Ask a Scientist…How Does Malaria Make You Sick?Did you know that malaria is a leading cause of child mortality? TV and film director Valerie Weiss talks to Fredros Okumu a leading mosquito biologist about how malaria makes you sick and why it causes so many deaths. One…
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Ask a Scientist…How similar is ancient DNA to DNA found today?Emily Carmichael, screenwriter of Jurassic World: Dominion, asks PaBeth Shapiro, Chief Science Officer at Colossal, about the differences between DNA found in animal living today and DNA found in animals from millions of years ago. Can DNA survive intact in…
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Ask a Scientist…Why Does it matter if frogs go extinct?Does it matter if the world doesn’t have frogs? Amphibian researcher Gina Della Togna talks with Jon Turteltaub, film director, about why we need to keep frogs from going extinct. The Ark at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama…
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ASK A SCIENTIST … How can fusion help mitigate climate change?The world’s reliance on fossil fuels are a contributor to climate change. Can fusion be a solution? Learn when writer/producer Angela Harvey talks to Stephanie Diem, a physicist and engineer at University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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ASK A SCIENTIST … What is generative AI?How do generative AI models work? Find out when AI technologist Ashley Llorens talks with TV writer Ariella Blejer.
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Watch Rapid Evolution: How Animals Can Adapt in a Human WorldHow do people impact ecosystems? In so many cases we pretty much wreck things in our effort to make seemingly the whole world into a built environment, driving animals away or to extinction. However, there are examples of rapid evolution,…
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ASK A SCIENTIST…What is the difference between AI and AGI?Different types of artificial intelligence seem to be popping up everywhere these days; music, art, and even writing. But what is AI and how is it different from AGI? Find out when AI technologist Ashley Llorens talks with TV writer…
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Watch the mysteries of havana syndromeIt sure sounds like the logline for a Hollywood thriller. In late 2016, U.S. Embassy personnel in Havana, Cuba, began to report an unusual, perplexing set of symptoms. Loud noises accompanied by pain, pressure, or vibration. Dizziness, vertigo, and cognitive…
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Ask a Scientist … About Plant Genetic Editing MethodsWhat is the difference between traditional and modern methods that are used for editing plant genetics? Find out when TV/film writer Emilia Serrano speaks with plant geneticist Bobby Williams.
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Watch Eat to LiveIt’s not news that fatty foods, sugary drinks, salty snacks and a sedentary lifestyle are bad for us. But recent trends in life expectancy in the United States are making it pretty clear just how bad all this is. For…
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ASK A SCIENTIST … What drives you to work in plant science?Not many kids dream of growing up to be plant scientists, but what made plant geneticist Bobby Williams decide to go into this field? Find out when he explains what drives him to do the work he does with TV/film…
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ASK A SCIENTIST… does anything live at the bottom of the ocean?Ask a Scientist … Does Anything Live at the Bottom of the Ocean? The Mariana Trench is the deepest spot in the ocean, nearly 7 miles below the surface. Could anything live that deep? Oceanographer Dawn Wright talks with film…
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Ask a scientist … what does the label non-gmo mean?When you go to the grocery store you might see the label non-GMO, but do you know what it means? Or what it does not mean? Or how it relates to Harrison Ford? Find out when TV/film writer Emilia Serrano…
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Watch Insect Wars: The Barbaric Ways of BugsIf you saw the iconic film Alien, you may remember the alien parasite bursting out of the human host’s chest. That type of thing actually happens in nature with parasitoid wasps and their insect hosts. While they’re vital to our…
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ASK A SCIENTIST…What does fusion have to do with cell phones?It seems that everyone has a cell phone, but did you know that they are thanks to fusion technology? Find out how when writer/producer Angela Harvey talks to Stephanie Diem, a physicist and engineer at University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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Watch Brain-Computer Interfaces: Promises and PitfallsImagine controlling the computers around you with nothing but your thoughts. This idea may seem exclusively sci-fi, but brain-computer interfaces are already helping people with disabilities and enhancing our interactions with our built environment. In the future, warfighters might operate…
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ASK A SCIENTIST … What can Afrofuturism contribute to our future?Afrofuturism can contribute to all of our lives and futures in a myriad of ways. Actor Ahmed Best and professor Lonny Brooks, co-founders of the Afrorithm Futures Group, discuss what that could look like. Ahmed is a writer, director, producer,…
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ASK A SCIENTIST…What is Nanotechnology?What is nanotechnology and how small is it really? Writer/producer Ira Ungerleider speaks with nanoscienist Rita Blaik to understand the exciting world of nano and how it is a part of our lives.
