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.

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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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.

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.

Clean Coal?

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

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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.

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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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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Energy Audit Technology

Watch students as they conduct an energy audit on a home and gain hands-on experience for a career in the green energy industry, in this video adapted from ATETV.

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Energy Production

Students examine the role of energy in our daily lives and how we produce energy to power our cities, homes, and schools. The advantages and disadvantages of each energy source are also addressed.

Energy Sources

This video segment illustrates a variety of energy sources used to generate electricity, some of which are in use and some of which are under exploration.

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Engineering Biofuels

In this video segment adapted from KQED's QUEST, find out how synthetic biologists use the techniques of metabolic engineering and directed evolution to make more effective biofuels.

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Engineering Career Options

It's a profession that can take you from the depths of the ocean to the far reaches of outer space, from within the microscopic structures of the human cell to the top of the tallest skyscrapers. In this stills collage adapted from The American Society for Engineering Education, learn about some of the most popular engineering fields.

Ethanol Biofuel

In this video segment adapted from NOVA, learn about one scientist's idea for using biotechnology to make ethanol a more efficient alternative to gasoline.

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FAQs About Nuclear Power

Nuclear physicist, Dr. Charles Till, answers questions about nuclear power in this interview from the FRONTLINE Web site.

Fuel Cells

In this video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW, hydrogen fuel cell cars promise pollution-free driving, but will we see them anytime soon?

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Fusion Energy Advances

In this report from the NewsHour, correspondent Spencer Michels reports on ongoing efforts to produce fusion energy to help fuel American energy independence.