Atomic Structure of an Alloy

Learn about the atomic structure of bronze, a copper alloy, in this video excerpt from NOVA: "Hunting the Elements."

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Bend, Twist and Break: Beyond the Laboratory

Dr. Chris Muhlstein explains that when scientists study fracture surfaces from controlled experiments to understand the resulting shapes and features, they can use their understanding to deduce what happened when they were not around to see the material fail or break. Further they can predict what will have to a larger or smaller piece of material under stress. This process is how scientists and engineers translate a lab experiment into a design for an airplane, bridge or even a bike frame.

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Bend, Twist and Break: Breaking Glass

Dr. Chris Muhlstein explains that researchers learn about the scientific basis for failure of materials by running experiments in the lab, using a simple shape like a glass rod to calculate the strength of material and predict its failure. The same tests can be done at the micro and nano scale using tiny specimens. Students can run a similar experiment with a bar of chocolate.

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Bend, Twist and Break: Fracture Surfaces

Dr. Chris Muhlstein explains that fracture surfaces can reveal how and why a material has failed. An image of a fracture surface has features or shapes that we can use to understand where a material failed and why. Scientists use an optical microscope or a scanning electron microscope to read a fracture surface at high magnifications, much like we read maps to find our way.

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Bend, Twist and Break: The Bridge

Dr. Chris Muhlstein explains that the arrangement of atoms in a material determines the properties. He drops an iPod to illustrate how the arrangement of atoms can protect it from damage; he narrates footage of the collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in the 1940s to show how the deformation of materials can cause the collapse of a structure.

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Everyday Radiation

How much radiation are we exposed to every day? Find out in this video segment adapted from FRONTLINE.

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Fluid Dynamics

In this video from NASA Launchpad, learn about the techniques and facilities astronauts use to train for working in microgravity environments.

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Fusion: Testing the First Hydrogen Device

This video segment adapted from AMERICAN EXPERIENCE features original footage of the U.S. test of the first hydrogen device, code-named "Mike", that would trigger thermonuclear fusion.

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Fusion: The Hydrogen Bomb

Just after World War II, nuclear scientists turned their attention from fission to fusion. This video segment adapted from AMERICAN EXPERIENCE looks at the beginnings of thermonuclear power generation.

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Global Warming and The Greenhouse Effect

This video excerpt from Race to Save the Planet discusses the greenhouse effect and global warming.

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The Impact of Technology: Nylon

This video segment adapted from A Science Odyssey looks at the invention of nylon.

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Island of Stability

In this video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW, follow scientists in their quest to understand how stable elements are made and how to create the elusive element 114.

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Making Cortisone From Plants

This video segment adapted from NOVA is a dramatized story of chemist Percy Julian’s work to synthesize cortisone. Find out how a biological process, not a chemical one, proved the key to producing cortisone in bulk.

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Melissa Franklin: High Energy Physics

This video segment adapted from Discovering Women profiles Fermilab physicist and Harvard professor Melissa Franklin.

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Nanotechnology

Learn about the fundamentals of nanotechnology and its applications, in this video segment adapted from Pennsylvania College of Technology and WVIA.

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A Nanotube Space Elevator

In this video adapted from NOVA scienceNOW, find out about the discovery of a new building material, the carbon nanotube, whose physical properties could theoretically enable the creation of a 22,000-mile elevator to space.

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Nuclear Blast Footage

These video clips from the AMERICAN EXPERIENCE Web site feature actual footage of thermonuclear blast testing done in the 1950s.

Nuclear Reaction: Fission

This video segment adapted from FRONTLINE looks at nuclear fission as an energy source that can be used to generate electricity.

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Nuclear Reaction: Meltdown

What happens when a nuclear reactor overheats? This video segment adapted from FRONTLINE looks at the nuclear reactor meltdown at Chernobyl, the worst accident of its kind.

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Nuclear Reaction: Plutonium

One by-product of nuclear fission is plutonium. This video segment adapted from FRONTLINE takes a look at this toxic element.

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