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Watch Are Feelings Contagious? The Psychology of Shared EmotionsThere’s growing evidence that we experience other people’s behavior in deeper ways than we thought. When speaking or listening to someone, your brain activity synchronizes with theirs. When you’re stressed, your changing heart rate synchronizes with those around you, and…
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ask a producer … what is the process of researching for films?Tron producer Justin Springer talks with Google Security Princess and Vice President/General Manager of Chrome, Parisa Tabriz about how he goes about researching and consulting with experts in technology for his films.
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Watch Ask a Scientist … How Do we know dinosaur behavior from fossils?It is easy to understand how we know about the size, shape, and even the diets of dinosaurs by looking at their bones. But how do paleontologists learn about their social behavior just by looking at fossils? To find out,…
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Watch your brain on anesthesiaMost of us have undergone general anesthesia and remember counting back from 10, getting to about 7 before drifting off to … where exactly? What are our brains doing while under the influence of anesthesia? Typically anesthesiologists do not spend…
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ASK A SCIENTIST… are there different terms that are used for exoskeletons?What is in a name? A lot! Writer and producer Vijal Patel talks with Karl Zelik, a biomedical engineer about the different names or terms that are used when talking about exoskeletons.
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ASK A SCIENTIST… how does one become an Afrofuturist?Actor Ahmed Best and professor Lonny Brooks, co-founders of the Afrorithm Futures Group, discuss how someone can become an afrofuturist. Ahmed is a writer, director, producer, actor, and musician. Lonny is a professor at California State University, East Bay.
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ASK A SCIENTIST… have your personal experiences influenced your work?Writers often use their personal stories to inspire their work. But do scientists? Karl Zelik, a biomedical engineer, talks to writer and producer Vijal Patel, about how his personal experiences have impacted his work.
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ASK A SCIENTIST… what is the oldest known form of exoskeleton?Exoskeletons seem like a technology of the future. But are they? Writer and producer Vijal Patel asks Karl Zelik, a biomedical engineer, about when exoskeletons began to be developed. The answer might surprise you!
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ask a scientist … what are the different types of solar panels?Exoskeletons are robotic machines that can assist humans in many different ways, some of which we are just starting to develop. Karl Zelik, a biomedical engineer, talks to writer and producer Vijal Patel, about the different types of exoskeletons.
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Watch our future robot companionsSocially Assistive Robotics have massive potential to empower people and improve human quality of life. Maja Matarić wants to endow these machines with special qualities so that they can help us in new ways that go far beyond practical use.…
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ask a scientist … is there diversity in deep sea exploration?In July Dawn Wright became the first black person and fifth woman to dive to the bottom of the ocean, a location called Challenger Deep. She shares her experience with diversity and representation over the course of her career in…
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Watch Back from the Dead: The Difficulties and Dilemmas of De-ExtinctionDe-extinction, or resurrecting an extinct species, is an intriguing notion. But the science is challenging and the ethics are complicated. On the one hand, it’s exciting to think about bringing back the woolly mammoth or the carrier pigeon or the…
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ASK A SCIENTIST … why is it important to map the bottom of the ocean?It is hard to believe that less than 25% ocean bottom has been mapped. There is an effort to map the seabed by 2030. Oceanographer Dawn Wright discusses why mapping the bottom of the ocean is important with film producer…
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Watch Cute Aggression: What Is It and Do I Have It?Have you ever seen an adorable baby or sweet-as-pie puppy and been flooded by the overwhelming urge to squeeze or pinch them—not because you mean any harm, but just because your feelings are so intense? Then you have experienced what…
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Ask a scientist … How did you become interested in oceanography?Have you ever asked yourself “how did I get here?” That thought had to cross oceanographer Dawn Wright’s mind when she found herself at the very bottom of the deepest part of the ocean. And film producer Jeffery Silver asks…
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ASK A SCIENTIST… what are the next frontiers in dinosaur paleontology?Since Jurassic Park was released almost 30 years ago, the study of dinosaurs has advanced by leaps and bounds. But what is next? Zack Stentz, Producer of Jurassic Park: Camp Cretaceous, talks with Stuart Sumida, a paleontologist and Professor of…
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Watch Everything I Need to Know to Survive I Learned from MicrobesWhat has allowed microbes to thrive in such extreme environments as ice sheets in Antarctica and thermal vents in the deep ocean or on the surfaces we touch, in the air we breathe, and even inside us? Join Nkrumah Grant,…
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ask a scientist … how do you protect your data?It feels like everyone is telling us to be careful online and protect our data. But what does that mean? Tron producer Justin Springer talks with Google Security Princess and Vice President/General Manager of Chrome Parisa Tabriz about what she…
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ASK A SCIENTIST… what is the future of passwords?Check out our newly refreshed Ask a Scientist video! Passwords: Everyone loves to hate them. Can’t technology evolve to make them easier to remember but more secure against hackers? Tron producer Justin Springer talks with Google Security Princess and Vice…
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ASK A SCIENTIST…what does it mean to study the basic fabric of nature?Screenwriter Stephany Folsom (Toy Story 4, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power) asks physicist Clifford V. Johnson what physicists mean when they talk about the fabric of nature, and how they study it.
