The Three Levels of Biodiversity

This interactive adapted from Kentucky's Natural Heritage: An Illustrated Guide to Biodiversity, introduces learners to the three levels of biodiversity: genetic, species, and ecosystem.

Select Natural Communities

In this interactive adapted from Kentucky's Natural Heritage: An Illustrated Guide to Biodiversity, students will learn about the four major natural communities and the types of organisms that live in each.

Lentic Communities

In this interactive students learn about the three types of lentic communities and examples of species that are unique to each.

All Systems Are Go

Test your knowledge of the digestive, respiratory, and other human body systems in this interactive game from Kinetic City. Race the clock to put Arnold's organs back into his body one system at a time.

Anglerfish

This video segment from NOVA: "Animal Imposters" shows the lightning-fast strike of the anglerfish.

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Animal Cloning 101

Learn about clones and explore the methods scientists use to create clones in the lab in this interactive activity from the Dolan DNA Learning Center.

Animal Coverings

It takes a thick skin to withstand the hardships that life has to offer. This collection of images shows a variety of animals, each with a slightly different type of protective covering.

Animal Mouths

This collection of images of six different creatures, including insects and carnivorous vertebrates, illustrates the wide range of mouth types that exist within the animal kingdom.

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Bioengineering Body Parts

In this video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW, scientists discuss their attempts to grow human body parts in a jar.

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Bird Beak Gallery

This collection of images of 10 different birds illustrates the diversity of bird beaks.

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Bird Food

There are almost as many types of bird beaks as there are types of food that birds like to eat. This collection of images shows a wide range of beaks and the types of foods handled by each.

Blood Vessels Help Tumors Grow

In this video segment, adapted from NOVA, Dr. Judah Folkman uses the scientific method to discover how cancer cells induce the formation of new blood vessels, which in turn nourish those cancer cells.

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Body Waste that Protects You

This video segment from IdahoPTV's D4K covers the body wastes that protect you: earwax, mucus, tears, sweat and vomit.

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The Brain

This video segment from IdahoPTV's D4K explores the anatomy of the brain and how your brain interacts with the rest of your body.

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The Brain in Action

This video segment from The Human Spark observes the brains responses to a series of cognitive tests.

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Brain Trauma

Find out how serious head concussions can be in this video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW.

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Bubonic Plague

In this video segment adapted from A Science Odyssey, learn about bubonic plague and how city officials in San Francisco tried to contain its spread in the early 1900s.

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Cancer Nanotech

This interactive slideshow adapted from NOVA scienceNOW shows some of the nanoscale structures that scientists are using in the experimental diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer.

Can We Slow Aging?

In this video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW, scientists discuss a family of genes called FOXO that can significantly extend life span in worms—and in humans.

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Carnivorous Plants of Cartwheel Bay

In this video segment from NatureScene, explore Cartwheel Bay, a wetland in South Carolina, and learn about the variety of carnivorous plants native to this unique landform.

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Cell Differentiation

In this video segment from The Secret of Life school video, "Sex and the Single Gene" follow as a single fertilized egg cell divides, differentiates, and assembles into the tissues and organs of a new organism.

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Cell Division

In this interactive activity adapted from the Exploratorium, explore the step-by-step process by which an animal cell divides to make more cells.

Cell Explorer

Explore the parts of a virtual animal cell in this interactive activity adapted from the Exploratorium. Learn about various cell structures and the roles they play in cell division, cellular respiration, and protein synthesis.

Cell Membrane: Just Passing Through

This interactive feature describes some of the most important structures and functions of the cell membrane.

Cell Transcription and Translation

In this interactive activity adapted from the University of Nebraska, learn how and where transcription and translation occur within a cell and observe both processes in detail.

Cellular Service

The goal of this interactive game is to keep a group of target cells healthy by using blood to deliver and take away various substances to and from the cells.

Colorful Creatures

For animals, bright, flashy coloration can serve as a warning or as an invitation. Either way, colorful skin, feathers, and scales yell, "Notice me!" This collection of images shows examples of some of the world's most colorful creatures.

