Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers

Science and Nature Series / 8 Seasons

Scientists are just like everyone else -they've got secrets. So who knows what happens when the lab coats come off? Actually, we do. And now you can too. In this series of short, web-exclusive videos, you'll meet intriguing scientists and engineers, and learn about their surprising lives outside the proverbial lab.

Watch Latest: S2016 E27

2m 9s

Steven Pinker: The Colbert Training Guide

S2013 E42 / 2m 2s

Steven Pinker is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University. Among many other subjects, he researches and explores cognition, language and the history of human violence. In his off-hours, he appears on "The Colbert Report" where he endures endless jokes about his hair from host Stephen Colbert.

Steven Pinker: Threats, Bribes, and Come-ons...

S2013 E41 / 1m 54s

Steven Pinker is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University. Among many other subjects, he researches and explores cognition, language and the history of human violence. In his off-hours, he appears on "The Colbert Report" where he endures endless jokes about his hair from host Stephen Colbert.

Steven Pinker: If the World is Safer, Why Can I Still Die?

S2013 E40 / 2m 48s

Steven Pinker is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University. Among many other subjects, he researches and explores cognition, language and the history of human violence. In his off-hours, he appears on "The Colbert Report" where he endures endless jokes about his hair from host Stephen Colbert.

Steven Pinker: Good and Evil in 30 Seconds

S2013 E39 / 39s

Steven Pinker is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University. Among many other subjects, he researches and explores cognition, language and the history of human violence. In his off-hours, he appears on "The Colbert Report" where he endures endless jokes about his hair from host Stephen Colbert.

Danielle Whittaker: Angry Birds, Loving Birds

S2013 E38 / 1m

Danielle Whittaker is the Managing Director of the NSF-funded BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action at Michigan State University. Her primary research focus is on birds, what they can smell and what those smells tell them. On weekends, she's a roller derby referee for the Lansing Derby Vixens.

Danielle Whittaker: Roller Derby 101

S2013 E37 / 1m 31s

Danielle Whittaker is the Managing Director of the NSF-funded BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action at Michigan State University. Her primary research focus is on birds, what they can smell and what those smells tell them. On weekends, she's a roller derby referee for the Lansing Derby Vixens.

Danielle Whittaker: Chunk Rock Girl

S2013 E36 / 2m 56s

Danielle Whittaker is the Managing Director of the NSF-funded BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action at Michigan State University. Her primary research focus is on birds, what they can smell and what those smells tell them. On weekends, she's a roller derby referee for the Lansing Derby Vixens.

30 Second Science: Danielle Whittaker

S2013 E35 / 41s

Danielle Whittaker is the Managing Director of the NSF-funded BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action at Michigan State University. Her primary research focus is on birds, what they can smell and what those smells tell them. On weekends, she's a roller derby referee for the Lansing Derby Vixens.

Danielle Whittaker: Smellraiser

S2013 E34 / 2m 36s

Danielle Whittaker is the Managing Director of the NSF-funded BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action at Michigan State University. Her primary research focus is on birds, what they can smell and what those smells tell them. On weekends, she's a roller derby referee for the Lansing Derby Vixens.

10 Final Questions for Mayim Bialik

S2013 E33 / 2m 7s

Mayim Bialik is an Emmy-nominated actress best known for her roles in the series "Blossom" and "The Big Bang Theory." So in her case, her science is actually her secret life. Mayim is the proud possessor of a doctorate in Neuroscience from UCLA and continues to develop curricula and teach young children about science.

10 Questions for Hugh Herr

S2013 E32 / 2m 8s

Hugh Herr is Associate Professor and leads the Biomechatronics research group at MIT's Media Lab. The focus of Hugh's work is on developing bionic limbs for amputees. Two of those bionic limbs are Hugh's own legs, which he uses for rock-climbing and living his life.

Hugh Herr: Gorgeous Sculptures

S2013 E31 / 3m 43s

Hugh Herr is Associate Professor and leads the Biomechatronics research group at MIT's Media Lab. The focus of Hugh's work is on developing bionic limbs for amputees. Two of those bionic limbs are Hugh's own legs, which he uses for rock-climbing and living his life.

30 Second Science: Hugh Herr

S2013 E30 / 38s

Hugh Herr is Associate Professor and leads the Biomechatronics research group at MIT's Media Lab. The focus of Hugh's work is on developing bionic limbs for amputees. Two of those bionic limbs are Hugh's own legs, which he uses for rock-climbing and living his life.

10 Questions for Mireya Mayor

S2013 E29 / 1m 55s

Mireya Mayor is a Primatologist, Fulbright scholar and National Science Foundation Fellow who specializes in researching the lemurs of Madagascar. She also often appears on the National Geographic channel to share her love of the natural world. In the not too distant past, Mireya was a cheerleader for the NFL's Miami Dolphins.

Mireya Mayor: A Born Explorer

S2013 E28 / 3m 50s

Mireya Mayor is a Primatologist, Fulbright scholar and National Science Foundation Fellow who specializes in researching the lemurs of Madagascar. She also often appears on the National Geographic channel to share her love of the natural world. In the not too distant past, Mireya was a cheerleader for the NFL's Miami Dolphins.

30 Second Science: Mireya Mayor

S2013 E27 / 41s

Mireya Mayor is a Primatologist, Fulbright scholar and National Science Foundation Fellow who specializes in researching the lemurs of Madagascar. She also often appears on the National Geographic channel to share her love of the natural world. In the not too distant past, Mireya was a cheerleader for the NFL's Miami Dolphins.

10 Questions for Paul Frommer

S2013 E26 / 1m 58s

Paul Frommer is a linguist and professor at the University of Southern California. Away from the classroom, Paul created a new language - Na'vi - that is used in the most popular movie in the history of forever, James Cameron's "Avatar." Paul continues to "curate" the language for the many people around the world who find it fascinating even outside the movie theatre.

Paul Frommer: Creating A Language

S2013 E25 / 3m 48s

Paul Frommer is a linguist and professor at the University of Southern California. Away from the classroom, Paul created a new language - Na'vi - that is used in the most popular movie in the history of forever, James Cameron's "Avatar." Paul continues to "curate" the language for the many people around the world who find it fascinating even outside the movie theatre.

30 Second Science: Paul Frommer

S2013 E24 / 45s

Paul Frommer is a linguist and professor at the University of Southern California. Away from the classroom, Paul created a new language - Na'vi - that is used in the most popular movie in the history of forever, James Cameron's "Avatar." Paul continues to "curate" the language for the many people around the world who find it fascinating even outside the movie theatre.

10 Questions for Tanzeem Choudhury

S2013 E23 / 1m 35s

Tanzeem Choudhury is Associate Professor of Information Science at Cornell University where she leads the People-Aware Computing Lab. She and her team develop cell-phone apps that can track a person's emotional well-being. Tanzeem herself was a digital late bloomer, only touching a computer for the first time in a computer programming class when she was 18 years old.

Supported by