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watch Flap of a Butterfly’s Wing: Unpredictable Chaos of Earth’s Weather SystemCan the soft flap of a butterfly’s wing in Brazil set off a catastrophic tornado in Texas? The notion that very small things can have outsize impacts—the so-called butterfly effect—is the basis for explaining why chaotic systems like the weather…
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Ask an Scientist … Would Traveling Back in Time Screw Up the Present?Screenwriter Stephany Folsom (Toy Story 4, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power) gets deep with physicist Clifford V. Johnson to discuss time travel.
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Ask a nurse … what is a nurse’s life like?Film director Bronwen Hughes chats with Beverly Malone, president and CEO, National League for Nursing, about the life of a nurse.
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Ask an Scientist … About Destroying the Fabric of Space and TimeScreenwriter Stephany Folsom (Toy Story 4, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power) gets deep with physicist Clifford V. Johnson to discuss destruction of the fabric of space and time.
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Ask an Astronaut … Why Do Missions Bring Mascots with Them?Ask a Scientist goes to space! Screenwriter Will Staples (The Right Stuff, Without Remorse) talks with Astronaut Rick Mastracchio why you see missions bringing mascots, like Baby Yoda, with them. For luck? For fun? Or is there a real reason?
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ASK A SCIENTIST…about our fascination with black holes and worm holesScreenwriter Stephany Folsom (Toy Story 4, Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power) gets deep with physicist Clifford V. Johnson to discuss black holes and worm holes.
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ASK A NURSE … what challenges does nursing face in the coming years?Film director Bronwen Hughes chats with Beverly Malone, president and CEO, National League for Nursing, about challenges for nurses in the coming years. This video was produced in collaboration with the National Academy of Medicine.
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ASK AN ASTRONAUT … about the types of experiments conducted on the ISSAsk a Scientist goes to space! Screenwriter Will Staples talks with Astronaut Rick Mastracchio about the types of experiments that are done by astronauts while on the International Space Station.
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ASK A SCIENTIST … if time travel was possible, where would you go?Screenwriter Stephany Folsom (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Toy Story 4) finds out where physicist Clifford V. Johnson would time travel to, if it were possible.
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ASK A SCIENTIST…what does research tell us about free will?Screenwriter Geneva Robertson-Dworet (Captain Marvel) has a conversation with neuroscientist and clinical psychologist Heather Berlin about free will. Do we have it or is it a work of fiction?
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ASK AN ASTRONAUT… about space junk, or as they call it orbital debrisAsk a Scientist goes to space! Screenwriter Will Staples talks with astronaut Rick Mastracchio about what happens to all the junk that is flying around in space.
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ask a scientist…what is the multiverseThe multiverse is a popular concept in movies, but what is it? Screenwriter Stephany Folsom gets to the core of the multiverse with physicist Clifford V. Johnson.
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ask a nurse … what would help improve nurse and clinician well-being?Film director Bronwen Hughes chats with Beverly Malone, president and CEO, National League for Nursing, about health care worker well-being, particularly from a nurse’s view.
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ask a scientist … how does creativity work from a neurological perspective?Screenwriter Geneva Robertson-Dworet has a conversation with neuroscientist and clinical psychologist Heather Berlin about what helps the process of being creative.