Cow's Eye Dissection

In this interactive activity adapted from the Exploratorium, watch videos of a cow eye dissection and see how an eye works.

A Cow’s Digestive System

Learn how a cow eats and digests food in this video segment from Nature.

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Dance of Development

Watch the "dance" of development as a zebrafish egg divides and differentiates on its way to becoming an embryo in this interactive activity adapted from the Exploratorium.

Decision-Maker Bees and the Human Brain

Learn about the similarity between the pattern of communication within a bee colony and neural networks in the human brain, in this video adapted from NOVA scienceNOW.

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Dengue Virus Invades a Cell

In this visualization adapted from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, discover the role that dengue viral proteins play in a human cell as the virus prepares to replicate.

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The Discovery of Penicillin

This video segment adapted from A Science Odyssey tells the story of researcher Sir Alexander Fleming, whose luck and scientific reasoning led to the groundbreaking discovery of penicillin.

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Diversity of Hardwoods at Congaree Swamp

In this video segment from NatureScene, observe some methods of plant identification with regards to the diversity of hardwoods at the Congaree Swamp.

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Eating Healthy Foods

In this video adapted from Media That Matters, students explain how healthy foods help your body and processed foods can harm it.

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Electrophoresis and Gel Analysis

In this animation produced by WGBH and Digizyme, Inc., see how molecules of DNA are separated using gel electrophoresis, and how this process enables scientists to compare the molecular variations of two or more DNA samples.

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Endocrine Disruptor Hypothesis

Scientists discuss whether or not endocrine disrupting chemicals, which may cause birth defects and other health concerns, should be controlled in the absence of conclusive proof, in this video segment adapted from FRONTLINE: "Fooling with Nature."

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Epigenetics

In this video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW, learn how what you eat, drink, or smoke may affect the instructions your epigenomes send to your genes, and as a result, change how your DNA is expressed.

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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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Flood Plain and Higher Ground Habitats

This video segment from NatureScene features the area of the Congaree Swamp where the high ground and the flood plain meet. Learn how a few feet of difference in elevation on a floodplain can yield drastic changes in what you’ll find living there.

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Floral Arrangements

Explore a few of the ways plants pollinate each other in this video segment from Sexual Encounters of a Floral Kind.

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Food Is Fuel

This video excerpt from NOVA scienceNOW examines the energy and nutrient content of a cupcake and a rat.

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Gallery of Cells

While all cells have a great deal in common, there is no end to the variation among them. These images provide a sense of the wondrous diversity found in the world of cells.

Gallery of Visual Illusions

Are your eyes playing tricks on you? Discover more about eyesight and the brain as you test your eyes with these visual illusions adapted from the University of Washington's Neuroscience for Kids Web site.

Gene Control

The development of creatures that appear to have nothing in common is directed by a surprisingly small number of genes. In this video segment, learn about the power of master control genes. Footage from The Secret of Life: "Birth, Sex & Death."

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Germinator

This ZOOMSci video segment teaches you how to germinate seeds in a plastic bag and helps you understand some of the factors that influence the germination process.

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Getting Fit at the Gym

In this video adapted from the In the Mix, watch the kinds of exercise students do to keep in shape.

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Growing Bacterial Cultures

This animation produced by WGBH and Digizyme, Inc. demonstrates the techniques researchers use to isolate transformed bacteria and expand their population in order to obtain large quantities of a protein of interest.

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Growing Plants in Space

Learn about the challenges and benefits of growing plants in space from plant biologist Dr. Ray Wheeler in this video from NASA.

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The Health Benefits of Exercise

In this video adapted from Living with MyType2, a teen with diabetes works out with a coach and learns some of the health benefits of exercise.

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Hearing

This video segment from IdahoPTV's D4K describes the parts of the ear and the path a sound wave makes to your brain. It points out the role of the ear in maintaining balance and why and how to protect your ears.

