you could be sharing air with everyone who's ever lived. A few million of the same air molecules that enter your lungs in a lifetime also entered Albert Einstein or Marie Curie's lungs! That's some smart air. Earth's atmosphere is big, but not as big as many people think. All the air that keeps us alive is just a thin candy shell around our planet. In this episode, echoing the words of John F. Kennedy, I'll show you the science of how we all share the same air. So let's be careful about what we're putting in it! References for this episode: http://dft.ba/-5AuU Read about John F. Kennedy's American University speech: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_University_speech Earth's atmosphere illustrated by Adam Nieman: http://adamnieman.posterous.com/ Written and hosted by Joe Hanson Produced by Painted On Productions (http://www.paintedon.com/) Music: Johnny Ripper (with Ekoda) - Speak ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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How Many Heartbeats Are We Given?

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 18:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Science really gets my heart going… Subscribe: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Twitter: @okaytobesmart ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Ever wonder how the heart symbol came to stand for the actual heart? And why do we speak of the heart as the seat of love, when love really happens in our brains? Is it true that animals only get a billion heartbeats? This week, we give you enough cool cardiac science to make your heart skip a beat Origin of the heart symbol: http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2006/02/the_shape_of_my_heart.html History of silphium trade: http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/4256173?sid=21105598276993&uid=3739256&uid=3739920&uid=4&uid=2 What causes the pain of heartbreak? http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-causes-chest-pains/ The heartbeat hypothesis: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heartbeat_hypothesis The quarter power scaling principle: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12877984 http://hep.ucsb.edu/courses/ph6b_99/0111299sci-scaling.html http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/longevity.htm Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment below! ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.DFollow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics Katie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Dalton Allen - Post-Production Intern Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock ----------------- Last week's video: What is Déjà Vu? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut8mYGi0YRs More videos: Why Are Some People Left-Handed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvMUpcxPSA Why Did We Blow on NES Games? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Gf9mtXnJfM The Science of Game of Thrones - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Utu-LpJn3Is There Was No First Human - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdWLhXi24Mo How The Elements Got Their Names - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtg9p6A6xnY

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Why Salt & Pepper Became Fixtures On Every Table

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 17:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Join the #AnythingButPepper movement! Tweet this video ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSsp Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSspFB ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Get yourself an awesome IOTBS shirt! http://dftba.com/besmart “Salt: A World History” by Mark Kurlansky http://amzn.to/29vj9m4 “Pepper: A History of the World’s Most Influential Spice” by Marjorie Shaffer http://amzn.to/29BORCW ---------------- Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com Stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted) http://www.videoblocks.com

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Traffic Lights Are So Much Weirder Than You Realize

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 17:30:00 -0000

Thank you to Squarespace for supporting PBS. Go to https://www.squarespace.com/besmart for a free trial and use code BESMART to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.
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Why are stop lights red? The common explanation about red light traveling farther through fog is actually wrong. The real story involves early railroads, deadly accidents, an exploding gas traffic light, forgotten inventors, and even the evolution of primate color vision. Here’s how history and biology accidentally created the nearly perfect traffic signal.

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Be Smart explores science questions you didn’t even know you wondered about. It is hosted and produced by Joe Hanson, PhD. We post new videos all the time, so please subscribe! If you enjoyed this video, hit the ‘like’ button, leave a comment, or watch another of our videos!

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Stock video and images provided by Shutterstock, Artlist, and MotionArray
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Written by Joe Hanson
Edited by PW Shelton
Produced by Least Square Media and Spotzen for PBS Digital Studios

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Building Music From Space!