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Watch World Building: Making the Future RealMovies and television shows often transport us to new and surprising landscapes that exist within a carefully constructed framework of rules that ensure that things make sense and hang together. The creative process of world building is informed by what…
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ASK AN ASTRONAUT … is our investment in NASA worth it?Ask a Scientist goes to space! Screenwriter Will Staples talks with astronaut Rick Mastracchio about the investment the U.S. makes in space and whether it is worth it.
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ask a scientist … what does research tell us about the power of stories?Screenwriter Geneva Robertson-Dworet has a conversation with neuroscientist and clinical psychologist Heather Berlin about why stories play such a powerful role in our lives.
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ask an astronaut … about physically adjusting to being in spaceAsk a Scientist goes to space! Screenwriter Will Staples talks with Astronaut Rick Mastracchio about what the body goes through as it adapts to being in space…and then back on earth.
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Ask a scientist … do we really only use 10% of our brain?Screenwriter Geneva Robertson-Dworet sits down with neuroscientist and clinical psychologist Heather Berlin to discuss common misconceptions about the mind.
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Watch A Scientist’s Quest to Cure All SARS-CoronavirusesFor more than 20 years, virologist Matt Frieman has dedicated his career to the study of coronaviruses. So for a good part of his professional life, an introduction at a cocktail party required that he first explain what epidemiology was…
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ask an astronaut … why is the International Space Station being retired?Ask a Scientist goes to space! Screenwriter Will Staples talks with Astronaut Rick Mastracchio about why the ISS is being retired and what will take its place.
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Watch After Yang: Special Talk-BackYou are invited to join us in celebrating this year’s Sundance Film Festival Sloan Award recipient, After Yang, with a special talk-back featuring director Kogonada and futurist B Cavello from the Aspen Institute and moderated by Sundance Film Festival Senior…
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ask a scientist … about the role of the unconscious mind in our livesScreenwriter Geneva Robertson-Dworet has a conversation with neuroscientist and Clinical Psychologist Heather Berlin about the role the unconscious mind plays in our lives.
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Watch Growing Up on Zoom: Kids in the Time of COVIDThe COVID-19 pandemic has been tough on us all, but perhaps some of the most striking and consequential impacts have been to our children. Deeply dependent on social interaction to nourish their developing brains, babies and young children require the…
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ask a director … is AI impacting the film industry?Tim Miller, director of Terminator: Dark Fate, sits down with Human-Robot Interaction Researcher Chris Crawford to talk about artificial intelligence. Chris is currently an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at the University of Alabama.
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ask a scientist … about developments in treating anxiety and depressionScreenwriter Geneva Robertson-Dworet has a conversation with neuroscientist and Clinical Psychologist Heather Berlin about developments in treating anxiety and depression.
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watch ask a scientist … about the ethics around AITim Miller, director of Terminator: Dark Fate, sits down with Human-Robot Interaction Researcher Chris Crawford to talk about ethics as they relate to artificial intelligence. Chris is currently an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at the University of Alabama.
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watch Safe Passage for Scientists: Exiting AfghanistanWhen the United States announced its intention to withdraw from Afghanistan, scientists and engineers with even the most tenuous connection to the United States recognized the looming jeopardy they and their families faced. The Taliban’s lightning fast takeover of the…
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Watch Ask a Scientist … where might life be found in space?Actor and science communicator Christina Ochoa sits down with Kevin Hand to talk about where life might be found in space. Kevin is an astrobiologist and planetary scientist. He is also the author of Alien Oceans: The Search for Life…
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Watch Ask a Scientist … Is it bad to have a healthy fear of what AI could do?Tim Miller, director of Terminator: Dark Fate, sits down with Human-Robot Interaction Researcher Chris Crawford to talk about artificial intelligence. Chris is currently an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at the University of Alabama.
