The Real (Weird) Way We See Numbers
Would it surprise you to learn that fish and birds count in pretty much the same way that we do? And that infants can do math? Our animal brains deal with quantities in very specific ways, from quick counts of a few dots to how we perceive larger numbers. This "number sense" impacts our psychology, history, and behavior in the most fascinating ways.
Episodes
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The Real (Weird) Way We See Numbers
S12 E8 - 15m 25s
Would it surprise you to learn that fish and birds count in pretty much the same way that we do? And that infants can do math? Our animal brains deal with quantities in very specific ways, from quick counts of a few dots to how we perceive larger numbers. This "number sense" impacts our psychology, history, and behavior in the most fascinating ways.
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The Surprising Power of Sex in Evolution
S12 E7 - 8m 46s
We all know Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, right? Natural selection? But what about his lesser-know theory of evolution: sexual selection. Let’s talk about how animals like peacocks, whose eye-catching physical traits make them evolutionarily stronger, even though their flashy looks make them more vulnerable to predators. Hint: it’s all about the chemistry.
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Computers Can Predict When You're Going to Die… Here's How
S12 E6 - 12m 54s
Predictive analytics uses math and historical data to make predictions about the future. It’s used in commerce, sports, politics, social media and tons of other places. And as it turns out, people have been using math to predict people’s death for centuries. Can it predict mine?
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Can AI Help Us Talk to Whales?
S12 E5 - 21m 33s
New technology is revolutionizing how we study and protect nature. In this video, we’ll learn how artificial intelligence is being used to decode the sonic landscapes of the ocean - specifically, whale song. That’s right, there may come a day soon where AI allows us to understand and talk to whales. But some scientists are saying: the question may actually be, SHOULD we talk to whales?
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Measuring the Universe With a 14-Billion Light-Year Ruler
S12 E4 - 10m 40s
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.
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Why the 2024 Solar Eclipse is Such a Big Deal
S12 E3 - 15m 17s
On April 8, 2024, the Moon’s shadow will fall on Earth, creating a total solar eclipse across North America, and if you have the chance to see it, you don’t want to 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. So join us to find out everything you need to know to watch it.
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Space is Full of Junk. Here’s How to Clean It Up…
S12 E2 - 12m 9s
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.
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Why NASA Punched an Asteroid
S12 E1 - 14m 28s
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.
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