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4 minutes
Celebrating The World’s First Programmer!
Are you celebrating Ada Lovelace Day? If you’ve ever used a computer of any kind, you should be. Here’s the story of a thought leader working far beyond her time that we should all thank today!
32 minutes
[ Happiness & Hope ]
Space: the Future, the Frontier
Explore the story of a remarkable movement to colonize space spurred on by a spirit of possibility and innovation! Here’s a piece of fascinating history that shouldn’t be forgotten.
5 minutes
[ Art ]
500 Years of Women in Art
By Dr. Lynda
What’s the take away message from this great digital artist’s project on the portraiture of women throughout the ages?
7 minutes
[ Animals ]
Continental Collision Course
Not many of us stop to think about what the world looked like before our continents separated and then re-connected in a new way many years ago. Why does it still matter? Fascinating food for thought here today! Take a look…
17 minutes
[ Culture ]
Haenyeo: Korea’s Aging Mermaids
Meet the Haenyeo, Korea’s sea women. These women, many of whom are grandmothers, take to the sea everyday freediving for their livelihood.
10 minutes
[ Animals ]
The Tale of the Flapper and the Panda
Where did our love for pandas begin? Arguably with a flapper and a panda named Su Lin. Here’s their remarkable story and a little look at how pandas have come to influence our conservation efforts!
6 minutes
[ Business ]
Labor Day is More Than Just a Day at the Beach…
By Dr. Lynda
I’ve rushed around on Labor Day weekend for years without giving a thought to the essence of this holiday. How about you? Knowing a little about its history made it even more special! Take a look…
26 minutes
[ Culture ]
Can You Hear Me Now? From Operator to iPad
Have you ever wondered what life was like before smartphones (or have you forgotten)? Here’s a reminder that will have you appreciating modern communication!
11 minutes
What Will We Know in 100 Years?
Explore some of the discoveries of the past century! From penicillin, to our origins, to general relativity, we have learned a lot over the past 100 years! What will we learn in the next?
10 minutes
[ Culture ]
Exploring Life in a Bronze Age Settlement: England’s Pompeii
Ever wondered what life was like in a Bronze Age Settlement? Join us as we explore England’s Pompeii, a remarkable site that preserves life as it was millennia ago…
6 minutes
[ Culture ]
The Egyptian Pharaoh Who Refused to be Forgotten
Have you ever heard of Hatsheput? Here’s a story dedicated to a pharaoh almost forgotten to time and thousands of years ahead of her time. (Yes, this pharaoh was a woman!)
15 minutes
[ Culture ]
The Strange and Wonderful History of Pizza
Have you ever thought about what pizza can teach us about humanity? A brief history of pizza may leave you with more respect for this beloved meal!
13 minutes
[ Animals ]
Celebrating the Little Wonders!
What if we took more time to celebrate the quirky wonders in our own backyard? Olney, Illinois is home to a beloved population of albino squirrels, and their passion for this piece of local heritage reminds us to reflect on what makes our culture unique!
12 minutes
[ Art ]
Endangered Alphabets
By Dr. Lynda
Have you ever considered what might happen if the alphabet you use became extinct? It’s happening slowly, but here is one person using his unique talents to change that!
17 minutes
Why Spend Public Funds on “Curiosity-Driven Science”?
By Dr. Lynda
In tough economic times, have you ever heard someone rant about how worthless some science research can be? Here’s what I’m going to add to that conversation next time! Take a look…
25 minutes
[ Art ]
The Ghost Army of World War II
Have you ever heard of the Ghost Army? This small team of artists, designers, and sound engineers brought to life an invisible army of 60,000 and helped change the course of history!
7 minutes
[ Culture ]
Do You Know Petra?
By Dr. Lynda
Her crumbling features take nothing away from her beauty and remarkable origins. While the efforts to create her defy explanation, the mystery adds to the wonder of Petra.
7 minutes
[ Art ]
Harvard’s Incredible Glass Flowers
What you may not know about Harvard University, is that they possess a flower collection like no other. These remarkably beautifully preserved specimens are not made up of cells but of glass!
12 minutes
[ Culture ]
To Chase a Cheese
The Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling Festival might be one of the strangest annual events in the world. This is what happens when thousands of people cram onto a hillside to watch brave souls chase a wheel of cheese down an almost vertical incline…
4 minutes
[ Culture ]
You May be Here Because of the Potato…
By Sam Burns
The humble potato may seem like a mundane part of life, but it could actually be the reason you are standing here today! Here’s the history of the world through a potato’s eyes…
23 minutes
Want to Be a Space Archaeologist?
Growing up a great number of us probably wanted to be an astronaut or an archaeologist, but what if you could have been both? Yes, space archaeology is here, and soon, we will be able to become citizen space archaeologists!
18 minutes
[ Art ]
At Our Best, We Can Create Soaring Spaces!
The Sistine Chapel is one of the world’s more revered artistic sites. Art historian Elizabeth Lev takes us on a journey through this magnificent space that transcends religion and culture, and gets at the essence of wonder!
6 minutes
[ Art ]
The History of London in Paper
Dive into 40,000 years of London’s history with an incredible short film made entirely of paper! It’s a beautiful reminder of what lies beneath our city streets.
14 minutes
[ Business ]
The Marshmallow Test: Predicting Success?
By Dr. Lynda
What happens when you leave kids in a room, alone, with a marshmallow? The marshmallow test isn’t just hilarious, it’s actually a deeper look into human psychology!
10 minutes
Sally Ride: Pioneer, Astronaut, Icon
Sally Ride was the first American woman in space, but her path to becoming an icon for equality was riddled with moments that exemplified why diversity is so very important to progress. Here are some of those stories in her own words…
6 minutes
[ Art ]
The Soul of the Sign
We rarely think about how the signage all around us shapes the way we see the world. Here’s a man who is keeping the soul in signs by keeping the essence of craftsmanship alive. (Sound boring? Take a look! There’s magic here.)
18 minutes
[ Books ]
Brain Pickings: A Fabulous Place for the Curious Thinker
By Dr. Lynda
There’s a place on the web where you can press the “surprise me” button and almost always find something out of left field that will send your mind on a deeper journey. BrainPickings.org is helping to shape the future of what media can become.
22 minutes
[ Culture ]
Basketball: The Beauty and Balance of the Game
As we watch people who are incredibly talented in their field whether in sport, art, or everyday work, we watch the evolution of their craft. This is the story of how basketball became the game of beauty and balance we know today!
32 minutes
Medieval Medicine for the Modern World
This is the tale of how an ax-wielding nun, a medieval text, and modern science came together to find a cure to one of today’s greatest medical dilemmas. Get ready for an incredible story of discovery…