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Watch Code Red: The Urgency of the Clinician Burnout CrisisSee below for resources mentioned throughout the event: Overview of the Clinician Burnout Crisis Strategies to Support the Health and Well-Being of Clinicians During the COVID-19 Outbreak Statistics on burnout during COVID-19: American Medical Association write-up in July 2021: Music…
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Watch Ask A Scientist … What is the future of privacy online?Actor Kerry Bishé, known for her lead role as Donna Clark, a computer scientist, in the AMC television series Halt and Catch Fire talks with Dr. Jen Golbeck, computer scientist. Jen currently is a Professor at the College of Information…
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Watch ask a scientist…what is it like to be an octopus on Europa?Actor and science communicator Christina Ochoa sits down with Kevin Hand to talk about what it might be like to be an octopus on Europa. Kevin is an astrobiologist and planetary scientist. He is also the author of Alien Oceans:…
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Watch Yes, in My Backyard: Climate Predictions for Your NeighborhoodAfter a year of extreme weather that brought the risks of climate related disasters into sharp focus, the world’s attention is focused on climate negotiations in Glasgow for the COP26 climate conference. According to the Washington Post, at least 85…
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watch Law & Order: America on FireHere’s the conventional wisdom: The increasingly violent relationship between the police and the citizens they are meant to serve and protect has been in direct response to escalating and widespread crime. But is that the right way to think about…
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Watch The Science of PsychopathsAbout 1% of people may meet the clinical criteria for psychopathy… give or take. So if the average American has about 250 Facebook friends (according to The Atlantic) and claims a network of about 600 people (per The New York…
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Watch Ask A Scientist…About Taking a one-way trip to marsScreenwriter Shernold Edwards talks with Andrew Rader, an aerospace engineer and author, about volunteering for a one-way trip to Mars seven years ago. Would he still go today? Why would he have signed up to go at all?
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Watch Son of Monarchs: Virtual Screening and Talk-Back EventFrom writer/director Alexis Gambis comes the poetic Sundance award-winning film, Son of Monarchs. Tracing the journey of a Mexican butterfly biologist as he travels from New York to his hometown nestled in the majestic butterfly forests of Michoacán, the film…
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Watch America Imprisoned: Our Mass Incarceration ProblemThe rate of imprisonment in the United States has more than quadrupled during the last four decades. With a penal population of 2.2 million adults, America has almost one-quarter of the world’s prisoners in its custody. Our current rate of…
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Watch Ask A Scientist…About Being a Good Science CommunicatorActor Kerry Bishé, known for her lead role as Donna Clark, a computer scientist, in the AMC television series Halt and Catch Fire talks with Dr. Jen Golbeck, computer scientist about how Jen became a good science communicator and how…
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Watch Ask a scientist: A Hollywood Producer and a Scientist Talk Disasters – Part 4Disasters are not inevitable. There’s a lot we can do to prevent them from happening, especially at the local level. In Part 4 of our disaster-themed, Hollywood producer Diana Williams continues her conversation with disasterologist Dr. Samantha Montano to find…
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Watch Ask a scientist: A Hollywood Producer and a Scientist Talk Disasters – Part 3In the movie Clueless, the character Cher collected clothing and other household items to help the survivors of the Pismo Beach disaster, but is that really what people need? Find out in Part 3 of this disaster-themed #AskAScientist series! Hollywood…
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Watch Ask a scientist: A Hollywood Producer and a Scientist Talk Disasters – Part 2Mass panic and overturned cars in the streets are fun in movies, but is that how people really act during disasters? In Part 2 of this disaster-themed #AskAScientist series, Hollywood producer Diana Williams talks with disasterologist Dr. Samantha Montano about…
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Watch Ask a scientist: A Hollywood Producer and a Scientist Talk Disasters – Part 1Disaster movies are fun, but real disasters are anything but. We teamed up with our friends at LabX to figure out what we need to know to separate fact from fiction. In this first installment, Hollywood producer, and self-proclaimed prepper,…
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Watch Ask an Actor…about playing a woman computer scientistThis time, computer scientist Jen Golbeck asks actor Kerry Bishé about playing a woman computer scientist. Actor Kerry Bishé, known for her lead role as Donna Clark, a computer scientist, in the AMC television series Halt and Catch Fire talks…
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Watch Art and Gadgetry: Sparking CreativityNathan Seidle failed to live up to his parent’s fears of a life defined by delinquency. Yes, he did drop out of college to work at the stadium during the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. But a year later he…
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Watch Puncturing Stereotypes and Their Impact on IdentityStereotypes feel synonymous with many of the characters that we see on TV and in the movies. All Asians know martial arts or own small stores. Black women are sassy, while Latino men are dashing. Germans are efficient, most Brits…