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Check out some beautiful music made from space itself Click here to SUBSCRIBE, it's FREE! -- http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub There is no sound in space. In the near-vacuum of space, there is nothing to transmit the physical waves that we need to perceive sound. But that doesn't mean we can't MAKE sound from space. This week, I feature several artists using scientific data to create "space sonification" projects. From the longest palindrome ever created to a chorus created from Earth's magnetic field, these pieces lie at the intersection of art and science. More than just art, they allow us to perceive patterns in complex data in a completely new way Perhaps it answers the question: If the universe had a voice, what song would it sing? FULL Versions of Pieces Featured: Robert Alexander - Transit of Venus http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com/post/42845983348/robert-alexander-solar-sonification Semiconductor Films - "20 Hz" http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com/post/44264199289/20-hz-auroras-as-sound Van Allen Belt chorus http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com/post/32692373350/chorus-van-allen-belts Daniel Starr-Tambor - "Mandala" http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com/post/15977543553/mandala-a-planetary-musical-palindrome-by-daniel (this piece is the longest palndrome ever created, at 62 viginitillion notes!!) Written and hosted by Joe Hanson Produced by Painted On Productions (http://www.paintedon.com/) ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Why Did We Blow On Nintendo Consoles?

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Check out http://youarenotsosmart.com/ for more on cognitive biases Books by David McRaney: http://amzn.to/1pQqmQh and http://amzn.to/1qrGRpM Did blowing on NES cartridges actually do anything? http://mentalfloss.com/article/12589/did-blowing-nintendo-cartridges-really-help http://gaming.stackexchange.com/questions/15044/why-did-you-have-to-blow-into-an-nes-cartridge-to-make-it-work http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?117240-DP-MYTHBUSTERS-Blowing-in-NES-Cartridges Mario speedrun video via akyeren: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Boq3ghiTKHA The Vegetable Lamb of Tartary: http://www.wired.com/2014/04/fantastically-wrong-vegetable-lamb-tartary/ Mice from dirty laundry and other spontaneous generation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spontaneous_generation Here's another video testing the effectiveness of blowing into NES cartridges: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNi4A2KGOfw Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editor and motion graphics John Knudsen - Gaffer Music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Video game music: Rolemusic: Ants Rolemusic: Bacterial Love Rolemusic: Ladybug Castle Rolemusic: Another Beek Beep Beer Please Stock images via Shutterstock Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart

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Where Did Life Come From? (feat. PBS Space Time and Eons!)

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 15:30:00 -0000

Follow us to PBS Space Time: https://youtu.be/GcfLZSL7YGw And Eons: https://youtu.be/pk213XSSktQ ↓↓↓ More origin of life info and sources below ↓↓↓ The origin of life is one of the most important mysteries in all of science. When did life begin? How did life first evolve from chemistry? Where did life get started? In some primordial soup or somewhere else? Let’s journey back to the origin of life, as best as we know it, from the RNA world do the last universal common ancestor of everything alive today. Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub REFERENCES: http://bit.ly/2HtuPZr ----------- FOLLOW US: Twitter: @DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart BOOKS WE’VE FEATURED: http://smart-books.tumblr.com/ ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Creative Director: David Schulte Editor/animator: Karl Boettcher and Derek Borsheim Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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You Are Chiefly Microbe!

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 15:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Your body is essentially a walking home for trillions of bacteria Click here to SUBSCRIBE, it's FREE! -- http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Ever not felt completely like yourself? There's a good reason for that. Because a large part of you . . . isn't you. Our bodies are home to ten times as many microbes as human cells. We are walking ecosystems, each of us home to thousands of different species on and inside of us. Meet your microbiome! Sure, some bacteria are dangerous, but without our tiny friends we wouldn't be here (literally). Enjoy this introduction to your microbiome, and let me know in the comments if you'd like to know more about any part of your personal ecosystem! References for this episode, and lots more microbiome goodies: http://dft.ba/-5eZy Want a "Mainly Microbe" shirt? Here's where I got mine: http://bit.ly/X6gNmL Written and hosted by Joe Hanson Produced by Painted On Productions (http://www.paintedon.com/) Music in this episode: Chris Zabriskie's "Divider." ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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How Atom Bombs Can Help Us Detect Art Forgery

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 15:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Want more cool art videos? Check out The Art Assignment http://bit.ly/ArtAssnmt Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ It’s been estimated that 1 in 10 works of fine art are forged or misattributed. The truth is, no one really knows how much fake art is out there, because many art counterfeiters are so skilled that their paintings are almost indistinguishable from the real works. But even counterfeiters can’t beat physics! From atomic bomb remnants to ancient atoms, here’s some of the amazing ways that science can detect fake art. SOURCES: “The Scientist and the Forger: Insights into the Scientific Detection of Forgery in Paintings” by Jehane Ragai (2015) Ragai, J. (2013). The Scientific Detection of Forgery in Paintings. Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, 157(2), 164-175 ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Matthew Caplan, Ph.D. Producer/editor/animator: Jordan Husmann Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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Why Contacting Extraterrestrials Could Be Risky (Dark Forest Hypothesis)

