AC / DC: What's the Difference?

This animated essay from the American Experience Web site explains the difference between alternating and direct electric current and offers in-depth explanations about the role played by a battery, light bulb, wire, and generator.

Aerodynamics: What Causes Lift?

How does an airplane stay aloft when upside down? This media-rich essay from the NOVA Web site offers an explanation based on Newton's third law of motion.

Airborne Wind Energy

The strongest and most consistent winds are found in the jet stream as high as 30,000 feet above the earth. In this video from QUEST produced by KQED, learn about the benefits and challenges of wind energy.

Ask an Engineer

Explore some of the wonders of modern engineering in this video from the Sciencenter in Ithaca, New York. Hear a diverse selection of engineers explain how things work.

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Biofuels: Beyond Ethanol

In this video from QUEST produced by KQED, find out what scientists are discovering in investigating the newest methods for converting what we grow into what makes us go.

Capturing Carbon: Where Do We Put It?

In this interactive activity from NOVA scienceNOW, explore options for storing carbon dioxide in order to prevent further global warming.

Capturing Renewable Energy

Students investigate renewable energy sources and how to transition from an energy source to a usable, on-demand power source.

Cars in America: Investing in Detroit's Future

From FRONTLINE Heat, this video explores the car industry's resistance to higher fuel efficiency standards.

Chernobyl: What Really Happened?

This text excerpted from Richard Rhodes' book, Nuclear Renewal and reprinted on the FRONTLINE Web site examines the causes of the Chernobyl accident.

Choosing a STEM Career

Students will view video clips about graduate and middle school students with interests in STEM careers and compare technologies from yesterday with today. They will explore careers on-line before writing about their futures as STEM professionals.

Clean Coal?

Explore the challenges facing the deployment of clean coal technology in this video segment adapted from FRONTLINE: "Heat."

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Climate Watch: Unlocking the Grid

Today we rely on electricity more than ever. In this video from QUEST produced by KQED, explore the challenges of harnessing renewable energy.

Closed-Loop Systems

This interactive activity adapted from the Wisconsin Online Resource Center explores the processes, controls, and components that make up a typical closed-loop system used in automated manufacturing.

Coal in America: What is the Strategy

From FRONTLINE Heat, this video investigates the capabilities of America's coal industry to adapt to the call for a reduction in carbon emissions.

Converting to Biodiesel

Meet a college student whose class project to turn cooking grease into diesel fuel resulted in converting bus fleets to biodiesel, in this video from Earth Island Institute's New Leaders Initiative.

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Cooking Cookies with Solar Power

In this video segment adapted from ZOOM, two solar cookers are tested against a control to see which can cook a "s'more" faster.

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Corporations or Consumers: Who's Responsible for Climate Change?

From FRONTLINE Heat, this video challenges viewers to examine who is really responsible for climate change: corporations or consumers?

Design an Ion Engine

Learn about ions and then design an ion engine to maximize thrust in this interactive activity adapted from NASA.

Designing Future Cities: Alternative Energy

In this video segment adapted from ZOOM, visit a class as they design a city of the future that will use solar, wind, and water power to fuel its economy.

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A Different Kind of Fuel

In this segment from Curious, learn about creating energy from solar rays to meet the growing energy needs of the world.

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