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Watch Ritual for a Reason: New Habits in the Time of COVID-19We take most of our rituals for granted. From the social conventions that dictate how we greet one another to the ways that we express our religious faiths, we follow familiar patterns that are often simply accepted. But these rituals…
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Watch Searching for Exolife: In Real Life and In StoriesIs there life beyond the Earth? This question has tantalized humanity for ages … and has been a focus for both scientists (what is really out there?) and storytellers (what would it mean to us if it is?). Join us…
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Watch Race for the Vaccine: A Special Talkback EventThe story of the pandemic is, among many things, a story of scientific triumph. In a timely documentary from CNN Films, we are granted rare, real-time access to the elite scientists who put their lives on the line to…
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Watch The Crossover: Science Speed Dating X Wrong Answers Only4 Scientists. 3 Comedians. So many ridiculously wrong answers. Two of your favorite programs from the National Academy of Sciences – The Science & Entertainment Exchange and LabX – are joining forces to bring you the crossover event of the…
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Watch Heat Season: The Latest Climate Curve BallMost of us welcome summer, happily transitioning from winter’s hibernation spent bundled up in wooly sweaters to the carefree season of shorts and bathing suits. But the extreme, record-breaking high temperatures of 2021 signal the arrival of a new and…
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Watch Ask A Scientist…About Being a Woman in Computer ScienceActor Kerry Bishé, known for her lead role as Donna Clark, a computer scientist, in the AMC television series Halt and Catch Fire talks with Dr. Jen Golbeck, computer scientist. Jen currently is a Professor at the College of Information…
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Watch What Were You Thinking?: A Neuroscientist’s Explanation of Teenage Decision MakingTeenagers often make questionable choices – ones that routinely prompt parents to ask this question without any expectation of a satisfying answer. The stereotypes from film and television make this stage of life feel especially scary. But neuroscientist Adriana Galván…
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Watch Economics in Black and White: The Racial Reality of Economic InequityIt takes only a cursory look at the numbers to reveal the staggering wealth disparities that are very clearly marked by race/ethnicity in this country. The net worth of a typical white family is nearly ten times greater than that…
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Watch You Are Not Who You Were: Healing from the Long-Term Effects of Childhood TraumaThe topic of childhood trauma is more relevant than ever as we emerge from a pandemic that has gripped the globe. Join us for a discussion with pioneering physician and California’s first-ever Surgeon General Dr. Nadine Burke Harris as she…
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Watch The Science Behind Catching Criminals and Cheats: Benford’s LawWhat do the IRS, election fraud, great music, Russian bots, deep fakes, and volcanoes have in common? The answer: Benford’s Law. But if you’re like us, you a) didn’t know this and b) don’t understand what this Law is all…
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Watch Rewriting MemoryRecall your happiest memory, experience anew all the emotion it evokes… And then ask yourself: Is that memory accurate? Did it really happen as you recall it years later? Doubtful. Indeed, there’s a fair amount of evidence to suggest that…
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Watch Quantum Century: A Conversation with Carlo Rovelli and Kieran FitzgeraldIn celebration of World Quantum Day, The Exchange and The Quantum Century Project bring you a conversation between two leaders in their field, quantum physicist Carlo Rovelli and screenwriter Kieran Fitzgerald. Join us for an accessible and user-friendly tour of…
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Watch The Power of Stories: Writing the Future of Our PlanetTogether, we are writing the future of our planet. In the same way that we are living with the deeds and decisions of the past, the choices made and actions taken by those of us alive today will bear direct…
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Watch We See You: The Power of Female STEM Role Models On and Off the ScreenWomen have made groundbreaking contributions to science throughout history and yet their numbers and visibility in many scientific fields have remained low. Their stories are often characterized by perseverance and tenacity. Though women scientists continue to face the toxic impact…
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Watch Talk-Back: Dick Johnson Is DeadAs her father nears the end of his life, renowned documentary filmmaker Kirsten Johnson used the language of her craft to help them both find closure in the inevitable. This inventive, heartbreaking, often comical exploration of dementia is deeply human…
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Watch A Deep Dive with Ocean Explorer David GalloHear from renowned ocean explorer David Gallo, co-leader of the TITANIC and missing flight Air France 447 expeditions. Our oceans have long been a source of scientific investigation and play a fundamental part in supporting life on Earth. They represent…
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Watch TED@NAS: On Stage/Back Stagehttps://vimeo.com/516823922 Science catalyzes progress. It allows us to explore our biggest questions, generate new ideas and seek out solutions. At its best, science ignites change and fuels our way forward. In November 2019, TED partnered with the National Academy of…