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 14:30:00 -0000

Learn more about Surfshark with Incogni at: https://incogni.com/besmart SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a video! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ There are hundreds of billions of planets in our galaxy. Scientists now think hundreds of millions of them have conditions where life could arise. What do scientists think are the best ways of reaching out to them? And why do some scientists think that we shouldn't? Join our Patreon community: https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart ----------- High fives to all our Brain Trust Patrons: Ed Eyden Jennifer Burton Charles Horton, Jr Holly, Brett, and Ashe Bullion Jaap Westera Mehdi Damou Barbora Bei Burt Humburg dani bowman David Johnston Baerbel Winkler Eric Meer Karen Haskell Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/ Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart

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What is Déjà Vu?!

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 14:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate I feel like I've seen this video before… Subscribe: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Twitter: @okaytobesmart ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Most of us have felt it before, that strange sensation that you've been somewhere or seen something before, as if you already remembered what's happening. Are you psychic? Nope, that's just déjà vu. Why does déjà vu happen? Well, scientists aren't completely sure, but they've got a few good theories about it. Great déjà vu explainer from Jordan Gaines Lewis: http://www.gainesonbrains.com/2012/02/seeing-into-future-neuroscience-of-deja.html Some theories of why déjà vu happens: http://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-deja-vu-and-why-does-it-happen-11355 And now for something completely different: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2eUopy9sd8 Special thanks to Austin's Corona Cafe! Cast: Waiter - Joe Nicolosi (he's also the director) Sneezing girl - Kate Eads (she's also associate producer) Guy spilling coffee - John Knudesn (he's also gaffer) Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment below! ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.DFollow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Google+ https://plus.google.com/+itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics Katie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Dalton Allen - Post-Production Intern Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock ----------------- Last week's video: 5 Weird Involuntary Behaviors Explained: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE8sRMZ5BCA More videos: Why Are Some People Left-Handed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvMUpcxPSA Why Did We Blow on NES Games? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Gf9mtXnJfM The Science of Game of Thrones - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Utu-LpJn3Is There Was No First Human - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdWLhXi24Mo How The Elements Got Their Names - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtg9p6A6xnY

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Why Does February Have Just 28 Days?

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 13:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate It's not the size of the month that matters… Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Why does February have 28 days when all the other months get 30 or 31? The answer is part superstition, part politics, and parts astronomy. (Basically, it's the Romans' fault) Special thanks to Dr. Jen Ebbeler from the University of Texas Classics department for walking me through the history of the Roman calendar REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING: Wikipedia's "Roman Calendar" page is really good http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_calendar More: http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/Calendarium.html http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/calendar/romancalendar.html http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/calendar/intercalation.html Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.DFollow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Google+ https://plus.google.com/+itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Dalton Allen - Post-Production Intern Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock ----------------- Last week's video: Why Vaccines Work https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aNhzLUL2ys More videos: Why Are Some People Left-Handed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvMUpcxPSA Where Does the Smell of Rain Come From? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGcE5x8s0B8 Why Did We Blow on NES Games? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Gf9mtXnJfM The Science of Game of Thrones - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Utu-LpJn3Is There Was No First Human - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdWLhXi24Mo

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Why Does the Wind Blow Through?

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 13:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Wind. Always there. Where does it come from? Click here to SUBSCRIBE, it's FREE! -- http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Wind is everywhere. The air is constantly moving, sometimes gently, sometimes violently. Why? Pressure, temperature and rotation come together to make wind in some *cool* and unexpected ways. Written and hosted by Joe Hanson Produced by Painted On Productions (http://www.paintedon.com/) ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Bizarre Involuntary Behaviors Explained!

