Be Smart

Science and Nature Series / 13 Seasons

Join Joe Hanson as he explores curiosity and illuminates the science behind… well, everything.

4m 26s

Is There Life on Earth?

S7 E1 / 9m 44s

If we lived light years from Earth, how would we know there’s life here? Let’s take a look at the search for extraterrestrial life on habitable exoplanets, and discover what biosignatures would show someone else that we’re here.

The Impossible Hugeness of Deep Time

S7 E2 / 9m 5s

Humans have a hard time with really big numbers, especially when it comes to DEEP TIME. The history of the Earth took a lot longer than you think, trust me. But I’m here to help you put it in perspective. With some string.

Where On Earth Do You Weigh The Least?

S7 E4 / 7m 13s

You may have heard that a kilogram of feathers weighs the same as a kilogram of steel, but that all depends on where you weigh them. This video is all about the difference between mass and weight, and how weirdly awesome Earth’s gravity really is.

Why Are So Many People Allergic To Food?

S7 E5 / 10m 47s

More people have food allergies than ever before. Peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, eggs, and even milk… the list of possibly dangerous foods seems to get longer every day. But why do some people’s bodies have deadly reactions food? And why are food allergies on the rise? In this video we explain what food allergies really are, and what the difference is between food allergy and food intolerance.

How to be Crushed by the Atmosphere!

S7 E6 / 6m 56s

Air. I bet you never even notice that it’s there. Yet you are swimming in an ocean of it every day. If there’s a literal ton of air pressing down on you all the time, so why don’t we feel it? We look back at the history of physics to learn how we figured out air pressure, why vacuums don’t suck.

Unraveling the Great Butterfly Migration Mystery

S7 E7 / 9m 12s

The monarch butterfly migration is one of nature’s greatest events. This orange-winged wonder travels up to 4,500 km from all over North America to spend the winter hanging from oyamel fir trees in central Mexico’s mountain forests. But how does an animal with a brain the size of a poppy seed navigate to this one special place?

Why Getting Dizzy is Kinda Like Temporary Brain Damage

S7 E8 / 8m 35s

We’ve all gotten dizzy before… but have you ever gotten WEIRD DIZZY? I teamed up with Vanessa Hill from BrainCrat to answer the question “why do we get dizzy?” and in the process we learned about some very strange and hilarious ways to get extra-special dizzy! Get ready to learn about your vestibular system, the system that lets you know where your body is in space.

How to Drink Coffee In Space

S7 E9 / 10m 30s

How do astronauts actually drink coffee in space, aboard the International Space Station, in microgravity? I visited astronaut Don Pettit to learn about his invention for having a cup o’ Joe in orbit.

Is Your Eye Color Real?

S7 E10 / 5m 37s

The eyes are often the first thing we see when we look at someone. And when you look at them up close, everyone’s eye color is a kaleidoscope of shapes and hues. How does eye color work? The answer involves some very cool physics, and probably isn’t what you were taught in school.

1 MILLION Species Could Go Extinct… Here’s Why.

S7 E11 / 5m 55s

A massive new study has just been released showing that human activities are threatening Earth’s other life forms in some very bad ways. One million species may be at risk of extinction. Just let that sink in. Isn’t the Anthropocene awesome? Check out the study below to learn more and find out how we can stop it.

Using Gene Editing To Repaint Butterfly Wings

S7 E13 / 11m 12s

Butterfly metamorphosis is still a bit of a mystery. What happens inside a chrysalis to turn a caterpillar into a beautifully painted butterfly? Does it really turn to soup? Joe Hanson visited Dr. Arnaud Martin, who uses the CRISPR genetic modification technology to learn about how genes build bodies.

Could You Be a Chimera?

S7 E14 / 9m 43s

Ever feel like you aren't totally yourself? Well, maybe you aren't. In this video, we explore the idea of human chimeras. In mythology, the "Chimaera" was a beast made from different animals combined into one. But in biology, a chimera is a single organism whose body is made from parts of two or more genetically distinct individuals of the same species.

Apollo’s Most Important Discovery: NASA’s Moon Rock Vault

S7 E15 / 10m 25s

Fifty years ago, we sent the first astronauts to walk on the moon’s face. But what they brought back is just as important as what got them there. I’m talking about moon rocks, guys. And I got to go visit NASA’s lunar sample vault to learn more about them!

Why We Are Losing the Night Sky

S7 E16 / 10m 26s

It never gets dark anymore. Not REALLY dark, anyway. Not like it used to. Light pollution is not only making it more difficult to see the night sky, but it's also affecting our health. For the past century and a half, since the dawn of electric light, we’ve been losing our connection to the night. We need artificial light for modern society, of course.

Why do Trees Talk to Each Other?

S7 E17 / 5m 27s

The “Wood Wide Web” is a massive and intricate network of fungi that exchange water, nutrients, and chemical signals with the plants they’re living in a symbiotic relationship with. This network of fungi is essential to the health and function of forests and to controlling climate change itself. You’re about to look at fungi in a whole new way!

How Blind People See With Sound

S7 E18 / 16m 7s

When Molly and I first met, we started talking about how she navigates the world, because I’m a nerd and I always steer the conversation toward science. I was not prepared for what she told me. She said she uses echolocation!

Why Don't Birds Lay Square Eggs?

S7 E19 / 7m 21s

One day I saw a collection of eggs from lots of different bird species, and I realized just how many different kind of egg shapes there really are! Here’s what science says about why eggs are egg-shaped, if that's even a thing, which I’ve learned it might not be. Evolution of bird eggs, go!

7 Scientific Urban Legends Debunked!

S7 E20 / 11m 24s

How can you prepare yourself to not be fooled by other scientific urban legends? I look at a few of the most famous incorrect factoids in science, and give a few suggestions for how to make our common knowledge more correct.

The History of Money (From Barter To Bitcoin)

S7 E21 / 9m 36s

We trace the history of money, from physical barter to bitcoin, and discover that money isn’t just a lie we all agree to share, it’s been built on the back of technology and invention for millennia.

Supported by