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Watch The Science of AttractionSo you’re at a bar and you notice someone. Or maybe they notice you. Why? Who we find attractive is a hard question to answer. Are some of us wired to be monogamous? Promiscuous? What do the mating habits in…
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Watch Impulse Control: Making Your Brain Work for YouRSVP here to join us on Wednesday, February 10 at 1PM PST/4PM EST for Impulse Control: Making Your Brain Work for You. Can we learn to control our impulses before they control us? Even more importantly: can we learn to…
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Watch A COVID-19 Conversation with Larry Brilliant & Seth MacFarlaneJoin renowned epidemiologist Larry Brilliant and Science & Entertainment Exchange advisory board member writer/director/producer/actor Seth MacFarlane as they take a deep dive into current COVID-19 events, tackling a list of frequently asked questions to help us all understand what lies…
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OLIVER SACKS: HIS OWN LIFE – Special Talk-BackFrom filmmaker Ric Burns comes this extraordinary documentary revealing the story of legendary neurologist Oliver Sacks, a fearless explorer of unknown cognitive worlds who helped redefine our understanding of the brain and mind despite his own personal battles with drug…
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Watch Human Nature: With Jennifer Doudna, Adam Bolt, and Walter IsaacsonWatch a Special Conversation with Nobel Prize Winner Jennifer Doudna and Filmmaker Adam Bolt, moderated by Author Walter Isaacson. Science holds the potential to shape our planet and every living thing in it. One of the greatest science stories of…
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Watch Grey Matters: What the History of Vaccines Can Tell Us About the FutureIn record time, the world has three COVID-19 vaccines but our resumption of normal life hangs on the success of making and distributing hundreds of millions of doses. Will people take them? There are also serious equity issues as to…
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Watch The 2020 MixtapeWatch Here As we close the door on 2020, it’s clear that we don’t want to do that again. But looking back at eight months of online programming, there were definitely highlights and bright spots, some amazing speakers deserving of…
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Watch Flipping the Switch on Right and Wrong: Evolving Ethics in ScienceMost people have a pretty strong sense of right and wrong and can be quick to judge others through that sharply focused ethical lens. What if everything you accepted about the notions of right and wrong changed… and all of…
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Watch Phone HomeJill Tarter has spent more than 40 years trying to answer the question, “Are we alone in the universe?” An astronomer and co-founder of the SETI Institute, she was the inspiration for Ellie Arroway, the alien-hunting protagonist made famous by…
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Watch Risky Business‘Tis the season for goblins and ghosts, that time when fear is actually meant to be fun and festive. Of course this year, has been an especially frightening one and the idea of actively seeking out new things to spook…
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Watch Science Speed Datinghttps://vimeo.com/471491258 Science Speed Dating This special edition of Science Speed Dating brings together experts from some of the most hotly contested fields of science: climate change, genetically engineered foods, evolution, and vaccines. Filtered through campaigns of misinformation and political rhetoric,…
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Watch A Series of Fortunate Events with Sean B. Carroll and Seth MacFarlaneSEAN B. CARROLL AND SETH MacFARLANE In Conversation A Series of Fortunate Events: Exploring Chance and the Making of the Planet, Life, and You For more than 10 years The Science & Entertainment Exchange has facilitated conversations between thought leaders…
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Watch This Too Shall Pass: Creativity in the Time of COVID-19Watch our co-presentation with Cultural Programs of the National Academy of Sciences for: This Too Shall Pass: Creativity in the Time of COVID-19 In our third installment of this event series, we explore the pandemic’s impact on mainstream storytelling. Join…
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Watch The COVID-19 Dashboard: Deciphering the Data, Visualizing the VirusHow is complex data collected and used to improve our understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic? You’ve likely been using it for months to track the global spread of COVID-19. Certainly you’ve seen the charts, graphs, and gifs that are used…
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Watch Picture a Scientist PanelPicture a Scientist chronicles the researchers who are writing a new chapter for women scientists. Characterized by Science Magazine as “sweeping in scope yet intimately compelling,” the film leads viewers on a journey deep into the very personal experiences of…
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Watch Human Nature PanelThe Science & Entertainment Exchange Presents a Special Pre-Release Viewing and Talk-Back for the New Documentary Human Nature. From executive producer Dan Rather and director Adam Bolt, and the co-writer and editor of the Oscar-winning film Inside Job, comes the…
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Watch This too shall passCultural Programs of the National Academy of Sciences and The Science & Entertainment Exchange Present: This Too Shall Pass: Creativity in the Time of COVID-19 In our next installment of this event series, we are continuing to focus on the…
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Watch Science Speed DatingListen to five quick-fire talks by experts whose work spans a range of scientific fields. Hear about research taking place on the cutting edge of science, peer into the possibilities of our technological future, and leave inspired by a STEMM…