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Why we yawn, why we hiccup, twitchy eyes (and more)! Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Our bodies do a lot of weird things, and many of them are completely involuntary. Why do we often jerk our bodies awake right before falling asleep? Why do we yawn? Why do we hiccup? Why do some people sneeze when they look at the sun? And why does your eye twitch? This week we'll look at the science behind these crazy involuntary behaviors! MY T-SHIRT: http://www.cognitive-surplus.com/product/science-is-magic-that-works-shirt-organic/ Read more: Aristotle's "Book of Problems" free online: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/12699/12699-h/12699-h.htm#BOOK_OF_PROBLEMS (it was probably not written by Aristotle, but instead collected after his death) Yawns: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140811-warning-this-may-make-you-yawn Eye twitches: http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1603/what-causes-my-eyelid-to-twitch Sun sneezes: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2821404/ Hiccups: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140127-do-hiccup-remedies-work Sleep twitches: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20120522-suffer-from-sleep-shudders http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20120522-suffer-from-sleep-shudders Post-micturition convulsion syndrome: http://io9.com/5810102/the-science-of-pee-shivers Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment below! ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.DFollow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Google+ https://plus.google.com/+itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics Katie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Dalton Allen - Post-Production Intern Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock ----------------- Last week's video: There's no such thing as cold: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Akd7MMRKDwc More videos: Why Are Some People Left-Handed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvMUpcxPSA Why Did We Blow on NES Games? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Gf9mtXnJfM The Science of Game of Thrones - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Utu-LpJn3Is There Was No First Human - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdWLhXi24Mo How The Elements Got Their Names - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtg9p6A6xnY

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How Bees Can Observe the Invisible

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Bees see the world in some very interesting ways Click here to SUBSCRIBE, it's FREE! -- http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub To begin this video, we launched a little confetti to celebrate the fact that I am now "Dr. Joe", since I successfully defended my Ph.D. in molecular biology! Woo! But you don't have to call me "Doctor." Anyway, spring is in the air!! We're all thawing out from winter's chill, and for bees and flowers this season is about one thing: Feeding and fertilizing. Bees are amazing social insects, and their relationship with flowers is one of nature's coolest examples of "mutualism". It got me wondering: How do bees see the world? Enjoy this look at how bees see in ultraviolet and even sense electric fields! References for this episode: http://dft.ba/-5Am1 Written and hosted by Joe Hanson Produced by Painted On Productions (http://www.paintedon.com/) Clips used: Louie Schwartzberg - The hidden beauty of pollination https://vimeo.com/27328081 Jay Woo - October 1st https://vimeo.com/50513099 Music: Edvard Grieg "Morning Mood" Special thanks to Klaus Schmitt for allowing us to use his awesome UV flower photos: All images used © Dr Schmitt, Weinheim Germany, http://uvir.eu ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Mindfulness in the Digital Age

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 11:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ In a world of distractions, how do we pay attention? It seems like every week someone tells us how the internet and the digital age are overloading our brains. Sure, sometimes it feels like we're being fed more information than we can handle, that we're paying attention to the wrong things. Are we giving our brain a fair shot? I explore some science that show how paying attention can be a bad thing, and then some science about how paying attention can be a very helpful thing Special cameos by Hank Green and Mike Rugnetta! Further reading: The original Simons and Chabris experiment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJG698U2Mvo The cocktail party effect: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/03/07/173613681/hear-that-in-a-din-of-voices-our-brains-can-tune-to-one The illusion of attention: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/neurophilosophy/2011/aug/11/neuroscience-psychology How is the internet changing our brains? (Harold Rheingold and more) http://www.edge.org/q2010/q10_index.html#responses Sherry Turkle - Alone Together http://www.ted.com/talks/sherry_turkle_alone_together.html Written and hosted by Joe Hanson Produced by Painted On Productions (http://www.paintedon.com/) ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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The Stunning Cycles of Carbon and Oxygen In Your Body

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 11:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Click here to dig deeper into Oxygen: http://youtu.be/1PmD2GWB4u4 Click here to dig deeper into Carbon: http://youtu.be/1PmD2GWB4u4?t=47s Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com OXYGEN: Electron transport chain (O2 to water): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electron_transport_chain How Sam Ruben discovered that the oxygen that plants exhale comes from water, and not CO2: http://bit.ly/1vv1p0n CARBON: How plants convert CO2 into carbohydrates: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light-independent_reactions Carbohydrates turn into pyruvate: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycolysis Pyruvate powers the citric acid cycle, turning to CO2: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citric_acid_cycle Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editor and motion graphics John Knudsen - Gaffer Music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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How Vaccines Function