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The Science Behind Appetite

This video segment, adapted from NOVA, tells the story of a ballerina battling anorexia. It explains how serotonin regulates appetite, and presents some of the health risks that accompany the eating disorder.

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How Cancer Cells Grow and Divide

This animation from NOVA: "Battle in the War on Cancer: Breast Cancer" describes how oncogenes cause cancer and how cancerous cells can spread throughout the body.

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How Do Cells Make Proteins?

In this interactive activity from the Exploratorium, explore the steps of protein synthesis in which the cells use genes to make proteins for critical body functions.

How the Body Responds to Exercise

In this video segment adapted from NOVA, follow novice runners as they train for a marathon, and discover how quickly the body responds to regular aerobic exercise.

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Immune Cells in Action

In this video segment from The Secret of Life Teaching Modules: "Nothing to Sneeze At: Viruses," watch as a virus attacks a cell, and learn how the immune system reacts to this onslaught.

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Life Cycle of a Seed Plant

In this interactive activity adapted from the University of Alberta, learn about each step in the life cycle of a seed plant.

Life of a Tree

In this interactive activity adapted from the National Arbor Day Foundation, take a sixty-two-year journey observing the inner layers, rings, and environmental factors that affect a tree's growth and life cycle.

Looking for Intelligence in the Brain

Meet scientists who are using the latest imaging techniques to search for intelligence in the brain, in this video adapted from NOVA scienceNOW.

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Malaria Treatment and Prevention Strategies

In this video segment adapted from Rx for Survival, watch a graphic representation of the malaria parasite and hear from experts about the physical and economic effects of the disease on the human population, as well as treatments and preventive measures.

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Maple Syrup

This video from WPSU’s series Outside shows how to identify a sugar maple tree by its branches, twigs, buds, and bark, and explains how to produce maple syrup.

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Masters of Disguise

In the face of danger, what's a spineless animal to do? This video segment introduces the concept of camouflage -- how animals achieve it and how this form of disguise benefits both predators and prey. Footage from NOVA: "Animal Impostors."

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Mitochondria

Often referred to as the powerhouses of the cell, mitochondria provide the energy that powers nearly every cellular process. This essay by John Ross describes in detail the structures and functions of these amazing organelles.

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Mitochondria Functions and Training

This essay by Owen Anderson describes the effects of physical exercise on the number and function of mitochondria inside muscle cells.

Mitochondrial Flyover

This video segment illustrates the three-dimensional structure of a mitochondrion, the organelle that powers nearly every cellular process in your body.

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Mitosis

This video segment, adapted from the Interactive Secret of Life videodisc, explains the stages of mitosis, the process of dividing equally a cell's massive jumble of DNA just prior to cell division.

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Interfering with Fear

Discover how cognitive psychologist Sian Beilock is working to overcome how we experience mental pressure and to maximize our brain’s performance, in this video adapted from NOVA scienceNOW.

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Nucleus, Cytoplasm, Membrane

Explore the form and function of three of the most important cell parts -- the nucleus, cytoplasm, and membrane -- in this video segment adapted from Carolina Biological Supply's An Introduction to the Living Cell.

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Romiya Glover

In this video from Science City, meet Romiya Glover, a chemist who develops products for HIV/AIDS testing. She describes the multidisciplinary nature of her job, how she decided to go into science, and how her work benefits others.

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Organelles in the Cytoplasm

In this video segment from An Introduction to the Living Cell, explore the inner workings of a cell, including some of its most important organelles.

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Pellagra

In this video segment adapted from A Science Odyssey, learn about pellagra, a mysterious and deadly disease that affected populations living in the American South in the early 20^th century, and how a scientist experimented to find a cure.

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Plants-in-Motion

While we tend to think of plants as stationary, they are in constant, though very slow motion, as they respond to environmental factors. Watch plants move in time-lapse videos in this interactive activity adapted from Indiana University.

The Potential Health Hazards of Vinyl Siding

Follow one family's investigation into the toxins generated through the production and disposal of vinyl siding, in this video segment adapted from Blue Vinyl.