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Watch The Vaccine – Where, When, and for Whom?Almost as soon as the world began to track the progress of the COVID-19 pandemic, our attention shifted to the possibility of a vaccine. Tune in to this fascinating conversation with one of the world’s experts in vaccine who will…
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Watch Body on a Chip: Exclusive Conversation w/ Visionary Scientist Anthony AtalaBody on a Chip: Exclusive Conversation w/ Visionary Scientist Anthony Atala The vast majority of new medications in development fail. The few that ultimately get approved for human use may have unpredictable effects, or the outcome may not be known…
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Watch This Too Shall Pass: Creativity in the Time of COVID-19Cultural Programs of the National Academy of Sciences and The Science & Entertainment Exchange Present: This Too Shall Pass: Creativity in the Time of COVID-19 One of the most visible and immediate creative responses to COVID-19 was musical. Videos quickly…
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Watch The Viruses That Make Us HumanThe Viruses That Make Us Human and Other Surprises from 4 Billion Years of Evolution Read this article about the event from The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. If you think that feathers arose to help animals fly…
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Watch Virtual STEMM Education Care Package: Stay Safe, Stay Schooled, Stay SaneA Virtual STEMM Education Care Package: Stay Safe, Stay Schooled, Stay Sane For those who have been helping young learners at home over the past few months, The Exchange wants to provide you with a science care package to help…
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Watch Alien Oceans on Earth and BeyondAlien Oceans on Earth and Beyond Beneath the frozen crusts of several of the small, ice-covered moons of Jupiter and Saturn lurk vast oceans that may have been in existence for as long as Earth. Could there be alien life…
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Watch Virtual Science Speed DatingWatch the recording of a special online edition of our most popular event format, Science Speed Dating. Listen to five quick-fire talks by experts whose work spans a range of scientific fields. Hear about research taking place on the cutting…
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Watch Alone TogetherHuman beings are social creatures by nature. Even the more introverted among us instinctually enjoy the simple pleasure of gathering. Indeed, there is ample research to demonstrate that strong social connections are directly related to good health. Conversely, it is…
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Watch Going to Polar ExtremesJoin Kirk Johnson on a dramatic and surprising adventure as he guides us through our distant past, traversing the globe from pole to pole to uncover the extraordinary story of our planet’s changing climate. This geological journey will take us…
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Learn about Mapping a Pandemic in The Science of WhereMany of us have spent the last month regularly hitting refresh on our web browsers to update the map that has now become ubiquitous in (quite literally) bearing witness to the persistent spread of COVID-19. Mapping technologies are used in…
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#AskAScientist with Katherine McNamara and Nicole Lurie#AskAScientist is a down-and-dirty, shot-at-home, short video series of uncertain duration and frequency in which our friends talk to scientists who answer their most pressing questions about the state of the state in science. Our latest installment features Katherine McNamara…
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#AskAScientist with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Peggy Hamburg#AskAScientist is a down-and-dirty, shot-at-home, short video series of uncertain duration and frequency in which our friends talk to scientists who answer their most pressing questions about the state of the state in science. Our first installment features Joseph Gordon-Levitt…
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#AskAScientist with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Peggy Hamburg#AskAScientist is a down-and-dirty, shot-at-home, short video series of uncertain duration and frequency in which our friends talk to scientists who answer their most pressing questions about the state of the state in science. Our first installment features Joseph Gordon-Levitt…
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Learn About Bioethics in Worst Case ScenariosCatastrophic events quickly challenge fundamental assumptions about how we live and what we take for granted. This has been especially evident as we witness health systems around the world pushed to their limits in the wake of unprecedented strains caused…
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Watch Our Gardening EventOur grandparents and great-grandparents grew “Victory Gardens” during World Wars I and II when fresh produce was scarce. All the best trends eventually come back. But these days we have a whole lot of nifty ways to ensure a tasty…
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Watch Our First Online EventCurrent events have us very focused on the search for a vaccine for COVID-19. But this is not the first time that scientists have sought quick solutions to address an emerging infection that posed a risk to human health. We…
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Magic flying carpets, how to obliterate your enemy and the ability to see through walls; sound like something from your favorite science fiction movie? What if we told you that all of those things were technically possible? According to Neil…
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