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 10:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate A dose of reality about vaccines… Subscribe: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Twitter: @okaytobesmart ↓ More info and sources below ↓ As more and more parents are choosing not to vaccinate their children or are vaccinating them later, diseases like measles are making a comeback. What's behind this antivax movement? Are vaccines safe? How do vaccines work? Why do some people claim there is a link between vaccines and autism? This week we look at why are people afraid of something that has saved so many lives, and the history and science of vaccines. #vaccine #antivax #measles REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING: "The Panic Virus" by Seth Mnookin: http://amzn.to/1CB8Q7p "On Immunity" by Eula Biss: http://amzn.to/1FTmmH1 Watch "Vaccines: Calling the Shots" from PBS' NOVA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVCO6_bpsEY The Robert Falcon Scott expedition and the lost cure for scurvy, by Maciej Cegłowski: http://idlewords.com/2010/03/scott_and_scurvy.htm The incredible value of vaccines: http://www.gavi.org/about/mission/facts-and-figures/ The Guardian's herd immunity simulation: http://www.theguardian.com/society/ng-interactive/2015/feb/05/-sp-watch-how-measles-outbreak-spreads-when-kids-get-vaccinated Map of global vaccine rates: http://gamapserver.who.int/gho/interactive_charts/immunization/mcv/atlas.html How risky are vaccine side effects? http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/side-effects.htm Eula Biss on vaccines and empathy: http://www.vox.com/2015/2/6/7992071/how-one-vaccine-skeptic-became-a-vaccine-supporter Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.DFollow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Google+ https://plus.google.com/+itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics Katie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Dalton Allen - Post-Production Intern Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock ----------------- Last week's video: What is Déjà Vu? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut8mYGi0YRs More videos: Why Are Some People Left-Handed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvMUpcxPSA Why Did We Blow on NES Games? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Gf9mtXnJfM The Science of Game of Thrones - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Utu-LpJn3Is There Was No First Human - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdWLhXi24Mo health (industry) mmr polio

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You've Been Lied to About DNA Evidence

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 10:30:00 -0000

Thank you to Squarespace for supporting PBS. Go to https://www.squarespace.com/besmart for a free trial and use code BESMART to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.
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DNA evidence is supposed to be the gold standard of criminal investigation. But what happens when that same technology sends innocent people to prison? Featuring interviews with Amanda Knox and forensic DNA expert Dr. Greg Hampikian, this is my investigation of DNA forensics, and what happens when we trust the science but don't ask the right questions.

References: https://sites.google.com/view/besmart-forensic-dna/home

0:00 "I'm being framed."
1:28 DNA is supposed to be magic
2:40 The serial killer who never existed
7:02 How forensic DNA actually works
11:41 His DNA was at the crime scene. He wasn't.
14:37 What happened to Amanda Knox
20:02 The DNA never lied. Or did it?

Be Smart explores science questions you didn’t even know you wondered about. It is hosted and produced by Joe Hanson, PhD. We post new videos all the time, so please subscribe! If you enjoyed this video, hit the ‘like’ button, leave a comment, or watch another of our videos!

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Written by Molly Edwards & Joe Hanson
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Produced by Least Square Media and Spotzen for PBS Digital Studios

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There's No Such Thing As Ice