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The Powerhouse of the Cell

This video segment describes the critical role that mitochondria play in nearly every cellular process in your body.

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Primitive Insects of the Congaree Swamp

In this video segment from NatureScene, observe dragonflies and mayflies near Cedar Creek at Congaree Swamp National Park.

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Producing Penicillin

In this video segment adapted from A Science Odyssey, follow two scientists and their Nobel Prize-winning efforts to cure bacterial infections using penicillin.

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Protein Purification

This animation produced by WGBH and Digizyme, Inc. demonstrates how a protein of interest is isolated from other contents in a transformed bacterial cell—a process called purification—using a lab technique called hydrophobic interaction chromatography.

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Redwoods at Redwood National Park

This video segment from NatureScene describes the characteristics of redwood trees at Redwood National Park.

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The Reproductive Role of Flowers

In this video segment adapted from NOVA, learn about the critical role of flowers in seed plant reproductive biology.

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Reptiles of the Congaree Swamp

In this video segment from NatureScene, discover some reptiles in the swamp forest ecosystem at Congaree Swamp National Park.

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Root Systems of Trees at the Congaree Swamp

Learn about root systems of trees in the Congaree Swamp National Park in this video segment from NatureScene.

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Ruminants

Why do cows chew their cud? This video segment from Secret of Life: "Accidents of Creation" describes the physical adaptations that have made ruminants some of the most important, and certainly the most efficient, plant eaters on earth.

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Scanning the Brain

In this video from The Human Spark, host Alan Alda learns how Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines employ powerful magnetic fields to show what parts of the brain are active while doing different tasks.

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Scientific Processes

In this interactive activity adapted from NOVA, expand your understanding of the scientific process. Watch two videos featuring animations and interviews with scientists, and notice how the processes unfold and vary from one investigation to the other.

Secrets in the Salt

This video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW describes a team of scientists searching for evidence of ancient life within a salt deposit that formed 250 million years ago.

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Seeds Away

This collection of images shows several types of plant seeds, each with a different mechanism for dispersing from the parent plant.

Single-Celled Organisms

This video segment explores the astounding diversity of the world's smallest life forms: single-celled organisms.

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Stem Cells Breakthrough

In this video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW, follow the scientific process that led to a revolutionary method for creating stem cells without the use of human embryos.

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Studying Global Warming in Biosphere 2

In this What's Up in the Environment? video segment, an international team of scientists in Arizona's Biosphere 2 laboratory studies the impact of increased carbon dioxide emissions and how that might affect our future global environment.

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Teeth

This video segment from IdahoPTV's D4K takes you to the dentist where you discover the different types of teeth animals have, how many teeth and the kinds humans have, the parts of a tooth and how to keep your teeth healthy.

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Therapeutic Uses of Stem Cells

This interactive activity adapted from the HHMI Outreach Program at Harvard University explores the many potential uses of stem cells to treat and cure disease.

Transforming Bacteria

This animation produced by WGBH and Digizyme, Inc. demonstrates the experimental technique used to introduce DNA plasmids inside bacterial cells, a process called bacterial transformation.

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Unhinged!

This video segment explores the integral relationship between structure and function in snakes.

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Venom: A Viper’s Deadly Weapon

This video excerpt from NOVA: “Venom: Nature’s Killer” explains how venom enters a human body and causes it to shutdown.

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West Nile Virus Outbreak in NYC

Learn how doctors in both the veterinary and human health fields unraveled the mystery of the deadly West Nile virus outbreak in New York City in this video segment adapted from Rx for Survival.

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Whale and Human Ears

What do whale ears look like? You might be surprised! These two versions of this diagram -- one with the anatomical parts labeled and one that students can label themselves -- compare the anatomy of a whale ear to that of a human ear. From Marine Biology: Environment, Diversity, and Ecology by David Lerman

What Is a Supertaster?

This video excerpt from NOVA scienceNOW looks at why some people are more sensitive to tastes than other people.

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Where Do You Get Your Energy?

In this interactive activity adapted from the Exploratorium, explore how our cells harvest energy from food.