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 09:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate If cold isn't real, then how can I feel it? Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe You've felt cold before. Sometimes it's cold outside. But what if I told you that "cold" isn't real? There's no substance or quantity called "cold" in science. We can't measure the amount of "cold" in something. Instead it's about what's NOT there. In this week's video, learn the difference between heat and temperature, why a wind makes us feel colder, and what it's like to live as a mass of jiggling atoms. This is the physics of cold Cool PBS NOVA episode on the search for absolute zero: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2jSv8PDDwA Richard Feynman on jiggling atoms: http://youtu.be/v3pYRn5j7oI The movement of atoms in a wind: http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/chem03/chem03448.htm Why a breeze feels cool: http://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/72163/why-does-a-breeze-of-wind-make-us-feel-cooler Density of the interstellar medium: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstellar_medium Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment below! ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.DFollow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Google+ https://plus.google.com/+itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics Katie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Dalton Allen - Post-Production Intern Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock ----------------- Last week's video: How many smells can you smell? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yEtBps-BnI More videos: Why Are Some People Left-Handed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvMUpcxPSA Why Did We Blow on NES Games? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Gf9mtXnJfM The Science of Game of Thrones - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Utu-LpJn3Is There Was No First Human - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdWLhXi24Mo How The Elements Got Their Names - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtg9p6A6xnY

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Putting Hurricane Harvey In Perspective

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 09:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Replace Harvey with Irma… still true. Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Hurricanes Harvey and Irma have affected many in Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. Here's a few ways you can help if you're able: https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/how-to-help-donate-to-assist-hurricane-harvey-irma-victims/ "This Is Fine" adapted from comic by KC Green ‪I'm hanging with my new little dude for next few weeks but new @okaytobesmart vids still coming out every week thanks to my awesome team!‬ ----------- READ MORE: What is a 1000-year flood? https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-a-1000-year-flood How people respond to flood risks: http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/7978833?selectedversion=NBD11859807 Yale survey of climate change risks: http://climatecommunication.yale.edu/visualizations-data/ycom-us-2016/ Hurricane frequency and damage estimates over last century: https://www..wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_hurricane_season#Number_of_tropical_storms_and_hurricanes_per_season ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Miriam Nielsen Editor/animator: David Schulte Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com

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The Science of Rainbows

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 08:30:00 -0000

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Dorothy went over one. LeVar Burton read to us under one. In a song, Kermit the Frog connected us to one. Even Mork's suspenders were made of them. Our culture, and our skies, are full of rainbows, but do you know how they form? Do we all see the same rainbow? Could cyborg-enhanced mantis shrimp eyes someday see a bigger rainbow? The answer to all these questions involves a little physics, and the number 42. Written and hosted by Joe Hanson Produced by Painted On Productions (http://www.paintedon.com/) ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

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Astounding Deep Sea Oddities!

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 08:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate There's some strange creatures down in the deep … Tweet ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSdeep Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSdeepFB ↓ More info and sources below ↓ We know more about some other planets than we do about the deepest corners of Earth's oceans, and the species we've found there are almost alien. Here's some of the most unbelievable oddities ever observed! Special thanks to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) for help with this video! Twitter/Instagram: @DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart Facebook: facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart (Whale illustrations by Nobu Tamura/CC-BY-3.0) Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc Kate Eads - Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Camera John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)

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How Many Odors Can You Smell?

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 07:30:00 -0000

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate How do we smell? Great! Thanks for asking! Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/DrJoeHanson Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/DrJoeHanson We walk through life led by our noses. Literally. Because they're on the front of our faces. The sense of smell might be one of the oldest, but how does the science of smell work? How sensitive are our noses? Why are smell-related memories so vivid? How many different smells could we possibly smell? Find out in this week's It's Okay To Be Smart! Check out this amazing essay on smell from Lewis Thomas (1980), it's a beautiful piece of science writing: http://cplab.net/heap/on-smell/ Evolution of human olfactory receptor genes: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC218742/ Pseudogenes in olfactory system: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12644552 The nose as an emotional time machine: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/05/science/05angier.html?_r=2& Smell memories are often the most vivid: http://aeon.co/magazine/psychology/why-is-food-so-potent-in-evoking-the-memories-of-childhood/ Sperm olfactory receptors: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16413109 How many smells can we smell? https://neuroecology.wordpress.com/2014/11/04/how-many-smells-can-a-smelly-person-smell-1-trillion-or-10/ http://www.sciencemag.org/content/343/6177/1370 You and Your Senses, starring Jiminy Cricket: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxcy6uMVH74 Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment below! ----------------- It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc Kate Eads - Associate Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics Katie Graham - Director of Photography John Knudsen - Gaffer Dalton Allen - Post-Production Intern Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock

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